HOT-SELLING FORD POLICE INTERCEPTOR UTILITY VEHICLE NOW OFFERS 365-HORSEPOWER ECOBOOST ENGINE

August 23, 2013 – Ford announced police agencies will soon be able to order a Ford Police Interceptor utility vehicle with the 365-horsepower 3.5-liter EcoBoost® V6.

The Police Interceptor utility has received very positive feedback from law enforcement agencies, including the performance of the standard 3.7-liter Ti-VCT V6 engine, which delivers 304 horsepower and 279 lb.-ft. of torque, said Bill Gubing, chief engineer for Police Interceptor.

The engine, which delivers 350 lb.-ft. of torque, has been available in a variety of Ford vehicles, including the Police Interceptor sedan, and is the choice for more than 40 percent of Ford F-150 truck buyers.

“We continue to look at ways we can offer our customers additional product enhancements to further meet their unique needs,” said Gerry Koss, Ford fleet marketing manager. “Our Police Advisory Board and customers across the country identified the EcoBoost engine as their No. 1 want in the Police Interceptor utility vehicle.”

Agencies often need to outfit vehicles with an increasing amount of equipment, but still require first-responder, pursuit-capable performance and handling; the new Ford Police Interceptor utility vehicle is designed to meet these requirements.

“With the Police Interceptor utility vehicle representing half of our police orders, it is evident our two-vehicle strategy was on target,” said Koss. “Our engineering team designed this vehicle specifically for the police market.”

The Police Interceptor utility has received very positive feedback from law enforcement agencies, including the performance of the standard 3.7-liter Ti-VCT V6 engine, which delivers 304 horsepower and 279 lb.-ft. of torque, said Bill Gubing, chief engineer for Police Interceptor.

Gubing cited recently released results of Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department testing and evaluation of 2013 model year vehicles, which show Ford’s Police Interceptor utility vehicle swept all categories, including acceleration, braking, 32-lap high-speed and pursuit versus the Chevrolet Tahoe equipped with a 5.3-liter V8 engine.

“The 3.5-liter EcoBoost will offer best-in-class performance and top-notch fuel economy,” said Gubing. “That means law enforcement agencies that require this level of capability won’t have to compromise.

“It also complements our strategy of offering a choice of either sedan or utility vehicle based on a common platform, and sharing a large amount of common components, including powertrains, brakes, wheels/tires, seats and maintenance items,” Gubing added.

Lt. Charlie Powell, commander of fleet operations for Nevada Highway Patrol, said Ford “has made a good vehicle even more impressive” with the addition of the EcoBoost engine for the Police Interceptor utility vehicle. “This is good news,” he said. “We at Nevada Highway Patrol look forward to putting this platform in the field as soon as practical.”

Ford’s Police Interceptor engine strategy provides a V6 lineup that outperforms V8 engines of years past. The Police Interceptor sedan is available with three powertrain options – a 3.5-liter V6 with front-wheel drive, 3.7-liter V6 with all-wheel drive and the powerhouse 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine with all-wheel drive – allowing police to choose the powerplant that best meets their patrol requirements.

 

YUENGLING BREWERY FROM PENNSYLVANIA JOINS RCR AND TY DILLON FOR 2014 NATIONWIDE SEASON

First venture into NASCAR for America’s Oldest Brewery

POTTSVILLE, Penn. August 19, 2013 – Richard Childress Racing has partnered with D.G Yuengling & Son to be a primary sponsor on the No. 3 Yuengling Light Lager Chevrolet with driver Ty Dillon during the 2014 NASCAR Nationwide Series season.

As part of their 185th anniversary of brewing great lager, America’s oldest operating brewery will be the primary sponsor on the RCR Chevrolet Camaro for eight races of the 2014 schedule. Yuengling Light Lager will be a key partner as Dillon moves full time to the Nationwide Series next season.

The announcement was made during the company’s annual meetings at their Pennsylvania headquarters. This is Yuengling’s first time partnering with a NASCAR team.

“The Yuengling Brewery is extremely proud to be partnered with a world-class organization like RCR for the 2014 Nationwide Season,” said Lou Romano

Director of Marketing and Wholesaler Development for Yuengling. “Both organizations are true American success stories exemplifying hard work, family values and proven results.

