Ford Midsize Cars

Ford has backtracked off its plans to use the “Mach 1” name on a future electric crossover. The American automaker reportedly received considerable blowback from fans and customers — us, included — when it floated the idea a few months ago. And so, the former Mustang badge is back in the vault. Ford still plans to infuse the forthcoming crossover with the Mustang’s DNA, but the Mach 1 name appears to have been spared from all that.

In 2017, it was time for Ford to Celebrate the 50th anniversary of the original 1967 Shelby Super Snake – a one-off designed by the man himself. To celebrate that anniversary Ford created the 2017 Shelby Super Snake 50th Anniversary Edition. It comes with an awesome blue and white color scheme to go with as much as 750 horsepower and 700 pound-feet of torque, enough to make it faster than the Challenger and Charger Hellcat twins and the Chevy Camaro ZL1, with a quarter-mile run taking just 10.9 seconds. With the new Shelby GT350 already making its debut and the Shelby GT500 about to debut in the very near future, we thought it was fitting to showcase the 2017 Super Snake and have made it our wallpaper of the day. Check out our hand-picked choice or choose from a small gallery at the bottom of the page. Go ahead; they are free.

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has flagged the Ford Explorer and Jeep Grand Cherokee after both SUVs scored an overall rating of “poor” in the agency’s recent crash test examination. According to results of the passenger-side small overlap front crash tests, both SUVs showed a high risk of injury to a front passenger with potentially fatal ramifications.

The Escort was once a fun compact car that even had its place in the rally world. But, like all good things, the Escort eventually had to come to an end. It was even discontinued in Europe years ago as well. In 2014, Ford quietly introduced the name to the Chinese market, and it’s apparently been very well received. So much so, in fact, that Ford just ushered in a new-gen model built around the brands new global midsize car platform. Could the Escort come back to the States and Europe someday?

Whoa, let’s not get ahead of ourselves. Until gas prices spike and SUVs lose popularity, we’re never going to see the Escort this side of the Asian market again. In fact, Ford just announced it’s downsizing to just two passenger cars in its whole U.S. Lineup. But, if it makes you feel better, the new Escort in China comes with an eight-inch touchscreen display, an attractive instrument cluster, and there’s even a little bit of fastback and Focus DNA in there as well.

It is offered with a 1.0-liter or 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine, but power figures have been kept secret for now. I wouldn’t expect to see it deliver over 130 horsepower in its most potent form – after all; it’s for the Chinese market. Either way, if you’re going to be in China and you miss the Escort of the old days (God I miss my hatchback), you could move to China and procure yourself a 1.5-liter model with a manual transmission.

When Ford showed off the new Ranger, it showed nothing but potential in terms of utility and everyday usefulness. It had damn near everyone wondering if Ford would go back to its roots and offer the new Ranger as a single-cab, two-door model with a longer bed. The hope was there, but according to a 2019 model year VIN document sent to the NHTSA, the Ranger will only offer four doors in either supercab or supercrew body styles. Both supercab and supercrew models will be available with rear- or all-wheel drive, but supercab models options with “bed delete” will only be offered with rear-wheel drive. That’s right; you’ll be able to turn the new ranger into a flatbed. As expected, the only engine on offer is a 2.3-liter four-banger paired with a 10-speed automatic transmission.

The originally Ford GT40 was designed to make a fool out of Enzo Ferrari at Le Mans, but that might as well be a lifetime ago. Then, Ford decided it would step into the supercar market with the second-generation of the model, calling it nothing more than the “Ford GT.” Sexy and sleek, powerful and fast – these words easily describe the GT40. It’s got that low-slung supercar look and, despite hauling around just a 3.5-liter V-6, it can deliver 647 horsepower and 550 pound-feet of torque. That’s good enough to hit 60 mph in 3.0 seconds, 100 mph in 6.2 seconds, and 130 mph in 10.1 seconds. If you’re brave enough to pin it for 21.4 seconds, you can hit 170 mph too. That’s great, and all, but the GT was a very limited model, and Ford did some serious vetting when it came to who got to own one. We’re guessing you probably weren’t one of those guys so if you’re still itching for some Ford GT, go ahead and download one of our hand-picked wallpapers!

With the current generation of the Ford Fusion being on sale since 2012, it’s long overdue for a facelift, and that’s what we’re going to get at the 2018 New York Auto Show. Like most facelifts, few changes can be seen on the inside or outside, but what Ford has done is include its new Co-Pilot360 suite of driver assistance technology on all trim levels as standard equipment. Hybrid models get a new, larger battery with improved all-electric range, while some higher trim levels now get a standard 4G LTE internet connection and the Fusion SEL returns to the lineup to replace the SE Luxury package.

