Ford
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Ford Super Duty production will expand to a third plant in Ford's Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario, Canada, starting in 2026. Ford is investing $3 billion to make the complex into a fully flexible plant capable of producing traditional ICE vehicles, hybrids, and EVs. The expansion will allow an initial additional production capacity of 100,000 units of Super Duty when brought online. That increased production will cascade to other plants in the Ford ecosystem, including Windsor, Ontario for V8 production, Sharonville, Ohio for transmissions, Rawsonville, Michigan for components, and Sterling Axle Plant in Michigan. By building the Super Duty a…
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Imagine a car company taking the name of a legendary two-door pony car and putting it on a four-door electric crossover. That would never happen, right? Ford is taking the script from the Ford Mustang Mach-E to Europe, only their version is called the Capri. The Ford Capri was a fastback coupe sold in Europe form 1968 - 1987. The model was a legendary performer, even used by police as pursuit vehicles in the UK and by the Autobahnpolizei in the German state of Nord Rhine-Westphalia where they were built. These were also sold as the Mercury Capri, though without Mercury badging, from 1970-1978. For 2024, the Ford Capri is back, though now as a four-door cr…
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Ford News: Ford Charges Up Financing Incentives on Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning
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Many electric vehicle manufacturers have been aggressive with financing and lease deals lately. With new car interest rates at the highest level they have been for years, financing an electric vehicle is starting to become the most cost-effective way to get into a new vehicle. Adding fuel to that fire, Ford announced new financing incentives today for Mustang Mach-E and Ford F-150 Lightning. Mustang Mach-E All 2023 and 2024 Mustang Mach-E models can be financed for 0% interest up to 72 months if you have excellent credit. If you prefer to lease, a new $7,500 Red Carpet lease cash bonus is available from Ford until September 30th, along with a new 2…
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Ford is upgrading the Mustang Mach-E for 2024 with a longer range and faster charging. The entire lineup gets an upgraded rear motor that boosts range to 320 EPA-rated miles with the extended range battery and rear wheel drive. While that number is up 20 miles from the 300-mile range of the 2021 Mach-E extended range, Ford had already made a change to the batteries in 2023 that earned RWD extended-range models a 310-mile rating. Standard-range rear-wheel drive models also see a 20-mile improvement over the original 2021 Mach-E. All-wheel drive models see a boost in range of 10 miles. The new rear motor, developed by Ford, drops weight and improv…
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Ford has cut the price on the Ford Mustang Mach-E EV by up to $8,100 on some trims in a move to increase sales and keep the price war with Tesla going. Tesla has recently been aggressively lowering prices, with some models seeing as much as a 20 percent decrease. This move follows a similar price cut by Ford around this time last year that helped make the Mustang Mach-E the number two best-selling EV SUV on the market. The Premium trim with the extended range battery sees the biggest price cut of $8,100 while the two GT trims cut $7,600 from MSRP. The base model drops $3,100 off MSRP and moves the Mach-E base price under the $40,000 mark for the first time. …
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Ford was early to the electric work van market with the E-Transit and quickly become the best selling electric van on the market, not just in the U.S., but Canada and Europe as well. According to Ford, E-Transit customers have saved over 3 million gallons of gasoline since the E-Transit went on the market in 2022. For 2024, Ford has brought several welcome changes. The most impactful is a range increase on the low-roof model from 126 miles per charge to 159 miles per charge. This range increase comes from a new 89 kWh battery that replaces the 68 kWh version from last year. The additional power unlocks new electric solutions for the vehicle like refrigerated delive…
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Owners of Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning vehicles have nearly doubled their charging location options overnight with 15,000+ new chargers added to the Ford BlueOval Charge Network. Last May, Ford announced they signed an agreement with Tesla for Ford EVs to gain access to Tesla Supercharger locations. Currently, the access is limited to just the two retail EVs that Ford sells and not the commercially oriented Ford e-Transit van. A Ford representative indicated that a future announcement for e-Transit drivers could be coming. In addition to access to the Tesla network, Ford will begin transitioning its EVs to use the new Tesla-designed NACS plug that is ba…
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Ford has discontinued the Edge SUV, and the last one will be out the factory doors on April 26, 2024. The union representing workers reported this information while Canada's Unifor 707 broke the news to members, stating, “As communicated by the Plant Manager, the last Edge is scheduled to be built on April 26th.” This isn't a surprise since reports came out last year that the Edge, Escape, and Transit Connect compact could be discontinued. Ford's Transit Connect is no longer available in the U.S. market. What doesn't help the Edge is the overlap in Ford's lineup, sitting alongside the three-row Ford Explorer and off-road-focused Ford Bronco. The Edge's platform mate,…
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Ford News: Ford Offering Free Tesla Charger Adapter to Ford Lightning and Mach-E Owners
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Last May, Ford was the first manufacturer to announce that they entered an agreement with Tesla to allow Ford EVs to charge at Tesla V3 SuperCharger stations and that starting in 2025, they would begin moving their vehicles to the NACS charge port. For vehicles built in the interim, owners would be provided with an adapter to allow a CCS vehicle to accept a charge from a Tesla station. Ford has announced that reservations for the adapter will be open soon. Owners will be able to register their VIN to reserve one adapter per vehicle. At present, only Ford Mustang Mach-E and Ford F-150 Lightning owners are eligible for the adapters. We don't know where this leaves E…
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Ford unveiled the updated 2025 Ford Explorer today with a simplified engine lineup, trims, and revised exterior and interior. Ford has cut the number of trim options from eight to four, with just the Platinum, ST, ST-Line, and Active trims available. All trims except ST come standard with the 300-horsepower 2.3-liter Ecoboost 4-cylinder mated to a recalibrated 10-speed automatic. Available on the Platinum and standard on the ST is the 400-horsepower 3.0-liter Ecoboost V6. All versions come standard as rear-wheel drive with all-wheel drive optional. The hybrid option was dropped from civilian Explorers after the 2023 model year. Outside, the primary visual dif…
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It's not even the end of January and Ford is already doing recalls. Ford was the leader of recalls in 2023 with 58 recalls and 6.1 million units. With this recall of 1.8 million Explorers in the United States and 2.2 million globally, Ford has already recalled one-third of its total vehicles recalled in 2023. Earlier this month, Ford recalled the Ford EcoSport and Focus with the 1.0-liter Ecoboost engine for engine failure. This latest recall is due to trim pieces that can come off while driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), recall number 24V-031 is because "some of the exterior A-pillar applique trim clip attachments are …
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It's not even the end of January and Ford is already doing recalls. Ford was the leader of recalls in 2023 with 58 recalls and 6.1 million units. With this recall of 1.8 million Explorers in the United States and 2.2 million globally, Ford has already recalled one-third of its total vehicles recalled in 2023. Earlier this month, Ford recalled the Ford EcoSport and Focus with the 1.0-liter Ecoboost engine for engine failure. This latest recall is due to trim pieces that can come off while driving. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHSTA), recall number 24V-031 is because "some of the exterior A-pillar applique trim clip attachments are …
