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Next Ford Raptor spotted wearing aluminum skin

Well, look at what we have here. Judging from these spy shots, Ford is indeed working on the next generation of its off-road-ready F-150 Raptor pickup truck. We've made no attempt to hide our appreciation for the Baja-style truck, which combines most of the usability of a fullsize truck with heavy-duty suspension components to make a kind of performance vehicle that is unique in the market.
What we haven't known, until now, is whether Ford would push forward with its Raptor program now that it has a completely new F-150 to serve as its base. And that's especially true since Ford made the bold move of switching the bodywork of its best-seller from tried-and-true steel to aluminum. As you can see above, the front and rear of this silver truck are clad in current-gen Raptor bodywork, while the center section that houses the occupants appears to come from the upcoming 2015 F-150.
Dissecting the views above, we note a few interesting tidbits. First, there looks to be a bulge in the truck's hood. Second, we see a new grille between the current Raptor's headlights, sporting a mesh finish and two horizontal bars. Lastly, our eyes can't help but lock in on those burly A-arm suspension pieces down below, not to mention all that ground clearance the specialty suspenders bring to the table.

Ford gives S-Max the Vignale treatment in Milan

Ford has a bit of a history in reviving the names of old coachbuilders it has long since gobbled up and using them to distinguish its top-of-the-line models in Europe. That's what it did for years with Ghia, and after having replaced it several years ago with the Titanium trim level, now it's doing it again with Vignale.
At the Frankfurt Motor Show last year, Ford revealed the Mondeo Vignale concept in both sedan and wagon body-styles, which are set to reach production next year. But before they do, the Blue Oval automaker is at it again, applying similar upgrades to the S-Max minivan and unveiling it in concept form in Milan this week.
Setting the Vignale concept apart from any other S-Max is its Milano Grigio rose-hued silver pearlescent paint, 21-inch alloys, chrome trim and hexagonal-pattern grille. Inside it's all ultra-soft quilted leather and aluminum trim, with tablet docking stations in the back and thinner, more flexible seats than the existing production version.

Ford To Unveil Solar Hybrid Concept Car At CES

Ford plans to unveil at this month's International CES gadget show a solar-powered concept car that offers the same performance as a plug-in hybrid but without the need for a plug. The C-Max Solar Energi Concept car uses a gasoline engine combined with a gizmo that acts like a magnifying glass to concentrate the sun's rays on the vehicle's roof-mounted solar panels. The automaker says the vehicle's estimated combined city-highway mileage is 100 miles (160 kilometers) per gallon. The U.S. auto maker says that by using solar power instead of an electric plug, a typical owner will reduce their annual greenhouse gas emissions by four metric tons. The company says it sold about 85,000 hybrid or electric vehicles in 2013, including 6,300 units of its C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid. The sun-ray concentrator was developed by researchers at the Georgia Institute of Technology and uses what is known as a Fresnel lens, which concentrates light but can be made thinner than a conventional lens. A full day of sunshine is equivalent to a four-hour battery charge, or 8 kilowatts, Ford says. On a full charge, it should have a range of 620 miles (997 kilometers), the same as the C-Max Energi. The concept car also comes with a plug-in port for standard electric charging. Ford says that 75 percent of all trips made by an average driver could be powered by the sun. After showing off the concept car at the convention in Las Vegas Jan. 7-10, Ford Motor Co. says that it will test the vehicle with institute researchers to determine if it's feasible for mass production. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Related Gallery 2013 Ford C-Max Energi Test Drive View 9 Photos Green CES Ford Alternative Fuels Fuel Efficiency Solar Cars solar car