“Whether it’s your thing or not, you’ve got to admit that this is pretty fun,” I told the Mustang, feeling the intoxicating thrust from the 315 horsepower.

Since its resurrection a year ago, the Ford Thunderbird has brought a healthy dash of panache to Ford’s generally pedestrian lineup.  This two-seat, full-size convertible comes straight out of the 1950s with a modern rethinking of the classic shape of the original 1955 Thunderbird.  Best of all, the T-Bird doesn’t require that you sacrifice driveability for those Hollywood looks.

The Thunderbird cruises into 2003 with detail changes only: a slight bump in horsepower, standard traction control and a few new colors inside and out.  The limited-production roadster is practically an instant …

The most impressive thing about the Ford Ranger is how well it measures up to its much newer competitors.  Even next to Chevrolet’s all-new Colorado, the Ranger (whose last significant redesign was over a decade ago) still feels current.  Its sixteen-year reign as best-selling compact pickup truck thus comes as no surprise.

In the face of new competitors, Ford is sticking to the formula that works.  For 2004 the Ranger gets a minor facelift and a new round of refinements to keep it in the game.  Upgrades to the Ranger’s interior …

Although the Ford Mustang is an instantly recognizable road icon, not everyone has actually met one.  Not everyone wants to, of course, but for those who are curious, we’re happy to help.  In its latest, showiest incarnation, the Mach I model, having a Mustang is not unlike having a pet bear or tiger.  It’s cool, it gives you the attitude you want when you’re seen with it…but don’t ever make the mistake of thinking it’s your friend.  Your Mustang Mach 1 will just as soon eat you as look at …

This may be the most important new truck in Ford’s history.  The 2004 Ford F-150 faces more full-size truck competitors than ever, with Nissan’s all-new Titan due in a few months.  More importantly, the personal truck market is tremendous.  Ford’s long-time sales leadership in this segment is the source of much of the company’s profits.  With the economy staggering, Ford certainly needs that sales success to continue.

The outgoing F-150 accounts for an astounding twenty-five percent of Ford’s sales volume.  Each year, Ford builds more “Effies” than are produced by some …

Back in the 1960s, the initials “KR” meant King of the Road, as in Carroll Shelby’s high-powered Mustang GT500KR.  These days, there’s another KR roaming the freeways, but this one’s a truck, and “KR” means “King Ranch.”

Ford’s King Ranch edition, introduced on its full-size pickups in 2001, is a marketing package produced with the help of Texas’ King Ranch.  This giant ranch takes up a space approximately the size of Rhode Island in south Texas, and has been a fixture in the ranching industry for many years.  The decision to …

As the best-selling SUV in its class, Ford’s Explorer is somewhat ubiquitous in the ‘burbs.  Ford’s done its homework, and the Explorer is the perfect tool for many a family’s varied needs.  So, for a change, we decided to get an Explorer dirty and treat it like a truck instead of a family station wagon.

Surprise!  Ford was prepared for this possibility, and the Explorer NBX was more than up to the challenge.  We shouldn’t have been surprised, of course; it’s worth noting that Toyota, Nissan and Mitsubishi all field two …

Redesigning pickup trucks is a hard business, requiring balance between strength and style, and the new F-150 is a good example of a successful update.

How’s this for a Christmas present?  Ford knew it was onto something cool when it first combined its legendary F-Series with the iconic Harley-Davidson brand in 1999.  Now in its third year, the Harley-Davidson edition F-150 continues as the king of cruisin’ factory custom pickups.

The idea is pretty simple; take an F-150 SuperCrew and slap a bunch of Harley decals on it.  Ford’s done much more than that to distinguish the Harley F-150, though.  Both Ford and Harley-Davidson are celebrating their 100th anniversaries this year, so for 2003 their joint …

The Ford Motor Company has always been a relatively conservative brand.  Ford rarely gets too caught up in the fad of the moment, preferring instead to stick to mainstream vehicles, for mainstream folks.  And even when the Blue Oval brand does jump onto the bandwagon, it usually hedges its bets somewhat.  The most radical-looking new car from Ford, the unabashedly retro Thunderbird, is a very conventional beast under the skin, developed as it is from existing products.  For the most part, the marketing folks at Ford just don’t go for …