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Ford Capless Fuel Filler Adds Convenience to Car Owners

Sat, 31 May 2008 04:33:39 GMT

The Ford GT- a mid-engine sports car built by Ford Motor Company is the first car to feature many new and unique technologies, including a cap less fuel filler system, super-plastic-formed aluminum body panels, roll-bonded floor panels, etc.

When the Lincoln MKS debuts in 2008, it will become the second vehicle in Ford Motor Company’s product line to use a cap less fuel filler.

The Easy Fuel™ capless fuel-filler system is a Ford-exclusive feature that uses an integrated spring-loaded flapper door to eliminate the need for a fuel tank screw cap. It automatically seals after the fuel nozzle is removed. With this new feature, Ford is helping thousands of customers save time and keeps their hands clean from the fuel pump dirt. It's also better for the environment because no gas fumes escape.

Another purpose of this new technology is the fuel nozzle detector. If a nozzle or foreign tube of a different size is placed in the filler neck of a gasoline-powered vehicle, the latches will not release. This saves the car from accidentally filling it up with diesel fuel therefore saving the engine from being totally damaged. But the system comes with a handy plastic funnel to make sure customers could easily get fuel into the system if they ran out.

To protect the fuel filler neck from dirt, dust and debris, Easy Fuel relies on a flexible rubber seal in the body housing.

Having this with your Ford gives you no problem with the exterior look. The new system will be simple, and its hiding behind the same fuel door found on today’s vehicles.

This new and simple technology would make car owners life a bit more comfortable. Therefore Ford deserves an appreciation for this.

Ford Reveals 2008 Focus

Mon, 19 May 2008 07:56:56 GMT

The 2008 model year Focus was completely restyled. It was unveiled at the 2007 North American International Auto Show. The 2008 Focus is a 2- or 4-door, 5-passenger family coupe, or family sedan, available in 6 trims, ranging from the S Coupe to the SES Sedan. Ford Focus brings an expressive look, a refined and flexible interior and a higher level of driving enjoyment to an evolving small car market.

“The 2008 Focus offers a 2.0 liter, Duratec 20 dual overhead cam, inline four cylinder engines producing an estimated 136 hp. The new engine also offers improved air intake system, cooling and exhaust system are designed to improve the smoothness, efficiency, and response of the power train.”

It features a redesigned cabin delivers improved craftsmanship and comfort along with added flexibility and storage. A new suspension tuning and chassis refinements improve an already rewarding and dynamic driving experience. Improvements to sealing and sound deadening materials reduce noise, vibration and harshness levels, providing a quiet, comfortable ride. And a redesigned and retuned suspension for improved ride and handling, and a more powerful engine that delivers fuel economy in the mid-30s. It also offers high level of in-car connectivity for mobile phones and media players.

I can say that the interior looks pretty good; I hope it stays that way. It doesn't look bad. It looks like they have made major improvements to this model compared to the last generation in every aspect of the car.

2008 Jeep Renegade Concept Car

Thu, 15 May 2008 08:13:14 GMT

The 2008 Jeep Renegade Concept is a sporty two-seater that is just as equipped to navigate a winding off-road trail. It is the third of Chrysler's concept vehicles which is unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show. All of them feature an exciting design and a glimpse of the company’s future designs. This car is considered a roadster because it doesn't have a convertible top and not even a vinyl-covered hardtop.

This vehicle is powered by two electric motors, which is located one on each axle. “The advanced propulsion system in the Jeep Renegade concept starts with a 40-mile lithium-ion battery pack. A range extender – in Renegade's case, a small-displacement (1.5-liter, 3-cylinder) BLUETEC diesel engine – allows for journeys beyond 40 miles. In fact, the Jeep Renegade concept boasts a 400-mile range.”

I’m glad that the materials that were used for this concept were carefully selected and prove to be environmentally responsible.

The same as the previous Jeep models, this car has its large, flaring and oversized wheels and tires. It features a unique exterior item which is the "deconstructed" rubber-clad headlamps and tail lamps.

Same as the functionality of scuba diving gear, the Jeep Renegade concept is a weather-tight and durable vehicle.

