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Report: 8.4M recalled Ford models still on the road without fixes

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Ford

According to the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration, there are around 8.4 million recalled Ford vehicles on the road right now that have never been serviced for a potential fire risk. The vehicles are the remainder of a 14 million-unit recall that covered 1993-2003 F-Series pickups, 1995-2003 Windstars, 1995-2002 Explorers and 1995-2003 Rangers that were built with faulty cruise control units. The units could leak onto the vehicles’ anti-lock brake system and cause a fire even if the vehicle is off.

Ford says that it has done its best to notify owners of the problem multiple times and NHTSA agrees that the company’s efforts have been adequate. Unfortunately, many of the current owners may have bought the recalled vehicles used and thus may not even know that there’s a potential problem.

The recall is the largest in the history of the automotive industry, so it should come as no surprise that there are still some loose ends to be tied up. Owners can search to see if there are outstanding recalls on their vehicles at the NHTSA website. If that’s the case, NHTSA urges owners to take their vehicle to the dealer as soon as possible.

[Source: Automotive News]

Report: 8.4M recalled Ford models still on the road without fixes originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 23 Oct 2010 18:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Feeling charitable? Be one of the first to drive the 2012 Ford Focus

Filed under: Sedan, Marketing/Advertising, Ford

2012 Ford Focus

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

Ford wants to let the entire world have a shot at test driving the redesigned 2012 Focus. The automaker has announced a new contest that is designed to give interested folks a shot at some time behind the wheel of the compact car. The contest is being held via Ford’s Focus fan page on Facebook. Prospective entrants are invited to upload videos explaining why they should be invited to test drive the new Focus, a setup that reminds us quite a bit of the Blue Oval’s wildly successful Fiesta Movement.

This is not your average test drive, however, as winners will be flown to an as-yet-determined location in Southern Europe. It’s not just about the car, either, as select participants will be given their market-equivalent of $10,000 to donate to a charity that they’re passionate about. In all, Ford plans to provide $500,000 for the driver-chosen charities. Ford is tagging this event as the chance to “start more than a car.”

One hundred participants from around the globe will be invited to drive the brand-new Ford Focus and donate a large sum of money. The winners will be chosen based on the creativity of their entries, social media networking skills and the overall number of votes they receive. If you are interested in participating, head over to Facebook.com/FordFocus.

Gallery: 2012 Ford Focus

2012 Ford Focus hatchback

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Feeling charitable? Be one of the first to drive the 2012 Ford Focus

Feeling charitable? Be one of the first to drive the 2012 Ford Focus originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 22 Oct 2010 16:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Review: 2011 Ford Edge Limited

Filed under: Crossover, Ford, Reviews

Ford Masters The Mid-Cycle Refresh

2011 Ford Edge

2011 Ford Edge – Click above for high-res image gallery

It’s one thing for an automaker to develop a single great vehicle. After all, even a blind squirrel can score the occasional nut. But to gain a loyal customer base, automakers must string together a consistent cadence of winners. When CEO Alan Mulally joined Ford Motor Company in 2006, he inherited a product lineup with only two true champions: the F-Series pickup and the iconic Mustang. Over the next four years, Mulally and his team concentrated on getting the company leaner and meaner while improving quality and streamlining its product offerings.

At the same time that Ford was trimming costs and eliminating waste, it was also producing more competitive products. The 2010 Taurus was a step in the right direction. The 2010 Fusion won Motor Trend Car of the Year. The 2011 Mustang GT got the engines it needed to beat up on the pony car competition. And buyers are spending top dollar to get optioned-up 2011 Fiesta hatchbacks and sedans. The Blue Oval has been firing on all cylinders, and the company’s newest offering, the 2011 Edge, is supposed to extend Ford’s seemingly unbreakable streak. Will updated looks, new engines and a completely overhauled interior get the Edge on buyers’ short lists? We spent a week in a loaded 2011 Edge Limited to see for ourselves.

Gallery: Review: 2011 Ford Edge

Continue reading Review: 2011 Ford Edge Limited

Review: 2011 Ford Edge Limited originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 21 Oct 2010 11:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford named Marketer of the Year by Advertising Age

Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Ford

Ford has been named Advertising Age magazine’s Marketer of the Year for 2010. The full-court press that the Blue Oval team has been applying continues to pay off, with $4.7 billion in profit for the first half of 2010 – a 17-percent boost over 2009 and the biggest company payday since 1998. No single part of Ford’s strategy is a selfish star player; Jim Farley, Ford’s vice president of global marketing has plotted a course for combining disciplines since his arrival in Dearborn.

