
Michigan man keeps track of his colleague's verbal flubs and blunders
For a decade, Mike O'Brien kept an exhaustive list every time someone at his Ford Motor Company office committed a verbal blunder. Those entries range from flubs to metaphorical mix ups and more. O'Brien has now retired, but told NBC News' Emilie Ikeda his 'Board Word Shrine' brought little moments of levity to the days of his coworkers.

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Auto Blog
a day ago
- Auto Blog
The 2025 Ford F-150 Lobo Marks the Return of the Factory Street Truck
Ford's latest version of the F-150 is a stylish and mean street truck that builds on its smaller Maverick Lobo sibling. A powerhouse done right As the top-selling pickup truck, let alone automobile, in the United States, the humble Ford F-150 has been used in various ways by people from all walks of life. Whether hauling mulch, manure, lumber, or a boat or used as a job site work truck, family vehicle, hardcore off-roader, drag racer, or drift truck, someone, somewhere has used an F-150 in a way that has not been pictured in the dealership brochure. It is quite rare for one of the world's largest automakers to acknowledge and create something directly inspired by the enthusiasts who customize their trucks. Ford has already done this with the Ford F-150 Raptor and the subsequent line of lifted off-road style vehicles. However, Ford's latest offering—the 2025 Ford F-150 Lobo—is a nod to another community of enthusiasts, as it's a factory-built street truck that wasn't designed in a boardroom or through a PowerPoint, but crafted by true fanatics who live, breathe, and die by them. Ford's F-150 joins the street truck renaissance Building off the roots sown by the F-150's little unibody brother, the Maverick Lobo, the F-150 Lobo is living proof that while respective manufacturers like Toyota, Ram and Chevrolet discontinued nameplates like the X-Runner, SRT-10 and Silverado SS, street trucks never really died—the true fans kept it on the down low. Enthusiasts have kept the passion for these cool pickup trucks alive through their extensive builds, which often include lowered suspensions, large wheels, loud exhausts, and blacked-out trim. Ford understands the significance of this scene because key people involved in the Lobo's development are part of that community. One of the main designers, Josh Blundo, even drives a street truck himself. They are not just corporate heads backed by bean-counters; they know the target audience because they are the target audience. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. 'Continuing what Maverick Lobo started last year, the F-150 Lobo is designed to serve a new segment of potential F-150 customers. […] From an automaker, this has been an untapped market for two decades,' Blundo said in a statement. 'So, on the bones of the Built Ford Tough F-150 truck, we created a street truck that rolls off the line ready to roar, with proven durability and a Ford factory limited warranty for more confidence and peace of mind than aftermarket solutions.' The Lobo is built on the F-150 STX trim and is exclusively offered as a SuperCrew cab (meaning four whole doors), but it ditches its utilitarian guts for style, substance, and a lot more horsepower under the hood. The standard 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 in the STX is yanked out, and in its place is the optional 5-liter V8, a motor that Blundo claims is 'already a superstar in the street truck community.' It produces 400 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque, which are transmitted to a two-speed 4WD automatic system and a 3.73 electronic locking rear axle —a setup that provides traction and year-round usability. However, where the F-150 Lobo stands out is in its looks, and from the pictures, it is built to look nothing but menacing. The list of upgrades includes a revised suspension, which drops the rear by two inches for a lower, sleeker stance, a 10-piece body kit for additional ground effects, a unique-styled upper grille, a gloss-black mesh grille, an aggressive cowl hood, a menacing dual exhaust system, and updated LED lighting inspired by its little brother, the Maverick Lobo. 2025 Ford F-150 Lobo The new Lobo also gets a set of street-styled blacked-out exterior trim, including blacked-out hood vents, exhaust, and badges, as well as Lobo-exclusive 22-inch gloss-black wheels. These pieces stand out in the five colors available for the Lobo: Agate Black Metallic, Atlas Blue Metallic, Carbonized Gray, Oxford White, and Rapid Red Metallic Tinted Clearcoat, which Ford says will help buyers 'give their truck the personality they desire.' According to lead designer Blundo, the Lobo in all-black 'looks straight menacing,' and we cannot agree more. Not many details have been given about the interior of the F-150 Lobo. Still, given that it is built atop the STX trim, it comes well-equipped with amenities including seats finished in what Ford calls Unique Sport Cloth, a 12-inch screen featuring Ford's SYNC 4 infotainment system with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto, and a safety suite with features like Pre-Collision Assist with Automatic Emergency Braking, a Reverse Sensing System, Forward Collision Warning, and a Lane-Keeping System. Blundo and Ford said that the Ford F-150 Lobo is built to be a powerful and stylish street truck for enthusiasts, noting that the modifications it made deliver 'a complete foundation straight off the line,' while recognizing that 'some [owners] will take this great foundation for future personalization' at the same time. 2025 Ford F-150 Lobo Package and Ford Maverick Lobo with Josh Blundo, lead designer. — Source: Ford Final thoughts As someone who witnessed a few different eras and trends of modified car culture throughout my youth, adolescence, and adulthood, one thing is certain: no matter the scene, it is full of people willing to spend real money on personalization, performance, and style. With the Maverick Lobo and now the F-150 Lobo, Ford isn't just throwing a bone; it's giving loyal enthusiasts a platform to feel inspired. Nonetheless, a truck like the Lobo is a breath of fresh air in a landscape increasingly dominated by electrification, crossovers, and synthetic engine noise; it's a mean, V8-powered machine for the streets. According to Ford, the 2025 F-150 Lobo's MSRP starts at $57,800 plus $2,195 destination and delivery. They also note that the Lobo's package price on the STX is $4,695. About the Author James Ochoa View Profile


