Ford F-Series, America’s best-selling truck for 42 years, is once again raising the bar for capability with its all-new 7.3-liter V8 gasoline engine. The 7.3-liter engine in Super Duty pickup cranks out best-in-class gas V8 output of 430 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and best-in-class torque of 475 ft.-lb. at 4,000 rpm. When your author initially heard the Blue Oval was in the throes of developing a new truck engine displacing a prodigious 7.3 litres, it was assumed someone had frying pans for fingers and simply mistyped the displacement. Surely they mean six-point-three litres, I thought while eating a bowl of breakfast nails and shaving with a rusty razor (thats the meal of choice for Super Duty owners, right?).Nope, 7.3 litres it is, or 445 cubic inches. Ford claims this engine produces a best-in-class gas V8 output of 435 horsepower at 5,500 rpm; and 475 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm.In a day and age where most manufacturers are bent on downsizing and turbocharging their gasoline engines (including Ford themselves with its EcoBoost), this 7.3-litre brute is a remarkable departure.The aim is to provide durability in the harsh environments into which Super Duty trucks are often pressed. Ford says to this end the engine uses overhead valve architecture yep, this is a pushrod mill. Engine builders know having an in-block cam reduces engine height and width; look at an old Ford 5.0-litre and 4.6-litre side-by-each for that stark illustration.This engine also features a variable-displacement oil pump that provides more oil when drivers are working the thing like a rented mule, but reduces parasitic loss under light loads. It is hooked to Fords ten-speed automatic. Engine start/stop and cylinder deactivation tech goes unmentioned.Such a design choice is interesting because, for nearly twenty-five years, Fords gasoline V8 engines have been small(er) displacement units and of an overhead-cam design. If your authors memory serves correctly, the last Blue Oval pushrod V8 was a 351 Windsor found in the 1995 Cobra R. Im certain youll tell me Im wrong in the comments.A differently tuned version of the same engine will also pop up in F-Series chassis-cabs and E-Series cutaways. The other two engines, a 6.2-litre gas and 6.7-litre PowerStroke turbodiesel, arent going anywhere. This new 7.3-litre should appear on dealer lots this
Origin: Ford’s new 7.3-litre gas V8 makes some outrageous power numbers
Ford’s
VW will invest US$2.6 billion in Ford’s self-driving arm, deepening partnership
(From L-R) Jim Hackett, president and chief executive officer, Ford Motor Company, Bryan Salesky, chief executive officer and co-founder of Argo AI LLC and Herbert Diess, chief executive officer, Volkswagen Group, pose for a picture ahead of a press conference July 12, 2019 in New York City.Johannes Eisele / Getty Volkswagen and Ford will cooperate on electric and self-driving car technology, sharing costs on a global scale to take a major step forward in the industrys disruptive transformation.VW will invest US$2.6 billion in Fords autonomous-car partner Argo AI in a deal that values the operation at more than US$7 billion, the two manufacturers said Friday in a joint statement in New York.This includes US$1 billion in funding and VW contributing its Audi US$1.6-billion Autonomous Intelligent Driving unit.While Ford and Volkswagen remain independent and fiercely competitive in the marketplace, teaming up and working with Argo AI on this important technology allows us to deliver unmatched capability, scale and geographic reach, Ford Chief Executive Officer Jim Hackett said.Unprecedented shifts facing the auto industry are forcing players to consider new partnerships and potential consolidation. VW, the worlds top automaker, offers the industrys most ambitious roll-out of electric models, while Ford, also in the top 10, is developing advanced self-driving technology with Argo.For VW, the Argo investment offers an opportunity to potentially catch up with Alphabet Inc.s Waymo, and General Motorss Cruise unit. Road tests and accumulating huge amounts of data are critical for the further development of self-driving cars, and few apart from Waymo are equipped to do