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A guide to help you become a parking lot party professional
Introduction
Tailgating Time!
To many Americans, the kickoff of the college and pro football seasons means just one thing: It’s time to party in the parking lot! Of course we understand that, for most of the folks whooping it up outside the stadium this weekend, the attraction of tailgating goes way beyond the sport itself. But regardless of whether you’re actually emotionally invested in the game’s outcome or just view the action on the field as a sideshow to the pre- and post-game festivities, we think you’ll find a lot to like in our list of the coolest new tailgating vehicles and accessories.
Photos courtesy of their respective manufacturers
Chrysler Town & Country: Tailgating With Tykes
If we didn’t know better, we’d swear the Chrysler Town & Country was designed with parking lot partying in mind. First off, there’s the standard third-row seat that flips over backward to make a comfortable bench that puts you smack dab in the middle of the tailgating action. Then there are all these really cool options, including dual video screens with live satellite TV programming from Cartoon Network, Disney, and Nickelodeon and a mobile internet gizmo that turns your ride into a wireless hotspot. Put it all together and you have what might be the ultimate family-friendly tailgating vehicle.Page 2
Tailgate Specs: Chrysler Town & Country
MSRP: $27,160
Seating Capacity: 7
Towing Capacity: 1,800/3,800 lbs.
Power Outlets:2 x DC/1 x AC (optional)
Accessory Spotlight: Hotspot Hardware
Why stand around the stadium parking lot telling your buddies about that amazing play you saw on SportsCenter last night when you can show them? Whether you’re an ESPN junkie or just someone who can’t resist updating their Facebook page every 10 minutes, we think you’ll like AutoNet Mobile’s new wireless router that turns any vehicle into a wi-fi hotspot where you and your pals can log on from laptops, cell phones, and game systems. MSRP: $400; http://www.autonetmobile.com.
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Toyota Tundra: Supersize Surprise
Like the team that pulls a trick play in the game’s closing minutes, Toyota’s full-size Tundra pickup has a few surprises up its sleeve. Like an interior on four-door CrewMax models that’s so big you might be tempted to move the entire party inside if the weather turns ugly. Or the optional 381-horsepower, 5.7-liter V-8 that gives it the muscle to haul more than a half-ton of gear and tow trailers up to 10,400 pounds. Frankly, if you can’t get all your tailgating stuff to the stadium in this, well, let’s just say that would be the biggest surprise of all.Page 2
Tailgate Specs: Toyota Tundra CrewMax
MSRP: $23,155
Seating Capacity: up to 6
Towing Capacity: 10,400 lbs.
Power Outlets:2 x DC/1 x AC (optional)
Accessory Spotlight: Mobile Mansion
Heard the expression “Go big, or go home”? Here’s what they’re talking about right here, a line of full-on tailgating trailers that include all the goodies. There are several different models to choose from, but we’re lusting after the 10-foot Parking Lot Pro that comes fitted out with a 32-inch flat-screen TV, 100-watt surround-sound system, kegerator, porta-potty and more. Got friends? Well, you will when you roll into the stadium towing this bad boy. MSRP: From $10,000; http://www.tailgatetrailers.com.
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Ford Flex: Rolling Rec Room
Experienced tailgaters know there’s more to these weekly football festivities than slapping a few burgers on the grill. You’ve got to have entertainment too, something at which the new Ford Flex excels. In fact, you can think of this midsize crossover as a rec room on wheels, complete with mood lighting, a dual-screen DVD video system, AC power outlet, and an honest-to-goodness refrigerator-freezer. Add the navigation system’s Sirius Travel Link satellite data service that brings you everything from sports scores to live weather radar images and you might decide you don’t really want to go watch the game after all.Page 2
Tailgate Specs: Ford Flex
MSRP: $28,495
Seating Capacity: 7
Towing Capacity: 4,500 lbs.
Power Outlets:2 x DC/1 x AC (optional)
Accessory Spotlight: TV To Go
The problem with most in-car video entertainment systems is that you’re limited to the handful of DVDs you happen to have on hand. Not so with the AT&T CruiseCast system, which delivers more than 20 channels of your favorite programming from the likes of ESPN and Comedy Central. Ready for the best part? It does it all, regardless of whether your vehicle is moving or parked, via a rooftop antenna that’s smaller than a football helmet. MSRP: $1300 plus $28/month service fee; http://www.cruisecast.com.
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Cadillac Escalade: Sophisticated Soirées
As tailgate parties have grown more elaborate, many business people have begun using them as way to entertain their important clients, suppliers, and employees. Which is where the full-size Cadillac Escalade comes in. No matter which model you choose, you can count on this luxury SUV to give your stadium shindig a definite ‘wow’ factor with its combination of head-turning good looks and upscale amenities. Figure in the big Caddy’s practical qualities, including substantial cargo room and a hefty 8,300-pound towing capacity, and you have a deluxe truck that’s bound to make an impressive centerpiece for your next sporting event soirée.Page 2
Tailgate Specs: Cadillac Escalade
MSRP: $62,205
Seating Capacity: 7/8
Towing Capacity: 8,300 lbs.