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It looks like Ford has another recall. This time, Ford's 1.0-liter EcoBoost is in the crosshairs. It's being recalled in various 2018-2022 EcoSport SUVs and 2016-2018 Focus models with the tiny three-cylinder. This engine could suffer a loss of engine oil pressure due to a defect with the oil pump drive belt tensioner. The recall says that the belt tensioner arm may fracture because the retention caulk joint isn't strong enough to withstand engine vibrations. If this happens, the tensioner could separate from the backing plate and cause the belt to degrade by losing teeth. The tensioner could separate from the backing plate and cause the belt to degrade by losing teeth. …
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Ford News: Ford updates the 2024 F-150 with More Standard Power, More Hybrid Production, and a New Tailgate
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Tonight at an event ahead of the Detroit Auto Show, Ford unveiled the updated 2024 Ford F-150. Starting in 2024, the F-150 will drop the base 3.3-liter naturally aspirated V6 in favor of the familiar 2.7-liter Ecoboost V6. This increases standard power across the line by 25 horsepower and a whopping 135 lb-ft of torque. Additionally, citing a 28% increase in hybrid F-150 sales, Ford is increasing production of the hybrid powertrain to meet this demand. Ford expects to double the mix of hybrid availability in the coming years and aims to be one of the best selling hybrids across all segments. To help achieve that goal, Ford has matched the MSRP of the 3.5 Powerboost Hyb…
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What is not to love about off-road rally races? Speed, dirt, crazy driving, spectacular occasional crashes, lots to love if you love the planet being outside. Now Ford has decided to go green with the latest rally auto to help the planet and that is the: As per Ford's press release, for the first time in six decades of Mustang history, the Mustang is leaving the tarmac and hitting the dirt road. Welcome to the road rally Mach-E. At this year's rally, Goodwood Festival of Speed 2023, enthusiasts and onlookers will get a look at the first rally-inspired electric SUV from Ford. The Ford Mach-E rally will be available to order starting fall 2023 in the U…
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Doug Field was a Leader at Tesla before being hired by Apple to lead their EV program. In 2021 Ford hired Mr. Field as their new CTO to lead Ford into a new future of "Subscription Services". At the latest investor event Doug Field pointed to a pile of individual computer driven sensors and talked about how a central processor running software written by Ford will change fundamentally how people use their autos. In this interview with the Associated Press, Ford's CTO talked about the coming transformation to electric vehicles and the change that is happening not only to EVs but to ICE autos. As of today in 2023, the Ford F-150 Lightning EV and all in…
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Ford News: Ford EVs Gain Access to Tesla SuperChargers, Ford to Adopt Tesla NACS Charge Port
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Ford and Tesla jointly announced today that starting in the spring of 2024, Ford EV drivers will gain access to more than 12,000 Tesla Superchargers in North America. This move will more than double the number of chargers available to Ford EV drivers who currently have access to 10,000 DC fast-chargers in the BlueOval EV network. Additionally, Ford dealers are adding 1,800 public-facing fast chargers across the continent. Existing EV models like the F-150 Lightning, Mustang Mach-E, and E-Transit Vans will be able to use a Tesla developed adaptor to convert from the Tesla NACS Charger to the built-in CCS charge port, allowing access to Tesla V3 Superchargers. …
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After years of being forbidden fruit offered only in overseas markets, Ford has finally deemed the Ranger Raptor worthy enough to bring to the U.S. The biggest reason for the U.S. not getting the prior version was its standard diesel power and the inability of the platform to take a sizable V6 engine. When Ford redesigned the 2024 Ranger (read more about the 2024 Ford Ranger here), they made sure to alter the engine bay and chassis to accommodate a V6. Powering the Ranger Raptor is a 3.0-liter Ecoboost V6 producing 405 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque using premium fuel. That power flows through a 10-speed automatic transmission to a 2-speed transfer case and out t…
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Since its return in 2019, the Ford Ranger has been one of the jewels in the Ford lineup, proving to be one of the Blue Oval’s most popular models. But as time passed, new designs from General Motors, Toyota, and Nissan threatened to march on Ford’s crown. For 2024, the Ranger gets a significant redesign. Sitting on an extensively redesigned version of the T6 platform its predecessor uses, the Ranger is effectively all-new, with only the door openings and chassis hardpoints carrying over. The design of the Ranger was released in other markets last year, but Ford saved some of the most exciting updates for the U.S. debut, including performance increases for the Raptor…
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Welcome to the Super Cobra Jet 1800: The improved electric drag racer features a new transmission, redone battery system, revised rear end setup and fresh control and data gathering systems. MLe Racecar’s Pat McCue is planned to be in the driver’s seat for the record-setting attempts at an NHRA event later this season. Today, Ford Performance unveiled the continued evolution of its electric-powered motorsports efforts with the Mustang Super Cobra Jet 1800, an aggressive revision to the NHRA world record-holding Mustang Cobra Jet 1400. It is targeted to best the Cobra Jet 1400’s standing world record for full-bodied electric vehicles in the quarter-mile…
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Ford is taking the frustration out of lining up to your trailer. At the New York Auto Show today, Ford will unveil Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, an A.I. powered driver's assist technology that uses machine learning to automatically line the truck up to the trailer. From distances of up to approximately 20 feet, the system uses the rear camera and two corner radar units to control the truck's speed, steering, and braking while the driver monitors the progress. Computer vision learning uses the truck's rear camera to identify the ball and trailer coupler. If the system detects an obstacle while in operation, it will alert the driver and stop the vehicle. Ford us…
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Over the last couple of decades Ford's flagship mid-size Saloon sedan has been enjoying unprecedented popularity with a triple digit year over year growth and particular huge growth in the Middle East. Specifically, the middle east has seen massive growth as follows: Saudi Arabia up 73% Kuwait up 125% Oman up 63% Bahrain up 42% The All-new Ford Taurus has gone through an extensive comprehensive testing in facilities around the world from the mundane to the extreme such as Dubai where temperatures exceed 50 degrees Celsius or 122 degrees Fahrenheit. The All-New Ford Taurus is built in Thailand, India, Australia and Chi…
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Ford announced today March 24th, 2023, that their all-new Mega-Campus BlueOval City being built in West Tennessee, is taking shape and with it is the next-gen Ford electric truck, code named Project T3, which will go into production there in 2025 as a 2026 model. This R&D and assembly line campus will be capable of producing 500,000 electric pickups per year. Here are the basic numbers Ford released today on this project: Since the start of this mega-campus park, Ford and partners have already invested $20 million plus dollars into the local communities. Bill Ford, executive chair had the following to say about this project: “BlueOval City is th…
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Today Ford of Europe has revealed the start of their commitment to the European auto market by focusing on an all-new all-electric SUV. The Ford Explorer is a bold new EV that combines German engineering with American style. Using the agreed MEB platform from VW, Ford of Europe had their German Engineering team build from the ground up this mid-size crossover that seats five adults in two rows with space for the family gear for the next road adventure. Ford of Europe had the following to say: New Explorer crossover leads the way for a new wave of bold, iconic electric vehicles that are steeped in Ford’s American roots and designed for Europe …