The positive impression Ford’s foregoing of federal TARP funds had on the public is the kind of PR coup you couldn’t ever buy, and it continues to resonate positively with the public. According to a report, fifty-five percent of consumers surveyed still cite the company’s ability to secure its own lines of credit as a reason for considering Ford vehicles above other brands. Shrewd PR moves aren’t the whole story, though. Social media savvy launch campaigns for the Explorer and Fiesta have played into the decision to honor Farley’s efforts, too.

All the clever and effective marketing in the world won’t help if the product isn’t compelling, however, and that’s been a key piece of the puzzle for Ford. The string of hits includes the Edge, Mustang and Fusion, as well as technology like the ever-evolving SYNC infotainment system that has helped put this domestic automaker back on consumers’ radars. Popular spokespeople like the Discovery Channel’s Mike Rowe (shown above) haven’t hurt either.

Roll all of these factors up into a Blue Oval-shaped bundle, and you have AdAge’s Marketer of the Year.

[Source: Advertising Age]

Ford named Marketer of the Year by Advertising Age originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 18 Oct 2010 18:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2012 Ford Focus ST hits the road

Filed under: Performance, Videos, Hatchback, Ford

2012 Ford Focus ST

2012 Ford Focus ST in action – Click above to watch video after the jump

Ford has been so kind as to unleash a video of the Focus ST on the interwebs, giving us all our first glimpse at the hopped-up hatch on open pavement. Don’t expect any apex-clipping shots of the five-door going hard over through a set of twisties, though; this video is largely comprised of a lackadaisical romp through the countryside. That’s fine, though. Even without any 9/10ths driving action, the Focus ST still looks plenty lust-worthy from our point of view.

Of course, that probably has plenty to do with the fact that this is the first genuine sports-oriented version of the Focus we’ve even had a whiff of since the mighty Focus SVT went belly up back in 2004. But whereas the SVT brought a mere 170 horsepower to the table, the ST should boast a more heady 247 ponies and 266 lb-ft of torque from an EcoBoost 2.0-liter four-pot.

So long as Ford can slap a decent suspension and tolerable gearbox into the craft, there should be much to love when the car hits our shores in 2012. Hit the jump to have a look for yourself.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 2012 Ford Focus ST hits the road

Video: 2012 Ford Focus ST hits the road originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 15 Oct 2010 11:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford unhinges rest of its Explorer-filled, SEMA-bound toybox

Filed under: Aftermarket, SEMA Show, Ford, Design/Style

Galpin Auto Sports Explorer – Click above for high-res image gallery of Ford customs to debut at SEMA

SEMA 2010 is just around the corner and Ford has supplied a number of vehicles to various aftermarket tuning companies ahead of the festivities. The 2011 Ford Explorer is just one of the vehicles receiving the tuner treatment, but it’s getting a lot of attention. Ford has supplied three of them to different companies, to create three different styles: Urban, Luxury and Adventure.

The Urban style was handled by Funkmaster Flex and the Team Baurtwell shop. The crew from GAS, or Galpin Auto Sports, turned its Explorer into a high-end machine for Luxury. CGS Motorsports handled Adventure and added lifestyle touches to the ‘ute while still providing an upscale, custom feel.

Other vehicles wearing a Blue Oval at SEMA include;

2011 Lincoln MKX by ID Agency
2011 Ford Taurus SHO by Rick Bottom Designs
2011 Ford Taurus SHO by H&R Springs
2011 Ford Edge by K-Daddy Kustomz
2011 Ford Fusion Sport by Steeda Autosports

You can view each vehicle in the gallery below, and a full press release is available after the jump.

Gallery: Ford’s lineup for SEMA 2010

CGS Motorsports Explorer Funkmaster Flex Explorer Ford Edge by K-Daddyz Kustomz Ford Fusion Sport by Steeda Autosports Galpin Ford Explorer

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford unhinges rest of its Explorer-filled, SEMA-bound toybox

Ford unhinges rest of its Explorer-filled, SEMA-bound toybox originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford celebrates the Transit in UK with special edition SportVan. One, please.

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Performance, Ford, UK

Ford Transit SportVan – Click above for high-res image gallery

Push comes to shove, the Brits know modern delivery vans better than we do. (Hard to admit, we know.) What we use high-cube trucks, pickups and vans of varying sizes for, they do it all in panel vans. They drive the wheels off ’em, and the Ford Transit (not to be confused with its kid brother, the Transit Connect) is the king of ’em all. In fact, it has for the past 45 years been the best-selling van in the UK. And to celebrate, Ford UK is launching the special edition you see here.

