Ford
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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 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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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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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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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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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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Last month, Ford admitted that the 2.3L EcoBoost used in the Focus RS had an issue the head gaskets leaking coolant into the engine. The company said at the time they were working on a fix. This week, Ford has sent notices out to dealers and owners detailing the fix. According to Road & Track, Ford will be replacing the head gasket and perform a pressure test on all affected Focus RS models. If the engine fails the pressure test, Ford will replace the cylinder head. The recall affects 2016 and 2017 model-year Focus RS models built from Aug. 3, 2015, through July 6, 2017, and includes repair branded and salvaged vehicles. The company expects the fix to take two da…
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Since last year, we've been hearing various rumors of Ford cutting a number of passenger cars. In October, Ford CEO Jim Hackett said various cuts were incoming, including ones for the vehicle lineup. This would be part of a $7 billion shift of development funds from passenger cars to SUVs/Trucks. At the time, Ford wouldn't say what vehicles would be cut. During Ford's fourth-quarter and 2017 earnings call, Hackett said details about which models would be cut would finally be revealed later this year. Analysts hoping to get an answer were frustrated by this news. Ford has already ended production of the C-Max Energi late last year and is planning to end productio…
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Ford has been hard at work on the next Explorer for the past couple of years as spy shots will attest. We don't know much aside from the model taking an evolutionary approach in terms of design. But a new report claims Ford will be making some drastic changes. The Truth About Cars has learned from sources that the next Explorer will swap from its front-wheel drive underpinnings to rear-wheel drive. This is possible through Ford's new CD6 modular platform which can reportedly accommodate front, rear, and all-wheel drive products. This platform will also be used for a Lincoln variant, possibly wearing the Aviator nameplate. In terms of powertrains, the 2.3L EcoBoo…
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It has been caught in spy photos and teased. But finally, Ford has unmasked the 2019 Ranger Raptor at an event in Thailand. Let's get the bad news out of the way first. The U.S. will not be getting the Ranger Raptor for the time being. Ford North America Product Communications manager Mike Levine tweeted out this morning, "We'll have more to share about Ranger Raptor at a later date." What does the rest of the world get with their version of the Ranger Raptor? It starts with an all-new twin-turbo 2.0L diesel engine producing 210 horsepower and 369 pound-feet of torque. This will come paired with a new 10-speed automatic (the same one found in the new F-150 and Che…
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The redesigned Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator have been moving quite rapidly off dealer lots. In January, sales of the Expedition rose 59 percent while the Navigator saw a jaw-dropping 132 percent increase. But this is proving to be a problem for Ford as their dealers can't get enough of either model to satisfy consumer demand. A source told Automotive News that CEO Jim Hackett has banned Ford employees from ordering Expeditions and Navigators to help get more out into the world. The source said restricting employees from ordering a mainstream vehicle is very rare. "We could have sold a lot more in January if we had them," said Mark LaNeve, Ford's vice preside…
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Last week, Ford unveiled the Raptor Ranger. The bad news as we reported was the model wasn't going to come here, but a tweet from Ford's North America Product Communications manager gave some hope that possibly, a smaller Raptor could come. More fuel has been added to this fire via some comments made by the chief engineer for Ford Performance, Jamal Hameedi. Speaking with Australian outlet Drive, Hameedi said the truck "would do really well in the states." “I think it’s certainly like it’s a baby Raptor, it depends what you’re looking for. There are a lot of people that just want that size in a pickup truck and they don’t want anything larger,” said Hameedi. …
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Raj Nair, Ford’s President of North America has left the company effective immediately after an internal investigation revealed behavior that was "inconsistent with the company's code of conduct." “We made this decision after a thorough review and careful consideration. Ford is deeply committed to providing and nurturing a safe and respectful culture and we expect our leaders to fully uphold these values,” said Ford President and CEO Jim Hackett in a statement. The Detroit News reports the investigation stemmed from an anonymous complaint accusing Nair of unspecified behavior. Ford wouldn't go into detail about the behavior "to protect the privacy of…
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Just a day after Ford's former North America president, Raj Nair left due to 'inappropriate behavior”, the company has announced his replacement. Kumar Galhotra, the head of Lincoln since 2014 and Ford's chief marketing officer has been named as the new North American president effective March 1st. “Kumar is an incredibly talented executive with a special feel for product and brand. He is also a seasoned leader who knows how to drive a business transformation. Kumar is the right person to lead our North American business to new levels of operational fitness, product and brand excellence, and profitability,” said Jim Farley, Ford executive vice president and president,…
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As Ford wraps up European production of the Focus RS next month, rumors are beginning to swirl about the next-generation. Dutch publication Auto International reports the next-generation Focus RS will be packing 400 horsepower via a 48-volt mild-hybrid system. The report alleges that the turbocharged 2.3L four-cylinder used in the current model will carry over, but will feature a larger starter motor for the hybrid system. Torque will rise to 394 pound-feet. A six-speed manual will be the standard transmission, but Auto International reports a dual-clutch transmission is in the cards for certain markets. There is some credence to this rumor as Ford is planning t…
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Ford has issued a recall 1.3 million 2014-2018 Fusion and Lincoln MKZ sedans that can have their steering wheels come off. The problem is a faulty bolt that attaches the wheel to the steering column. The bolt may not provide enough torque, which results in the bolt loosening and causing the wheel to fall off. Ford reports that two accidents and one injury are attributed to this issue. The models affected by this were built between July of 2013 and March of 2018 at Ford's Flat Rock, MI and Hermosillo, Mexico plants. The fix involves a dealer replacing the current bolt with one a larger one featuring more threads along with a larger nylon patch to keep the stee…
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Ford held an event today at their Dearborn HQ for automotive media to talk about what they have in store for the next 24 months. Between now and 2020, Ford will have replaced three-quarters of its lineup. According to those who attended the event, Ford is primarily focusing on two areas; utility vehicles and electrification. Here is what you need to know Ford teased the new Bronco by hiding it underneath a mud-stained sheet. It will be boxy like the original model and appear to have a spare tire carrier. Ford also teased a new a small, purpose-built SUV built for off-roading. The unnamed model looks to be quite chunky in its design. Ford describes this model bu…
