2008 Ford Ranger Sport on 2040-cars

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Ford Australia launches Falcon GT F 351, last of its line [w/video]

It's always best to go out with a bang rather than a whimper, and Ford Performance Vehicles is doing just that in Australia with the Falcon GT F 351. It's the most powerful road car the Aussie performance brand has ever made with a supercharged 5.0-liter V8 pumping out 471 horsepower (351 kilowatts) and 420 pound-feet of torque. It's joined by the FPV Pursuit Ute with the same powerplant tuned to 422 hp and 402 lb-ft. Sadly, the last F in this Falcon's name stands for Final.
The GT F 351 is a monumental way to go out, though. It harkens back to the old days of Aussie muscle Fords, and the 351kw output is meant to reference the classic Falcon GT and its 351-cubic-inch V8. In addition to the massive power, the F has the improved suspension from the R-Spec model and Brembo brake calipers.
FPV is building just 500 GT F sedans for Australia and 50 more for New Zealand, plus 120 Pursuit Utes. They feature a blacked-out hood and black stripes over the hood and sides, plus gloss black accents around the headlights, door handles and mirrors.

Road tripping in a Ford Fusion Energi PHEV

Following my earlier Chevy Cruze Diesel trip and recent press-launch drives of Volvo XC90 and Hyundai Sonata plug-in hybrids, an opportunity arose for another road trip. I wanted to do it in a plug-in hybrid, primarily to learn whether its higher price vs. gas-powered and conventional hybrid versions of the same vehicle – is justified by its capability to operate as an EV, burning no fuel at all with its engine off, at least for short distances. I've been skeptical of plug-in parallel hybrids. As I've written before, I've been skeptical of plug-in parallel hybrids because they are generally good for very limited electric miles (typically 10-15, depending on driving style, terrain, and temperature) at fairly leisurely speeds before their engines kick in. But I've recently spent time in two new examples – the 2016 Volvo XC90 T8 and the 2016 Hyundai Sonata PHEV – that offer more EV range, mostly because they tote bigger (thus more expensive) batteries. Both promise 24-25 miles of battery-only range, and the latter can recharge on the fly. Unfortunately, neither was yet available for my July road trip, nor was a Honda or Toyota plug-in, but Ford anted up a Fusion Energi borrowed from its Marketing department. "The state-of-the-art lithium-ion battery and electric motor combined with the gasoline engine offers maximum efficiency," says Ford about it. "This strategy offers the best of both worlds, providing the 2016 Ford Fusion Energi the capability to be driven as an electric vehicle for short trips and as a hybrid for longer trips." I've been a fan of Ford's Fusion since the first-generation debuted a decade back, and the handsome Gen II version launched for 2013 has been Detroit's best answer to the Honda Accord/Toyota Camry/Nissan Altima Japanese juggernaut in the popular US mid-size sedan segment. Beyond its leading-man looks, it offers an array of highly-functional features (some exclusive), a choice of three gas engines (a base 2.5-liter four and 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter direct-injected, turbocharged EcoBoost fours) and both parallel and plug-in parallel hybrid versions. The regular hybrid originally boasted 47 mpg before Ford adjusted it to be more realistic. The gas engines drive through a 6-speed automatic transmission (a 6-speed manual is standard with the 1.6-liter EcoBoost), the hybrids through an electric continuously variable transaxle (eCVT), and all-wheel drive is available with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four.

5 classic trucks and their polarizing modern revivals

EVs are helping eliminate Detroit's gas-guzzling problem. Some revivals of gas-powered classics are getting the EV treatment.  But not every revived model looks exactly like its original counterpart. We're in a new era of hulking Detroit metal, and you can thank EVs. Americans can't get enough of their big, beefy trucks and SUVs. But for many years, some of the biggest gas guzzlers fell out of fashion as gas prices rose and emissions regulations tightened. But in the past few years, some of the most iconic American truck nameplates have been brought back to life with electric motors, like the GMC Hummer. In other cases, as with the Ford Bronco, improvements in engine technology and more interest in rugged adventure vehicles made a gas-powered revival possible. Even some revivals that started as gas-powered, like the Chevy Blazer and the Jeep Wagoneer, are now getting electrified spinoffs. (Even if they don't always look quite as sleek as their original inspiration.) Here are side-by-sides of five classic American trucks and their modern counterparts. The Jeep Wagoneer 1975 Jeep Wagoneer and 2024 Electric Jeep Wagoneer SStellantis After a long wait, Jeep released its revival of the classic Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer in 2020. Starting later this year, an electric version of the luxury Jeep SUV will join the Wagoneer lineup. The Chevrolet Blazer A 1973 Chevrolet Blazer and a 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EVGetty Images, General Motors The Chevrolet Blazer was first rebooted in 2019 as a sporty family SUV. The modern Blazer shares zero resemblance to its boxy, off-roading older sibling, but it has still managed to become one of Chevy's more popular SUVs in recent years. The Blazer EV came later, and was one of the first models GM built on its new Ultium battery platform. The Hummer A Hummer H2 and the 2023 Hummer EV pickup truckGetty Images, General Motors Once the poster child for Detroit's big, bad gas guzzlers, the Hummer got new life as an electric pickup truck in 2021. The Ford Bronco A 1971 Ford Bronco and a 2022 Ford BroncoFord Motor Co. After a rouge group of engineers and designers inside Ford spent years trying to breathe life back into the Blue Oval's boxy off-roader, the Ford Bronco was finally resurrected in 2020 amid a rise in popularity for rugged adventure vehicles. The Ford Ranger 1985 Ford Ranger and a 2024 Ford RangerFord Motor Co.