1978 Ford Bronco Ranger Xlt 4x4 400 Big Block Factory Ac **vintage** Trades Ok on 2040-cars

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Hertz goes Dutch with Ford Focus ST-H

Want to take a performance car for a ride? Hertz can make that happen. Spin by your local rental location (depending, of course, on availability) and you can take out a Dodge Challenger, Ford Mustang, Chevy Camaro, even a Corvette as part of the Adrenaline Collection. Hertz's Dream Cars lineup even includes Porsches and AMGs. But the really interesting stuff is what you can't get anywhere else: cars built specifically for Hertz.
Back in 1966, Hertz had Ford cook up a special run of Mustang GT350H models in back with gold stripes. It became an icon in and of itself, and in 2008 Hertz had a new batch of Shelby GT-Hs made. Earlier this year, Hertz contracted Penske to deliver another fleet of specially-built Mustangs you can rent. But if your travel plans include a trip to the Netherlands, Hertz has a completely different type of specially-prepared Ford on offer for you.
Back in August, Ford delivered a couple of Focus STs made specifically for Hertz in Holland. Now it's expanded that fleet even further. The Ford Focus ST-H features the same 252-horsepower 2.0-liter turbo four (and everything else) as the standard Focus ST, but gets that signature black exterior with gold stripes and a black leather interior with Recaro buckets. So in case a trip to Amsterdam doesn't hold enough thrills, now you can throw a hot hatch into the mix as well. Scope out the press release (in Dutch - isn't that weird?) below.

2015 Ford Mustang gets pricing, configurator and less weight than expected

It's here; it's finally here. No more speculating or looking at dealer order guides, the configurator for the 2015 Ford Mustang is finally online. That means you should put down whatever you're doing and build your new 'Stang. Weight data for the new model has also leaked out, and while there is an increase, it's less than previously rumored.
The basic V6 coupe carries a base price of $23,600, plus an additional $825 destination charge for all models. Upgrading to the 2.3-liter Ecoboost costs $25,170, and the Ecoboost Premium is $29,170. If you need a V8 in your life, the Mustang GT is $32,100 or $36,100 with the Premium package. That puts the starting price up about $1,000 over the previous generation for the V6, but the turbocharged four-cylinder starts about $1,400 less than the V6 Premium, which is no longer available. Prices for both V8 models jumped about $1,000, as well.
If you need the convertible Mustang, the V6 starts at $29,100, excluding destination, $1,590 more than last year. The Ecoboost Premium 'vert is $34,670, and the GT droptop is $41,600.

DoJ fines Japanese parts firms $740M in massive automotive price-fixing scandal

Nine Japanese suppliers have pleaded guilty in US court over charges of price fixing in the automotive parts industry, resulting in the Department of Justice doling out a total of $740 million of fines, according to a report from Bloomberg. The scandal, which has resulted in General Motors, Ford, Toyota and Chrysler spending up to $5 billion on inflated parts and driving up prices on 25 million vehicles has sent the DoJ hustling into investigations. "The conduct this investigation uncovered involved more than a dozen separate conspiracies aimed at the U.S. economy," Attorney General Eric Holder (pictured above) said during yesterday's press conference.
As the investigation stands, the DoJ has issued $1.6 billion in fines against 20 companies and 21 individual executives, with 17 of the execs headed to prison. Deputy Assistant Attorney General Scott Hammond said, "The breadth of the conspiracies brought to light today are as egregious as they are pervasive. They involve more than a dozen separate conspiracies operating independently but all sharing in common that they targeted US automotive manufacturers."
Big-name suppliers indicted in the investigation include Mitsubishi Electric, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Hitachi Automotive and Mitsuba Corporation. A list of fines and other corporations named in the investigation is available at Bloomberg.