Ford Motor Company has added a high-tech new automatic transmission to its line-up, one which achieves the fuel economy of a manual gearbox but with the comfort and convenience of a normal auto.

Called “PowerShift”, the new lightweight transmission uses the latest electronically-controlled twin-clutch technology to change gear, and therefore does not need the complex and weighty sub-systems such as torque converter or planetary gears of regular auto boxes. (more…)

Singer, songwriter and entertainer Toby Keith kicks off his “Biggest and Baddest Tour,” presented by Ford F-Series, tonight in Birmingham, Alabama.

“Toby Keith is the Biggest and Baddest star, and the new Ford F-150 is the Biggest and Baddest truck,” said Todd Eckert, Ford Truck and SUV Communications Alliance manager, Ford Division. “It’s a perfect fit.”

Ford Truck’s involvement with the “Biggest and Baddest Tour” goes beyond traditional sponsorship.  The show opens with a theatrical video produced by Ford that features Keith and the F-Series trucks.

“Toby Keith enjoys doing the videos, and the fans receive them extremely well to the point that they have become an anticipated part of the concert experience,” said Eckert, adding that this season’s video is tied to Keith’s upcoming movie, Beer for My Horses.   (more…)

The 2009 Ford Glass Roof Mustang, which is shipping to dealerships now, offers convertible-like sunbathed driving enjoyment without the need for sunscreen. That’s because the best-selling sports car’s panoramic glass roof - a factory-installed first in the segment - filters 90 percent of the sun’s heat-generating infrared (IR) rays and 96 percent of burn-causing ultraviolet (UV) rays.

The UV-filtering capability of the new Mustang’s fixed glass roof is comparable to sunscreen lotion with a sun protection factor (SPF) of approximately 50, which exceeds the dermatologist-recommended sunscreen strength of at least SPF-15. (more…)

Drivers eager to limit the impact of rising fuel prices have flooded Ford with applications for its summer Smart Driving Challenge.

The strong response to the Ford Focus ECOnetic eco driving competition, launched in partnership with the Energy Saving Trust, has led to the challenge being extended to run throughout the British International Motor Show in London from July 23.

Smart driving techniques deliver environmental, financial and safety benefits by reducing fuel consumption thanks to a smoother driving style aimed at eliminating wasteful acceleration and braking. (more…)

When he was in his early teens, Dan Vanderlip, Jr., of Clinton Township, Mich., fell in love with the Ford Mustang, so much so that he was determined to buy one when he turned 16.

Vanderlip, Jr. saved up all the money he earned working in his family’s upholstery store, invested it wisely in the stock market (with a little coaching from his dad) and was on the verge of selling his beloved collection of rare baseball cards to come up with the remainder of the money he needed to buy the car - when his father stepped in to help. (more…)

Ford RS is back and the all-new Focus RS is on track! An early prototype of the fastest Focus road car to date is now undergoing performance and durability testing at the challenging Nürburgring Circuit in Germany, in preparation for its launch in 2009.

The principal architect of the Focus RS project is Ford of Europe’s Vehicle Line Director for Performance Vehicles, Jost Capito, whose Team RS development group were responsible for the first generation Focus RS in 2002, and more recently, the Fiesta ST and the new Focus ST. (more…)

Ford Motor Company broke new ground by delivering its first-ever flexible fuel capable plug-in hybrid SUV to the U.S. Department of Energy.

The Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid, which runs on gasoline or E85, is part of a demonstration fleet Ford is developing in a partnership with Southern California Edison and the Electric Power Research Institute. Advanced testing on the vehicles is underway in California. The Department of Energy will include the Escape Flexible Fuel Plug-in Hybrid in its fleet to showcase the marriage of technologies and obtain real world experience with the vehicle as it continues its support of advanced fuel technologies. (more…)

Ashley Force’s Mustang Funny Car may have been the best dragster going into Sunday’s NHRA race in Joliet, Ill., but a broken belt in the semifinal round ended her day early, highlighting a busy Ford Racing weekend.

Force qualified third and had defeated her teammate Robert Hight in the first round and Gary Scelzi in the second round on her way to the semifinal against Tony Pedregon. In the semifinal run, Force jumped out to an early lead before her car suffered a dropped cylinder and broken supercharger drive belt, causing her to lose enough power to end her day earlier than she hoped. (more…)

Change is constant, and as a result, the Ford Mustang and its surrounding legacy is an ever-moving target.  The 2010 Ford Mustang is promised to receive some fashionable updates that will soothe the “small” appetite, yet appease the legendary hunger every blue-blooded fan possesses.  With all the excitement almost smothering the 2009 Ford Mustang debut, the 2010 Mustang is capturing the limelight, in photos as well as video.  We found a good one out there we think you might want to see.  Take a look and see what you think. (more…)

When Ford Chief Engineer for Safety Systems Steve Kozak decided to give a new car to his teenage daughter as a graduation gift only one model would do: the 2008 Ford Mustang GT convertible, the No. 1-selling and top safety-rated drop-top in the U.S.

The 2008 Mustang GT is the only convertible to earn a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for frontal crash, side impact and rollover tests. It is one of six Ford vehicles since 2000 to merit a NHTSA five-star rating - more than any other automaker. In addition, the Mustang convertible earned the highest side-impact performance rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).

“Having a Mustang convertible as her first car is something my daughter will remember for the rest of her life,” said Kozak. “And my wife and I are happy knowing that, while she’s having the time of her life, she’ll be driving the top safety-rated convertible on the market.” (more…)