2000 Ford Focus Zx3 Hatchback 3-door 2.0l on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ford gathering data to improve how bikes and car interact

More than a hundred years ago, the Ford Motor Company changed the landscape of US cities with its cars, and the company is once again trying to disrupt the way Americans move around their metropolises by ditching four wheels for two. Ford is hoping data will make the difference in its quest to create a city friendly to both cars and bikes with what it calls a "mobility experiment" known as Info Cycle. Engineers are riding bikes with data sensors on the front fork around the tech town of Palo Alto, CA, according to CityLab. This data is analyzed and made public on Ford's open-source site called OpenXC. The sensors record everything from speed to temperature to ambient light. Ford hopes the data give city governments and biking activists the tools they need to make roads safer for all travelers. Along with data gathered from cars, Ford hopes to foster a better urban ecosystem for both bikers and drivers. Ford has tried to crack into the bike market before, but concepts like the Think and e-bike were never fully realized or came to market too early to capitalize on the current transportation revolution. Now that car ownership and miles driven are down and alternative modes of transportation are catching on in the United States, Ford wants to be on the cutting edge of the mobile revolution. Earlier this year, Ford introduced the MoDe:Flex, an electric bike concept, along with the previously announced MoDe:Me and MoDe:Pro. Related Video: News Source: CityLab Green Ford Driving Bikes data

Mustang Cobra Jet prototype garners $200k for charity at Barrett-Jackson

A few weeks ago we brought you news of a one-off Mustang Cobra Jet that Ford was donating to charity. The car was set to be auctioned off by Barrett-Jackson in Las Vegas to benefit the National Multiple Sclerosis Society. Now that auction has taken place, bringing in an impressive $200,000 for MS research.
That's a lot of zeros for a Mustang, much less one you can't even drive on the street. But the unique pony car, bearing serial number 2014 BJMS CJXX1, packs a 5.0-liter supercharged V8, competition gearbox, wheelie bar, roll cage... all you could want, in short, in a turn-key drag racer. And all that for a good cause.

Leno recalls '90s showdown with Tim Allen and his mullet

Not many of us have buddies with garages full of classic cars, but that isn't the case for Jay Leno and Tim Allen. Of course, one of the advantages for two guys with such vast collections is occasionally getting to pit their cars against each other. The two comedians did just that in the mid-'90s with a burnout battle on The Tonight Show between Allen in a race-prepped Mustang and Leno in a drag racer. After some time away from regular television, Leno is returning to the airwaves with a Jay Leno's Garage series premiering on Oct. 7 (tonight) at 10:00 p.m. ET on CNBC. Let this clip serve as another taste of what to expect for the new TV show's mix of comedy and cars. After reminiscing about the old days in a gorgeous garage, the comedians get into two modern machines to reprise the classic challenge – after a little trash talk anyway. Don't worry because the YouTube series isn't going anywhere, though.