For the tenth year in a row the Ford Motor Company has donated an entire fleet of refrigerated trucks filled with Newman’s Own products in partnership with Feeding America, the nation’s largest hunger relief organization. The trucks filled with food, provided in partnership with Newman’s Own, will be delivered throughout the country to communities in need. Communities include those that are hard to reach and where delivery of products such as meat and dairy are impossible without the use of a refrigerated vehicle.

The fleet of 98 refrigerated Ford trucks and vans now reaches into all 50 states, according to a press release.

“Through this unique partnership, Ford Motor Company has remained committed to playing a role in addressing hunger relief throughout good and bad economic times,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company in a press release. “To date, our donated trucks have delivered more than 130 million meals to families across the country.”

Ford’s new C-MAX has been designed for busy families who want cutting-edge technology with flexible seating and cargo that can handle the lives of today’s modern family. It provides sporty performance and the best fuel economy in its class.

“The Ford C-MAX provides still more proof of how our One Ford plan continues to deliver the high-quality, fuel-efficient products people really want,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas in a recent press release. “C-MAX is just right for customers in North America seeking stylish, flexible transportation and life-enhancing technology that comes standard.”

The C-MAX is part of what Ford has dubbed its global small vehicle strategy, which promises to deliver 10 vehicles from one C-vehicle platform by 2012.

Features include a hands-free rear liftgate, a unique 5 plus 2 seating configuration made up of five seats in the main cabin area and two small seats in the third row.  It also has the capability to automatically steer into parallel parking spaces.

The Focus Global Test Drive is a three-day event, Feb. 18-20, 2011, in Madrid where consumers and bloggers will drive a Ford Focus through a series of challenges. Each course will highlight the driving dynamics and technologies in the vehicle. The event will benefit local charities and be hosted by a world famous driver.

Justin Bell, road racing veteran and legend will host and help coach during the event. Bell, whose own career stretches 20 years,  teamed with his father, Derek Bell during the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1992 to 1996. Justin Bell has also been in the Trans-Am series and in the American Le Mans Series. He was FIA GT champion in the GT2 class in 1997, a class winner in the 1998 24 Hours of Le Mans and 2001 Trans-Am rookie of the year. Many people might recognize him from his time on-air on the Speed Channel.

The Focus Global Test Drive event is the first of its kind and will take place at the National Institute for Aerospace Technology, near Madrid.

Look for more news about this incredible event. It’s sure to be an exciting one.

Ford’s innovative Rear View Camera System will soon be offered on nearly every Ford and Lincoln model by the end of 2011.

“Ford is making new innovations such as the Rear View Camera System available to a wide range of customers in most of our vehicles to help them see better when reversing,” said Jim Buczkowski, director of electrical and electronics systems engineering at Ford.

Ford is becoming well-known for offering a number of safety features including Blind Spot Mirrors and the Cross Traffic system, which helps drivers avoid accidents.

The rear camera sends images to a video displayed in the rearview mirror or the navigation system screen. This assists drivers to avoid hazards directly behind the vehicle when the driver is in reverse.

The system also displays the width of the vehicle via lines overlaid on top of the image. The images are viewable even in the darkest of garages due to the camera’s low light capability and the intensity of the vehicle’s reverse lamps.

The rear view camera system will be offered on almost all of its crossovers, vans and full-size pickups, which should help truck owners when attaching hitch trailers.

Ford Racing Performance Group is bringing the Fiesta R2 rally kit to the U.S., developed by M-Sport. The R2 package offers several performance upgrades to give competitors a turnkey, rally-ready Fiesta, including powertrain enhancements that pump out 168 horsepower and 134 lb.-ft. of torque. Furthermore, a new Fiesta Sport Trophy Championship will debut in RallyCar’s Rally America Series 2WD class for 2011, designed specifically for competitors who have the Fiesta R2 package installed by Team O’Neil

Currently available throughout Europe, Ford Racing Performance Group is bringing the competition-ready package stateside to let enthusiasts turn their five-door Fiesta into a Fiesta R2 that’s ready to compete on the roads of RallyCar’s Rally America National Championship. Developed by M-Sport, Ford’s WRC partner since 1997, the kit will convert a production Fiesta to rally specification. Included in the package are engine parts that will increase the performance of the 1.6-liter Ti-VCT four-cylinder engine: pistons, conrods, camshafts, valve springs, injectors, airbox, air filter and a sump baffle kit. The performance enhancements deliver 168 horsepower and 134 lb.-ft. of torque, a 40 percent increase in horsepower over the production Fiesta.

Enthusiasts who add the R2 package to their Fiesta will have the ability to compete in the Fiesta Sport Trophy Championship in RallyCar’s Rally America National Championship 2WD class in 2011. The winner of the Fiesta Sport Trophy Championship will be awarded a ride in the R2 class in a Fiesta at Wales Rally GB. Additionally, the winner from the class will have the opportunity to compete in the Fiesta SportTrophy International Shootout in Great Britain for a chance to win a year’s residential placement at M-Sport, working with the BP Ford World Rally team. The rally kit also is the perfect way for enthusiasts to appreciate all that the Fiesta offers.

The high-powered Ford Focus ST hatchback will debut at the Paris Motor Show, but it isn’t a Europe-only model. It will go on sale in the U.S. sometime in 2012. Besides the unique paint color, the Focus ST’s larger wheels, unique front end, center-mounted dual exhaust pipe and large rear spoiler all alert you to the performance aspects of the model. The engine will be a modified version of Ford’s turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, which is good for 246 horsepower.

