On Sunday evening, I had the good fortune to have dinner with Ford’s CEO, Alan Mulally and a number of Ford executives. I was the lone wolf mad dog blogger at the table, surrounded by conventional journalists from America and the UK. Needless to say, I was nervous as could be, not having previously met a single person in the room. I compensated by throwing down three pineapple vodka infusions – the house specialty at the Capital Grille in Troy, Michigan (and for good reason, I must say) – in rapid succession while twittering and waiting at the bar.
All in my best attempt to summon inspiration from the late great Hunter S. Thompson.
As the outsider not knowing a soul, I felt a bit uneasy as I eased into my spot at the corner of the table. I was only guy not wearing a tie (although I did have a proper navy jacket). My non-corporate arrangement of facial hair du jour couldn’t have helped. Continue reading →
MPG-o-Matic Ford Flex Review Summary: The 2009 Ford Flex nearly defies description. As a brilliant alternative to SUVs and minivans, the Flex represents a rebirth of the great American station wagon with the comforts of a spacious limousine.
Available in both all-wheel- (AWD) and front-wheel-drive (FWD) configurations, the Ford Flex breaks new ground in the seven-seat people mover category. It’s not an SUV, it’s not a minivan, and it’s not like any crossover you’ve ever seen before.
While the Ford Flex competes with a range of seven-seat crossovers and SUVs, there’s nothing currently on the market that provides direct competition. With the Flex, Ford has created an entirely new segment. Continue reading →
While the Ford Focus is clearly one of the most economical cars built in America, the best Focus reviews bring light to the complete package. In this case, the whole is clearly more than the sum of its parts. The Focus enjoyed its remarkable burst of popularity in 2008 by delivering on the promise: it was the right car, with the right features, at the right price, at the right time.
Our MPGomatic Ford Focus review just might give you that warm summer weekend feeling. We spent a solid week on the road over the course of our review of the Focus, with two trips to the beach and back as we endured the peak of the highest gas prices. Once again, we were out there “burning the gas, so you don’t have to” …
Of all the electric vehicles I saw, drove, or rode in earlier this month at the Electric Drive Transportation Association’s (EDTA) 2008 conference in Washington DC, none can have as immediate and important an impact as Smith Electric’s “Edison” … this electrified Ford Transit van has the potential to revolutionize local delivery for a wide range of firms, both small and large. The Ford Transit goes toe-to-toe with the venerable Sprinter for sheer versatility, offering a remarkable amount of cargo and head room.
While the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid won’t start rolling off assembly line until late winter, I had the chance to drive a pre-production version yesterday at a Ford media event. The ride was brief, but eye-opening. With temperatures hovering in the twenties, I was able to coax 40.5 miles per gallon (MPG) out of the Fusion Hybrid in my first (and only) twenty minutes or so of driving through the suburbs and highways around Dearborn, Michigan.
Seeing that the Fusion Hybrid will glide under electric power up to 47 miles per hour, I’d reckon that I’ll be able to get a production version into mid-forty MPG range with ease. A bit more time in the saddle and I’ll have it figured out. (To prove my numbers weren’t a fluke, my co-driver — a two-time Prius owner — was able to top my result by a mile or so, after discovering a simple technique to provoke electric drive.)
The competition for the Toyota Camry Hybrid just got a whole lot tougher. The Fusion Hybrid has a sporty edge to it, with crisp lines and an industry leading dashboard display that takes economical driving to the next level.
It’s not just good. It’s really good.
For everyone that wants to put Detroit down for not keeping up with the times … they simply haven’t seen or driven the Ford Fusion Hybrid … yet.
MPG-o-Matic Ford Flex Review Summary: The 2009 Ford Flex nearly defies description. As a brilliant alternative to SUVs and minivans, the Flex represents a rebirth of the great American station wagon with the comforts of a spacious limousine.
