This year marked the 50th anniversary of a motoring icon while at the same time saw it go from American driveway to international runway. The Ford Mustang is totally new for 2015 and is now being offered in multiple markets around the globe. While it is still America’s sweetheart, for Big Blue Oval it is much, much more.
How does an automaker improve a vehicle that’s seen sales success for nearly 38 years running? Aluminum. Yes, Ford has wiped the slate clean on the best-selling vehicle in North America and rebuilt the 2015 Ford F-150 pickup from the ground up, giving it aluminum skin, a new frame, new engines, and a lot more technology.
The 2014 Go Further with Ford Trend Conference featured discussion sessions and panels consisting of forward thinking and creative individuals, many of whom are not involved in the automotive industry. That is one thing that has perplexed me about this conference is, if Ford’s primary objective is building and selling cars, why bother going to such lengths?
I am home from the fourth annual Go Further with Ford Trend Conference where the automaker invited some 250 or so members involved in social media of one sort or another. I am going to break down the event into several segments and present them to you in portions that hopefully will be easier to digest.
As we step into the first full week of summer, it’s time once again for the annual Trend Conference hosted by Ford Motor Company. This is the fourth such event that takes a deeper look into key global trends and issues influencing consumers – all consumers. Gear Diary will once again be covering the event that runs June 24-26.
I was going to bring readers yet another review this morning, but instead wanted to update information presented in a recent piece about some Ford vehicles we tested. Apparently Ford has had to revise EPA mileage ratings for some of its vehicles again — including 2014 model year Fiestas and 2013 and 2014 model year hybrids and plug-in hybrids.
During a recent (and very short) schedule with Ford press vehicles, I was able to revisit two vehicles first reviewed here last summer, specifically the Ford Fiesta and Ford Fusion Energi. As I had already become familiar with these models, would a week behind the wheel of each still prove them to my liking?
Happy Birthday, Ford Mustang! The venerable icon Pony car turns 50 today and there has certainly been plenty of hoopla surrounding the event including placing an all-new 2015 Mustang atop the observation deck of the Empire State Building in New York City. Ford also announced a special edition Mustang at the New York Auto Show this week.
Last month we saw Lincoln take the wraps off its newest flagship SUV – the 2015 Navigator – and with it waved goodbye to the last V-8 engine (for now at least) from that storied automaker. This week Ford is debuting the next Expedition full-size SUV that also sheds the V-8 for the powerful, economical twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6.
The first Ford Mustang-themed pinball game was introduced in 1964 and this week, honoring 50 years of the Pony car, Stern Pinball debuts three new Mustang-themed pinball games at the Chicago Auto Show. The new games will pay homage to such icons as Boss 302, Boss 351, Boss 429, the original 1965 Mustang and the upcoming all-new 2015 Pony car.
Gear Diary’s own Dan Cohen headed to the North American International Auto Show earlier this month to check out Ford’s 2014 lineup. He shared some of his thoughts on the week as a guest on the Green Divas Radio Show. Be sure to head to the podcast and listen up! You can find the podcast here.
During our time at the #FordNAIAS we had the opportunity to learn about the creative process currently employed by Ford as they bring their new products from concept to reality. What was perhaps most striking about it is the way in which Ford employs both traditional artistic methods and bleeding-edge technology in the process. Let’s look at Ford Design in 2014.
When Ford says they are committed to innovation they mean what they say. For example, they received one of the first five Oculus Rift HD prototypes and immediately put it to work in their design process. In this demo we take a look at how it works.
The best-selling truck in the world has just gotten better. Today Ford is taking the wraps off its next-generation F-150 light duty pickup boasting it will be tougher, smarter and more capable than any before it. The 2015 F-150 is being unveiled at the North American International Auto Show with aspirations of setting the standard for the future of trucks.
Ford marks the next chapter in the iconic Mustang story as the all-new 2015 Pony car makes its debut today. The new car marks 50 years of Mustang madness that has seen more than 9 million cars sold and thousands of appearances in film, television, music and video games and, according to Ford, the most-liked vehicle on Facebook.
Habitat for Humanity‘s vision is “a world where everyone has a decent place to live”, and in one Detroit neighborhood, they have really made a difference. Jeffrey Powers of Geekazine and I recently test drove a 2014 Ford F-150 while delivering wood to be used on the 100th Habitat home being built in one Detroit neighborhood. That’s community in action!
Before I had time to unpack from my trip to Dearborn, Michigan to experience Ford’s 2014 product lineup (the one without any Mustang representation), I got a phone call from the local PR office for Big Blue Oval asking if they could deliver a shiny new 2014 Pony car for the week. Uh, yeah… Ford’s Mustang sports car first appeared as the Mustang 1 Concept in 1962. April 17, 2014 will mark the 50th birthday of the iconic production sport coupe, and Ford has begun a “Mustang Countdown” online with a weekly video series that kicked off with a look…
The Ford C-MAX is a global vehicle that only recently arrived on US soil and is a bit of an anomaly. One might even relate it to the foreign exchange student you remember from high school, the one that was a really nice kid, loaded with international charm, but looked and sounded a bit different when thrown into the mix of teenage Americana. C-MAX arrives here as Ford’s first North American MAV, which presumably stands for multi-activity vehicle as the press release really doesn’t expand any further on the acronym. And for its 2013 model year debut it arrives only…
Design is still the leading factor when purchasing a new vehicle according to Ford Motor Company. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker opened its 2014 product preview for journalists with a “talk show” format presentation in which Ford president of the Americas Joe Hinrichs and global product development group vice president Raj Nair answered prepared questions about Ford’s present and future. Hinrichs explained Ford’s recent gains in market share are driven by their product and they are committed to continuing aggressive introduction of new products throughout the showroom. Perhaps testimony to that is with a corresponding introduction of an all-new sport truck…
I’d been looking forward to driving the new Ford Fusion since attending its global launch event in Detroit at the 2012 Auto Show there. Ford was taking a huge leap of faith in completely making over a vehicle that was already well received and fairly popular with consumers. Enter the 2013 Ford Fusion and its myriad powertrain offerings and modern styling, not to mention sales figures, and it is clear the gamble is paying off.
As I sat around lamenting the departure of the fun little Volvo C30 hatchback from US soil, my friends at Ford assured me they had a new car that would make me forget all about the saucy Swedish runabout, and they were right. Goodbye C30 – hello Focus ST! Yes, Ford’s global Sport Technologies medical staff delivered the perfect prescription for my hot hatch blues by rolling in here with the new five-door Focus ST boasting 252 horsepower, 270 lb. ft. of torque and a top speed of 154 mph – all the while delivering more than 30 mpg on…