CNN Money gives credit where it's due, profile of Mulally

CNN Money has a profile piece on Alan Mulally and his work at FoMoCo that finally gives credit where it's due. And before I start gushing about Ford's CEO, I will admit that I've been very tough on these two since I started blogging in 2005. Some of the less kind things I've said over the years are "This is no way to run an airline" and I regret to admit calling Bill Ford a weasel.

Over the last year they've redeemed themselves in my eyes, not that they've lost sleep about my comments, but I'm sure they're sleeping better than the heads of crosstown competitors GM & Chrysler. And I promise not to call Bill Ford a weasel anymore, really.

With all the doomsday predictions this piece at least recognizes Mulally's efforts and accomplishments.

With all the Fusion Hybrid news I almost forgot about the Escape..

And then I read this great review of the Escape Hybrid ( linked in title ) at Automotive Addicts.
While it can't match the Fusion Hybrid's 41 mpg city, it's 29 mpg city is amazing for an AWD cute ute. My neighbor recently bought a Saturn Vue "Hybrid", with GM's 2 mode system, after reading this review I want to walk across the street and slap him right in the head 3 Stooges style. Ok, admittedly I'm not a fan of my neighbor, but I am a fan of the Escape Hybrid.

On a personal note, I'm not too sure how I like the grille treatment. No, let me correct myself, I do like the grille but I'm thinking it's sort of the orphan Ford, not SuperDuty and not Dave.

I never want to do a road trip with P.J. O'Rourke, but I want to read about his next!

Finally finished Driving Like Crazy by P.J. O'Rourke and I gotta say I would be afraid to drive across country ( any country ) with him, but next time he does it I want to read about it!
Driving across the Baja with Mike Nesmith, across India with other journalist or even across state lines with his wife and offspring, O'Rourke's misadventures are epic. I'd love to have a beer or four with him and listen to him tell these tales, but after reading about them that's as adventurous as I am.

Mr O'Rourke's views of the world and his love of bombastic SUVs may not be very PC, hell nothing about him is, but this is a great read for the beach or even that commuter rail ride.

Ford going to be David to GM's Goliath?

Not too good at trying to create images, sorry, but couldn't find anything that worked.
One of my rare chances to show my un-creative talents.

So, will Ford be playing David to GM's goliath? Or if you believe all the media hype, will Ford be the heavyweight hasbeen being pummeled by the new welterweight champ? All of the non-stop speculation about the future of Ford has my eyes rolling round and round. Is it that the media believe that if you repeat something often enough it becomes true? Does the media secretly hope for the demise of the one Domestic Automaker that didn't ask for Federal Bailout help?

It seems that every scribe for every publication is faulting Ford for doing the right thing.
They want Ford to fail, despite the fact that it's on the road to recovery. Media like The Wall Street Journal, linked in title, persist in proclaiming GM the eventual top dog in a fight that's far from over. While ocassional praise for Ford's inovation and ability to avoid bankruptcy is seen, there's often the backhanded slap of speculation that they won't be able to compete in the future.

You don't hear speculation about Toyota's future, nor Honda, yet both of those companies are feeling the economic pain as well. Truth be told, there's plenty of bad news at Toyota.
The #1 Automaker has sucummed to the same bad habits that the Domestics had. An overreliance on large trucks and SUVs, stale product and mediocre quality. Toyota has become GM in a very real sense. Yet it's Ford that the media keep digging a premature grave for.

While it's true that Ford Motor Credit is at a disadvantage to GMAC since the later was able to become a bank holding company and tap into further Federal assistance, beyond parent GM's auto bailout loans and bankruptcy. It's also true that Ford will be able to seek Union contracts closer to crosstown rivals.

As the right wing loonies gather to boycott GM and the courts continue to throw wrenches in the Fiat/Chrysler works, Ford continues to make gains and work toward recovery and a profitable future. All the media reports are hoping to become self fulfilling prophecies. And it just makes me sick. A lie is still a lie, no matter how many times you repeat it, except in the American Media.

My one concern is that consumers who read this non-stop obit for a recovering FoMoCo will soon start to believe the hype. I on the other hand have faith that Ford will be David and overcome the Federally supported GM. Inovative fresh product and good business practices will do that.

