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2016 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang rated at 526 hp, 429 lb-ft

When Ford debuted the Shelby GT350 Mustang at the LA Auto Show last year, we were told it'd have more than 500 horsepower and over 400 pound-feet of torque. And indeed it does; Ford confirmed today that its hot 'Stang will make 526 hp at 7,500 rpm and 429 lb-ft at 4,750 rpm. Compared to the GT350's main rival, the Chevy Camaro Z/28, that's an increase of 21 hp, but a loss of 52 lb-ft. That said, this Mustang packs some serious prowess, especially in its most hardcore GT350R trim. It sounds pretty wicked, too. It's worth noting that both the standard GT350 and GT350R use the same engine, with the same output ratings. It's also worth noting that this is a flat-plane-crank engine. It's the most powerful naturally aspirated engine Ford has ever made, with 102 hp per liter. Redline is 8,250 rpm. It's a lightweight engine, too – the 5.2-liter mill weighs less than Ford's own 5.0-liter Coyote V8. Perhaps most impressive is the price point for the 2016 Shelby GT350. The standard car comes in at $47,870, while the GT350R will command $61,370 – a big drop over the Camaro Z/28 and it's $73,300 sticker price (including destination but not gas guzzler charges). Ford confirmed the power output news at a media briefing today near its headquarters in Dearborn, MI. Stay tuned for more information as it becomes available. Related Video:

Former Cadillac boss Butler takes Ford tech job

When Don Butler made the surprising decision to leave his post as Cadillac's VP of global strategic development, it was a surprise. Citing a desire to "recalibrate, reassess my priorities" in that August announcement, it wasn't entirely clear where Butler - a virtual General Motors lifer after spending nearly 30 years with the company - would end up. Turns out he took a trip to Dearborn.
Butler has taken a position in the newly created position of Executive Director of Connected Vehicles and Services at Ford, where he'll be responsible for the Blue Oval's global connectivity strategy. "Not only does Don understand the connected car landscape, but probably just as important, he understands customer expectations," said Raj Nair, who, as Group Vice President of Global Product Development, is Butler's new boss. "Having a leader with technology experience both inside and outside the industry is a rare combination - we're excited to have Don join our team."
As Ford has received its fair share of flak for the sometimes recalcitrant MyFord Touch infotainment system and its Sync voice-controls, it appears that Butler has his work cut out for him.

Consumer Reports declares most and least loved cars [w/video]

Consumer Reports is crunching the numbers from its annual owner-satisfaction survey, and part of that process is finding out how attached drivers are to their cars. CR simply asks readers of models up to three years old if they would buy the same vehicle again in light of their entire ownership experience, and tallies the results. After looking at the responses for about 350,000 vehicles, it turns out that people really love a certain California-built, electrically powered luxury sedan. That's right, this year's the overall winner was the Tesla Model S with a whopping 98 percent of owners saying they would purchase another one (the Model S also won this award last year, with 99 percent satisfaction). The Chevrolet Corvette Stingray came in a close second with 95 percent of drivers hoping to park another one in their garage. A few models weren't quite so favored, though. The Nissan Versa Sedan was the least loved model among its owners; a mere 42 percent said that they would purchase another. The aging Jeep Compass didn't do much better, with just 43 percent of drivers willing to buy the softroader again. On average, about 70 percent of owners say they would buy their car again, and only four cars ranked below 50 percent in CR's findings. Check out the video above to see some of the winners and losers in a few of CR's categories. If you're a subscriber, you can check out the full list on its website. Related Gallery Consumer Reports Most Loved Cars 2014 Related Gallery Consumer Reports Least Loved Cars 2014 News Source: Consumer Reports - sub. req., Consumer Reports via YouTube Chevrolet Ford Mazda Mercedes-Benz Porsche Subaru Tesla Ownership Videos car ownership