Ford Escort RS Cosworth

The Ford Escort RS Cosworth was a sports derivative of the Ford Escort. It was available from 1992-96 in very limited numbers. It was instantly recognisable due to its large "whale tail" rear spoiler. The main selling point was the Cosworth YBT engine, a highly tunable turbocharged 2-litre engine which had an output of 220 PS (162 kW; 217 hp) in standard trim.
Ford developed the car around the chassis and mechanicals of its predecessor, the Sierra Cosworth to accommodate the larger Cosworth engine and transmission, whilst clothing it in Escort body panels to make it resemble the standard Mk V. Designed under the guidance of Rod Mansfield and John Wheeler of Ford's SVO department, the styling was carried out during 1989, by Stephen Harper at MGA Developments in Coventry. The body tooling was created by coachbuilders Karmann at their facility in Rheine, Germany, where the cars were manufactured.

Changes were made to the engine management system and a new turbocharger was fitted. Permanent four wheel drive with a 34/66% front/rear split came courtesy of an uprated five speed gearbox as used in the Sierra Cosworth. Recaro sports seats came as a standard fitment. Later production models were available without the oversize tail spoiler although by far the majority were still ordered with it. Like its Sierra predecessor, they are commonly nicknamed "Cossie" by enthusiasts.^[1]
The Escort Cosworth was a rare car, with 7,145 vehicles produced from the start of production on 19 February 1992 until the last car rolled out of the factory on 12 January 1996. A tiny number were unofficially imported to the United States, where it was considered one of the greatest performance Fords of all time.

Two versions were produced. The initial 2500 units were "homologation specials" used to get the FIA accreditation for entry into the World Rally Championship. They were fitted with a Garrett T3/T04B turbocharger. Among these initial units, a handful were badged as Motorsport versions, these lacked certain refinements such as a sunroof and sound deadening. The second generation, starting production from late 1994, were fitted with a Garrett T25 turbocharger, a smaller unit which reduced turbo lag and increased usability in everyday driving situations. With these later models, the 'whale tail' spoiler became a delete option.
The Escort Cosworth was the first mass production car to produce downforce at the front. (45NM at 70 MPH)

Motorsport

The car was to be Ford's new rally car, and very successful it became with its total victories amounting to 8 in Group A guise. Drivers included famous victor at the 1994 Monte Carlo Rally, the Frenchman François Delecour, future quadruple World Rally Champion Tommi Makinen (who took his maiden event victory for Ford in Finland that same year before departing for Mitsubishi for 1995), as well as the Belgian Bruno Thiry and, from 1996, 1990 and 1992 World Rally Champion Carlos Sainz of Spain. One-time 1988 and 1989 back-to-back title-winning force for Lancia, Miki Biasion and 1991 Rally Catalunya winner Armin Schwarz were among the other fabled pilots to be seen behind the wheel.
After modifications were made to the car to make it a World Rally Car for the 1997 and 1998 seasons, it went on to score two more victories for the Ford Motor Company Rally Team, now based in Cumbria and being run by Malcolm Wilson's M-Sport. With Thiry, Ari Vatanen (on a one-off podium-scoring basis at the Safari Rally after Thiry suffered an injury) and four-time World Rally Champion Juha Kankkunen now behind the wheel of the cars, the Escort name finally bowed out of works rallying altogether after a double-podium at the season-ending 1998 Rally of Great Britain.



The Escort RS Cosworth was produced until early in 1996 when the European Union introduced a new set of noise regulations for motor vehicles and Ford decided to stop production rather than change the car to meet the new noise regulations. Despite this, the now-modified RS Cosworth was used by Ford as their factory rally car until it was permanently replaced by the Focus WRC for the Monte Carlo Rally of 1999.

