1957 Ford Fairlane

1957 Ford Wagon

Next Generation Ford F-150 Raptor Spied!

You didn’t think Ford would just let the Raptor languish did you? They’ve yet to make any official mention of a Raptor edition F-150 but… It’s going to happen. The Raptor has been a complete success for Ford when it comes to sales, and, it’s the first truck in ages to capture the attention of non-truck people. “Car” guys know and respect the Raptor.

Consider for a minute the potential a new Raptor might have. It’s body is aluminum, so the truck will be very light. Ford will likely keep the 6.2-liter V8 as the standard engine, but, it is interesting to think about the possibility of an EcoBoost Raptor. It would need a upgraded version of the 3.5-liter V6, but, the machinery is basically already there. Just add boost and the sky’s the limit. Figuratively speaking.

Source: Ford

Ford Reveals Automated Fusion Hybrid Research Car As Blueprint For Mobility Gathers Pace

• Ford unveils automated Ford Fusion Hybrid research vehicle to test and advance its Blueprint for Mobility, which envisions a future of autonomous functionality and advanced technologies after 2025

• Developed in collaboration with the University of Michigan and State Farm^®, the vehicle builds on more than a decade of Ford automated driving research

• Ford is among the leaders in offering driver-assist technologies in its vehicles on the road today, including Ford Fusion, Ford Escape and Ford Explorer

DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 12, 2013 - Taking the next step in its Blueprint for Mobility, Ford today – in conjunction with the University of Michigan and State Farm^® – revealed a Ford Fusion Hybrid automated research vehicle that will be used to make progress on future automated driving and other advanced technologies.

The result of an ongoing project that builds on more than a decade of Ford’s automated driving research, the Fusion Hybrid automated vehicle will test current and future sensing systems and driver-assist technologies. Ford’s goal is to advance development of new technologies with its supplier partners so these features can be applied to the company’s next generation of vehicles.

“The Ford Fusion Hybrid automated vehicle represents a vital step toward our vision for the future of mobility,” said Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford. “We see a future of connected cars that communicate with each other and the world around them to make driving safer, ease traffic congestion and sustain the environment. By doing this, Ford is set to have an even greater impact in our next 100 years than we did in our first 100.”

Today’s Ford vehicles already have technology that enables them to park themselves, understand a driver’s voice commands, detect dangerous driving situations and assist with emergency braking. With these technologies and others that one day could allow a person to be driven to a destination, the driver always will need to be in control of the wheel if necessary.

“In the future, automated driving may well help us improve driver safety and manage issues such as traffic congestion and global gridlock, yet there are still many questions that need to be answered and explored to make it a long-term reality,” said Raj Nair, group vice president, Ford global product development. “With the automated Ford Fusion Hybrid research project, our goal is to test the limits of full automation and determine the appropriate levels for near- and mid-term deployment.”

The automated Fusion Hybrid will serve as the research platform to develop potential solutions for these longer-term societal, legislative and technological issues raised by a future of fully automated vehicles.
The Fusion Hybrid research vehicle builds on driver-in-control studies conducted in Ford’s VIRTTEX driving simulator. Using VIRTTEX, Ford researchers study how to merge the capabilities of human and automated drivers to create a seamless, integrated experience.

Ford’s Blueprint for Mobility

Last year at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Bill Ford outlined Ford Motor Company’s Blueprint for Mobility – a plan that describes what the automaker believes transportation will look like in 2025 and beyond, and the technologies, business models and partnerships needed to get there.

Today, Ford is working on improving technology already used in vehicles on the road. This includes functions that alert drivers to traffic jams and accidents, and technologies for parking and for driving in slow-moving traffic.

In the mid-term, vehicle-to-vehicle communications will begin to enter into the mainstream. This will include some autopilot capabilities, such as vehicle “platooning,” where vehicles traveling in the same direction sync up their movements to create denser driving patterns.

In the longer-term, vehicles will have fully autonomous navigation and parking. They will communicate with each other and the world around them, and become one element of a fully integrated transportation ecosystem. Personal vehicle ownership also will change as new business models develop. The benefits include improved safety, reduced traffic congestion and the ability to achieve major environmental improvements.

Tomorrow’s Technology, Today

The Ford Fusion Hybrid was chosen as the test platform for the new research effort because it is among the leaders in offering the most advanced driver-assist technologies in its class.

These technologies include Blind Spot Information System, active park assist, lane-departure warning, and adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support. These vehicle sensing systems, offered on many Ford vehicles today, are the building blocks for the future of fully automated driving.