I can’t wait for this any longer, Jeep needs to stop wasting time and produce this concept soon. I like this concept just as much as the last couples they have had at other auto show. I am excited to have a getaway in the mountains, and leave my sedan at home.

2009 Lincoln MKT

Wed, 14 May 2008 07:48:41 GMT

The Lincoln MKT is a concept vehicle that was unveiled at the 2008 North American International Auto Show. According to Ford President of the Americas "The Lincoln MKT concept offers the comfort of a luxury sedan, the spaciousness and flexibility of a full-size utility and the performance of a sporty roadster — executed with new technologies and materials that make it as environmentally friendly as it is elegant."

The concept MKT vehicle is powered with a 415 hp 3.5L V6, a twin-turbocharged direct-injection 3.5-liter unit that makes 340 horsepower and more than 340 pound-feet of torque. It also features the EcoBoost engine that will deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy. This car is an all wheel drive vehicle and features electric power steering.

The roof of the MKT is virtually all glass. The front of the vehicles is its split-wing grille, which was first seen on the MKS concept. Ford uses recyclable and eco-friendly materials all over, for example the cars body panels are made from plastic polymer from recycled soda bottles.

What I noticed is that the front of the car resembles a person who can pull their bottom lip up over their nose and then smile! I think it looks good though.

This concept is well done. If Lincoln produces concepts such as this in the coming years, they are giving plenty of reasons for people to come into the showrooms. Some sources say that Ford hopes to launch the vehicle in 2010 as a 2011 model but Ford hasn’t confirmed it yet.

Image: New York Times

Custom Wheels Take Center Stage At Autorama

Thu, 06 Mar 2008 09:48:03 GMT

If you want some serious customization, visit the Cobo Center this week. Aside from the NAIAS, it’s the other popular auto show in Detroit. Wanna know what Detroit iron means? You gotta be there!

Starting Friday through Sunday at Cobo Center, Autorama will display about 1,000 vehicles with more stunning chrome than the mass-produced cars in 2007. And believe me, these cars are really awesome!

As pretty obvious in the past, commercialization will seize the public eye. Celebrities and customization experts will pull crowds closer. But what will take the center stage is the array of jaw-dropping cars from the gurus who shape sheet metal to stardom.

The vehicles are personal masterpieces. Some are product of enduring hard work and passion. Some are part of buffs’ life-long dreams.

DetNews.com has this nice story:

Denise Sheldon did not name her 1947 Oldsmobile convertible; the editor for the hot rod customization magazine "Rodder's Digest" did. The vehicle, once the project car for the publication, was known affectionately as Project Big Olds.

"The magazine folded and I ended up buying Big Olds in December 2001," Sheldon said. "The drive train was done, but nothing else; it had a front row bench and that was it. No windows, no roof, metal floor, no door inserts, nothing."

But that didn't stop her from driving it. "I've put about 72,000 miles on it over the last six summers," she said. Last year, she drove it out to Bonneville, Utah. Not to race it on the salt flats but to hang out with her friends during Speed Week.

Customization isn’t just a mere tweaking of Nifty Products Cargo-logic Series cargo liner to make it appear unique. There’s more to the tweaking and upgrading that only buffs understand.

To understand them, you might want to learn the lingo...

Autorama Lingo:

Blower: A super charger.
Bobbed: Shortened fenders.
Cammer: Nickname for Ford single overhead cam engine.
Channeled: Reduction of car's height by having lowered the body over its frame.
Chopped: Reduction of car's height by cutting out a section of its top.
Decked: Having the emblems and chrome removed from the vehicle's trunk lid.
Dumped: A vehicle that has been drastically lowered in the front.
Frenched: Having molded headlights into fenders and eliminating trim rings and seams.
Hi-boy: A fenderless roadster with the body placed on top of the frame.
Louvers: Slot of vents in body panels to enable hot air to escape.
Lowrider: A vehicle which can be raised and lowered through hydraulics or air suspension systems.
Mouse motor: Any small block Chevrolet V8 engine.
Nosed: Having removed chrome trim from a vehicle's hood.
Rail: A vehicle built specifically for drag racing.
Raked: A vehicle whose front is lower than its rear.
Rat motor: Any big block Chevrolet V8 engine:
Sano: A term for vehicles which are clean, well detailed.
Slammed: Having been lowered at both front and rear.
Sleeper: A vehicle that looks slow, but isn't.
Slug: A vehicle that looks slow, and is.
Squirts: Fuel injectors.
Stocker: An unaltered car.
Street rod: Any pre 1948 modified vehicle.
Weed burners: Exhaust headers that run parallel to the pavement.