Ford Sierra RS Cosworth

The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was a high-performance version of the Ford Sierra. It was the result of a Ford Motorsport project with the purpose of producing an outright winner for Group A racing in Europe.
The project was defined by Stuart Turner in the spring of 1983. He had then recently been appointed head of Ford Motorsport in Europe, and he realized right away that Ford was no longer competitive in this area.
Turner got in touch with Walter Hayes, at the time Vice President of Public Relations at Ford, to get support for the project. Hayes had earlier been the driving force behind the development of the Ford GT40 that won Le Mans in 1966, and the Cosworth DFV engine that brought Ford 154 victories and 12 World Championships in Formula One during the Sixties and Seventies. Hayes found the project very appealing and promised his full support.
Turner then invited Ken Kohrs, Vice President of Development, to visit Ford’s longtime partner, the automotive company Cosworth, where they were presented a project developed on Cosworth’s own initiative, the YAA engine. This was twin cam, 16-valve engine based on Ford’s own T88 engine block, better known as the Pinto. This prototype proved an almost ideal basis for the engine Turner needed to power his Group A winner.
Therefore, an official request for a turbocharged version (designated Cosworth YBB) capable of 180 HP on the street and 300 HP in race trim, was placed. Cosworth answered positively, but they put up two conditions: the engine would produce not less than 150 kW (204 HP) in the street version, and Ford had to accept no less than 15,000 engines. Turner’s project would only need about 5,000 engines, but Ford nevertheless accepted the conditions. The extra 10,000 engines would later become one of the reasons Ford also chose to develop a four door, second generation Sierra RS Cosworth.
To find a suitable gear box proved more challenging. The Borg-Warner T5, also used in the Ford Mustang, was chosen, but the higher revving nature of the Sierra caused some problems. Eventually Borg-Warner had to set up a dedicated production line for the gear boxes to be used in the Sierra RS Cosworth.
Many of the suspension differences between the standard Sierra and the Cosworth attributed their development to what was learned from racing the turbocharged Jack Roush IMSA Merkur XR4Ti in America and Andy Rouse's successful campaign of the 1985 British Saloon Car Championship. Much of Ford's external documentation for customer race preparation indicated "developed for the XR4Ti" when describing parts that were Sierra Cosworth specific. Roush's suspension and aerodynamics engineering for the IMSA cars was excellent feedback for Ford. Some production parts from the XR4Ti made their way into the Cosworth such as the speedometer with integral boost gauge and the motorsport 909 chassis stiffening plates.

In April 1983, Turner’s team decided on the Sierra as a basis for their project. The Sierra filled the requirements for rear wheel drive and decent aerodynamic drag. A racing version could also help to improve the unfortunate, and somewhat undeserved, reputation that Sierra had earned since the introduction in 1982.
Lothar Pinske, responsible for the car’s bodywork, demanded carte blanche when it came to appearance in order to make the car stable at high speed. Experience had shown that the Sierra hatchback body generated significant aerodynamic lift even at relatively moderate speed.
After extensive wind tunnel testing and test runs at the Nardò circuit in Italy, a prototype was presented to the project management. This was based on an XR4i body with provisional body modifications in fibreglass and aluminium. The car’s appearance raised little enthusiasm. The large rear wing caused particular reluctance. Pinske insisted however that the modifications were necessary to make the project successful. The rear wing was essential to retain ground contact at 300 km/h, the opening between the headlights was needed to feed air to the intercooler and the wheel arch extensions had to be there to house wheels 10” wide on the racing version. Eventually, the Ford designers agreed to try and make a production version based on the prototype.
In 1984 Walter Hayes paid visits to many European Ford dealers in order to survey the sales potential for the Sierra RS Cosworth. A requirement for participation in Group A was that 5,000 cars were built and sold. The feedback was depressing. The dealers estimated they could sell approximately 1,500 cars.
Hayes didn’t give up however, and continued his passionate internal marketing of the project. As prototypes started to emerge, dealers were invited to test drive sessions, and this increased the enthusiasm for the new car. In addition, Ford took some radical measures to reduce the price on the car. As an example, the car was only offered in three exterior colours (black, white and moonstone blue) and one interior colour (grey). There were also just two equipment options: with or without central locking and electric window lifts.

Production

The Ford Sierra RS Cosworth was first presented to the public at the Geneva Motor Show in March 1985, with plans to release it for sale in September and closing production of the 5,000 cars in the summer of 1986.
In practice, it was launched in July 1986 and 5545 were manufactured in total of which 500 were sent to Tickford for conversion to the Sierra 3 door RS500 Cosworth. The vehicle was manufactured in both RHD (Right Hand Drive) for the UK market, and LHD (Left Hand Drive) for Europe. The following number of vehicles were registered in the UK:

