1930 Model A Rat Rod 402 Big Block, Automatic Turbo 400 Transmission Headers on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Question of the Day: Worst year of the Malaise Era?

The Malaise Era for cars in the United States spanned the 1973 through 1983 model years, and featured such abominations as a Corvette with just 205 horsepower (from the optional engine!) and MGBs with suspensions jacked way up to meet new headlight-height requirements. There were many low points throughout this gloomy period, of course. The horrifyingly low power and fuel-economy numbers for big V8s during the middle years of the Malaise Era make a strong case for 1974 or 1975— the years of Nixon's resignation and the Fall of Saigon, respectively— as the most Malaisey years. But then the GM-pummeling debacles of the Chevy Citation and Cadillac Cimarron could make an early-1980s year the low point. 1979, the year of the ignominious Chrysler bailout? You choose! Related Video:

Ford hiring 2,200 salaried US workers this year

With its influx of popular new products made in the US, Ford Motor Company has announced that it intends to hire 2,200 new salaried workers domestically this year. This is the biggest increase of salaried workers for Ford in the last 10 years, and it is all a part of Ford's contract commitment to the United Auto Workers union to bring 12,000 new jobs to the US by 2015.
There were no specifics as to where in the US these job openings will be, but Ford did reiterate that it will be spending $773 million on equipment upgrades and capacity expansion at six plants located in southeast Michigan; as a whole, Ford is investing a total of $6.2 billion to its US assembly plants over the next couple years. According to recently appointed president of the Americas Joe Hinrichs, the new jobs will be focused on areas such as engineering, manufacturing and computer software. Ford will post its job openings online at careers.ford.com, and it will also use social media sites like Facebook and Twitter to recruit new workers, including military veterans.
Scroll down for more about Ford's planned job growth as well as how to go about applying for said openings.

Ken Block hoons his Ford F-150 RaptorTrax on the slopes

Ken Block drives Fords. Hoons the heck out of 'em, actually. Mostly Fiestas, but also the occasional Focus or Mustang. But earlier this year, the Gymkhana guru revealed his baddest Ford yet: an F-150 SVT Raptor on tracks. And true to form, here he is putting it to the test in the latest video from Monster Energy and Hoonigan Racing.
Filmed at Baldface Lodge in Nelson, BC, the video pairs Block up with snowboarders Zak Hale and Ethan Deiss for some deep-powder action. You'll want to watch the video for yourself, but the bottom line is that the RaptorTrax beats the heck out of waiting on line for the ski lift. It's enough to make us start to look forward to winter... almost.