“Ty Dillon is a perfect match for us to help introduce our Light Lager brand to loyal NASCAR fans wherever Yuengling is sold. He’s not only a strong competitor on the track, but shares many of the same interests as Yuengling drinkers. Ty is an avid sports fan, outdoor enthusiast and holds close family ties.

“We also know and understand the legacy of the No. 3 to RCR and in NASCAR history, and are honored to have our brewery appear with that number on Ty’s car in 2014.”

Dillon is currently competing for the NASCAR Camping World Truck Series championship and has one victory to his credit this season.

“I’m honored to be able to represent an iconic brand such as Yuengling,” said Dillon, who has eight-career Nationwide Series starts to his credit, to date. “I’m excited to share my first full year in the Nationwide Series with them as they venture into the sport for the first time this season.”

“They are family operated and America’s Oldest Brewery, something which fits our heritage at RCR. We think their family culture will make for a great partnership with the RCR and Childress family cultures. To say I’m looking forward to racing the No. 3 Yuengling Light Lager Chevrolet next year is an understatement.”

 

MICHIGAN: RIGHT PLACE AND RIGHT SEAT FOR GREG BIFFLE

Greg Biffle’s most recent top-five finish was a victory in June’s race at Michigan International Speedway.

August 14, 2013 – Sunday’s Pure Michigan 400 (1 p.m. ET on ESPN, MRN Radio, SiriusXM Radio) sets up quite nicely for the driver of the No. 16 Roush Fenway Ford. Biffle, the defending winner of the two-mile track’s August event, is in pursuit of his third consecutive victory at MIS and fourth win overall.

Convergence is a wonderful thing. Biffle re-visits one of his best tracks when he most could use some momentum. Ninth in current NASCAR Sprint Cup Series standings, the Vancouver, Wash. native effectively is hanging on to a provisional Chase berth by his fingernails.

Biffle is “in” – but just barely. He’s just four points ahead of 11th-place Kurt Busch, a former Roush Fenway Racing teammate. Provisional Wild Card holder Kasey Kahne, dumped from the top 10 last Sunday by a late-race accident at Watkins Glen International, is another marker back in 12th.

Biffle has insurance. His Michigan victory could translate into a Chase Wild Card entry.

Still, 10th-place Martin Truex Jr., Kahne and Indianapolis winner Ryan Newman aren’t far enough behind to make a Wild Card a sure thing. Another victory, perhaps, would be Biffle’s guarantee of punching his post-season ticket.

Biffle is at the right place at the right time – and in the right seat.

Roush Fenway Racing is the dominant organization in Michigan’s Irish Hills. Biffle’s June victory was the 13th for principal owner Jack Roush, whose headquarters lie less than 100 miles east in the Detroit suburb of Livonia. Roush previously shared the all-time NASCAR Sprint Cup victory record with NASCAR Hall of Fame member Glen Wood and the Wood Brothers before breaking it with Biffle’s win last August.

Biffle, whose 110.0 Driver Rating is tops at the track, isn’t the only contemporary RFR driver with success at MIS. Teammate Carl Edwards owns a pair of victories, in 2007-08 and boasts a series-high average finish of 8.1.

Edwards ranks third in NASCAR Sprint Cup standings finishing eighth in June’s Michigan stop.

RFR’s third driver, Sunoco Rookie of the Year leader Ricky Stenhouse Jr., finished 16th in June. Stenhouse continues to chase his first top-10 finish in NASCAR’s premier series.

Source: NASCAR

 

SUBARU EARNS SECOND STRAIGHT PODIUM IN GLOBAL RALLYCROSS CHAMPIONSHIP

Subaru drivers Sverre Isachsen and Dave Mirra finish third and fourth place respectively

Sverre Isachsen of the Subaru PUMA RallyCross Team Celebrates his Second GRC Podium in a row at Atlanta Motor Speedway.

Cherry Hill, N.J. – August 13, 2013 – The Subaru PUMA RallyCross Team earned their strongest finish of season this past weekend at the Global RallyCross Championship round at Atlanta Motor Speedway. Drivers Sverre Isachsen and Dave Mirra finished third and fourth respectively, earning Subaru their second straight podium finish after Isachsen’s Bronze medal finish the weekend prior at X Games Los Angeles. The finish is all the more impressive considering Isachsen and Mirra started the Final at the very back of the nine-car grid. Isachsen has now advanced to the past five finals and has three consecutive top-five finishes.

