At one point in car show history, there were a few “big” Mopar themed events across the United States. Knowing they could not do them all, these “options” forced enthusiasts to have to decide which event to attend. Over time; however, the little show that could, the Carlisle Chrysler Nationals, did and as such, Mopar lovers no longer have to decide IF they’ll be at Carlisle each July. Now it’s just a matter of when and for 2018, when is July 13-15 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds.

It’s not just the cars that draw guests to Carlisle, it’s the people AND the swap meet. Of course, the cars, nearly 3,000 of them, help anchor the event. 2018 spotlights a handful of anniversaries that focus on the history of the brand. Displays include 50 years of the Plymouth Road Runner, 50 years of the Dodge Super Bee, 50 years of the 340 engine, 50 years of the Hemi Dart and Barracuda and 25 years of the LH platform. A limited edition die-cast A12 Road Runner will be available to make that celebration even better. There’s also the always popular Mopar Survivor display and wide array of special guests too.

Guests include the Ramchargers and Golden Commandos, Herb McCandless, Linda Vaughn of Hurst fame and of course Chrysler themselves. Speaking of the McCandless family, the McCandless Antique Auto collection will feature some of the finest cars including a display of convertibles from the Forward Look era. The Mopar garage always anchors a massive portion of the midway and they do their best to not only showcase their top products, but also feature a variety of show vehicles by canvasing the field to find owners of cars and trucks to interview and share their stories via Dodge and Mopar’s official social media channels.

Cars and trucks don’t just sit on the showfield, they compete too. There are a few automotive competitions that always draw a crowd. Those competitions include the real street autocross shootout, thrill rides with Dodge and even the burnout contest. Other activities include the Daisy Duke contest and walk-arounds of the latest offerings from Dodge. In addition to the new vehicles, we also offer seminars to help you learn more about older Mopars too. Our most popular seminar last year was also our newest called the Restorers Roundtable. We brought in the best Mopar restorers in the business to answer YOUR questions to help you get over that hump with your project. Based on that popularity, it is back for 2018.

Another added bonus with your paid admission to the Chrysler Nationals is free walk-in access to the Hurst Nationals. This event is held just across the street at our Carlisle Expo Center where you’ll find an outdoor show field and an air-conditioned, indoor invitational display. This is open to all Hurst-equipped vehicles. While it might not be an all-Mopar event, it is free with your Chrysler Nationals admission and if you’d rather not walk, we’ll even take you there on our free shuttle. The Hurst Nationals is Friday and Saturday only.

There is so much to see and do at this show that three days simply can’t accommodate it all. Much of the fun rolls into the evenings such as the Mopar Hall of Fame on Saturday where we’ll honor the 2018 inductees. Many Mopar enthusiast will converge on Carlisle earlier in the week. The demand for all things Mopar is such that the Mopar Rebellion car club will once again host its annual event kick-off party at the Carlisle Expo Center. This party starts at about 4 p.m. on July 12 and hosts a few hundred cars. In addition, there’s BBQ, a DJ and more.

The kick-off party is FREE for guests and for event weekend itself, tickets and complete details are available online now at www.CarlisleEvents.com. Further, anyone looking to secure a swap meet space at the world’s largest all-Mopar themed swap meet, the Carlisle Events office is open 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday. Would be vendors should call 717-243-7855.

Acura upgraded its luxury SUV lineup in 2001, when it replaced the under-selling SLX with a newly initialed mid-size crossover that was created to supply “Multi-Dimensional luXury," or MDX.

The third-generation Acura MDX received a complete redesign for the 2014 model year and received a major refreshening in 2017 that included tweaked exterior styling, a bold new diamond pentagon grille drawn from the Acura Precision Concept, and a suite of safety and driver-assistive technologies -- AcuraWatch™. With a full redesign scheduled for the 2020 model year, MDX stands pat for the most part for 2018, gaining a redesigned dual-screen infotainment interface with more menus and faster response; a new 7.0-inch capacitive touchscreen; standard Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility; and two new exterior colors -- Basque Red and San Marino Red.

Acura’s only three-row vehicle, MDX was designed at the Acura Design Studio in Torrance, Calif., with the new grille integrated with a sharply sculpted hood, front fascia and front fenders coupled with unique LED fog lights and restyled Jewel Eye™ headlights, for an “executive athletic” demeanor. A full complement of bright, efficient LED lighting enhances the elegant look, and luxury exterior features include a one-touch power moonroof, power folding outside mirrors, high-performance all-season tires, available roof rails, and remote keyless entry.