1985	10
1986	1064
1987	579
Total	Mike Moreton was head of the team that planned to develop an evolution edition aimed at making the car unbeatable on the race tracks. In March 1987, Aston Martin in Tickford was signed for the job of converting the 500 cars. The Cosworth RS500 was announced in July 1987 and was homologated in August 1987. The main difference to the Sierra 3 door Cosworth was the uprated Cosworth competition engine. Its new features were [2]: The engine had a thicker walled cylinder block to cope with the rigours of the track. A larger Garrett T31/T04 turbocharger. A larger air-air intercooler. A second set of 4 fuel injectors and a second fuel rail (unused in the roadgoing version). The fuel pump was uprated. A reworked induction system to allow higher power outputs to be realised. The oil and cooling system were both also uprated. The rear semi-trailing arm beam had extended but unused mounting points. The RS500 also had minor external cosmetic differences to its parent the Sierra 3 door Cosworth: The rear tail gate had a lower spoiler in addition to the upper whale tail, which had an added lip. Discrete RS500 badges on the rear tail gate and front wings. A redesigned front bumper and spoiler to aid cooling and air flow, including the removal of the fog lamps and their replacement with intake grilles to supplement brake cooling Exactly 500 RS500s were produced, all of them RHD for sale in the UK only - the biggest market for this kind of Ford car. It was originally intended that all 500 would be black, but in practice 56 white and 52 Moonstone Blue cars were produced .[1]  Motorsport achievements The car also fulfilled Ford's expectations on the race track. The 1987 World Touring Car Championship came like a gift to Ford. Competent BMW drivers, some trouble with gear boxes, amongst other things, and only 340 HP in the first Sierra RS Cosworth prevented Ford from dominating the first half of the season. In August 1987 the Sierra RS500 Cosworth was homologated. Fords took pole position in all the remaining six events, and was first over the finishing line in five of them. Disqualification from the 1987 James Hardie 1000 for wheel arch panel irregularities though was a bitter pill for the Fords, depriving Steve Soper and Pierre Dieudonné of the World Championship and handing it to BMW driver Roberto Ravaglia. The Eggenberger Motorsport team did however claim the entrants prize.[3] The Sierra Cosworth was also pressed into service as a rally car, and saw some success. After the abolition of the Group B formula in the World Rally Championship at the end of 1986, manufacturers had to turn to Group A cars and Ford, like most others, found itself without a fully suitable car. The Cosworth was very powerful but, with only rear-wheel-drive, lost out to the four-wheel-drive Lancias and Mazdas on loose-surface events, whilst the four-wheel-drive XR4x4 had an excellent chassis but an elderly engine producing only around 200bhp, at least 100 less than the Lancia. For the 1987 season the team ran both, using the XR4x4 on loose surfaces and the Cosworth on tarmac, but the XR4x4's power disadvantage was too great and from 1988 the team concentrated on the Cosworth alone, and continued to use it until the arrival of the Sierra RS Cosworth 4x4 in 1990. The rear-drive car never won a loose-surface World Rally Championship event, but in the hands of drivers such as Stig Blomqvist, Carlos Sainz and Ari Vatanen it frequently finished in the top five, except when conditions were particularly slippery. On tarmac it was a much more serious competitor, and a young Didier Auriol won the 1988 Corsica Rally outright, the only time that season that Lancia were beaten in a straight fight. However, as Lancia developed the Delta further and new cars such as the Toyota Celica GT4 appeared, the Cosworth became steadily less competitive. Thanks to strong support and readily available parts from Ford Motorsport, the Cosworth was a popular car with private teams. Moreover, below World Championship level four-wheel-drive opposition was limited at the time, and the Cosworth was as fast as any of its two-wheel-drive rivals. It lacked the fine handling of the BMW M3, for example, but on the other hand it was much more powerful. It was also very reliable. Consequently it became a very popular car at national championship level, and during the late 1980s Sierra drivers won many national series. Jimmy McRae took the British Rally Championship in a Sierra in 1987 and 1988, whilst Carlos Sainz won the Spanish Championship in the same years, to name but two. The Cosworth was popular with spectators because it was visually dramatic, with its flame-spitting exhaust and tail-sliding, rear-drive handling; and it was popular with amateur drivers because it was competitive, robust and relatively cheap. To this day it is a fairly common sight on lower-level events. This section requires expansion. 2wd Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth The second generation 4 door Sierra Sapphire Cosworth was assembled in Genk, Belgium, with the UK-built Ford-Cosworth YBB engine. Cylinder heads on this car were early spec 2wd heads and also the "later" 2wd head which had some improvements which made their way to the 4X4 head. Suspension was essentially the same with some minor changes in geometry to suit a less aggressive driving style and favour ride over handling. Spindles, wheel offset and other changes were responsible for this effect. Approximately 13,140 examples were produced during 1988-1989 and were the most numerous and lightest of all Sierra Cosworth models. Specifically the LHD models which saved weight with a lesser trim level such as roll up rear windows, no air conditioning etc. In the UK, the RHD 1988-1989 Sierra Sapphire RS Cosworth is badged as such with a small "Sapphire" badge on the rear door window trims. All 1988-1989 LHD models are badged and registered as a Sierra RS Cosworth with no Sapphire nomenclature at all. "Sapphire" being viewed as a Ghia trim level that saw power rear windows, air conditioning and other minor options. Enthusiasts of the marque are mindful of this and will describe the LHD cars by their body shell configuration, 3 door or 4 door. Example: 4 door Sierra RS Cosworth.