Held on a custom built dirt and tarmac course on Atlanta Motor Speedway’s front stretch, the event was one of this season’s roughest. A massive jump combined with deeply-rutted loose gravel led to frequent body damage, but made for great racing. The Subaru PUMA RallyCross Team entered a trio of Vermont SportsCar prepared Subaru WRX STI RallyCross cars for drivers Sverre Isachsen, Dave Mirra and Bucky Lasek, featuring Subaru Symmetrical All-Wheel Drive and nearly 600hp.

The path to the strong finish was anything but easy for the team. All three drivers experienced challenges in their early Heat races. Isachsen was assessed a stop-and-go penalty in his first Heat for alleged aggressive driving as he was cut-off entering the chaotic first turn. The penalty dropped him to third place in his Heat race, missing a chance to transfer to the Final. Meanwhile both Mirra and Lasek had challenging Heat races, narrowly missing a top two finish position that would transfer them to the final. All three Subaru PUMA RallyCross team cars ran the Last Chance Qualifier (LCQ).

Mirra showed impressive speed in the LCQ by passing teammate Isachsen then chasing down and passing the race leader Timur Timerzyanov, the defending European Rallycross Champion. Mirra went on to win the LCQ, with Isachsen third. Lasek was beset by a mechanical problem and unable to advance.

In the Final, both Isachsen and Mirra started from the back of the nine car grid and expertly avoided the inevitable first-turn carnage. Mirra, fast yet again, was spun out from behind early in the Final by rival Scott Speed, dropping him to the back of the pack and earning Speed a black flag stop-n-go penalty. Isachsen then worked his way up to third overall and his second podium in a row while Mirra clawed his way back to fourth overall and his best finish to-date in Global RallyCross competition.

“It was good fighting in the Final here,” said Isachsen at the podium celebration. “It was everything or nothing in the Final and I gave everything and ended on top!

“My Subaru was dialed in this weekend and my crew didn’t miss a beat,” explained Mirra. “They gave me an amazing car this weekend and it was great to go out and finish 4th. I’m certain we would have finished even better if it were not for getting spun out early, but we showed we could bounce back.”

 

CHEVROLET SWEEPS TOP FOUR SPOTS AT THE BRICKYARD

INDIANAPOLIS – July 29, 2013 – It was a dream come true yesterday for Ryan Newman when he powered his No. 39 Quicken Loans/The Smurfs Chevrolet SS across the storied finish line at Indianapolis Motor Speedway (IMS) and captured his first NASCAR Sprint Cup Brickyard 400.  For Newman, who grew up in Indiana, this marked his 17th NASCAR Sprint Cup career victory and first of the 2013 season.  He became the third driver to win from the pole position at IMS, joining Kevin Harvick (’03) and Jimmie Johnson (’08).

”Congratulations to Ryan Newman, Matt Borland and the No. 39 Stewart-Haas Racing Chevrolet SS team on winning the 20th running of the Brickyard 400,” said Jim Campbell, U.S. Vice President, Performance Vehicles and Motorsports. “It was great to see Ryan clinch the pole with a track record run, and then go on to win the race.  Great driving, race strategy, pit-stop execution and overall teamwork made the winning difference. As a native of Indiana, today’s victory has a special meaning to Ryan and his family. He joins his team owner Tony Stewart as a winner at their home track, the Indianapolis Motor Speedway.”

Jimmie Johnson had a very strong run in his No. 48 Lowe’s/KOBALT Tools Chevrolet SS by leading 73 of the 160-laps. However, a slow, late-race pit stop by Johnson’s crew enabled Newman to subsequently move back into the lead and maintain it until the end. The two were the class of the field, leading a combined 118 laps.

Johnson finished second in the crash-free 20th Annual Crown Royal Presents The Samuel Deeds 400 at the Brickyard. He continues to lead the point standings and now holds a 75-point lead over second-place. Kasey Kahne, Johnson’s Hendrick Motorsports teammate was third in his No. 5 Great Clips Chevy SS, and two-time Brickyard 400 winner, Tony Stewart, No. 14 Mobil/Bass Pro Shops (’05 & ’08) was fourth giving Team Chevy a top four sweep.

“It was great to have seven Chevrolet SS drivers finish within the top-10 in Brickyard 400,” added Campbell.

Matt Kenseth (Toyota) was fifth to found out the top five finishers.