it alone.It took a while to get this deal done, but its because we actually sorted out a lot of the hard problems, Bryan Salesky, Argo AIs co-founder and CEO, said in an interview. We have a clear line of sight to production, vehicle supply and we have clear line of sight to where we want to go to market and how. Besides sharing costs for the development of self-driving cars, Ford will use VWs electric-car underpinnings to form the backbone of the most aggressive rollout of electric cars in the industry, with Volkswagen spending some 30 billion euros (US$34 billion). Adding more vehicles to production lines would help gain scale and save costs, and offer Ford a platform to better comply with tougher rules on carbon-dioxide emissions in Europe.Ford will build at least one mass-market battery car in Europe starting in 2023 and deliver more than 600,000 European vehicles based on VWs platform, dubbed MEB, over six years. A second electric model for Europe is under discussion.Teaming up with its U.S. peer is one of the key initiatives of VW Chief Executive Officer Herbert Diess to overhaul the German industrial giant. Both sides reiterated on Friday the tie-up does not include entering equity ties between Ford and
Origin: VW will invest US$2.6 billion in Ford’s self-driving arm, deepening partnership
Ford’s ridiculous GT Mark II stuffs 700 hp into a Le Mans-spec chassis
When is a production car faster than the race car that its based on?Why, when its the US$1.2-million Ford GT Mark II.Now, were all familiar with the Ford GT, the car that quite literally rocked Detroits Cobo Hall at the North American International Auto Show in 2015.What was less well-publicized or properly explained was that the GT was not a supercar on which a racer was later based, but rather a race car which was then civilized for the street. And, believe it or not, it is the road car thats the more powerful trim.You see, the Ford GT competes in the ACOs GTE LM class, which has very strict rules to promote close competition. So, while the race car gets all manner of chassis upgrades lower weight, better suspension and a whopping dose of downforce its the road car that has all the power, boasting no less than 647 turbocharged ponies while the race version, again restricted to promote close racing, barely makes do with 500 hp.Ultimately, the race car will be faster around a closed course, but, in a straight line, the street car will leave it in its dust. What if, asked Hau Thai-Tang, Fords chief product development officer, we could unleash the full performance potential of the Ford GT without any artificial performance limitations dictated by racing sanctioning bodies? Well, the result would be the GT Mk II, the wildest combination of power and performance ever to wear the Blue Oval.Designed solely for the track but without regard to any racing rule book, the Mk II boasts the street cars engine in this case, massaged to 700 horsepower with water-jet-cooled intercoolers, a straight-through exhaust system and new pistons mated to the race cars chassis.That means 400 per cent four times! the downforce of the already-aerodynamic street car. The production cars mamby-pamby adjustable-height suspension so you dont drag expensive carbon-fibre bits over curbs has been done away with, the whole chassis now 90 kilograms lighter and 50 millimetres lower. Michelin Power Sport race tires mean the Mk II easily generates over two Gs of cornering force.Inside, youll find a Sparco racing seat with a six-point safety harness. The passenger seat is optional. Oh, and by the way, Ford is only building 45 of them.All of which means you better get in line right now, ready to part with US$1.2 million. And, before you start complaining about the price, Ford points out that other unlimited track-only cars can cost much more. Ferraris FXX will set you back at least three mil, Aston Martin wanted $2.3 million for its Vulcan and even the McLaren Senna will set you back almost $1.4 million greenbacks. In other words, bespoke track playthings dont come cheap.And, oh yeah, the whole thing is still built in Markham,
Origin: Ford’s ridiculous GT Mark II stuffs 700 hp into a Le Mans-spec chassis
Analysis: What went wrong at Ford’s Bridgend plant?