In North America, these technologies can be found on Ford Focus, C-MAX hybrids, Fusion, Taurus, Escape, Explorer and Flex. In Europe, these technologies are available on Ford C-MAX, Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy.

“Products such as Ford Fusion Hybrid give us a head start in the development of automated features,” said Paul Mascarenas, chief technical officer and vice president, Ford research and innovation. “Our Blueprint for Mobility aligns the desired outcomes of our work in automated functionality with the democratization of driver-assist technology found on today’s lineup of Ford products.”

Ford’s Fusion Hybrid research vehicle is unique in that it first uses the same technology found in Ford vehicles in dealer showrooms today, then adds four scanning infrared light sensors – named LiDAR (for Light Detection And Ranging) – that scan the road at 2.5 million times per second. LiDAR uses light in the same way a bat or dolphin uses sound waves, and can bounce infrared light off everything within 200 feet to generate a real-time 3D map of the surrounding environment.

The sensors can track anything dense enough to redirect light – whether stationary objects, or moving objects such as vehicles, pedestrians and bicyclists. The sensors are so sensitive they can sense the difference between a paper bag and a small animal at nearly a football field away.

Working Together

Developing the necessary infrastructure to support a sustainable transportation ecosystem will require the collaboration of many partners across multiple industries. State Farm and the University of Michigan’s robotics and automation research team are critical to creating the visionary research project.

Ford’s work with others on the future of mobility is longstanding. Ford was an active participant in the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA)-controlled autonomous vehicle challenges in 2004, 2005 and 2007, the year Ford extended its efforts to include the University of Michigan.

While Ford is responsible for developing unique components allowing for the vehicle to function at high levels of automation, the University of Michigan – under the direction of faculty members Ryan Eustice and Edwin Olson – is leading in development of sensor-based technologies. The sensors aid in the logic and virtual decision making necessary to help the vehicle understand its physical surroundings on the road.

The university’s researchers are processing the trillions of bytes of data collected by the vehicle’s sensors, from which they can build a 3D model of the environment around the vehicle. The goal is to help the vehicle – and the driver – make appropriate and safe driving decisions.

“This research builds on the University of Michigan’s long history of pioneering automotive research with Ford,” said Alec Gallimore, associate dean of research and graduate education at the school’s College of Engineering. “The unique collaboration will enable Ford to benefit from the university’s deep knowledge of robotics and automation, and it will allow University of Michigan faculty and students to work side-by-side with some of the best auto engineers in the world.”

Meanwhile, State Farm has been working with Ford to assess the impact of driver-assist technologies to determine if the technologies can lower the rate of rear collisions.

Last year there were nearly 34,000 fatalities due to traffic accidents in the United States. By developing more intelligent vehicles, Ford helps create smarter drivers.

“By teaming up with Ford and the University of Michigan in this research, we are continuing our decades-long commitment to making vehicles, roadways and drivers safer,” said State Farm Chairman and CEO Edward Rust. “The changes new technologies bring to our lives are exciting, and we are always looking at how technology can better meet the ever-changing needs of our customers.”

Setting the Stage for Mobility in Michigan

Today’s Ford Fusion Hybrid research vehicle announcement follows an aggressive plan released this week by Business Leaders for Michigan to position the state as the global center for mobility and grow up to 100,000 new jobs in its auto sector by becoming a hub for excellence in advanced powertrain, lightweight and smart/connected transportation technologies.

With Bill Ford as champion of Business Leaders for Michigan’s mobility initiative, the plan has been developed with a coalition of top industry experts, the Center for Automotive Research and McKinsey & Company. The plan identifies growth strategies for the auto sector as it transitions to an increasingly advanced technology-based sector.

Source: Ford

Five Fords Qualify Top 10 At Pocono

FORD QUALIFYING RESULTS
3^rd       Carl Edwards
6^th       Joey Logano
7^th       Greg Biffle
8^th       Marcos Ambrose
10^th     Aric Almirola
11^th     Brad Keselowski
17^th     Ricky Stenhouse Jr.
29^th     Casey Mears
30^th     David Ragan
37^th     David Gilliland

CARL EDWARDS, No. 99 Fastenal Ford Fusion (Qualified 3^rd) – “I left a little bit out there but not much. This is a really good race car. My guys did a great job. Jimmy Fennig and the engineers took a pretty big stab at our setup because we didn’t have it right at the end of practice. To pick up over a second, I was really proud of that. I was talking to Jimmy after I came in. It is really difficult when your car is that much faster to get it right the first lap. It is hard to guess what the car is going to do. I am really proud of that lap. Hopefully we stay in the top-five. A good starting spot here can mean the difference between winning and losing here.”

