Ford

Shelby Cobra is back as an e-bike to celebrate Ford v Ferrari

Just in time for his portrayal in the movie Ford v Ferrari, the iconic Cobra made by automotive legend Carroll Shelby is back — sort of. Vintage Electric released November 15 a limited edition Two-Wheeled Cobra. It’s an homage to Shelby’s 289 Slabside Cobra in the form of an electric bicycle. Designed with the help of Shelby’s grandson Aaron, the bike has a motorcycle-like profile. It’s painted the same metallic blue with black racing stripes as its namesake. The bike also features hand grips, a matte black fork, retro LED headlamp and leather saddle seat that all reminiscent of the 289 Slabside. And the iconic Cobra logo is also prominent. Shelby’s powerful cars included the Ford GT40 that beat Ferrari

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Stuntman Robert Nagle silent car star in Ford v Ferrari

Actors Matt Damon and Christian Bale weren’t alive when Carroll Shelby and Ken Miles were in their most determined whirlwinds of pride, ego and obsession. Ferrari ruled the automotive world at the time; Ford didn’t like it. Robert Nagle knows the story as well as anyone. He’s the stuntman, engineer and consultant who taught Damon and Bale how to drive in the pending movie Ford v Ferrari. The veteran actors, respectively play Shelby, the visionary American car designer, and Miles, the fearless British-born driver. They’re dispatched in the film by actors playing Henry Ford II and the recently deceased Lee Iacocca to humble Ford. They’re assigned to build the Ford GT40, a new race car with the potential to defeat

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#105, Stuntman Robert Nagle talks Ford v Ferrari, long career

Robert Nagle is a Hollywood star. But he’s unheralded except for industry insiders who know his stuntman and engineering talents. Name a movie with the hard-to-fathom automotive scenes and Nagle problem was part of it. Nagle’s current project is the soon-to-be-released movie Ford v Ferrari, and he’s our guest on Episode #105 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. In 2015, Nagle was awarded an Academy Technical Achievement Award (with Allan Padelford). The honor was presented for the self-propelled, high-performance, drivable camera and vehicle platform dubbed “The Biscuit Jr.”). The platform was named after a similar giant rig put on mechanical horses on to film the actors up close in the movie Sea Biscuit. The vehicle was also used in the movie

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Ford celebrates enduring truck success with clever emoji

Ford Motor Company makes the country’s best-selling vehicle, the F-150 pickup. It takes the truck seriously. But the carmaker can also have fun. Consider the manufacturer’s recent clever marketing: “Developing a new vehicle is a challenging process under normal circumstances, but this is something completely different. Today we’re proud to introduce the #TruckEmoji.” The campaign has fun with the wondrous, sometimes silly world of emojis. It’s posted on Ford‘s official YouTube channel. Viewers of the video had many responses, some clever, others were less than complimentary. Here are a few: “Wanted a Bronco reveal, got a pick-up emoji.” “It looks like the hill climb challenge game pick up truck.” “Where can I use or find that emoji? what applications does

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Justin selects his top-5 parts under $500 for 2009-2014 F150s

In this episode of AmericanTruck’s (AT) “The Haul” YouTube Video Series, host Justin 
Dugan selects his favorite top-5 parts for under $500 for 2009-2014 F150s. Including parts from AT’s most popular categories like Truck Lighting, F150 Lift Kits, Exterior Accessories+ more, Justin’s Top 5 focuses on functionality while sprinkling in a few F150 exterior styling mods for good measure. Parts featured in this video: Barricade HD Bull Bar w/Skid Plate & 20-inch. Dual Row LED Light Bar, Textured Black, JLT, V3.0 Black Oil Separator Passenger Side, ReadyLIFT 2 in. Billet Aluminum Leveling Kit Anodized Black, Husky X Act Contour Front Floor Liners Black & TruShield Soft Rolling Bed Cover. American Trucks is regarded as one of the best, most reliable

