Ford’s NAIAS New Car Reveals: The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor, Ford Shelby GT 350R & Ford GT. Innovation Through Performance. #FordNAIAS #NAIAS

Ford’s NAIAS New Car Reveals.

Yes folks, the cars are here.

As you may have read, I was exclusively invited to attend the press preview on January 12-13 in Detroit for the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) as a Digital Influencer and Online Journalist on behalf of Ford Canada.

I’ve attended NAIAS every year since I was 17 but, I was never prepared to how amazing it would be to attend as press. Especially, with Ford’s new car reveals–I expected Iron Man to fly in and drop down completely donned in Ford Blue. It was that spectacular.

Each year, I am always at the ready to hear about what Ford will be unveiling and this year, I was able to see it firsthand. One thing is for certain, Ford never disappoints.

They may not be Iron Man but, they are no strangers to Ford Blue. CEO of Ford, Mark Fields, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development and Chief Technical Officer, Raj Nair and the renowned William Clay Ford Jr. greeted us and introduced the brand new Ford vehicle reveals.

The Ford F-150 Raptor.

A beast.

Simply put, this truck is an absolute beaut. From getting a behind the scene look at the emphasis Ford has on technology, innovation and fuel efficiency, it’s not a surprise that performance is another emphasis that Ford is moving to center stage. In case you didn’t know, Ford is bringing more than 12 new performance vehicles from now through 2020!

FUN FACT: I learned when I visited the Rouge Factory that Ford hit the streets to find out what consumers thought would make the Raptor better, they talked–Ford listened and the 2017 Raptor was born.

Our first look at the 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor was impressive. You may be familiar with the Raptor when it was introduced in 2010 but, it has been re-engineered to make it tougher, smarter, more capable and more efficient than ever. The new 2017 version is powered by an all-new high-output 3.5L EcoBoost® engine. Which gives it even more power than the 2010’s 411 HP capability.

Less-Weight–Better Performance.

What was striking about the 2017 Ford Raptor was the use of high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy in its body and bed, eliminating over 500 lbs. of weight compared to 2014 Raptor. This not only improves the performance but, its capability overall.

The Raptor is equipped with features that allows drivers to navigate off-road with ease, these include standard larger FOX Racing Shox,™ standard 17-inch BFGoodrich® All-Terrain T/A® KO2 tires that are designed for the Raptor. All which will help the weight distribution from front to back.

While I stand at 4’11, I am a truck lover and if I didn’t have a minivan, I’d own a truck. As hilarious as it may look, I’ve driven F-150’s and absolutely loved the ride. Even with its size, it makes for a comfortable and safe vehicle, even for shorties like me. The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor will be available for purchase in the fall of 2016.

Ready Your Bibs–You Will Drool.

The Ford Shelby GT 350R Mustang will get your heart all-a-flutter. At least it did mine. As the smoke filled the arena and the Shelby let out its roar, I got shivers. You can hear it on a video that my friend Craig posted, here. This car is made out of what dreams and fantasies are made of. It is absolutely lip-biting, knuckle-clenching gorgeous!

Not to mention, this model is the most-track ready production that Ford have ever made! From its conception in 1965, I believe that Ford and Carroll Shelby created a masterpiece. Right? Later this year, the new Shelby GT 350R will be back and in the same fashion but, delivering innovations in aerodynamics, chassis engineering and light-weighting–that is better than before. 

Lightweight & Powerful.

What I found pretty wicked was that this is Ford’s first V8 that has a flat-plane crankshaft – an architectural feature that you would normally find in racing applications or exotic European sports cars. That’s impressive and that alone can tell you that this car means business.

If you love cars like me, you want to know how fast it goes, right? Even if you aren’t a car buff, you can totally understand that this car has 500 horsepower and more than 400 lb.-ft. of torque.

Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development and Chief Technical Officer described the Shelby GT 350R as an all-around athlete. One that possesses agility and precision, not just horsepower. I describe it as one of the most neck-breaking, tongue-wagging and heart-fluttering pieces of machinery that I have seen in a very long time. One that I predict will be highly-coveted.

Sensational.

The Ford GT.

If the Shelby GT 350R hadn’t already stole the show, well, the GT did at a whole other level. It is absolutely remarkable. This vehicle will give super cars a run for their money and one of the most exotic takes that I’ve seen Ford take.

And I love it.

In my opinion, with its twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine performance and lightweight carbon-fiber construction, it is a contender amongst the exotics. If you’re all wondering how much power this behemoth has, well, it’s over 600 HP. Especially with some of its direct competitors only pulling 455 HP and it should be able to keep up with other competitors with similar specs.

Made to Perform.

The rear spoiler adjusts to you and to the speed you give it. It will adjust its height depending on those conditions. While it has a mid-mounted engine and to provide more room for performance, there is no air-conditioning, no rear-cameras or auto-dimming mirrors–but, those are small prices to pay when you will have a car like this! It will be available in 2016.

There You Have It, Folks.

These are Ford’s NAIAS New Car Reveals straight from the show. Stay tuned for more coverage on the auto show, Detroit and of course, even more smexy cars. Thanks for following along, you can see even more stories and pictures from Ford through the hashtag #FordNAIAS.

The North American International Auto Show is set to open tomorrow to the public, so be sure to grab your tickets and see these cars for yourself if you can!

Which NEW Ford vehicle is your favorite?

Let me know, til then–cheers m’deres!

 
 
 
 

Note: Ford Motor Company paid for my travel and accommodations at the three-day NAIAS Digital Summit. It was not compensated in any other manner for my time. My opinions posted here are my own and have not been influenced in any way.