GREG BIFFLE, No. 16 3M Ford Fusion (Qualified 7^th) – “I think I got what I needed. I was just looking at the clouds. You can really feel it cool off here when the clouds come in. From the time I buckled in my car to standing here now it feels 10 degrees cooler. These big long straightaways that means a great deal of speed. I am really happy with that lap and our pick-up. I wish I would have gotten a little more out of it but that’s all the car had. I was sliding in turn one and felt like I got every ounce of speed the car had. I was a little too hot off the line and it might have cost us a little off of four to the start-finish, but it was a pretty good lap overall.”

BRAD KESELOWSKI, No. 2 Redd’s Apple Ale Ford Fusion (Qualified 11^th) – YOU BARELY MADE IT BACK HERE TO PIT ROAD. WAS THERE AN ISSUE? “No, I just shut it off and was taking a nice little ride on a beautiful Pennsylvania day with the windows down and my hand out and the engine off. It felt great.”  ARE YOU SATISFIED WITH THAT LAP? “I am never satisfied. It is a pretty good improvement from where we were in practice, so that is good. I think we still need to find a little bit more though.”

ARIC ALMIROLA, No. 43 GoBowling.com Ford Fusion (Qualified 10^th) – “That was definitely good pick-up. We struggled in practice and had a chance to go back and sit down and look at the notes. We were off on a few things so Todd Parrott and my engineers made quite a few changes to our Ford Fusion and we made it a lot better. I didn’t know what to expect so I think we probably could have been better than that but we were so off in qualifying trim in practice that we had to make so many adjustments and I was trying to be a little conservative. I will take that. That is not a bad effort and hopefully it should be top-15-ish for the race.”

JOEY LOGANO, No. 22 Shell Pennzoil Ford Fusion (Qualified 6^th) – “Yeah, that was not bad. We were alright. We were fifth in practice and that is probably around where we will end up. Overall the track picked up a full second it feels like and I feel like my lap was pretty good. I left a little in one because I was too tight there, so we need to fix that but I feel like I under drove three. That would have been a tenth or so and that would have put us about second if the car was perfect. We need to find a little more speed in our car but overall the car was pretty good.”

CARL EDWARDS POST QUALIFYING PRESS CONFERENCE

CARL EDWARDS, No. 99 Fastenal Ford Fusion – TELL US ABOUT YOUR LAP OUT THERE. “We got very fortunate with our draw. The track was getting faster and faster so that was very good for us. We didn’t expect to pick up that much so that was a nice surprise to drive down into turn one and have that much grip. Starting position is really important here. We feel like we were pretty fast in race trim. I haven’t looked at the weather forecast but someone said there might be some weather tomorrow. We were fortunate to spend some time in race trim today. I am ready to go racing. I am pretty excited about hopefully our turnaround from last week. That was miserable.”

Source: Ford

2014 Ford F-150 Tremor Sport Truck Will Pace Field For NASCAR Trucks Race At Michigan International Speedway

• 2014 Ford F-150 Tremor has been chosen to pace the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Michigan National Guard 200 on Saturday, Aug. 17

• 2014 Ford F-150 Tremor sport truck with EcoBoost^® engine cranks out 365 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque, delivering V8 power with V6 fuel economy

• Ford F-150 Tremor will be on sale this fall

DEARBORN, Mich. -The 2014 Ford F-150 Tremor – the first EcoBoost^®-powered sport truck – will lead the field to the green flag at the always-fast Michigan International Speedway for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series Michigan National Guard 200 on Saturday, Aug. 17.

“Michigan International Speedway is one of the fastest tracks on the NASCAR circuit, so the vehicle pacing the field also needs to be fast,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing. “The 2014 Ford F-150 Tremor, with its light-weight configuration, EcoBoost engine and launch-optimized performance, is well-suited for this job.”

This 2014 Ford F-150 Tremor’s EcoBoost engine is the same powerful powertrain customers can buy – the only major modification to the pace truck is a bank of safety lights mandated by NASCAR. The short-wheelbase, regular-cab Tremor goes on sale this fall delivering distinctive looks and performance.

The all-new truck couples the style of the FX Appearance Package with an EcoBoost engine and a launch-optimized 4.10 rear axle – the shortest final drive ratio offered in an EcoBoost F-150 – to help provide customers with fast acceleration. The FX Appearance Package features stealthy, flat-black accents that include unique 20-inch wheels, stylized bodyside graphics and black badges with red lettering.

Tremor is the only regular-cab F-150 offering a flow-through center console and bucket seats. Interior touches include black leather seating surfaces with red piping, brushed-metal accents and a red-stitched steering wheel. Alcantara^® seat inserts add texture and style as well.