Ford’s closure of its Bridgend engine plant ends a chapter that began at the peak of the brand’s popularity in the UK in the 1970s and reflects current changes in car buyer’s tastes, misdirected product planning and pressure to electrify its fleet to hit EU CO2 targets. The Bridgend closure will be devastating for the 1700 employees but it will also hit a further 5000 or so in the wider economy. “We fear the knock-on effect and it will be substantial,” said Tim Williams of the Welsh Automotive Forum, an alliance of car industry businesses in Wales. There is a glimmer of hope in the shape of Aston Martin’s St Athan plant, 12 miles to the south-east, but the chances of Ineos taking space to build its Grenadier 4×4 at the Ford site have now faded. Aston now represents the future for the car industry in Wales. It built its first DBX crossover at St Athan last week, with recruitment for 550 new assembly staff due to start in September. “I’m sure we will have plenty of applications from the Bridgend area,” said an Aston spokesman. Suppliers to Ford will also be affected, although few major component makers are local. Block castings, for example, are trucked in from Ireland and the plant has an extended supply chain stretching onto mainland Europe. Despite the drawn-out supply chain, potential customs delays and sterling weakness, Ford has denied a link to Brexit in its decision to shut Bridgend in September 2020. So what caused the plant’s closure? Dr Peter Wells of Cardiff Business School lists several contributing factors, the key ones being sales and market related: “The Dragon engine (the 1.5-litre three-cylinder petrol engine used in the Fiesta ST and Focus) is not selling as well as hoped, Ford is running the plant well below capacity and it needs to make cost cuts.” As with all mid-market brands, Ford’s sales have been squeezed and in Europe have fluctuated in the past decade between 1.75 million and 1.33m, recovering to nearly 1.6m now. Market share has almost halved in the past 30 years – from around 11% in 1990 to 6% in 2018. “Ford’s market share in Europe is the same as BMW’s, yet it can’t command premium pricing, so it is having to find cost cuts,” said Wells. Intended to replace the four-cylinder Sigma engine launched in 2011, the Dragon engine arrived just as Ford faced having to invest in hybrid and battery powertrains and while its cheaper, more frugal 1.0-litre engine is on the rise. “Ford’s product planning has just gone wrong,” said Wells. The Dragon has too large a displacement for the non-ST Fiesta and the Ka+, while the three-cylinder 1.0-litre engine built in Romania and Germany has become the core petrol engine for the Fiesta and Focus ranges. The 1.0-litre is also available in 138bhp form, closing the gap to the 148bhp Dragon. Other models that could have taken the Dragon, such as the C-Max and B-Max, are being discontinued and the new Puma crossover is arriving at a time when plug-in and mild hybrids are the essential powerplants. Ford’s new hybrid powertrain is based on a high-efficiency Atkinson combustion cycle, which, Ford says, makes hybridising the Dragon uneconomic. This is a very rapid fall from grace for a brand-new design that went into production only last October at a cost of £100m. It is likely to finish its third and final full year at around only 80,000 units – a third less than the 125,000 capacity at Bridgend. Given the plant built 701,000 engines as recently as 2014, this proved a fatal drop in output. Even from the start, Ford could see threats to its Dragon investment. The plan from 2015 envisaged 250,000 units a year and £181m of investment, yet two years later, that evolved to just 125,000 units with investment of £100m. Product planning dictated much of this revision: the Dragon couldn’t be slotted straight into Ford’s larger models because they were designed around four-cylinder engines. Although the Dragon will continue to be needed, it will be supplied from lower-cost Mexico and/or China in two plants already tooled to build it. Of course, other factors are at play. Bridgend’s contract to build Jaguar Land Rover’s AJ V8 and V6 petrols will finish just before the plant closes. Of the 650,000 units built at Bridgend in 2016, around 145,000 were JLR engines. JLR is replacing the V6 with a straight six. At one time, the new six was rumoured to be going into Bridgend onto the line that once built the ‘SI6’ 3-2-litre six fitted to some Land Rover and Volvo models. But those plans have changed, too, and instead JLR’s new six will be built in Wolverhampton and the V8 could come from BMW. Ford will maintain diesel engine production at Dagenham and engineering at Dunton in Essex, so it is hoped the closure of Bridgend is the last adjustment to its UK footprint for now. How Bridgend came to be When plans for a new engine plant in Bridgend were announced in 1977, Ford was riding high from many years of UK and European
Origin: Analysis: What went wrong at Ford’s Bridgend plant?