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Ford has unveiled the fourth-generation Focus today at events in Germany and China. Available as a sedan, hatchback, and wagon, the model will go on sale in Europe and China later this year. The Focus is the first Ford model to undergo the company's revamped product development process that involves talking and studying current Focus customers around the world. This allows Ford to tailor the Focus to the needs and wants of each global region. Compared to the outgoing model, the new Focus has a bit more style. The overall profile reminds us a lot of the Mazda3 with a flatter nose and a lot of sculpting. The overall size is about the same as the current Focus, but i…
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When Ford announced the new 3.0L Power Stroke V6 diesel for the 2018 F-150, the company said the engine should return 30 mpg on the highway. Today, the official EPA numbers for the Power Stroke V6 have come out and it will return 22 City/30 Highway/25 Combined. But there is a catch to this. As The Car Connection notes, this is for the two-wheel drive variant. The four-wheel drive variant is more thirsty with EPA figures of 20/25/22. Still, the 3.0L Power Stoke V6 beats the 3.0L EcoDiesel found in the current Ram 1500 - 20/27/23 for 2WD and 19/27/22 for 4WD. “Even a few years ago, customers wouldn’t have imagined an EPA-estimated rating of 30 mpg highway would be p…
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In April of 2013, Ford and General Motors announced they would be working together on developing new nine and ten-speed automatic transmissions. The nine-speed automatic would be for front-wheel drive models, while rear-drive models got the ten-speed. Already, a number of Ford and GM vehicles are using the ten-speed. But GM will be the only one using the nine-speed. Automotive News reports that Ford is electing to use a new series of eight-speed automatic transmission on their vehicles. The company said the new nine-speed didn't provide enough of an improvement in fuel economy to justify the added cost and weight. According to a source, Ford made this decision before…
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Ford is serious about cutting costs and that means cars will be cut. During the company's first-quarter earnings, it was announced that Ford would be killing off the Fiesta, Focus Sedan/Hatch, Fusion, and Taurus in North America. The only vehicles that will remain are the Mustang and the upcoming Focus Active in 2019. This will save Ford $11.5 billion and up their cost-cutting goal to $25.5 billion by 2022. This is a sizeable increase from $14 billion projected by CEO Jim Hackett in October. “Everything is on the table. We can exit products (and) markets. We will do that. That work (started in October) has really gained traction. We have looked at every single part o…
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Last week, Ford shocked the industry by announcing that it would cut most of its passenger car lineup. The only models that would remain are the Mustang and the upcoming Focus Active - due to arrive in 2019. The move has earned a fair amount of ire from various folks, but the company is trying to push back and explain their reasoning. "We're going to feed the healthy part of our business and deal decisively with the parts that destroy value," said Ford CEO Jim Hackett to Automotive News. The "healthy part" are Ford's utilities and trucks. According to Ford CFO Bob Shanks, this part made more than $3 billion in the first quarter of 2018. Ford is projecting that l…
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The Escape is an important model for Ford. Last year, the company moved 308,296 Escapes off dealer lots. But with the announcement last week that Ford will be focusing more on trucks and utility models in the coming years, the Escape will be playing a bigger role. Car and Driver obtained the first spy shots of the next-generation Escape, expected sometime next year as 2020 model. Due to the extensive use of camouflage on the mule, we can't tell much about the design. We're guessing the front end might look similar to the EcoSport partly due to the flat shape. The lone shot of the interior reveals an interior layout similar to the EcoSport and Focus with the infotainm…
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A fire at a supplier's plant last week is causing some headaches for Ford. The company has halted production of the F-150 at Kansas City Assembly Plant, and F-Series Super Duty at Kentucky Truck and Ohio Assembly due to a parts shortage. F-150 production at Ford's Dearborn plant is expected to be idled either today or tomorrow. The supplier, Meridian Lightweight Technologies makes instrument panel components for the F-Series trucks. Last Wednesday, the company's factory in Eaton Rapids, Michigan caught fire. The cause is still being investigated, but the Lansing State Journal reports the fire started in an area known as the "tunnel," a place where workers put magnesi…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com January 29, 2013 Originally retailing for $39,995, Ford is now listing the Focus Electric for $37,995. But that's not all! If you decide to do a three-year lease on a Focus Electric, Ford will offer up to $10,750 in discounts. An example three-year lease with 10,500 miles per year could cost a customer $285 per month, with $930 due at signing. Why is Ford offering these massive discounts on the Focus Electric? Slow sales. In 2012, Ford built 1,627 Focus Electrics. However, the company has only moved 685. "We certainly are not in a situation where we have to completely discount,, but we do have to respond to competiti…
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Yesterday, Ford held its annual shareholder meeting and executives were once again defending the decision to cut most of their car lineup and focusing on trucks and utility vehicles. Automotive News reports that shareholders questioned CEO Jim Hackett and Executive Chairman Bill Ford about the move and the two said the changes are necessary due to the changing tastes of customers. Ford expects 90 percent of its North American mix to be made up of trucks and utility models by 2020. "This doesn't mean we intend to lose those customers. We want to give them what they're telling us they really want. We're simply reinventing the American car," said Hackett. "We don'…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com February 9, 2013 For almost two years, we've been reporting on the rumors of the next generation Ford Focus RS. The model is reportedly coming with a 2.3L turbocharged four-cylinder that will be shared with the next-generation Mustang, producing close to 330 horsepower. The new Focus RS would stick with its front-wheel drive layout and use the RevoKnuckle front suspension. Now, the Focus RS might have gotten a date. According to Autocar, the plans for the Focus RS were axed due Ford focusing more on raising sales volumes and cut costs by working on their mass-market models.But with profits on the rise, the economy in …
