Archive for February, 2012
Bill Ford Jr. outlines future of mobility at MWC
Posted by: | CommentsFiled under: Safety, Technology, Ford
Between now and the middle of this century, analysts predict that the world’s vehicle population will quadruple, going from around one billion today to four billion by 2050. To keep perpetual, global gridlock at bay and reduce consumption, automakers and communication providers have to team up, and that’s exactly what Bill Ford Jr. proposed on Monday at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Spain.
Under the banner “Blueprint for Mobility,” the great-grandson of Henry Ford detailed what it will take to make congestion-free motoring (or at least congestion-controlled) a reality in the coming decades, utilizing a combination of connected cars, connected roadways and a totally revamped mobile infrastructure.
“If we do nothing, we face the prospect of ‘global gridlock’, a never-ending traffic jam that wastes time, energy and resources and even compromises the flow of commerce and healthcare,” Ford told the assembled masses in Spain.
Ford’s proposal comes in three parts – near-term (5-7 years), mid-term (2017-2025) and long-term (2025 and beyond) – with the first part requiring the development and deployment of vehicle-to-vehicle warning systems, “limited autonomous functions” (think next-gen adaptive cruise control) and the expansion of car sharing programs like ZipCar.
Mid-term solutions range from semi-autonomous vehicles to new city car models that carry between one and three passengers, while long-term proposals include a range of intermodal transportation networks that combine individually owned cars with public transportation, fully autonomous vehicles and a constantly connected road network that uses vehicle-to-vehicle communication and road trains.
It’s all ambitious stuff and echoes much of what we’ve heard from other automakers, including Audi, BMW and General Motors, who have all announced plans to move beyond being a standard automaker and instead become “mobility providers.” Get the full details on Ford’s proposal in the official release after the jump.
Continue reading Bill Ford Jr. outlines future of mobility at MWC
Bill Ford Jr. outlines future of mobility at MWC originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Feb 2012 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Chicago Police Department orders 500 new Ford Police Interceptors
Posted by: | CommentsFiled under: Sedan, Government/Legal, Ford
Ford has just landed a solid punch in the battle to win over police departments in the post-Crown Vic era. The automaker announced the sale of 500 new Police Interceptor models (a mix of sedans and SUVs) to the Chicago Police Department. The 2013 Interceptor is responsible for the addition of 230 jobs at the Torrence Avenue plant, which is conveniently located in Chicago.
Okay, so the location of the plant likely made the CPD’s vehicle of choice a foregone conclusion, but the latest PI models may also help the department in terms of its fuel expenditures. With an expected fuel economy gain of 25 percent compared to the now-defunct Crown Victoria, and gas prices expected to get much uglier than they already are, the more efficient Interceptor’s arrival is nothing if not timely.
Some municipalities worry that the new Police Interceptors won’t match the old Panther-platform cars’ toughness when it comes to handling the rigors of police use, but Ford counters that its new PI models, a Taurus-based sedan and Explorer-based utility variant, are designed specifically for police work.
The automaker worked with the LAPD and and Michigan State Police to certify the the new vehicles for patrol duty. Departments can choose from a normally aspirated 263-horsepower 3.5-liter V6 or the turbocharged EcoBoost 3.5 with 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque.
Hit the jump to read over the Ford press release.
Continue reading Chicago Police Department orders 500 new Ford Police Interceptors
Chicago Police Department orders 500 new Ford Police Interceptors originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 26 Feb 2012 15:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Teenage Mustang wrecker gets his Tosh.0 Web Redemption
Posted by: | CommentsFiled under: Coupe, Performance, Etc., Videos, Ford, Humor
If you managed to read that title without falling into the “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” trap, congratulations. You aren’t a child of the ’80s. “Tosh.0″ finally got around to giving Joey, the kid who drove his father’s brand-new Ford Mustang GT500 through the back wall of the family garage, a Web Redemption. As it turns out, the story was far worse than anyone imagined. The GT500 didn’t even belong to the family when the gung-ho teen sent it careening through the carpentry. Instead, the local dealer had simply brought the car by to show Joey’s father.
Joey’s dad wound up buying the Eleanor Edition Shelby for $60,000 and immediately had to sink another $30,000 into repairs. It’s unclear whether that figure covered the bathroom Joey also took out in the crash. Ouch.
Daniel Tosh gave Joey his Web Redemption by putting him through a uniquely Californian driving test and pitting him against a too-fast, too-furious Honda S2000 in a unique street race. Hit the jump to check out the interview as well as an expanded and “uncensored” version. In reality, both videos are clearly Not Safe For Work.
Continue reading Teenage Mustang wrecker gets his Tosh.0 Web Redemption
Teenage Mustang wrecker gets his Tosh.0 Web Redemption originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 20:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
2013 Ford Mustang ad goes all Black Swan on us
Posted by: | CommentsFiled under: Coupe, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Ford
Ford is launching a new commercial for the redesigned 2013 Mustang that will initially air during the Daytona 500 this weekend. This is the first time that the Blue Oval has promoted its pony car on television since it launched the new 2011 Mustang V6 in 2010.
Conventional marketing wisdom might dictate that Ford would use the airtime to promote the 2013 Mustang’s revised design, the 420-horsepower V8 or the pony car’s history of nearly half a decade. Instead, Ford is touting the personalization aspect of the Mustang, counting on the fact that more than four million people have already built their own version using the online Mustang customizer.
The commercial depicts a real-life version of the customizer, with a variety of bystanders “unleashing their inner Mustang,” turning the car into a custom Mustang GT, Boss 302 or Shelby GT500… and at least one tiny dancer injecting a little darkness into her ballerina outfit for a ride worthy of Natalie Portman.
Have a look at the 2013 Mustang commercial for yourself after the jump, and let us know whether you think it’s the most effective use of Ford’s ad dollars in the comments section below.
Continue reading 2013 Ford Mustang ad goes all Black Swan on us
2013 Ford Mustang ad goes all Black Swan on us originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 19:13:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.