1999 Ford Contour Sport 2.5l V6 on 2040-cars

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The USPS needs 180,000 new delivery vehicles, automakers gearing up to bid

Winning the New York City Taxi of Tomorrow tender was a huge prize for Nissan, even though the company is still working through the process of claiming its prize. The United States Postal Service has begun the process to take bids for a new delivery vehicle to replace the all-too-familiar Grumman Long Life Vehicle, and that will be a much larger plum for the automaker who wins it, perhaps worth more than six billion dollars. The Grumman LLV is an aluminum body covering a Chevrolet S-10 pickup chassis and General Motors' Iron Duke four-cylinder engine. The USPS bought them from 1987 to 1994, and the 163,000 of them still in service are a monumental drain on postal resources: they get roughly ten miles to the gallon instead of the quoted 16 mpg, drink up more than $530 million in fuel each year, and their constant repair needs like the balky sliding door and leaky windshields have led the service to increase the annual maintenance budget from $100 million to $500 million. A seat belt is about as modern as it gets for safety technology, and the USPS says that assuming things stay the same, it can't afford to run them beyond 2017. Last year it put out two triage requests for proposals seeking 10,000 new chassis and drivetrains for the Grumman and 10,000 new vehicles. The LLV is also too small for the modern mail system in which package delivery is growing and letter delivery is declining. The service says it doesn't have a fixed idea of the ideal "next-generation delivery vehicles," but it listed a number of requirements in its initial request and is open to any proposal. Carriers have some suggestions, though, saying they want better cupholders, sun visors that they can stuff letters behind, a driver's compartment free of slits that can swallow mail, and a backup camera. The request for information sent to automakers pegs the tender at 180,000 vehicles that would cost between $25,000 and $35,000 apiece, and it will hold a conference on February 18 to answer questions about the contract. GM is the only domestic maker to avow an interest, while Ford and Fiat-Chrysler have remained cagey. Yet with a possible $6.3 billion up for grabs and some new vans for sale that would be advertised on every block in the country, we have a feeling everyone will be listening closely come February 18. We also have a feeling the LeMons series is going to be flooded with Grummans come 2017. News Source: Wall Street Journal, Automotive News - sub.

Ford Transit Skyliner Concept is a Gulfstream for the road

If you are afraid to fly or just want to arrive at your ultimate destination in absolute comfort, then the Ford Transit Skyliner concept might be the perfect vehicle for you. Built by Galpin Auto Sports and based on a 2015 Transit, the van is basically a private jet on wheels. It even has a touch of Transformers about it with the ability to switch between four modes by pressing a button in a smartphone app.
Based on the long wheelbase, high-roof model with 487 cubic feet of cargo space and 6 feet, 9.5 inches of interior height, the Skyliner has movable captains chairs that shift around among four modes. In theater mode, the seats turn and recline to face a 52-inch retractable movie screen with 7.2 surround sound. For business, a motorized table unfolds, and the chairs gather around it. There is a mode for tailgating where the door opens four-feet wide, and, when traveling, passengers can recline back with footrests that extend for maximum comfort.
To make the ride even plusher, there is a satellite and media server to meet your entertainment needs, and there is even a built-in bar in the back. If this Ford had a bathroom, you could live in it. Of course, you would need to hire a driver to enjoy all the amenities in the back.

2016 Ford Focus RS shows up in Geneva, still bound for America [w/video]

Representing the super-hot hatchback movement at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show, we have the 2015 Ford Focus RS, the third-generation to wear the performance-focused designation. Bound for America for the first time, it's fair to say we're darn excited for the Focus RS and its 2.3-liter, turbocharged four-cylinder. With at least 315 horsepower under the hood and the long-awaited inclusion of an all-wheel-drive system, there's little arguing that the RS will be seriously quick off the line. It should be darn good through the bends, too. The all-wheel-drive system packs a Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control system that sends up to 70 percent of the power to the rear axle. On top of the AWD's torque vectoring ability, the Focus RS adds a brake-based torque vectoring system, which transfers power laterally, as needed. Michelin Pilot Sport Cup 2 tires should only help keep the RS glued to the tarmac. A three-pedal setup is the sole transmission option, which should delight purists. According to Ford, both the clutch and the trans itself have been bolstered to handle the 2.3-liter's power. Ford also comprehensively upgraded the looks of the Focus RS relative to the lesser Focus ST. Its enormous rear wing and the back bumper's rear diffuser complement the car's menacing face. The ST's center-exit exhaust has been ditched for a meaty set of pipes, while the car on display in Geneva shows off a different set of alloys than what we saw during the car's original debut. Check out our full gallery of live photos of this hot Ford, available up top. And be sure to check out our Short Cut of the new hot hatch by scrolling down. All-New Ford Focus RS; High-Performance Hatch with Innovative All-Wheel Drive Set for U.S. Debut - Third-generation Ford Focus RS will be available in major markets around the world and for the first time in the United States; Focus RS follows the reveal last month of the new Ford GT supercar – a new era of Ford performance that will deliver 12 new vehicles by 2020 - All-new Ford Performance All-Wheel Drive with Dynamic Torque Vectoring Control paired with a powerful 2.3-liter EcoBoost® four-cylinder engine will provide impressive performance - Aggressive, functional design inside and out makes Focus RS the most powerful production Focus ever, with highly capable performance on both road and track - Professional rally driver and star of Gymkhana films Ken Block teamed with Ford as a consultant on development of Focus RS Cologne, Germany, Feb.