truth about domestics

The Ford Edge crossover has just been named the Pet Safe Vehicle of Choice Top Dog award from Bark Buckle UP!  Things like ease of ingress/egress, ventilation, and the space a vehicle provides.  Along with the Edge, 3 other Ford Motor Company products took home awards including the Ford Transit Connect, the Flex and the Lincoln MKT.  For the full story, head on over to Autoblog.

(Image source: Ford)

Ford Motor Company is on such a strong roll they have decided to announce bonuses for salaried employees!  The bonuses will be based off of several factors, most related to performance and how well the company fares over 2010.  They also released details on a $3 billion early payout on some of the debt that Ford currently has.  This is all in an effort to start improving their balance sheet and stay focused on the ONE Ford plan that has been proving time and time again that Ford has the products needed to move forward.  For full details on the bonus and the loan repayment, head on over to the Detroit Free Press.

(Image source: Freewebs.com)

Due to Toyota’s recent runaway quality issues, they have had to increase incentives to fairly high levels (in some cases up to $4,000 AND 0% financing.)  In order to keep pace, the domestic automakers have had to raise their incentives as well.  This has actually worked in their favor though, as both GM and Ford have been able to increase sales volumes, while keeping their discounts at lower levels than Toyota.  Sadly Chrysler continues to struggle, even with large incentives.  For more details, head on over to MSNBC.

(Image source: GM)

In a move that doesn’t surprise many in the auto industry, Ford has decided to release a hybrid version of the Lincoln MKZ.  The MKZ rides on the same platform as the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan which both feature an impressive hybrid powertrain.  These two cars achieve 41 mpg in the city, 8 mpg more than the Toyota Camry hybrid.  The MKZ hybrid will be a 2011 model and should achieve the best mileage of any luxury car on the market, even beating the Toyota hybrid platform-sharing Lexus HS 250h which gets a rather unimpressive 35 mpg city, 34 highway.  For more details on the MKZ hybrid, head on over to MSNBC.

(Image source: Stephen @ Truth About Domestics)

Ford Motor Company has decided that it will start enforcing a new energy policy designed to help reduce operating costs as well as reduce its carbon footprint in the process.  The program is designed to get employees to turn off their computers for the night and especially the weekends.  Their figures showed some 60% of computers at the company were left on after business hours.  Ford will work with Microsoft Windows’ energy settings to help with the goal of cutting wasted energy down.  They will also schedule updates for select days after hours, at which time the computers will be awake to receive the updates, but won’t allow the updates to interfere with normal business operations.  Estimated carbon reduction of 16,000-25,000 metric tons per year.  For more, head on over to Autoblog.

(Image source: Ford)

I have been wondering how long it would take before Ford started to offer a Lincoln MKZ hybrid.  I mean, the MKZ went through a very substantial redesign for 2010 just like the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans, yet it was the only one not available with a hybrid option.  That will change this year, now that Ford has planned to unveil a hybrid version of the MKZ at this year’s New York Auto Show.  Since the MKZ hybrid will most likely feature the exact same powertrain as the Fusion/Milan hybrid, it should hit close to the same 41 city / 36 highway miles per gallon of the less sedans.  This would position it above the Lexus HS 250h as the most fuel efficient luxury car available on the market.  For more details, stay tuned or click on over to The Detroit News or Autoblog.

(Image source: Ford)

The first-look press drives of the new 2011 Ford Mustang V6 and Mustang GT with their new 3.7L and 5.0L engines respectively has just taken place.  Autoblog had some of the better coverage so that’s where I went to for the first review.  What I can say from my experiences and from those found online, the 2011 Mustang is going to own the muscle car segment for years to come.  The 3.7L V6 produces 305 horsepower and achieves 31 mpg on the EPA highway run (as Ford is quick to point out, it’s the first car in history to produce over 300 horsepower and make over 30  mpg.)  The car even features improved NVH and a reduction in aerodynamic drag too.

The 2011 Mustang GT features the return of the beloved 5.0 badges on the fenders and more importantly, produces more power than the outgoing 4.6L powered 2010 model.  The 5.0 produces 412 horsepower and 390 pound feet of torque while still hitting 26 mpg!  Both the V6 and V8 cars feature 6-speed automatic or manual gearboxes for improved performance and fuel economy.  For the full story, head on over here for the V6 or over to this page for the V8.

(Image source: Ford)

Sure, no one from Truth About Domestics was invited to the press preview of the new 2011 Mustang.  We didn’t get to sample the slick new 5.0L V8 or the steal-of-a-deal 3.7L V6.  We have no idea how they drive, handle, ride, take off, impress the ladies, or anything like that.  However, Popular Hot Rodding magazine did get invited and here’s how the car faired.  Ford had set up an eighth-mile drag strip to show off the 2011 Mustang GT 5.0L vs the 2010 Camaro SS.  Both cars were equipped with automatic transmissions.  The results?  The Mustang consistently came out ahead, putting down a 8.62 at 86 mph, while the Camaro lagged behind at 8.82 at 83 mph.  For the full story, head on over to PHR’s website.

(Image source: two-laneblacktopdragstrip.com)

In Ford’s push to increase their car’s fuel efficiency, they have decided to start building a dual-clutch, six speed automatic they call PowerShift.  The transmissions went online this week in Mexico where they will be shipped to another plant to be installed in the new 2011 Ford Fiesta.  They are also planned for the 2012 Ford Focus.  For more details, head on over to Autoblog.

Check out Ken Block at a WRC event in Mexico!