Jeff at DrivingEnthusiasts exposes the myth of Focus RS

As one who's spent the last several years complaining about the state of the North American Focus and pining for the Euro Focus, I've been amused about speculation and whining of no cool RS Focus here. But nobody sets the record straight better than Jeff over at Driving Enthusiast, click the link in title to read all about it. Jeff exposes the myth. You can't cancel plans you never made.

Pickup Trucks.Com has story on EcoBoost +! Bobcat?

So, I'm looking at Twitter and I see a post from PickupTrucks.com, when I see Ford and Bobcat in the same sentence. You know my mind went into all sorts of spasms. My love of all things FoMoCo, small and quirky was pumping adrenaline and causing a blood sugar crash.
And while I ( and probably only I ) would love to see the resurection of the Bobcat, it was actually better news.

More FoMoCo "green" initiatives. There's been so much to salivate coming from FoMoCo lately that it's easy to forget that crosstown rivals are slashing and burning their way through bankruptcy. Hybrid Fusions, Fiesta Movement, new Focus and possible new Ranger, what more could be coming? We're hearing names like EcoBoost, Coyote V-8 and Scorpion Diesel, it's like overload.

Anyone could tell that I think the EcoBoost program is a winner. Smaller more fuel efficient engines with big engine power! But how do you improve on this? They call it Bobcat, I think of it as EcoBoost + or maybe even EcoBoost for the big boys.

Pickup Trucks . Com has a very thorough explination of the entire thing, linked in title, but basically it's an old racer's trick updated and made green. Ethanol injection added to the EcoBoost system. Well, not pure Ethanol, the more elusive E-85. I've been a critic of the whole Flex Fuel E-85 thing for a while. It's nice to have a Flex Fuel badge on your car or truck, but since the fuel isn't available everywhere it seemed to be more of a public relations and EPA loophole thing than something the average consumer could appreciate.

But, E-85 is going to become more available and FoMoCo is developing this system for the larger end of their lineup, full size trucks and SUVs. It will be cleaner than Diesel and with the E-85 injection have comparable power ( torque ). Click on over to PickupTrucks.com and read it for yourself. I'm going to do a little dance here.

Who in their right mind would buy this?

I've been reading news about this since Friday anad have been wondering who in the hell would buy this? But let me get the Ford connection in here right away. Tata Motors, who make this overgrown golf cart the Tata Nano, last year bought the Jaguar and Land Rover brands from Ford Motor Company. And made huge headlines last year when they anounced that they would be producing and selling the above enclosed skateboard for their domestic Indian market.

And now they say it may come to the United States by 2011 or 2012? This my friends is a sign of the Appocolypse, never mind any Mayan prophecy. I know we Americans are just crap junkies, we did after all buy Yugos ( Not me! but I did know a couple of hapless souls who did )in the 80's. For some reason we Americans will buy anything foreign and cheap, just look at Wal-Mart!

But in this era of mandates on safety and emissions, there will be no way that Tata can bring anything remotely like the 2 cylinder golf cart to the United States. The AutoProphet, linked in title, points out some serious flaws with this fantasy.

I for one never thought the Smart would be a good fit on American roads and I'm right.

I can't tell you how many times I've passed one on local 2 lane roads in my little Mazda 3 and felt like I was driving a 76 Cadilac by comparison. I don't care how many airbags you cram in there, it's just a bubble on wheels. And the Smart has Mercedes DNA. But the Tata? I believe it has more in common with a toaster than a car. Maybe you'll see them as security vehicles in gated communities? Those poor Square Badges have it bad enough in the little electric golf cars, I feel their pain as they'll be breaking down after each speed bump in their Nanos.

"Driving Like Crazy" will leave you bruised and battered, but with an ear to ear smile.

So, I'm half way through P.J.O'Rourke's Driving Like Crazy and it left me mentally bruised and battered, but with a big ol' sh*t eating grin. Normally I don't bother with the Acknowledgement section of a book, just go right at Chapter 1, but from page one P. J. O'Rourke starts a roller coaster adventure of his life in the 70's & 80's. From his chapter on how to do all the wrong things in a car to his real life adventures ( several times ) in Baja. Reading how O'Rourke "discovered" single handedly of course NASCAR in the early 80's was a treat.

Note to self, don't go to Baja with his friends, or maybe at all. Having read about his various treks through the peninsula I'm not sure I'm man enough.

