Autoblog

Koenigsegg CCX-powered Ford Granada is the ultimate unlikely hammer [w/video]

Zach Bowman — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:32:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Sedan, Performance, Etc., Videos, Ford, UK

The lowly Mark II Ford Granada isn't high on anyone's want list. The machine wallowed from the factory with at most 160 horsepower from a gasoline V6 and with as little as 53 ponies from a wheesematic Peugeot diesel four cylinder. But where most of the world sees ancient crap can, one owner in the UK saw heaps of potential. After swapping the stock mill for a Cosworth four-cylinder, the owner was on the verge of ditching the machine for an R32 Nissan Skyline straight from the land of the Rising Sun.

That's when things took a slightly more interesting turn.

Instead of forking over the cash for the Skyline, the owner yanked the Cosworth lump and set to cutting the chassis to make room for more cylinders. When the dust settled, he had managed to cram a twin-turbocharged 4.7-liter Ford V8 from the heart of a Koenigsegg CCX supercar, good for a face-ripping 1,700 horsepower. An independent rear suspension from a 2003-2004 Ford Mustang Cobra handles putting that muscle to the rear tires and a set of massive Porsche brakes bring the whole party to a stand still. It's a miracle of fabrication, determination and insanity. We love it. Check out a video of the first start up to see what we mean.

Continue reading Koenigsegg CCX-powered Ford Granada is the ultimate unlikely hammer [w/video]

Koenigsegg CCX-powered Ford Granada is the ultimate unlikely hammer [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jeremy Clarkson to make cameo appearance on '70s cop show remake

Zach Bowman — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:16:00 EST

Filed under: Performance, Etc., Hatchback, Ford, UK, Celebrities

Jeremy Clarkson may show up in a remake of a classic UK cop show. The Top Gear presenter was recently spotted loitering around a Jaguar XF during production of the show Sweeny, and it's thought that Jezza will show up in a minor cameo role. In the original production, Detectives Jack Regan and George Carter whipped around in hot metal like the Ford Consul GT or a Granada, but The Daily Mail reports that their modern counterparts will take to the streets in an equivalently tasty Ford Focus ST. The detectives will be played by Ray Winstone and Ben Drew.

According to reports, Clarkson wasn't originally slated to be part of the remake, but the show was filming near the Top Gear test track and managed to talk Clarkson into hopping in front of the camera when he stopped by to say hello.

Jeremy Clarkson to make cameo appearance on '70s cop show remake originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 28 Nov 2011 16:16:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Obama picks worst car ever to come out of Motown

Sam Abuelsamid — Wed, 07 May 2008 11:02:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Ford

There can be absolutely no doubt that Detroit automakers created some horrendous products over the years. The '70s was a particularly low point, as the Big 3 struggled to cope with new safety, emissions and fuel economy standards. This past weekend, U.S. Senator and Democratic presidential hopeful Barack Obama was pontificating as politicians are wont to do, and he declared to an Indianappolis radio station that the car in which he learned to drive, a Ford Granada, was the worst car ever to emerge from Motown. The 1975-82 Ford Granada was an absolutely awful car from its baroque styling to its awful build quality. As I entered college in the mid-'80s, I was looking for a used car and a friend's dad had a '79 Granada for sale. I took it for a test drive and after the high beam switch went through the rust hole in the floor, I determined that even $750 was way too much for this hunk. As bad as the Granada was, in an era of Pacers, Cordobas, Vegas and Ford's own Mustang II, can we truly call the Granada the worst of all? You tell us in the comments.

[Source: Detroit News]

Obama picks worst car ever to come out of Motown originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 07 May 2008 11:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thieves: No gearbox? No problem!

Alex Nunez — Fri, 02 May 2008 16:32:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Europe, Ford

Car thieves are a resourceful lot. Despite whatever technical wizardry automakers incorporate to thwart them, they find a way. Of course, they don't just go after the new stuff. Older cars are fair game, too -- many of which are bereft of those pesky security systems the bad guys are masters at defeating anyway. Suppose, however, your car was sitting outside without a gearbox. That's gotta be enough to keep it from getting swiped, right? As the Scottish owner of an unknown-vintage Ford Grenada Scorpio learned this week, it is indeed not enough. The lack of a gearbox did nothing to deter thieves, who police believe simply towed the car away one day earlier this week. Hey, it's common practice for some regular folks bring a trailer when they go to pick up a car they've bought, so why not thieves? It's like the same thing, minus the whole "buying" part. Any U.S. readers who own Merkur Scorpios, take note and keep your heads on a swivel. These guys might have passports.

[Source: The Scotsman]

Thieves: No gearbox? No problem! originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 02 May 2008 16:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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