Ford today unveiled the Ford Atlas Concept at the North America International Auto Show in Detroit. The Ford Atlas Concept was built to showcase the design, capability, fuel efficiency and smart technologies that will define future pickup trucks.

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One of the more memorable unveilings at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show was another monster pickup truck from Ford. The Ford Atlas Concept give us a look at the potential future if the flagship Ford F-150. To say that Ford was aiming for a muscular and rugged design would be an understatement. The front grille in particular stood out as particularly bold. The Atlas Concept also sports the next-generation EcoBoost engine.

This is interesting news on the green car front. From AutoNews.com:

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co.’s redesigned 2013 Escape crossover, due in early 2012, will lose its V-6 engine and hybrid-powertrain versions, the automaker said today.

Instead, the next generation Escape will have three engine options, all of them four-cylinders.

Ford will move the Escape Hybrid’s powertrain to the C-Max Hybrid, which it will launch next year.

The redesigned Escape will be based on the Vertrek concept shown at the 2011 Detroit auto show. Ford will show a production version of the 2013 Escape this fall at the Los Angeles Auto Show.

Ford will offer a 2.5-liter four-cylinder naturally aspirated engine as the base engine in the 2013 Escape. Ford also will offer a 1.6- and a 2.0-liter turbocharged direct-injection EcoBoost engine in the Escape.

Read the full article.

Ford finally unveiled the 2011 Ford Explorer and this one could be a game changer “Again”! From the sleek and well placed all new interior to the ecoboost engine that could produce upwards of 25mpg highway this vehicle has appeal. The 2011 Explorer is such a departure from the current offering that it is the same in name only. Since it’s based off the same platform as the Taurus and Flex, similarities are easy to see.

The 2011 Explorer is a departure from the old days in so many ways including styling, a car based platform and a new 4 cylinder with ecoboost that we predict will win over more and more buyers as time as sales move forward.

From the Wall Street Journal:

Before Ford unveiled its 2011 Explorer, I doubted the new SUV would be anything special. After all, Ford has been tweaking the truck for 20 years, so what new things could be left to try?

Turns out this could be one of those rare redesigns that is more like a rebirth, mainly because of what Ford has done with the interior. The Explorer’s cabin, from the smooth feel of the door handles to the attractive colors and sharp graphics on its central display screen, shows attention to detail found in some luxury cars, but never in a Ford truck.

Read the full article here.

(Photo from the Detroit Free Press)