Don’t be grossed out when you first read this; rather, find it fascinating and forward-thinking, because it truly is. Here goes: It turns out there’s a milky-white substance that seeps from dandelion roots (there’s the ick thing) that can be utilized as a natural alternative to synthetic rubber in products (there’s the cool thing).
And so, Ford and The Ohio State University are all over this weed, much in the way the weed is all over your yard. The two are researching the potential of the dandelions’ said milky substance as a plastics modifier to help improve the impact strength of plastics, with the material possibly then capable of being used in places such as cupholders, floor mats and interior trim. Read the rest of this entry »
They used to say, if you want something done, give it to a busy person. Now? Give it to Facebook! That’s just what Ford did, handing over the important duty of naming the 2012 Ford Mustang V6 Performance Package to nearly 1.4 million Mustang fans, because undoubtedly they would have an opinion or two. And that they did – more than 3,000 submissions were made to the Mustang Facebook page and almost 6,700 users installed the “You Name It” app. 
It’s difficult to pick the most noteworthy feature of the 2013 Ford Taurus, but let’s start with how the flagship sedan manages to make a bit of automotive history: It is the first car in the Ford North America lineup to offer the new 2.0-liter EcoBoost™ engine. Beyond that, the new Taurus also touts improved fuel economy, more smart technology, a fresh look and additional safety features. And did we mention the Taurus SHO is the sportiest model yet to wear the performance badge? But more on that one in a minute.
Raise your hand if you were a kid whose parents let you ride in the very back of the family station wagon on road trips, rolling from side to side during left and right turns. Anyone? All of us? It would have been difficult to imagine back then that there would come a day in which we would be driving vehicles so advanced in safety technology, our days as human cargo would become merely an eye-rolling memory. Times have sure changed – now, driver and occupant safety are a priority for buyers when considering a vehicle purchase.
A clean slate. A blank page. Starting from scratch. Those can be intimidating concepts to many people, but not to the Ford powertrain engineers. When it came time to get to work on the all-new 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V8 diesel for the F-Series Super Duty, the stakes were high. This would be the first-ever Ford-designed, Ford-engineered and Ford-built diesel heavy-duty pickup engine. This was an opportunity to design a new engine with more power and higher fuel economy, ensuring it would be capable of meeting stricter emissions requirements for the 2010 model year. Also, improvements were on the way from the competing diesels from General Motors and Dodge. Get it wrong, and it would mean an engine with poor fuel economy and higher emissions. Get it right, and it would save Ford time and money. Gee, no pressure, powertrain engineers…. 
What makes Fabulous Fords Forever a fabulous show for Ford enthusiasts? It is one of the West Coast’s largest Ford car shows, combining thrilling rides at Knott’s Berry Farm with thrilling Ford rides representing a century of vehicle history. This article was guest written by Tom Fong, a Ford enthusiast, to share his experience from the event. 
New 2011 Ford Fiesta SE
New 2011 Ford Fusion SE
New 2011 Ford Focus SE
New 2011 Ford Escape XLT
Have you seen the price of fuel these days? Of course you have, and now more than ever buyers are paying attention to not only a vehicle’s fuel-economy figures, but also the ways in which it was engineered to further improve fuel efficiency. Ford employs some pretty cool technology to do just that.
Sometimes they are unavoidable, those potholes and damaged road surfaces. You cringe and hold your breath as you are forced to drive right over the obstacle, hoping your vehicle comes through it without incident and that you aren’t too rattled either. But Ford vehicles are put through similar paces long before you’ll ever be behind the wheel and faced with that scenario.