I'll let you know how the rest of the book goes, but even just from this half, I'd say buy it.

Pundits can't make up their minds about Ford's fate..

It's litterally split down the middle online. Many pundits are saying that Ford Motor Company is picking up market share because they didn't take Federal assistance or enter bankruptcy, but in the same breath they're saying this puts Ford at a long term disadvantage. It's confusing for those of us trying to get a clear picture of what's to come. I'm not an Auto Industry guy or even a journalist, but here's my "regular guy" take on the situation.

While many say that Ford will be at a disadvantage to GM and Chrylser because these bankrupt companies will come back as trimmer and more competative companies, carrying less debt and be able to return to profitable operations quicker. Horseshit! What these pundits seem to be blind to is the American Consumer's ( and to some degree the International Consumer's ) perception of these two floundering companies. Since we the taxpayers are footing the bill for the recovery, with no real chance for a payback, there will be a bad taste left in many folks mouths.

Let's put it simply, many people, for right or wrong, wanted to let GM & Chrysler die last fall. Sure, that was a shortsighted view of the situation, but it will still stick in people's craw. And despite the bailout thousands, tens of thousands of people will loose their jobs and many more will loose their retirement funds ( employess and investors alike ) because of the bankruptcy.

Add onto that world of hurt the closing of over 2,000 dealerships and the bad feelings about that. As many have pointed out, in some smaller rural communities, new car dealerships are major tax revenue sources and genertional members of the communities, who've given to charity and supported everything from Little League to the Elk's Club in some way.

Many of GM & Chrysler's assumptions about a return to profit require that car sales return to pre-crisis levels. But many analysts say that new car sales will never return to the 16 million a year level they were at. I keep reading the new car sales will be closer to 10 million. So, who says GM & Chrysler will be able to regain those sales numbers in a tighter market with all of these bad feelings?

Ford's not out of the woods, but neither is Toyota, Honda, Hyundai or many other manufacturers. Ford has been refreshing models, introducing new models and techonologies and will continue to add more inovations and improvements over the next few years. Ford says they may return to profitable operations by 2011 or 2012. That's because they've got the capital and freedom to invest in the changes they need to make.

Does anybody remember how Chrysler's lineup sucked in 1980? Sure, the K-Cars "saved" the company, but do you remember how stagnant the rest of their lineup was well into the 80's? Their fullsize trucks and vans got minor facelifts and were among the slowest selling for a decade. The Mini Vans are what really helped Chrysler and this time around they don't have that type of inovative product to help them out of this quagmire. Are you counting on Fiat's small cars to do that? Have we all forgoten how bad Fiat cars were? All you have to do is go online and read reviews of the Fiat 500 compared to the Ford Ka, which share platforms and powertrains and are built in the same Polish plant. The Ka is consistantly said to be a better handler and have better reliability. I've read pundits say they think that even with the bailout and buyout by Fiat, Chrysler will be dead in a decade.

I don't expect GM to die in a decade, but other than the Volt and Cruze, I don't expect there'll be much inovation from GM in the near future. They'll be smarting from this for a long while.

I was surprised to read on DrivingEnthusiast.Net ( linked in sidebar ) that Bob Lutz was quoted saying that GM wasn't too sure about the Volt program and that the Camaro was the wrong car at the wrong time. GM thinks that they can't produce the Volt and sell it at a reasonable price and never expect it to earn a profit. It's window dressing for the Government I guess.

What happened to GM's new small car/engine plans? The Cruze looks like it's going to be delayed. And I haven't heard much about their small engine plan. I had heard that Cruze would be powered by a direct injected turbo charged 1.4 cyl.

So, Ford has EcoBoost, new Fiesta and Focus, Hybrid and Electric plans and fresh product. They've also got some measure of freedom that comes from not being on Uncle Sam's payroll.

Do GM & Chrysler believe we the consumers of the world will have such short memories?
Let's see how GM in the US does, let's watch Opel/Vaxhaul/Holden overseas. Don't forget all the Government monies from Canada, Germany, Britain and elsewhere, and the taxpayers who will never see a payback.

Ford has always done fairly well in forgeign markets and they will continue to. I'm not saing Ford will be the number one automaker in the world, I'm saying that I think they'll survive and be competative. I'm saying that my next new car purchase will be a Ford and I think many people who would have thought GM or Chrysler will follow me.