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Last week, Ford halted production of their F-Series pickup after a fire ravaged a supplier's plant in Southwestern Michigan. While Ford and supplier Meridan said everything was ok, analysts said it the shutdown could hurt Ford if it lasted more than a week. Last night, Ford announced that it would restart production of the F-150 at their Dearborn plant on Friday. Production at Kansas City and Louisville will come back online on Monday. Getting to this point took a lot of work for both Ford and Meridan. According to Automotive News, Ford was the first automaker on site after the fire and was able to retrieve all of the tooling over a 48-hour period. One of dies used wa…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com February 13, 2013 Everyone has been going somewhat crazy with a PowerPoint presentation given to analysts at Deutsche Bank by Ford. The reason? Well, one of the slides in the presentation has a Ford Edge that's not like the current model. That has everyone thinking that the Edge in the presentation is what the next generation model will look like. The somewhat blurry image from the slide shows the Edge keeping its current shape. The only changes are a new front clip with redesigned grille, headlamps, and lower fascia with integrated fog lights. Is this the next-generation Ford Edge? We don't know if it is or not. So…
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Before the start of this year's Detroit Auto Show, Ford held a press conference revealing new models such as the new Bullitt Mustang and Ranger. But they also teased a new electric crossover wearing an iconic name - Mach 1. The only details provided by Ford is that it would provide a range of 300 miles and launch in 2020. A new report from Autocar has some possible new details on the vehicle. The Mach 1 crossover currently has the codename of CX430 and will likely have some design cues inspired by the Mustang. Underpinning the model will be Ford's C2 platform. Currently, this platform is being used for the next-generation Focus and Escape crossover. The Mach 1 i…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com February 27, 2013 Ford has revealed the pricing for the 2014 Fiesta ST which will start at $22,195 (includes $795 destination charge). That will come with a 1.6-liter EcoBoost four cylinder with 197 horsepower and 214 pound-feet of torque, and a six-speed manual transmission. The price makes the Fiesta ST $505 cheaper than the Fiat 500 Abarth and $1,805 cheaper than the Mini Cooper S. Options include partial-leather Recaro seats, MyFord Touch infotainment and navigation, seventeen-inch dark alloy wheels, power moonroof, and two unique colors, Molten Orange and Green Envy. Source: Ford William Maley is a staff writ…
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The Mustang Shelby GT350 is already quick around a track, but Ford believed they could do better. So they brought the GT350 into their workshop and made various tweaks and changes. The end result is the 2019 Shelby GT350 that not only promises to be quicker, but also easier to drive at the limit. It begins with the tires. Ford worked with Michelin on developing tires specific to the GT350. The end result is a set of special Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires with a unique tread pattern and compound. They wrap around a set of restyled 19-inch wheels. The anti-lock brakes and steering have been retuned to handle the performance of the tires. The suspension gets a new set of sp…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com March 8, 2013 If you have been keeping track on the whole pile of rumors concerning the next-generation Focus RS, you would know that the engine being talked about would possibly be shared with the next-generation Mustang. The engine in question is a turbocharged 2.3L unit that will be based on the Focus ST's 2.0L and produce somewhere in the range of 300+ horsepower. Now for some bad news for those who were hoping for a return of the Mustang SVO in the states. Edmunds is reporting that that the four-cylinder will only be available for European customers when introduced. The reason for this is that the V8 Mustang woul…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com March 12, 2013 The next Lincoln Navigator will lose its a V8 and go with EcoBoost V6. This news comes from Lincoln Global Director Matt VanDyke via Motor Trend. The EcoBoost in question will the 3.5L that currently is in the F-150. With 365 hp and 410 lb-ft of torque, this is a very respectable increase from the Navigator's current 310 horsepower and 365 pound-feet. There is also talk of the 3.7L V6 with 302 horsepower and 278 pound-feet of torque appearing as the base engine. Is there any chance of a V8 appearing in the next Navigator? Probably not as VanDyke said that Lincoln is going all EcoBoost. Meanwhile at Fo…
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Ford has sneakily teased the next-generation Explorer by releasing some photos of the next-generation Police Interceptor Utility. At first glance, you might think that you're looking at current Interceptor Utility. But Car and Driver did some tweaks to the photos which reveal some key changes. Proportions more in line with a rear-wheel drive platform - longer front, shorter rear. Dash-to-axle ratio is different to the current model A belt line that rises Slightly tapered roofline (We've done our own set of tweaks to the photos which can be seen at the bottom of the article.) Ford also announced that the next-generation Police Interceptor Util…
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Ford is giving taxi companies two new fuel efficient options for their next vehicle. This week, the automaker unveiled the Fusion Hybrid and Transit Connect diesel taxis. “Taxi operators want vehicles that are reliable, efficient and comfortable. Transit Connect Taxi and Fusion Hybrid Taxi offer all three with special attention to potentially help lower fuel costs. Plus, Fusion Hybrid underscores our commitment to introduce even more efficient and capable hybrids in the future,” said Imran Jalal, brand and communications manager for Ford fleet marketing. The Fusion Hybrid taxi isn't based on the model you can pickup from dealers. Instead, Ford is plucking some par…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com March 30, 2013 A group of Ford customers have filed a class action lawsuit in West Virginia alleging that vehicles were not equipped with the proper safety equipment to prevent unintended acceleration. According to Reuters, the suit lists thirty vehicles built between 2002 and 2010 with electronic throttle control systems but without a brake override system. The vehicles in the suit include 2004-2012 F-Series pickups and the 2005-2009 Lincoln Town Car. (A full list of vehicles in the suit will be at the end of the article.) "They're trying to be compensated for their economic losses by having overpaid for cars that …
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com April 9, 2013 Ford announced today they would be introducing a new variant of the F-150 Raptor for the 2014 model year. The 2014 Raptor Special Edition is all cosmetic changes. Those hoping for a bit more potency from the 6.2L V8 or improved off-road performance will be disappointed. The Special Edition adds two new colors exclusive to this model; Ruby Red Metallic and Tuxedo Black Metallic with box-side graphics. Inside, the Special Edition gets new seats with Brick Red seat bolsters (with black inserts), cloth honeycomb highlights, and a console top finish panel. Ford isn't saying how much the new Raptor Special …
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com April 11, 2013 Earlier this week, everyone went into a tizzy with the report of a new 1.5L EcoBoost three-cylinder that would be coming to the 2014 Fusion midsize. Well, that report was only half right. Today at a event, Ford announced the 2014 will come with a 1.5L EcoBoost four-cylinder. This will be Ford's fifth EcoBoost engine and will be offered in the Fusion's twin, the Mondeo in other markets. The 1.5L EcoBoost will make its official debut later this month at the Shanghai Motor Show, a perfect place to show the new engine since the Chinese Government offers a significant tax relief for vehicles powered by engi…
