Ford

The Ford Transit isn’t the most exciting vehicle on the market, but the company sells a surprising number of the vans every year. In 2017, Ford sold 127,360 full-size vans in the United States – making it more popular than the Mustang and Taurus combined. That brings us to the recent batch of spy photos which show the Transit is getting a modest refreshing. Caught on the back of a semi, the updated model has a new front fascia which is more upright than before. The grille has also been extensively updated as it features a more hexagonal shape and three fully enclosed bars. Besides the new grille, the van has been equipped with a modified front bumper that appears to feature a larger air intake. Other notable changes include updated headlights and new fog lights. Ford hasn’t said much about the van, but the company has already confirmed it will arrive next year. At the time, the automaker said it will be offered with 4G LTE connectivity. While little is known about the … [Read more...] about Ford Transit Facelifted Spied, Could Be Offered With All-Wheel Drive

Saleen is famous for its Mustangs, but the company has released the first details about its upcoming Sportruck XR. Set to be unveiled later this evening, the Sportruck XR is based on the Ford F-150 and appears to an off-road focused version of the standard Sportruck that was introduced earlier this year. The company only released one low quality image of the truck, but it shows the model will have a rugged front bumper, a revised grille and extended fender flares. Saleen also says the truck will come equipped with a new hood, side steps and a tailgate appliqué. Other highlights will include a Saleen windshield banner, “chevron” door stripes and 17-inch alloy wheels with 33-inch off-road tires. Interior changes will be more modest as drivers will find embroidered headrests, white faced gauges and plenty of Saleen badging. There will also be special floor mats and an individually numbered dash plaque. Saleen was coy on performance specifications but confirmed the truck … [Read more...] about Off-Road Focused Saleen Sportruck XR Teased With 700+ HP

Ford is conducting a new safety campaign, which concerns certain 2013-2014 Escape and 2013-2016 Fusion vehicles across North America. According to the information released by the automaker, the gear selected by the driver could actually be different than the one indicated by the shifter. For example, they could move the shift lever to ‘Park’ and remove the key from the ignition, while the transmission may not be in ‘Park’. If this happens, no warning message or audible chime will be displayed, and without the parking brake applied, the vehicle could roll away, thus increasing the risk of crash and injury. Also Read: The Lamborghini Aventador’s Having Trouble Downshifting The Michigan-based carmaker says the culprit is the bushing that attaches the shifter cable to the transmission, which could detach, and that it has already informed dealers of the condition. Technicians will replace the shifter cable bushing completely free of charge, after owners of the … [Read more...] about Ford Recalls Half A Million Fusion And Escape Vehicles Over Transmission Issue

Automatic transmissions that shift into park but don’t actually end up in park are one of the greatest automotive sourges of our time. Of all automakers, Fiat Chrysler and Ford seem to have the worst luck with this. On Wednesday, Ford Motor Company announced a recall of roughly 550,000 Fusions and Escapes to prevent the vehicles from getting loose, though some wonder why the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration didn’t step in earlier to force the recall. The affected models are 2013-2016 Fusions and 2013-2014 Escapes built at the Flat Rock Assembly Plant and Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly Plant. According to Ford, the bushing that connects the shift cable to the transmission can fail, leading to a sudden discrepancy between the gear you’ve just selected and the gear the vehicle is actually in. The potential consequences are fairly obvious. The recall covers some 549,401 vehicles in North America, of which 504,182 were sold in the United States and … [Read more...] about Yet Another Rollaway Recall: Ford Calls Back 550,000 Vehicles for Driverless Journeys

We’re anxiously awaiting the arrival of the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500, but fans looking for something even more extreme can soon apply to purchase a new GT. According to Motor Authority, Ford will reopen the application process for the supercar in the fourth quarter of 2018. Details are limited, but the website says the process will be the same as before and the company is once again looking for customers who will actually drive the car. Fans who applied to purchase the car the first time around, and weren’t selected, will reportedly be given an opportunity to update their application and try again. This could be a long shot as Ford received over 7,000 applications the first time and only approved 500 buyers. Ford will likely release information about the application process this fall, but it wouldn’t be surprising if potential buyers were subject to increased scrutiny. As we have previously reported, Ford has been involved in a number of legal battles with GT owners … [Read more...] about Ford GT Buyer Applications To Resume Later This Year

