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Ford tops mid-year ranking of brands in the US

YouGov's mid-year Brand Index rankings of America's best perceived brands has been released, and Ford has found its way to the top. The Dearborn, Michigan based manufacturer beat out online shopping giant Amazon, The History Channel, and home improvement superstore Lowe's, to take the top spot.
Ford jumped from sixth overall in 2012 to first for 2013, but those that have been watching these rankings shouldn't be hugely surprised. Ford was rated the best perceived automotive manufacturer by the same organization last year. The Blue Oval's success on the overall brand rankings is made all the more impressive by the complete lack of other automakers on the list.
YouGov (that is, survey respondents) cited Ford's first quarter of 2013 business, which saw an increase in market share and the best earnings recorded in over 10 years. Successfully launching the Focus and Fusion (pictured) and keeping them fresh in the minds of consumers has also contributed to Ford's best overall score.

Ringbrothers shows off Coyote-powered 1968 Mercury Cougar

We'll openly admit that not every SEMA build is our cup of tea. But this? A tastefully resto-modded 1968 Mercury Cougar with a 460-horsepower Ford Mustang V8? Yeah, this is right in our wheelhouse. Sadly, there was no in-pwerson SEMA show in 2020, so we missed out on gems like this one. SEMA or no SEMA, the aftermarket carries on, and co-owners Jim and Mike Ring of Ringbrothers (get it?) saw no reason to let their time and effort go to waste.  When they're not building wild customs (see: 1,100-horsepower 1972 AMC Javelin AMX) or more subtle showcases (such as this Cougar or their 1971 K5 Chevy Blazer build from 2018), the folks at Ringbrothers crank out factory reproduction parts, whether for old-fashioned restoration or modification purposes. While '60s muscle cars are recurring build subjects for the two, the Cougar was the first of its kind they tackled.  Keeping it in the family, Ringbrothers sourced a Ford 5.0-liter "Coyote" V8 and a 10-Speed Automatic (lifted from an F-150 Raptor, incidentally) for the build. They didn't stop with the driveline, of course. The suspension was overhauled with a little help from DSE and a set of HRE Series C1 C103 Forged 3-Piece wheels were thrown over upgraded brakes.  "We put our heart into each car we build, and this Cougar is no exception," Jim said. "The finished product is mild and classy, yet any enthusiast instantly knows it's not stock. I imagine this is what Mercury designers would have come up with if they were building the Cougar today." "While we couldn't bring the car to the SEMA Show, we hope it can be shown to the public soon," Mike said. "We had never done a Cougar before, so this was a fun build. I love working with new shapes and coming up with new ideas." There's plenty to appreciate about this Cougar apart from the mechanicals, too. The finish is Augusta Green Metallic (courtesy of BASF), which was a factory color in 1968. You may know it by another name: Highland Green. There are a few custom exterior touches, but they're quite subtle and styled to be period-correct. The interior was also restored and updated, and it's where you'll find the only thing we're not fond of: that big, fat truck shifter. Gearbox choices notwithstanding, it's a bit of an eyesore. But considering how gorgeous the rest is, we'll give it a pass.  Related Video:

Ford GT concept adorns Forza 6 cover

Ford has rolled in to the Detroit Auto Show this week with a staggering array of performance machinery, including the new GT Concept, Mustang GT350R and F-150 Raptor. That's the exciting part. The thing is, that most of us won't have the opportunity to drive any of them, let alone really wring them out on the track. Fortunately, they'll all feature in the upcoming release of Forza 6. Not only that, but the new Ford GT will adorn the box cover as well. Featuring on the cover of the latest installment of what Microsoft (citing Metacritic ratings) says is "the highest-rated racing series of the past decade" would be a coveted place of honor for any automaker. The box art for the original version (at least the one first released in North America) featured a modified Acura NSX, followed by a Nissan 350Z drifter on Forza Motorsport 2, an Audi R8 on Forza 3, Ferrari 458 Italia on Forza 4, an SRT Viper on Forza Horizon, the McLaren P1 on Forza 5 and the Lamborghini Huracan on Forza Horizon 2. This, then, will be the first time a Ford will be the poster child for a new version of the popular game. With carbon-fiber construction, active aero and a twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 pumping out over 600 horsepower, it strikes us as a place well deserved by Dearborn's finest. Microsoft and Ford Unveil Ford GT as the Cover Car for "Forza Motorsport 6" Debuting Exclusively on Xbox One Ford's new line of performance vehicles will star in Microsoft's newest and most advanced racing game DETROIT – Jan. 12, 2015 – Microsoft, Turn 10 Studios and Ford unveiled their new collaboration today at the North American International Auto Show, announcing the all-new Ford GT ultra-high performance supercar as the featured cover car in the next iteration of the acclaimed racing simulation franchise for Xbox, "Forza Motorsport 6," launching exclusively on Xbox One. The GT serves as a technology showcase for Ford with its ultra-efficient EcoBoost engine performance, advanced aerodynamics and lightweight carbon fiber construction. It begins arriving in dealerships in select markets globally late next year. In addition, the companies revealed that Ford's performance vehicle line-up will appear in "Forza Motorsport 6." This includes the GT, Shelby® GT350 Mustang and F-150 Raptor debuted by Ford earlier today at the auto show.