Stop digging Ford's grave. If you want to do a "Deathwatch" start one for Chrysler/Fiat. You can't expect that one mediocre company would buy another damaged company and come away stronger. It just doesn't add up.

Update, two articles that could indicate GM & Chrysler's future;

AutoBlog on Fiat Chrysler UK Quality perception

AutoBlog says Right Wing ready to boycott GM

Finally! Going to tear right through Driving Like Crazy by P.J. O'Rourke, let you know what I think

Finally got my copy of Driving Like Crazy! I'm going to see how far into it I can get this weekend and start blogging about it when I can. I haven't looked forward to book like this in ages.

Auto vs Stick? New Poll at MFD

I've done this before, just hoping this time I get bettter responses. You have until June 30th to vote.

Do you prefer to shift for yourself ? All 4 vehicles at the MFD Ranch are stick shifts, but here in the United States it seems that is the exception to the rule.

Emunds' list of cool European cars we can't buy seems to be missing some, here goes...

So, Edmunds Daily has a list of 3 cool European cars we don't get and you know I had to respond.
Top of my list? The Ford Kuga! This cute ute from Europe is rumored to be coming here as the replacement for the Escape. If that's not true, bring it as a standalone Mercury, but bring it here soon! I'll take mine in this blue, with the 6 speed manual and a 2.o EcoBoost.

How did they miss the world class Mondeo? Good enough for James Bond but not us?

And while they rightfully point to the European Focus RS and it's 300 hp, I say why not the Focus CC convertible coupe. The closest we get to this here is the Volvo C-70.

But with 4 years of blogging about what great foreign Fords we don't get I guess I'm being too tough on Edmunds.

T-6 Ranger mule in Michigan?! According to AutoBlog

First there were photos from Austrlia, where the new T6 is being developed, then the Swiss Alps, where it's being tested and now Michigan? According to AutoBlog's post and they've got the spy shots to prove it! Click the link in the title to see for yourself and this time it's a 2 door long bed.

If I soud like a cheerleader for Ford sometimes, dig deeper

I realise that recently I've sounded quite a bit like a cheerleader for Ford Motor Company, but you should dig deeper if you think I'm just parroting good news. I've been a major critic as well.
But there's been a lot of good praiseworthy news about Ford lately.
I was going to post a snapshot of myself here, but then I saw just how gray the beard is getting. So, I took a page out of Bob Schultie's book and posted the above. Well, Bob probably gone for something with a bit of cleavage, but we at MFD try and keep it PG.

MyFordDreams has always been my personal blog where I discuss Ford Motor Company, history, global products and where I think the company can do better in the United States.

You need dig no deeper than MyFordDreams Classic to see I've given the company a tough time on many ocassions. I've griped about the latest Focus and why we should have gotten the same Focus the rest of the world has. There have been endless rants about the poor Ford Ranger, how FoMoCo let it deteriorate to near the point of extinction. I've been critcised for my rants on no IRS for the 2005 and forward Mustang.

Most famously I've stated that there were certain Fords I just wouldn't buy. Lets not forget that in 2006 I bought a Mazda 3 and even test drove the Dodge Caliber, rather than even look at the 06 Focus. I'm not a huge fan of Ford's naming scheme of the last decade, the "F-Bomb" pieces I've doen and the "E-Bombs" too. I've lamented on previous Lincoln offerings and Ford's over reliance on big SUVs and Full Size truck sales. I've pulled out the soap box on what I consider the waste of NASCAR.

So, I if I sound like a cheerleader lately, you'll have to realise just how far Ford has come and how far they're going in the future to understand the praise. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to rant on the Dave vs Kinetic design and the continued lack of IRS for the Mustang, and have no doubt I will, but just giving credit where credit is due.

Kudos for Fusion ( especially Hybrid) EcoBoost, Fiesta and upcoming Focus. I'm waiting for the Kuga ( rumored to replace the Escape) and Ranger.

World Car Fans has more spy shots of future Ranger, maybe we'll get it?

You don't have to dig much to learn I love the Ranger and I have one. And of course I've lamented it's rumored demise. I've also hoped and dreamed it could survive. And of course recently there have been rumors flying about an Australian designed replacement codenamed T6 that if it makes it to these shores will share in the EcoBoost goodness via 1.6 liter 175hp 180 lb ft Torque turbo I-4.

