Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com Autoblog http://www.blogsmithmedia.com/www.autoblog.com/media/feedlogo.gif Autoblog http://www.autoblog.com en-us Copyright 2009 Weblogs, Inc. The contents of this feed are available for non-commercial use only. Blogsmith http://www.blogsmith.com/<![CDATA[Ford may pass Honda as second best hybrid seller in U.S.]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/16/ford-may-pass-honda-as-second-best-hybrid-seller-in-u-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/16/ford-may-pass-honda-as-second-best-hybrid-seller-in-u-s/http://www.autoblog.com/2009/10/16/ford-may-pass-honda-as-second-best-hybrid-seller-in-u-s/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


2009 Ford Escape Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery

There's no doubt about which automaker leads the hybrid vehicle race. Toyota - and particularly the Japanese automaker's Prius hybrid - outsells all other manufacturers combined. In total, Automotive News calculates that Toyota sold 144,351 hybrid vehicles in the first nine months of 2009, which actually represents a 28-percent drop from the previous year.

So far this year, Honda has come in second with its new Insight, but that position is currently in jeopardy. The 26,016 hybrid vehicles sold by Ford in the first nine months of the year represents an impressive 73-percent gain from last year. Honda has sold 29,958 hybrids so far in '09, representing a much smaller eight-percent increase. In both July and September, Ford actually sold more hybrids than Honda.

In other words, Ford, led by its Escape Hybrid and new-for-2010 Fusion Hybrid, is gaining on Honda at a very rapid pace. Moving on down the line, General Motors slots in at number four with 12,556 total hybrid so far this year and Nissan's 7,713 units make it the number five hybrid seller in the U.S.


Gallery: ABG Garage: 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Limited


[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req'd]

Ford may pass Honda as second best hybrid seller in U.S. originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Oct 2009 13:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ford escape hybridford fusion hybridford hybridford hybrid salesford mustangFordEscapeHybridFordFusionHybridFordHybridFordHybridSalesFordMustanghondahonda hybridhonda hybrid salesHonda InsightHondaHybridHondaHybridSalesHondaInsighttoyotatoyota hybridtoyota hybrid salestoyota priusToyotaHybridToyotaHybridSalesToyotaPriusFri, 16 Oct 2009 13:33:00 EST<![CDATA[Mulally chooses Escape Hybrid for D.C. road trip]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/02/mulally-chooses-escape-hybrid-for-d-c-road-trip/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/02/mulally-chooses-escape-hybrid-for-d-c-road-trip/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/12/02/mulally-chooses-escape-hybrid-for-d-c-road-trip/#commentsFiled under: , , ,


Click above for a high-res gallery of the 2009 Escape Hybrid

Ford CEO Alan Mulally has made the politically correct decision for his return trip to Washington DC this week and is skipping the company jet. In fact, he's skipping the airport altogether and hitting the road in an Escape Hybrid. It seems like it would have been better to grab one of the brand new Fusion Hybrids, but no one in Washington should be too upset at the choice of the Escape. The last one we tested for AutoblogGreen averaged 33 mpg. Perhaps he'll even take one of the prototype plug-in hybrid versions, although that wouldn't make much sense for the nine-hour drive. In our reader poll you actually opted for the Fusion by a wide margin, followed by the Fiesta and Mustang. The Escape came in at a respectable fourth.

Gallery: ABG Garage: 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid Limited

[Source: Automotive News - Sub. Req.]
Photos Copyright (C)2008 Sam Abuelsamid / Weblogs, Inc.

Mulally chooses Escape Hybrid for D.C. road trip originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Dec 2008 09:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>alan mulallyAlanMulallybailoutbailout billbailout planbailoutbillBailoutPlanbailoutsford escape hybridFordEscapeHybridwashingtonwashington dcWashingtonDcTue, 02 Dec 2008 09:58:00 EST<![CDATA[SEMA 2008: Ford stacks the ballot with concepts for election day]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/04/sema-2008-ford-stacks-the-ballot-with-concepts-for-election-day/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/04/sema-2008-ford-stacks-the-ballot-with-concepts-for-election-day/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/11/04/sema-2008-ford-stacks-the-ballot-with-concepts-for-election-day/#commentsFiled under: , , , , , , , , ,


Click above for massive gallery of Fords from SEMA

What recession? Perhaps anticipating the euphoria that will follow the end to the seemingly decades-long Presidential race today, Ford decided to throw a huge tuner party at SEMA this year, and they invited ALL of their friends. The Ford booth always houses a bunch of tuned blue ovals, but they generally tend to be grouped around a central vehicle. Last year it was the Mustang. And the year before. And probably the year before that, too. But this year they gave the ol' spit shine to virtually every model in the lineup. Ford even threw in a Lincoln or two for good measure (above).

In the gallery below you'll see the Lincoln MKS and MKX, as well as Ford Focus Coupe, Escape, Escape Hybrid, Transit Connect, and Edge. Tuners include 3dCarbon, Custom Creations, RKSport, Stout Performance, Barber Driving Experience, FSWerks, Street Concepts, EcoTrek, HPA Motorsports, H&R, and Steeda. For more info on each one, check out the press release after the jump. There are actually quite a few interesting concepts in the bunch.