Ford Puma

The Ford Puma was a small sports coupé produced by the Ford Motor Company from 1997 to 2001 (although some were first registered in the UK as late as 2002)^[1], for sale in Europe. The Puma was built exclusively at Ford's Niehl plant in Cologne, Germany.
The cost for a new Puma in the UK from a dealer was between £12,280 - £22,945 depending on the accessories, styling and model chosen.ll Pumas are front-engined, front-wheel-drive, 3-door coupés with 4 seats. They came with 15-inch (380 mm) alloy wheels as standard, (although the Ford Racing Puma was equipped with 17-inch (430 mm) alloy wheels), with front disc and rear drum brakes. The car was based on the Mark 4 Ford Fiesta, with new engines (codeveloped with Yamaha), a new body, stiffer suspension and close-ratio gearbox, among other changes. Pumas used a choice of four engine configurations: 1.4-litre 90 bhp (67 kW; 91 PS) , 1.6-litre 103 bhp (77 kW; 104 PS) , 1.7-litre VCT 125 PS (92 kW; 123 hp), or the tuned 1.7-litre VCT 155 PS (114 kW; 153 hp) (only used in the Ford Racing Puma),^[3] each of which used Ford's 16v Sigma engines branded as Zetec-S. The 1.7-litre engines used Nikasil cylinder plating, which required a specific grade of oil (5W30 semi-synthetic) to minimise mechanical wear.

All 1.7-litre-engined Pumas were equipped with low speed traction control and anti-lock brakes. The anti-lock braking system was optional to the 1.4 Pumas.
Weighing approximately 1,100 kg (2,400 lb) without optional accessories,^[4] the 1.7 125 PS version accelerated from 0 to 62 mph (0 to 100 km/h) in 8.8 seconds, and could accelerate from 30 to 70 mph (48 to 112 km/h) in 8.8 seconds.

Discontinuation

The Puma was only sold in Europe. Production ceased in 2001 although sale of stock vehicles continued into 2002. Ford did not replace it with another small coupé, and instead introduced the Ford StreetKa, a two-seater convertible based on the Fiesta just as the Puma was. The StreetKa also borrowed the Puma's transmission and suspension.

Next generation

A new Ford Puma was rumored to be launching in 2009, a year after the new Fiesta based on the Reflex concept car shown in the Detroit Motor Show in 2006.^[10] More recent rumours of a new Ford Puma put the release date further into the future, but no specifics on the specifications or the estimated year have been quoted to date.

Special edition variants in United Kingdom markets

Millennium

Quantity Produced: 1000
Years available: 1999(V) to 2000(X)
The Ford Millennium Edition cars were produced to commemorate the Millennium Products Award from the Design Council ^[5] in 1999 for being 'The first Ford in Britain designed solely on computer and in record time.' The Millennium Edition Puma featured eye catching Zinc Yellow paintwork, and an 'Alchemy Blue' (dark/navy blue) leather interior with Recaro seats. A numbered badge and keyring were available upon purchase from Ford, but the cars were not automatically numbered.
The Ford Ka and Ford Focus also received the same award, and were also produced in the same quantity and paintwork, but with a black leather interior.

Black

Quantity Produced: 1600
Years available: 2000(X) to 2001(51)
The Puma Black featured a 'Midnight Black' (dark grey) leather interior, Panther Black paintwork and Ford's 'F1' style alloys. The original quantity of the Puma Black was meant to be only 1000, but as the edition proved to be popular, an additional 600 were produced.

Thunder

Quantity Produced: 1000 each in Moondust Silver and Magnum Grey
Years available: 2000(X) to 2002(52)
These were among the final 2000 pumas produced. Although Moondust Silver was available throughout the whole of the puma's production run, Magnum Grey was only available on the Thunder Edition. All of the Thunder editions featured a 'Midnight Black' (dark grey) leather interior, 6 disc CD changer and multispoke alloys similar to those featured on the Fiesta Zetec-S.

Ford Taurus 2013

Ford Taurus is the first car in the range of North American Ford to offer advanced 2.0-liter EcoBoost ™ engine that combines turbocharging with direct fuel injection. It is intended to provide the best economy-class highway fuel at least 31 mpg. Provides plenty of power, 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine delivers an estimated 237 horsepower and 250 lb-ft of torque. The new Ford Taurus has more customers really want large sedan model year 2013 - with fuel economy, better, more technology, sophistication of design, craftsmanship and improved driving dynamics improved.

