truth about domestics

Ford’s EcoBoost has already been making strides in bringing over conquest buyers to the brand.  EcoBoost is Ford’s way of categorizing its engines that feature direct gas injection and turbocharging.  The concept is not exactly new, but instead of using the application for performance gains only (as in the Mazdaspeed3 or the Chevrolet Cobalt SS) FoMoCo has decided to use it to increase fuel economy as well.  The added power of the turbo chargers means the engine can be downsized, taking weight out of the vehicle.  The direct injection means the engine car run higher compression ratios and also run a slightly leaner mixture, allowing a reduction in emissions.  This adds up to a more fun to drive vehicle that is easier on the environment too.

This week at the 2010 Society of Automotive Engineers World Congress in Detroit, Michigan, Ford will announce that the 3.5L V6 EcoBoost will make its way into the 2011 F-150.  This will be the first rear wheel drive application for this engine and should really show what this engine is capable of.  The peak torque available at 1,500 rpm should appeal to truck buyers too, especially those who regularly tow or haul a large load around.  The other announcement was that the 2.0L EcoBoost I4 will be going into the 2011 Ford Edge sometime this year.  Ford also upped its sales predictions for EcoBoost to 1.5 million units by 2013 – way up from their original estimate of 750,000.  Stay tuned for more details, until then, head on over to Autoblog.

(Image source: Ford)

More good news for the Dearborn, Michigan based Ford Motor Company.  According to a Bloomberg survey 36% of Americans have a negative view of Toyota, and only 49% have a favorable view of them.  While this news wouldn’t normally be that big of a deal, companies go through good times and bad no matter who they are, the big story here is Ford.  A staggering 77% of Americans have a favorable opinion of FoMoCo, which is 7% better than Honda!

As Autoblog points out, there are several reasons why the survey results most likely came out in this way.  First, Ford did not take government assistance, nor did they file for bankruptcy like General Motors or Chrysler.  Second, Ford is making some amazing products; probably the best products they have ever made in their 100+ year history.  Cars like the 2011 Mustang and 2010 Fusion that are not only more powerful than the previous model year, but are also more fuel efficient.  The F-150 has been a best seller for over 30 years and new products like the Transit Connect and Fiesta are already huge hits with consumers.

For the full report, head on over to Bloomberg.

(Image source: Ford)

Word on the street is that Chrysler could be considering moving forward with a smaller, 5.0L Cummins diesel that would go in everything from the Ram 1500 on up to the 3500HD.  If these rumors are true, I think it will be a great step for Chrysler to take.  It might even persuade Ford and GM to kick start their programs again.  Imagine a Ram, Silverado/Sierra, F-150 with a smaller displacement diesel, tons of torque and improved fuel economy?  What’s not to love!?  For more details, head on over to PickupTrucks.com.

(Image source: about.com)

According to a report from PickupTrucks.com, Ford Motor Company plans to offer an F-150 with a V6 engine again.  That engine will be the 3.7L V6 that will be found in the 2011 Mustang and Lincoln MKX and should be good for around 300 horsepower and 23-24 miles per gallon!  Also stated in the article is the notion that Ford plans to offer the F-150 with the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 as well.  2010 is shaping up to be a very exciting year for Ford indeed!

(Image source: Ford)

That’s right folks!  Of all the navigation systems on the market, Ford Motor Company has taken 5 of the top 10 spots on J.D. Power’s 2009 navigation system survey!  The number one system on the market was the one found in the Lincoln MKS, followed in the number two spot by the Ford Flex navigation system.  The F-150 came in fourth place, with the Escape taking seventh and the Edge taking eighth!

What makes this story even better is that the Domestic automakers took 6 of the top 10 spots and Ford was the only non-luxury maker to make the list!  On top of that, SEVEN of the BOTTOM TEN were made by TOYOTA, including their top of the line Avalon, which finished dead LAST.  Guess the Japanese car makers aren’t the best at everything anymore…  For more details, including the full list, head on over to J.D. Power.

