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2009 Ford F450 Harley Davidson/He-Man Woman Hater’s Edition

While I admire the beauty and sheer brute force of the ‘09 Ford F450 Harley Davidson Edition, I’ll admit I’m surprised that a penis pump and set of leather riding chaps don’t come as standard features. I mean, nothing turns me on more than the rumble of a huge, powerful engine, but a F450 with chrome, leather, and black flames? When the American economy is on the brink of total collapse?

Super Macho photo gallery after the jump

Few technical specifications have been released on the F450 Harley Davidson, and fuel consumption averages have been noticeably absent from the orchestrated “info leaks”. Ford has confirmed that the F450 Harley Davidson will be powered Ford’s Super Duty 6.4L twin-turbo V8 diesel engine. Pricing has yet to be announced, but dealers expect the tag to be somewhere around $60k when the rig hits showrooms in the spring.

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SEMA 2008: 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Unveiled

Ford has officially unveiled the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor at the SEMA show in Las Vegas.

The SVT Raptor starts with the new 2009 F-150 and adds a unique grille and a body that is seven inches wider. In addition the suspension has been upgraded with new upper and lower A arms, upgraded tie rods, new half shaft joints, and shocks from Fox Racing.

The standard engine in the SVT Raptor is the F-150's proven 5.4-liter Triton V8 three-valve engine, which delivers 320 horsepower and 390 lb.-ft. of torque. A new 6.2L V8 engine will be available after launch.

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The EarthRoamer XV-LT Ford 550: A Classic Tale Of The HUMMER And The Winnebago Who Loved Him

Officially recognizing their brief foray into the compact car market as a major blunder, for 2009, Ford has reintroduced one of their most massive feats of engineering: the EarthRoamer XV-LT Ford 550. An all-terrain recreational vehicle that will make your pop-up camper wet its pants, the EarthRoamer XV-LT prides itself on being powerful enough to endure a rugged terrain while still providing [most] of the comforts of home. Contrary to what it suggests at first glance though, the EarthRoamer XV-LT is not another monstrous, testosterone-saturated gas guzzler.

Sitting on a Ford 550 Super Duty chassis with a turbo-diesel engine under the hood, the EarthRoamer XV-LT is extremely energy efficient as it relies largely on huge solar panels to generate energy for its massive marine batteries. Unlike most campers, the EarthRoamer XV-LT doesn’t rely on propane or an auxiliary generator to power the camper’s heat, hot water, or stove, relying instead on its 350-hp, 6.4L PowerStroke diesel engine. Equipped with a 5-speed Torqueshift automatic transmission, extended gear ratios ensure optimum performance, even when your towing a load [sounds dirty, but probably isn't] at maximum 10,000 capacity.

Entirely self-contained, the EarthRoamer doesn’t have to rely on external hook-ups usually provided at RV sites either, freeing it up to camp pretty much anywhere. Surprisingly, the EarthRoamer XV-LT doesn’t sacrifice comfort for durability and features a luxurious California King size bed, perfect for using to join that mile high club after you scale the Lusten [snicker] Mountains.

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National Insurance Crime Bureau Reports Trucks/SUVs New “Most Stolen” Vehicles

The National Insurance Crime Bureau has released reports suggesting the recent surge in fraudulent vehicle theft claims is directly related to the rising cost of fuel. Although no one has specifically linked the two trends, researchers are implying that a large number of truck and SUV owners are staging the theft and/or vandalism of their vehicles, ultimately using the insurance payout to buy smaller, more economical vehicles. Sound a little far-fetched? Keep reading.

According to the report run in the Miami Herald, in December of 2004, when gas priced at about $1.65 a gallon, the monthly total of “suspicious claims” number about 40. By the time the cost of gas-per-gallon hit $3.85 in December of 2007, that figure had more than doubled to equal 96. Further supporting the argument; according to current data, six of the top 10 most-stolen vehicles are trucks and SUVs. In addition to long time favorites like the Cadillac Escalade, new favorites on the list this year include both the Dodge Ram 1500 and the Ford F-150, pick-up trucks that average 13 mpg city/18 mpg hwy and 14mpg city/19mpg hwy, respectively.