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1967 was a magical year for Ford Motor Co and their desire to dominate the 24hrs Lemans. Fords desire to dominate the 24 after being snubbed by Ferrari led to the ultimate auto competition. One that has gone down in history as the biggest loss for Ferrari, the biggest win for Ford Motor Co. From the onset, the attention to detail was exceptional for Team Ford. All this work ended up in producing a race car that has stuck in the dreams of many gearheads. The Ford GT Mk IV race car. Today we introduce you to the 2023 Ford GT Mk IV track-only model. Ford GT's highest-level of performance, handling and advanced technology due to the uniq…
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How does a company elevate it off-road adventure game? Ford is doing it by offering a new off-road package that increases capability and style, welcome to the Bronco Sport Black Diamond Off-Road Package for 2023 Bronco Sport buyers. According to Fords marketing manager Mark Grueber; “Today, nearly 90% of Bronco Sport customers that attend Off-Roadeo are likely to go off-roading again, and 97% of customers are more knowledgeable and confident doing so, furthering our goal of getting into the wild.” “For adventurers who want to get more from their Bronco Sport, we’re enhancing the ownership experience by offering more trail capability with the n…
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Today, Ford unveiled the refreshed 2023 Ford Escape. The ’23 Escape offered evolutionary styling over the outgoing model and several safety and technology evolutions as well. Added to the lineup this year is a new ST-Line model, an appearance package that makes the standard Escape look sportier. Offered in base ST-Line, ST-Line Select, and ST-Line Elite, the ST-Line packages use the same 1.5-liter Ecoboost, 2.0-liter Ecoboost, and 2.5-liter hybrid engines found in the rest of the Escape lineup. Visually, the ST-line gets a black mesh grill, monochrome moldings, and a large single-wing rear spoiler. The ST-line Elite has an available “coast to coast” LED light bar…
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Ford today jumped back in time to show us the upcoming 2023 Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport Heritage and Heritage Limited Editions that bring the looks of the 1966 model to the present. Ford will build just 1,966 Heritage Limited Editions of each model. Bronco Heritage Both 2-door and 4-door versions of the Bronco Heritage will feature 2-tone paint with Oxford White accents and a modular hard-top roof. A unique Oxford White grille featuring Ford lettering in Race Red, a powder-coated steel bumper, and 17” Oxford White wheels finish the retro looks. Inside features plaid cloth seating and an Oxford White dash surround and includes Big Bend option group equipmen…
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Ford today revealed the 2023 Ford Maverick Tremor, a new version of the immensely popular Maverick with new off-road capability. The Tremor package is available on XLT or Lariat series trucks and comes standard with the 2.0-liter Ecoboost 4-cylinder producing 250 horsepower and 277 lb-ft of torque. Building on the existing FX4 package, the all-wheel drive system is new to Maverick and features a twin-clutch system and rear differential lock that can divert all rear axle torque to one side or the other. Drivers can choose from five selectable modes, pavement, sand, snow, mud, and tow. Also included for off-roading is Trail Control which is like cruise control for t…
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For 70 years, Ford has been providing police departments with special vehicles to serve and protect communities. More than 12,000 police departments across the United States and other global places have used Ford Police Vehicles making it the bestselling lineup against other police vehicles according to Ford. The company attributes this success and customer loyalty to the automaker's close collaboration with its customers via the Ford Police Advisory Board. Nate Oscarson, Ford Pro National government sales manager stated the following: “We're proud to offer America’s first electric police pickup truck to local government customers who can use the truck’s…
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Getting the ugly out of the way is that up to 8,000 jobs in the coming weeks will be eliminated from Ford Motor Company as Jim Farley CEO of Ford plans to slash $3 Billion in costs by 2026 and he says this comes from having too many people in the newly created Ford Blue unit that produces gasoline powered vehicles. The bulk of these cuts will come from the white-collar workforce and mostly in the U.S. where Ford employs more than 31,000 salaried workers. The cuts will come in phases beginning this summer. Operational phases where duplication in jobs and jobs that will no longer be needed due to the shift to EVs will happen as Ford modernizes their automotive busi…
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Since the 70's Ford has had at least one SuperVan each decade leading up to the 21st Century. Yet Ford then went into a dry spell on SuperVans as the market changed in what customers wanted. Now Ford has revisited the SuperVan with a very modern 21st century twist in the AWD E-Transit SuperVan. First let's take a walk down memory lane in the history of the Ford SuperVan with the 1971 SuperVan, a van that many in the US never saw, but a Transit that started it all. We then move onto the next Ford SuperVan from 1984. Another European Van that was popular for Ford and much bigger. 1995 Ford SuperVan continued a full-size affair in Europe and …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
Ford News: Ford Announces Mustang and Ranger going Global, $3.2 Billion in Mid-West Plant Investments
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Ford announced this morning that it will be making $3.7 billion in investments to expand plants and add 6,200 workers at several of its facilities in the Mid-West. An additional $1 billion investment over the next 5 years will be put towards improving the workplace experience for manufacturing employees, including healthier food, EV chargers, better lighting, and more. As many as 3,000 of the workers added will be converted from temporary hourly workers currently on staff. As part of this announcement, Ford confirmed a new all-electric commercial vehicle that will be produced in Ohio to debut around 2025. The Mustang will be going global with an all-new design and t…
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The Ford Motor Company and UAW leaders will host customers and employees to celebrate the official start of F-150 Lightning production at the Rouge Electric Vehicle Center in Dearborn, Michigan. A milestone in the country's shift to electric vehicles, Ford employees and F-150 Lightning customers will join the "Job 1" event for the first-ever, full-size all-electric pickup to go on sale. The F-series Ford Pickup has been America's best-selling truck for 45 years in a row and is second only to the iPhone in Revenue among all American consumer products, according to a 2020 study. The Rouge Electric Vehicle Center is an Ultra-modern new facility within Ford's …
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F-150 Lighting customers will have some benefiting from an increase in range for the spring launch showing Ford's continuous efforts to improve over time. Fleet customers have the option of purchasing the extended range battery on the Lighting Pro which now has an EPA-estimated range of 320 miles. Quote Ford: “We are laser focused on continually improving our energy consumption efficiency for Lightning and the team is really happy to deliver these results for our customers,” said Linda Zhang, chief program engineer, F-150 Lightning. F-150-Lightning-EPA-estimated-range.mp4 Ford Confirms F-150 Ligh…
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For the past two years Tesla model 3 has held the honor of being Consumer Reports (CR) top BEV pick. Now comes along Ford and their Mach-E knocking the model 3 into second choice. Tesla model 3 is still on the recommended list due to its latest technology, long range battery pack, charging network and a driving experience closer to a high-performance sports car than a sedan. Mustang Mach-E just did it better according to Consumer Reports. To quote the report: The Mustang Mach-E is also very sporty, plus it’s more practical and easier to live with. The Ford is also quieter and rides better. Both cars have large infotainment center screens, but the Mach-E…
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Ford Motor Company rolled out in February 2020 a Nationwide Insurance program for connected vehicles that was designed to reward safe driving. This program was as easy as installing the Ford or Lincoln app on your smartphone and filling out the online form and agreeing to share the driving data from the black boxs with Nationwide. This allowed drivers to save based on their safe driving habits that are reported to the insurance company. No plug-in devices or additional apps required. Insurance was available in 39 states on 2020 modem-equipped models. Per Elena Ford, Chief Customer Experience Officer at Ford Motor Company, “This is the latest way we’re improving t…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