Detroit man named Henry Ford wanted for stealing tires off Fords
More cars are being stolen with the keys already inside. Henry Ford is at it again! Wait, that could be confusing. Let me clarify: Detroit-based thief Henry James Ford has reportedly cut his electronic monitoring device, mailed it back to authorities and is prowling the streets targeting cars wearing the Blue Oval. Detroit TV station WXYZ reports the 49-year-old man with a famous name has done time for assault with a dangerous weapon, receiving stolen property, larceny from a motor vehicle and more, and is currently being sought by police for breaking his parole.But he didn’t just break his parole, he smashed it like an avocado at a hipster brunch spot. Ford sent the Michigan Department of Corrections his electronic monitoring device accompanied with a note saying he was done, thanks.Now, in what is just the purest of ironies, there’s a new warrant out for the man’s arrest, this time for stealing the tires off a Ford Ecosport. Authorities allegedly found the stolen tires stacked in the bed of Ford’s F-150. “So Henry Ford, he’s stealing GPS units out of vehicles, he’s stealing tires, he’s robbing these cars,” said deputy Aaron Garcia. “It’s almost like a disgrace to the Ford Motor Company.”As they do with everyone who lands on their most wanted list, U.S. Marshals are offering a cash reward for information leading to Henry Ford’s arrest. Yup, still feels weird to write that.
Origin: Detroit man named Henry Ford wanted for stealing tires off Fords
The woman leading Ford’s EV revolution: 2019’s Great British Women in the Car Industry – Rising Stars winner
Not many Ford employees can claim to have in their possession one of its earliest cars. But Emma King, winner of this year’s Great British Women in the Car Industry – Rising Stars initiative, is the proud owner of not only a 1904 Model A but a 1916 Model T tourer. King’s day-to-day job couldn’t be further away from the historic vehicles she’s so fond of. As senior purchasing manager for EV battery cells, King is at the forefront of Ford’s dramatic modernisation plan, which includes an $11 billion investment in electric vehicles by 2022. We’ll first see a Mustang-inspired electric SUV next year. Ford, which has broadly been considered behind the curve with electrification, must now catch up and prove it’s ready for the future after announcing a dramatic restructure, including £14bn of cost savings, earlier this year. King’s role, then, is to ensure Ford has a quality and ample supply of battery cells at the best value possible. King has risen quickly through the ranks of Ford’s purchasing division since joining the firm’s graduate scheme in 2007 as a commercial vehicle buyer at Dunton, Essex. Before her current role, she headed up purchasing for powertrains in Asia-Pacific, based in the Indian city of Chennai. She describes the three-year experience as thoroughly enjoyable and says she got a lot out of it by being open to a very different cultural setting. While there, she was involved with a professional women’s network, looking at developing leadership capabilities and addressing challenges. In a country notorious for gender inequality, she notes: “You have to be sensitive to how the country operates and different expectations of family roles. But women have every right to be there, leading the way.” Last year, King relocated from Chennai to Ford HQ in Dearborn, US. The biggest change? “Chennai is hot and humid all year round, and then I experienced my first Michigan winter. I thought UK winters were cold – they are not.” The other shock was Ford’s early morning meetings: “It’s part of my routine now, but the 6.30am or 7.30am meetings were a surprise! In Chennai, I was used to working way into the evenings. You find very different working practices from region to region.” Not that King is often in Dearborn. Leading a global team of nearly 20 buyers based predominantly in the US and China, she is often on the road in Asia, the US and Europe. “It’s important to get to know your suppliers, and you can achieve a lot in face-to-face meetings,” says King. “It means you are able to assess manufacturing plants and quality but also build personal relationships.” Ford’s purchasing strategy, King says, is a diverse supply base: “Our perspective is that building and maintaining a diverse range of suppliers helps us to lower costs, improve quality and make progress towards our sustainability goals.” She adds that a range of suppliers allows Ford to take into account regional footprints as well as gain access to the latest technologies. Ford’s tactic is to pair purchasing bodies with counterparts in product development to ensure everyone understands what is required. “It means the technology and cost discussion happens together,” explains King. “It is a fact-based negotiation based on a deep understanding of what we’re buying. It isn’t either for best price or best technology, it needs to be both – though, of course, there will be a trade-off.” How do you outdo your rivals in purchasing? “If we’ve done it right, when we launch the products our customers will be as excited as we are from both a technology and price point.” The procurement of EV battery cells is a contentious subject, with