Clipsal 500 Ends In Drama

Mon, 25 Feb 2008 12:44:53 GMT

Who would expect Clipsal 500 would end in drama?

Melbourne Herald Sun writes:

Team Vodafone's Jamie Whincup won the race after controversially pushing Ford Performance Racing's Mark Winterbottom out of the lead at the hairpin with three laps remaining. It was an ugly stain on an otherwise perfect day for Ford, which swept the podium, with Whincup's teammate Craig Lowndes taking third place. After the race it was a case of two very different points of view for Whincup and Winterbottom. For the winner, it was a fair racing move, but Winterbottom was left trying to mask his disappointment.

Who’s to blame anyway?

Asked if he was worried about a penalty, Whincup has this to say: "No, I know the rules and I was well inside the rules. I went down the inside and Mark was too late to cover his line. That's the way it goes. We had a small touch. Very, very minor. It's all good. We're mates. We've raced hard for a long time and it won't stop. We enjoy each other's company out there."

Winterbottom was not that pleased either. "We were told in the drivers meeting that you had to be up to the B-pillar otherwise you're out -- it's deemed an illegal move -- and I get hit in the C-pillar and pushed off the track. So if they deem that as a fair move then tomorrow when I pass him the same way I don't expect to be pinged."

"In my eyes that was a bit rough, to be pushed out of the way to win a race. But as long as tomorrow, when the same happens in reverse, there are no tears from his side," he added. "You just toughen up and go with it. I'm not looking for a square-up, but if you need to make a move you make it as forcefully as you can."

Looks like the drivers need some refresher about clean sport. As much as my car needs Nifty Products Cargo-logic Series cargo liner, drivers too, need some introspection to protect the sport from bad impression.

Two More Green Ford Vehicles

Sat, 23 Feb 2008 04:47:17 GMT

Green cars are the rage these days. With the threat posed by global warming, we have become more and more aware of environmental concerns. This is the reason why green vehicles are popular today.

Ford is one of the leaders in the development of green vehicles. In fact, the Dearborn automaker created the first hybrid SUV in the Ford Escape Hybrid. It combined the interior space that we all crave for and the fuel efficiency of a small car.

Recently, two vehicles from Ford were certified to be "green" by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. The Ford Focus is included in the Top 12 Greenest Vehicles of 2008 and the Ford Escape Hybrid added to its Greener Choices 2008 list.

Sue Cischke, senior vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering at the company had this to say according to the company's newsletter: "We are pleased that the Ford Focus PZEV model is on the top 12 list for ACEEE, and the Ford Escape Hybrid on the Greener Choices list. Both vehicles are excellent examples of the kind of products Ford has to offer to consumers who are seeking high fuel economy, good driving performance and great value in their driving choices."

These vehicles do not need any nerf bar to have them include in the green vehicle lists. For the Ford Focus, the ACEEE pointed out that the 2.0-liter 4-cylinder Focus is one of the twelve most environment-friendly vehicles released for the 2008 model year. The said engine has a rated fuel efficiency of 34 miles per gallon during city driving and 30 mpg at highway speeds.

The inclusion of the two vehicles in the list of green cars surely means that the automaker is serious in its goal to bring green vehicles to the market.

Latvala: The Youngest WRC Winner

Mon, 11 Feb 2008 13:20:16 GMT

At age 22, what have you accomplished?

Most people would say – “not much”.

But that is not the case for Ford's Jari-Matti Latvala who became the youngest driver to win a World Championship rally in Sweden. In the said rally, the 22-year-old Finn, who inked history, led from start to end. He beat the record set by another Finn - Henri Toivonen, who won the RAC Rally in Britain at the age of 24 in 1980.
"It's a very emotional moment for me, as I had always grown up with the legend of Henri Toivonen: he was my hero," said Latvala. "To break his record is something I would never have dared to dream about when I started rallying. It's been an incredible three days: my father doesn't cry very often, but at the end of the last stage he couldn't stop. Like me, he's been waiting for this moment for 22 years."