2022 ALL-NEW FORD BRONCO RAPTOR Let's start by getting the basic info of what all off road nuts want to know about this beast: All-new 2022 Ford Bronco® Raptor™, designed and engineered by Ford Performance to be the world’s first Ultra4 Racing-inspired SUV, is capable of highway-speed desert-dune conquering and Baja rock-crawling Bronco Raptor packs extreme Built Wild™ capability and durability with an exclusive twin-turbo 3.0-liter EcoBoost® engine targeted to deliver more than 400 horsepower*, a Raptor HOSS 4.0 race-ready suspension system, a fully boxed, high-strength steel frame, and standard 37-inch all-terrain tires …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
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FORD Motor Company was hitting on all cylinders and battery packs as they ended 2021 on a high note. Best-Selling Automaker in Q4 2021 #2 in electric vehicle sales for 2021 F-Series Best-Selling Truck for 45th year in a Row and Best-Selling Vehicle for 40th year straight SUVs grew market share from 7.3% in 2020 to 12.3% in 2021 BEV sales grew 121.1% for total sales and 137.8% in retail sales for 2021 over 2020. Due to becoming #2 in BEV sales, FORD has again RAMPED UP production and will now product 150,000 F150 Lightning pickups in 2021 and over 200,000 for 2023 with expected global production of 600,000 by 202…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
On Sunday December 26th, 2021, General Manager of Ford China BEV Division Mark Kaufman handed the keys to Jin Zhang, a mustang fan and Ford Auto Enthusiast delivering the first Mach-e in China to a Ford Customer and starting the delivery of locally produced Mach-e's in China. Ford has 25 Direct-to-Customer stores located in major Chinese metropolitan markets and is looking to 2022 to grow their online and sales and Direct-to-Customer stores enhancing the Ford experience. Ford posted the following about their Chinese market: Ford all in on electrification and intelligence in China. BEV division will expand dedicated direct sales network to reach 90 …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
Welcome to Blue Oval City, this is the 21st century FORD Vision moving forward with automotive leadership. Ford Motor Company has announced plans to bring electric vehicles at scale to American Customers with two new massive, environmentally and technologically advanced campuses in Tennessee and Kentucky for the production of the next generation of electric F-series trucks and the batteries to power the future Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Here is a bullet list of what Ford is doing and it is just not an investment in Tennessee and Kentucky, but so much more: Ford to bring electric zero-emission vehicles at scale to American customers with the largest…
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Ford and Redwood Materials have teamed up on a closed-loop system that allows both companies to achieve their goals to make electric vehicles more sustainable, drive down the cost of batteries and ultimately make electric vehicles accessible and affordable for more Americans. Ford and Redwood are collaborating to achieve the following: Ford Motor Company and Redwood Materials, a leading battery materials company, are collaborating to make electric vehicles more sustainable and affordable for Americans by localizing the complex supply chain network, creating recycling options for end-of-life vehicles, ramping lithium-ion recycling and increasing U.S. battery p…
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
The final day of Summer is used to reveal the flagship full size SUV by Ford, the new 2022 Expedition! Ford choose to start at an entry level point with the new 2022 Ford Expedition Timberline Series. This is Fords most off-road-capable Expedition they have ever made with higher ground clearance to help clear obstacles, Trail Turn Assist for making tight turns, plus the F-150 Raptor heavy-duty underbody skid plate system for the ultimate rugged off-road ability. Press Release Quote: The new Expedition elevates itself above competitors with new class-exclusive features, plus new capabilities and technologies, including: …
Last reply by G. David Felt, -
Ford issued their press release late Friday September 17th 2021 as Police departments have been looking for electric purpose-built police vehicles to start replacing older ICE auto's in their fleets. Michigan State Police and the United Kingdom will get a chance to run 2022 with a select group of purpose-built police concept Mach-E suvs. So many requests came in from various police agencies in the UK (United Kingdom) that Ford decided to rotate through various agencies there a limited number of concept Mach-E's to be used and for feedback to come in on the auto. Michigan State Police will start a evaluation for 2022 on the Mach-E Police Concept. Police d…
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300 miles of battery electric range was the fold standard set by Tesla and now with Ford Mach-e having met that challenge, many have wondered what was next. In a review video on Munro Live with Mach-e Chief engineer Donna Dickson, we know now that the Mach-e will get yearly updates on range and technology as well as quarterly over the air updates on the software. Ford is very clear that they are not going to sit back and wait to see how things go, continuously providing updates quarterly and each model year is the Ford goal for all EVs moving forward. Details on this really come to light at the 26 min mark. Munro had a few compl…
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There is a lot of buzz surrounding the new Ford Bronco and Bronco Sport, and it isn't surprising that Ford was possibly considering another family member. But a report from Automotive News says that new member has been iced. According to two sources, Ford canned the idea for a Bronco pickup. Designed to compete against the Gladiator pickup, it was expected to be launch in 2024 and built alongside the Bronco SUV at Ford's Wayne assembly plant. However, Ford notified suppliers over the past few months about the model being cancelled. Not surprisingly, Ford declined to comment. We should note that Ford never confirmed the plans for a Bronco truck. Rumors started to…
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According to Reuters, strong demand has already made Ford increase production again ahead of the 2022 launch. Ford plans to increase spending an additional $850 million to meet the new targets according to people familiar with the plan inside Ford and at their suppliers. Ford initially had very simple easy goal of less than 5,000 trucks initially for the production launch in 2022, but by the approach of the truck reveal they had upped it to 7,500. Since then with the strong 150,000 customer reserves on top of production orders by Ford Dealers, Ford has again upped production. This time Ford has doubled production estimates all the way through 2025 when …
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The Ford GT came out after a failed attempt by Ford to buy Ferrari the luxury exotic auto maker of Italy. As such, due to ego's and comments meant to hurt another, Ford choose to go racing to put Ferrari in their place by proving they could build a better Supercar. The Ford GT 64' Prototype Heritage Edition will debute at Monterey Car Week alongside the sole surviving 1964 Ford GT prototype, Chassis GT/105, in it's original livery at The Quail and on the concept lawn at Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance this week. To quote Ford's press release: Limited-edition run honoring the five original GT prototypes The Ford GT ’…
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Ford month of July saw Mach-e sales grow 15.8 percent, second largest in the electric SUV segment and sales taking off for the F-150 Hybrid, Bronco and a 23 percent climb in accessory sales as Ford continues it's conquest rate over Tesla and others. Yet even as sales have climbed among a electric chip shortage, Ford has moved forward with offering employee buyouts to re-align the jobs and business model along a new path. First off Ford Motor Co. has started a voluntary buyout to employees in the U.S. as they plan to cut 1,000 positions as they reconfigure for growth. The Ford+ growth plan was released / divulged at its Capital Markets Day investor even in…
