1957 Ford Thunderbird on 2040-cars

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Ford Fiesta ST customs get wild at SEMA

The massive 57-car SEMA showcase by Ford ranges from obvious aftermarket-friendly models like the Mustang, to the not so obvious ones, like the Transit Connect and cute-as-an-explosive-button Fiesta ST. Ford plucked several Fiesta STs for SEMA duty, and we were on the show floor today to get a closer look at some of them.
First up is the striking COBB Tuning and Tanner Foust Racing Fiesta ST (above) finished in a black-and-gray digital camouflage, much like that used in the military, and is meant to raise awareness for the Pat Tillman Foundation. COBB also fitted a three-inch exhaust and a cold-air intake. A new shift knob, carbon-fiber hood and a Kicker stereo round out the mix of upgrades.
MRT got its hands on a Fiesta ST and created a car inspired by Forza Motorsport 5 (below, left). Featuring a two-tone paint job and more performance upgrades than you can shake a stick at, this Fiesta ST is one of the cooler compacts at Ford's stand. A high-performance exhaust system, along with a complimentary COBB induction system, allows the ST to breathe better, while an H&R coil over suspension and Steeda brakes help it stop and turn better than stock.

Ford-sponsored survey says a third of Brits have snapped a 'selfie' while driving [w/videos]

Talking on the phone while driving isn't advisable, and texting while driving is downright dangerous. Considering those truths, the fact that we even need to point this out this is incredibly disturbing: taking "selfies" while behind the wheel is exceptionally stupid. But, it's a thing that a third of 18- to 24-year-old British drivers have copped to doing, according to a new study from Ford.
Ford, through its Driving Skills for Life program, surveyed 7,000 smartphone owners from across Europe, all aged between 18 and 24, and found that young British drivers were more likely to snap a selfie while behind the wheel than their counterparts in Germany, France, Romania, Italy, Spain and Belgium.
According to the study, the average selfie takes 14 seconds, which, while traveling at 60 miles per hour, is long enough to travel over the length of nearly four football fields (the Ford study uses soccer fields, but we translated it to football, because, you know, America). That's an extremely dangerous distance to not be focused on the road.

2014 Ford Cobra Jet announced with new colors, parachute mount

Ford's drag-strip-ready Mustang Cobra Jet is back for 2014, and it's sporting a few changes to make it even better - both in competition and while sitting still. Rolling off the assembly line ready for duty in the NHRA Stock or Super Stock classes, production of the 2014 Cobra Jet is limited to just 50 units.
Racing upgrades for 2014 include the addition of a new three-speed transmission and a parachute mount, and while these will make the car better in the quarter mile, the Cobra Jet's new colors will make it look better tearing down the track. Buyers can now get their racecars painted up in Gotta Have-It Green or a custom, Cobra Jet-exclusive matte black hue. Ford and Ford Racing have already teamed up to make this an incredible factory drag racer with a full rollcage, massive Hoosier slicks, a race-tuned suspension setup and a supercharged 5.0-liter V8. Now, if only wheelie bars came standard...
Unlike the confusing third-party ordering system announced for the COPO Camaro, all you need to snatch up a 2014 Cobra Jet is $97,990 and good timing (as the cars will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis). Ordering opens up next month with production commencing in July. Check out the press release below.