And if you click on the link in the title you can see spy photos at World Car Fans taken in the Swiss Alps showing the truck in Double Cab form.

Business Week's "Car that could save Ford" article and my take

David Kiley of Business Week wrote a nice piece on the upcoming 2011 Ford Fiesta. He's had seat time in a Euro Spec version, talked to a Fiesta Movement Agent and interviewed FoMoCo Euro design personel. And he's got nice things to say, but I of course take issue with a couple of things. First is this dig at the top "The Bad: Lacks a few features, like a sliding rear seat, to keep costs down." David this is odd, how many competitors have this "Sliding rear seat" you're looking for? I've read up the Fiesta, watch reviews on Fifth Gear and Top Gear and many many others and nobody but Nobody including the notoriously cranky Jeremy Clarkson ( who stands well over 6' ) complained about a sliding rear seat. Many mentioned that the seat doesn't fold flat, but nobody thought that a deal breaker. How many tall folks ride in the back of sub-compact cars for any lenght of time anyway? But I'm nit picking here.

My real issue is the implication that any one vehicle will "save" Ford at all.

David your assumption that Ford needs to be "saved" is wrong in the face of what we've been seeing lately and their "Way Forward" plan that's been working to evolve the Blue Oval.

It's going to be several models that set Ford apart. It's going to be the work that Alan Mulally has been doing with the "One Ford" and the fact that Ford has recently updated several solid models like Mustang, Taurus,Fusion and F-Series trucks while bringing new product like Flex and Edge to market.

Ford will survive because they're going to have the products and technologies to compete in a truly global market. Because of the Fiesta, Fusion, Upcoming Focus redesign and EcoBoost & Hybrid technology.

I'm sure Ford appreciates the praise of the Fiesta, it's a praise worthy car, but let's not peg our hopes on just one model or understate all the hard work that's been done.

4 of the top 20 selling vehicles in May are Fords! The Car Connection has the entire list

#1 Ford f-150 shouldn't be a real shock to anyone, the F series truck has been one of the best selling vehicles in the world for 26 or more years. And with a nice update of a great truck it's topped the list.

And new product sells, so the Fusion which was already popular is again an easy call.

The one that sort of raised my eyebrows was the Escape. Sure, it's recieved a recent update and it's a solid performer, but with other cute utes in it's class receiving major overhauls and the Escape' blocky styling, I was surprised that Escape was higher on the list than CRV or Rav4.

And although I've been critical of the US Focus, here it is also in the top 20.

Well, it's styling is fresh and with features like SYNC it's got appeal. But I'm sure the 34 mpg and relatively low price don't hurt.

Ford continues to inovate, patent articles show "Driving Inovation"..

Ford Motor Company has a long history of inovation. And a few years ago, when Bill Ford coined the new moto Ford "Driving Inovation" it was signaling that history would be repeating itself yet again. First some highlihts, Ford was the first to use the assembly line process for manufacturing automobiles. When Ford came out with it's flathead V-8 in 1932, that was a huge leap in lightweight, relatively powerful technology that was available to "everyone". Sure there had been V-8's prior to 1932, but this was indeed an inovation, because it put a reliable, powerful powerplant within reach of the average buyer. Ford was also the first to use Safety Glass.
Henry Ford, the tinkerer, was famous for his exploration of alternative fuel and alternative material technology. So, it should be no surprise that........

The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid is the most patented car in history, as seen in the article linked in title from AutoBlog. I love the quote from Christine Wren, director of business development for The Patent Board - "Ford's patented technologies are closer to the cutting edge than its competitors" I would bet that she doesn't just mean Domestic competitors. Ford has been working on Hybrid Technology, alternative fuel techonology and other fuel saving techonologies such as EcoBoost as a direct result of Bill Ford's vision as he stated when he took over in 2000.

So it was a bonus find on the below

motorauthority has an article on the upcoming "Scorpion" V-8 from FoMoCo, a 4valve per cylinder pushrod engine with inboard exhaust feeding a turbo charger and outboard intake.

We've seen this idea before, I believe GM and BMW among others have explored this reverese flow idea. The article states it could be used for Gasoline or Diesel applications, but I believe this is going to be strictly Diesels, but who knows.

So young Bill Ford is following in his great grandfather's footsteps by Driving Inovation at the Plant that Henry built.