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Ford released on Tuesday June 8th 2021 the All-New Ford Maverick. A name plate that once graced a compact car is back now on a mini-pickup truck. Ford is coming out of the gates swinging for a home run and seems to be hitting all cylinders by making this a FWD Hybrid as Standard with AWD as an upgrade. Ford hits this market reborn with four clear points about the benefits of the Maverick. All-new Ford Maverick is the first standard full-hybrid pickup in America and the most fuel-efficient truck on the market with a targeted EPA-estimated rating of 40 mpg in the city*; while its compact size makes it easy to maneuver and park, there’s room for five a…
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In the 21st century, Ford is leading the revolution with Zero-emission electric vehicles, advanced connectivity in transforming commercial and personal transportation by using platforms based on cutting-edge electrical architectures and battery technologies with compelling services. Delivering FORD+ is how Ford Motor Company is breaking away from the typified auto industry of decades past of the typical build and sell transactional business model and embracing foundational strengths based on improved financial performance, capabilities and investments in disruptive technologies. At the core of the Ford Motor Company is the following strengths with Blu…
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Ford has opened the books on the F-150 Lightning Pro commercial series of pickup trucks. Starting with an MSRP of $39,974 with standard range battery and dual motor power 4x4 targeting 426 horsepower/775 lb-ft of torque and a targeted EPC-estimated range of 230 miles. The F-150 Lightning Pro commercial extended-range version is also available with targeted 563 horsepower/775 lb-ft of torque, targeted EPA-estimated range of 300 miles starting at an MSRP of $49,974. Charging, connectivity for fleet integration has available 48 and 80 amp chargers, enabling overnight Level 2AC charging solutions for home as well as full support for public and depot fast…
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UPDATED - RELEASED INFO Ford has announced that on May 19th 2021 the world will get to see the start of the next chapter in America's best-selling vehicle, F-150 Lightning. The Lightning will bring stunning innovation, technologies and capabilities to the F-Series lineup. This BEV will combine the best power, payload and towing capabilities that is the hallmark of all Ford Tough Trucks. The reveal will take place at 9:30 pm E.D.T from Ford World Headquarters and be broadcasted live with 30+ ways to watch across physical and digital destinations. This will include Ford Facebook, YouTube channels, Twitter, Key National Publications as well as 18 impactful out-of-…
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The 2021 Ford Explorer Timberline edition is the most off-road capable Explorer ever due to increased ground clearance, improved approach and departure angles, steel skid plates, Torsen limited-slip differential, Bridgestone Dueler all-terrain tires, new shocks, springs and stabilizer bars. The Timberline sports a functional, capable appearance with unique front and rear styling combined with three rows of seating for everyone. Fords marketing data shows that over the last 10 years, SUVs have jumped to command 55% of the U.S. Market with sales growing from 4.6 million units in 2011 to 7.8 million for 2020. This same Ford data is saying that owners ar…
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E-Transit registration opened today, Wednesday 5th of May 2021 for commercial customers highlighted by the fact that they have over 450 commercial customers showing purchase intentions. Pricing for all configurations start at $43,295 and go up to $52,690. Expanded details are available on Fleet Home Page (ford.com) Ford used more than 30 million miles of Ford Telematics data in confirming that the average commercial vans in North America only drive 74 miles a day. Ford also understands that there are days with long and shorter range as well as hot and cold weather. This allowed Ford to target the E-Transit with a starting point of 126 miles of range for the Car…
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We've been reporting on Ford's upcoming truck, the Maverick since 2018. The truck would sit underneath the Ranger and become the entry-level model for the brand. Now, we have gotten our best look at what it will look like. The Maverick Truck Club forum got its hand on an image showing a prototype Maverick on the line reportedly at Ford's Hermosillo, Mexico plant. Up front, the Maverick borrows some ideas from the Bronco Sport with C-shaped headlights and a horizontal bar splitting the grille. We don't know if Ford is planning to offer any cab configurations aside from the crew-cab seen in the photo. Ford did not immediately reply to comment on this when reached …
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Jim Hackett's tenure as Ford CEO will be coming to a close on October 1st as he will retire from the position. His replacement is Jim Farley, currently Ford's Chief Operating Officer, a role he took on at the beginning of this year. In a press release, Ford said the two will be working together over the next two months on the transition. Hackett will stay on as "special advisor" for some time after. “I am very grateful to Jim Hackett for all he has done to modernize Ford and prepare us to compete and win in the future. Our new product vision – led by the Mustang Mach-E, new F-150 and Bronco family – is taking shape. We now have compelling plans for electric and autono…
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During a recent fireside chat with Bank of America, Ford teased a new 'Whitespace' product due in the 2021MY. What could that product be? Muscle Cars & Trucks speculates this may be a smaller pickup truck. We've been hearing rumblings about this since 2018 when Automobile Magazine first brought this to light. This truck would be the replacement for the Brazilian market Courier, last sold in 2013. It would be based on the C2 platform that underpinned at the time the new Focus for markets outside of the U.S. Fuel would be added to the fire a year later when Jim Farley, Ford's president of global markets dropped this, Since then, a trademark filing for Maver…
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The 2021 Ford Bronco shows how serious the automaker is to creating a real threat to the Jeep Wrangler. With two and four-door versions, seven different trims, a number of off-road features, and other goodies, there is a lot to digest. So let us dive in. It Certainly Looks the Part Ford's designers leaned heavily on the first-generation (1963-1977) Bronco as inspiration for the new model. The boxy profile is here, as is the "BRONCO" front grille. Unlike Broncos of the past, Ford is offering two and four-door versions. Before you ask, the doors are removable. While being slightly heavier than the Wrangler, the Bronco's doors are frameless that not only makes them more…
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(Author's Note: For those wondering where the 2021 Bronco story is, that will be up sometime tomorrow morning. There is a lot to digest, and need some more time to figure out how to structure that. Stay tuned. -WM). If the standard Bronco is a bit out of your reach, then Ford has another option in the form of the 2021 Bronco Sport. Yes, it is based on the Escape platform, but Ford is very adamant this us a very different animal. Lets begin with the dimensions. The Bronco Sport measures 172.7 inches in length and rides on 105.1 inch wheelbase - 7.8 and 1.6 inches shorter than the Escape. But the Sport is about an inch wider and is taller in terms of ground clearanc…
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Previous Page Next Page You might not be able to tell that the 2021 Ford F-150 is all new. The shape, basic dimensions, and ladder-frame chassis are the same as the outgoing F-150. But you need to look a bit deeper to find the changes and new features that the blue oval hopes keeps their truck on top. PowerBoost? PowerBoost. What PowerStroke is for diesels, PowerBoost is Ford's brand name for the new hybrid system available on the F-150. The system is comprised of the 3.5L EcoBoost V6, 35kW (47 hp) electric motor mounted in the transmission, and a 1.5-kwh lithium-ion battery pack. No details were given on power output or fu…
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Rumor has it that Ford is working on a V8 powered version of their Ranger Raptor currently sold in overseas markets. Only available in other parts of the world, the current Ranger Raptor is powered by a 2.0-liter 4-cylinder diesel that produces 210 horsepower and 369 lb.-ft of torque, but a report in Wheels magazine says that Ford Australia is working with an external engineering company to swap the 2.0 diesel for a 5.0-liter V8 from the Mustang GT. The odd thing about this is that the Ranger Raptor 5.0 would be still built with the 2.0-liter diesel under the hood and then later converted to V8 gasoline power. Expect power to be about the same as it makes in the Aus…
