Ford SVT has built some special vehicles over the years. Supercharged Mustangs, F-150s, and Focus SVT have been the poster children of Ford’s SVT division.

But the Raptor F150 SVT changes all that.

The previous Ford SVT vehicles were designed to be perfectly performing pieces of machinery that took on the pavement world however, the F150 Raptor SVT changes all that.

When the Ford’s SVT division got their hands on the The Raptor they transformed the vehicle into the toughest production truck ever.

The Raptor is truly an off-road beast built to take a beating in various races sucah as the Baja 1000 desert race. The secret to the Ford Raptor’s success is found underneath in the highly-modified suspension. A mild lift is accompanied by the world’s first ever internal-triple-bypass shock absorbers on a production vehicle.

Underneath, the Raptor gets a smattering of custom SVT control arms, skidplates and short metal running boards to help keep the truck moving no matter the terrain. Just in case you get stuck, there are big tow loops front and rear, although the rear window is a bit small to be climbing through when stuck in the deep stuff. Most buyers would never think of such things, but for off-roaders it’s a consideration.

The most surprising thing for many potential buyers looking at such a hardcore off-road machine is that the Raptor is actually more civil on the road than the regular pickup. In fact, the suspension provides a smoother ride over rough city roads than many high-end luxury cars.

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Ford Motor Company is teaming up with automotive lifestyle magazine DUB to roll out a specially customized version of the new 2011 Mustang, introducing the iconic sports car to a new generation of enthusiasts.

The V6 Mustang and will be available in the fall of 2010 and will offer:

• 20-inch TIS wheels with Pirelli performance tires
• Roush front fascia and splitter
• Roush quarter window louvers and windshield banner
• Roush lowering springs
• Coupe, convertible or Glass Roof body style
• Six-speed manual or automatic transmission
• DUB logo embroidered in front headrest and DUB stripe package
• Black interior
• Choice of four exterior colors: Black, Grabber Blue, Race Red or Ingot Silver

Ask your Planet Ford 45 sales team about availability of this one of a kind Mustang.

Click here for full article.

Ford and E.A. have once again teamed up to give Sim’s users a new virtual car. The Ford Fiesta will be given to users who have bought the Sims 3 2009 edition. EA’s Sim’s franchise is a highly popular strategic life-simulation computer game.

This is not the first time that Ford has teamed up with EA. A few years back when Ford released their classic Mustang GT it provided users of the game a free download of its car. It proved to be a very popular addition to the game and The Sims 2 fans rushed to get this official, authentic looking car with over one million downloads to date from the official Sims 2 site.

Ford followed this up later in the same year with the release of the Ford Focus in August and the Fusion in November. Both cars were released online in the colors available when buying them from a ‘real life’ dealership, which only added to the fun and excitement of player’s Sims – as the game characters are known – owning one in the game.

This zippy and fun urban Ford Fiesta comes in Lime Squeeze, Blue Flame, Yellow Blaze or Red Candy Metallic. But why just settle for the one online? Visit Planet Ford 45 and get buy the real one for yourself!

Original Article

Looking for a new or used Ford F-150? Houston drivers are finding that Planet Ford 45 is the best of all Ford dealers in the Houston area. So if you’re looking to buy Ford F-150 Houston’s Planet Ford has you covered with a great selection of Ford F-150 Houston to choose from.

The new Ford F-350 Trucks offer numerous different options with each New Ford Fleet purchases, such as a all new lockable tool box to handle all your construction needs. Used Ford F350 hold their value like none other. Three unique instrument panel designs give each series an individual appearance.

The smooth flowing interior console gives customers the option of two captain’s chairs with a shifter on the floor in the FX4 and Lariat series. Seating arrangements offered in the new F-series include the basic split seats (40/20/40), making it a little more comfortable for the person in the middle . F-150 comes with three diverse engine choices: a 4.2-liter V-6 engine, a 4.6-liter Triton™ V-8 and the upscale 5.4-liter, three-valve Triton V-8(VCT). The 5.4-liter Triton V-8 engine delivers 320 horsepower and 390 ft.lbs of tourqe. A flex-fuel version can run on E85 biofuel.

So visit Planet Ford 45 and see why most Houston F-150s have the Planet Ford decals in the back!

Ford Motor Company today announced it has selected Compact Power, Inc. (CPI), a subsidiary of LG Chem, to build lithium-ion battery packs for the Ford Focus Electric, which will go on sale in the U.S. in 2011.

CPI, based in Troy, Mich., will begin battery pack assembly for the Ford Focus Electric next year and is finalizing production site selection for the U.S. The lithium-ion cells for the packs will initially be sourced from Korea through LG Chem. LG Chem and CPI will be localizing cell production at their new site in Holland, Mich.

For more detail visit Planet Ford 45.

PickupTrucks.com recently released photos of what they think is the 2011 Ford F-150 Lariat. (Full Article)

What’s unique about the Lariat Limited shown here? Highlights include a body-colored front air dam that’s shared with the Ford Harley-Davidson F-150, a six-slat grille borrowed from the XLT F-150 that’s painted to match the rest of the truck and wheels painted with body-colored accents.

