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Lincoln recycling tree fibers into new MKX armrest

Want to hug a tree, or at least a really small part of one. Then set your arm down on one of those armrests in the 2014 Lincoln MKX crossover. The US automaker is working with Weyerhaeuser and Johnson Controls on a tree-based, cellulose-reinforced polypropylene material used in the component that connects the armrest to the floor console, Wards Auto says. With properties similar to plastic, the tree-based material replaces fiberglass and is about six percent lighter. No big deal for now, but if the material starts getting used for things like battery trays and interior storage covers, that loss in weight may eventually start adding up enough to boost fuel economy a bit, providing a green double bonus. Lincoln parent Ford, which isn't saying how much more (or less?) it costs to use the new material, established its Biomaterials and Plastics Research team in 2001. In 2007, the company began using soy-based foam in car seats used for models such as the Lincoln Navigator and Ford Mustang and has since broadened biomaterials use to components like floormats and cupholder inserts. Ford also used recycled plastic bottles from the 2012 North America International Auto Show for seats in the Focus Electric.

Jay Leno is far beyond driven in his 1971 Pantera

Perhaps it's fitting that the band Pantera is known for its heavy metal music, because the DeTomaso Pantera is the automotive equivalent of a metal album. It's short, aggressive and makes a mean sound. It doesn't mess around either, with a Ford 351-cubic-inch (5.75-liter) V8 sending mountains of torque to the rear wheels. This week, Jay Leno takes us on a detailed tour of his '71 to show why it rocks.
There's a regular format to Jay Leno's Garage. It starts with Jay and maybe a guest taking a look at the car and talking about its history, and then they take it out on the open road. However, this video is practically a Pantera buyer's guide. Jay is adamant from the start that the last thing anyone should own is a stock example. To remedy this, he and his guest, the editor of the Pantera Club magazine, take viewers to school about some of the ways to turn them into even better performance machines.
No matter what you do to it, though, the Pantera requires that the driver adapt to it, not the other way around. For example, Jay isn't a big guy by most standards, but he has to cram himself into the cockpit with his shoes off and shirt partially unbuttoned just to go for a drive. Still, once out on the road, it all makes sense with that rumbling V8 and those Italian supercar looks. Scroll down to watch and learn a lot more about this uncompromising '70s performance car.

Android Auto to add vehicle-integrated EV route planner for Google Maps

Google just dropped all of its CES news, and there are a whole lot of new features for Android Auto and vehicles with Google Built-In infotainment systems to parse through. Starting with Android Auto, electric vehicles will have much deeper integration with Google Maps when you’re navigating. Google Maps will know your current state of charge, predict a state of charge level for your destination, suggest charging stops along the way for the most efficient route and even tell you how long each charge stop will take depending on your vehicle. ThatÂ’s a level of integration we havenÂ’t seen before from using Android Auto in an EV and should make route planning a much more streamlined process. Of course, the caveat here is that Google will need to work with the manufacturers to have access to the kind of vehicle data required to make such a holistic EV navigation system work without hiccups. Google says that the feature will be rolling out to both the Ford Mustang Mach-E and F-150 Lightning “in the coming months, with others to follow.” WeÂ’ll be impatiently waiting to try it out. As for Google Built-In news, Google says that as of today, youÂ’ll be able to send a trip that youÂ’ve planned on your phone to your car via the Google Maps app. Despite Google Maps being the native navigation system for many cars these days, itÂ’s still easier to plan a multi-destination route on your phone than tapping through the motions on the carÂ’s screen, but should no longer be an issue with this update. Additional apps are coming online in the Google Play Store that you can download to your car, too. Volvo and Polestar cars will be able to download the Google Chrome browser later this year so you can browse the web directly from your infotainment system. Both PBS Kids and Crunchyroll are being added for your streaming convenience (while charging or parked), and The Weather Channel app is available, too. ThatÂ’s all Google revealed today, but it also hinted that Digital car key support will be expanding support to more vehicles and more Android phones in the future. Plus, it says even more OEMs will continue to launch infotainment systems with Google Built-In. Related video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Green CES Ford Volvo Technology Infotainment Smartphone Truck Crossover Electric Luxury Performance Polestar