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After a lengthy strike at General Motors that cost the company $2.9 billion, the UAW has agreed to a contract with Ford that looks remarkably similar to the one they got with General Motors. Ford workers ratified the deal on Friday with 56.3 percent voting yes to the new four year agreement. The agreement says that Ford will invest more than $6 billion in its U.S. plants and add or retain 8,500 UAW jobs. The UAW used the GM contract as a template for negotiations with Ford. Like the GM contract, there are no changes in healthcare coverage, there is a pathway to full-time employment for temporary workers, pay raises, and lump-sum payments spread over 4 years. T…
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Leaks of privileged information happen. In this case, Ford pushed these images and pages to their consumer website in a way which was easy for the folks at MachEForum to find. Here are the basics, the best of each spec, the 2021 Ford Mach-E will have up to 300 miles of driving range, run 0-60 in mid-three second range, and have optional all-wheel drive. You're going to prioritize those specs though because you won't be able to get them all in the same car. All models of Mach-E will be able to recharge 47 miles in 10 minute of DC fast charging in a 150-kw charger The base model is called Select and starts at $43,895. It is powered by a 255 horsepower, 306…
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Ford has announced the name of their upcoming Mustang inspired electric crossover. It will be called the Mustang Mach E. The official debut happens on November 17th, after which reservations for the car will be opened for customers wishing to make a deposit. Deposits are $500 to hold your place in line and later, customization of the vehicle will open closer to delivery time. We've seen from previews of the Mustang Mach E that it will be a rather swoopy crossover with a coupe like roofline. Current rumors put the estimated range at around 370 miles on the WTLP cycle, but EPA cycle will likely be lower. Ford also recently announced the creation of the FordPass Cha…
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Ford has unveiled the Bronco R race prototype at the SEMA auto show today. This prototype strongly hints at the direction the new Bronco will go in terms of appearance and shape. Bronco won at Baja in 1969, so for the 50 year anniversary, the prototype will go back to the Baja Peninsula later this month to take a near 1,000 mile off-road course to challenge the powertrain and architecture. The Bronco R is built on a modified version of the production body-on-frame platform. Watch for more Bronco news in the coming months. View full article
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Ford teamed up with Webasto to build a new Ford Mustang EV concept car for the SEMA auto show in Las Vegas. The car is a showcase for what is possible with electrification and emerging technologies in that field. The show car comes with more than 1,000 lb.-ft of torque and 900 horsepower routed through a 6-speed manual transmission. The car has been lowered an inch and sits on 20-inch staggered forged wheels. Under the hood is a dual-core electric motor with dual power inverters. Power comes from an 800-volt Webasto battery system that can discharge a mega-watt of electrical energy. At 800 volts, the Mustang Lithium runs at twice the voltage that most electric cars…
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Ford and the United Auto Workers (UAW) have reached a tentative labor contract deal in just days after the strike at General Motors ended. The details of the deal have not yet been released, but Ford did confirm the deal in a short statement. The talks began on Monday and the two sides quickly made progress on the smaller issues. Various UAW leaders from the U.S. plants will meet on Friday to approve the deal which then must be sent to Ford's 55,000 union members for ratification. Ford has a closer relationship with the UAW than the other Detroit manufacturers with Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford calling the UAW "Family" and that the UAW "helps to make Ford …
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Starting in 2020, Ford will be launching Sync 4 in most updated and redesigned vehicles. One of the key features of the new infotainment operating system is the ability to get updates over the air via a cellular network. The over-the-air update ability makes updating the system as easy as a cell phone. In Sync 3, the system was able to be updated via a wifi network or USB drive, and that is how Ford rolled out Apple CarPlay and Android Auto when they were finally made available for Sync 3. Ford says this change could eliminate some trips to the dealership if the computer needs to be reflashed to updated as part of a recall. The system has the ability to update sof…
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Ford is finishing up production of the Ford Flex at its Oakville Assembly plant in Ontario. Production is set to finish at the end of November. The Lincoln MKT which is also built on the line has already ceased production earlier this month. In cutting these two vehicles, Ford will also lay off about 450 out of 4,100 hourly workers at the plant. The cuts come as Ford changes to an all-utility and truck brand. The Flex was first introduced for the 2008 model year as a bold and retro alternative to a wagon or traditional SUV, combining some elements of both. Ford is scheduled to begin negotiations with Unifor, the largest private sector union in Canada, somet…
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Two weeks ago we told you about Chevrolet throwing money on the hood of the Camaro for Mustang drivers. Now it is Ford's turn, but with fewer restrictions. For one, you don't need to be a current owner of a Camaro in order to qualify. Every Mustang starts with $1,000 increase in it rebate. A base model Ecoboost coupe goes from $1,500 back to $2,500 back. If the car has been in stock more than 61 days, it also qualifies for an additional $750 rebate. Better deals are to be had if you move up a bit. The Ecoboost Premium coupe can be had for $4,250 off if it has been on the lot more than 2 months. If you want more power or an open roof, GTs and convertibles are going …
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Ford will be showing their Mustang inspired EV SUV on November 17th ahead of the LA Auto Show. We still don't have a name for the upcoming vehicle, but Ford has recently trademarked the name "Mach-E" and "Mustang Mach-E". Could this be a name for this new EV crossover? Time will tell. What you can see from the sketch is that it will have Mustang-like tail lights and headlights, plus a swept back, coupe-like roof line and a long hood. We do know an approximate range per charge of 370 miles on the WTLP cycle, which is slightly more optimistic than the EPA cycle. Ford also recently announced the creation of the FordPass Charging network, a way to take the worry out o…
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When the Ford Mustang inspired EV SUV goes on sale sometime next year, one challenge it will have to overcome, no matter how good it looks, is charging anxiety by potential customers. Ford is offering an antidote, a way to take away to charging anxiety. Ford is developing FordPass Charging Network, an easy way to pay as you drive to charge. The network includes more than 12,000 locations with over 35,000 plugs. The FordPass Charging Network is also in collaboration with Electrify America to provide DC Fast Charging. On a 150-kW charger, drivers can add 47 miles of range in just 10 minutes, and fully charge their battery in the time it takes to have a sit down meal…
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The 2020 F-Series Super Duty has been updated to take on the most difficult challenges. For 2020 it gets a new available PowerStroke V8 diesel displacing 6.8 liters and producing 475 horsepower and 1,050 lb.-ft of torque. The diesel enables the SuperDuty to tow up to 37,000 lbs on a goodneck trailer, 32,500 lbs. using a 5th wheel trailer, conventional towing of 24,200 lbs., and a payload capacity 7,850 lbs. Power is delivered by an all-new 10-speed automatic. The SuperDuty keeps customers connected with a FordPass Connect embedded 4G LTE modem with Wi-Fi access for up to 10 devices to keep crews in communication no matter where the job might take them. Modern touche…
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The 2020 Ford Explorer and 2020 Lincoln Aviator are likely the most important vehicles in Ford's lineup after the F-150. These new SUVs mark a turn for Ford in styling and technology. The problem is, early reports indicate that there is trouble brewing in Chicago, the plant where they are built. The two SUVs are just now arriving at dealerships, but have already been the subject of recalls for seats, missing manual park release covers, and other issues. The issues have become so bad that Ford is trucking them from Chicago to their Flat Rock Assembly for further examination. Dealers around the country have been notified of delays on their shipments due to unspecifi…