plenty of industry debate surrounding the ethics of sourcing raw materials – something of which King is all too aware. She says: “When it comes to battery technology, there are some unique challenges. When we look at sourcing batteries, the chain is really complex. It is heavily dominated by raw materials and you have to be careful about extraction methods and human working conditions. “My team looks at the mining of base metals, which helps us to identify cost opportunities and gives us transparency of where material flow is coming from. We need to be able to satisfy ourselves that the material we source is sustainable.” King’s motivation comes from being at the forefront of a fast-paced industry. “I love working in the automotive industry,” she says. “Being right at the front of major technological changes is fantastic. Things don’t stand still in this industry for very long.” King says that consumer uptake of electrified vehicles should mean “a no-compromise solution for what they’re buying”. “Our EVs are going to be inspired by our most iconic products such as Mustang,” she adds. “We’re amplifying the best attributes that we know our customers love – performance, capability, convenience – and building an ecosystem of services that ease the transition into EVs. “My view is that
Origin: The woman leading Ford’s EV revolution: 2019’s Great British Women in the Car Industry – Rising Stars winner
Ford’s 3.0-litre diesel is now available on lower-trim F-150s
Ford F-150 is delivering another first – its all-new 3.0-liter Power Stroke® diesel engine targeted to return an EPA-estimated rating of 30 mpg highwayFord Most gearheads find it frustrating when an auto manufacturer reserves cool options for the top trims of a certain model. Does sir want satellite radio on a Civic? Be prepared to step up from the base trim before signing on the line that is dotted, then. Realizing it was potentially leaving some dollars on the table with this strategy, Ford announced today its torquey new 3.0-litre diesel engine will now be available on XLT models of the 2019 F-150 pickup truck. Previously, it was solely offered on high-zoot Lariat, King Ranch and Platinum trims. Perhaps the Glass House was simply testing the waters when it introduced the diesel, hedging its bets by limiting the powertrain to models in which there is the most profit. After all, people who tow heavy loads tend to have a few bucks—they’re in a position to have bought and paid for that horse trailer or jumbo camper, for instance. F-150 trucks equipped with the Power Stroke are rated to haul about 11,000 pounds. Ford F-150 is delivering another first – its all-new 3.0-liter Power Stroke® diesel engine targeted to return an EPA-estimated rating of 30 mpg highway Ford By expanding it to the entire XLT line in Canada (it’ll only be available on XLT with the 302A option package in the States) Ford allows the mainstream buyer to get in on the diesel action as well. It’s a smart move, especially since Chevrolet offers their 3.0-litre inline-six oil-burner on its mid-level LT model. The 3.0-litre Power Stroke diesel engine has a single turbocharger hanging off of it and is good for 250 horsepower. Torque is rated at a heady 440 lb.-ft., all of which comes online at a barely-off-idle 1,750 rpm. It’s worth noting that both versions of the F-150’s gas-powered 3.5-litre EcoBoost V6 outstrip the diesel in torque, particular the high-output tune, which unleashes 510 lb.-ft. of twist when the driver flexes their big toe. It peaks at 3,500 rpm, exactly double the engine speed of the diesel, speaking to the signature low-end grunt of an
Origin: Ford’s 3.0-litre diesel is now available on lower-trim F-150s
Ford’s aluminum F-150 costs less to repair than you think
2018 Ford F-150Handout / Ford Ford got its fair share of flack from the competition when it decided to build its best-selling truck out of aluminum instead of steel. Many consumers were also worried it wouldn’t be as strong and would be costlier to repair, but Ford is proving naysayers wrong. According to Automotive News, Ford designed the aluminum body with repairs in mind from the get-go, creating a brand new modular architecture that’s much easier to repair compared to steel-bodied vehicles. Parts have also reduced in cost by 16 per cent overall, when compared with steel replacements on 2014 model-year pickups. The Highway Loss Data Institute (HDLI) found the prices for the hood and taillights have dropped 43 per cent, and front bumpers have decreased 37 per cent. Unfortunately, rear bumpers and bedsides are costlier, though. The combination of easier repairs and cheaper parts means it costs less to fix an F-150 with an aluminum body compared to a steel one. Ford also heavily invested in its dealer network, making sure that they received proper training in order to work on the new vehicles. This included the installation of new equipment that cost the dealers between US$30,000 and US$50,000, though they could get a US$10,000 rebate. All this has resulted in a truck with an insurance claim severity that is roughly 7 per cent lower than steel-bodied trucks. Ford took a gamble and
Origin: Ford’s aluminum F-150 costs less to repair than you think
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