2003 Ford F150 Xlt S/c 4.6l V8 Triton Rwd Flairside Florida One Owner Low Miles on 2040-cars

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Ford and BraunAbility team up for wheelchair-accessible Explorer

BraunAbility, a creator of wheelchair-accessible vehicles that are usually based on minivans, has teamed up with Ford to create the MXV, a vehicle the company hails as the first of its kind. In addition to the obvious exterior modifications that include sliding doors, this Explorer-based mobility vehicle has removable driver and passenger seats and a powered ramp that nestles into the vehicle's floor. Modifications to the regular Explorer platform will allow wheelchair users to operate the MXV from the driver's position with the normal seat removed, ride along as a front passenger, or enjoy 56 inches of cabin height in the middle row, which is large enough to accommodate most power wheelchairs. Best we can tell, there are no changes to the Explorer's powertrain, which means a 3.5-liter V6 engine with 290 horsepower and 255 pound-feet of torque will provide motivation, not to mention 5,000-pounds worth of towing capacity. Fuel economy from the MXV matches that of the Explorer, with 17 city, 24 highway, and 20 combined. The twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 isn't available. Unfortunately, all-wheel drive also isn't available from BraunAbility due to the lowered floor necessary to make the vehicle large enough to work as a proper mobility vehicle. Even so, the Explorer looks like a pretty nice platform with which to build such a wheelchair-accessible vehicle, with good looks, good driving manners, and the kind of rugged looks you can't find in a minivan. Expect to see the MXV at BraunAbility dealers this fall, but don't expect to be first in line. Vehicle No. 1 has been promised to wounded veteran Mike Delancey, a United States Marine paralyzed by a sniper's bullet while serving in Iraq in 2006. Take a look at the images above, and feel free to peruse the press release for all the details below. Related Video: BraunAbility – the World Leader in Mobility Vehicles – Selects Ford Explorer to Create First-Ever Wheelchair-Accessible SUV • BraunAbility introduces its first-ever wheelchair-accessible sport utility vehicle – the BraunAbility MXV™ • BraunAbility-customized Ford Explorer – the best-selling SUV in the U.S. for the last 25 years – will be the company's first mass-produced wheelchair-accessible SUV • BraunAbility revolutionized what independence means to wheelchair users, and has established itself as a world leader in the mobility business DEARBORN, Mich.

Project Ugly Horse: Part V

The Slippery Slope
I've had a healthy appreciation for cars that stop since one truly unfortunate incident with a runaway 1971 Lincoln Continental.
It's funny how quickly a party can turn from, "We're all having blast" to "What happened to the front of the house, and how many stitches do you think this is going to take?" Standing in a Mustang salvage shop in Kodak, Tennessee, I couldn't help but feel I had strayed into the latter territory with Ugly Horse. There was a supercharged 5.4-liter V8 plucked from a rear-ended Cobra sitting off to my left. The shelves were lined with second-hand Roush and SVT components galore, but I couldn't stop staring at a set of rotors with the approximate diameter of my chest.

Social media star Scott Monty leaves Ford

It seems weird to think that an automaker could have a social media star, but Ford does. Or at least it did. Scott Monty, its Global Digital Communications Manager, led the company's team for almost six years and forged a reputation as being one of the most talented people in corporate social media. But the guru recently announced that he would be leaving the automaker for an undisclosed job elsewhere.
"I just decided the time was right. I am going to take a little time with my family, and I am going to start on a new adventure pretty soon," said Monty in an interview with AdWeek. He also explained a little about his theory of how companies should use social media. In his opinion, it should be a chance to go beyond standard marketing and build a relationship with people. Businesses need to have a broad focus for its online message, and using just one service isn't enough to be successful.
Under his guidance, Ford expanded its Facebook presence significantly. According to AdWeek, it launched the 2010 Explorer on the popular site. Also, when the company wanted to investigate selling electric models, it initially gauged the public's reaction on Facebook and then advertised them there first. Monty has been a major supporter of Twitter as well to broaden the company's communication with the public.