The famous movie franchise Men in Black is returning this year with its third installment, and the new movie will find the two protagonists fighting intergalactic crime in a new Ford Taurus SHO.

The original car for the duo of Agent J and K, played by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones respectively, was an eighties era Ford Crown Victoria, the go to car for any FBI, CIA, or government agent. The second movie saw the guys modernize to a Mercedes-Benz E-Class, which fit right in around the spaceships and futuristic weaponry in the movie.

For the 2012 movie, a Ford Taurus SHO will do the duties of transporting the agents, along with monocycles and jetpacks, all being grouped together by Ford in its latest commercial for the movie, to make us believe that the Taurus SHO is just a futuristic as a jet pack.

Even if it can’t fly, the Taurus’s looks do suit the movie well. Although a matte black Audi R8 might have been a little better for the spaceship look.

Watch the trailer for Men in Black Three featuring the Ford Taurus SHO below.

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Back in January, Ford unveiled its 2013 NASCAR Fusion entry, closely resembling the upcoming model with styling borrowed heavily from Aston Martin.

Now Ford Racing will show off the first version of its new race car with a full, race-ready paint scheme at the upcoming annual Roush Fenway Fan Day out in Concord, North Carolina. The vehicle on display will be the 2013 Motorcraft Ford Fusion of the Wood Brothers which will head to the Ford consumer display at Charlotte Motor Speedway and will become a regular part of a traveling exhibit through the remainder of the 2012 season.

The vehicle pictured above, as realistic as it looks, is actually a full-size clay model produced by the Ford Design Center out in Michigan.

GALLERY: 2013 Wood Brothers NASCAR Ford Fusion

[Source: Autoweek]

True automotive enthusiasts might find a “How It’s Made – Rally Cars” a little comical, especially with the use of laymen terms to explain the process in building a formidable rally car.

But it’s nice to see a mainstream show on the Discovery and Science Channel spotlighting the form of motorsport, as they try to depict the hard work put into converting a standard Ford Fiesta into a 300-hp rally competitor, or as they say “a compact vehicle that has had a radical makeover.”

The video is clearly made for the general public, lightly touching on the process of stripping a car and building it to the regulations and standards for rally racing. It does do a nice job with an overview of the process, from tearing the car down, lightening the weight, to building the motor and bolting on a turbocharger. Our favorite tidbit is its focus on the graphics that make the car look “fierce.”

Watch a five minute segment from How It’s Made – Rally Cars after the break.

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After almost six years since Ford put up everything it had as collateral to the banks, the coveted ‘Blue Oval’ is back where it belongs.

In December 2006, the American automaker was forced to raise $23.5 billion in liquidity, $18.5 billion of it which came from leveraging all of its domestics assets, including the F-150 and Mustang trademarks as well as even the brand’s Blue Oval logo.

It took Ford until September 2011 to completely pay back the loan, and in March 2012, Ford issued out its first dividend payment in almost six years. As a result of the turn-around, all the assets that Ford had put up as collateral are now free and Ford is once again whole.

“The Ford Blue Oval is back where it belongs with the Ford family of 166,000 employees around the world. This is a great day for us and is the result of several years of hard work and progress by everyone associated with Ford,” said Bill Ford, executive chairman of Ford Motor Company.

“We are so proud of today’s decision by Moody’s and the resulting release of all collateral – particularly the Ford Blue Oval. This is an important milestone and further proof that, by staying laser-focused on our One Ford plan, the Ford team can deliver great products, build a strong business and contribute to a better world even through the most challenging external environment,” added Alan Mulally, president and chief executive officer of Ford.

Ford just released pricing information for its all-new 2013 Fusion sedan featuring drastically updated styling to look more like an Aston Martin than a its actual manufacturer.

Thanks to the tool meant to let potential customers explore the car before visiting a showroom, we now know roughly what to expect in terms of pricing for the car, though the final MSRP might change a little. Despite that, we can report that the entry-level Fusion S with a 175-hp 2.5-liter inline four will start at $22,495.

For that price you’re going get steel wheels with plastic hubcaps, so it might make sense to spend another $2,000 for the SE trim, which has the same engine but much better equipment. Included in that list, customers get 17-inch alloy wheels, a 10-way power driver seat, a center folding armrest, SIRIUS Satellite Radio and rear air conditioning ducts for passengers.

Aside from the basic engine, customers can also opt for two Ecoboost powerplants. The first is a 1.6-liter with 179 hp for $25,290 and is the only version paired with a six-speed manual transmission. A 2.0-liter Ecoboost is also available with 237 hp, and will cost $26,745.