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Matt Damon, Christian Bale set for FORD v. FERRARI film

Among the epic rivalries in motorsports, Ford v. Ferrari and the 1966 contest between Carroll Shelby and Kevin Miles at Ford and Enzo Ferrari and his entourage at the 24 Hours of LeMans is unsurpassed. Actors Matt Damon and Christian Bale weren’t born yet when the respective drivers and carmakers from Ford and Ferrari matched their driving skills and risk-taking desires in the famous French race. But the accomplished actors will portray the icons in the film FORD v. FERRARI. 20th Century Fox recently released the official trailer and poster for the pending film. It’s based on the story of Shelby, the visionary American car designer, and Miles, the fearless British-born driver. They’re dispatched by Henry Ford II and the

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Episode 13, Donald Farr honors Boss Mustang (Video)

Donald Farr is a Ford Mustang expert. But the historian doesn’t see it that way. He’s too humble. He cites others as all-knowing experts when the topic is the famous sports car. Farr, a Mustang owner, journalist and author, is our guest on Episode #13 of the The Weekly Driver Podcast, video edition. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss with Farr his new book “BOSS Mustang: 50 Years.” The book includes the complete history of the most iconic pony car ever made. It details racing and street histories of the 302 and 429 models. Photography and interviews feature BOSS Mustang designers, engineers and racers and provide a comprehensive study of the powerful machine. Farr also discusses his family history

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2019 Ford Ranger back but with a few warts, flat tires

After an eight-year absence, the Ford Ranger was re-introduced to the North American market late last year as a 2019 model. It marked a 60-year timestamp since the nameplate’s debut on a 1958 Edsel Ranger. The Ranger name was first used on a pickup in 1983 when Ford replaced the Ford Courier. With its return, the Ford Ranger is now mid-sized, comparable to its sibling, the Ford Explorer Sport Trac. The latter debuted in 2006 and was discounted a few years later. The new Ranger is available as a SuperCab (2+2 door extended cab with 6-foot bed) and SuperCrew (4-door crew cab with 5-foot bed). The SuperCab’s bed is 72.8 inches long, 44.8 inches wide. During its first tenure, the

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#69 Ford Edge ST debuts as carmaker’s performance SUV

Tyler Swedensky is the new car manager at Future Ford in Sacramento, California, and he’s good at what he does. With co-host Bruce Aldrich driving and me observing as a back- seat passenger, Swedensky recently took us for a test drive and preview of the 2019 Ford Edge ST. Ford is marketing the new vehicle as its first performance SUV, and Swedensky is our guest on this week’s episode of The Weekly Driver Podcast. After our ride, Bruce and I asked our guest about the Edge ST from the offices of the Sacramento dealership. He explained the SUV’s innovative Co-Pilot 360. It’s a suite of standard driver- assist technologies. Features include a blind spot information system, lane keeping system, enhanced

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VW Beetle to Chevy Volt to Ford Focus: goodbye, farewell

The end of the year in the automotive world always marks the end of the run for a car or two and sometimes more vehicles. The end of 2018 was among the most drastic farewells to vehicles in recent years. Manufacturers announced their departures from the car-making business to focus on sport utility vehicles and trucks. Vehicles with long histories and some that barely had time to build a sustained buying base will soon be defunct. In all, the production of at least 14 cars has stopped or will soon cease. The most significant departure from the new car landscape is the Volkswagen Beetle. The “people’s car,” as designated in the late 1930s in Germany, will no longer be produced

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Ford calls another massive recall in F-150, Super Duty trucks

For the second time in three months, Ford is recalling large quantities of the best-selling F-150 vehicles in North America over a several-year time frame for fire risks. The manufacturer has just recalled 900,000 F-150 and Super Duty trucks to replace an engine block heater cable to due to the risk of fire. The recall involves more than 410,000 vehicles sold in the U.S. and nearly 464,000 in Canada. Affected models include: * 2015-19 F-150 vehicles built at Ford’s Dearborn, Michigan, truck plant between March 18, 2014, and Nov. 17, 2018, and at its Kansas City plant between Aug. 21, 2014, and Nov. 17, 2018. * 2017-19 Super Duty vehicles built at Ford’s Ohio assembly plant between Feb. 5, 2016,

