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Hot Wheels Ford Transit Connect is worth more if we keep it in the box

If the 2014 Transit Connect is anything like it's utile current-generation predecessor, and we suspect it is, it will undoubtedly be one of the most functional vehicles in North America. Ford has used the occasion of SEMA to turn the TC in to things that both make use of that functionality, and occasionally sort of wreck it in the name of good old-fashioned fun. The Ford Hot Wheels Transit Connect most certainly falls into that second category.
Most TC owners might cite the vehicle's massive cargo capacity as its top positive trait, though in the case of this wide-bodied Transit said space has been sapped in the name of a 55-inch television screen, a massive Hot Wheels drag strip (continuing a popular theme at SEMA this year) and custom storage for dozens of models from one's personal hot wheels collection. Designers have also plucked the grippy Recaro seats from the Focus ST, and thrown in a pair of 18-inch tablet screens for connectivity on the go.
Naturally, the Transit Connect wouldn't be an appropriate SEMA vehicle, or Hot Wheels name-bearer, if it weren't wearing an eye-popping appearance package. Additional homage to the Focus RS can be found in the blazing blue and orange front fascia and bumpers, while 20-inch wheels make sure the wider (four-inches in front and six-inches in the back) Transit Connect sits just right. The 2.5-liter four-cylinder-engine that powers the Hot Wheels TC ensures that the concept is more show than go, but you probably had that pegged from your first look, anyway.

2015 Ford Mustang dealer order guide surfaces

Details about the all-new, 2015 Ford Mustang continue to leak out. In fact, at this point, it's more of a stream than a drip. Its option prices are already available, and now the full ordering guide is on the web for all of the trims thanks to the Mustang 6G forum. Ford is rapidly running out of secrets to keep about its new sports coupe.
The 21-page guide can be perused in the gallery below and contains all of the standard features, colors, options codes, descriptions. Generally everything you might want to know about the 'Stang is there, other than its price or power. It even shows off the available wheel designs.
The guide finally gives away the contents of the Performance Package for the EcoBoost and GT trims. The EcoBoost's package includes: A larger rear sway bar, new chassis tuning, larger brake rotors, 19-inch black wheels, retuned driver assistance systems, an aluminum dash panel, added gauge pack, 3.55 limited slip rear differential, larger radiator, heavy-duty front springs and spoiler delete. When the options pricing leaked, it indicated the package would cost $1,995. If that is the case, it seems like quite a deal.

Ford 2Q profit drops 86% as it restructures overseas

DEARBORN, Mich. (AP) — Ford's net profit tumbled 86% in the second quarter due largely to restructuring costs in Europe and South America. Net income for the April-through-June period dropped to $148 million, or 4 cents per share. Without the charges the company made 28 cents per share. Revenue was flat at $38.9 billion. On average, analysts surveyed by FactSet expected earnings 31 cents per share on revenue of $38.49 billion. Chief Financial Officer Tim Stone says the company had charges of $1.2 billion as it moved to close factories in Europe and South America. He says Ford already is seeing an impact from its global fitness measures that included a reduction of 7,000 white-collar workers. Ford, which released numbers after the markets closed Wednesday, says its results include a $181 million valuation loss on an investment in a software company, trimming 4 cents off adjusted earnings per share. Its stock fell 6.3% in after-hours trading to $9.68. Stone said Ford is in the early stages of its restructuring, but already is seeing improvement in some regions. Free cash flow also improved by 80% to $2.1 billion in the first half of the year, he said. "We're already starting to see some early benefits," he said. "A lot of work to do." The company expects improvement in the second half of the year as more new big SUVs hit dealerships and more of the restructuring takes hold. Ford on Wednesday forecast pretax adjusted earnings of $7 billion to $7.5 billion for all of 2019, compared with $7 billion last year. The company previously had only said that pretax earnings would improve. Full-year adjusted earnings per share are forecast to be $1.20 to $1.35, up from $1.30 in 2018. Previously it did not give per-share guidance. Ford's U.S. sales fell nearly 5% in the second quarter, according to the Edmunds.com auto pricing site, as the company exited most of its passenger car business. But Stone said sales of the new Ford Ranger small pickup offset much of that as its share of the small truck segment rose 14%. Edmunds, which provides content for The Associated Press, said Ford's average vehicle sale price rose 2.8% to $41,328 during the quarter. In North America, Ford's biggest profit center, pretax earnings fell 3% to just under $1.7 billion, which the company blamed on switching its Chicago factory to build new versions of midsize SUVs.