A range-topping Titanium edition is also available for $30,995 with the same 2.0-liter Ecoboost and upmakret equipment like leather seats, a Sony sound system and a rear-view camera among others.

Finally, a hybrid rounds off the lineup with 47/44 mpg city/highway, which is better than the competing Toyota Camry hybrid. Customers interested in that car will pay $27,995 according to the configurator, but again that could change.

We have already seen the Hollywood extravaganza that was the first gymkhana four, but now Ken Block and the folks at DC have released a re-edited version to show more driving skill and less over the top explosions. 

Focusing on ‘driving skill’, the new video reveals new angles and interior shots that were previously unseen. The majority of the video is the same, but without the crazy explosions and ridiculous stunts, it looks more like a real driving video. Obviously the company realized that most of us would rather see the driving skill highlighted over the craziness of the video effects. We agree.

Watch the re-edited version below.

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The automotive industry is a global business that is constantly evolving and growing, and we here at AutoGuide know it can be hard to keep up sometimes. So here is a summary of the top stories you may have missed this past week:

2015 Ford Mustang Rendered into Reality

Mustang fans and Ford loyalists may decry the automaker’s modern new style language… 

Chevrolet SS Performance Sedan Announced

Straight from the other side of the world, Chevrolet announced its SS Performance sedan today…

Audi Celebrates First Ever Nürburgring 24 Hour Win

Arguably the world’s toughest endurance race, the 2012 Nürburgring 24 Hours ended with the AudiSport Team Phoenix R8 LMS ultra capturing the victory…

Toyota GT 86 Gets Unique 320-HP Twincharger System from Gazoo Racing

Ever since the Toyota GT 86 became official, sports car enthusiasts worldwide have been anxiously awaiting…

2014 Porsche 918 Spyder Prototypes Begin Testing

If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em. That at least seems to be the theory at Porsche these days…

Enthusiast-Built Chevrolet S10 Gets a Badass Viper Engine

At the purest level, being a passionate car guy is a selfish game. Somewhere along the line a bug with gas…

2013 Porsche 911 GT3 Near-Production Model in Spy Photos

Our photographers caught pictures of the 2013 Porsche911 GT3 today…

Ford is donating a 2013 Mustang GT as part of SEMA‘s “Mustang Build Powered by Women” project, which is designed to shine the light on women working in the automotive aftermarket industry and to hopefully encourage more women to seek the same career path.

The American automaker is also lending its leading female designers to work with Theresa Contreras of the SEMA Businesswomen’s Network (SBN) to develop three design renderings for the build project. Those three designs will then be posted online through Source Interlink Media’s websites so that fans can vote on their favorite. Voting will begin on May 23 and will end on June 3, and the winning design will be announced on June 5.

Building of the project will take place at Source Interlink Media’s Headquarters out in El Segundo, California starting in July and ending sometime in August. Source Interlink will also have several of its female employees involved in the build and it’s expected that every facet of the car will be customized from engine to interior to sound system and paint. After the project finishes the Mustang GT will be auctioned off with the proceeds going to the SEMA Memorial Scholarship Fund.

“Ford Motor Co. is enthusiastic about sponsoring the SEMA Mustang Build,” said Sherry Kollien, SBN project vehicle Coordinator for Ford. “The Mustang is the ideal vehicle for the project given its broad demographic appeal and its ability to be customized to fit the unique needs of all consumers, enthusiasts and women across multiple life stages. We have long known that women have more than 50 percent decision-making power in vehicle purchase decisions, but increasingly they are customizing to match their own unique personalities.”

This year is the 50th anniversary of the iconic Shelby Cobra, and tragically also the year its creator passed away.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary and to pay tribute to Carroll Shelby, the Rolex Monterey Motorsports Reunion will host a record number of Shelby Cobras from around the world. The event will start on August 17 and run until August 19 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca where 45 authentic series CSX 2000 and 3000 were hand-picked for the dedicated Shelby Cobra race. A pool over nearly 60 entries were examined before narrowing the field to the maximum number safely allowed in one group.

Cobras will be arriving from the United Kingdom, Switzerland, Canada, and all across the U.S. to participate in the special occasion. In addition, more than 200 Shelby Cobras will be on display at the Cobra Corral with special areas for CSX 2000/3000 cars and Shelby American continuation cars. Replica Cobras are also welcomed to the Corral for display.

Ford Motor Company will also be paying tribute to the legend this year with a heritage display celebrating the iconic Shelby Cobra taking center stage at the race paddock.

Advance general admission tickets are $50, while a three-day pass is $130 including a complimentary souvenir magazine. Children under 12 are free with a paying adult and hospitality options are available starting at $200 per person.

