1930 Ford Model A Coupe Hot Rod Rat Rod on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Is your new-car warranty good at the race track?

We've all heard the horror stories. Your buddy knows a girl that was dating a guy whose best friend's brother once broke his brand-new, recently purchased performance car while making runs at a drag strip or laps at a track day, and the manufacturer wouldn't cover the repair under warranty. True story? Urban legend? Complete crap? Yes, no, maybe. One thing's for sure: Automotive warranties have always come with caveats. In 1908, an ad in the Trenton Evening Times clearly stated: "All Ford Cars Guaranteed for One Year." Although it changed over time, by 1925 the Ford New Car Guarantee only covered 90 days on material and 30 days on labor, and it clearly stated that that there was "No guarantee whatever on Fan Belts, Glass, Bulbs, Wiring, Transmission, Bands, Hose Connections, Commutator Shells, Rollers, Spark Plugs or Gaskets." Whether or not Ol' Henry would pay to fix your Model T if you broke it shaving a tenth off your lap time at the local board track seems to be lost to history. We're guessing no. But what about today? Do new-car warranties in 2017 cover cars when they are driven on race tracks? We researched the warranties of 14 auto brands to find out, and the answer is yes, no, maybe, depending on the brand, in some cases the model, and whether or not your car is modified from stock. Acura has been out of the high-performance car game for a number of years, but jumps back into the party in 2017 with its hybrid-powered $173,000 NSX supercar. And Acura's warranty, as well as Honda's, clearly states that it does not cover "the use of the vehicle in competition or racing events." View 33 Photos So we asked Sage Marie, Senior Manager of Public Relations for Honda and Acura. "If the car is stock, the warranty covers it on a track just as it does on the street. No question," he told us. "However, if the car is modified, say with slick tires or other components that would put higher stresses on the vehicle's parts and systems, then we would have to investigate the circumstances further." Marie went on to say the same would be true for any Acura model or Honda vehicle, including the new 2017 Honda Civic Si. This became a common theme. Chevrolet actually started this practice with the fifth-generation Camaro on the high-performance ZL1 and Z/28 models.

Introducing the 1965 Ford Mustang

Put on your space suits and diving bell helmets, for it's time to step into a time capsule. The 50th anniversary of a historic model, like, say, the Porsche 911 this year, is certain to bring flights of nostalgia. This historical trip with the 1965 Mustang, though - preliminary hype for next year's anniversary, we know - is a swell museum exhibit for anyone who enjoys bygone days of the automobile.
Lee Iaccoca gave a speech to motoring journalists on April 1, 1964 at the New York World's Fair to introduce a sporty car for younger drivers. His opening line: "Good morning, ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to one of the proudest moments of our lives." The company was so excited by what it had made that the Mustang was Ford's first "International Press Introduction," being introduced to some 2,000 journos around the world on the same day in the US and 11 European cities. Even through its difficult points, no one at the time could have known how well the Mustang would acquit that pride.
After the intro, the press drove Mustangs 750 miles from New York to Dearborn, MI, reading press kits that touted features like the "vertical, three-sectional taillights/turn signals," "170" six-cylinder engine with 101 horsepower and the available Cruise-O-Matic transmission.

Ford promises 12 new global performance vehicles through 2020

Ford just keeps rolling out the big announcements today. We've already told you about the next-gen Focus RS coming to the US and the upcoming Sync 3 infotainment system. And this latest one should perk up the ears of racing fans or anyone who enjoys an enthusiastic drive (basically, all Autoblog readers). The Blue Oval says it has "more than 12" new performance vehicles on the way globally through 2020. Unfortunately, the only one that the automaker confirms at the moment is the Focus RS, but recent rumors might suggest a few others. Ford reportedly has the Shelby Mustang GT350R, next-gen F-150 Raptor and a Ford GT successor all on the way, all of which could possibly debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January. The future GT might even take the company back to racing at Le Mans. Speaking of motorsports, Ford is also blending its performance vehicle and racing efforts worldwide into a unified entity by combining SVT, Team RS and Ford Racing into a new organization called Ford Performance. It's responsible not just for excelling on the track but also for developing aero improvements, electronics, powertrain and lightweight tech for the Blue Oval's vehicles. "Our new global Ford Performance team ties together racing, performance vehicles and parts. It will allow us to more quickly introduce products and accessories that meet the needs of customers around the world on-road and on the track," said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development, in the company's press release. The automaker thinks this market might be booming, especially among younger buyers. For example, recent data shows Millennials buy ST models at twice the rate of the rest of Ford's cars. Scroll down to read the Blue Oval's full announcement of the new division and the plan to get excited about things to come. FORD DRIVING PERFORMANCE INNOVATION TO NEW LEVELS; MORE THAN 12 VEHICLES COMING FROM NEW GLOBAL TEAM Ford bringing more global performance vehicles to customers worldwide; more than 12 new performance vehicles through 2020 – including Focus RS – to be available globally Ford uniting regional performance engineering and racing teams as one global team under Ford Performance, delivering more new vehicles and parts, more quickly Ford will deliver more than 12 new performance vehicles for global enthusiasts through 2020, as the company announced today its new global Ford Performance team.