ford Archives | Page 14 of 34

Video: “Some Old Ford” pays tribute to an old moonshiner’s Galaxie

Filed under: Classics, Coupe, Performance, Etc., Videos, Ford

Some Old Ford

1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL – Click above to watch video after the jump

It’s rare that someone gets to hold onto a vehicle they love. Often, automotive heartthrobs wind up sold, crushed, crashed or, even worse, fated to land in the ruinous hands of younger siblings. Since spend plenty of time pining for the lost models that once occupied our stable, we greatly admire individuals who have not only kept the keys to their mechanical loves, but actually take the time to dust them off and light the tires on occasion.

Such is the case with this 1964 Ford Galaxie 500 XL. The 2-door was originally a Z code car, meaning it came from the factory with a 390 cubic-inch V8 and a four-speed manual bolted behind it. At some point, that drivetrain was yanked out for R-code bits, including a 427 lump and a four-speed top-loader transmission. If you seek muscle-car divinity, look no further.

The owner says that his big Galaxie was originally owned by an old moonshine runner, and while it’s spent its fair share of time out in the weeds, it now sleeps peacefully indoors. Hit the jump to check out the video for yourself. Thanks for the tip, Brad.

[Source: Vimeo]

Continue reading Video: “Some Old Ford” pays tribute to an old moonshiner’s Galaxie

Video: “Some Old Ford” pays tribute to an old moonshiner’s Galaxie originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 26 Feb 2011 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: “Some Old Ford” pays tribute to an old moonshiner’s Galaxie”

2012 Ford Focus officially certified at 40 mpg highway

Filed under: Sedan, Hatchback, Ford

2012 Ford Focus

2012 Ford Focus – Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford has confirmed that the 2012 Focus achieves an EPA-rated 40 miles per gallon on the highway, besting many of the competitors in its class. Only the 2011 Hyundai Elantra and 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco manage to reach the much-heralded 40-mpg mark. The Focus is also rated at 28 mpg in the city.

Not to rain on Ford’s parade here, but we must make something perfectly clear: The 40-mpg rating only applies to the Focus SE sedan with SFE (super fuel economy) package and the six-speed automatic transmission. In order to achieve 40 mpg, the SFE package adds unique 16-inch steel wheels with aero-enhanced wheel covers, active grille shutters, a rear spoiler and high-efficiency tires.

That might not seem like a big deal, especially when a car as stylish and well-built as the Focus puts down 40 mpg highway. However, we can’t overlook the fact that Hyundai’s Elantra nets that 40-mpg figure on all models with either transmission, and if you spec a Cruze Eco with a manual box, you’ll be running at 42 mpg on the highway. Still, keep in mind that the Focus, at 160 horsepower, is the most powerful car in the group – besting the Elantra by 12 hp and the Cruze Eco by 22 hp – which is something that enthusiasts must consider.

In any case, by adding the 2012 Focus SE SFE to its portfolio, Ford is only further expanding its lineup of vehicles that achieve 40 mpg or better. Follow the jump for the official press release.

Gallery: 2012 Ford Focus: First Drive

2012 Ford Focus

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2012 Ford Focus officially certified at 40 mpg highway

2012 Ford Focus officially certified at 40 mpg highway originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 25 Feb 2011 11:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “2012 Ford Focus officially certified at 40 mpg highway”

Ford releases new version of the Fiesta S1600, limited to just 500 units

Filed under: Car Buying, Hatchback, Ford, UK

ford fiesta s1600

Another day, another hot-hatch that the United Kingdom can enjoy while thumbing their nose at our relative lack of hot-hatchitude here in the States. Ford has just announced another limited-edition run of Fiesta S1600 hatchbacks.

In 2010, Ford released a 650-car run of 118-horsepower Fiesta S1600 three-doors. A new version for 2011 uses the same engine but ups the power ante to 132 horsepower at 6,700 rpm and 118 pound-feet of torque at 4,250 rpm.

On the outside, the Ford Fiesta S1600 receives a lower front valence, larger side sills, a rear spoiler, rear diffuser and white 17-inch alloy wheels. The car is available in Frozen White or Performance Blue and both color choices get a pair of contrasting center stripes. The S1600 gets upgraded parts on the interior as well. Leather lines the heated sports seats, handbrake cover, gear level and steering wheel.

The Ford Fiesta S1600 will be limited to just 500 units and wears a price tag of £15,895, or nearly $26,000 USD. It doesn’t matter how much it costs in U.S. Dollars though because we can’t buy it here. That said, feel free to read all about what you’ll likely be missing in the press release after the break.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford releases new version of the Fiesta S1600, limited to just 500 units

Ford releases new version of the Fiesta S1600, limited to just 500 units originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 18:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Ford releases new version of the Fiesta S1600, limited to just 500 units”

Video: David Letterman buys a Ford Fusion on air, Nissan Juke gets dissed

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Videos, Ford, Celebrities, Humor

david letterman taking delivery of his 2011 ford fusion

David Letterman buys a 2011 Ford Fusion on-air – Click above to watch video after the jump

If you were David Letterman, what type of car would you purchase? Something German? Italian? Perhaps something that quickly propels you to illegal speeds? You’re all wrong, unless your guess was the 2011 Ford Fusion… which would be an amazingly accurate answer.

