ford

It's not often that I have to begin a vehicle review with a five-paragraph explanation for the score assigned to it, but it's also rare that I have to assign such a low a score to a car that I loved as much as I did the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302.

Before you Mustang devotees grab your torches and pitchforks and converge on CNET's offices, demanding my head, you'll want to know that, in this very same review, I also praise the Boss' V-8 power, handling prowess, and firm, yet supple suspension. If it didn'… Read more

An update to Ford Sync retrofits the infotainment platform with the Bluetooth Message Access Profile (MAP), which enables some smartphones to stream and read text messages out loud to to the driver.

If you haven't heard of MAP, you're in good company. MAP is a Bluetooth protocol designed specifically for message streaming in automobiles, which is why most smartphones are not equipped with that profile. It's used to transmit SMS, MMS, and e-mails between devices, such as between mobile phones and the Sync system. The update doesn't bring a lot of new features to Sync subscribers, … Read more

The lowest-price cars used to be devoid of features other than maybe a rearview mirror and heating vents.

You can still find those very base-level cars, but go up a trim level and you get much, much more. Automakers have unleashed a new set of subcompacts focused on the entry-level buyer, and this young demographic has certain expectations about technology.

Most of the cars we included in this roundup come in between $15,000 and $20,000, optioned up and out the door. Navigation is not prevalent among these cars, but most buyers in this segment will rely on a smartphone. … Read more

DEARBORN, Mich.--Electrification is the biggest change to hit the auto industry in decades. But with little clarity on how the technology will play out in the future, automakers are laying down multiple billion-dollar bets.

After years of talking about plug-in electric vehicles, automakers can finally point to actual products, actual customers, and the beginnings of a charging infrastructure.

Yet automakers still don't know which products will resonate with consumers. The result is a spate of all-electric cars and a spectrum of hybrids built around different-size batteries.

What combination of battery and gas engine will be most popular with … Read more

Using post-consumer materials and finding more energy-efficient ways to produce vehicles are just part of Ford Motor Co.'s strategy to reduce the company's global carbon footprint.

Ford is looking at the energy use and carbon emissions of 128 global suppliers. These suppliers account for nearly 60 percent of the company's $65 billion in annual purchases.

In 2010, the automaker surveyed 35 top suppliers that make seats, steering systems, tires, and metal components. What Ford discovered was how much the companies varied in their readiness to measure and report greenhouse gas emissions.

According to the 2010 survey results, … Read more

Ford today announced it is partnering with the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company to research how coconut coir, or husks, might be used as a plastic reinforcement.

According to Ford, the fiber from coconut coir is being used by Scotts Miracle-Gro as a carrier for its soils and grass seed products. The fiber holds 50 percent more water than basic potting soil.

Ford is looking at the same fibers to combine with plastic and deliver more reinforcement to vehicle parts and also cutting down on the need for petroleum.

"This is a win-win situation. We're taking a material that is … Read more

The death of Steve Jobs has led to the inevitable debate over just how important a figure he was. An undeniable master of consumer taste, Jobs transformed the tech industry and helped define the digital age. But where, ultimately, will he stand as an historical figure?

The comparisons to Alexander Graham Bell and Thomas Edison seem a bit of a stretch. While Jobs has his name on hundreds of patents, he was not an inventor in the classic sense. What he was was an innovator and a business leader, with an unparalleled ability to bring people together to execute his … Read more

From the outside, you wouldn't suspect the modern features found in the 2011 Ford F-150. It is a full-size truck with bed sides that run almost 5 feet off the ground. Getting in the cab requires a big step up, and the grille is a veritable cliff.

But under the hood sits Ford's latest power plant, a twin turbocharged direct injection 3.5-liter V-6. In displacement, that is a lot smaller than the 5-liter V-8 also offered. But this new engine churns out considerably more power, while at the same time getting slightly better fuel economy. In all … Read more

On this week's show, OnStar decides not to be nosy, BMW's M5 makes some noise, and we get our truck on.

• OnStar reverses snooping policy

• BMW officially rebrands itself as Ultimate Poser Car

• M-B gets a 4-cyl in the U.S.

• Artist renders next-gen Toyota Supra concept

• Nissan building GT-R based 'Super Juke' (rumor)