Gallery: SEMA 2008: Ford Booth


Photos copyright (C)2008 Drew Phillips, Frank Filipponio/Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading SEMA 2008: Ford stacks the ballot with concepts for election day

SEMA 2008: Ford stacks the ballot with concepts for election day originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>ford edgeford edge sportford escapeford escape hybridford focusford focus coupeford transit connectFordEdgeFordEdgeSportFordEscapeFordEscapeHybridFordFocusFordFocusCoupeFordTransitConnectlincoln mkslincoln mkxLincolnMksLincolnMkxsemasema 2008Sema2008Tue, 04 Nov 2008 19:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Ford gives 88-MPG flex-fuel, plug-in Escape Hybrid to Department of Energy]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/ford-gives-88-mpg-flex-fuel-plug-in-escape-hybrid-to-department/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/ford-gives-88-mpg-flex-fuel-plug-in-escape-hybrid-to-department/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/06/19/ford-gives-88-mpg-flex-fuel-plug-in-escape-hybrid-to-department/#commentsFiled under: , , , ,



The Blue Oval has gifted the U.S. Department of Energy a one-of-a-kind vehicle: a plug-in Escape Hybrid that can run on E85, has a 30-mile range on pure electric power at up to 40 mph, and gets 88 mpg in the city and 50 mpg on the highway. Yes, you read that correctly. But you might want to read it again.

The Escape uses a 4-cylinder engine assisted by a 10kW lithium-ion battery pack made by Johnson Controls/Saft. In pure electric mode, the battery pack runs until it is 70-percent depleted, and then the gasoline engine kicks in. The vehicle's emissions are estimated to be 60-percent less than that of a traditional gas vehicle, and that could climb all the way to 90-percent less if the car used cellulosic ethanol.

This is one of 20 vehicles that Ford is giving to government and research bodies in order to help push the growth and penetration of hybrid vehicles. Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, said "There's no silver bullet solution, so we're pursuing multiple technology paths - recognizing that commercial viability is an essential component for success." And we say hear hear, well done, and it's about time...

[Source: Ford via GM Inside News]

Ford gives 88-MPG flex-fuel, plug-in Escape Hybrid to Department of Energy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Jun 2008 19:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>e85escape hybridescape hybrid e85EscapeHybridEscapeHybridE85flex fuelflex fuel escape hybridFlexFuelFlexFuelEscapeHybridfordford escape hybridFordEscapeHybridThu, 19 Jun 2008 19:01:00 EST<![CDATA[DC Auto Show '08: Ford updates Escape and Mariner Hybrids]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/22/dc-auto-show-08-ford-updates-escape-and-mariner-hybrids/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/22/dc-auto-show-08-ford-updates-escape-and-mariner-hybrids/http://www.autoblog.com/2008/01/22/dc-auto-show-08-ford-updates-escape-and-mariner-hybrids/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,


click above to view more high-res pics of the 2009 Ford Escape Hybrids

As AutoblogGreen points out, Ford will soon be facing tough competition in the compact hybrid CUV segment with the introduction of the Saturn Vue two-mode hybrid. What better time, then, to update the Ford Escape Hybrid and Mercury Mariner Hybrid for 2009? The big news is the addition of a new 2.5L four-cylinder to replace the old 2.3L engine. Not only is the new engine larger, but it also adds variable valve timing on the intake to boost power by 17 up to 170 horsepower. The 2.5L also serves as the new base engine for the standard Escape and Mariner, but uses the Atkinson cycle in the hybrid models. Ford's hybrid CUVs also get a new six-speed automatic (correction: only the gas-powered models get the new six-speed automatic), aerodynamic upgrades and new 16-inch low-rolling resistance tires from Michelin. All of these improvements add up to a one mpg gain in fuel economy (correction: fuel economy remains the same for the hybrid models while power goes up), plus more power and usability. Ford hasn't released official fuel economy numbers for the 2009 Escape Hybrid, but it should maintain the same numbers as before, and likewise for the new Mercury Mariner Hybrid.

[Source: Ford]

Gallery: 2009 Ford Escape Hybrid


Gallery: 2009 Mercury Mariner Hybrid

Continue reading DC Auto Show '08: Ford updates Escape and Mariner Hybrids

DC Auto Show '08: Ford updates Escape and Mariner Hybrids originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 22 Jan 2008 00:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>2009 Ford Escape Hybrid2009 Mercury Mariner Hybrid2009FordEscapeHybrid2009MercuryMarinerHybridFord Escape HybridFordEscapeHybridTue, 22 Jan 2008 00:01:00 EST<![CDATA[Ford straddles party lines, declares Escape Hybrid "The Candidate's Choice"]]>http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/26/ford-straddles-party-lines-declares-escape-hybrid-the-candidat/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/26/ford-straddles-party-lines-declares-escape-hybrid-the-candidat/http://www.autoblog.com/2007/09/26/ford-straddles-party-lines-declares-escape-hybrid-the-candidat/#commentsFiled under: , , , , ,

Ford has figured out a way to take advantage of the current crop of presidential candidates' green-pandering. As has been covered here at Autoblog, one of the measures some candidates take to burnish their eco-cred is swapping out their current daily drivers for more economical fare, and since no American Presidential candidate would be caught dead in anything other than an American car, Ford's Escape Hybrid is an obvious choice. The Ford advertisement shown at right (click for the full ad) takes advantage of this lucky fact for Ford. Not only is the SUV American-made, it's also a genuine hybrid vehicle, and as a bonus, it's got "green" seat fabric. You can almost taste the bipartisan tree-huggery. Of course, we all know that the vehicle-switching by candidates is essentially political theater, but in a Presidential campaign, what isn't? If you're in the market for one, look for a few lightly-used Escape Hybrids in the Beltway area after the primary season's over.

You can read Ford's PR after the jump.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Ford straddles party lines, declares Escape Hybrid "The Candidate's Choice"

Ford straddles party lines, declares Escape Hybrid "The Candidate's Choice" originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Sep 2007 13:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments]]>candidates' choiceCandidates'Choiceford escape hybridFordEscapeHybridWed, 26 Sep 2007 13:02:00 EST