Notwithstanding tricky road surfaces which saw the customary snow and ice replaced by gravel and sludge, Latvala won by just under a minute. Teammates Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen finished second.

Malcolm Wilson, Ford team boss, commended his young charger after Latvala claimed his first championship victory in dominant style. "This is a dream result and a special weekend," said Wilson. "And we're proud to have the youngest ever winner of a WRC event in our team. I knew Jari-Matti would win this season but it came sooner than I expected. Mikko delivered a textbook performance, the cars ran faultlessly and to score this result in such conditions is outstanding."

"It has been a superb performance from Gigi on only his second event for the team and he has really got up to speed with the car," Wilson told Yahoo Eurosport. "The mechanics did a remarkable job to get Henning's car out again after his accident on Saturday as he was able to collect points and move the Stobart team to second in the championship. Matthew's performance has been fantastic here, he showed increased speed and control throughout the whole rally, he has really impressed me. To have two Ford teams at the top of the Manufacturers' Championship is incredible."

The rally was awesome! I’m happy I decided not to buy Daihatsu parts. Otherwise, I could’ve missed the inking of another rally history.

Ford E-Series Vans And Lincoln Navigator Goes E-85!

Wed, 23 Jan 2008 00:21:23 GMT

Ford Motor Company's range of E85 flexible fuel vehicles will welcome a bunch of models to be added on the company’s lineup of hybrid cars. Ford has confirmed the addition of three vehicles for the 2009 model year. According to Ford’s press release, the vehicles to be included on the E85 list are Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator full size sports utility vehicles and Ford E-Series full size vans and wagons. These most recent candidates are basically an example of the company’s plan to carry out products that consumers need and want.

According to Ford, for the first time in Ford’s history, the Ford E-Series will be the prime full size van over 8,500 lb. to offer E-85 capability. The Ford E-Series is also the first full size van to be outfitted with two V-8 engine options with E-85 capability - a 5.4-liter and a 4.6-liter. On the other hand, the Expedition with the superior multi rib belt, the Expedition EL, Navigator and Navigator L will be offered with a 5.4-liter flexible fuel engine.

“These new flex fuel offerings will provide a key benefit to customers who require, or desire,
E-85 capability in vehicles with the functional attributes that only a full size van or large SUV can provide,” says Gerald Koss, Ford’s fleet marketing manager.

“The expansion of our FFV line up to include Expedition, Navigator and E-Series provides a great alternative for customers who are committed to becoming more environmentally conscious and seek alternative fuel vehicles either for their business or for personal use. This includes government and business customers that are mandated by the Energy Policy ACT (EPACT) to purchase alternative fuel vehicles,” Koss added.

LRX Meets World

Wed, 16 Jan 2008 00:58:37 GMT

Ford Motor Company’s renowned subsidiary, Land Rover, has finally introduced their best kept surprise for the world. Oh yes, the much-awaited world debut of the Land Rover LRX hybrid concept just took place yesterday and the group didn’t fail to amaze us… the LRX is definitely hot; smoking hot like an over-heating radiator that is.

According to my number one source, the LRX hybrid concept is apparently a valiant progress of Land Rover design that points out to the nameplate’s successful shift into new grounds of the market at the same time staying true to its main values.

"The LRX concept delivers the powerful message that we are as serious about sustainability as we are confident about the continuing relevance and desirability of our vehicles. LRX is in every respect a Land Rover, but it's a very different Land Rover. At this stage, LRX is purely a concept, designed to help us develop our thinking as well as gauge customer reaction - but this feels like a hugely exciting direction to take," says Phil Popham, Land Rover's managing director.

"We are determined to make sustainability a key element in our future product design and the way we do business, while still creating vehicles that have a strong emotional appeal as well as fulfilling people's practical needs. No single technology delivers all the answers to whole-life sustainability, but the LRX concept brings together some of the ideas for the future that interest us, integrating them into a car that we believe represents an exciting way forward for Land Rover," added Phil Popham.