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Ford readying three-row Edge for China

The next-generation Ford Edge will be available with quite a growth spurt for its debut in China next year, with newly announced plans also to build and sell a three-row version exclusively in the People's Republic. However, markets outside of there likely won't see the larger model. Ford marketing boss (and future head of Ford of Europe) Jim Farley announced the three-row version of the crossover at the Los Angeles Auto Show, according to Automotive News. To create the extra room, Ford made the Chinese-built variant about 16 inches longer than its two-row counterpart. Farley didn't specify at which of the Blue Oval's plants in the country this model would be assembled. The Explorer and forthcoming Everest already offer three rows from the Ford lineup in China, but the company thinks the market can easily support all of them. According to Farley to Automotive News, the utility segment is up 485 percent in the country since 2008. Customers in the US can still look forward to the two-row Edge hitting dealers early next year. It'll be the first model in the Blue Oval's lineup here to come standard with EcoBoost power.

Consumer Reports says Toyota, Ford, Honda and Chevy are big winners in brand perception survey

According to Consumer Reports, the automotive brands that stand out in the minds of car buyers are, in order: Toyota, Ford, Honda and Chevrolet. This news comes after the magazine polled its readers, asking them to take into account vehicle quality, safety, performance, value, fuel economy, design/style, and technology/innovation - which are the factors that car shoppers are most influenced by.
It's important to note that this award is only about perception. In other words, it's perceived quality, not actual quality. "Often, perception can be a trailing indicator, reflecting years of good or bad performance in a category, and it can also be influenced by headlines in the media," said Jeff Bartlett, Consumer Reports deputy automotive editor.
The brand that made the biggest jump in perception amongst Consumer Reports readers is Tesla, which posted an impressive 47-point gain to finish in fifth place. Subaru is also notable for finishing in the top 10, despite being one of the smaller manufacturers doing business in the US. Scroll down below for all the details from Consumer Reports, if you're so inclined.

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.