A few months after dusting off the “Bullitt” name, Ford is once again in a throwback mood. This time, the Blue Oval is bringing back the “California Special” name for the 2019 Ford Mustang. The nod to the late 60’s special edition couldn’t have come at a better time, either. The original Mustang California edition came out in 1968. It’s no surprise, then, that 50 years later, the California name is bringing brought back with a modern twist.

Introduced in 2014, the Ford Edge, one of the company’s key vehicles, gained a significant update for the 2019 model. Alongside the revised exterior, high-tech interior, and upgraded turbo engine, Ford also updated the model lineup with an ST model. Replacing the old Sport, the new Edge ST brings the performance-oriented "ST" badge into the SUV market for the first time. At the 2018 Chicago Auto Show, Ford unveiled a second new trim. It’s called the Titanium Elite and slots right between the Titanium and the ST.

Ford’s choice for a new trim seems rather awkward at first glance. Unlike other models, the Edge doesn’t have the luxury-oriented Platinum trim. The latter seemed to be the next logical step after the ST, but Ford chose to introduce a slight upgrade to the Titanium model. The Titanium Elite would make more sense if the Titanium were to be discontinued soon, but as things stand, I can’t really understand where Ford is going with this. But let’s have a closer look at what we already know about this new trim.

Continue reading to learn more about the Ford Edge Titanium Elite.

Ford has seen a healthy eight-percent increase in sales of the Edge crossover with higher trims over the last four years. As a response, the 2019 Edge is getting a new luxury-minded trim package that should help boost consumer interest in the two-row crossover. It’s the Titanium Elite and it slots between the current Titanium and the new performance-oriented Edge ST.

Continue reading for more on the 2019 Ford Edge Titanium Elite.

Ford just released a third teaser video for its highly anticipated Ranger Raptor. The scripted text emblazed over the moving shots of a camouflaged test mule bombing over terrain say the Ranger Raptor is “Ready for… speed, water, sand, hills, mud, jumps, and anything,” The last phrase then says it’s ready for its reveal. That’s right; the time is growing short for Ford to officially unveil the Ranger Raptor in all its glory.

The event is taking place on February 7, 2018, at Bangkok Auto Show in Thailand. While Thailand might seem an odd choice rather than the U.S. or Australia, the country actually has quite the love for pickups and off-roading. No worries, though, both Americans and Australians will soon have Ranger Raptors arriving in their showrooms.

While Ford hasn’t even hinted at the powerplant under the Ranger Raptor’s hood, a report from Motoring suggests the truck is getting an all-new 2.0-liter high-output four-cylinder turbodiesel. The specific output wasn’t announced, but the new (Power Stroke?) turbodiesel would be more powerful than the current 3.2-liter inline-five turbodiesel, which makes 197 horsepower and 347 pound-feet of torque. The report also says Ford’s new 10-speed automatic transmission will be the sole gearbox.

While the 10-speed auto is an obvious component, the small-displacement four-cylinder turbodiesel is a stretch – at least for U.S.-bound Ranger Raptors. Ford’s peppy 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 or even the standard-output 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 would be a more plausible engine for North America. It seems we’ll have to wait until February 7 to find out.

Expect the Ranger Raptor to arrive in U.S. showrooms as a 2019 model sometime in the first half of next year. Prices are expected to compete with the Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, which starts at $40,400 and increases with options. Perhaps Ford will also offer a turbodiesel and gasoline engine option, just like the Colorado ZR2, as well. Again, tune in to TopSpeed.com on February 7 for all the details.

The Ford booth was pretty crowded at this years Detroit Auto Show, and for good reason. Not only FoMoCo finally revived the Ranger pickup truck for the U.S. market, it also used the event to launch its first-ever performance SUV. With the recently established Ford Performance division having already delivered awesome cars like the Focus RS, Shelby Mustang GT350R, and the GT supercar, Ford decided it’s time to tackle the SUV market and commissioned an ST version of the Edge. The beefed-up variant arrives just as Ford updated the Edge for the 2019 model year, introducing both at the 2018 Detroit Auto Show.

Performance versions of SUVs and crossovers are just dumb. To put outlandish power in a top-heavy vehicle originally designed to haul people and cargo across foreboding terrain is simply asinine. In the last year, we’ve seen Chevrolet launch the Tahoe RST, Jeep launch the Grand Cherokee Trackhawk, and Dodge debut the Durango SRT. Now Ford is getting into the game. Just a single day after teasing a new ST-badged model, Ford has debuted the Edge ST – yes, you read that right.

