2005 Ford Explorer Xlt on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Reflecting on the Ford GT on its 10-year anniversary

Ten years ago, during the bright-eyed enthusiasm of the early 2000s and before the collective automotive industry did its best Titanic impression, we had the Ford GT. An everyman's supercar like there'd never been (remember, this was before 638-horsepower Corvettes were a thing), the GT arrived with a supercharged, 5.4-liter V8 that produced 550 horsepower and graced this retro-styled rocket with an easy, sub-four-second sprint to 60 miles per hour.
Equal to the GT's performance were its looks. Inspired by the GT40 racers that dominated Le Mans and bested Ferrari in the 1960s, the sleek, low, almost-reptilian look of the GT was the absolute pinnacle of the retro styling that so defined the early 2000s.
Crank and Piston put together a video celebrating the ten-year-old GT, arguing that Ford is a bit too busy with the next-gen Mustang, which turns 50 next week, to do it themselves. In the short clip, there is gratuitous engine noise and supercharger whine, not to mention scenes of the white-on-red GT prowling the deserts and streets of Dubai. It's a bit short, but very nicely shot. Scroll down, have a look and be sure to turn up those speakers before getting started.

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 Fiesta ST customs get wild at SEMA

The massive 57-car SEMA showcase by Ford ranges from obvious aftermarket-friendly models like the Mustang, to the not so obvious ones, like the Transit Connect and cute-as-an-explosive-button Fiesta ST. Ford plucked several Fiesta STs for SEMA duty, and we were on the show floor today to get a closer look at some of them.
First up is the striking COBB Tuning and Tanner Foust Racing Fiesta ST (above) finished in a black-and-gray digital camouflage, much like that used in the military, and is meant to raise awareness for the Pat Tillman Foundation. COBB also fitted a three-inch exhaust and a cold-air intake. A new shift knob, carbon-fiber hood and a Kicker stereo round out the mix of upgrades.
MRT got its hands on a Fiesta ST and created a car inspired by Forza Motorsport 5 (below, left). Featuring a two-tone paint job and more performance upgrades than you can shake a stick at, this Fiesta ST is one of the cooler compacts at Ford's stand. A high-performance exhaust system, along with a complimentary COBB induction system, allows the ST to breathe better, while an H&R coil over suspension and Steeda brakes help it stop and turn better than stock.