A selection of new engines gives customers greater fuel efficiency without sacrificing the high performance they want. "We have significantly improved Ford's flagship sedan with an obsessive attention to detail," said Mark Fields, Ford president of America. "The new Taurus is based on the transformation we achieved in 2010-model. Provide as many improvements as soon as further underlines the leadership and commitment from Ford to offer high quality, fuel efficient cars for our customers."

The standard 3.5-liter V6 Ford Taurus is expected to offer an unmatched fuel efficiency among V6 competitors in the segment while providing a greater return on an expected 290 horsepower. This is accomplished by adding a dual independent variable camshaft (Ti-VCT) for enhanced fuel economy while delivering 27 more horsepower, lower emissions and greater capacity of partial response.

Both engines are mated to an exclusive six-speed automatic gear selection that offer optimized power delivery off the line of gears, while helping to save fuel with higher proportions to keep the engine running efficiently to cruise low. The team put special emphasis to all Ford Taurus with the EPAS to improve steering response of the acceleration of the ratio of the stiffness and steering assembly in the steering rack bracket. The EPAS system also allows a high degree of tuning engineers Ford vehicle dynamics to optimize the feeling of flight service, friendly drivers and fans as a confidence builder for inexperienced pilots. The interior remains green Ford Taurus with extensive use of recycled materials in the areas of tissue in the pavilion, and the components of noise, vibration and harshness control (NVH). Ford Taurus Seat cushions are of a high concentration of soy foam, significantly reducing petroleum-based substances.

Ford Taurus SHO 2013

The new Ford Taurus SHO, a subtle separation of the other members of the family starts in front of the Taurus, the performance-inspired black-mesh grille - one SHO - backed by a number of special, high-intensity discharge headlights. Openings behind the front wheel, fender mounted contains a thin shell distinctive SHO. Ford Taurus SHO Taurus sport is still used for the execution of the coveted badge. Its unique combination of award-winning, EcoBoost ™ engine fuel, driving dynamics and performance inspired design, the new Ford Taurus SHO to show it means business. Unprecedented combination of power, fuel economy and technology will have this prestigious sports saloon to a new level.

Unique 19-inch wheels premium painted wear all season standard P255/45VR-19 fill openings that give the Ford Taurus SHO muscular, athletic look. Buyers can choose between 20-inch wheels machined and painted. SHO-specific side mirrors - also in contrasting black - are heated, a memory feature and includes the lower face puddle lamps; characteristics of the driver's side rear view mirror. The rear features a Ford Taurus SHO single trunk lid-mounted spoiler.

"Taurus SHO has always adhered to the original formula for stealthy sleeper, and the new model is no exception," said Gordon Platto, chief designer. "We wanted to keep it subtle, discreet, but the sporty elegance, but we knew it was time for the differentiation of super-model production even higher in other models of the Taurus. " Inspired by the enthusiastic buyers and SHO club, the design team knew exactly what to do.

Inside, the new Ford Taurus SHO communicates its sporty performance with a perforated leather steering wheel, leather-trimmed seats with sport graphics SHO embroidered, unique forged aluminum plate and aluminum pedals with adjustable memory. Ford signature technique is also characterized by a new Ford Taurus SHO, in addition to standard MyFord Touch ™ technology-Sync ® combines the control and the replacement of many traditional knobs and controls with clear, colorful liquid crystal display and five buttons directional. These display screens of information can be customized for each driver using a voice command, a button or touch screen.

MyFord touch is powered by the latest generation of award-winning Ford SYNC, voice functions as an advanced vehicle control combined with Bluetooth ® devices, MP3 players, and a variety of external media.

Ford Edge

The Ford Edge is a mid-size crossover SUV (CUV) manufactured by Ford, based on the Ford CD3 platform shared with previous generation Mazda6 and marketed in rebadged form as the Lincoln MKX. The platform is shared with Mazda CX-9 crossover (stretched), the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and the Lincoln MKZ sedans.

First generation (U387, 2006–present)

The first generation Edge made its public debut at Detroit's North American International Auto Show in January 2006, with production starting in the October 2006 as a 2007 model, with the first ones reaching dealerships just before December 25, 2006, because of a brief delay in production due to issues with the supplier^{[citation needed]}.
The Edge implements Ford's front end design with a three bar chrome grille.