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The Ford Fiesta ST has been a favorite of many as it offers impressive performance that won't drain your bank account. But for some people, they just want the look of the ST. Ford will soon have a model for those folks. CarsDirect got their hands on Ford's ordering guide for 2019 which lists a new trim for the 2019 Fiesta known as ST Line. This model will feature the same aggressive bodywork as seen on the ST - large mesh grille, high-mounted rear spoiler, and dual chrome-tipped exhaust. It will ride on smaller 16-inch wheels (the regular ST has 17-inch wheels). Inside, the ST Line will come equipped with bucket seats with "sport embossed bolsters"; manual A/C, six-s…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 7, 2013 Ford's recent product launches have had their fair share problems. From Ford Escapes equipped with the 1.6L EcoBoost that could catch on fire to Lincoln MKZs being delayed on the production line to make sure they were being built to the highest quality they can be. Now Ford is taking a long, hard look at how they do product launches. "We've done a complete analysis on lessons learned in the last couple of years, including the recent MKZ launch, and are now incorporating a number of changes in our development and new-model launch process," said Ford President of the Americas, Joe Hinrichs to Automotive News…
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Ford's latest ST model, the 2019 Edge ST will be arriving at dealers later this summer with a base price of $43,350 (including destination). According to CarsDirect, the ST is $1,585 more expensive than the Edge Sport it replaces. But you're getting more car for the money. To begin, the Edge ST has a 2.7L EcoBoost V6 producing 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque. The Sport's 2.7L EcoBoost only produced 315 hp and 350 lb-ft. There's also a new eight-speed automatic with rev-matching, retuned suspension, and a more aggressive body kit. An optional Performance Brake Package that brings forth larger brake rotors and red calipers will add $2,695 to the base p…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 20, 2013 At the moment, more than half of U.S. new-car sales are cars equipped with four-cylinder engines. Ford expects that number to climb to 66 percent by 2020. Here's how the market currently breaks down: subcompact, compact, and midsize vehicles are coming equipped with four-cylinder vehicles. Subcompact and compact crossovers are also following the same trend. Many analysts believe Ford's estimate is high, but not of the question. "I think it's maybe a stretch. But I don't find it implausible. If you look at where things have been going segment by segment, except pickups, you could say that's been the tre…
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The Ford Fusion will be going away in due course as part of the company's plan to put more focus on utility vehicles and trucks. But that doesn't mean the Fusion name will heading to the trash bin. Bloomberg has learned from sources that Ford is planning to move the Fusion name to a new wagon that will compete with the Subaru Outback. The new model will also use the same mechanical underpinnings as the current Fusion - leading us to believe that it will be some version of the Mondeo wagon sold in Europe. Ford spokesman Mike Levine declined to comment on the new model, but did say the Fusion name would continue "because of its awareness, positive imagery and value wit…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 22, 2013 If you want a Ford Raptor, but need a vehicle that can carry eight or has an enclosed space, Hennessey Performance has the vehicle for you: the Hennessey VelociRaptor. The VelociRaptor takes a standard crew-cab Ford Raptor pickup and removes the five-foot, seven-inch bed and extends the cab. Components such as the rear glass, hatch, and tailgate mechanisms are based on the SUV formally known as the Excursion. From there a buyer has the choice to have a enclosed space or a third-row. The conversion adds about 600 pounds to the Raptor. There is one downside to the conversion though. Enclosing the truck and…
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Ford's original plan for the GT was to build the model for two years, with 250 units being built each year. Then Ford extended the production run to four years and expanded the total number of vehicles built to 1,000. So how is Ford doing on their production targets for the GT? According to Motor Authority, they haven't gone as planned. This information was first brought to light by a GT message board claiming Ford didn't reach their 250 unit goal for 2017. Motor Authority reached out to Ford and a spokesman confirmed that only 137 GTs were built last year. Why the delay? "This is a hand-built supercar, which we are committed to deliver flawlessly. We built into…
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By William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 23, 2013 Some sad news to report from Australia today. Ford Australia announced that they will be shutting down operations on October 16, 2016. The shut down will close two factories - Broadmeadows and Geelong in Victoria - and cause the loss of 1,200 jobs. During a press conference, Ford Australia President and CEO Bob Graziano explained the company could not keep building vehicles in a country in the country after reporting a loss of $141 million after tax last year, and losses totaling more than $600 million in the past five years. "Our costs are double that of Europe and nearly four times Ford in Asia. The b…
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Ford has announced a new subsidiary that will be tasked with the development of autonomous vehicles. Called Ford Autonomous Vehicles LLC, the group will be overseeing all parts of the company's autonomous plans including the integration of self-driving technologies, research, AV transportation-as-a-service network development, and business strategy. Ford is also planning to spend $4 billion in investments through 2023. "Ford has made tremendous progress across the self driving value chain — from technology development to business model innovation to user experience. Now is the right time to consolidate our autonomous driving platform into one team to best position the…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com May 31, 2013 Ford's new EcoSport SUV will be sold in 62 countries by 2017. However the U.S. will not be one of the countries according to a report from The Detroit News. Ford’s executive vice president of global marketing, sales, service and Lincoln, Jim Farley said earlier this week that for the time being the EcoSport will not be sold here. He went onto say that Ford is studying whether to bring the EcoSport to the U.S. if the demand for subcompact SUVs climbs. Source: The Detroit News William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him o…
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Ford is making their high-line F-150 Limited a bit more special for the 2019 model year by dropping in the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 from the Raptor. The high-output version of the 3.5 makes 450 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque. This makes the F-150 Limited the most powerful light-duty pickup on sale - outgunning the 6.2L V8 found in the Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra 1500. The only visual clue to the high-performance motor under the hood is the dual exhaust pipes out back. Other changes for the 2019 Limited include a new two-tone leather option and a massaging function for the front seats. No word on pricing, but the F-150 Limited goes on sale later in year…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com June 11, 2013 The spy photographers strike once again! This time, photos have been caught of the 2015 Ford Mustang. Now judging from the amount of camouflage on this mule, our guess is this a prototype version of what we'll be seeing on the road sometime next year. The design will take some ideas from the Evos concept and the so-called Kinetic 2.0 design language seen on the new Fusion. The front-end is tapered and rounded, and features a large grille opening. The roofline at the back appears to have a more dramatic curve to it. Like previous times, the new Mustang is expected to come with a independent rear suspension…
