1999 Ford F-350 Super Duty Flatbed on 2040-cars

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Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang to cost $52,995?

The 2015 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang was one of the shining stars of this year's Los Angeles Auto Show. And the Blue Oval's latest muscle car might even have reason to burn a little brighter if a recent rumor about its price proves true. Best of all are rumors that an even more potent version of the Shelby is potentially on the way. According to Horsepower Kings citing unnamed Ford sources at the LA Auto Show, the 2015 GT350 carries a starting price of $52,995, and the Tech package adds a further $2,995 on top of that. There's also the claim of a Track package for an undisclosed price. However, it doesn't look like LA is the last we'll see of the newest Shelby because the source also alleges that a top-rung GT350R is under development with bigger brakes, modified aerodynamics and sportier tires. This rubber-burner is reported to be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. Assuming these claims are correct, it puts the Shelby in fighting form against its two Chevrolet Camaro rivals. Ford reports that the GT350's 5.2-liter V8 pumps out over 500 horsepower and more than 400 pound-feet of torque. At $52,995, it would undercut by a couple of grand the $55,505 (before destination) base price of the 580-hp 2015 ZL1. The super 'Stang might also beat the 505-hp Z/28 with its power rating, while being vastly cheaper than the track-focused Camaro's $72,305 price. This could be quite the performance shoot-out.

This 1969 Ford F-100 has a Cadillac CTS-V engine lurking underhood

Something always feels just a little taboo when someone builds a custom and then slots in a powertrain from a rival automaker. That's exactly the case with this modded 1969 Ford F-100 boasting a highly tuned LSA supercharged V8 like from the second-gen Cadillac CTS-V. However, with a claimed 800 horsepower on tap thanks in part to running an estimated 20 pounds of boost, it's easy to get over any bad feelings. Built by Tommy Pike Customs in South Carolina, the truck tries to keep the exterior looking somewhat stock. Although, the jade green and satin gold paint, Quaker State logo, lowered suspension and black wheels immediately suggest something is up. Once the F-100 starts up with its menacing growl, absolutely any doubts of this beast being unaltered are immediately gone. Not so obvious are some tweaks to actually help put all that power down, including disc brakes and independent suspension setups at the front and rear. The video gives some glimpses at a few of Pike's other creations, but the real star here is definitely his mean, green Ford.

Ford C-Max Solar Energi takes a recharging station wherever it goes

Companies ranging in size from small startups to major automakers have been experimenting with solar-powered charging stations for EVs and plug-in hybrids. And, of course, people have been powering vehicles with onboard solar panels for quite some time, too. Still, Ford's new C-Max Solar Energi Concept shows the promise of a truly practical implementation of solar on a production vehicle, and it may not be as far off in the future as we had thought.
As we reported a few days ago, the Solar concept makes use of a "concentrator lens" that focuses sunlight onto the Ford's roof-mounted solar panels. The special lens follows the rays of the sun to maximize the amount of charge being fed to the batteries of the car, taking about a day to fully charge the 21-mile, all-electric range of the C-Max Energi. Ford data suggests that combination might be enough to power 75 percent of all trips made by a statistically average driver. In turn, using the sun to power a vehicle could reduce yearly C02 emissions by up to four metric tons when compared with the driver of an average gasoline-powered sedan.
We've got live images of the C-Max Solar Energi Concept, jauntily tilted on its display to best present it's signature solar panels, straight from the CES floor.