Ford to Exit the Minivan Market?

All the car blogs lately have been speculating on the direction that the Ford Motor Company is going to take in the wake of declining sales and stiff competition. We know that Ford has too much capacity and we know that the company will be closing some key plants and laying off an as yet to be determined number of employees. What hadn’t been clear is which models would be cut from the line up. Now, it appears that Ford will exit the lucrative minivan market. That’s right, Ford apparently will stick with building cars, trucks, and SUVs, and leave the minivan market to the other players. Ever since the Chrysler Corporation invented the minivan market back in the early 1980s with its line of “K-car” derived minivans – the Dodge Caravan, Plymouth Voyager, and the Chrysler Town & Country – Ford has been playing catch up. Indeed, a series of forgettable “star” named minivans were served up by Ford and summarily rejected by consumers: the Aerostar, Windstar, and the Freestar. Later, both Honda and Toyota brought out their own entries and Ford, along with Chevrolet found themselves trailing badly in an overcrowded segment. Indeed, several GM divisions sell minivans, as does Kia and Nissan, making the market especially tight. Should Ford decide to go ahead with plans to ditch the minivan market, it wouldn’t be a complete retreat. For one, many consumers prefer the automaker’s popular Ford Explorer SUV while its all wheel drive Freestyle wagon/crossover competes well too. Finally, another vehicle – the Edge – will soon make its debut and likely pull many minivan customers over. The Edge will be yet another crossover vehicle – somewhat of a SUV/wagon hybrid – and fill the need for consumers. Yes, Ford appears ready to ditch the minivan market. No loss to consumers and probably a smart move for the beleaguered automaker.

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Review of Ford Trucks

The best-selling car in America returns with an original engine design and a blue-collar transmission from the motor city. Ford's F-150 pickup comes in regular, extended, and crew-cab styles. All cabs have four doors. The standard minicab mimics the SuperCab extended minicab with average rear-hinged "partly doors." The SuperCrew crew minicab has four straight doors. Extended's and crews have a bring up work surface seat for 6-passenger capacity. Crews have a 5.5-ft-long consignment single bed. Other F-150s use beds of 5.5, 6.5, and 8 ft, depending on options. All come in flat-side Styleside outward appearance; the 6.5-ft single bed in addition comes as a flare-fender Flareside. The 4.2-liter V6 engine has 202 horse power. Two V8 engines are available: a 4.6-liter with 231 hp and a 5.4 with 300. A 5-speed transmission now comes as a standard option. Taking turns on redesigning its bread-and-butter pickups, Ford rolled out a brand-new version of the F-150 pickup in 2004 and then focused its thought on a makeover of its big-bubba Super Duty in 2005. This year, Ford is sleeping from its labors, with little changes of memorandum: The F-150 procession is toughened up with a Harley-Davidson trim pack up highlighted by a monotone black outdoor; 22-inch polished, sham aluminum wheels; and bags of eagle logos. Later in the representation year. And there are some chrome selection packages and other negligible doodads to expend change on. We were disenchanted that Ford chose not to fetch out a original version of its defunct Lightning, which was rumored to revisit in 2006 with a supercharged V-8 cranking out 500 horsepower and 500 pound-feet of torque. The Ford Lightning has been a huge draw for the company. Even appearing in popular movies like the fast and furious to boost it's popularity.

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Lift Kits - The Raised Truck Craze Gone Wild

There was a day when trucks were a working man’s vehicle and scratches were expected. Shells protected valuables and tonneau covers protected tools. Those days are over and truck enthusiasts are souping up their rides more than ever before. With the addition of popular movies featuring fancy cars and popular television shows that glorify plasma screens and ground shaking stereo systems, the custom truck rage is here to stay. As a sign of manhood or personal taste, many truck owners decide to lift their rides for a performance altered appearance. Lift kits can actually be found online and can be installed on your truck in a do-it-yourself fashion. Some lift systems can be somewhat difficult to install, but after all, challenges are what get us men going and when we are determined, who knows what will happen. The following bullet points are the benefits to installing a suspension system on your truck: Style Performance Increase in ground clearance Looks that could make a grown man cry! The sky’s the limit when you go high-profile with your truck or SUV! Lift Kits push ground clearance and aggressive looks to new heights, letting you conquer on or off-road obstacles with confidence. Lift Kit Manufacturers make custom parts that will fit your specific truck to a “T” to give you the look that you’ve been wanting. My lift kit was recently tested at an off road rally down near Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, and let me tell you - I didn’t get stuck in the dirt. Ground clearance was needed on the off road trails that we were on and the drool on my buddies faces proved that the style could easily make a grown man cry.