Ford’s flagship electric vehicle, the plug-in Focus, is finally heading to dealerships according to unnamed inside sources connected to Reuters.

It seems 350 cars will ship to 67 dealerships in New  York, New Jersey and California. The automaker has been quiet about releasing its EV, which could stand to best its competition in several key categories if it lives up to the description. Upon delivery, each dealership included will receive six units — one for demonstration and the rest for sale.

Electric cars in general have struggled to gain traction since last year when the Nissan Leaf became the first pure EV to be marketed across North America. Ford CEO Alan Mulally admitted that the company doesn’t necessarily expect to sell the car in high volume like its other models.

Then again, the EV will offer more interior space than its direct competition, and less of a quirky look which might appeal to a broader consumer base. While Ford expects consumer preferences to shift by 2020 to favor electric vehicles significantly more than they do now, there’s no sure bet on the situation. To cope with that uncertainty, the company modified the plant in charge of building the Focus to assemble both gas-burning and electric versions.

So far, it seems range anxiety and unfamiliarity with a new technology still scares most people away from trying an EV. Neither the Nissan Leaf, nor the Chevrolet Volt have sold well, but the Volt still outsold the leaf by more than double since both their introductions in late 2010.

[Source: Automotive News]

Mustang fans and Ford loyalists may decry the automaker’s modern new style language but the changes we’ve seen in Ford’s lineup until now are only the beginning.

It’s hard to argue that the Focus doesn’t look better with it’s more European look, while many are still taking stock of the 2013 Escape‘s sleek new body. The biggest shock, however, will come when Ford unveils the 2015 Mustang, with styling inspired by the Evos Concept. What that means, is that you can expect a nose similar to that found on the 2013 Fusion sedan, which it’s hard to argue takes cues from the Aston Martin lineup.

While some amateurish renderings have been floating around the Internet since the 2015 Mustang styling revelation came to light, we’ve employed the services of artist Jon Sibal to provide a better idea of exactly what Ford is planning. Trading its extra long nose for one more appropriate for a sports car, our 2015 Mustang rendering takes the Evos grille and adapts classic Mustang lines for an aggressive yet dynamic front.

Ford has said the 2015 Mustang will be more modern, tossing aside its current retro looks, in part due to previous announcements that it will join Ford’s One Ford global model policy. The current Mustang may work well in North America, but its styling simply won’t sell overseas.

With the redesign Ford is also smartly planning for a bright future for its staple sports car. Boomers and the Gen X crowd may still find the Mustang’s retro look appealing, but Generation Y wants nothing to do with it. With that in mind, a modernized Mustang should help change attitudes. Without this shift in design philosophy, Mustang sales would slowly disappear.

But big styling changes aren’t all Ford has in store of the 2015 Mustang. Rumors they may just be, but there’s continued talk of a full independent suspension that will help transform the Mustang into a true modern era sports car. In fact, with the car’s new powerplants, including the high-output 420 hp 5.0-liter V8, as well as the tight steering and responsive pedals, perhaps the only things outdated on the Mustang are its solid rear axle and retro styling.

Don’t expect Ford to stop the development process there either. No confirmation is available yet, but look for a return of the turbocharged Mustang, starting with the V6. Ford is reportedly working on an EcoBoost 2.7-liter 4-cylinder that could certainly produce over 300 hp. As to whether an EcoBoost V6 could replace the V8, only time will tell.

Already lighter than its key rivals, if only Ford could help the 2015 Mustang shed a couple hundred pounds and the BMW M3 will go from top of the heap to being overpriced and underpowered.

GALLERY: 2015 Ford Mustang Renderings

Carroll Shelby’s passing rocked the automotive world, a man that was peerless in his automotive ingenuity and passion for motorsports.

To celebrate his life, Velocity Channel will be airing a three-part miniseries starting today and will continue to air it through June 1st, in case you can’t sit in front of the tube tonight. The Discovery Network spinoff channel will take a deeper look at Shelby’s extensive life and how he was such a huge influence to Ford‘s development over the years.

The first episode focuses on Shelby’s LeMans victory and the early years of the AC Cobra development, which is one of the most coveted high-performance cars of all time. The second showing will take a look into the partnership with American automaker Ford and how the original Mustang GT 350 came to life. The last of the miniseries covers Shelby’s most recent collaboration with Ford and focuses on the new Shelby GT 500, which will most undoubtedly become a collector’s car now.

The three-part miniseries begins at 8:00pm local time and you can hit the source link to see other dates and times it’ll be aired.

[Source: Velocity Channel]