2007 Ford Shelby GT

The '07 Shelby GT points back to the original Shelby Mustang GT350. The 2007 Shelby GT keeps all of the classic Mustang lines but adds an even more aggressive look. The interior is comfortable, uncluttered and classic Mustang.

2007 Ford Shelby GT

Type:
Rear-wheel drive sports coupe

Retail price:
$36,970-$42.350

Models:
One, but two colors, black or white

Engine:
4.6-liter V-8 producing 319-horsepower, 330-pound-feet torque

Transmission:
5-speed manual with Hurst shifter or 5-speed automatic

EPA mileage:
16 mpg city / 23 mpg highway


Report card

# Exterior: Excellent.
Mean and powerful looking Mustang, special Shelby touches makes this car stand out.

# Interior: Good.
Spartan feel adds to the car's mystique, very comfortable for front passengers.

# Safety: Good.
Front and side airbags and traction control.

# Performance: Good.
Powerful and fun on open roads.

# Pros: Pure Mustang.
Looks, feels and acts like the muscle cars from its heritage.

# Cons:
Not nimble on tight corners and interior feels bare bones.

# Notes: If you love Mustangs, you'll love this car.


Specifications

* Engine: 5.4-liter, DOHC, 32-valve, 90-degree V-8
* Aspiration: Eaton M122 Roots-type Supercharger w/Air-to-water Intercooler
* Drive Wheels: RWD
* Body/frame: Unit Steel w/Aluminum Hood
* Front Brakes: Brembo Vented Discs w/4-Piston Calipers
* Rear Brembo Vented Discs w/Twin-Piston Calipers
* Brake Size (front/rear): 14 in./11.8 in.
* Wheel Size (front): 18 in. x 9.5 in.
* Wheel Size (rear): 18 in. x 9.5 in.
* Tire Size (front): P255/45ZR18
* Tire Size (rear): P285/40ZR18
* Steering: Rack & Pinion w/Power Assist
* Front Suspension: Reverse-L independent MacPherson strut, 34mm tubular stabilizer bar
* Rear Suspension: Three-link solid axle with coil springs, shocks, Panhard rod, 24mm solid stabilizer bar
* Wheelbase: 107.1 in.
* Length: 187.6 in.
* Width: 73.9 in.
* Height: 54.5 in.
* Curb Weight: Coupe - 3920 LB (1780) K Convertible - 4040 LB (1834) K
* Weight Distribution (front/rear): 57%/43%
* Track (front/rear): 61.9 in./62.5 in.
* Interior volume, F/R/cargo (cu. ft.) 53/33/12

Performance

* Horsepower: 500 bhp
* Torque: 480 lb.-ft.
* 0-60 mph: 4.6 sec.
* Quarter-Mile: 12.9 sec. @ 112 mph
* Top Speed: 155 mph (Electronically Limited)
* Coefficient of Drag: 0.38
* Horsepower Per Liter: 83.19 bhp
* Horsepower Per Weight: 188.92 bhp

Ford F250 Superduty 2008

The F-250 Super Duty Crew Cab FX4 is a four-wheel-drive workhorse. It hauls manure as opposed to producing it in word-processing machines. That is an important distinction in assessing its value and place in a political environment marked by concerns about fuel efficiency and global warming. On Capitol Hill, honorable lawmakers and their staffs, many of whom have never hauled anything except lobbyists' reports, or built anything except political constituencies, are apt to look at the big Ford truck and say: "Aha, see! That is why we need higher fuel economy standards."

Complaints:
It has a ground clearance of nearly eight inches, presenting ingress-egress difficulties for short people. An optional swing-out step is available.
Ride, acceleration and handling: It's a big pickup truck that rides and handles like a big pickup truck--hard and sometimes bouncy. Handling is good in straight-line highway running, competent in wide curves, less pleasing in tight curves, and ponderous to clumsy in city traffic. It is a truck designed to push, haul and tow, which is why it has lots of torque, especially at lower engine revolutions per minute. That means it's no speedster.
Head-turning quotient: It drew smiles and praise in West Virginia. It brought curses and sneers in Washington and its suburbs.

Body style/layouts:
Ford's Super Duty trucks are full-size, body-on-frame pickups available with rear-wheel-drive or all-wheel-drive. There are three cab styles--regular (two side doors), Super Cab (two full front side doors and two half doors for rear-cabin access), and the tested Crew Cab (four full side doors). There are two bed lengths--6.75 feet and eight feet. And there are three towing-hauling ranges--F-250, heavy; F-350, heavier; F-450, heaviest.

Engines/transmissions:
Three engines are available for the F-250, including Ford's base 5.4-liter, 300-horsepower, gasoline Triton V-8; a 6.8-liter, 362-horsepower, gasoline Triton V-10; and the tested 6.4-liter, Power Stroke diesel V-8 that develops 350 horsepower at 3,000 rpm and 650 foot-pounds of torque at 2,000 rpm. In the tested vehicle, the diesel engine was linked to a five-speed automatic transmission. A six-speed manual is available.
Capacities: With bench seats front and rear, there is seating for six. Maximum payload is 3,170 pounds. Maximum towing capacity is 12,500 pounds. The fuel tank holds 38 gallons of required ultra-low sulfur diesel fuel. Warning: Carefully read diesel pump labels before filling.

Mileage:
I averaged 22.5 miles per gallon in highway driving with one passenger, no cargo.
Safety: Four-wheel antilock brakes are standard. Side and head air bags were not available at this writing. Electronic traction control is available. Ford's Trailer Brake Controller, which synchronizes braking between the truck and trailer, is optional on the F-250 and is recommended by this column.

