It was 40 years ago that the original Shelby GT350 went out of production. A mint version of one of these cars is pretty much priceless today. Well let’s say they are out of our range for sure. The GT350 began its life back in 1964 when Ford Motor Company approached Carroll Shelby with a proposition. Mr. Shelby was to create a Mustang that could win races and sell like hot cakes to the car buying public. And he did just that as the GT350 won a ton of races and sold a lot of cars. Ford now had a true muscle car that would strike fear into the hearts of Dodge and Chevrolet owners everywhere. Continue reading »
The Ford Fiesta made its debut in the U
S and abroad in 1976. In those days the Fiesta was just another economy car that simply underwhelmed American drivers. Although the Fiesta remains popular in Europe it never returned to American shores. This will change next year when the 2011 Ford Fiesta makes its encore appearance here in the states. Continue reading »
There has been a gaping hole in the mid-sized car segment from Ford with the loss of the Taurus a few years back. Originally introduced in Ford’s 2006 line-up, the Fusion has new modications including the new Hybrid power plant. What makes this Ford so special is the excellent in-town gas mileage that the hybrid can get. The Environemetal Protection Agency gives the Fusion a rating of 41 Miles Per Gallon which is much better than the Toyota Camry, and even better than the fuel efficient Civic Hybrid; all this from a medium sized hybrid car. The electric engine can get the Ford moving and can continue to power the car up to a limit of 47 mile per hour before the gas engine kicks in. This system has been used by many to get better MPG than the EPA says is possible. Continue reading »
Ford makes a car that gets 65 mpg and is has low emissions, but they’re not selling it in the United States.
The Fiesta ECOnetic gets 65 mpg and emits only 61 grams of carbon dioxide per mile. Compare that to California’s requirement that a 2009 model car emit no more than 323 grams per mile. It’s been available in Europe for a couple of years now. Ford is making plans to sell the Ford Fiesta in the U.S. starting early in 2010, but it won’t be the ECOnetic. It will be a gasoline powered car that gets about 40 mpg.
The Ford Fiesta ECOnetic
At a time when the American public is clamoring for green gas sippers, why in the world would an American car company not sell this car in the U.S.? Well, it’s a diesel. If you add the production costs (these engines are currently manufactured in Britain) to the overseas shipping costs, Ford couldn’t offer the ECOnetic for a competitive price in the U.S. The cost of building a plant to manufacture diesel engines in Mexico would be about $350 million. Ford would have to sell 350,000 cars a year to make that investment worthwhile, and they don’t think they could sell that many in North and South America.
So Ford is making plans to sell a Fiesta in the United States, but it’s not the diesel ECOnetic. It’s a gasoline engine that will get around 40 mpg. Meanwhile, Toyota is selling its Prius like hotcakes and other foreign carmakers are gearing up to offer diesel vehicles in the U.S. By the time Ford finally finds a way to make it work, they’ll be way behind the competition.
If the federal government is willing to invest money in the American auto industry, I see a golden opportunity. Build a diesel plant in Detroit. It might take a few years to recoup the investment, but it would put Americans to work, help the environment and reduce our dependence on gasoline. And when the economy starts turning around and there’s a lot of pent-up demand for cars, an American car company will be in the right place at the right time.
Thankfully my kids are years away from driving but just the thought of that day rapidly approaching has me joining the worried ranks of millions of parents out there. Through the cloud of haze I call my memory; I can vaguely remember being 16 and feeling invincible. Whether it be those 100 MPH freeway blasts at midnight, the impromptu dirt road drag race, or just doing donuts in an empty field with a bed full of teenagers; yeah we did some dumb stuff. And just think these actions are being played out on a daily basis by ignorant teens everywhere. …Yikes!
Well take heed you naughty teenagers because technology is hot on your tail. For the 2010 model year, this Riverside County Ford dealer will have a feature available to all their cars called the MyKey. This ingenious key has a computer chip integrated into it. When put into the ignition the car will recognize this key and set certain limits on the car.
- First on the list is a speed limiter which keeps kids from feeling the need for speed! And parents can choose the speed they wish to limit.
- Next is an audio volume control, yeah we all thought Vanilla Ice was so cool back then that all the neighbors had to hear it; but now that we are old it’s just tasteless.
- Finally the car will play a ridiculously annoying chime if the seat belts are not fastened. Thank-goodness because for some reason kids don’t understand the importance of wearing a belt; High School Physics has let us parents down!
All this sounds like a great start at keeping our most precious gifts safe. And with other car manufacturers jumping on the band-wagon the sky is the limit with what precautions we can take. Grandma is going to be so happy she doesn’t have to chaperone anymore!
Source:
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/27053080/