Hello, everyone! After returning from Monterey Car Week, it has been tempting to try to pair the words in this installment of Car Connections with vehicles I have seen at the shows, but that’s not how this series works. As usual, I have three words from the Random Word Generator and just let my mind wander until it stumbles upon ways how those words are linked to automobiles. This week’s words are widen, layout, and cattle. How would you associate these words with cars? Tell us in the Comments section below. (And click here for more Car Games!)
Photo courtesy of Ford From the Road
Widen: When you build a full-size pickup meant for high-speed off-roading, it’s a good idea to make it a little wider and more stable. That’s what Ford did with the 720-horsepower F-150 Raptor R, giving it 74-inch front/73.6-inch rear track widths — increases of more than six and five respective inches compared to an F-150 XLT SuperCrew 4×4.
Photo courtesy of Stellantis
Layout: Beach chair. Beach. Sand. The 2024 Jeep Gladiator High Tide Edition, a Gladiator Sport S-based thank-you to the people who make the pilgrimage to Florida’s Jeep Beach event. Command-Trac part-time four-wheel drive, two-speed transfer case with 2.72:1 low-range gearing, and 32-inch mud-terrain tires help it handle all types of terrain.
Photo courtesy of eBay
Cattle: Steer. In 2001, GMC announced it would introduce Quadrasteer four-wheel steering on the 2002 Sierra Denali. At lower speeds, it turned the front and rear wheels in opposite directions to minimize the truck’s turning radius. At higher speeds, all four wheels turned in the same direction to aid handling. Unfortunately, Quadrasteer headed staright toward an early demise as GMC dropped it from its lineup several years later.
Does today’s round of Car Connections make you want to add a Ford, Jeep, or GMC to your garage? Find one on ClassicCars.com.