Both Mercedes-Benz and Ford are proving so successful in certain segments of the U.S. market that few automakers look likely to challenge their supremacy. According to The Detroit News, Mercedes-Benz has perfectly carved out its position within the luxury segment while Ford continues to rule the world of pickup trucks thanks to its F-Series of vehicles. “Ford and Mercedes have extraordinary engineering capability. They can slice the cheese so thin,” Auto Trends Consulting auto analyst Joe Phillippi said. “The Germans can offer you an incredible portfolio of transmissions, styles and drivetrains. For the Detroit Three, pickups are their luxury product — the variable gross-profit numbers are mind-bending.” A quick look at the value of Mercedes-Benz tells you just how successful the company is. According to the Forbes brand-value index, Mercedes ranks second behind Toyota as the most valuable automaker with a massive $34.4 billion value. For a company that … [Read more...] about Mercedes And Ford Dominating Their Segments In U.S.

Ford’s latest advert for the new Fiesta ST includes a WRC driver and one of Europe’s largest salt mines. In the latest installment of Europe’s Greatest Driving Roads series, Elfyn Evans took the new Fiesta ST for a quick spin 400 meters under ground, showing what the new version of the popular hot hatch can do. The company’s new advert is titled ‘Undertrack’, and it took three days to shoot in a secret salt mine location. The professional rally driver has no problem getting the hottest Fiesta to slide and jump in this rather unusual and quite slippery driving environment. “The salt is actually like fine gravel to drive on, quite slippery to be honest, especially on road tyres,” said Evans. “You expect it to be claustrophobic, but actually it’s quite the opposite, a great place to really enjoy the new Fiesta ST.” The new Ford Fiesta ST is powered by a turbocharged 1.5-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder petrol engine that … [Read more...] about WRC Driver Takes New Fiesta ST For Underground Hooning In Ford’s Latest Ad

Now that crossovers are the be-all, end-all segment in the market, there are plenty of small and compact models to choose from if you feel like moving on from compact hatchbacks or even wagons. Take the Nissan Qashqai, for example; a sales leader last year throughout Europe. It’s one of the best equipped, practical and enjoyable models in its class, although if you put it next to a Renault Kadjar or a Ford Kuga, you might find that they’re all very similar out in front. In fact, according to Carwow, there isn’t much between them when it comes to cabin quality. You actually need to move to the backseat in order to realize that the Qashqai isn’t as spacious as the Renault Kadjar (both for passenger and boot space), despite both being based on the same underpinnings. On the road, there’s hardly anything between the Qashqai and the Kadjar, yet the latter is a bit better at going over bumps, although you might hear a bit more tire roar. As for the Kuga, … [Read more...] about Qashqai vs Kadjar vs Kuga: Which Is The Best Compact SUV?

With Ford having just released the new Focus, it’ll take some time for the hot RS to be revealed. Thankfully, the Blue Oval is sending away the current hot hatch with the Heritage Edition. Launched earlier this year as the swan song to the performance-oriented Mk3, it comes with a few updates over the regular Focus RS. The most visible is the Tief Deep Orange exterior that is contrasted by the black side mirror caps and rear spoiler, in addition to dark, forged alloy wheels and grey brake calipers. Also Read: Top 10: The Fastest Accelerating Hot Hatches On The Market The cabin has been adorned with part-leather Recaro seats and a sunroof. A heated steering wheel, cruise control with speed limited, power folding mirrors, rear parking sensors and rear privacy windows are also standard equipment on the £39,895 ($53,011) hot hatchback. Ford chose to limit the Focus RS Heritage Edition to 50 units, and fit a Quaife limited-slip differential that improves traction. All cars come … [Read more...] about Ford Focus RS Heritage Edition: Old News Or A Future Collectable?