Essentially a middle ground between the pedestrian Focus and the unhinged Focus RS, the Focus ST has traditionally offered more power and a sportier look and drive than your average Focus.  Ford, to its credit, sees no reason to alter this formula. It will show an “early preview” of the next-generation ST, the first car  born from the company’s new global Performance Vehicles strategy, in Paris ahead of the car’s global launch at the end of 2011 or early 2012. For now, Ford calls it the “range-topping” Focus, a nod to the retirement of the current Focus RS, whose successor is not yet confirmed.

The Ford F-150 was officially the best selling pickup truck in the U.S. for August 2010. The F-150 brought in 47,652 sales across the country, up 4.5% from August of 2009. With a fuel economy of 19 mpg Hwy/15 mpg City, the 2010 F-150 trims consist of the rugged and reliable XL, the sporty STX, the versatile and well-equipped XLT, the durable FX4 and the luxurious Lariat. Each trim boasts its own unique styling, appearance and capabilities. All 2010 F-150′s come equipped with a V8 engine and an automatic transmission. A 2-valve 4.6-liter V8 is mated to a 4-speed automatic transmission, and a 3-valve 4.6-liter or 5.4-liter V8 are mated to a new 6-speed automatic transmission. The F-150′s versatility offers 4×2 or 4×4 drive systems, three cab styles, three pickup box lengths and a host of option groups and available features.

The Ford Ranger came in at number 7 for August pickup truck sales. August 2010 Sales: 4,161. The Ranger has a fuel economy of 27 mpg Hwy/22 mpg City. It is available as a 4×2 Regular cab or 4×2 and 4×4 Supercab the Ranger is offered in three trims: XL, XLT, and Sport. A 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine generates 143 horsepower and a 4.0-liter V6 engine produces 207 horsepower. Available transmissions include a standard five-speed manual or an optional five-speed automatic. The supercab is available as a two-door or four-door with jump seats. A trailer hitch and safety features such as four-wheel anti-lock brakes and dual-stage front airbags are standard equipment. New for 2010 all Rangers include Roll Stability Control with AdvanceTrac, and Side Seat airbags. The 2-door SuperCab now includes jump seats in standard equipment.

A huge favorite in the 1990s, Ford Explorer sales have cooled over the past few years with the rising gas prices and small car trend. But the 2011 Ford Explorer changes everything and put this model in the perfect spot to make a comback. The latest Explorer ditches the body-on-frame platform and the V-8 for a V-6 and a lighter unibody structure based on the Ford Flex. Ford’s only hope of growing Explorer sales is to change to a unibody platform, and that is what they did.

The all-new Explorer rides on a unibody platform derived from the automaker’s D3 platform rather than the separate frame of the outgoing model. Substantially updated since the platform first debuted, it now underpins the Taurus, Flex, Lincoln MKS and Volvo XC90 in addition to the all-new Ford Explorer. The Explorer also debuts a new EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine and it will offer a more powerful (and thirstier) V6. This 2.0-liter inline-four combines a turbocharger, direct injection and four valves per cylinder to deliver an estimated 237 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 250 lb-ft. of torque from 1,750 to 4,000 rpm. Ford says that fuel economy is up 30 percent over the outgoing Explorer V6. The EcoBoost four-cylinder will only be offered with front-wheel-drive.

The Ford Edge sales have recently  hit 400,000, more than any midsize crossover since its introduction in late 2006
Considering the fact that  the crossover segment is one of the most fiercely contested in the industry, this is a huge achievement. The new 2011 Ford Edge is expected to continue the success as Ford introduces America to the revolutionary MyFord Touch driver connect technology and offers unbeatable fuel economy of 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.

In 2006 when Edge was introduced, the midsize crossover segment accounted for 4.3 percent of the retail industry. Last year, that number grew to 9.5 percent. And this year, it’s expected to top 11 percent, making the segment the same size as full-size pickups and more than sports cars. Now comes the new 2011 Ford Edge with three new powertrains, bold new styling, improved driving dynamics and industry-leading MyFord Touch technology. The 2011 Ford Edge SEL and Limited, which account for about 80 percent of all Edge sales, have EPA-estimated fuel economy of 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway (front-wheel drive), which is unsurpassed in each category among V6 competitors. The new Edge is now 1 mpg better city and 2 mpg better highway – with even greater power. The standard 3.5-liter V6 engine produces 285 horsepower, best-in-class among V6 competitors and 20 more horsepower than the outgoing Edge.

The 2011 Ford Fiesta was a much anticipated launch, with a fun, unique and trendsetting campaign.  Furthermore, the Ford Fiesta will be participating in this years X Games. For the 2011 X Games, Fiesta’s all-star driver lineup grows from three drivers to four with the addition of Ford Rally America and WRC driver Ken Block to last year’s trio of Kenny Brack, Tanner Foust and Brian Deegan. This year’s rally competition at X Games will be comprised of two competitions: Rally Car Racing and SuperRally, a European-style rallycross where four cars will race simultaneously against each other. The Ford foursome of Block, Brack, Deegan and Foust will drive their Fiestas in both competitions.

In addition to the action at X Games, Ford has created unique ways for fans to get in on the fun. One, called “I Win! You Win!” is an on-site promotion where fans in attendance to X Games can text “FORD” to 66937 to be randomly paired with one of the featured athletes for the events. The athletes include Ford Racing rally drivers and Metal Mulisha’s motocross team. If a fan is paired with an athlete and that athlete wins the event, the fan wins the athlete’s custom Fiesta.

Fans also will have another opportunity to win a Fiesta through the “Rock It Like Block” contest. A grand-prize winner will win a 2011 Ford Fiesta, custom designed by Ken Block. The contest runs through Aug. 13, and entries can be submitted at www.rockitlikeblock.com.

Ford also is teaming up with Metal Mulisha to display a Ford Fiesta in its pits during X Games. The team will sign autographs at the Ford Fiesta display, where co-branded Ford and Metal Mulisha posters and skateboard decks will be given away.