Despite the fact that insurance fraud is a felony and arguably more difficult to realistically simulate than a routine traffic accident, barring any obvious discrepancies, an owner isn’t assessed for fault when their vehicle is stolen. Since a theft isn’t a “pointable” offense, it doesn’t typically carry any penalty with most insurance carriers. Thus, unlike an accident, a claimant can collect the comprehensive insurance check without seeing their premiums skyrocket.

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Ford May Bring the Ka Subcompact to the US

Ford introduced the world to the all-new Ka subcompact at the 2008 Paris Motor Show last week. At first Ford said that there were no plans to bring the Ka to the US, but the increased demand for small cars has forced Ford to rethink that decision.

The all-new Ka features Ford's European Kinetic Design that is similar to the larger Fiesta and Focus. This morning CEO Alan Mulally told a Detroit radio station that Ford is rethinking the original decision to not bring the Ka to the US.

The Ka goes on sale in Europe in early 2009. If Ford does decide to bring the small car here, don't count on it before 2011.

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Ford Retirees Need Their Pensions To Keep Buying Fords [Caption This]

John Kachigian, a retired Ford employee, has owned 10 Mustangs since 1965, making us wonder if Ford needs to meet pensions obligations merely to keep selling cars. We just need your captions.

As a bonus, here is the real caption that Ford provided. It is a monument to unintentional humor:

NORTHVILLE, MICH.—MAY 2005 John Kachigian, an 83-year-old Ford Motor Company retiree, has owned 10 Mustangs, including three Shelby models, since 1965. He ordered the ‘05, sight unseen, and purchased the first one delivered to a dealership in Ann Arbor, Mich. in 2004. He said, “It made me feel 30 years younger.” The new model Mustang sales are up 25 percent year-to-date, and Ford has recently announced that it is increasing production 70 percent this year to meet the increased demand. Photo by: Ford Photographic/Sam VarnHagen

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2011 Ford Super Duty F-450 King Ranch Pickup

Here’s Mike Levine on Ford’s new F-Series Super Duty. You can read his full report over at PickupTrucks.com

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Lincoln Confirms Production of the MKT Crossover for 2010

Lincoln has confirmed the production of the MKT crossover for 2010.

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Ford Shuts Down Expedition and Navigator Plant for Nine-Weeks...Slow Sales

Ford has announced plans to temporarily shut down the Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne that currently produces the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.

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Is Ford Considering a Truck Smaller than the F-150 but Larger than the Ranger?

Full-size truck sales have dropped off considerably due to the high gas prices and declining housing market in the US. Gas prices alone have pushed many buyers into smaller vehicles leaving large trucks and SUVs on lots for weeks or months at a time. This new trend of moving into smaller vehicles may (hopefully) revive the small-midsize truck market.

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Ford Escape Plug-in Hybrid to reach 20 units by 2009

After delivering its first Ford Escape plug-in hybrid at the Anaheim Convention Center in California, Ford yesterday announced that it has teamed with Johnson Controls-Saft for a 20-vehicle test...

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SNL Sketch Takes On Not-So-Big Three Congressional Hearing [Carpocalypse Now]

Saturday Night Live took on the not-so-Big Three's congressional testimony and "jetpooling" incident in this weekend's "cold open," and unfortunately fell into the trap of shamelessly mocking tired stereotypes. Which is sad, because we'd watched SNL take on a new level of relevancy as of late thanks to the uber-adorable Tina Fey and an election season devoid of real political commentary. That's not to say watching Will Forte as Rick Wagoner, Darrell Hammond as Bob "The Builder" Nardelli and Jason Sudeikis as Alan Mulally isn't funny, but hearing about quality issues on the upcoming Ford Fiesta and a Cadillac XLR-V is a bit ol' and busted if you ask us. Now quality issues on a Chrysler 300C? That's comedic genius. But hackneyed and tired jokes aside, we were more concerned with further evidence the automakers have done the world's worst job of getting their message out.