Despite being mortgaged the Blue Oval still shines, benefiting from tarnished image of competition

The iconic Blue Oval shines, despite the fact that the very logo was mortgaged months ago.

Ford Motor Company, the only domestic manufacturere not to take federal recovery loans or declare bankruptcy is seeing an increase in sales, market share and stock price for several reasons, but one of the most important is perception.

Perception can mean everything in the auto industry and for the first time in a long time, that is paying off for Ford Motor Company. Perception isn't always based on reality, like the perception that domestic auto makers couldn't match the quality or service of foreign makes. All you need to do to dispell that myth is look at JD Powers rating and actually drive some of the domestics.

But the false perceptions have kept folks away.

Some perceptions are based on short term factors, like the recent good press that Ford has been recieving and the bad news for domestic competition. And this can change quickly. Right now Ford is doing it's best to cash on on several things. They've got new product like the Fusion, Flex and 2010 Mustang. They've recieved great press on green technology like the Hybrid Fusion, EcoBoost powertrains and new small platforms coming ( Fiesta & Transit Connect) and people are actually trying out Ford cars.

Maybe some folks are looking at Ford because they're skitish about buying a bankrupt GM or Chrysler. Maybe they're looking at incentives, but hopefully they'll drive away because of improved perceptions. Ford is right to capitalize on the good press, but needs to be prepared for the future. So, yes some incentives for defecting Chrysler or GM customers, but more work on the overal quality/value perception front. I've heard Ford may dust off the old slogan, "have you driven a Ford lately?" and now is the time to do it. "If you build it (Quality cars people want to drive) they will come.."

Great global Ranger commercial

Why didn't they bring this to US?

With Fiat's anouncement that the 500 will be here in 18 months, could we be seeing the Ka too?

AutoBlog piece linked in title, Fiat says 500 could be in Chrysler dealers in about 18 months. Could we be seeing the Ka here soon after? Take a look at this Euro ad for the Ka, sort of a "Where's Waldo" game, where they say there are 80 images of the Ka in the 40 second spot.

Ford vs Chevy (Holden) Down Under

"The Ford's a better car..." So says Top Gear Australia! The only way many of us are going to see Top Gear Australia is on YouTube. Too bad the producers couldn't get their gear together for the US Version.

MyFordDreams on YouTube, well a begining anyway

In an effort to put MyFordDreams "out there" I've started a YouTube page/profile and uploaded some short clips of my Mustang at the racetrack. I had posted them on my blog a while back. Just keeping busy waiting for more good news from Ford.

AutoBlog has spyshots of the US version of the Fiesta sedan, cool meets Dave

This was one of the Verve concepts that became the Fiesta, I believe for the Chinese Auto Show.

Both China and the US prefer small sedans rather than hatchbacks. And while we've seen Euro spec Fiestas while following the Fiesta Movement, there will be tweaks for the US Market.

The Euro spec Fiestas get the full Kinetic Design treatment, but we're going to get a bit of the "Dave" look. If you recall, when the Iosis concepts first introduced the Kinectic design, that European Ford's have been showcasing these last few years, the response from Dearborn was the "Dave" look, also sometimes confused with a disposable razor.

You can't see clearly in the spy shots because of the camo, but you know you can expect a 3 bar grille similar to the current Focus ( US version ) and in keeping with the Fusion, Taurus, Edge etc...

Evolve or die they say, so MyFordDreams is evolving, getting into the 21st century

In April of 2005 when I started blogging MyFordDreams I was barely computer literate.
I knew how to turn it on and type ( if not well ) and not much more. Look at that filthy old monitor at it's "huge" 15" screen and it must have weighed close to 50 lbs. And over the years I learned a lot, some things that today many people take for granted, and I shared that learning process on my blog. I would post so that other would be bloggers would have an easier time learning to post pictures and links and videos. I highlighted free services and just some basic stuff. All of that is way back in the archives of MyFordDreams Classic . But I never seem to stay ahead of the curve. Unlike many bloggers, I have no background in Publishing, Web Design or Computers ( in any way). Like an old time boxer I went in face first and took the hits.

But like Darwin may have said, you evolve or you die. So, today I'm doing several "Social Networking" efforts, including Twitter, MySpace, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

I've got my own Domain name and even with the graying of the beard I'm still learning.

