1997 Ford F350 Crew Cab 4x4 on 2040-cars

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2014 Ford F-150 gets CNG option

Ford is toiling away, installing heavy-duty engine components into select 3.7-liter V6s to allow them to run on compressed natural gas (CNG) and liquid petroleum gas (LPG) in addition to gasoline. That's nothing new, but now, Ford has announced that it will offer the 2014 F-150 with this engine configuration, bringing the Blue Oval's total number of CNG/LPG-friendly vehicles up to eight. The F-150 will be the only half-ton pickup on the market that can run on these gases.
Ford will charge $315 per vehicle to equip the optional engine, but the trucks won't be ready to run on the alternative fuels straight from the factory and must be upfitted with additional equipment. A Ford Qualified Vehicle Modifier will install a separate fuel system for the compressed gases at a cost of $7,500 to $9,500, depending on fuel tank size. With the right-size tank, the F-150 equipped with the CNG/LPG-prepped engine can go 750 miles on one tank of gas, according to Ford, averaging 23 miles per gallon.
The practice of offering flex-fuel vehicles is gaining momentum as businesses take advantage of cheap gas. CNG can be bought for $2.11/gallon on average (per gasoline equivalent), and sometimes for as little as $1.00 in some parts of the US, Ford states. "With the money saved using CNG, customers could start to see payback on their investment in as little as 24 to 36 months," says Jon Coleman, Ford's fleet sustainability and technology manager. The automaker expects to sell a total of 15,000 CNG/LPG-prepped vehicles in the 2014 model year.

Ford updates Transit lineup for 2016

We have a strange affection for vans here at Autoblog, perhaps due to all that free candy we ate as kids. So when Ford announces some minor updates to the Transit and Transit Connect, we deliver the news that every plumber, electrician, and airport shuttle driver across the nation (and Canada) needs. The biggest item for 2016 is an optional passenger side sliding door on medium- and high-roof models, improving access to the Transit's cavernous interior. Ford's rollout of the much-improved Sync 3 infotainment system also expands to the to large van. And a reverse backup camera is now standard across the lineup. The little Ford Transit Connect is also tweaked for the next model year, right after we spent some time in the 2015 version. Titanium trim on the long-wheelbase wagon model brings second row bucket seats that fold flat. With XLT trim, you can swap out a bench seat for the buckets at no extra charge. Read on the for the full press release. FORD TRANSIT, TRANSIT CONNECT AND TRANSIT CONNECT WAGON EVEN SMARTER, MORE FLEXIBLE FOR 2016 MODEL YEAR SYNC® 3, Ford's new communications and entertainment system, is available for 2016 Ford Transit – making America's best-selling van even smarter Ford Transit built more than 100,000 vehicles in the 2015 model year Ford Transit Connect compact commercial van equipped with 2.5-liter I-4 engine gains flex-fuel capability for 2016 DEARBORN, Mich., June 4, 2015 – America's best-selling van is even better for the 2016 model year, with the addition of available SYNC 3, rearview camera technology and new customization options. "These and other updates make the 2016 Ford Transit the smartest, most flexible van ever offered by Ford," says Yaro Hetman, Ford brand manager for Transit, Transit Connect and E-Series. "Transit replaces America's best-selling van for 35 years, E-Series, first sold in 1961 as Ford Econoline, and we look forward to continuing our leadership in this important segment." Transit quickly took over the best-selling commercial van title in November 2014, having been available beginning in June at U.S. and Canadian dealerships for the first time. Ford has produced more than 100,000 Transit vans and wagons at Kansas City Assembly Plant during the 2015 model year.

2022 Chevy Silverado ZR2 vs Ford F-150 Raptor and Ram 1500 TRX Spec Comparison

The 2022 Chevy Silverado refresh brings a new top dog off-road Chevy, the Silverado ZR2. It has the biggest V8 available, flashy looks, trick suspension and other off-road goodies. And naturally, that means people will be comparing it with the other top-rung off-road trucks, the Ford F-150 Raptor and the Ram 1500 TRX. As such, we've assembled the specifications available so far to see how the three super trucks compare. Having just been revealed, there are a few things we don't know about the ZR2, such as fuel economy and some other suspension details, but we know quite a lot. And from what we know, the ZR2 has some interesting positives and negatives compared to the other trucks. First, it's pretty clear that the ZR2 isn't as extreme as the Raptor and TRX. We wouldn't be surprised if Chevrolet insists they aren't direct competitors. Specifically it has the least power and torque by a fair margin, the smallest tires and the least ground clearance. Still, it's not completely fighting with an arm tied behind its back. It's the narrowest by a significant margin, which is good for tighter trails. It also has the best towing and payload capacity, and the approach, break-over and departure angles are quite competitive despite the "little" tires. It's also the only one to boast a locking front differential in addition to a rear locker. The Raptor can be had with a limited-slip front differential, and the TRX only gets an open front differential. Check out all the specific numbers in the chart below, as well as additional stories on the trucks featured below. Other reviews and deep dives about the new Silverado, F-150 Raptor and Ram 1500 TRX 2022 Chevy Silverado 1500 Reveal In addition to the new ZR2, the Silverado line also gets new interiors, an upgraded four-cylinder and other updates.   2021 Ram 1500 TRX First Drive Review Our review of the Raptor's chief competitor, the mighty TRX. That just sounds like we're talking about Jurassic Park.   2021 Ram TRX Suspension Deep Dive and RTI ramp test Follow along with engineer Dan Edmunds as he takes you under the TRX and explains everything there is to know about its suspension -- and how it's able to do what it does.