Thanks to its use of advanced materials including aluminum, high-strength steel and magnesium, MDX offers refined ride quality, while a 4.5-mm thick, 3-layer acoustic windshield and 4.8-mm front door glass help mitigate vibration, and wind, road and traffic noise in the cabin.

Sculpted with roundness and refined softness, MDX measures 193.6 inches long, 77.2 inches wide and 67.6 inches high on a 111-inch wheelbase. MDX has a ground clearance of 7.3 inches empty and 5.3 inches full, weighing in with a curbweight of only 4063 pounds with the Tech and Entertainment packages.

MDX is a class-leader with its combination of power and fuel efficiency. Muscle comes from an advanced 3.5-liter direct-injected i-VTEC® V-6 engine rated at 290 peak horsepower and 267 lb.-ft. peak torque. Acura’s i-VTEC® (intelligent Variable Valve Timing and Lift Electronic Control) for the intake valves is combined with Variable Cylinder Management™ (VCM®) to widen the power band and maximize fuel efficiency. During startup, aggressive acceleration or when climbing hills, VCM operates the engine on all six cylinders. During moderate speed cruising and at low or moderate engine loads, the system operates just the front cylinder bank.

Coupled with a 9-speed Sequential SportShift automatic transmission with paddle shifters, I found good passing power and decent off-the-line speed. A trip to the track showed a 6.7 second zero-to-60mph sprint and a 14.2-second quarter-mile.

My AWD test ride was rated at 19mpg/city, 26mpg/highway, and my week of mixed-use tests including some soft-road excursions yielded an economy average 24.1mpg.

While I wouldn’t recommend extreme off-road challenges with this crossover, the suspension was equal to most pothole tasks, and the quiet cabin was stable with responsive steering and minimal yaw and wobble during quick maneuvers.

Inside, MDX is luxurious, quiet, roomy (for the first two rows), and filled with tech, safety and convenience, though that might also be due to the option packages installed. With seating for seven, headroom is good for average-sized inhabitants, but crunched for the tall. Front headroom is 38.1 inches, second row headroom is 38.3 inches and the third row shows 35.6. Legroom goes 41.4, 36.6 and a very tight 28.1 in the kids’ third row. Shoulder room comes in at 61.1, 59.1 and 54.7.

An IIHS Top Safety Pick+ and NHTSA 5-star rating-winner, every MDX model and trim level includes the AcuraWatch™ suite of advanced safety and driver-assistive technology, including Collision Mitigation Braking System™, Lane Keeping Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control with Low-Speed Follow and Road Departure Mitigation. Using millimeter wave radar and a monocular camera to detect other vehicles as well as lane markings, AcuraWatch can help intervene to prevent or mitigate the severity of a collision.

The 2018 Acura MDX starts at $44.200 for front wheel drive and $46,200 for the SH-AWD model. The Sport-Hybrid in SH-AWD starts at $52,100.

The MDX SH-AWD Technology Package model (GPS-linked climate control, Rain-Sensing Windshield Wipers, Power Folding Side Mirrors with LED Puddle Lights, Remote Engine Start Color Multi-Information Display with Turn-By-Turn Guidance, Blind Spot Information System, Rear Cross Traffic Monitor, Acura Navigation System with 3D View and HD Traffic™ and Traffic Rerouting™, 10-speaker premium audio system, and more) adds $4400 and starts at $50,600; the Advanced Package (Idle Stop for improved fuel efficiency, perforated leather interior, Heated and Ventilated Front Seats, Heated Steering Wheel, Auto Dimming Side Mirrors, Front and Rear Parking Sensors, Surround View Camera and more) adds $6050; and the Entertainment Package (9-inch Full VGA Screen, 11th Speaker for Improved Surround Sound, heated second-row bench seats and more) adds $2000.

My test ride was the MDX SH-AWD with Tech, Entertainment and the Advance Packages included. Also added were Cross Bars for $250; Body Side Molding for $259; Door Edge Guards for $109 and Moonroof Visor for $172. Destination charges increased the sticker by $995, for a price-as-tested of $60,435.

> Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.

The pre-event press release for Spring Carlisle written in January said something about the feel of winter and its accompanying snow being a thing of the past by the time show week came around in April. Ooops! In all seriousness, the annual spring event went off without a hitch between April 18 and April 22 at the Carlisle PA Fairgrounds and neighboring Carlisle Expo Center. Sure, it snowed on Tuesday, but since that wasn’t an event day, does it really count?