This Ford Transit SportVan is based on the short-wheelbase 260 model and comes equipped with a 140-horsepower turbo-diesel, 18-inch graphite-finish alloys, twin exhaust pipes and a variety of other features, all wrapped up in red with white racing stripes. Only 100 examples will be made, and given the van’s popularity on the Isles, we’re sure they’ll all sell out in a flash. In fact we know they will, since every previous SportVan edition has, including editions in blue with white stripes, grey with silver, black with silver, white with blue and blue with silver stripes.

Unfortunately this is another sport model we’ll have to admire from the opposite shore, but driving back home in an SVT Raptor ought to help numb the pain. You know the drill: details in the press release after the jump, photos in the gallery below.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Transit SportVan

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford celebrates the Transit in UK with special edition SportVan. One, please.

Ford celebrates the Transit in UK with special edition SportVan. One, please. originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 16:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford F-150 to achieve up to 23 MPG

Filed under: Truck, Ford

2011 Ford F-150

2011 Ford F-150 – Click above for high-res image gallery

As we said shortly after driving Ford’s latest F-150 pickup trucks, we think the Dearborn automaker has the very best range of powertrain options in the segment for 2011. One of the engines we are most impressed with is the 3.7-liter V6 that now serves as the base powerplant in the F-150, but until now, we didn’t have final EPA fuel economy figures.

Well, that’s been rectified, as Ford has announced that the 302-horsepower 3.7 will serve up 16 miles per gallon in the city and 23 on the highway in rear-wheel drive models, the latter figure making it the most fuel-efficient full-size pickup on the market. Stepping up the next rung to the 5.0-liter V8 will get you 360 horses and a fine 15 city, 21 highway EPA fuel economy rating, another best-in-class figure.

There are two more optional engines in the 2011 F-150. The top rung, 411-horsepower 6.2-liter V8 will deliver 12 mpg in the city and 17 on the highway. That’s not exactly stellar mileage, and it’s actually one mpg lower in both categories compared to General Motors’ 6.2-liter V8, but we’re expecting much better figures from the 3.5-liter EcoBoost, which matches the 6.2’s 11,300-pound tow rating and 3,060-pound payload.

Sadly, we still have to wait for final EPA mileage certification on the twin-turbo V6 mill. In the meantime, feel free to hit the break to read Ford’s latest press release touting its F-150 fuel economy figures.

Gallery: 2011 Ford F-150

2011 Ford F-150 XLT Chrome Package 2011 Ford F-150 FX4 2011 Ford F-150 Lariat SuperCrew

Gallery: 2011 Ford F-150: First Drive

2011 Ford F-150

[Source: Ford]

2011 Ford F-150 to achieve up to 23 MPG originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 12:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 2012 Ford Grand C-Max shows off its magic middle seat

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Etc., Crossover, Ford, Design/Style

2012 Ford Grand C-Max; Disappearing middle seat

2012 Ford Grand C-Max: Disappearing middle seat – Click above to watch video after the jump

We recently spent some time with the 2012 Ford Grand C-Max and came away with mixed feelings about it. It’s an excellent compact minivan, but that’s a low-volume segment and we’re unsure of how well the Grand C-Max will sell here. One particular feature we do know people will be impressed by is the disappearing middle seat found in the second row.

Ford engineers designed the Grand C-Max so that the second-row middle seat folds out of sight into a compartment under the adjacent seat cushion. Doing so opens up a clear passageway to the third row seating. Also, both rear seating rows fold flat to accommodate sizable cargo loads. To see it all in action, check out the video after the jump.

Gallery: 2012 Ford Grand C-Max: First Drive

Continue reading Video: 2012 Ford Grand C-Max shows off its magic middle seat

Video: 2012 Ford Grand C-Max shows off its magic middle seat originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 09 Oct 2010 19:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew to start at $44,315*

Filed under: Car Buying, Truck, Ford, Off-Road

2011 Ford SVT Raptor SuperCrew

Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew- Click above for high-res image gallery

Ready to go stompin’ around with your friends in a Baja-blastin’ Ford SVT Raptor, but don’t know how much you’ll need to plunk down for the new-for-2011 four-door SuperCrew? Grab your pen and your checkbook, then write down 4-4-3-1-5.

Pricing has just been announced for the newly expanded range. The MSRP on the roomier four-door SuperCrew is priced at $44,315 while the shorter extended-cab Raptor SuperCab will cost a bit less at $41,550. (*In either case, destination and delivery charges will add a further $975 to the bottom line.)

Both 2011 Raptors are now powered by a 6.2-liter V8 engine that’s rated at 411 horsepower and 434 pound-feet of torque. The less powerful 5.4-liter unit found on last year’s model is no longer available.

Gallery: 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

Report: 2011 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor SuperCrew to start at $44,315* originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 13:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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