It’s a 2019 Edge crossover with a 2.7-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V-6 making 335 horsepower and 380 pound-feet of torque mates to an eight-speed automatic transmission and turning all four wheels. It rides on an ST-tuned suspension and offers optional performance braking package. How crazy is that?

But really, how crazy is that? In reality, it’s not. Think back to the late 1960s when muscle cars developed from ordinary sedans and coupes. Automakers like Ford (and all the various divisions under General Motors and Chrysler) stuffed increasingly powerful V-8s into cars that, just a few years prior, wouldn’t be out of place in your grandmother’s driveway. It seems the same is becoming true for SUVs. These mommy-mobiles are turning into the 21st century’s version of the Ford Torino, Dodge Dart, and Chevy Impala. And who doesn’t love a vehicle that can pull double duty doing family errands and tearing up the autocross course? Maybe performance SUVs aren’t so dumb after all.

Let’s see how the 2019 Ford Edge ST stacks up.

The future of the Ford Fusion in the U.S. just got murkier. Barely a month after word got out of the Fusion’s unsteady future in the U.S., a new report from The Detroit News paints a cloudier future for Ford’s best-selling U.S. sedan. According to the report, Ford is canceling the redesign program for the mid-size sedan. More importantly, the automaker is said to be reevaluating the future of the model in our shores, effectively throwing the status of the Fusion in a state of limbo.

As the rest of the world looks to hybrid powertrains to help eke out extra mpg at the pump, even law enforcement agencies are getting in on the trend. Adding an extra large battery to a police responder sedan comes with several benefits, all while keeping all the important gear needed to get the job done. Ford’s been providing vehicles to law enforcement since 1950, so it makes sense that the Blue Oval is getting ahead of the game with this electrically assisted four-door. We saw it on the show floor at the 2017 Los Angeles Auto Show and got a nice selection of exclusive photos, so read on for more details on this latest workhorse for the five-o.

Continue reading to learn more about what makes the Ford Special Service Plug-In Hybrid Sedan special.

The Ford Fusion has been around for 11 years, having first been introduced in 2006. It’s done well to represent Ford’s foray in the mid-size sedan segment, but with sales of midsize sedans down across the board in 2017, Ford may be thinking of cutting the Fusion completely from its lineup. There’s been no word on the status of the Fusion moving forward, but recent reports have cast serious doubts on the future of the model in the U.S.

Ford just revealed its new Special Service Plug-In Hybrid Sedan, framed as an efficient means of transport for “police and fire chiefs, detectives, and other non-pursuit law enforcement personnel.” It’s the first-ever plug-in hybrid police vehicle from the Blue Oval, and it comes with the gear to get the job done without burning too much of the dino juice.

Antique vehicle prices are a good indicator as to how popular and culturally esteemed a vehicle has become over the decades. While Ferraris, Porsches, and other exotics can pull seven-figure bids at auction, they’re old news. These days, classic pickup trucks and SUVs are exploding in value – especially those with exceptionally low miles and all its factory-supplied parts. A perfect example of this just rolled across the Barrett-Jackson stage in Vegas this past weekend. Check out this 1989 Ford Bronco.

This two-door SUV didn’t need a reserve to push its price skyward; it saw an organic auction end with the winning bid of $40,700. That’s a 146-percent increase over its original MSRP of $16,526! That same money would have bought 2.5 Broncos back in the day.

There are two factors for this Bronco’s high bid: one, yes, SUV and pickup prices are beginning to rise dramatically and two, this Bronco was practically perfect. It only has 1,606 actual miles, still rides on the original Goodyear Wrangler tires, has zero damage, and has tons of factory options. Making it even more special is its listing as a “promotional vehicle.” It was likely used by Ford for marketing purposes, perhaps at auto shows or advertising, and bought by a collected rather than being sold to the general public. We’ve got more information on this true survivor down below.

Continue reading for more information.

The 2020 Ford Bronco has been (unofficially) confirmed as a four-door SUV based on the upcoming 2019 Ford Ranger pickup and will be powered by the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6 matched with robust off-road capabilities like 19.5 inches of water fording – all for a price starting around $30,000. The information comes from a Ford engineer who spoke to Gear Patrol on the condition of anonymity. The insider also divulged some telling truths about the Bronco’s revival, including that Ford is now starting the third design phase for the iconic SUV, having not been satisfied with the first two because it “looks too much like the Wrangler.” Typically, vehicles only get a single design phase before being pushed into production.