Other features include body-colored skullcaps on the mirrors, body-colored door handle bezels with chrome pulls and automatic retractable running boards. The word “Limited” is embossed on the sides of the cargo box.

Of all of the bad driving habits we’ve seen over the years such as applying make-up, reading the newspaper or eating, the most dangerous of them all seems to be texting while driving.

Indeed, the practice has become so prevalent–and deadly–that many people and groups have been advocating the banning of the practice.

However Ford will try to make texting safe for drivers.

The Ford Motor Company is updating its SYNC technology to enable text messaging and give drivers more control over how messages are received and sent. For example Ford is giving drivers a “Do Not Disturb” button so they can choose the level of connectivity and communications they want while driving. In addition, Ford is taking the initiative to “lock-out” capabilities that are not relevant to the task of driving while the vehicle is in motion.

Planet Ford 45 wants hard-core text message senders to please do everyone a favor by quitting your texting while driving or go out and buy a properly equipped texting Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicle.

Article

The World’s Most Spectacular Roads

1. Milford Road, New Zealand
Not to be confused with the famous Milford Track trekking route, the Milford Road State Highway 94 passes through the Southern Alps of New Zealand’s South Island.
Photo: macronix

2. Stelvio Pass, Italy
48 hairpin turns up to a 2757m (9045ft) pass in the Italian Alps, and Top Gear’s pick for “greatest driving road in the world.”
Photo: Damian Morys Foto

3. Great Ocean Road, Australia
This coastal road in Victoria runs for 241km, between Torquay and Warrnambool. The car-less might consider the Great Ocean Walk as an alternative.
Photo: Stas Kulesh

4. Chalus Road, Iran
Tehran is connected to the northern city of Chalus via this road through the Alborz Mountains. Check this site for more images.
Photo: ninara

5. Cabot Trail, Canada
Wrapping around northern Nova Scotia’s Cape Breton Island, the Cabot Trail is mountainous and windy with near-constant ocean views. I recommend biking it.
Photo: kennymatic

6. I-70 at Glenwood Canyon, Colorado
The Colorado River, of Grand Canyon fame, carved this canyon billions of years ago. The U.S. government built the 12-mile, $490 million interstate route through it, which was only completed in 1992.
Photo: Payton Chung

7. Millau Bridge, France
Southern France’s Millau Bridge is the tallest in the world — taller, actually, than the Eiffel Tower.
Photo: tibchris

8. Karakoram Highway, Pakistan
The “highest paved international road in the world” connects Pakistan with Xinjiang, China. It is currently closed at the Hunza Valley due to a massive landslide.
Photo: Umair Mohsin

9. Mountain road, Snowdonia, Wales
Mountainous northern Wales is traversed by many of these ancient, narrow, stone-walled roads. I’ve experienced the challenge of navigating them at night. With oncoming traffic. Car renters beware.
Photo: Richard0

10. Ice Highway, Canada
Winter means greater accessibility in northern Canada. This frozen road runs up the Northwest Territories.
Photo: madmack66

11. Chapman’s Peak Drive, South Africa
Another great coastal road, this one just 15 miles south of Cape Town.
Photo: Raveesh Vyas

12. Mountain road, central Peru
Most mountain pass roads in Peru qualify as “spectacular.” This one runs north from the Sacred Valley town of Ollantaytambo and is part of the car route to Machu Picchu.
Photo: ThiagoJ

13. Liwa, UAE
Roads through the desert oasis of Liwa, Abu Dhabi, stretch long.
Photo: Luca Assen

14. Going-to-the-Sun Road, Montana
The only route through Glacier National Park was featured in the opening scenes of “The Shining.”
Photo: Colin Gregory Palmer

15. Mývatn, Iceland
Mývatn is a volcanically active region in northern Iceland. This road will take you there.
Photo: Francesco_G

16. Seven Mile Bridge, Florida Keys
U.S. Highway 1 runs for miles over the water, connecting the Florida Keys to the mainland. It includes this long span of bridge.
Photo: milan.boers

17. Gotthard Pass, Switzerland
Traveling north from Italy into Switzerland, you’ll come to Gotthard Pass, which you can cross on either the new, straightforward road, or the old roller coaster above. My money’s on the latter.
Photo: Mikael Miettinen

18. Tichka Pass, Morocco
I recently drove over the 2260m Tichka Pass on my way to Zagora to ride a camel. The pass was cooler. No offense, camel.
Photo: cliffwilliams

19. Pacific Coast Highway, California
This is the only road getting reprised from the original post. It seems to deserve it.
Photo: tibchris

20. Dingle Peninsula, Ireland
The roads of western Ireland are narrow, flanked by green, and sometimes charmed.
Photo: ktylerconk

Original Article

Ford Motor Company is giving Fiesta customers even more reasons to love their new car with an assortment of personalized options such as custom accessories, body kits, a Fiesta tattoo and graphics.

Ford Custom Accessories offers almost anything an owner would need to put a creative touch on their Fiesta or give the car even more functionality. If an owner is looking to light up the interior, for example, there are several choices. An illuminated gear indicator shift knob comes with a digital gear display, while illuminated door sill plates add special effects with an LED Fiesta logo.

Visit Planet Ford 45 and speak to one of our accessory sales representatives about the new Fiesta accessories.

Original Article