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Ford truck lineup will be growing by one with the introduction of the Ranger early next year. But a new report from Automobile says there's another truck in the cards, one that is smaller than the Ranger. Ford is working on a replacement for the Brazilian market Courier subcompact pickup truck, last sold in the 2013 model year. The model is expected to move from an old Fiesta platform to the platform underpinning the new Focus. This has caught the eye of Ford's product planners in the U.S. and there are plans to possibly bring it here by 2022. Production is expected to take place in Ford's Cuautitlan, Mexico plant. Currently home to the Fiesta, the plant will s…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com June 12, 2013 The next Ford F-150 has been caught playing around in the rain this week. Judging from the amount of camouflage on this mule, we're guessing Ford has decided on a final design. The overall shape seems similar to the Atlas concept shown at this year's Detroit Auto Show. We can tell the three-bar grille will remain and there is a set of distinctive headlights. Other than that, what we know about the F-150 can be filed under speculation. We hear that the next F-150 could be using more aluminum, have a hybrid powertrain thanks to partnership with Toyota, and a number of other rumors. Source: Motor Trend Will…
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Ford has a new midsize crossover, but it will only be sold in China. Meet the Territory which will slot in between the EcoSport and Kuga (Escape to us). The model was developed with its joint-venture partner, Jiangling Motors Corp. The exterior looks very similar to the EcoSport subcompact crossover, albeit with a more aggressive bumper and smaller grille. Where the Territory stands out is the interior. The design is quite simple with Mustang-inspired toggle controls and stitching on various trim pieces. Power will come from either a regular gas engine, hybrid, or plug-in hybrid powertrain. Optional features include an infotainment system with Mandarin voice-command…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com June 14, 2013 The new Ford Fusion has become an instant hit with consumers. It's currently in a four car race for the best selling midsize sedan in American and has helped Ford crack into the east and west coast markets, two places where Ford has lagged in sales. With all of that success, Ford is finding itself with a Fusion supply problem. “Inventory is going to be real tight during the summer months,” said Erich Merkle, Ford’s U.S. sales analyst to The Detroit News. According to Wards Auto, Ford is currently sitting on a 39 day supply of Fusions. To put it another way, if Ford stopped production of the Fusion, they wo…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com June 26, 2013 The Ford F-150 Harley-Davidson Edition has ridden into the sunset. “We don’t have plans for one at the moment. We’ve got 10 models including a brand-new Limited Model, which was new for 2013. We feel like we’ve got the market really well covered,” said Doug Scott, Ford Motor Co.’s truck marketing manager. The F-150 Harley-Davidson was introduced back in 1999 and was the flagship model for the F-150 lineup for a time. Scott said the Harley-Davidson only accounted for one to two percent of F-150 sales. Add in the fact that Ford has added such models like the F-150 Platinum, Limited and Raptor, and there isn…
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Back in March, Ford held an event for journalists which outlined the company's plans for 24 months. One of the vehicles that was teased was a small, purpose-built SUV that would be positioned for "people who love getting away and spending time outdoors with their families and friends.". Some new details about this model has come to light. During an investor conference in New York, Ford's executive vice president of product development and purchasing, Hau Thai-Tang revealed that the new SUV would use the underpinnings of the next-generation Focus. Thai-Tang also said the model will feature “offroad positioning and imagery” and have a premium price. A source tells…
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The One Ford plan brought in by former CEO Alan Mulally helped the automaker weather through some very tough times. A key part of this plan was cutting back on the number of architectures used around the world - from 30 to nine. But Ford is planning to go further with reducing them. Last week, Ford's head of product development and purchasing, Hau Thai-Tang revealed the company will be reducing the number of platforms to just five. "This is not saying One Ford was wrong. This is building on the strategy of One Ford and evolving from it," said Thai-Tang at the 2018 J.P. Morgan Auto Conference in New York. The move to five platforms will help save costs: Acco…
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Ford has launched the configurator for the 2019 Ranger today and we got our first look at pricing. It will begin at $25,395 for the XL extended-cab model with 2WD - price includes $1,095 destination charge. Pricing for the rest of the lineup is as followed, $27,615 - XL SuperCrew 2WD $29,035 - XLT SuperCab 2WD $29,555 - XL SuperCab 4WD $31,210 - XLT SuperCrew 2WD $31,775 - XL SuperCrew 4WD $33,035 - XLT SuperCab 4WD $33,305 - Lariat SuperCab 2WD $35,210 - XLT SuperCrew 4WD $35,480 - Lariat SuperCrew 2WD $37,305 - Lariat SuperCab 4WD $39,480 - Lariat SuperCrew 4WD There are a number of options on off…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 11, 2013 Automakers seem to be having a tough go with electric vehicles. The only way it seems automakers are able to move their stockpile is by drastically cutting the price. We've seen it with the Nissan Leaf which saw it sales jump General Motors hasn't gone down that same route with the Volt, but is offering a number of discounts. Ford looks to be doing the former option with the Focus EV. The Detroit News reports that for the 2014 Focus EV will see a $4,000 price drop. That brings the base down from $39,200 to $35,200. While that should help out the Focus EV, that's still $6,000 more than the base Nissan Leaf. …
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2018 marks the 50th anniversary of the original Mustang Cobra Jet. What better way to celebrate this momentous occasion than by introducing a brand new version. The new Cobra Jet uses a specialized 5.2L V8 that is based on the 5.0L Coyote V8 found in the Mustang GT. This is topped by a 3.0L Whipple supercharger. Ford is keeping quiet on the engine's output, but says it can do the quarter-mile in the mid-eight second range at a speed of 150 mph and above. Besides the new engine, the Cobra Jet comes with a four-link rear suspension with drag race-specific coil-overs; 9-inch solid rear axle, a “low-drag” disc brake system from Strange Engineering, NHRA-certified roll…
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Ford isn't being too discrete with the upcoming Police Interceptor Utility as these new set of spy shots reveal. It confirms some of the key details we reported on a couple months back such as the evolutionary design, rear-wheel drive proportions, and a tapered roofline. The picture also brings out some new details such as a new front end with a trapezoidal grille, slightly more squared rear end, and new taillights. We still don't know any concrete details on the hybrid system that will be used on the Police Interceptor Utility aside from it returning a combined figure of 24 mpg. Expect the Police Interceptor Utility and its sister model, the Explorer to d…
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The Ford Mustang will being playing a vital role in the company's future. Compared to its other products, the Mustang has "bold, emotional designs that elicit passion among its customers." According to Automotive News, Ford is hoping to expand this idea to their upcoming lineup that will be mostly comprised of trucks and utility vehicles. "Mustang has a soul. It's a balance of performance and design. If you can capitalize on the cachet and let that rub off on the rest of the portfolio, it's a good thing," said Darrell Behmer, chief designer for the Mustang. A prime example is the upcoming Mach 1 EV crossover announced back in January. The model is expected to bo…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 18, 2013 A proposed class-action lawsuit was filed against Ford on Monday that alleges MyFord Touch and MyLincoln Touch infotainment systems are defective. The suit was filed by the Center for Defensive Driving, a nonprofit educator in Torrance, California. The Center for Defensive Driving in their suit say that Ford knew about the defects, but didn't disclose the problems to potential customers. The Center for Defensive Driving leased a 2013 F-150 pickup with MyFord Touch and found that it suffered from numerous issues including a lockup and total system failure, periodic non-responsiveness to devices such as MP3 pl…
