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Martin Leach's secret EV startup revealed: NextEV

More details have surfaced about ex-Ford executive Martin Leach and the electric-vehicle start-up he's helping to lead. The company is called NextEV, and it's based in Shanghai, Reuters says. Among the fledgling company's investors is Hillhouse Capital, which also has a stake in San Francisco-based car-hailing service Uber Technologies. NextEV is also partnered up with first season Formula E champs China Racing, and that the team will be running a NextEV drivetrain this upcoming season. Late last month, Leach confirmed to Reuters that he was working with an electric-vehicle startup which had employees in both California and China, but he didn't get into the nitty gritty. Now, the company is said to include former BMW senior designer Juho Suh and former Tesla Motors senior program director John Thomas. And although no details have been disclosed about funding levels, there are hints that it may be substantial given possible Chinese backing and an effort to develop a high-end electric vehicle for in China for the domestic market. The group is working on an electric vehicle that it says may debut as early as next year. The supercar will have more than 1,000 horsepower, and will be able to go from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in less than three seconds, suggesting that the company – like so many others – is looking to out-Tesla Tesla. Leach left his post as chief operating officer of Ford of Europe in 2003, even after being named man of the year by Automobile magazine. He subsequently ran Maserati, then worked last year for Hong Kong-based Hybrid Tech Holdings. That company unsuccessfully put in a bid for the assets of then-bankrupt high-end plug-in vehicle maker Fisker Automotive. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Luca Bruno / AP Green Ford Electric Shanghai nextev martin leach

Ford F-150 King Ranch celebrates 'history and authenticity' for 2015 [w/video]

What's life like on an authentic Texas ranch? We honestly have no idea, having never lived on such a ranch, but we imagine it requires lots of hard work, grit and determination to keep all 825,000 acres - that's larger than the state of Rhode Island - of the King Ranch in Texas under control. Indeed, a total of 350 vehicles, all of which come from Ford, we're told, are currently in use by the ranch. No wonder, then, that the collaboration between Ford and King Ranch has lasted for 15 successful years.
For 2015, in celebration of that 15th anniversary, Ford is debuting three new King Ranch models today at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo. The most significant is the 2015 F-150 King Ranch, which, naturally, will add unique interior and exterior bits and pieces to the new aluminum-intensive F-Series pickup. Color choices will consist of Caribou, Bronze Fire, Guard and Ruby Red Metallic Clearcoat, with a range of two-tones to go along with a monochromatic scheme in Caribou. Inside, a bespoke King Ranch interior will be swathed in Premium Mesa Brown leather.
Joining the F-150 King Ranch on dealership floors later this year will be 2015 King Ranch editions of the Super Duty pickup and Expedition fullsize SUV, all of which will offer similar levels of content. Scroll down for more details and two videos from Ford, and be sure to check out the high-res image gallery above, which was shot by the official State Photographer of Texas, Wyman Meinzer.

Car Club USA: Louisiana Mudfest

There's nothing quite like mudding. Big tires, huge power, and crazy-wild gearheads that like to throw down on a mud pit almost as much as a thirty rack of Coors. In the latest, and some might argue greatest yet episode of Car Club USA, we head to Louisiana to throw some dirt at Mudfest. As Louisiana's one and only Mouth of the South puts it, "If you don't mud ride... go to Texas I guess." Joining The Mouth and friendly rivals The Most Hated Mud Sluts, we dive in. Beyond the obvious V8 blasting and tractor-tire spinning, those who know best describe Mudfest as, "Good cooking, good friends, good fun, and a lot of partying." It's a motorsport spectacle unlike any you're likely to find up North or out West, though no less impressive to behold. Follow along with the fun, the impromptu drag racing, the trash talking, and the mechanical madness. And find out why, at Mudfest, "if we don't tear it up, we ain't done it right." Each Car Club USA episode features a different car club or event from across the US, where passionate owner communities gather to share automotive experiences and embark on incredible adventures. From Main Street cruises to off-road trails, catch all the latest car club activity on Autoblog. Chevrolet Ford Jeep RAM Truck Off-Road Vehicles Car Club USA Videos autoblog black