Spring Carlisle ushered in the 2018 Carlisle based schedule for Carlisle Events and did so with beautiful weather for everyone to enjoy. Entering its 44th season, Carlisle once again offered the best outlet known to man (or woman) for guests from around the world to buy, sell and trade all things automotive. Spring Carlisle offered a little bit of something for everything, including the massive swap meet, the expansive car corral, on-site metal fabrication seminars with Pro Metal Shop and event special guests.

Coming to Carlisle in conjunction with Hagerty Insurance was author host of Hagerty’s Barn Find Hunter program; Tom Cotter. In addition, guests at Spring Carlisle were surprised with an unannounced visit from Andy Cohen of Junkyard Empire on Velocity. Not only did Cohen come to Carlisle to shop, he brought his production crew with him to film segments for an upcoming episode of his show. Now, why did he come to the show? Because Carlisle is THE place to be for car lovers of all types. In fact, Cohen coming to town is the exact thing guests are advised of all the time; meaning they can literally be walking the aisles and shopping alongside TV stars and sometimes they don’t even know it.

The on-site seminars also served as a fund raiser of sorts for a local animal rescue. Guests not only gained some knowledge from fabrication expert Steve Mercurio, they also had the chance to donate pet food and supplies to Speranza, a central Pennsylvania organization known for rehabbing abandoned, abused and neglected dogs.

From the midway and its always growing list of vendors to the swap meet, car corral, food vendors, industry experts and more, Spring Carlisle 2018 really did live up to its label as one of the top 5 automotive events of its type in the world…and that doesn’t even include the three-day collector car auction, powered by Carlisle Auctions (more on that in a separate release).

While Spring Carlisle is a wrap, it’s only the beginning of the fun at Carlisle in 2018. Up next, running May 18-20 is the Carlisle Import & Performance Nationals. It’ll serve as the first of six specialty events before giving way to Fall Carlisle in October. The fall event is similar to the spring show but wraps up the year with five days of shopping and swapping fun. Fall Carlisle runs October 3-7 and tickets for it as well as other events are for sale now at www.CarlisleEvents.com.

It took forever for the feeling of spring to go from concept to reality in central Pennsylvania, but when it did, the amazing weather served as THE perfect backdrop for Carlisle Auctions and its second auction event of the year. For three days, the Carlisle Expo Center came to life as part of the auction, which ran concurrently with Spring Carlisle. Of all the auctions ever produced by Carlisle Auctions, this one was, hands down, THE BEST EVER!

Over 500 consignments crossed the block and between the first slamming of the gavel on Thursday, April 19 to the final hammer to fall on Saturday, April 21, 62% of the consignments sold. If that’s not enough of a “wow” factor, how about the fact that the top five selling rides sold for $435,000. Overall, Carlisle Auctions tallied $5.7 million in total sales, an all-time best for the brand. Bidder count was up over last year’s event too, as well as the overall quality of consignment. This combination helped amass an unmatched energy in the room as well as the aforementioned $5.7 million in sales.

As top five selling cars go, the list is as follows:

1) 1969 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 Convertible $103,000
2) 1989 Ferrari Testarossa $90,000
3) 1966 Chevrolet Corvette $85,000
4) 1969 Ford Mustang Mach 1 $82,500
5) 1966 Ford Shelby Mustang GT350 $75,000

Honorable mention to this list was a low mileage, one owner 1972 Chrysler Town & Country wagon. This gem was impeccable, loaded with all of the top of the line features of its time and went home with just its second owner ever. At $55,000, it is believed to be world record price for a 1972 Chrysler Town & Country.

Ultimately, Carlisle Auctions continues to set the bar high and backed by its FREE UNLESS SOLD guarantee, plans to offer another stellar event this summer. Brand new to the auction slate, the Summer Sale, a stand-alone auction offering, runs June 16 at the Carlisle Expo Center and spotlights 200+ consignments. It all starts at 12 p.m. and complete details on that event, plus results from this one can be found at www.CarlisleAuctions.com.

The top-selling vehicle in Mitsubishi’s lineup is the Outlander, a small crossover for soft-road and around-town utility. An all-season vehicle with good fuel economy and compact size, Outlander was initially known as the Mitsubishi Airtrek when it was launched in Japan in 2001. By the second generation, in 2005, Airtrek became Outlander.

Mitsubishi added a smaller, sportier and more affordable Outlander configuration in 2011 – the Sport. Carrying the Outlander badge, the trendy Sport and has earned its own following as Mitsubishi’s entry-level crossover, positioned below the Eclipse Cross and three-row Outlander crossovers.