(Image source: Ford)

The video above shows some truly amazing footage of the new 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor doin’ its thing on some country back roads.  It also shows the BMW X6 M that it is being pitted against.  What these two have in common is hard to say, so stay tuned for more details when their winter issue hits newsstands.

The Mustang seems to get all of the attention at most car shows, but there are other Ford vehicles that receive customizing too!  Cars like the new 2010 Taurus SHO, Fusion and F-150 are also popular this year as you can see in the galleries at Autoblog or Jalopnik.

(Image source: Jalopnik)

Thanks in large part to the success of the government’s Cash for Clunkers program, Ford has announced production increases for the F-150 and the Escape and Mariner.  The increases will put another 10,000 F-150′s and around 2,400 Escape/Mariners on dealer lots.  For the full details, head on over to Autoblog.

Here are some great videos to show you how the foreign trucks stand up to the trucks from the Domestic 3.

Enjoy the video above to show you how loose a Toyota Tundra is over rough surfaces.  Watch as the rear end starts to twist over the rough sections of road.

This video shows you how much stiffer the Ford F-150 frame is compared to the Toyota Tundra.  The key to a quality vehicle is a solid foundation!

I have heard that in parts of the country, people do not seem to know that Ford, for example, builds anything other than the F-150 and Mustang.  This, sadly, has happened for good reason.  During the truck and SUV boom of the 90′s, the American manufacturers let their car programs fall by the wayside, instead focusing a large portion of their development budget on the newest, latest, greatest, and biggest 4×4′s.  Cars were an after-thought, as they did not bring in the same large profits of their truck and SUV bretheren.  The Japanese manufacturers produced quality cars, but even they wanted a piece of the truck and SUV profit pie, and eventually built plants in America to build their own versions of the gas-guzzlers.

Even though this was the case as little as 5 years ago, the American 3 have made a very strong comeback in the car arena.  As you could see in my earlier post about their fuel efficency, they build small and mid-size cars that are very competitive when compared to their foreign rivals.  I also pointed out that their designs are built to high quality standards, putting them in the same league as the foreign brands.  To prove that their cars have other very strong selling points are a couple awards that I would like to point out.

Last year the Saturn Aura mid-size sedan was named the 2007 North American Car of the Year at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, MI.

Then in 2008 the Chevrolet Malibu took home the honors winning 2008 North American Car of the Year.  Both of these cars were up against some steep competition (both domestic and foreign) and were picked by a large jury made up of various members of the automotive media.

The 2008 Cadillac CTS won Motor Trend magazines coveted 2008 Car of the Year award.

For 2008, 3 GM vehicles made it on Car and Driver’s 10 Best List; the Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Corvette and Cadillac CTS, more than any other manufacturer.

In 2007, Ford won more JD Power awards than any other automaker.  Ford, Lincoln and Mercury all had segment winners.  Those three nameplates also finished in the Top 10.

The 2008 Ford Focus was named one of Kelly Blue Book’s Top 10 coolest cars under $18,000.  With its combination of SYNC in car entertainment technology and 35 mpg on the highway, it was a tough car to beat.

The Ford Mustang ranked as the most problem-free “Midsize sporty car” from JD Power’s survey, while the Mercuy Milan was the highest ranked mid-sized car, and its sibling, the Lincoln MKZ, was the top-ranked “Entry premium car.”

All of these awards are only a small part of the story behind the cars that make up the American 3′s portfolios these days.  Their trucks and SUV’s are superbly engineered, besting those offered up by their foreign competition.  That same engineering mentality that goes into their trucks and SUV’s, is now applied to their car programs as well.  “Good enough is not good enough” any longer.  From the Chevrolet Malibu, to the Ford Fusion, the quality shows.  They do not build just trucks and SUV’s, they build some damn fine automobiles as well!