For example, when we heard Casey Wilson as NY Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-Clueless) explaining to the auto chiefs Congress mandated 200 MPG cars and in doing so they've "done their part." The joke on cluelessly ineffective CAFE over-reaching was met with absolute silence. Contrast that with a moment later when Hammond, as Nardelli, responds to the question "What is Chrysler doing to make more fuel efficient cars?" with "I don't know." The joke's greeted with massive laughter. Here's a tip for GM, Ford and Chrysler — when you become a bigger punchline than Congress, you know you've done a piss-poor job at message management. Just sayin'... [SNL via Crooks and Liars]

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First Drive: 2010 Ford Fusion Sport/SEL

Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Ford, First Drive

Click above for high-res image gallery of the 2010 Ford Fusion SEL

Last month at the LA Auto Show, Ford finally took the wraps off its refreshed 2010 Fusion and this week we returned to LA to actually drive it. For a car meant to compete in the heart of the highest volume segment in the U.S. market, Ford chose a rather surprising way to show it off. This is after all a segment long dominated by cars that typically have more in common with a Kenmore refrigerator than a Corvette.

We kicked off the festivities with a mileage challenge through downtown Beverly Hills and Hollywood in the Fusion Hybrid, but then things got really interesting. The Toyota Camry and Honda Accord have seemingly been the top selling cars in America since they supplanted the Model T early in the last century. After a similar number of decades of soulless, unattractive and unreliable alternatives, U.S. automakers have been battling back in recent years with mixed success. Since the Fusion debuted in 2006, it has earned a reputation of being among the most fun to drive offerings in the segment, as well as having quality on par with the Japanese brands. For 2010, the crew in Dearborn have focused on enhancing what was already good and getting best in class in efficiency with more style. Read on to find out if they succeeded.

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Ford Fusion Sport

Gallery: First Drive: 2010 Ford Fusion SEL

Continue reading First Drive: 2010 Ford Fusion Sport/SEL

First Drive: 2010 Ford Fusion Sport/SEL originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 13 Dec 2008 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mazda To Buy Back 20% Of Ford Ownership Stake For $185 Million [Financiapocalypse]

In an effort to boost capital while simultaneously distracting auto journalists by waving a bright, shiny and colorful new toy around, Ford today authorized Mazda to buy back approximately 20% ( around 96,802,000 shares ) of the 33.4% stake the Dearborn-based automaker holds in the Japanese car manufacturer. The transaction, to be made in off-hours trading at today's closing price of ¥184 ($1.91) per share, despite reducing the share to 13.4%, will apparently not change Ford's control of Mazda. It will net Ford approximately $185 million. And yes, that's not very much. Full press release after the jump.

Ford to Change Ownership Stake in Mazda
- The two companies will continue their strategic relationship -

HIROSHIMA, November 18, 2008—Mazda Motor Corporation (Mazda) has announced today that Mazda and several of its strategic business partners will acquire a part of Ford Motor Company’s (Ford) shares in Mazda through market trading.

As a result, the ratio of Ford’s ownership of Mazda stock will be reduced from 33.4 percent to just over 13 percent, with the new agreement allowing the two companies to continue their strategic relationship that spans nearly 30 years.

“The sale of Mazda shares by our partner, Ford, will not result in any change in Mazda’s strategic direction and we will continue to accelerate our product-led brand improvement and cost innovation initiatives,” says Mazda’s Chairman, President and CEO, Hisakazu Imaki. “We will continue our strategic relationship through our ongoing joint ventures with Ford, as well as the sharing of platforms and powertrains.”

“This agreement allows Ford to raise capital that will help fund our product-led transformation, and at the same time, allows Ford and Mazda to continue our successful strategic relationship in the best interest of both companies,” said Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally.

Ford’s sale of the Mazda stock will be achieved through Mazda and a group of Mazda’s strategic business partners each buying a portion of the shares.

Photo Credit: STAN HONDA / AFP

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