The Bronco’s correlation to the Jeep Wrangler isn’t surprising since Ford used the Wrangler Unlimited as its benchmark in off-road capability, save for its rock-crawling abilities, claims the Ford insider. “If you’re familiar with the Ford Troller, out of Brazil, that’s the basic concept, but it’ll look like a four-door version of that,” the engineer told Gear Patrol. A two-door version isn’t happening because Ford doesn’t think it would sell. Power will come from “something like” the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V-6. In the 2018 F-150, that EcoBoost makes 325 horsepower and 375 pound-feet of torque – respectable numbers in a Wrangler-sized SUV. Sadly, the engineer says the Bronco won’t be the hard-core off-roader many are hoping. Rather, it’s designed primarily as a comfortable on-road, family-friendly SUV, though sprinkled with off-road hardware. When asked about a Raptor version, the insider said, “it’s not even in the works yet.”

Continue reading for more information.

With the Goodwood Festival of Speed now in full force, Ford has revealed the new Mondeo ST-Line alongside models like the Ford Fiesta ST-Line and the Focus ST-Line. According to Ford, the new Mondeo ST-Line offers “bold styling that’s inspired by Ford Performance models” to go with a sport suspension system, unique alloy wheels, sport seats, and other minor enhancements inside and out.

Roelant de Waard, the Vice President of Marketing, Sales, and Service for Ford of Europe, said, “The new Mondeo ST-Line is our sportiest Mondeo since we introduced the Mondeo ST220 model in 2002. Mondeo ST-Line adds another dimension to the broad Mondeo line-up that offers options from the fuel-efficient Mondeo ECOnetic and Mondeo Hybrid models, to the exclusive and upscale Mondeo Vignale.” He continued, “With our new ST-Line range even more customers can experience the sporty style and driving dynamics inspired by our most exciting Ford Performance line-up ever."

So, with the Fiesta ST-Line and Focus ST-Line already on sale, it looks like Ford is expecting the Mondeo ST-Line to pull anchor duty and help push the brand’s sale of performance models to the next level. Does the Mondeo ST-Line have what it takes to bolster performance model sales, or will it be just another turd in the punch bowl? Keep reading to find out what I think.

Continue reading to learn more about the Ford Mondeo ST-Line.

Ford’s Fusion steps up its technology game for 2017. Inheriting the mainstream family-sedan mantle from the Taurus was no laughing matter for the Fusion, and when it debuted in 2006 it made its mark with impressive driving dynamics and a fresh new look for Ford. For 2017, the freshened second-generation Fusion retains its sport-sedan leanings while broadening the lineup and introducing features more common to luxury cars than family sedans.

It may not look like it at a glance, but there’s a lot going on with Ford’s bread-and-butter sedan. With three very distinct models, the Fusion seems to be heading down the same path that Ford’s endlessly-configurable F-Series has followed. The Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid offer maximum efficiency without sacrificing comfort or performance; the new Fusion Platinum has all of the high-tech toys including the new Ford SYNC3 system, advanced self-parking features, pedestrian detection, and adaptive cruise control with full stop and go capabilities. The stop-and-go system can take over throttle and brake functions during heavy traffic, keeping the driver from stressing out during rush hour congestion. To keep a foot in the performance game, the Fusion V6 Sport features a twin-turbo V6 that nudges BMW levels of performance.

Updated 06/10/2016: Ford announced prices for the 2017 Fusion. Check the "Prices" section for the full details.

Continue reading to learn more about the 2017 Ford Fusion.

The 1967 Ford Fairlane is probably not the car you’d imagine to get invited toJay Leno’s garage. But nothing about this particular Fairlane counts as ordinary. It’s the creation of Stephen Stroppe and his team over at Pure Vision Design and it bears the name Black Ops, shiny blue paint finish notwithstanding.

The created history behind this Fairlane is as colorful as its two-tone body color. According to Stroppe, it started of as an ordinary Fairlane that wasn’t different from any of the other mid-sized sedans that also used the name. But along the process of actually building it, Stroppe and his team concocted a story that eventually served as the backbone of the whole build. From there, they started working on the car, going so far as to source parts from period-correct cars, including the Mercury Cougar and fellow Ford alums of that time, the Mustang and the Shelby Cobra.

Eventually, the team managed to create a rollicking ride on four wheels. It has a 427 engine that can produce 650 horsepower, although that figure appears to be on the conservative side of the estimate as Leno himself notices during the customary test drive in the tail end of the episode. It’s an interesting car to say the least. It’s also a good example of what happens when you have good storytellers who also happen to be good at building custom cars to fit their personalities.