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Yesterday, Moody's Investment Services dropped some bad news on Ford as they have downgraded their credit rating to Baa3 - one rung above speculative grade. Analysis by the investment service said the downgrade "reflects the erosion in the company's global business position and the challenges it will face implementing its Fitness Redesign program." The erosion that Moody's is referring to includes, Profit margins in North America beginning to soften due to higher costs Continuing losses in Europe and concerns of it getting worse due to Brexit Strains in the Chinese and South American markets Moody's said that downgrading Ford's credit …
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 19, 2013 With the recent news of Ford shuttering its Australian operations, the question arose of what would happen with the Ford Performance Vehicle (FPV) division. That division which was founded in 2002 has created some of the fastest Ford vehicles down in Australia. Well it seems that FPV will be closing up shop. A source at Ford tells Drive.com.au that FPV will be shuttered when the final iteration of the Falcon is launched next year. No word on how many jobs will be lost. In 2012 when Ford got full ownership of FPV, the company removed 32 jobs and move the rest into Ford Australia's internal operations. "We a…
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Ford had planned on selling two cars by 2019 in the U.S. - the Mustang and Focus Active. The latter took elements of a crossover with a higher ride height, body cladding, and new bumpers, and put them onto a Focus hatchback. But plans to bring this model to the U.S. have been canned. Ford announced today that it has canceled the Focus Active as tariffs on Chinese-made goods would eat into profits. The company announced last year that it would import the next-generation Focus from China. "Given the negative financial impact of the new tariffs, we've decided not to import this vehicle from China. The significant thing that moved was the tariffs going up substantia…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 22, 2013 A new report from Mustangs Daily states that Ford will be building 1,000 next-generation Mustangs with the designation of 2014 ½ to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the model. The 50th anniversary models will come with their own special VIN and build number. Those hoping for added performance will be sad since the report says the anniversary model won't see any upgrades to the standard 2015 Mustang. Source: Mustangs Daily William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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With Ford planning on dropping most of its cars except for one, the automaker is making changes to its advertising strategy, Automotive News is reporting that Ford has ended nationwide marking for the Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, and Taurus. The company is also dialing back spending in certain regions. Mark LaNeve, Ford's vice president of U.S. marketing, sales, and service tells AN that the money will be used on the Mustang, EcoSport, and new models coming in the pipeline. "It allows us to focus our resources. If we can take that money from sedans, where we have a middle-of-the-road position, to be the leading brand in SUVs, that'd be a really good position," said LaNeve.…
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Yesterday, Ford released the first teaser shot of their upcoming electric crossover with a Mustang-inspired design. The picture shows a dark silhouette of the vehicle with the iconic three-bar taillights of the Mustang. It appears that the roofline is sharply raked, something akin to a BMW X4/X6. Ford is promising a 300 mile range when the model is introduced in 2020. As we reported last month, the crossover will not be wearing the Mach 1 nameplate. One interesting tidbit about the upcoming electric crossover. Forbes reports that the original version of the electric crossover was scrapped after CEO Jim Hackett thought it looked to generic. The Mustang-inspired d…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 25, 2013 Reuters is reporting that when the next F-150 is launched, Ford will build the current F-150 alongside it for six months. Sources say the move allows Ford to keep up with the growing demand for trucks and give them a safegard if any problems arise with the new model. "In order to ramp up, you have to retool...and that means you have to take capacity offline. To do that, at a period of time when demand is so strong, makes it a bit challenging," said IHS Automotive analyst Mike Jackson. Now building the new and old model concurrently isn't new at all. When GM began building the 2014 Chevrolet Silverado and G…
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Lebanon Ford is at again. Back in 2016, we introduced you to this Ohio dealership that was offering a 727 horsepower Mustang GT for $39,995. They have now upped the ante with a 2019 Mustang GT offering 800 horsepower. According to Motor Authority, this particular Mustang GT is known as the LFP Hellion - the second part of the name refers to the Hellion Power Systems turbocharger upgrade fitted to the engine. It is a twin-turbo setup that features dual bypass valves and a high-flow intercooler. Lebanon Ford makes some other upgrades upgraded fuel injectors and revised engine programming. When all is said and done, the LFP Hellion produces 800 horsepower at the crank. …
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com July 31, 2013 Ford announced today that the 2014 F-150 pickup equipped with the 3.7L V6 will come with a CNG/LPG Prep package, making it the first light-duty pickup in the class to come with this feature. The package includes hardened valves, valve seats, pistons and rings. The CNG/LPG Prep package will set you back $315. That doesn't mean you can head to your nearest CNG/LPG station and fill up though. You will need to visit a Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier which will install the CNG/LPG-specific fuel tanks, fuel lines and fuel injectors. When all is said and done, the conversion will set you back $7,500 to $9,500. Fo…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 15, 2013 When Ford launched the C-Max Hybrid, they claimed that it would get 47 MPG in the city, on the highway, and combined. In the real world, that wasn't coming up at all. Owners complained that they were not seeing anywhere close to those numbers and the EPA opened an investigation to see if those numbers were achievable. Today Ford announced that they are voluntarily lowering fuel economy estimates on the C-Max Hybrid to 45 City/40 Highway/43 Combined. Ford also announced they would be compensating current owners the average estimated fuel cost difference between the two labels; $325 to lessees and $550 to …
