In The News

The real F-35 Lightning II fighter jet may be grounded, but the Ford Mustang version is just taking off.

As it does every year, Ford has created a special paint job for a Mustang to be auctioned off at the Experimental Aircraft Association's annual gathering at Oshkosh, Wis. They are always painted to match a famous military aircraft, present or past. Proceeds from the auction of the car go to support a program that offers introductory flights for teenagers in hopes it will foster an interest in aviation.

Chrysler has reportedly confirmed that its new seven-seat crossover is on track to launch in 2017. The model is said to be built upon a V6-powered front-wheel-drive platform, with all-wheel drive available as an optional upgrade. The company aims to share the platform across other vehicles, suggesting it will also underpin the next-generation minivan.

The Dodge Durango technically accommodates seven passengers, however the company views the SUV interior as too small and the exterior styling as too aggressive for many customers, Chrysler brand CEO Al Gardner told Motor Trend.

Ford Motor Company and Detroit Symphony Orchestra are building on their long history together by launching a new performance series that brings live orchestral music into the neighborhoods of Detroit.

“DSO on the Go with Ford” will feature 10 free performances by DSO musicians at locations around Detroit. The first performance is today, featuring bassoonist Michael Ke Ma and cellist David LeDoux at Ford Resource and Engagement Center (FREC) at 2826 Bagley St. in Detroit’s Mexicantown neighborhood.

A familiar Detroit voice is driving the latest Chevrolet ad campaign.

Kid Rock’s 2010 anthem “Born Free” accompanies a new television spot for the Chevy Summer Drive series, which aims to show “how Chevrolet is woven into the fabric of Summer in America,” according to Detroit ad developer Agency 720.

Yes, though tough to see through clouds of supercharged tire smoke, there are 2015 Challengers besides the SRT Hellcat. Believe me, I drove them. They come in all sorts of colors, with lots of different stripe packages, running three different engine options, and now vaguely resembling the ‘71 version of the original. You can even spec a houndstooth interior! While it’s true that they don’t have 707 hp—the V6 models make do with less than half that figure—the non-Hellcatted Challengers are still worth a look.

In terms of secrecy, the testing regime for the 2015 Ford F-150 sounds like it was ripped right out of the pages of a Dan Brown novel.

For almost three years, the project has involved secret prototypes, codenames, and a strict need-to-know basis when it came to what was going on in the depths of the largest gold mine in the U.S.

After his first visit to the General Motors Lordstown complex, U.S. Sen. Rob Portman, co-chairman of the Senate Auto Caucus, called it “a really inspiring experience.”

The Republican senator said Friday that he was impressed with the Chevrolet Cruze being built at the facility and the workers.

Lordstown “is producing a world-class car in a world-class production facility,” he said about the Cruze.

PORTLAND, Ore. -- The 707-hp SRT Hellcat will generate the most smoke at the drag strip, but it's the rest of the re-engineered Dodge Challenger lineup that likely will fire the interest of consumers.

Dodge's overhaul of the 2015 Challenger improves its performance and adds interior amenities. It will appear in showrooms in the third quarter.

The basics: The 2015 Challenger is available in eight trim levels, from a base level SXT with a 305-hp V-6 and eight-speed transmission up to the 392 Hemi Scat Pack Shaker with a 485-hp, 6.4-liter Hemi V-8.

Ford is confident the decision to go with an all-new platform for the 2015 Mustang will pay off in the performance enthusiasts want.

At the Ford test track in Dearborn Thursday, engineers provided the numbers buyers want to know: horsepower and torque, as well as details of a new suspension, larger brakes and other features designed to make the 2015 model stand out from past pony cars.