F-150 Tremor is powered exclusively by Ford’s groundbreaking 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine, which features:

• 365 horsepower at 5,000 rpm on regular fuel
• 420 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,500 rpm
• Twin independent variable camshaft timing for improved performance and fuel economy

An electronic locking rear differential that’s standard for both two- and four-wheel-drive versions helps deliver the power to the pavement by improving traction during takeoff.

The 2014 F-150 Tremor also comes standard with SYNC^® with MyFord Touch^®, which includes a large 8-inch LCD color touch screen mounted in the center stack. This package adds a media hub with two USB ports, an SD card reader and audio/video input jacks.

Saturday’s race caps a busy week for the Ford F-150 Tremor:

• On Wednesday, Aug. 14, reigning NASCAR Sprint Cup champion Brad Keselowski will drive hot laps with the 2014 Ford F-150 Tremor at Michigan International Speedway. The Rochester Hills, Mich., native is looking to defend his Sprint Cup title in his Ford Fusion
• On Thursday, Aug. 15, the F-150 Tremor will be the subject of a live Tremor Talk web chat featuring Brian Bell, F-150 marketing manager, also known as the father of the 2014 Ford F-150 Tremor, co-hosted with Edmunds.com

“We are proud to continue using Ford trucks to pace the field at MIS,” said Allison. “Just like last year when we showcased the F-150 FX4, we’re using this Michigan race as a platform to promote another one of the outstanding products in the Ford F-150 lineup.”

Source:  Ford

Ford Reveals All-New Focus Sedan, Retains World's Best-Selling Nameplate Title For 2013

• Ford Focus ranks as the best-selling vehicle nameplate in the world, based on just-released Polk new vehicle registration data for the 2013 calendar year

• Focus gains momentum with 50 percent sales growth in Chinese market

• New Focus four-door sedan globally unveiled, featuring leading combination of technology, fuel economy and power

DEARBORN, Mich., April 09, 2014 - Ford Focus retains its title as world’s best-selling vehicle nameplate for 2013, according to Ford analysis of the just-released full-year Polk new vehicle registration data from IHS Automotive. The news comes as a new Focus four-door sedan prepares to make its debut at next week’s 2014 New York International Auto Show.

Registrations of the compact Focus were up 8.1 percent with 1,097,618 cars sold worldwide last year. That compares with global Focus sales of 1,014,965 in 2012.

Market gains for Focus continue to be driven by consumer demand in China. China registrations were up 50 percent in 2013 to 403,219 vehicles, up from 268,354 vehicles in 2012. China now is responsible for just more than one out of three Focus vehicles sold globally, based on Polk data.

The debut of the new Focus four-door sedan and the Focus Electric in New York follows the Geneva Motor Show debut in March of the Focus three- and five-door hatchback and wagon. A new version of the performance Focus ST will be shown later this year.

The redesigned Ford Focus offers a bolder exterior design, a more intuitive and upscale interior, a host of technologies uncommon for a compact car and the additional powertrain option of Ford’s award-winning 1.0-liter EcoBoost^® engine with a new six-speed manual transmission in the U.S.-spec Focus. While U.S. EPA fuel economy ratings are not yet available, Ford expects the 1.0-liter EcoBoost Focus to raise the bar in fuel efficiency among non-hybrid compact vehicles.

For 2015, Focus adds an SE Sport Package, which includes new body treatments, paddle shifters (requires automatic transmission), a revised touring suspension, 17-inch black gloss aluminum wheels and P215/50 HR-17 tires.

The paddle shift feature provides drivers an additional element of control by allowing them to simulate the manual gear selection aspects of a manual transmission and extract more power from their engines.

Also notable for 2015, Ford’s popular MyKey^® feature will be standard on all trim levels. An all-new heated steering wheel will be available as well as 10 different wheels as factory options.

“It is remarkable to see Focus again lead the industry as the No. 1-selling vehicle nameplate on the planet,” said Jim Farley, Ford executive vice president, Ford Motor Company Global Marketing, Sales and Service and Lincoln. “With the new car, we’ve raised the bar again, showcasing Ford’s commitment to continuous improvement – adding better technology for drivers and a sleeker, more modern exterior across the entire Focus family.”

While the latest Focus is essentially the same worldwide, color preference varies. In the U.S. market, Sterling Gray is the most popular at 21 percent of sales, with Tuxedo Black second at 15 percent. In China, Crystal Solid White is overwhelmingly the most popular with just more than 50 percent of sales. Candy Red is second at 17 percent.

