11 Ford Ranger Ext Cab Sport Power Pkg 4.0l V6 2wd Clean Florida on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ford sticking with manuals for RS models

Traditional stick-shift gearboxes may be losing ground quickly to dual-clutch transmissions, but Ford knows what hot hatch enthusiasts want. That's why it's sticking with manual transmissions on its RS models for the foreseeable future. The Blue Oval automaker caught our attention yesterday when it revealed the new Focus RS, packing an upgraded version of the turbo four from the Mustang, a trick new all-wheel-drive system and an old-school six-speed manual. After speaking to Ford's product chief Raj Nair at the hot hatch's launch, Autocar reports that the six-speed is here to stay. "All our current research says that customers really like these kinds of cars to have a manual gearbox," Nair told the British publication. "We'll keep looking at market trends, and of course we'll give customers what they want, but for now the manual stays." Autocar further suggests that the same principle will apply to any further Rallye Sport models, so if and when a Fiesta RS rolls around, it's likely it will stick with a stick as well. Although the less potent Focus ST is offered in diesel and wagon forms overseas, wherever it's sold and in whatever form, the six-speed stays a constant in that model as well, just as it does in the smaller Fiesta ST. That doesn't mean that other Ford Performance models won't go without a clutch pedal, though. The new GT employs a seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and the new F-150 Raptor channels its muscle through a ten-speed automatic. But as far as Ford's hot hatches go, it looks like the manual will remain alive and well. Related Video: Featured Gallery 2016 Ford Focus RS News Source: Autocar Ford Hatchback Performance manual ford fiesta rs

Ford Focus Electric gets $6,000 price drop, now starts at $29,995

In early 2013, the Nissan Leaf shed a massive $6,500 from its $35,200 base price to offer a new starting price of $28,800. Since then, we have seen numerous other plug-in vehicles get smaller price tags, from the Honda Fit EV (lower lease price) to the Chevrolet Volt (around $5,000 lower) to the Mitsubishi i (a $6,130 drop). Last year, Ford lowered the $39,200 price of the Focus Electric by around $4,000, but that hasn't been enough to get the Ford EV to really compete, saleswise, with other plug-in vehicles on the market. But wait, as they say, there's more. This past weekend, Ford lopped another $6,000 from the price of both the 2014 model year Focus EVs currently on dealer lots as well as the redesigned 2015 models that are now rolling out (they're basically the same car, minus some appearance changes). Ford spokesman Aaron Miller confirmed to AutoblogGreen that the Focus EV will now start at $29,995 and said that reducing the price should make the Blue Oval's only pure EV competitive. "We hope by reducing the price we're giving consumers another reason to consider it," he said. Through the end of September 2014, Ford has sold just 1,534 Focus EVs in the US (the model sold 1,335 in the first nine months of 2013). For comparison's sake, the Nissan Leaf starts at $29,010 and sells around 3,000 units a month in the US. Miller notes that the Focus EV has been selling the best on the West Coast, and is also doing well on the East Coast. After that, he said Atlanta and the Great Lakes area also see decent sales of model's admittedly small pie. We can only assume that offering the EV for under $30,000 will make that pie somewhat bigger.

Lincoln recycling tree fibers into new MKX armrest

Want to hug a tree, or at least a really small part of one. Then set your arm down on one of those armrests in the 2014 Lincoln MKX crossover. The US automaker is working with Weyerhaeuser and Johnson Controls on a tree-based, cellulose-reinforced polypropylene material used in the component that connects the armrest to the floor console, Wards Auto says. With properties similar to plastic, the tree-based material replaces fiberglass and is about six percent lighter. No big deal for now, but if the material starts getting used for things like battery trays and interior storage covers, that loss in weight may eventually start adding up enough to boost fuel economy a bit, providing a green double bonus. Lincoln parent Ford, which isn't saying how much more (or less?) it costs to use the new material, established its Biomaterials and Plastics Research team in 2001. In 2007, the company began using soy-based foam in car seats used for models such as the Lincoln Navigator and Ford Mustang and has since broadened biomaterials use to components like floormats and cupholder inserts. Ford also used recycled plastic bottles from the 2012 North America International Auto Show for seats in the Focus Electric.