Available in nine trims, Outlander Sport remains mostly untouched for 2018, receiving enhanced styling and interior tweaks to reduce cabin noise. Exterior advancements for 2018 include a revised front grille; LED running lights added as standard on SE, SEL tailgates; and Alloy Silver paint, replaces Cool Silver paint. Inside, the Outlander Sport gets a new center console design, shift lever and USB ports; a 7-inch touch panel display audio unit with Bluetooth phone and audio streaming is now standard for the ES trim; Apple CarPlay™ support and Android Auto™ are now standard on SE and SEL trims; a new Touring Package is offered on SEL with advanced safety technologies including Forward Collision Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, Rockford Fosgate® Premium Audio System and panoramic roof; and the addition of new-generation CVT8 transmission on the 2.4L SE and SEL.

The Outlander Sport’s architecture is rounded and aggressively forward-leaning, utilizing an aerodynamic, low-drag body design with a clean, sloping demeanor, a short hood, raked windshield, angular corners and the “Dynamic Shield” grille bisected horizontally by a thick black centerpiece. Side action lines are sculpted in, and the rear employs a front-focused stance.

For 2018, Outlander Sport in 2.4 SEL configuration (as was my test drive) is light at 3285 lbs. in AWD, and measures 171.9 inches long, 71.3 inches wide and 64.8 inches high on a 105.1-inch wheelbase. Ground clearance is 8.5 inches.

Outlander Sport power comes from either a 2.0-liter engine that provides 148 hp and 145 lbs.-ft. of torque, with an estimated 24 mpg city/30 mpg highway for 2WD models and 23 city/29 highway for AWD; or the 2.4-liter MIVEC 4-cylinder engine which is rated at 168hp and 167 lbs.-ft. and is estimated 23/29 2WD and 23/28 AWD. Both engines are set up with a 5-speed manual or Sportronic® continuously-variable transmission.

My test ride, an Outlander Sport SEL, was outfitted with the 2.4-liter engine that is less noisy than the smaller engine. However, while quicker than the 2.0, the name “Sport” doesn’t translate into sportscar performance. You get steady and predictable acceleration, and uphill grades are easily and successfully conquered, but passing at speed takes some strategy and track tests showed a sluggish at 7.9 seconds for a zero-to-60mph run and a 16.4-second quarter-mile excursion. A week of mixed-use tests on snowy and slick surfaces yielded an average of 24.4mpg.

Behind the wheel, Outlander Sport has a compact sedan feel rather than a sports-ute experience, and the electric power steering was vague at times. Driving in town was enjoyable, as Sport easily maneuvers into tight spaces and around obstacles, making it better suited for urban than off-road scenarios -- Sport is more congenial and relaxed than it is rugged. The MacPherson front struts with stabilizer bar and multi-link rear with stabilizer bar skillfully leveled minor road and highway bumps and gave good road feel, but soft-road seemed about its upper level.

The Outlander Sport cabin is driver and passenger friendly, and is packed with tech and infotainment. With the Panoramic Roof above, the interior provides 39.4 inches of front headroom with 37.9 inches for row two. Legroom is comfortable up front at 41.6 inches up front, but tighter in the rear at 36.3 inches. Shoulder room is 56.2 inches in row one and 55.5 inches for the rear seats.

Regarding price … for comparison, the full-size 2018 Outlander starts at $24,945 for the ES 2.4 trim and tops at (before options and add-ons) at $32,245 in GT trim. The smaller 2018 Mitsubishi Outlander Sport is available in nine trims and starts at $20,395 for the 2WD ES 2.0 trim with a 5-speed manual transmission, while the automatic version bases at $21,595. All-wheel drive takes the base 2.0 to $23,095. The 2.4 engine model begins with the SE 2.4 at $22,995 in manual 2WD and tops at $25,995 for the 2.4 Sport SEL (my review ride) in all-wheel-drive automatic.

The Touring Package added $2000 for a Panoramic Glass Roof, Forward Collision Mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, Automatic High Beam and a 710-watt Rockford Fosgate ® Premium Audio system with 9 speakers. The Exterior Package added $415 for a rear undercover and a Large Rear Spoiler; Remote Engine Start added $545; The Quick Value Package 1 added wheel locks, front and rear mudguards, cargo net, aluminum/leather shift knob and cargo mat; The Quick Value Package 2 added a hood protector, roof rack crossbars, all weather floormats and cargo tray for $510 and Destination and Handling added $995 for a sticker-as-tested of $31,140, but a factory discount of $1500 may be available so go talk with your dealer.

Visit www.CarlisleEvents.com for more on the automotive hobby.

Mike Blake, former editor of KIT CAR magazine, joined Carlisle Events as senior automotive journalist in 2004. He's been a "car guy" since the 1960s and has been writing professionally for about 30 years.