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NHTSA opens investigation into Ford Explorer PI brakes

This year more than most, it's pleasant when we can string together a few days without word of an automaker or the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration announcing a bunch of new recalls. It's seemingly been a little quiet on this front lately (barring a spider-related Suzuki issue revealed early today), but now we have word of the government safety agency opening a Preliminary Evaluation into the 2013 Ford Explorer Police Interceptor, a probe that could potentially affect an estimated 20,000 vehicles.
The issue being investigated concerns failures of the front brake hose on the vehicle that show "small splits in the hoses near the body side ferrule of the hose assembly," according to the agency, and the issue could result in longer stopping distances. The feds have reports of 13 malfunctions affecting 11 Explorer units. However, it's important to note that all of the incidents come from a single, unnamed metropolitan police fleet that operates 46 of them. According to The Detroit News, the failures generally took place between December and July.
NHTSA is investigating further to find if this is a more widespread issue than just this one fleet. Ford spokesperson Kelli Felker confirmed to us, "We are cooperating with NHTSA on this investigation, as we always do." Scroll down to read the agency's report.

Woman trades 1914 Model T in for 2013 Corvette

We're sure that dealers must see all sorts of interesting trade ins, but this one may take the cake. Red River Chevrolet in Bossier City, Louisiana, recently had a customer come in with an odd request. Tina Boyter wanted to trade in three vehicles on a brand-new 2013 Chevy Corvette. Among the hardware was 1980 Corvette, a 1978 Cadillac Eldorado and a 1914 Ford Model T. While the '80 Corvette had been her personal car for years, the '78 Eldorado had belonged to Boyter's mother before she traded up to a Lincoln. The big Caddy had just 10,290 miles on the clock when it was traded in.
And the Model T? Boyter says the car was built as a racer by Ford, and that it had been a show winner for years when it belonged to her father. But, after spending the last 16 years in a museum with its fluids drained, Boyter decided it was time to shed some of the past. She walked into the dealer, laid eyes on a white 2LT Corvette with a red interior and offered to trade all three of the vehicles in on the sports car.
Why not wait for the C7? "I fell in love with that one when I walked in the door," She said. We can't fault her there.

RTR Spec 5 Concept shows off 2015 Ford Mustang's drifty potential

Meet the Ford Mustang RTR Spec 5 Concept, a fully functional drift car that, according to our team in Sin City, has been doling out demo drifts in front of the Las Vegas Convention Center.
Destined to be the flagship of RTR's Tactical Performance Line, the Spec 5 Concept is, in addition to its 5.0-liter Aluminator V8 engine, chock full of performance parts that you can buy for your very own 2015 Mustang. In addition to the Ford Racing engine, the OEM parts supplier has lent the Spec 5 an aluminum radiator and a close-ratio six-speed transmission.
ASD Motorsports provided the front lower control arms, while the car itself rides on a fully customized coilover suspension. Magnaflow and American Racing have provided the exhaust system and headers, respectively. 20-inch HRE wheels, designed for RTR, are wrapped in sticky Nitto rubber.