Price:
Base price is $35,880. Dealer's invoice price on the base model is $33,152. Price as tested is $54,825, including $18,010 in options (diesel engine, five-speed automatic transmission, navigation, Trailer Brake Controller, power sunroof, leather-covered captain's chairs, tailgate step, Sirius Satellite Radio) and a $925 destination charge. Dealer's price as tested is $49,027. Prices sourced from Ford and www.edmunds.com.

Purse-strings note:
Easy on the options. Regular cab versions are substantially less expensive. Rear-wheel drive beats four-wheel-drive in fuel economy.

Ford Taunus V4 engine

The Taunus V4 was a V4 piston engine with one balance shaft, introduced by Ford Motor Company in Germany in 1962. The German V4 was built in the Cologne plant and powered the Ford Taunus and German versions of the Consul, Granada and Transit. It was not a 'true' V engine as two opposing pistons did not share one crankpin on the crankshaft.

The V4 was later expanded into the Ford Cologne V6 engine that is used in the Ford Capri and many other Ford cars. The V4 engine was (and still is) also used in industrial applications: pumps, electrical generators, and in agricultural machinery. In automobiles, the Taunus V4 was replaced by the Ford OHC/Pinto engine.

Applications:

* Ford Taunus
* Ford Consul
* Ford Granada
* Ford Transit
* Saab 95
* Saab 96
* Saab Sonett (II-V4 and III)
* Matra 530


1.2

The 1.2 L (1183 cm³) version features an 80.0 mm bore and 58.86 mm stroke. Output was 40 hp (29 kW) and 80 Nm or 45 hp (33 KW) and 82 Nm.

Applications:

* 1962 - 1966 Ford Taunus 12M P4
* 1967 - 1968 Ford Taunus 12M P6


1.3

The 1,3 L (1288 cm³) version had an 84,00 mm bore and 58,86 mm stroke. Output was 50 hp (37 KW) and 95 Nm or 53 hp (39 KW) and 98 Nm.

Applications:

* 1966 - 1970 Ford Taunus 12M P6
* 1969 - 1972 Ford Capri


1.5

The 1.5 L (1498 cm³) V4 had a 90.0 mm bore and 58.86 mm stroke. It produced 55 hp (40 kW) and 107 Nm, 60 hp (44 kW) and 114 Nm or 65 hp (48 kW) and 117 Nm at 2500 RPM.

Applications:

* 1962-1966 Ford Taunus 12M P4
* 1966-1970 Ford Taunus 15M P6
* 1964-1967 Ford Taunus 17M P5
* 1967-1971 Ford Taunus 17M P7
* 1969-1972 Ford Capri
* 1967-1980 Saab 95 and Saab 96 (European market)
* 1967-1970 Saab 95, Saab 96 and Saab Sonett (USA market)

Since it the Saab 96 was used for rallying it was also tuned. In the rally versions it was bored out to 1784 cm³ and 1933 cm³ giving aroud 150 hp in the naturally aspired version and 200 hp DIN at 7000 rpm in the Saab 96 RC Turbo version doing 0 to 100 km/h in five seconds. SAAB also tuned the engine to 240 hp.


1.7

The 1.7 L (1699 cm³) V4 had a 90.0 mm bore and 66.8 mm stroke. It produced 65 hp (48kW) and 129 Nm, 70 hp (52 kW) and 137 Nm or 75 hp (55 kW) and 130 Nm.

Applications:

* 1964-1967 Ford Taunus 17M P5
* 1967-1971 Ford Taunus 17M P7
* 1967-1972 Matra 530
* 1969-1972 Ford Capri
* 1972-1975 Ford Consul (German version)
* 1975-1981 Ford Granada (German version)
* 1971-1974 Saab 95, Saab 96 and Saab Sonett, low compression version with 65 hp for USA market


Also, some DKW Munga, a Jeep like vehicle used in the German army were retrofitted with this Ford V4, to replace its standard two stroke engine.

Since the engine mounts and gearbox connections are identical between the Ford Cologne V6 engine and the V4, some vintage V4 Saab 96s were modified to take a V6, for rally racing, although this dramatically changed the weight distribution and steering characteristics.

2008 Ford Escape

The '01 Escape doesn't look as bold as its updated model.

2008 Ford Escape

Type: A front-wheel drive compact SUV. All-wheel drive is available.
Retail price (including shipping): $19,245 - $30,000

Trim levels: XLS, XLT and Limited

Engines:
2.3-liter I-4, 153-hp, 152-lb-ft
3-liter V-6, 200-hp, 200-hp, 193-lb-ft
Gas-electric hybrid version is available.

Transmission: Five-speed manual or four-speed automatic

Dimensions: Length: 174.7-inches; Width: 71.1-inches; Wheelbase: 103.1-inches

EPA mileage:
2.3-L: FWD, 20 mpg city /26 mpg highway; AWD, 19/24
3-L: FWD, 18/24; AWD, 17/22



Report card

Exterior: Excellent. The new front end gives the compact SUV a much more truck-like appearance.

Interior: Good. Comfortable and utilitarian. For those green at heart, one option includes seats made from recycled materials.

Safety: Excellent. Standard front and side curtain airbags, as well as standard anti lock brakes, electronic stability control with rollover stability control.

Performance: Good. Ride and handling have improved. Significant sound proofing and aerodynamic changes have cut internal noise by more than 12 percent.

Notes: An excellent all around vehicle that can handle life's daily grind well.