If you're part of any of these networks look me up and I promise I won't cyberstalk you.

Pony Car battle on YouTube from Motor Trend. I guess I'm going to stop carping about the IRS

A friend of mine told me about this so I looked it up on YouTube. Based on this video maybe I'll stop carping about the lack of Independant Rear Suspension.

MyFordDreams.com!

MyFordDreams is now www.myforddreams.com please link to me!
And to all my blogging friends and associates could you at your convenience adjust links.
I know the old url will work, but I'm hoping to avoid confusion in the future.
Aslo this blog is now MyFordDreams, not MyFordDreams2. The old blog is now MyFordDreams Classic!

The Mustangs you see when you don't have a camera! Damn!

So, today is a beautiful near summer day and I was out running errands this morning, when I come to a red light. I hear before I see a row of SVT Mustang Cobras and other modified pony cars and as is Murphy's Law, that's when I realise I've left my camera at home. Doh!
It was 9:30 am and the road was empty as 20-25 very nice examples of Dearborn's greatest rolled by me. The sound of Superchargers and tuned exhaust filling the semi-industrial area with music to my ears.

I had even bought a small digital camera like this one just for this type of thing.

But dumb me I brought it in the house to download some photos from a party and left it on my desk.

MyFordDreams and MyFordDreams Classic, think Coke and you'll get it

As part of changes going on here at MyFordDreams, one of the first is the renaming of my original blog to MyFordDreams Classic. I started blogging April 2005 over there and then moved over to this blog when I was having problems. I'm hoping that with other changes in the future this will help avoid confusion.

I'm going to be making other minor changes, that hopefully won't confuse things further.

MyFordDreams2 will be MyFordDreams from now on. There will be a new URL, but I'm staying here on Blogger, it's been a very reliable platform.

Busy weekend, but over the next week there'll be improvements that may not be visible at first.

And to prospective advertisers, email me at myforddreams@aol.com

Update! Now MyFordDreams.com this site now has it's own web address www.myforddreams.com !

Big Thanks to fellow bloggers!

Over the last few weeks as I've been resurecting MyFordDreams I've recieved advice and assistance from several of my fellow Automotive Bloggers, The Auto Prophet, Brian of RaecDriven.com and Gary of TheGarage and while I've sent individual thanks to them via e-mail, I'd like to take the time to publicly thank them and advise you to check their great blogs linked on the sidebar.

When I started in 2005 there was an explosion of Automotive bloggers, some who've fallen along the way. Today some of those guys are professionals at AutBlog, Cars.com and other mainstream sites. But even the mainstream writers would take a moment and help out the non-professional guys. Dave Thomas of Kicking Tires @ Cars.com started the Blog for Auto Bloggers and there were notables from Jalopnik and AutoBlog there as well. There was a real sense of community. And there was a thing called the Carnival of Cars, a weekly roundup of the Auto Blogging highlights. If I'm not mistaken this had been handled by various guys over the years, including Gary of The Garage, The Auto Prophet and Mark Tapscott.

There have been low points to blogging, like when "Splogs" would scrape content and repost it on sites designed to generate income with no original content. But there have been high points as well, such as when Bill Daschele, a graduate student did a survey and wrote about the auto blogging scene. And we've even been mentioned in a book on corporate blogging by John Case, which I mentioned a few days ago.

Some guys get paid to do this, many of us do this out of passion for the subject. I've recently started to attempt to monetize my blog, by accepting advertisements. I've even tested the waters of partnering with a professional site. There will be improvements to MyFordDreams and some minor changes ( maybe even some major changes) but it will still always be My Dreams and there will always be some level of personal passion about it.

Again I'd like to thank The Auto Prophet, Brian V and Gary G for their assistance and encourage you to check their pages as often as possible. And in a shameless plug for myself, tell all your friends about MyFordDreams.

The Car Connection has story about Ford offering SYNC updates to customers for free

Don't you hate when you're the first one on the block to buy that hi-tech gadget and then they release an improved version that blows yours away? Well Ford recognizes this and wants customers that have bought SYNC equipped vehicles already and those contemplating a purchase now to rest easy. They're offering free updates/upgrades via Inernet downloads.

