2012 Ford Taurus on 2040-cars

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Ford Transit gets outfitted for prison duty

Between the Taurus-based Police Interceptor, the Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility and the F-150 and Expedition special service vehicles, Ford has no lack of offerings for law enforcement. And now it has one more in the form of the new Transit PTV.
Based on the fullsize Transit van, the Prisoner Transport Vehicle can move as many as 12 prisoners in three separate compartments between detention facilities. Created in collaboration with Pennsylvania-based Havis Prisoner Transport Solutions and with input from Ford's Police Advisory Board, the Transit PTV takes advantage of the Transit's considerable configuration options that include three roof heights, two wheelbases, three lengths and four body-styles - not to mention engine options that include the flex-fuel 3.7-liter V6, 3.5-liter EcoBoost and 3.2-liter Power Stroke diesel.
"Transit PTV is the latest example of Ford's deep commitment to helping provide law enforcement agencies with capable vehicles. This concept proves Transit is upfit-ready and designed to Built Ford Tough standards," said Jonathan Honeycutt, Ford police marketing manager. "Many Police Advisory Board members have had the chance to drive this vehicle and they are excited about it. This new vehicle is tough, smart and efficient - ideal for the needs of law enforcement agencies."

American automakers fall in latest Fortune 500 rankings

Not that it means anything beyond bragging rights, but if you're fixated on the positions of domestic automakers on the annual Fortune 500 list, both General Motors and Ford are still on it but they've slipped a couple of notches. The list ranks American companies and they're ordered solely by revenue. GM, fifth last year, came in seventh, while Ford fell from ninth to tenth even though both companies saw small gains in annual revenue.
GM's $152.3 billion in revenue was less than a third of that of the first company on the list: Wal-Mart, which regained the title from Exxon Mobil. Berkshire Hathaway and Apple are the firms that moved GM down. Ford, displaced by energy company Valero, had $134.3 billion in revenue.
On a side note, profitability isn't a factor, but both GM and Ford were down in this year's list compared to last year's: GM declined from $9.2 billion to $6.2 billion, Ford fell from $20.2 billion to $5.6 billion. If profits were included, Exxon Mobil would probably still be king: although the energy company made almost $20 billion less in revenue than Wal-Mart's $469.2 billion, it posted $44.9 billion in profit compared to Wal-Mart's $17 billion.

Ford Figo concept unveiled in India

Ford has officially unveiled the Figo Concept at the 2014 Auto Expo in New Delhi. While it may wear a concept badge, we'd argue this little sedan, which is under 12 feet long, looks ready to replace the current Figo and do battle with other B-segment cars in the world's emerging markets.
"With the Figo Concept, we are showing that choosing a compact sedan does not mean compromising on premium design or smart solutions," said Kumar Galhotra, Ford's VP of engineering, global product development. That premium design includes Ford's familial, trapezoidal grille and Fusion-esque headlights in front, while the rear end reminds us of the last-generation Focus Coupe. While that car wasn't exactly attractive, the chopped off tail looks pretty nice on this smaller car. And if you really don't like the looks of the Figo Concept, just remember - it looks better than the current production model. Aerodynamically, the Figo's shape is quite slippery, which means reduced wind noise and improved fuel economy.
As for the "smart solutions" touted by Galhotra, the narrow confines of Indian streets make driving even the tiniest cars a challenge. To give the Figo Concept a one-up on the competition, Ford has fitted power-folding mirrors that sport a "flexible architecture," which should stand up well to bumps from cars, people or bikes. We don't have any interior images, but Ford is promising a large cabin, that includes a dock that can accommodate a phone or MP3 player, allowing either to be controlled through the car.