Letterman posed a challenge to local Nissan and Ford dealers; get to my set first and I will buy a car from you. Nissan was working to bring down the Juke, while Ford sent over a Fusion. It was clear that Letterman wanted the Ford to arrive first because he mocked the Juke and held up a sign reading “we love Ford.”

Luckily for Dave, a salesman from the Manhattan Ford dealership arrived first. He sat down with Dave, and Letterman successfully haggled him down a bit on the price. Click past the jump to see David Letterman take ownership of a 2011 Ford Fusion and to see the Top Ten Reasons Dave Doesn’t Want A Nissan Juke. Okay, fine. We may have embellished that last bit a little…

[Source: YouTube, Ford]

Continue reading Video: David Letterman buys a Ford Fusion on air, Nissan Juke gets dissed

Video: David Letterman buys a Ford Fusion on air, Nissan Juke gets dissed originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: David Letterman buys a Ford Fusion on air, Nissan Juke gets dissed”

First Drive: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Ford, First Drive

America’s Answer To The BMW M3

2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302

2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 – Click above for high-res image gallery

The Trans-Am series of the late 1960s and early 1970s could be considered the golden era of American motorsports. Not only did it showcase the most desirable American cars of the time, but it featured some of the world’s greatest racing drivers engaging in this country’s own brand of fender-banging racing.

It’s why Ford is so proud of the Boss 302, winner of the 1970 Trans-Am season with legendary driver Parnelli Jones behind the wheel, and why the street car has become a legend. But ask Jim Farley, Ford’s head honcho of marketing, about the 2012 Mustang Boss 302, and he’ll tell you that it’s not just about building a remake of the original. “This is not a nostalgia project,” he told us. “This is not in any way trying to bring back the Boss. This project is so much more than that. If we wanted to do that we could take a 5.0-liter, put some stripes and spoilers and other upgrades on it and that would be it. It was not a means to an end. The Boss 302 was originally a means to an end. It was a production car to go racing. This is a completely different project. We were not going to do this project unless we could beat an M3 at this track.” This track being the famed Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.

With Bavaria’s best sportscar in it sights, did Ford achieve its goal of building a modern day legend, or is the 2012 Boss 302 simply another one of the infinite variations of the Ford Mustang? Ford invited us out to Monterey for a full day with the car, including some track time at Laguna Seca, and we have the answer.

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302…

Gallery: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302: First Drive

2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302

Gallery: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca: First Drive

2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca

Continue reading First Drive: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302

First Drive: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “First Drive: 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302”

Video: Nelly shows off Ford Explorer audio system, commercial director adds unnecessary zazz

Filed under: SUV, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Crossover, Ford, Celebrities, Humor

Nelly and the 2011 Ford Explorer

Nelly disapproves of back-up dancers and falling snow – Click above to watch video after the jump

The audio system in the 2011 Ford Explorer was created by Sony and features Dolby Pro Logic II Surround Technology being pumped through 12 speakers, including a subwoofer. The crisp-sounding system can pick up HD Radio channels and tag songs so you can buy them later with iTunes. Ford tapped multiple Grammy Award-winner Nelly to discuss the virtues of this setup.

Ford also got a hold of a director that thinks Nelly and the 2011 Ford Explorer are not enough to make a stand-out commercial. He decides to add some pizazz, and Nelly feels it’s not needed. The premise sounds iffy but the results are surprisingly hilarious. Check out the clip for yourself by clicking past the jump. Now if you’ll excuse us, we’re going to go brush up on our Country Grammar…

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Nelly shows off Ford Explorer audio system, commercial director adds unnecessary zazz

Video: Nelly shows off Ford Explorer audio system, commercial director adds unnecessary zazz originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 18:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: Nelly shows off Ford Explorer audio system, commercial director adds unnecessary zazz”

Report: Ford now has more dealers than Chevy for first time in many years

Filed under: Car Buying, Chevrolet, Ford, GM

2010 was a good year for Ford. The Blue Oval outsold long-time rival Chevrolet by 160,000 units, but that’s not the only area where Ford managed a lead over the Bowtie. Ward’s Automotive reports that the Dearborn automaker ended the year with 47 more U.S. dealerships than its cross-town nemesis. The General lost 372 dealers during 2010, compared to just 61 for Ford.

Both companies shed a lot more dealers when counting all the brands that fall under their respective umbrellas, and both moves have helped helped remaining retail stores increase profits. In fact, Wards claims that sales are up between 38 and 129 percent per store. But given the atrocious 2009 automakers endured, 2010 looked like a dream year despite the fact that sales were still among the lowest in three decades. In all, there are about 17,660 car dealerships in the U.S. spanning all automakers.

