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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.

Ford recalling 2015 Mustang for fuel line leak, 20K Transit Connects for plastic panel

Ford is recalling 738 examples of the 2015 2015 Mustang with the 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine – 712 in the US, 16 in Canada. A fuel pressure sensor might have been installed incorrectly on the affected cars, and that could result in a fuel leak. At the time of writing the company hasn't heard any reports of any incidents related to the issue, and parties with affected vehicles can take them to the dealer to have the fuel tube assembly replaced free of charge. The 2014 Transit Connect Cargo Van is also the subject of a safety recall, due to a possible problem with adhesive used on the exterior plastic panel on the sliding doors. There are 19,825 units covered by that recall, which dealers will also repair free of charge. You can find more information on both bulletins in the press releases below. Ford Issues Safety Recall for Certain 2015 Mustang Vehicles in North America for Fuel Pressure Sensor Issue Dec 4, 2014 | DEARBORN, Mich. - Ford is issuing a safety recall for approximately 730 2015 Ford Mustang vehicles in North America (actual 728) for a potential fuel line leak. A fuel pressure sensor, which is part of the fuel supply tube assembly, may have been installed incorrectly, potentially resulting in a pressurized fuel leak. A fuel leak in the presence of an ignition source may result in a fire. Ford is not aware of any fires, accidents or injuries related to this condition. Affected vehicles include certain 2015 Ford Mustangs equipped with 2.3-liter engines built at Flat Rock Assembly Plant, Sept. 25, 2014 to Oct. 9, 2014. Ford is aware of 712 vehicles in the United States and federalized territories and 16 in Canada. These totals are as of Dec. 3, 2014. Dealers will replace the fuel supply tube assembly at no cost to the customer. *** Ford Issues Safety Recall for Certain 2014 Transit Connect Cargo Van Vehicles in North America for Issue with the Plastic Panel on the Sliding Doors Dec 4, 2014 | DEARBORN, Mich. - Ford is issuing a safety recall for approximately 20,000 2014 Transit Connect cargo van vehicles in North America (actual 19,825) for an issue with adhesion of an exterior plastic panel to the sliding doors. This issue may result in noise, a water leak, a loose panel, or separation of the plastic panel from the vehicle while driving, potentially increasing the risk of an accident or injury. Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this condition.

Ford using robot drivers to test durability [w/video]

In testing the durability of its upcoming fullsize Transit vans, Ford has begun using autonomous robotic technology to pilot vehicles through the punishing courses of its Michigan Proving Grounds test facility. The autonomous tech allows Ford to run more durability tests in a single day than it could with human drivers, as well as create even more challenging tests that wouldn't be safe to run with a human behind the wheel.
The technology being used was developed by Utah-based Autonomous Solutions, and isn't quite like the totally autonomous vehicles being developed by companies like Google and Audi for use out in the real world. Rather, Ford's autonomous test vehicles follow a pre-programmed course and their position is tracked via GPS and cameras that are being monitored from a central control room. Though the route is predetermined, the robotic control module operates the steering, acceleration and braking to keep the vehicle on course as it drives over broken concrete, cobblestones, metal grates, rough gravel, mud pits and oversize speed bumps.
Scroll down to watch the robotic drivers in action, though be warned that you're headed for disappointment if you expect to see a Centurion behind the wheel (nerd alert!). The setup looks more like a Mythbusters experiment than a scene from Battlestar Galactica.