Safety equipment includes standard dual front airbags, front side-impact airbags, side curtain airbags, anti-lock brakes, traction control, electronic stability control, and a tire-pressure monitoring system.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Crash Test Ratings^[2]

• Frontal Driver:
• Frontal Passenger:
• Side Impact:
• Rollover:

  
  

Trim levels

The SE includes cloth seats, single-zone manual air-conditioning, AM/FM stereo with single-disc CD/MP3 player, and 17" painted aluminum wheels.
The SEL includes unique cloth seats, 6-way power driver's seat, premium AM/FM stereo with 6-disc in-dash CD/MP3 player, leather-wrapped steering wheel with secondary audio controls, and 18" painted aluminum wheels.
The Limited includes leather-trimmed seats, and optionally, 6-way power front passenger fold-flat seat, EasyFold second-row seat back release, dual-zone electronic automatic temperature control, SYNC in-car connectivity system, and 18" premium chrome-clad aluminum wheels. The Limited trim level replaced the SEL Plus in 2008.
The Sport (2008-) includes leather-trimmed with grey Alcantara suede inserts, reclining 60/40 fold-flat seats with center fold-down armrest, EasyFold second-row seat back release, premium AM/FM stereo with 6-disc in-dash CD/MP3 player, SYNC in-car connectivity system, larger diameter chrome exhaust tips, and 20" premium chrome-clad aluminum wheels. The Sport appearance package for the Ford Edge debuted at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show, with sales beginning as a 2009 model.^[1] It came with standard all-body colored trim and 20-inch wheels. 22-inch wheels are an optional factory upgrade.

First generation facelift (2011–)

The facelifted Ford Edge was unveiled on February 12, 2010 at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show. Exterior changes include a new front fascia, wheels, and a revised bumper, while the revamped interior features upgraded materials and capacitive touch controls in place of some conventional buttons and switches, which can also be seen on the second-generation Lincoln MKX.^[6][7]
Three new engines are offered for the second generation: a 2.0L EcoBoost I4 engine, a 3.5L Duratec with Ti-VCT making 285 hp (213 kW) and 253 lb·ft (343 N·m) of torque, and for the Sport model, Ford will offer the same 3.7L Duratec engine that is offered in the 2011 Lincoln MKX^[8] with 305 hp (227 kW) and 280 lb·ft (380 N·m) of torque. The turbocharger in the new 2.0L engine is designed for 150,000 miles or 10 years.^[9]

Trim levels

The SE includes cloth-trimmed seats, single-zone manual air-conditioning, MyFord Touch with 4.2" color LCD displays in cluster and center stack with 5-way steering wheel controls, and 17-inch painted aluminum wheels.
The SEL includes unique cloth-trimmed seats, 6-way power driver's seat, dual-zone electronic automatic temperature controls (DEATC), leather-wrapped steering wheel with cruise control, 5-way switch pads and secondary audio controls, 18-inch painted aluminum wheels, reverse sensing system, and supplemental parking lamps.
The Limited includes leather-trimmed seats, 10-way heated power driver's seat, Sony audio system with High Definition radio with 12 speakers in 10 locations, MyFord Touch with (2) driver configurable 4.2" color LCD displays in cluster and 8" color LCD display in center stack, Ford Sync including media hub with 2 USB ports, SD card reader and video input jacks, 20-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels, rear view camera, and 6-way heated power, fold-flat front passenger seat.
The Sport includes 3.7L Twin-independent Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT) V6 engine, 6-Speed SelectShift Automatic transmission with paddle activation, unique Charcoal Black leather-trimmed seats with Silver Smoke Metallic inserts, 22-inch polished aluminum wheel with Tuxedo Black spoke accents, body-color front and rear lower fascia, 4-inch chrome oval dual exhaust tips, and body-color side lower cladding and rocker molding.

Ford Explorer

The Ford Explorer is a full-size crossover SUV sold in North America and built by the Ford Motor Company since 1990, as a replacement for the smaller but related Ford Bronco II. It is manufactured in Chicago, Illinois (it was also assembled in Hazelwood, Missouri until the plant closed on March 10, 2006). The Ford Explorer was instrumental in turning the SUV from a special-interest vehicle into one of the most popular vehicle types on the road. It is marked as a mid-sized crossover SUV and is slotted between the larger Ford Expedition and the smaller Ford Escape.
The Explorer has also been involved in controversy, after a spate of fatal rollover accidents involving Explorers fitted with Firestone tires. Both two-door Explorer Sport and four-door models of Explorer have been sold. Part-time four-wheel drive is an available option, and since 1995 this has been a 'shift on the fly' system with full protection against being engaged at high speed. A specially modified Special Service Vehicle version is also available from Ford Fleet for law enforcement agencies, fire departments, and EMS agencies. Explorer was also the name of a trim package offered on the Ford F-Series trucks from 1968 to 1986. The 2011 Ford Explorer was named North American Truck of the Year.