When did cars become i-Phones? Updates, apps and such are new ideas to a dinosaur like me, but we evolve or die. And this is the type of news that gives me confidence that when I buy my new Ford I won't have regrets every six months ( or less these days) when the next new fangled gadget is available.

Jalopnik checks out Tranist Connect, MFD gets out the soap box again

So, Jalopnik and other sites have been given a chance to get a hands on look and drive of the new Ford Transit Connect small commerical vehicle. Click the link in title to read the entire piece, while I get out my soap box and start to preach. The Transit Connect, based on the Euro Ford Focus platform and powered by a 2.0 DuraTec 4 cyl gets 22 mpg city and 25 mpg hwy all while hauling up to 1,600 lbs. That's a great payload. It's not quite long enough for lumber and many ladders, but it would be great for many delivery businesses and in my opinion would make a great Taxi as seen here at the New York Auto Show last year.

The Econoline is iconic and a dinosour. I'm not a van guy, I own a Ranger pickup, but I've driven vans in my line of work for the last 20 years, both Chevy and Ford. On a side note, the Econoline is was far far better than it's Chevy competition if you had to drive one for work. But they are big even the E-150. I drove an E-350 (1998) for several years and it was tough and dependable, but I would have killed for something like the Transit Connect on some days. Sure, when you have to lug 10ft lengths of pipe and ladders to a job, you need the E-350. But most days running to a supply house, it was overkill. And on those rare trips downtown Manhattan, it was a nightmare. The Transit Connect won't replace the Econoline, but it will be attractive to many business that don't need the overkill.

And who knows, if the Transit Connect works out, maybe some companies would be interested in moving up to the Transit van. A very good choice to replace the Econoline. The Transit is the big brother and world wide equivalent of the Econoline. Globally the Transits use mostly Diesel powertrains and are available in multiple chassis and drivetrain combinations including 4x4.

Now that Dodge isn't part of Daimler , I wonder if they'll still be selling the Sprinter? If not, Ford could sell Transits to fleets that have purchased Sprinters in the past and aren't keen on buying Mercedes or Freightliner ( who also sell the Sprinter.)

In this economy the slogan Buy American, isn't just a Protectionist rant

Over the years many people including the media have made the slogan "Buy American" seem like a Protectionist phrase spouted by Right Wing loonies and Pro-Unionist. But in the new reality, it's actually more important than that. We're all reading the stories about Chrysler Bondholders and now GM Bondholders who have been "holding up" the process of getting these companies back on their feet. But let's examine who some of those bondholders are, not all of them, some of them. It's you and I folks, it's our Pension Funds, Annuities and Retirement portfolios, even if you didn't check the box saying I want to invest in the auto industry. Even if you drive a Honda or Toyota or BMW, you have money invested in the domestic auto industry, like it or not. And let's not forget that with Chrysler and GM you're going to be defacto part owners as well.

It's not Xenophobic in these times to say Buy American, it's common sense. And I don't want to argue where the "American" cars are made or that foreign makers like Honda, Toyota, Hyundai and Mazda, among others make vehicles here. I'm going to make this argument very very simple. Do you want to retire? Do you want that 401k or Pension to be worth even half of what it is today? Well, then suport the domestic auto industry and in turn help yourself.

Nobody cries foul when told that most cars sold in Asian countries are made there. Nobody shouts "No Fair!" when we hear that in Italy Fiat is very popular, or that Renault and Citreon/Peugot are major players on their home turf. Is it any surprise that Volkswagen is doing so well in Germany? No, of course not, around the world, other people realize that by buying domestically produced products they're supporting their own economy. And that's true even if a German buys a VW made elsewhere or an Italian buys a Fiat made in Poland. The money, the profits go back into their domestic auto industry and their government coffers in the way of taxes.

So, you buy what you want, I don't care. But my next vehicle will be a Ford. Not just because I love Ford, I've owned Chevy, Honda, Chrysler and Mazda products over the years, but because I want to be able to retire with something and I'm hoping beyond hope that GM & Chrysler will pay back some portion of their loans. I'm hoping that I won't have to work until the day before they put me in a box. I'll buy American so that I can enjoy something over a "Developing Nation" lifestyle in the future.

Still want a Prius over that Ford Fusion Hybrid? Good for you. I KNOW Ford's quality is on par with foreign automakers. But hell, even if it wasn't, just like those crazy Yugo lovers from Eastern Europe, I know I want to retire with something.