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Nerf Bars, Step Bars, and Tube Steps

Some people call them Nerf Bars, others call them Step Bars; my mother calls them "those shiny tubes." Whatever you call them, they're an item that many people overlook in their quest for truck greatness. Whether you're looking for convenience, protection, or looks, installing a set of custom step bars on your ride is always a good decision. Nerf Bars; Attitude in a Box In addition to the fact that they make vehicle entry easier, nerf bars add to your truck's aggressive attitude. Nerf bars fill the gap between the ground and your vehicle's rocker panel; creating an illusion that your truck stands taller than it actually does. Combine step bars with a suspension lift and/or body lift kit and we're talking serious intimidation. Nerf Bars; Your Bodyguard Another benefit of installing nerf bars is protection. They mount several inches from the side of the vehicle. Therefore they are your first line of defense for anything that could cause body damage. Whether it's a boulder you try to drive over while off-roading or a stray shopping cart at the local supermarket, these babies have got your back. In Conclusion Not all nerf bars are created equal. There are different brands on the market with different finishes and warranties available. The Westin Platinum Step Bars have a lifetime warranty as do the stainless step bars available from Smittybilt. For more information, please visit Stylin Concepts.

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Curtains Down For The New Ford Focus Coupe Cabriolet

The much awaited Ford Focus Coupe Cabriolet will be unveiled soon enough. And all those who would be actually able to witness such an event will find out that, indeed, this new Ford Focus is a vehicle that is worth your while and your money.

The Ford Motor Company states that the new Ford Focus Coupe Cabriolet holds an open air motoring feature. And aside from this, it also offers owners and passengers stability, comfort, as well as practicality. Of course, this is very much associated with the current range of the Ford Focus line of vehicles, making it a top selling vehicle in the auto market. Come October this year, interested parties can start purchasing this new model. And this month, the Ford Focus Coupe Cabriolet would be making its debut in the United Kingdom at the British International Motor Show.

Created and manufactured by the Ford Motor Company, the Ford Focus range of vehicles has been produced since 1998. It took the spot that previously belonged to the Ford Escort and the Ford Orion. It actually belongs to the compact car and the small family car segment. It has been built in various body styles that include the hatchback with three doors, the sedan holding four, the station wagon which also holds four doors, and the hatchback with five doors. For its power source, it runs on a 1.4 liter to 2.3 liter I4 engine.

Either with the top down or up, the Ford Focus Coupe Cabriolet is a sight to behold. It is stylish and has a two-piece folding hardtop. This hardtop can be placed up or down with an efficient, neat, and very reliable system that only takes as much as 29 seconds for the whole process to complete.

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Adjusting The Headlights Of Your Car

Those huge eyes shining in the dark.

Those are simply the headlights of your car. It is actually a lamp. And just by the name itself, it is located in the head or the front end of your vehicle. Of course, these have been mounted there not just for aesthetic purposes but also for functional purposes. These headlights help you out see the road ahead clearly by lighting up and illuminating the way. In fact, headlights are very essential during driving at night or even when driving during bad weather conditions like heavy rain or foggy days.

If you think that by simply putting on your headlights on your car, it would be able to light your way up to your destination. Well, think again. These headlights should be properly installed at the right angles. Or else, you might be driving with the headlights lighting the sides only of the road when they should be lighting up the road ahead. You can do the adjusting yourself through the screws you can find on the assembly for the headlights. It is just one screwdriver that you‘ll need to take on such a task.

To check if you do need to adjust your car’s headlights, park your car first somewhere where the ground is flat. Make sure that the front of your car is facing a flat surface – a wall, a fence, or a garage door, perhaps. And then, turn the headlights on. You would know that they are correctly mounted if they are straightly even.

If you find that they do need a little tinkering and adjusting, you can lower or raise the beams by loosening or tightening the adjustment screws of the headlights with your screwdriver. The adjustment screws can be found usually on the side and the bottom of the headlights.

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Electric Cars 'Zap' Rising Gas Prices

Tired of paying more and more for gas? Fuel prices this year have been at the highest levels in 25 years, and with world demand for oil higher than ever, they most likely won't decrease any time soon.

According to Zap, a publicly owned company based in California that manufactures an array of electric vehicles, one of the best ways to beat rising gas prices is to buy and drive an electric car.

Gas cars use about 10 cents' worth of fuel for every mile, whereas electric cars use only 3 cents' worth. That means an electric car can travel three times as far as a gasoline car for the same money. Other Zap vehicles, like its electric bicycles, use about a penny's worth of gas for every five miles and achieve an average fuel efficiency of more than 1,000 miles per gallon.

Driving an electric car is not only good for your pocketbook, it is good for the environment. Electric cars emit 98 percent less pollution than gas cars, even after accounting for power-plant emissions. This can help reduce greenhouse gas emissions, which scientists say contribute to global warming and climate change.

Electric vehicles start as low as $300 for an electric bike or scooter and $5,000 for an electric car.

Zap also is beginning to market "smart" cars, which are some of the smallest and most fuel-efficient gas cars available. While small cars seem to have become an endangered species in the U.S., Zap is aiming to bring them back into vogue, which can help reduce gas prices and air pollution.

Whether you get an electric vehicle or keep your gas car, one of the easiest things you can do is slow down. The faster you drive, the more fuel your car consumes per mile. If you drive at 70 mph instead of 55 mph, you'll reduce your car's fuel economy by 17 percent.

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