Fifth generation (2011–)

The fifth generation 2011 Explorer takes cues from the Explorer America concept's construction, and includes a monocoque (unibody) structure based on the D4 platform, a modified version of the D3 platform.^[12][13] The new Explorer features blacked-out A, B, and D-pillars to produce a floating roof effect similar to Land Rover’s floating roof design used on its sport utility vehicles. Ford already uses this floating roof design on the Ford Flex. The Explorer's C-pillar remains body colored. It also gets sculpted body work with stepped style headlamps similar to the Flex, Edge, Escape, Expedition and F-150. In addition, the Explorer receives new stepped style tail lamps. The grille will receive the corporate three-bar design with upper and lower perforated mesh work, similar to that of the sixth-generation Taurus.
The Explorer's chief design engineer is Jim Holland, who was also a chief design engineer for Land Rover. Holland is responsible for the design of the current generation Land Rover Range Rover (L322). Holland also worked on the outgoing Ford Expedition (U324) during its initial development.^[14]

The fifth generation 2011 Explorer, developed under the U502 program code name,^[15] made its debut online on July 26, 2010. Ford had set up a Ford Explorer Facebook page ahead of its debut.^[16] Assembly of the fifth-generation Explorer moved to Ford's Chicago Assembly plant, where it is built alongside the Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS. The Louisville plant, where the previous generation was built, was converted to produce cars based on Ford's global C platform (potentially including the Ford Focus, Ford C-Max, and Ford Kuga).^[17] Like the Escape, the Explorer will continue to be marketed as an "SUV" rather than a "crossover SUV". It went on sale in early 2011; pre-launch sales had by the end of November 2010 totaled around 15,000.^[18]

Features

Available features include intelligent access with push button start, remote engine start, power liftgate, power adjustable pedals with memory, premium leather trimmed seating, heated and cooled front seats, dual headrest DVD entertainment system, adaptive cruise control, active park assist, SIRIUS Travel Link, MyFord Touch, Ford SYNC by Microsoft, Sony audio system with HD radio and Apple iTunes tagging, in-dash advanced navigation system, SoundScreen laminated acoustic and solar tinted windshield with rain-sensing wipers, 20-inch polished V-spoke aluminium wheels, high intensity discharge (HID) headlamps and LED tail lamps.

Capability

The Explorer is available in either front-wheel-drive or full-time four-wheel-drive. Only one engine was initially available: a standard 3.5 Liter TiVCT twin independent variable camshaft timing V6 (290 hp, 255 lb·ft (346 N·m) of torque) mated to a 6-speed 6F automatic with a 6-speed 6F SelectShift automatic as a option.
A second optional engine will become available in 2011: a 2.0 liter EcoBoost turbocharged, direct injected I-4 (237 hp, 250 lb·ft (340 N·m) of torque) mated to a 6-speed 6F automatic. The I-4 engine will not be available with the optional 6-speed 6F SelectShift automatic and will only be available in front-wheel-drive form.^[19][20]

The Explorer is available with full-time Intelligent four-wheel drive using open front & rear differentials with 3.39:1 gearing and an electronic center coupling by Haldex. The electronic center coupling controls the front-to-rear torque distribution (torque split) between the front & rear drive wheels and acts as a center differential to allow for full-time operation. The power take off (PTO) unit has a heavy-duty dedicated cooling system to allow the front drive based, four-wheel drive system to supply continuous non-stop torque delivery to all four wheels indefinitely without overheating.^[21] "4WD" badging is also included on the rear liftgate.^[22][23] Explorer’s overall off road crawl ratio is 15.19:1 with high range gearing only.
Off road electronics include Hill Descent Control (HDC), Hill Ascent Assist (HAA), 4-wheel electronic traction control and Terrain Management.
4-wheel electronic traction control (ABS braking) is employed to force the open front & rear differentials to behave like limited-slip differentials, transferring torque from side-to-side.^[21] In the right conditions, the Explorer can keep moving even if only one front wheel has traction.
Terrain Management will include four selectable modes. Each mode can be selected via a rotary control dial on the center console, aft of the transmission shifter.

Ford F-150 SVT Raptor

The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor is an off-road/performance pickup truck manufactured by the Ford Motor Company.