[Source: Ward’s Automotive | Image: Paul Sakuma/AP]

Report: Ford now has more dealers than Chevy for first time in many years originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 17:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Report: Ford now has more dealers than Chevy for first time in many years”

Video: Creative man turns Ford Taurus Wagon into reverse snowplow

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Humor

Ford Taurus Wagon snow plow

2000 Ford Taurus Wagon snow plow – Click above to watch the video after the break

Some may call it lazy; we call it resourceful. Tired of shoveling snow and apparently unable (or unwilling) to purchase a truck-mounted plow or walk-behind snow blower, Jeff Schneider of Minnesota did the only logical thing he could: mount a blade to the back bumper of his Ford Taurus Wagon. Ingenuity – It’s the American way, no?

It seems that the little modification did the trick… mostly. In heavy, wet snow, the two-wheel drive (we’d say front-wheel drive, but it is backwards, after all) Taurus just can’t generate the kind of traction needed to push a few hundred pounds of the fluffy white stuff any real distance. But if the snow is the soft and powdery stuff, well, look out, snow plows.

See Schneider’s ingenious solution to the Minnesota winter in the video after the break.

[Source: Associated Press]

Continue reading Video: Creative man turns Ford Taurus Wagon into reverse snowplow

Video: Creative man turns Ford Taurus Wagon into reverse snowplow originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Feb 2011 12:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “Video: Creative man turns Ford Taurus Wagon into reverse snowplow”

AdSpotting: Ford Explorer gets funny with Kevin Hart

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising

Kevin Hart's 2011 Ford Explorer Wedding Commercial

Kevin Hart’s 2011 Ford Explorer commercial – Click above to watch after the jump

Company: Ford Motor Co.

Brand: Ford

Medium: TV

Ad Agency: The UniWorld Group,

Product: Explorer

Campaign: “Crazy Kevin.”

What We Like: Humor often works better than painful earnestness to spotlight certain vehicle features in a typical SUV. Kevin Hart has a certain poor man’s Chris Rock likability. The ad has a story, with a beginning and an end instead of a prattle of feature benefits.

What We Don’t Like: Not much except the ad could be funnier to really take advantage of Hart’s talents. The jokes aren’t quite sharp enough. There was probably funnier stuff that came out of working with him, and that may have been left on rejected storyboard. Ford has a habit of smoothing out what might have been an edgy idea creative because it’s too afraid of being risky with ad content.

Strategy: Ford wants to capitalize on Kevin Hart’s brand of humor, which typically centers on his life as a husband and father. The ads will extend into TV, radio, print and digital. Each ad is meant to play up some aspect of the redesigned 2011 Explorer, such as its “Terrain Management System” (TMS) and inflatable rear seatbelts. The kickoff features Hart showing up shockingly late for his brother’s wedding in a 2011 Ford Explorer. As he speeds into the wedding he creates a disturbance where the Explorer steals the spotlight from the bride and groom. During the ad, Hart highlights TMS and how he traveled through sand and mud to arrive at the wedding. He also shows off Explorer’s seven-passenger seating capacity by packing the entire rear of the vehicle with wedding gifts – all while cheering on the “crazy” factor of the SUV.

Grade: B

What do you think? Watch the ads for yourself after the jump.

Continue reading AdSpotting: Ford Explorer gets funny with Kevin Hart

AdSpotting: Ford Explorer gets funny with Kevin Hart originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 21 Feb 2011 14:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “AdSpotting: Ford Explorer gets funny with Kevin Hart”

2011 Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Edge named Canadian Car and Utility of the Year

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Crossover, Chevrolet, Ford, Canada

2011 Chevrolet Cruze

2011 Chevrolet Cruze – Click above for high-res image gallery

Both Chevrolet and Ford have something to brag about at the 2011 Canadian International Auto Show. The Automobile Journalists Association of Canada named the 2011 Chevrolet Cruze the Canadian Car of the Year; the 2011 Ford Edge took Canadian Utility Vehicle of the Year honors. According to General Motors, AJAC members cited the compact sedan’s efficiency, refinement, and price as the key factors, and that added bonuses like 10 standard air bags helped seal the award for the Cruze.

The 2011 Ford Edge crossover, won over journos with its extensive redesign and came out ahead following both road and track tests. Additionally, the Edge’s onboard technology features helped drive home the win. Hit the jump for both press releases.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1LT: Review

2011 Chevrolet Cruze 1LT

Gallery: Review: 2011 Ford Edge

[Sources: General Motors, Ford]

Continue reading 2011 Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Edge named Canadian Car and Utility of the Year

2011 Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Edge named Canadian Car and Utility of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 19 Feb 2011 11:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Continue reading “2011 Chevrolet Cruze, Ford Edge named Canadian Car and Utility of the Year”