Fiesta World’s Best-Selling Subcompact

Ford’s analysis of Polk new vehicle registrations also confirms Ford Fiesta earned the top spot as the best-selling subcompact car globally, with 735,299 registrations for 2013.

Together, registrations of Ford’s small cars – Fiesta and Focus – totaled 1,832,917 vehicles last year, which is a 4.3 percent increase from 2012.

Award-Winning 1.0-Liter EcoBoost

In addition to a host of styling and technology advances, the new Focus will offer the efficient, fun-to-drive 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine with a six-speed manual transmission. Automotive journalists globally named it International Engine of the Year for 2012 and 2013.

“The 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine is proof that excellent fuel economy and performance can come in one package,” said Raj Nair, group vice president, Ford Global Product Development. “Focus is already known for bringing together efficiency and fun, and our latest offering will bring consumers a whole new level of enjoyment – on the road and in what they’ll save at the pump.”

The smallest engine in Ford’s growing EcoBoost family – already available in Fiesta - will come standard in Focus with an Auto Start-Stop feature that automatically shuts down the engine at stops and instantly turns it back on at takeoff.

EcoBoost technology combines smaller-displacement engines with turbocharging, direct injection, variable valve timing and proprietary Ford software to bring customers outstanding performance and fuel economy. Ford EcoBoost engines can deliver significantly better fuel economy than larger-displacement gasoline engines.

New Focus customers also will enjoy a quieter ride, achieved by thicker carpets and side window glass and improved engine-bay insulation.

Stylish New Focus

The new Focus arrives with a bolder look. It features a restyled hood and grille, signature LED lighting for headlamps and taillamps, new rear lamp clusters and a restyled trunk lid. Four-door and five-door versions will be available in the United States.

Inside, colors and materials have a clean, modern look, with satin chrome detailing, new seat trims and switches, and an available heated steering wheel. A new center console incorporating adjustable cupholders improves storage capacity.

Advanced Technologies

A package of sensors brings a new level of convenience for compact car customers by adding driver-assist technologies, including a rear view camera, available Blind Spot Information System and a lane-keeping system.

Standard on Focus for the first time, the rearview camera will appear on either a 4.2-inch screen or the 8-inch screen that comes with MyFord Touch^®-equipped cars.

BLIS^® uses two advanced multiple-beam radar modules, the same used with cross-traffic alert, which are packaged in both rear quarter panels. The radar identifies when a vehicle enters the defined blind spot zone and illuminates an indicator light on the corresponding sideview mirror, providing a warning that a vehicle is approaching.

Should a Focus driver start to drift out of the current lane without a turn signal activated, the lane-keeping system provides a warning through a series of steering wheel vibrations that mimic a rumble strip. If the unintended lane departure is not corrected by the driver, the aid function of the system actively applies steering to help the driver direct the car back toward the center of the current lane.

The new Focus benefits from advancements in exterior styling, interior design, powertrain and technology, as well as suspension and chassis upgrades.

These include a new shock absorber valve design providing improved interior quietness, and a change to the rear suspension to give drivers a more connected feel to the road. The electric power-assisted steering has been retuned to make the driver feel even more connected to the road.

Enhanced SYNC AppLink

Focus drivers will have access to powerful new capabilities thanks to a host of functions developers can integrate as they modify their apps to communicate with enhanced SYNC^® AppLink^™.

Android and iOS smartphone users can download more than 60 AppLink-enabled apps from the Apple App Store and Android market.

New functions include:

• Connected apps can access a variety of real-time vehicle data such as speed, acceleration, odometer and location information that can be used by the app to further customize and personalize the owner experience. For example, access to the in-vehicle GPS signal can enable more precise and accurate location-based services than phone sensors
• More consistent user experience thanks to voice pass-through capability. This enables developers to use on-device or cloud-based voice-recognition systems to evaluate driver commands, meaning drivers can use the same set of voice commands to control an app when connected to the vehicle as they would use when not connected
• Notifications read aloud as a driver enters the car, with no need to touch the phone. Best of all, alerts are available any time a mobile device is connected to SYNC AppLink, even if the app is not currently active. This means a driver could get an alert about a traffic jam ahead while listening to the radio or using another app

Ford builds the Focus in eight manufacturing plants on four continents. Facilities in Germany, the United States, Russia, China, Vietnam, Thailand, Taiwan and Argentina have a combined capacity to build more than 1.5 million Focus cars annually at a rate of more than two per second.

Since the launch of Focus in 1998, the best-selling vehicle nameplate in the world for two years running has sold more than 12 million vehicles globally.

Source:  Ford