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Ford's slow drip of Ranger information continues as the blue oval announced some key details of the 2.3L EcoBoost four-cylinder. The 2.3L engine isn't as potent as the ones found in the Mustang and Focus RS, but it does provide a healthy 270 horsepower and 310 pound-feet of torque. It does trail the Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon and Toyota Tacoma's V6 engines in horsepower, but outperforms all in terms of torque. Ford Ranger: 2.3L Turbo-Four - 270 hp, 310 lb-ft Chevrolet Colorado/GMC Canyon: 3.6L V6 - 308 hp, 275 lb-ft Toyota Tacoma: 3.5L V6 - 278 hp, 265 lb-ft Nissan Frontier: 4.0L V6 - 261 hp, 281 lb-ft Ford can also claim best-in-class whe…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com August 20, 2013 Sometimes, you get very lucky when taking spy shots. Case in point, new spy shots came out today revealing the face of the upcoming 2015 Mustang. The shots show the new Mustang sharing almost the same figure as the Ford Evos concept. The front has an athletic stance and features such touches as slimmer headlights and a hexagonal grille. The 2015 Mustang is expected to debut next year Source: Automobile Magazine William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or you can follow him on twitter at @realmudmonster. View full article
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Since becoming the CEO of Ford, Jim Hackett, and his management staff has had a difficult time of convincing folks about the ambitious restructuring plan that will see the lineup become more dependent on crossover and trucks, and job cuts. One group that has been quite worried about the plan are dealers. "There's been a lot less exposure to senior management. There's just not enough information flowing down to dealers about where the company's headed," said Jack Madden, owner of Jack Madden Ford to Automotive News. Ford is hoping to ease dealers later this week at the company's national dealer meeting in Las Vegas. Aside from seeing a number of new products, inc…
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When Ford introduced the GT, they made it very clear it would be a limited run affair. 500 models would be built over the course of two years. Then the company expanded the amount to 1,000 vehicles that would be built over four years. Now, Ford has expanded the pool of GTs again. An additional 350 GTs will be built, bringing the grand total to 1,350. This also means a longer production run. Previously, Ford was going to wrap up production in 2020, but has pushed it back to 2022. If you were one of the many people who applied for a GT and didn't get one, Ford will be opening the application process one more time beginning on November 8th and have it running for …
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 26, 2013 Ford is wanting to keep their dominance in the heavy duty pickup market and has announced a series of changes for its 2015 F-Series SuperDuty Pickups today at the Texas State Fair. First up is a improved 6.7L PowerStroke Diesel V8. Ford added a larger turbochargers to deliver increased airflow. The larger turbos allowed Ford to simplify the engine layout by removing the wastegate system and redesigning the oil and cooling lines. Another bonus of larger turbos is improved exhaust braking performance. Along with the engine changes, the six-speed automatic gets a stronger torque converter. Ford says thes…
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Many people were hoping that Ford would bring the new Raptor Ranger to the U.S. It would offer the off-road performance and capability of the larger F-150 Raptor, but in a smaller and (hopefully) more affordable package. But that isn't going to be happening. Hermann Salenbauch, the vehicle line director for Ford Performance told journalists yesterday that the company has no plans to bring the Ranger Raptor to the U.S. A key reason mentioned by Salenbauch is due to the high costs to make the Ranger Raptor legal to sell in the U.S. as the model is based on the global Ranger. We have to assume a key part would come from trying to either make the twin-turbo 2.0L diesel l…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com September 30, 2013 Ford has gotten a slap on the wrist for their Chicken Tax work-around on the Transit Connect. Back in January, the U.S. Customs and Border Protection asked the company to stop the practice of bringing in Transit Connects as passenger vans, and then removing the windows and shredding the back seats to make into a cargo van. This practice allowed Ford to pay a lower 2.5% tariff for a passenger vehicle and not a 25% tariff for cargo vehicles. "It is clear that the Connect is a commercial vehicle first and foremost," said the ruling. Ford's strategy "serves no manufacturing or commercial purpose" other tha…
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Does Ford see the upcoming Ranger as a threat to the sales of the F-150? Joe Hinrichs, Ford's president of global operations says no. "There always will be some substitution, but this is more of a lifestyle vehicle for people who want to use it for different purposes. The F-150's gotten bigger over time and more expensive. We believe there's room now to slot the Ranger in very nicely in the showroom," he told Automotive yesterday at an event kicking off production of the Ranger. The new Ranger is quite expensive with the base XL SuperCab 2WD setting you back $25,395 with destination - higher than the Nissan Frontier ($19,965), Chevrolet Colorado ($21,495), and T…
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Ford announced a sizeable recall of 1.5 million Focuses from the 2012-2018 model year equipped with the naturally-aspirated and turbocharged variants of the 2.0L engine. The issue deals with the engine's fuel system, specifically the canister purge valve. This valve allows fuel vapor to circulate but may become stuck open. Plus, the powertrain control module which monitors the valve may malfunction. The end result is a malformed gas tank due to excessive vacuum, which in turn will cause the check engine to come on; the fuel gauge will start acting weird; and may cause the car to stall - the latter being a safety issue. The recall is the result of a n…
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October 9th, 2013 Drew Dowdell Managing Editor - CheersandGears.com Ford of Europe demonstrated a new safety technology this week at their test facility in Lommel, Belgium. Dubbed "Obstacle Avoidance", the system will swerve around a stopped or slow moving object if it decides the driver hasn't taken evasive action soon enough to avoid a collision. Barb Samardzich, vice president Product Development, Ford of Europe says, “The future for Ford means developing innovative products and technologies – including Fully Assisted Parking Aid and Obstacle Avoidance – that help deliver a safer, more convenient, more desirable, more personalized and greener driving and ownership…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 18, 2013 From the hmm section of the rumorpile, Reuters is reporting that Ford has invited a small number of journalists to get a sneak peek of the 2015 next week. Sources say the group will include a number of European journalists which is perfect since previous rumors have said the next Mustang has been designed to appeal to people outside the U.S. Sources have also said the new Mustang will have a modern design, and more efficient engines and transmissions. From previous reports we expect the new Mustang to take some elements of the Evos concept car, dropping the solid-axle setup for an independent rear suspen…
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Last month, Ford held a meeting with their dealers in Las Vegas to give them an update of where the company is heading and what to expect in the near future. According to a report from the Mustang6g.com forum, Ford shared vague plans for a four-door variant that would feature a turbo V8 and compete against the likes of the Audi A7 and Porsche Panamera. No timeframe was mention as to when this model could debut. Let's try to take this rumor apart. The poster who originally brought this to light appears to have joined the forum earlier in October. This either means this is completely made up or there is some truth to this, considering the poster got this info from…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com October 24, 2013 Ford is planning two weeks of downtime at its Wayne, Michigan plant. The plant builds the Focus and C-Max Hybrid. Bloomberg reports the reason for this shutdown is to help reduce the number of C-Max Hybrids and Focus in stock. The start of October saw a 71-day supply of the Focus and 122-day supply for the C-Max. Compared to the month before, the supplies are up 13 and 14 days respectively. “They don’t want to get ahead of themselves. Ford has been focused on keeping their pricing in check. Their operating margin is in double digits. Nobody else is there and they’re obviously very proud of that,” said A…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com November 20, 2013 Mark your calendars Mustang fans. Ford announced yesterday that the new Mustang will be revealed on December 5th, only a couple weeks away. Here is what the company said in a press release, "On December 5th, Ford will take the cover off the all-new Mustang, the sixth generation of the iconic pony car that will celebrate 50 years in production next year. Ford is counting down to the next chapter in the Mustang story by inviting people to share their photographic stories of inspiration using the #MustangInspires hashtag on Instagram, Facebook and other social media platforms. The tagged photos and video…
