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The history and future of the Ford Bronco

Some have suggested that the Bronco's demise was hastened by the fallout from the O.J. trial.
Twenty years ago today, ex-NFL linebacker Al "A.C." Cowlings drove his friend and onetime running back Orenthal James "O.J." Simpson on a parade lap of the Los Angeles highway system and onto an ignoble page of the history books. If you're in your late 20s or older, or a fastidious young student of 1990s American history, you're absolutely aware that Al and O.J.'s steed for the 'chase' was a white Ford Bronco. The white Ford Bronco, even.

Ford ditching Microsoft in favor of BlackBerry QNX for next-gen Sync?

Ask the average consumer - at least, those who follow the goings-on in the automotive industry - which carmaker they'd most closely associate Microsoft, and the answer you'd most likely get would be Ford. The Blue Oval automaker, after all, was at the forefront of bringing Microsoft technology into cars with its pioneering Sync system, and, though reality didn't turn out as such, Ford's CEO was recently touted as a potential future head of the Redmond-based software giant. But that relationship, according to the latest reports, could be coming to an end.
Alan Mullaly kiboshed the idea of leaving Dearborn for Redmond, but more importantly Ford is tipped to be ditching Microsoft in developing its next-generation Sync system. In its place, Ford is expected to partner with BlackBerry's QNX division.
Now, before you go balking "BlackBerry?! But they're finished!" consider that QNX is (or at least was) an independent entity that Research In Motion (as BlackBerry's Ontario-based parent company was then known) just happened to have bought back in 2010. QNX provides control systems to everything from nuclear power plants and UAVs to automakers like Audi, BMW and Porsche.

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