Tag Archives: Ford

New Ford Mach-E And F-150 Getting Hands-Free Driving Tech Over The Air In Q3 2021, Subscription Costs $600

Ford is going to offer its latest hands-free driver-assistance system with the new 2021 F-150 and Mustang Mach-E models but there’s a catch.

While customers will get the necessary hardware for the system to work with their new 2021 F-150 or Mustang Mach-E, either as standard equipment or an option on certain trims, Ford’s hands-free driver-assistance system won’t come online until the third quarter of 2021 via an over-the-air software patch.

Read Also: GM’s Super Cruise Crushes Tesla’s Autopilot In CR’s Hands-Free Test

Ford said that the new Active Drive Assist will be standard for the 2021 F-150 Limited and for the 2021 Mustang Mach-E CA Route 1, Premium, and First Edition models.

Here’s how much it will cost you

As for the rest of the F-150’s range, the hands-free driver assistance system will be a $1,595 option while Mustang Mach-E Select buyers can get it as part of the $3,200 Comfort and Technology Package, which also includes a 360-degree camera, heated front seats and a heated steering wheel.

Ford will also offer the hardware for the Active Drive Assist, which includes a forward-facing camera and radar sensors among others, as a separate ‘prep package’ together with the Active Park Assist 2.0 for $895, which includes a $100 early adopter incentive.

Customers will then have to pay $600 for a three-year subscription for the software of the hands-free Active Drive Assist, when that is ready to launch, in which case they’ll receive it via an over-the-air update.

So to sum up, owners of upper level trim cars that already come equipped with the hardware as standard, will pay $600 for the software subscription. Otherwise, owners of lower trim levels will have to pay for the hardware (via options) and an additional $600 for the software.

“In the second half of 2021, new customers will be able to purchase the hardware and software together in the Ford Co-Pilot Active 2.0 package, without the need for an Over-the-Air Update to initiate the feature,” the company said in a statement.

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Ford’s new Active Drive Assist system builds upon the existing adaptive cruise control with stop-and-go function and the Lane Centering and Speed Sign recognition systems. The system will allow drivers to take their hands off the wheel on prequalified sections of divided highways, the so-called ‘Hands-Free Zones’ that make up over 100,000 miles of North American roads.

Ford’s new system also uses an advanced driver-facing camera that will track eye gaze and head position to make sure drivers are paying attention to the road while in Hands-Free mode, as well as when they are using the hands-on Lane Centering mode.

“As breakthroughs in new technology allow us to help reduce the stress of long highway drives, it’s important to make sure these capabilities can be enjoyed by the largest spread of people possible,” said Hau Thai-Tang, chief product platform, and operations officer, Ford Motor Company. “Active Drive Assist can help improve the driving experience while ensuring people remain aware and fully in control, all for a price unmatched by our competitors – a commitment to affordable innovations that has driven us since Henry Ford put the world on wheels.”

Ford expects to sell more than 100,000 F-150 and Mustang Mach-E equipped with Active Drive Assist technology hardware in their first year in the market.

Ford Mustang Mach 1 Launching In Australia Next Year, Capped At 700 Units

Ford has confirmed that the Mustang Mach 1 will launch in Australia next year and be capped at 700 units for the local market.

This news comes just a couple of days after the American automaker confirmed the Mach 1 would indeed be a global model, unlike the GT350 and GT350R siblings that are heading for retirement. Right-hand drive models will be produced at Ford’s Flat Rock plant in Michigan and when it does arrive Down Under, it will be offered alongside the Mustang 2.3L High Performance and the Mustang GT.

Read Also: 2021 Ford Mustang Mach 1 Is Back, Combines 480 HP V8 With Shelby GT350 Goodies

Two-time Bathurst winner and former Supercars champion Rick Kelly will be the official ambassador for the limited-run model in Australia.

“It’s a stunning looking vehicle, but above all it really is a Mustang made for enthusiasts – it is all about how it drives around a track, which is why I’m so pleased to be working on this project with Ford,” Kelly said. “Racing a Mustang Supercar around tracks like Mount Panorama, where we’ll be this weekend, has been a highlight of 2020 for me, but Mach 1 is such a unique opportunity for fans and customers, so I am pumped for its arrival here next year.”

Ford will announce Australian specifications and details for the Mustang Mach 1 closer to its launch.

Powering the car is a modified 5.0-liter V8 engine that produces 480 hp at 7,000 rpm and 420 lb-ft (569 Nm) of torque at 4,600 rpm, just like the 2020 Mustang Bullitt. The Mach 1 comes standard with a six-speed manual transmission but can be optioned with a 10-speed SelectShift automatic.

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Here’s More Intense Off-Roading With The 2021 Ford Bronco

A pair of new videos showing the 2021 Ford Bronco being tested in Moab, Utah along the extremely difficult Hell’s Revenge Trail have hit our desks.

In these videos, a handful of camouflaged and non-camouflaged Bronco prototypes are driven up and down large rock faces along the 6.5-mile long trail. At one stage in the second video, a Bronco is filmed at ‘Mickey’s Hot Tub,’ a difficult obstacle along the trail where vehicles drive into a large hole and then have to drive out the other side via a near-vertical face of rock. With the exception of some wheel slip, the Bronco deals with the obstacle very well indeed.

Both 2- and 4-door Bronco prototypes are featured in the video with various different wheel and tire packages. All of them seem superbly capable in tough off-road conditions, something that will be welcomed by enthusiasts and prospective owners alike.