Background

The Raptor is a modified F-150 truck intended for high speed off road use, available in extended cab or crew cab models only.^[1] Inspired by the prerunners used by high-dollar off road teams, it brings a variety of off road features. Developed by the Special Vehicle Team (SVT) at Ford, the Raptor was used as a test bed for further engineering validation for the new 6.2-liter (379 cu in) V8. The truck itself ran in 2008 Baja 1000 where it finished third in class. With 5300 confirmed orders, first year Raptor sales have exceeded 1999's Lightning production numbers. The Raptor began hitting showrooms in late 2009. Sales were much better than expected. April 2011, Ford sold 1,186 Raptors, outselling Honda's Ridgeline.^[2]

Engine

Engine choices have included the 5.4L V8 with 320 horsepower (235 kW) and 390 ft·lbf (528 N·m) of torque or the 6.2L V8 with 411 horsepower (306 kW) and 434 ft·lbf (588 N·m) of torque. In 2011, the 5.4 was discontinued and replaced with the 6.2 as standard engine.^[3][4][5] The 6.2L V8 Engine gives the Raptor the lowest towing capacity and fuel economy in the entire model range.^[6]

Gas Mileage

The Ford Raptor's fuel economy is rated at 11 miles per US gallon (21 L/100 km) city and 14 miles per US gallon (17 L/100 km) highway.^{[citation needed]}

Body, Frame, and Features

From the A-pillar forward, the Raptor has a composite hood and fenders different from other F-150s and is bereft of the blue oval badge in the grille. SVT widened the track by 7 inches, and so its 5.5-foot box is unique to the Raptor as well.^[7] The Raptor's height is 2 inches over a standard Supercrew. It also features new, internal bypass shocks, designed by Fox Racing Shox.
The Raptor has new leaf springs and shocks, new front upper- and lower-A-arms, and a wider, thicker-walled rear axle. It's the first Ford with hill-descent control and comes with an electronic differential locker that lets the driver keep it locked at high speeds when the Raptor's Off Road Mode is engaged. Off Road Mode is a feature unique to the Raptor which allows more controlled, aggressive driving while in situations where increased traction and braking are necessary. The Raptor's Off Road Mode allows ABS, roll stability control and traction control to be completely turned off giving the driver total control over the driving experience. Off Road Mode also changes the Raptor's throttle sensitivity and transmission shift points causing a more linear power curve for low traction situations.
Towing capacity is up to 8,000 pounds with a 1,770-pound payload (Super Crew only).^[8] Interior changes include high-bolster seats, a special steering wheel, a redesigned center console and auxiliary switches connected to pre-wired pass though leads allowing ease of aftermarket product installation. Ford originally promised a value price and a multi-year run—final pricing came in at $42,000.00 for 2010.

2011 Frame Problems

In June 2011, a group of 14 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor owners took an off-roading trip. 10 of these 14 owners came back from this trip with bent frames. There was no other damage to the trucks, showing that it maybe has a design flaw. ^[9]A Ford engineer from SVT stated the trucks were driven too fast and may have even had the Speed limiter removed.

Ford Ranger

The Ford Ranger is the name of two distinct lineages of pickup trucks sold by the Ford Motor Company:

• North America: designed and engineered by Ford for sale only in North America for the 1983 through to 2011 model years. During the 1994 through 2010 model years, Mazda badge engineered this North American variant as the "Mazda B-Series".

Main article: Ford Ranger (North America)

• International: originally a badge engineered Mazda B-Series (unrelated to the North American B-Series), designed and engineered in Japan (1998–2006). Second generation versions (2006–2011) were also designed by Mazda, being rebadged versions of the Mazda BT-50. Third generation models (from 2011) were designed and engineered by Ford Australia, with Mazda set to introduce a derivative version as the Mazda BT-50.

Main articles: Mazda B-Series and Mazda BT-50

The Ford Ranger will officially end production in North America December 22nd, 2011 soon followed by the St. Paul, Minnesota plant where the Rangers are built. Ford has yet to comment on the Ranger’s fate, but it is unlikely that production of the small truck would be shifted to another facility. The current Ranger has been around in more or less the same form since the 1983 model year and it has been only occasionally face lifted and updated during its 28-year production run; the last major refresh occurred in 1998, when the Ranger was built on a completely new frame, new front suspension, cosmetic changes to the front of the vehicle, and revised engines (2.5L). The Ranger has only been mildy changed cosmetically inside and out in the years since. Ford did recently debut its latest global Ranger pickup (See below) — long since (1998) a very different vehicle than was sold in the United States. The global version of the Ford Ranger is a possibility for the United States, but is unlikely.