Dale Earnhardt Jr. was sixth in his No. 88 National Guard Chevrolet SS and teammate Jeff Gordon was seventh in his No. 24 Pepsi Max Chevy SS.  Juan Pablo Montoya finished ninth in his No. 42 Target Chevrolet SS.

With Newman’s victory, Chevrolet has now won 11 consecutive NASCAR Sprint Cup Series races at Indianapolis Motor Speedway.

“Winning the 2013 Brickyard 400 with Ryan Newman, and the 2013 Indianapolis 500 with Tony Kanaan is very special,” noted Campbell. “It is the first time that Chevrolet has won both races at the iconic Indianapolis Motor Speedway in the same year.”

The next stop on the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series tour will be Sunday, August 4 in Pocono, PA.

 

2014 ACURA ILX LUXURY SPORTS SEDAN ARRIVES WITH HOST OF NEW STANDARD FEATURES, PROVIDING MORE CONTENT AND VALUE

TORRANCE, Calif 05/19/2013 – The 2014 Acura ILX luxury sports sedan goes on sale tomorrow with a host of new standard features, further strengthening the gateway vehicle to the Acura brand. Introduced as an all-new model for the 2013 model year, the 2014 Acura ILX offers increased value on a luxury scale with eight new standard features to enhance its curb appeal, interior comfort and overall driving enjoyment.

The ILX is the only luxury model on the top ten list of Generation Y car shoppers according to J.D. Power and Associates, and the 2014 ILX gets upgraded 17-inch alloy wheels, while the interior receives new leather seating surfaces and leatherette door liners, an eight-way power driver’s seat, heated front seats and a Multi-Angle Rearview Camera.  The ride experience is further enhanced by a new audio-system subwoofer and an Active Noise Cancellation (ANC) system that are standard features on the 2014 ILX, which starts at a manufacturer’s suggested retail price* (MSRP) of $26,900, an increase of just $1,000.

Two advanced powertrain choices are available for 2014 ILX, with a standard 2.0-liter inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 150 horsepower. Paired with a Sequential SportShift 5-speed automatic transmission, it has an EPA ** city/highway/combined fuel economy rating of 24/35/28 mpg. For a more dynamic driving experience, the ILX can be equipped with a close-ratio, six-speed manual transmission matched to a 2.4-liter engine generating 201 horsepower, and earning an EPA ** city/highway/combined fuel economy rating of 22/31/25 mpg. Information on the 2014 Acura ILX Hybrid will be announced at a later date.

The ILX uses 59 percent high strength steel (HSS) in its body structure for enhanced protection and chassis rigidity. The chassis utilizes an advanced, fully independent MacPherson strut front and multi-link rear suspension system and Acura signature Amplitude Reactive Dampers, which offer superior ride comfort and precise handling. In addition, Motion Adaptive Electric Power Steering (EPS) is used for excellent steering feel and improved fuel efficiency.

The high-quality, well-appointed interior is smart, spacious and sporty. It offers a number of convenient features including a standard Keyless Access System with smart entry and pushbutton start, along with Pandora® interface and SMS text message function for easy connectivity. As before, a Premium Package and Technology Package are both available.

Acura’s belief in “Safety Through Innovation” is the foundation for the brand’s commitment to leadership in safety, and accordingly the ILX has a wide range of standard active and passive safety features, including Advanced Compatibility Engineering™ (ACE™) body structure. It received a 2013 TOP SAFETY PICK rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS), attaining a score of GOOD in all four Institute tests, including the rigorous roof-strength test.

The Acura ILX is manufactured exclusively at the company’s state-of-the-art Greensburg, Indiana plant using U.S. and globally sourced parts.

About Acura

Acura offers a full line of technologically advanced performance luxury vehicles through a network of 272 dealers within the United States. The Acura lineup features seven distinctive models including the RLX luxury flagship sedan, the TL performance luxury sedan, the TSX Sport Wagon and sedan, the ILX compact luxury sedan, the RDX luxury crossover SUV, the ZDX four-door sports coupe, and the soon to be released all-new MDX luxury sport utility vehicle.

Connect with Acura:

For Consumers: http://www.acura.com

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Google+: https://plus.google.com/+acura

*MSRP excluding tax, license, registration, vehicle options and destination charge of $895.00. Dealer prices may vary.

**Based on 2014 EPA mileage ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle. (city/highway/combined)

1 ** Based on 2014 EPA fuel economy ratings. Use for comparison purposes only. Your actual mileage will vary depending on how you drive and maintain your vehicle.