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Ford is recalling 338,332 Ford Explorers across North America for an improperly formed seat frame edge. The recall covers certain 2017 model year Explorers. The seat frame edge is sharp and could cause injury if driver or passenger reaches between the center console and the seat. Ford is aware of 31 reports of hand injuries related to this recall. Dealers will install a flocked tape and a tab on the inside edge of the power seat frame. View full article
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Moody's Investor Service has downgraded Ford to junk status rating of Ba1, one step below investment grade. They say that Ford's cash flow and profit margins are below expectations and are expected to remain weak for the next two years. Outside of the financial sector, Ford is one of the top 15 issuers of corporate bonds. The primary cause for concern is a cash crunch brought on by a lengthy restructuring plan that includes closing factories and laying off thousands of workers. Investors are not impressed with CEO Jim Hackett's plans to ditch sedans and revive an aging lineup of SUVs and trucks. All new versions of the Ford Explorer and Ford Escape debuted this yea…
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The Ford Explorer hybrid got its EPA ratings finally. They're an improvement over the base 2.3 liter 4-cylinder delivering 27 city, 29 highway, 28 combined for the most efficient RWD model. That is an improvement of 6 mpg for city and 4 mpg combined. The AWD model comes in a bit lower at 23 city, 26 highway, and 25 combined. Unlike the Lincoln Aviator GT, the Ford Explorer Hybrid is not a plug-in model. Powered by a 3.3 liter V6 plus the electrified drive train, the Explorer hybrid has a lot more power than the 4-cylinder with 318 horsepower and 322 lb-ft of torque. It comes with the same 10-speed automatic that all Explorers come with. Compared to the 2.3 liter tur…
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Ford is acknowledging the trouble prone Ford Powershift transmission and is extending the warranties on them. The 6-speed transmission is a dual clutch setup meant to increase fuel economy in Ford's smallest cars. While a solid idea on paper, customers reported a number of problems with them including slippage, hesitations while accelerating, jerkiness through the gears, difficulty downshifting, and premature wear on the clutch packs. The extended warranty will cover 2014 - 2016 model year Ford Focus, and 2014 - 2015 model year Ford Fiesta and will increase the warranty coverage of the clutch from five years/60,000 miles to seven years/100,000 miles. Ford will al…
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Ford's second quarter 2019 income fell 86 percent to just $148 million. The result is largely due to one-time charges related to its restructuring of operations globally. Excluding the one-time items, Ford's income before interest and taxes fell just 2% to $1.65 billion. Global revenue was flat year over year at $38.9 billion. The charges are primary caused by plant closures in Europe and South America. Ford has said it would cut 12,000 jobs in Europe by the end of 2020. Ford's sales in the US have fallen 7 percent, including a large decline in Ford Explorer sales as the company moves the nameplate to a new rear wheel drive platform. Ford CEO Jim Hackett said tha…
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In a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Michigan, Ford is accused of falsifying fuel economy numbers in the Ford F-150 and Ford Ranger. The suit is seeking class-action status and aims to collect $1.2 Billion in damages. The law firm, Hagens Berman, says that consumers are spending up to $2,000 more in fuel over the lifetime of the truck due to misleading EPA numbers. Back in February of this year, Ford launched an investigation into its own EPA emissions and fuel economy certification process after an anonymous tip line at Ford received concerns that there were issues with the test. The concern surrounds Road Load, a vehicle-specific r…
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Elon Musk has been pretty vocal about the coming Tesla Pickup, making claims that it will be better than an F-150 and be able to tow 300,000 lbs. So far, however, Tesla's pickup truck is vaporware that can't even be seen yet. Ford meanwhile, has been working hard on an EV version of their F-150, and unlike the Tesla truck, it can be seen. Rather than talk smack, Ford made its actions louder than words. They linked up 10 double-decker rail cars filled with 42 2019 F-150s weighing in at more than one million pounds, that's more than 1000 ft of train and trucks, and then tied that to the back of the F-150 EV prototype. And the all electric F-150 did the pull twice.…
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Ford is planning a dramatic change to their European lineup. Autocar reported yesterday that the automaker will be replacing the Mondeo (Fusion to us), Galaxy, and S-Max with a new "single crossover-style estate model" - think Subaru Outback. Not many details are known about this new model. It is expected to use Ford's C2 platform which underpins the new Fiesta and Focus. A range of gas and diesel engines will be available, along with 48V mild-hybrid system. The new wagon is expected to arrive in early 2021 in Europe. Autocar notes that this model is expected to be sold in other markets such as North America. While this model is quite different from three it wil…
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Ford of Europe announced Thursday that the company would be laying off around 12,000 employees as part of a global restructuring. This is on top of the layoffs Ford previously announced earlier this year. Ford says it will reduce the number of plants in the region to 18 and reorganize its business into three divisions; Commercial, Passenger, and Imports such as the Ford Mustang. Most of the positions in Europe will be eliminated via voluntary separation programs and should be completed by the end of 2020. Of the jobs lost, 2,000 will be salary and another 5,000 will be white color positions. Ford is struggling to make its European operations profitable agains…
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The Ford Puma sold in Europe was once a little coupe based on the Ford Fiesta. Since coupe sales are dangerously close to zero, when Ford decided to reincarnate the name, it instead brought it back as a crossover coupe version of the Ford EcoSport. The new Puma will be powered by a 1.0 liter, 125 horsepower engine with 48-volt mild hybrid setup or a more powerful 155 horsepower system horsepower running through the front wheels. Diesel options will come later. Under the rear floor is a storage area with a drain plug that Ford calls a Megabox, something probably more appropriate for an F-150. It will come with Adaptive Cruise Control with Stop & Go, Speed…
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Ford confirmed today that the all-new 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 will boast a 5.2 liter supercharged V8 producing 760 horsepower and 625 lb.-ft of torque making it the most power-dense and torque-dense production supercharged production engine in the world. It is also the most powerful street legal Ford ever built. The engine is a hand built aluminum V8 that features a lower center of gravity by inverting the intercooler into the valley of the engine. The oil pan is structural and has active baffles to keep oil in the right place during hard maneuvering. Power is fed to the rear wheels via a 7-Speed TREMEC dual-clutch transmission that can change gears…
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Ford said that it would be cutting a shift from its Essex Engine Plant in Ontario starting in October. Ford says the move will "better align with consumer demand". The likely cause? Ford F-150 buyers are shifting more of their purchases away from the 5.0 liter V8. F-150 buyers have a choice of 5 engines when selecting a truck, the 2.7-liter Ecoboost, the 3.3-liter V6, the 3.5-liter Ecoboost, and now a 3.0-liter PowerStroke Diesel, all in addition to the 5.0-liter V8, and the customer mix appears to be skewing towards the smaller displacement engines. The cut in shifts will not result in job cuts as those workers will be transitioned to another engine plant to …
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Ford reported first quarter operating earnings of $801m, up $160m over the same quarter last year. The company says that it expects this quarter to be the strongest quarter of the year due to seasonal factors and major product launches later this year. However, the company says it still expects to finish 2019 better than 2018. Outside of North America, Ford is still losing money, but those losses are shrinking. Ford recently announced a restructuring plan for Europe that included over 6,000 layoffs. Also in the earnings report, Ford revealed that the company is subject to a criminal investigation by the Justice Department due to its emissions certifications.…
