SHOtime! Taurus moniker returns with 365 hp

After a 10-year absence, the Super High Output nameplate is back - this time, on a much larger car with far more power. Taurus fans - who knew? - have hung a "mission accomplished" banner on the website bringbackthesho.com as the car was unveiled this morning in Chicago. Clearly, there's more than a few people willing to fork over $38,000 for this fully-loaded four-door.

Ford's 3.5 liter, twin-turbocharged V-6 makes a healthy 365 horsepower, 130 more than the last SHO's Yamaha V-8. Besides dual exhaust tips, a subtle rear decklid spoiler and wheels up to 20 inches, there's not much to differentiate the SHO from the standard Taurus, but according to Ford, that's the point of its "authentic sleeper sedan formula."

Unlike the first 1989 SHO, there won't be a manual transmission, but the six-speed paddle-shifter automatic will blip the throttle on downshifts.

Test Drive: 2010 Ford Fusion is best gas-electric hybrid yet

OK, let's just get it out there: The 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid is the best gasoline-electric hybrid yet.

What makes it best is a top-drawer blend of an already very good midsize sedan with the industry's smoothest, best-integrated gas-electric power system. It's so well-done that you have to look to the $107,000 Lexus LS 600h hybrid to come close.

Fusion's $28,000 starting price is more or less in reach, the driving feel is good, and the interior has a premium look and feel.

There are three facets to consider in evaluating a gasoline-electric hybrid: the underlying vehicle itself, the hybrid system and the mileage.

WANT TAX CREDIT? BUY IT NOW

Ford says the 2010 Fusion hybrid qualifies for a $3,400 tax credit but only if you buy one by March 31, the end of the first quarter.

Few will be at dealers by then, but buyers can order one now and qualify for the credit, even if the car is delivered after the deadline.

The federal credit to encourage hybrids phases out as an automaker sells more of them. Ford has sold enough hybrids that the buyer's credit on a hybrid Fusion or Milan sedan halves to $1,700 on April 1. The credit also drops on that date for the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner hybrid SUVs.

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Ford Taurus Tempts With Tech

Ford knows people aren't going to buy the new Taurus because it offers thrilling performance. So in an attempt to draw buyers back to the large sedan many industry watchers call vital to the company's success, Ford has packed its flagship with a slew of gadgets.

Oh sure, the Taurus is good looking, drawing on the European styling of the Mondeo. And it's a deal at $25,995 or so. But it's the gadgets, from the obligatory Sync voice-activated communication and entertainment system to butt-massaging seats (really!) and capless gas tank, that have our inner geek grinning. Ford says all the tech is designed to make the car a connected, customized place to be when you're on the road.

"Taurus is more of a 'me' sedan now, and we've delivered with this buyer in mind," says Moray Callum, director of car and crossover utility vehicle design for Ford.

The Taurus was introduced in 1986 and was for many years one of the best selling cars in America. But then came the Dark Ages of the SUV and the Taurus hasn't been the same since. Sales sank 23 percent last year to 52,667 probably because people more often think "Camry" when you mention family sedan. So Ford reworked the Taurus in almost every regard, and the result is the best Taurus in, well, maybe ever. The gadgetry is just icing on the cupcake, and for the most part we don't see a lot of technology just for technology's sake. Here, then, is a quick rundown.

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The Ford Story

Click here for more information on "The Ford Story"

Bill Ford

A DIFFERENT ROUTE

At Ford, we are headed in a new direction. After turning a profit this year in the first quarter and making significant progress on cost reductions, we were hit by a spike in gas prices, followed by the current credit crisis. But instead of focusing on our challenges, we’d like you to know how very far Ford has come and how we’re doing business differently.



Alan Mulally talking about Ford's buisness plan:

Mark Fields talking about Ford's progress:

Did you know...

The Ford F-Series and Ford Flex are rated as two of the 10 Best New Cars of 2009 by BusinessWeek.

16 2008 Ford vehicles are rated Best Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS, more than any other automaker.

Ford Division has 15 car, truck and SUV choices that get 25 mpg or better

Ford Motor Company is a 2008 ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence winner.

Escape Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient SUV on the planet.2

December 2009 Employee Pricing Plus Commercial from Fox Valley Ford at the North Aurora Auto Mall

Ford tops safety awards list for 2009, has 16 winners

Ford Motor Co. offers the most vehicles in America with top safety ratings, says the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety.

The institute today released its "Top Safety Pick" awards list for 2009, which recognizes vehicles that do the best job of protecting people in front, side and rear crashes, based on the institute's tests.

Ford had more winners than any other automaker -- 16 in all. Honda Motor Co. was second, with 13 winners. General Motors Corp. and Toyota Motor Corp. tied with eight each.

"We want to set ourselves apart from the other American companies," Steve Kozak, Ford's safety chief engineer, told the Free Press on Monday. "We're ready and able to compete head-to-head with the Japanese."

Last month, Ford also won accolades from Consumer Reports for the high quality of its vehicles, which the trusted magazine said are now on par with those being produced by Toyota and Honda Motor Co.
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The 2010 Ford Mustang has been revealed!

The 2010 Ford Mustang has been revealed. Just in time for the Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford has released 2010 mustang photos online, and the vehicle will also be viewable at the LA Auto Show, taking place at the convention center in downtown Los Angeles.

As a local chiropractor, and someone who works to keep their finger on the pulse of hot topics in social media, I couldn't pass up the opportunity to see firsthand, Ford's 2010 Mustang GT. I'll be at the show on Thursday, and I'll be reporting news gathered from the showroom floor, on car safety and passenger comfort. The show opens to the public on Friday, November 21, and runs through Sunday, November 30. The LA Auto Show will be open on Thanksgiving Day.

Click here for the 2010Mustang Website