1965 Ford Mustang on 2040-cars

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Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang to cost $52,995?

The 2015 Ford Shelby GT350 Mustang was one of the shining stars of this year's Los Angeles Auto Show. And the Blue Oval's latest muscle car might even have reason to burn a little brighter if a recent rumor about its price proves true. Best of all are rumors that an even more potent version of the Shelby is potentially on the way. According to Horsepower Kings citing unnamed Ford sources at the LA Auto Show, the 2015 GT350 carries a starting price of $52,995, and the Tech package adds a further $2,995 on top of that. There's also the claim of a Track package for an undisclosed price. However, it doesn't look like LA is the last we'll see of the newest Shelby because the source also alleges that a top-rung GT350R is under development with bigger brakes, modified aerodynamics and sportier tires. This rubber-burner is reported to be unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit in January. Assuming these claims are correct, it puts the Shelby in fighting form against its two Chevrolet Camaro rivals. Ford reports that the GT350's 5.2-liter V8 pumps out over 500 horsepower and more than 400 pound-feet of torque. At $52,995, it would undercut by a couple of grand the $55,505 (before destination) base price of the 580-hp 2015 ZL1. The super 'Stang might also beat the 505-hp Z/28 with its power rating, while being vastly cheaper than the track-focused Camaro's $72,305 price. This could be quite the performance shoot-out.

Xcar gets the scoop on Ford's strategy for the GT at Le Mans in 2016

Ford's plan to return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2016 with the latest GT might have been one of the worst kept secrets in motorsports in recently memory. Even before the road car debuted at the 2015 Detroit Auto Show, rumors were flying about the Blue Oval's strategy. The wait for the official announcement just before this year's race was certainly a long one, but it was probably worthwhile just to see the competition version's spectacular looks. Xcar recently got the chance to interview Ford about the company's objectives for the new racer's development. Both the GT racing and street programs are meant as ways to advance cutting-edge technology and potentially let it trickle down to less-expensive models in the future. This is especially the case when it comes to finding ways to make carbon fiber cheaper and better. Of course, the supercar is also a showcase of what Ford can do competitively, and apparently there are patent-pending suspension parts the company isn't even talking about yet. Ford would love to score a class victory at Le Mans next year, and is pretty clear here and in its earlier promo video that it sees Ferrari as a major rival in the race. While that makes sense historically, the cross-town competitors at Corvette could be an even bigger challenger. That squad has a more recent legacy of success in the 24-hour challenge, including a victory in the GTE-Pro class this year. Related Video:

Ford recalls 83k Taurus and crossover models for halfshaft issue

Ford and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration have issued a recall for some 83,250 vehicles in the US, for an issue with halfshafts. More specifically a "halfshaft retention circlip" might not have been properly installed on affected vehicles, with the result being halfshafts that may move improperly or disengage completely from the linkshaft while driving. The NHTSA release also notes that the issue may occur "without prior warning" which obviously factors in to the timeliness of getting this checked.
Should the halfshaft disengage, a few troubling things could happen. If it occurs while driving, power from the engine will no longer be transmitted to the wheels. And, if the vehicle is parked without the parking brake applied after disengagement of the circlip, vehicles may roll away even if they're transmissions have been placed in "Park."
Affected vehicles are as follows: Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers from model years 2012 to 2014; Ford Taurus and Lincoln MKS sedans from model years 2013 to 2014; Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT vehicles from model years 2013 to 2014.