Power Outlets:2 x DC/1 x AC (optional)
Accessory Spotlight: Let the Good Times Roll
Warning: The Grill-N-Chill C22 is not recommended for use by shy individuals as it tends to draw a crowd wherever it goes. Part of the reason is this stainless steel beauty’s ingenious design, with a unique hitch-mounted wheeled chassis that can be lowered to the ground and rolled into position by one person. From there its just a matter of hooking up your propane tank and keg, cranking up the 210-watt stereo, and it’s instant tailgate party. MSRP: $3,500; http://www.ultimatetailgating.com.
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Dodge Ram 1500: Crew Cab Cooler
Keeping tailgate party crowds happy means having plenty of food and drink on hand. And no pickup we know is better suited to this task than the new Dodge Ram Crew 1500, thanks to the pair of under-floor storage bins behind the front seats that are big enough to fit crockpots full of baked beans or dozens of iced-down brats. If that’s not enough cold storage for you, the optional RamBox lockable storage compartments (pictured on next page) built into the outside of the bed rails feature drain plugs that let them double as ice chests for 240 cans of your favorite frosty beverages.Page 2
Tailgate Specs: Dodge Ram
MSRP: $22,420
Seating Capacity: up to 6
Towing Capacity: 10,200 lbs.
Power Outlets:2 x DC/1 x AC (optional)
Accessory Spotlight: Feed Me!
While wobbly card tables may do for the occasional tailgater, seasoned stadium-lot chefs need serious equipment to help them get their grub on. Cabela’s Deluxe Camper’s Kitchen fills that bill with sturdy construction, three large work surfaces, a pair of zip-close hanging storage compartments, a fold-down spice shelf, and a 16-gallon PVC sink. When it’s time to head home, the whole thing folds down and packs up into its own handy carrying case. MSRP: $130; http://www.cabelas.com.
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Chevrolet Traverse: Crowd Control
Let’s face it: It ain’t a tailgate party without a crowd. If you intend to bring your own, Chevrolet’s new midsize Traverse crossover makes a great way to get them to the stadium. The spacious interior offers room for up to eight passengers in three comfortable rows of seats, along with a host of handy pre-game amusements including an optional dual-screen video entertainment system and a 115-volt AC power outlet. Put those two together with your Xbox 360 or PlayStation3 and your posse can warm up for the main event by butting heads on Madden NFL 10’s virtual playing field.Page 2
Tailgate Specs: Chevrolet Traverse
MSRP: $29,215
Seating Capacity: up to 8
Towing Capacity: 5,200 lbs.
Power Outlets:2 x DC/1 x AC (optional)
Accessory Spotlight: Power to the People
Sure, you could tailgate Rambo-style, roughing it with nothing but a beat-up cooler and a dented charcoal grille. But why would you want to when the Xantrex X-Power Powerpack 1500 portable power system gives you the juice to enjoy virtually every modern convenience known to man, from LCD televisions and video game consoles to blenders and microwave ovens. All without any of the obnoxious noise and fumes put out by most generators. MSRP: $500; http://www.xantrex.com.
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Honda Ridgeline: Lock ‘Er Up
Want to know the secret to a great tailgating vehicle? Secure storage, and lots of it. Which is just one of the qualities that gives the midsize Honda Ridgeline a distinct advantage over most full-size pickups. Outside, the huge 8.5 cubic foot lockable “trunk” underneath the five-foot bed makes a great place to stash gear you’d rather not leave out in plain sight to tempt sticky fingers. Inside, you can flip up the bottom cushions on the rear seat to make room for particularly valuable items like TVs and compact generators before you head inside to watch the game.Page 2
Tailgate Specs: Honda Ridgeline
MSRP: $28,450
Seating Capacity: 5
Towing Capacity: 5,000 lbs.
Power Outlets:3 x DC/1 x AC (optional)
Accessory Spotlight: Slick Storage Solution
Pop-up shelters, chairs, grills, boom boxes, games—it takes a lot of gear to throw a good tailgate party. If schlepping it all to and from the stadium has become a challenge, check out the hitch-mounted Tailgate Cargo Box. Its lockable design gives you 7.5 cubic-feet of additional storage, but that’s just the beginning. Flip a few latches and the entire stainless steel box breaks down into two large tables, making one less thing you have to pack. MSRP: $400; http://www.tailgatecargobox.com.
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Ford F-150 SVT Raptor: A Truck With ‘Tude
A heaping helping of attitude has always been a big part of supporting the home team. And no pickup flaunts its ‘tude better than the new Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. From its menacing styling—including muscular fender flares and a “brick wall” grille that emphasizes its seven-inch wider track—to its desert-racer-inspired long-travel suspension and 35-inch all-terrain tires, the Raptor practically screams “Outta my way wimp!” Handy extras include an optional 700-watt Sony audio system to get the party started and an available pull-out tailgate step that makes climbing up into the 5.5-foot bed to taunt opposing fans a whole lot easier.Page 2
Tailgate Specs: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
MSRP: $38,020
Seating Capacity: 5
Towing Capacity: 6,000 lbs.
Power Outlets:2 x DC
Accessory Spotlight: In The Mood
Ask any professional event planner and they’ll tell you the key to creating a memorable bash is setting the right mood. And we can’t think of any better way to foster a festive atmosphere than with the Mobile Tiki Bar, a sturdy structure features carved tiki heads, matchstick bamboo panels, and a genuine thatched roof. The whole thing sets up or breaks down in about 10 minutes and fits in the trunk of a compact car. MSRP: $650; http://www.mobiletikibar.com.