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Ford Mustang Bullitt GT Coupe honors film’s 50th anniversary

Celebrating anniversaries is a thing in the automotive world. Ford and Chevrolet are particularly active in marketing the milestones of their cars and trucks, the F-150 pick-up to the Corvette. Ford has celebrated its Mustang several times, and it’s doing so again with its 2019 Mustang Bullitt GT Coupe. The accolades are based on a 10-minute movie clip in 1968 often cited as the best car chase scene in cinema history. The film stars Steve McQueen as Lt. Frank Bullitt, thus the name of the movie. He chases bad guys, including the famous sequence on the hilly streets of San Francisco when he’s driving 1968 Ford Mustang 390 GT 2+2 Fastback. McQueen did most of his stunts, further building the

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2018 Ford F-150, 2018 Toyota Corolla icons of success

The Ford F-150 pickup, the overt sentinel of masculinity, and the Toyota Corolla, the tiny titan compact sedan, have little in common with two exceptions, reliability and enduring success. The Corolla, manufactured since 1966, is the best-selling car in history with more than 43 million sold. The Ford F-Series, introduced in 1948, has been the country’s best-selling vehicle for decades. It’s the second best-selling vehicle in history with more than 40 million sold. While the sedan might be able to fit in the bed of the pick-up and cost one-third as much, driving either vehicle is experiencing automotive royalty. There’s little out of the ordinary about the Corolla. It’s understated and remains increasingly popular because of its consistency. The F-150

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Episode 42, Ford F-150 still rules, less safe cars, hydrogen

Podcast: Play in new window | Download (Duration: 27:37 — 37.9MB)Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Spotify | MoreThe Ford F-150 pick-up has no equals, except for its siblings. They comprise the stable of the country’s best-selling pick-up trucks. The truck’s legacy as the second best-selling vehicle in history as well as its pros and cons among three topics discussed in Episode 42 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia recently drove the 2018 Ford F-150 (Lariat) trim. Neither of us are pick-up enthusiasts, but the new F-150 won us over. It’s powerful, comfortable, spacious, rugged and luxurious — at least as much as pick-up trucks can be luxurious. The new Ford F-150 is also expensive. We review

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Episode 41, Goodbye to the VW Beetle, Ford sedans

The automotive industry is always changing. But two of the more significant announcements in recent years — the apparent demise of the VW Beetle and the jettison of the majority of Ford sedans — is the focus of Episode 41 of The Weekly Driver Podcast. Co-hosts Bruce Aldrich and James Raia discuss the recent announcements by the respective carmakers in the news-oriented edition of our ongoing week chat about all things cars and trucks. The pending loss of several Ford models and the icon Beetle came, respectively, in a press release from the former and the text of a speech by a VW executive in Europe. The Beetle was first sold in the United States in 1949. Sales of the

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2018 Ford Mustang: Less is more with EcoBoost model

Like other automotive icons, the Ford Mustang is unmistakable. Its long hood, short rear deck, pony badge, overall styling and unique debut by Henry Ford II at the World’s Fair in Flushing Meadows, N.Y., on April 17, 1964, have all added to the sports car’s legacy. The Mustang’s current generation debuted in 2015. The showcase model for 2018 is the direct-injected, 5.0-liter V8 with 460 horsepower. It defines automotive testosterone for the masses and is the most powerful Mustang to date. But what if you don’t need all that power and the corresponding constant growl of the big beast? The alternative is the base model 2.3-liter turbocharged, four-cylinder, Ecoboost coupe with 310 horsepower and a 10-speed automatic transmission. With the

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