Top Gear
3 days ago
- Top Gear
The ‘FX' cosmetic package for the Ford Mustang GT is pure ‘80s vibes
Inspired by the Fox Body, it gets Oxford White accents and tartan upholstery Turn on Javascript to see all the available pictures. Ford is rolling back the decades with this styling pack for the Mustang GT, which incorporates various elements reminiscent of the Fox Body generation from the Eighties. It's as retro as a slightly worn pair of Nike Blazers, we reckon. Which is very. Christened the 'FX' package, the grille nostrils, badging and reimagined split-spoke 19in alloys are all painted in 'Oxford White'. Ford will also recast the taillights in white if you want, and offer this original Fox Body shade of 'Adriatic Blue Metallic' across the Mustang lineup.


Auto Blog
4 days ago
- Auto Blog
Ford Sales Soar: Which Models are Driving the Trend
Ford had quite an impressive first five months of the year, with a handful of models driving the sales boost. Ford fuels May sales surge with timely marketing Ford Motor Company reported a 16% sales increase to 220,959 in May year-over-year, with positive gains at both Ford and Lincoln. Hybrid vehicles led the way with a 28.9% sales increase, totaling 22,719 units, with internal combustion engine sales up 17.2% to 191,517 units. In terms of segments, Ford's SUV sales saw the most significant gain at 25% to 94,595 units. Truck sales followed behind the SUV uptick at an 11.2% increase to 121,354 units. However, Ford Motor Company's electric vehicle (EV) sales plummeted 25% in May to 6,723 units. The car class saw a less dramatic decrease of 3.2% to 5,010 units, according to Ford Authority. 0:03 / 0:09 Walmart is selling a 'heavy duty' $89 step ladder for $48, and shoppers say it's 'sturdy and secure' Watch More Ford's new American Made campaign, centered around offering employee pricing, appears to primarily be fueling the company's overall sales gain as drivers strive to get ahead of tariff-imposed vehicle cost increases. Lincoln reported a 39% increase in May sales, and Ford Motor Company's total sales are up 6.1% to 930,925 vehicles compared to the first five months of 2024. Ford signage at the New York International Auto Show — Source: Getty The 2025 Escape was one of Ford's best-sellers in May, with sales catapulting 24% to 17,395 units. Ford's 2024 Explorer saw a 23% sales increase to 20,504 vehicles. Bronco Sport sales rose 46% to 14,472 units, and the Maverick saw a 14% gain to 15,508 deliveries. Financial analyst Dan Ives, managing director at Wedbush Securities, said 'the monthly sales were better than feared and is a small step in the right direction,' but added that there's 'still a lot of wood to chop ahead for (CEO) Jim Farley and Ford with tariffs and demand issues,' the Detroit Free Press reports. While Ford Motor Company extended its employee pricing marketing to July 6, which affects nearly all 2024 and 2025 Ford and Lincoln vehicles, the American automaker announced price hikes up to $2,000 last month on three of its Mexico-produced models: the Mach-E SUV, Maverick pickup, and Bronco Sport SUV. Ford is succeeding despite recall issues and the market's slowing pace May represented the third consecutive year-over-year double-digit sales increase at Ford. Cox Automotive expects May sales across all automakers to rise 3.2% from last year and 2.5% from last month, but the month's sales pace will be significantly less than March and April, according to NBC. Besides weak May EV sales numbers, Ford has issued over 50 U.S. recalls in 2025, the most of any automaker. Through May 15, Volkswagen Group had issued the second-most recalls at 14. While EV sales were one of May's lowlights at Ford, the company's Mustang Mach-E experienced an 11% year-over-year sales surge to 4,724 units. Ford Motor Company stock finished at a 2.10% daily market increase and 5.6% year-over-year growth on Tuesday. Autoblog Newsletter Autoblog brings you car news; expert reviews and exciting pictures and video. Research and compare vehicles, too. Sign up or sign in with Google Facebook Microsoft Apple By signing up I agree to the Terms of Use and acknowledge that I have read the Privacy Policy . You may unsubscribe from email communication at anytime. 2025 Ford Bronco Sport — Source: Ford Final thoughts With its third consecutive year-over-year double-digit sales increase and a 16% year-over-year sales increase for May, Ford has momentum that's crucial to the company mitigating trade war-related impacts, including $1.5 billion in added net costs for 2025. Ford Chair John Lawler said the automaker will adjust operations over the next 12 to 24 months in response to tariffs, but as of now, weak EV sales and regular recalls aren't significantly hurting the company's standing. About the Author Cody Carlson View Profile