2013 Explorer Used 3.5l V6 24v Automatic Fwd Suv 24328 Miles on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ford Fiesta becomes UK all-time best seller

We may regard Ford as an American automaker, but ask a Brit and they may tell you otherwise. The Blue Oval has, after all, been selling cars in the UK since 1903, and started manufacturing there as far back as 1911 when it began local production of the Model T in Manchester. Last year Ford ended 100 years of vehicle manufacturing in the UK when the last Transit van rolled off the assembly line in Southampton, but it's still the biggest-selling automotive marque in Britain.
Ford has led the British market for 34 out of the past 45 years, selling more Fiestas than any other company sells any other car in the UK since 2009... when it overtook the Focus. In fact the Fiesta has now become the best-selling car in British history, topping 4,115,000 units since its introduction in 1976. The previous record was held by - you guessed it - another Ford: the Escort sold 4,105,961 units over the course of its 32 years on the British market.
Although the Fiesta is no longer manufactured in the UK (previous versions having been built at Dagenham until 2002), engines are: the EcoBoost line was developed at the company's R&D center in Essex and are built at the factory in Dunton, while its diesel engines were developed at Dagenham in East London. Even the 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine in the Fiesta ST is built in South Wales.

Major Alexa deal will bring Amazon services into more cars

Amazon and its personal assistance service Alexa are partnering with HERE Technologies to create a new connected mobility service powerhouse. Alexa will integrate with HERE's navigation and location services to offer what the two companies are calling a "true voice-first-navigation experience." Alexa will come pre-integrated with HERE navigation on-demand, which the automakers can then enable, which should help cut down on development time. One of the biggest features from this partnership is how directions could be offered and delivered using HERE's Open Location Platform (OLP). Currently, the OLP uses data from several car manufacturers to provide insights into real-time location and traffic. But on Alexa, this could be used to provide directional context. For example, Alexa could say, "Turn right after [such-and-such a building]" rather than just, "Turn right." Amazon has been testing the automotive waters throughout the past decade. Its home-based Alexa-enabled devices are already offered with connections to several manufacturers. To various degrees of integration, it can already pair with Ford, Genesis, Toyota, Lexus, Hyundai and BMW vehicles. At the end of 2018, Amazon took things a step further when it introduced the Echo Auto, a Bluetooth-connected Alexa assistant device that can be physically kept in a car. Currently only available by invitation (its production and distribution have been delayed), the $25 device is essentially a voice service that works together with smartphones and connects to a car's speakers. Users can command it to do a variety of things, including playing music, setting navigation, opening the garage door, finding local stores, making calls, setting reminders, and thousands of other "skills." According to The Verge, nearly 1 million people have already ordered the device. Some (well, probably few) may know HERE Technologies from its maps on Windows Phones. We all know how that turned out, though. Today, HERE has expanded into a multi-function suite that is available in multiple mediums, including many automotive applications. HERE Automotive's connected vehicle services include real-time traffic, parking, weather, fuel prices, hazard warnings, traffic sign integration, and even EV charging stations. These all incorporate and extend the use of HERE's location and tracking programming. HERE is already partnered with BMW, Audi, Daimler, Intel, Mobileye, NVIDIA, and has investments from Bosch, Continental and Pioneer.

2020 Ford Super Duty Tremor vs. 2020 Ram 2500 Power Wagon: How they compare on paper

(Editor's Note: Due to inconsistencies in manufacturer reporting methods for ground clearance, an earlier version of this article stated the Ram Power Wagon's "ground clearance" to be 14.3 inches when in fact that is its "running clearance," which is deemed the ground to the lowest point of the truck MINUS the axles. The numbers below now reflect true ground clearance, or the ground to the lowest point of the truck, period. The chart and text have been updated to show both measurements for maximum accuracy and clarity.) For several years, the Ram 2500 Power Wagon has been the unquestioned king of heavy duty off-roaders. But competition is coming, and some of the strongest is from the 2020 Ford Super Duty Tremor. We decided to take a look at these trucks' specs and features to see how they compare in the realm of capability. The raw numbers are below along with some notes on each truck's unique features that go beyond the spec sheet. Off-road capability While both of these trucks boast impressive clambering abilities, each with particular strengths. The Super Duty Tremor earns points for better ground clearance and axle clearance, as well as approach angle. Some of the credit goes to the larger 35-inch tires and a shortened front air dam. On the other hand, the Power Wagon leads the Ford in departure angle, and in the ramp travel index. The latter is largely the result of the Power Wagon's electronically disconnecting sway bars, and for those unfamiliar, the ramp travel index measures articulation by having a truck drive one wheel up a ramp with the other on the ground. The farther the truck goes with the ground wheel in contact with the, well, ground, the better the score and the better the articulation. Numbers aren't everything, though. It's important to look at the equipment each truck offers, and things are closer, here, but the Ram still has an edge. Both feature off-road-friendly solid axles at both ends, but only the Power Wagon has fully locking differentials front and rear. The Tremor has a locking rear differential while the front is a limited-slip differential. The Power Wagon comes standard with a 12,000-pound integrated Warn winch, whereas such a winch is an option on the Tremor. The Tremor has its own unique features, though, including the 35-inch tires rather than the Ram's 33-inchers, and it has Ford's fancy off-road cruise control function called Trail Control. Both trucks have shocks and springs tuned for off-road use.