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It seems someone at Ford wasn't paying attention and allowed some photos from their recent dealer conference to appear on a public site. Off-Road.com got their hands on some photos that were "publicly accessible part of a Ford website." The photos are from last month's dealer meeting in Las Vegas. The key picture that everyone is talking about is the one seen above, showing a new SUV's front and side profile, and an angled shot. Off-Road originally reported this was the Bronco, but later reports from Automotive News and Motor Authority say it is the new Baby Bronco. We tend to with the latter as the photos match up with this teaser released by Ford back in March. …
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The holidays are proving to be a tough time for those who work in the automotive industry. Last week, General Motors announced that it would be cutting more than 10,000 jobs and removing products from five plants beginning next year. This could pale into comparison with what could happen with Ford. Earlier this week, Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas sent out a note to investors saying that Ford's $11 billion restructuring effort could see 25,000 jobs being cut. “We estimate a large portion of Ford’s restructuring actions will be focused on Ford Europe, a business we currently value at negative $7 billion. But we also expect a significant restructuring effort in…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 3, 2013 Someone at Ford and Autoweek Magazine aren't having a very good day as the first shots of the 2015 Mustang have leaked out before the official reveal on Thursday. SVTPerformance.com member Screamin 40th posted images of the December 9th Autoweek that happened to be delivered early and features the 2015 Mustang prominently. The 2015 Mustang's design is an obvious evolution of the current model with elements of the new Fusion on the front end and side profile. The back end features an updated three-bar taillight setup, rear diffuser, and the lack of a faux gas cap. Inside is a deep-dish steering wheel, dua…
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When the Ford Ranger returns to the US market in a few weeks, the EPA window sticker will be a primary strong selling point. The EPA estimates for the Ranger have been announced and it beats any other gasoline powered pickup on the market. The two-wheel drive Ranger will have a 21mpg city / 26 highway / 23 combined rating. That combined rating ties the combined rating of the diesel-powered Chevy Colorado. The 4wd model gets a 20 city / 24 highway / 22 combined rating of which the city and combined rating are the highest in the class. The Ranger starts around $25,395 and offers only one engine, a 2.3 liter 4-cylinder, that will tow and haul more than the V6 offerings fr…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 5, 2013 When an automaker introduces a new version of an iconic vehicle, there is a sense of trepidation from the fan base of whether or not the new version will live up to expectations or not. Case in point is the Ford Mustang. Rumors have been swirling for the past for years about what was in store for the next-generation model and many worried that Ford would miss the point of what made the Mustang special. Well Ford introduced the 2015 Mustang this morning and we have to say Ford kept what made the Mustang special in this new model. The 2015 Mustang's design is a mix of other Ford vehicles and previous Musta…
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Off-Road.com has obtained a product timeline that reveals Ford's launches for the upcoming year and the big news is that a new F-150 appears to be around the corner. The timeline reveals that the next-generation Ford Explorer will be launched first, most likely at Detroit. We have reported that the new model would be using a new modular rear-wheel drive platform. Next up is the new F-150. We don't know what Ford has in store aside from a hybrid powertrain. But considering both General Motors and Ram introducing redesigned trucks this year, we're expecting Ford to fight back hard. Last, but not least is the Bronco. Off-Road speculates this model will appear in 20…
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William Maley Staff Writer - CheersandGears.com December 11, 2013 The Ford F-150 is a very important model for the blue oval since it's the top seller and one of the key ways Ford makes a profit. With a new model on the horizon, it has been rumored that Ford would be utilizing aluminum in it as way to improve fuel economy and give the F-150 a unique edge. But that decision seems to be causing more problems. The Truth About Cars has learned from a number of sources that Ford has rejected aluminum from Alcoa and other Tier 2 suppliers since it didn't meet internal forming requirements for the “tooling tryout” phase of pre-production. Because of this, Ford has pushed bac…
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Ford will soon be joining General Motors in reporting sales every quarter. Automotive News is reporting that Ford will transition to a quarterly call and release of sales numbers beginning in April. The company will still be proving monthly sales numbers to various data agencies. "We feel it's kind of transitioning to more of an industry standard. We think the intense focus on month-to-month numbers is just not how we want to run the business. We believe quarterly will provide great transparency," said Mark LaNeve, Ford's vice president of U.S. marketing, sales and service during a call with analysts and the media. Various analysts have cautioned that moving to …
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There's a new police vehicle that you'll need to be on the lookout for as Ford revealed the 2020 Police Interceptor Utility yesterday. Before we get any further, this is our best look at the all-new Explorer, which we'll see next Wednesday. It appears that Ford is keeping the basic profile of the current Explorer, but has made some minor changes such as new grille shape and lower roofline. The Interceptor has some additional exterior treatments such as a push bar and searchlights. For the interior, Ford has fitted heavy-duty cloth upholstery to the front seats, along with anti-stab plates mounted in the backsides. The base engine will be an all-new 3.3L V6 hybrid …
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In recent months, rumors have been flying as to Ford CEO Alan Mulally stepping down to become the new CEO for Microsoft. The rumors and questions to Ford about Mulally's future got so bad that the board called a special meeting late last year to press Mulally about his decision. Well Mulally has broken his silence. According to an interview with the Associated Press, he revealed that he would be staying put at Ford through 2014. Mulally did not confirm whether or not he had conversations with Microsoft though. Source: Associated Press via The Detroit News William Maley is a staff writer for Cheers & Gears. He can be reached at [email protected] or yo…
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