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Back in January, during the Detroit Auto Show, we found a sign that Ford was preparing a plug-in hybrid Ford Explorer even though it hadn't been officially announced. A few days ago, Ford did officially unveil it as a Europe only model. The Ford Explorer Plug-in looks to be using the same running gear as the Lincoln Aviator GT, a 3.0 liter twin-turbo V6 plus electric motor that produces around 444 horsepower and 620 lb-ft of torque running through its specialized 10-speed transmission. All-wheel drive is standard. It is able to run for about 25 miles in EV-only mode. Under the cargo floor is a 13.1 kWh lithium-ion battery pack, slightly smaller th…
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According to a report in Automobile Magazine, the Ford Mustang could move to the CD6 platform that underpins the 2020 Ford Explorer, but the soonest that would happen is 2026. The CD6 platform also underpins the Lincoln Aviator and will be used in the next generation Ford Edge. One of the side effects of moving to the new platform is that the Mustang would become much larger and heavier than the current S550 platform car, possibly up to the length of the Dodge Challenger. Currently, the Mustang is 188.3 inches long and rides on a 107.1 inch wheelbase, while the Challenger clocks in nearly 10 inches longer at 197.9 inches with a 116.2 inch wheelbase. The widths of t…
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Ford revealed during a debut event for its European electrified models that the as-yet-unnamed Mustang inspired electrified crossover will have a range of 370 miles when it arrives in 2020, but those are using the WTLP cycle, and the EPA range rating could be lower. Ford has previously stated they were targeting a range of 300 miles, so a good guess for the EPA range would be somewhere between those two numbers. Ford has recently trademarked the name "Mach-E" and "Mustang Mach-E". Could this be a name for this new EV crossover? Time will tell. Earlier in 2019, Ford stated that all future vehicle will have an electrified version, something borne out by yesterdays u…
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Ford unveiled the completely redesigned 2020 Ford Escape today ahead of its official showing at the New York Auto Show in two weeks. Some of the biggest news about the Escape comes under the hood where 4 new powertrains debut. The standard engine will be a 1.5 liter Ecoboost 3-cylinder that can run as a 2 cylinder during light load situations. The engine is projected to produce 180 horsepower and 177 lb-ft of torque when fueled with premium gas. This is the first Ford engine with cylinder deactivation. The engine will be standard issue on S, SE, and SEL level trims. When properly equipped, the 1.5T will tow up to 2,000 lbs. For those wanting more power, the …
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Ford is getting ready to introduce a new Escape for the 2020 model year on April 2nd. The compact crossover is one of Ford's best sellers, moving as many as 308,296 units in 2017. The growth trend has stalled though and sales dipped to around 272k units last year. The current generation went on sale in 2013 and was facelifted for 2017, but since then, new editions of the Honda CR-V, Chevrolet Equiniox, updated Jeep Cherokee, and Toyota RAV-4 have hit the market. Ford offered a teaser video via twitter today that gives some hints as to what to expect from the 2020 Escape. The 2020 VIN decoder shows that the current 2.5 liter 4-cylinder will not be…
Last reply by Drew Dowdell, -
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Ford will exit Russia's passenger car market and focus solely on the light commercial vehicle market says a report from Bloomberg. Alligned with those moves, Ford will cease production in the country at two vehicle assembly plants. Those plants will close by the end of June 2019. Ford produces the Focus, Mondeo, Fiesta, and Ecosport in Russia. These cuts will cause significant job losses for Russia. This move comes after Ford announced as many as 6,000 job cuts in Germany and the UK and cut jobs at a transmission factory in France. Honda, Nissan, and BMW have all recently announced cuts or closures in European operations. Related: View f…
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Ford is adding 550 workers to their Kentucky plant that builds the Navigator and Expedition in order to meet surging retail demand for the big SUVs. Retail sales were up 35% which has netted Ford a 5.6% gain in market-share for the Expedition. The Navigator is doing even better with a 70% increase in sales. Ford has already increased line speed and split some jobs to multiple people in an attempt to increase production. Vehicle production will be increased after the July shutdown. Along with the increase in production, Ford will be starting an advertising campaign focusing on the size and spaciousness of the Expedition. Ford increasing job and produc…
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Ford's operations in Europe books a 351€ billion loss for 2018 in contrast to a 324€ billion profit the year prior. Already in the midst of a major restructuring, Ford has now announced job cuts in Germany and the UK. Ford employs roughly 24,000 people in Germany with expectations to lower that by 5,000 to 19,000 total. Most of the cuts are expected to come from voluntary redundancies and early retirement. Ford aims to make the cuts "in the most socially responsible way possible." In addition to the German job loses, another 1,150 employees will lose their positions in the UK. Ford has already shuttered an assembly plant in France and cut its vehicle li…
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In the latest round of Trade War rhetoric is a question that has ended up in the courts, when is a passenger van really a cargo van and does this tariff engineering really justify getting around the 25% chicken tax? In response to President Donald Trump's tariff war, automakers are find interesting ways to play the grey area of the legal system. According to BNN Bloomberg and Bloomberg news, trade attorneys are closely watching the Ford Motor Co. legal case play out in federal court. This case deals with the importation of passenger vans that are then stripped down once they clear customs and sold as cargo vans. The difference here is that Ford pays 2.5% import duty …
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Ford released their new 2020 Ford Transit yesterday at the Work Truck Show in Indianapolis. While it has been updated alll over, the biggest changes are mechanical. The biggest news is around the new all-wheel drive system. Ford designed the Transit's AWD to not raise the load floor or seat height, making the AWD model as easy as the RWD model for entry, exit, and loading. The AWD system can send 100% of the torque to the front wheels when needed in low traction situations. All-wheel drive will only be available on gasoline engine equipped Transits. Under the short hood is a choice of an all-new gasoline V6 which replaces the 3.7 liter, an all new 2.0 liter bi…
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Over 8 Million Ford Taurus cars have been built over the years as U.S. Taurus production came to a close yesterday in Chicago. The Taurus was first introduced at the 1985 Los Angeles Auto Show. The original Taurus changed the design landscape for family cars in the U.S. from a traditional boxy shape to a very rounded aerodynamic one. Offered in sedan and wagon variants, the popular model became the best selling car in America by 1992. In 1989, the SHO was introduced, a 220 horsepower V6 engine provided by Yamaha. There was a two-year pause from 2006 to 2008 when the model was called the Ford Five Hundred. While the Taurus is ending in the U.S. an unrelated Tauru…
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Ford is launching an investigation into its own emissions and fuel economy certification process according to a statement released by the company. The issue was brought to light back in September when a number of employees reported concerns through Ford's internal Speak Up channel. The concern surrounds Road Load, a vehicle-specific resistance level used in dynamometer testing. Too much or too little resistance will alter the results of the emissions and fuel economy. Road load is determined through engineering estimates that are then validated on the track. Ford is evaluating changes to the road load determination process. The company is quick to point out th…
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