2012 Ford Explorer Limited 4x4 Navigation Back Up Camera Black on 2040-cars

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Toyota, Ford decide to end hybrid collaboration before it starts

Not all so-called Memorandum of Understanding pacts end in actual collaborations. For instance, after a two-year "feasibility study," Toyota and Ford have just announced that they will not be developing hybrid systems for use in light trucks and SUVs as previously planned, and the two automakers will instead continue to develop their own hybrid technology independently.
The would-be collaboration was first announced in August of 2011, and would have seen a rear-wheel-drive hybrid platform that would "improve the efficiency of trucks and SUVs while still allowing them to be driven in the way customers expect," according to our initial post on the topic.
Keep in mind that this announcement isn't to say we shouldn't expect hybrid pickups and SUVs from the two automakers, but that they probably aren't coming very soon - Ford says it will have a system "before the end of this decade" and we haven't heard much from Toyota on the hybrid truck front since the 2008 A-BAT Concept (pictured above) - and that they will not share any components between them (and they never have, for what it's worth).

Jay Leno and Lee Iacocca reflect on 50 years of Ford Mustang

Lee Iacocca oversaw the birth of the Ford Mustang back in the 1960s, rocketing the new pony car nameplate into million-unit sales territory in its initial go-round and cementing its place in the history books. Thus, we were immediately drawn to this latest episode of Jay Leno's Garage, in which the funnyman hosts Iacocca for a look at the origins of Ford's most iconic sports car. The legendary auto exec is looking notably more frail than when we last saw him, but if we're being asked around as a video guest when we're 89 years old, we'll consider that evidence of a life well lived.
Serial No. 0001 is on hand for the occasion for Jay's romp through history, as is the historic Mustang 1 showcar from 1962. Of course, the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang GT (in prototype form) makes an appearance at the end of the episode with chief engineer Dave Pericak, as well. Get some, below.

Ford issues four recalls covering 163k vehicles

Recalls! 2014 will be forever remembered as the year that automakers went recall crazy, with millions and millions of vehicles adding up to crush previous recall records well before the end of the year. Adding to that tally is Ford, which announced a call-back for 163,000 vehicles.
Leading that charge are the 2.0-liter, EcoBoost four-cylinder engines of the Ford Focus ST and Ford Escape. 160,000 of the 2013 and 2014 models have bad wiring harnesses that can disrupt the signals traveling to the powertrain control module. That, in turn, could lead to a check engine light, reduced power and stalling. Notably, Ford hasn't recalled any other vehicles that feature the 2.0 EcoBoost, such as the Fusion, Taurus or Explorer.
While the Focus ST and Escape constitute the vast majority of recalled vehicles, they aren't the only problem children in the Ford family. 1,300 Transit passenger vans from model year 2015 were recalled due to brake fluid leaks, while another 600 Transit cargo variants were recalled after Ford discovered the windowless sliding doors could come open in the event of a side-impact crash. Dealers will replace the sealing washers on the passenger variants and add a reinforcement plate on the cargo models, The Detroit News reports.