2004 Ford Excursion Limited Sport Utility 4-door 6.8l on 2040-cars

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Americans will get a four-cylinder Ford Mustang after all? [w/poll]

Ask and you shall receive. Remember that previous report suggesting that the 2015 Ford Mustang getting a four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, and that it would be sold in Europe only and not the United States? Well, according to Road & Track, the rumor is only partially true - The Mustang will get the engine, but it is indeed coming to America.
Additionally, according to RT, the 3.7-liter V6 will continue to serve as the base engine, and since it offers up a stout 305 horsepower in its current form, it's likely that the 2.3-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost will produce a bit more than that. At the top of the range, the Mustang GT will continue to soldier on with a V8 engine, which should continue to send over 400 horsepower to the rear wheels.
Finally, while we agree 100 percent with RT's heartfelt request for a paddle-shift automatic, we certainly expect that the EcoBoost 'Stang will be offered with a manual transmission as standard equipment. This is a Mustang, after all...

Here's your chance to vote for the best-looking state police cruiser

Across the country, state police generally drive the same types of vehicles. Right now, the most common cruisers are Ford Explorers, Chevrolet Tahoes, and Dodge Chargers, with some exceptions sprinkled in. The differentiation comes through in the livery, which can range from simplistic badging to busy stripes. Each year, the American Association of State Troopers (AAST) holds a fun contest to determine which state has the coolest-looking cars, and 2019 voting has just opened. We discovered the contest after Motor1 posted about the Florida Highway Patrol's newest addition to its fleet, a Dodge Challenger R/T. The musclemobile is, without question, the coolest car in the competition, and it might have the best livery too. But that doesn't mean it's going to win, as contests like this often turn into hotbeds for chest-beating homers.  The AAST is posting results on Facebook, and as of July 17, 2019, Kentucky and Nebraska are blowing the rest of the states out of the water. Florida is in ninth place with 4,653 votes compared to first-place Kentucky's 14,699. New Jersey is in last place with only 107 votes. As the internet goes, this will likely be determined by how many times the contest is shared across social media.  The Challenger isn't the only eye candy, either. Not every state participated, but those that did came correct with the photography, including Nebraska posing its car in front of a freakin' tornado. Others staged their cars with helicopters in the background, some set the car in front of the gorgeous landscapes their states have to offer, and others posed with dogs. Because who doesn't love dogs? No matter which car wins, it's cool to see the various designs all in one place. Check out the gallery above and vote for your favorite on the AAST's survey. The survey will close on July 30, 2019.  

Ford CEO Mark Fields takes home $18.6 million

Sitting atop the throne at Ford Motor Company is, as it turns out, a fairly lucrative gig. We make that statement after learning, through SEC filings, that FoMoCo's Mark Fields raked in $18.6 million in compensation during his first year as CEO. Now, as is so often the case, Fields' earnings weren't just straight salary. Only $1.7 million of that sum was from his salary, while another $3.2 million came from cash bonuses. The remaining $13.7 million, though, came from what The Detroit Free Press called "long-term stock options, performance equity awards and compensation for items such as security and travel," according to the SEC filing. That makes for a significant raise for Fields, who made $10.1 million in 2013, but it still doesn't match his predecessor, former CEO Alan Mulally. The 69-year-old Mulally earned $23.2 million in his final year as CEO, while bringing in $1 million last year as part of a $22 million compensation package. Fields' earnings may ruffle some features for a few reasons. First, while the Freep reports that Ford hit 91 percent of its performance goals, 2014's earnings were down $4 billion, to $3.2 billion, compared to the $7.2 billion the company made in 2013. On top of that, the CEO's take-home might be sour grapes for hourly employees, who were only treated to checks worth $6,900, as part of a profit-sharing plan. To that, Ford said in a statement that, "We remain absolutely committed to aligning executive compensation with the company's business performance and to tying a significant portion of executive compensation to long-term shareholder value." News Source: The Detroit Free PressImage Credit: Paul Sancya / AP Earnings/Financials Ford alan mulally Mark Fields