Also Watch: See The 2021 Ford Bronco Get Tested To Its Limits In Utah

Aiding the Bronco’s off-road abilities is the fact that it offers best-in-class ground clearance of 11.6 inches (294 mm) and best-in-class water fording at 33.5 inches (851 mm). It also has a maximum breakover angle of 29 degrees with a departure angle of 32 degrees. The short front and rear overhangs prove to be particularly useful in these videos.

When order books for the 2021 Ford Bronco open, it will be available with two EcoBoost engines; a base 2.3-liter four-cylinder producing 270 hp and 310 lb-ft (420 Nm) of torque and a 2.7-liter V6 with 310 hp and 400 lb-ft (542 Nm). A hybrid model is also thought to be in the works.

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Would Anyone Buy A Ford Mustang Mach-E Off-Roader Like This?

Customer deliveries of the Ford Mustang Mach-E will kick off in the not too distant future heralding a new era for the Mustang nameplate.

The Mustang Mach-E is a very important vehicle for the car manufacturer and spearheads its future range of EVs. While debate continues to rage online about whether or not it should be called a Mustang, we happen to be quite fond of the design that pays tribute to ICE-powered Mustangs while bringing with it a unique EV style.

Read Also: Ford Announces Higher Outputs For The Mustang Mach-E As Order Books Open In The U.S.

The off-road-inspired Mach-E in these renderings from Abimelec Design is an interesting proposition. Immediately making the vehicle stand out are a set of new wheels and massive BF Goodrich mud-terrain tires that would give the EV the grip it needs to hustle its way through some pretty treacherous terrain. To fit these tires, the ride height has also been increased while there are also flared wheel arches at all four corners.

Elsewhere, the designer has rendered a set of three spotlights on the frunk while also covering the headlights in a yellow tint. At the rear, the Mach-E render is more aggressive than the actual EV thanks to a sharp new diffuser and an enlarged spoiler stretching off from the roof.

These renderings come just a week after a mysterious ‘spy video’ of a Mustang Mach-E prototype hit the web. In that video, Ford engineers could be seen drifting the EV around a paved testing facility, leading some to speculate the car could be used by Ken Block in some form.

Note: This rendering is the work of Abimelec Design and is in no way affiliated with nor endorsed by Ford

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‘Bronco Nation’ Website Is Your One-Stop Shop For All Things Ford Bronco

Ford Bronco owners and fans of all things Bronco can sweeten the wait until the world debut of the all-new 2021 Bronco and 2021 Bronco Sport by accessing a new website made especially for them.

It’s called the Bronco Nation and was developed by a passionate group of enthusiasts “whose mission is to celebrate the iconic Bronco brand and build a community for everyone that loves the Bronco.”

The website describes itself as “an independent enthusiast community and the first to be nationally recognized and certified by Ford.” Bronco Nation is said to be built by “a passionate and knowledgeable community of enthusiasts” and its goal goal is to create a community for Bronco fans. It will do that by hosting exclusive news, community forums, events, interactive maps, how-to content, historical archives, and other resources.

Read Also: Did You Know That The Ford Bronco Was Nearly Named The Wrangler?

Bronco enthusiasts will also be able to buy merchandise from the website, which currently offers t-shirts, caps, patches, and sticker packs. Obviously, the website focuses more on the upcoming 2021 Ford Bronco which is likely the reason why it was set up in the first place. Ford needs a Bronco community to rival the Jeep Wrangler community and Bronco Nation aims to do just that.

While it looks great, the website is low on fuel at the moment and by fuel we obviously mean 2021 Bronco- and 2021 Bronco Sport-related stuff. Originally scheduled to debut on March 17, the all-new Bronco body-on-frame SUV was delayed because of the coronavirus outbreak and is currently expected to launch sometime this year.

The launch of the smaller, unibody Bronco Sport was also delayed for the same reasons. Production has been postponed by nearly two months, with manufacturing of the SUV now scheduled to start on September 7 at Ford’s plant in Hermosillo, Mexico. The 2021 Ford Bronco will be made in the United States, at the Fort Wayne plant in Michigan.

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Ken Block Shows His 13 Year-Old Daughter How To Slide A 355 HP Ford Escort

Being the daughter of Ken Block has its perks and as this video reveals, that includes having the opportunity to drive some pretty epic cars while receiving tutelage from the rally driver himself.

While many of us remain in lockdown, Block recently made the trip to Utah with his 13-year-old daughter Lia and had some fun at a drift pad at the Utah Motorsports Campus.

Lia has a little bit of racing experience under her belt and was handed the keys to Block’s custom-built Ford Escort Gymkhana car which we’re sure isn’t particularly easy to drive, let alone drive sideways. But first, Block gave his daughter some instructions from the driver’s seat about how to kick out the tail of the car and maintain a slide.

Read Also: New Batmobile Designer Crafted This Crazy Fox Body Mustang For Ken Block

For the first portion of the video, Block teaches his daughter the art of slamming on the brakes of the Ford, pressing in the clutch, accelerating, and then dumping the clutch to initiate a slide. In the second half, it’s time to start using the handbrake or as we like to call it, the ‘fun handle.’

Block first started rallying in this very Ford Escort back in 2008 but since then it has been transformed into a rear-wheel drive Gymkhana car. Power is provided by a 2.5-liter naturally-aspirated four-cylinder engine that produces 355 hp and revs to a dizzying 9,000 rpm.

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