Cylinder Ford
The New Ford Hybrid
As hybrid cars become more and more popular with the general population searching for an alternative to the traditional combustion engine - it was only a matter of time before car giant Ford got in on the act. With one of their main competitors, Toyota, currently selling around one million hybrid cars a year, the market is a tempting one.
However, Ford has not just been satisfied to copy Toyota and other manufacturers of hybrid cars. No they've decided to go one better and design a hybrid engine that is even more efficient than any car ever released to the market. While they may have taken the concept inspiration from the best-selling Toyota Prius, the engineering is all their own.
Ford took an existing engine from one of their combustion models, the four cylinder Ford Escape, and modified it into a hybrid. Hybrid cars have two ways of producing power; an electric motor and a traditional combustion engine. The combustion engine is the source of most of the power, and is still indispensable from a practical point of view. These engines are powered by gas or diesel and this can be bought from just about any service station on Earth, whereas the power for the electric motor needs to be topped up after it has powered about eight miles' worth of driving.
The difference with Ford's model, the F-150, is that instead of storing the power produced in a battery the F-150 stores it in hydraulic cylinders. The massive increase in energy efficiency means that the new car is a massive three times more energy efficient than Toyota's Prius.
Despite being almost half as big again than the Prius (at 4800 lbs curb weight it is 65% heavier than the Toyota), the F-150 manages to match it in terms of fuel efficiency with an immense 60mpg for city driving. As a comparison, that is four hundred percent more miles per gallon than the gas-only version, which saves you money at the pump and saves a lot of damage to the environment.
The Hydraulic Hybrid system that Ford are using for the F-150 is not particularly applicable for smaller vehicles - the size of a hydraulic cylinder makes fitting them on a smaller vehicle quite the challenge - but when it gives fuel efficiency like this, it is a pretty persuasive argument for buying a large vehicle. Normally reputable for getting through quite a bit of the planets non-renewables, this size of vehicle is now showing that its size has applications beneficial to the environment, which will persuade a lot of people to give them a go.
Where Toyota led, Ford have followed and raised the stakes. It is now in the hands of other car manufacturers to see where they can take it next, and with the game having seen a significant step up it will be fascinating to see where it goes. What we cannot dispute is that a gauntlet has been thrown down, and you know what car manufacturers are like - they can not resist a challenge, so let's see how they respond.
About the Author
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Cylinder Ford
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 1969 70 Ford Boss 429 Mustang Master Cylinder 64824  US $700.00
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 1967 72 Ford Mustang Mercury Cougar Master Cylinder 78680 US $400.00
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 54 55 56 57 MERCURY 256 272 CYLINDER Y BLOCK MOTOR ENGINE US $350.00
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 1957 1972 Ford Truck 8 Stainless booster flat top master cylinder w valve US $329.95
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 1957 1972 Ford Truck 8 Stainless Brake booster master cylinder w adjust valve US $329.95
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 1957 1972 Ford Truck Chrome Brake booster master cylinder w adjustable valve US $284.95
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 Master Wheel Cylinders Hoses 49 50 51 Ford New US $259.99
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 Brake Master Wheel Cylinders Hoses 49 50 51 Ford NEW Brakes US $259.99
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 Ford Escort Mk2 Dual Brake Master Cylinder ATE US $250.00
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 55 56 57 58 59 60 FORD CHROME MASTER CYLINDER BOOSTER US $249.00
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 1954 1955 1956 FORD CHROME MASTER CYLINDER BOOSTER US $249.00
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 60 61 62 63 FORD CHROME MASTER CYLINDER BOOSTER US $249.00
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 1957 1972 Ford Truck Chrome Brake booster master cylinder New Warranty US $249.00
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 1957 1972 Ford Truck 7 Chrome Brake booster flat top aluminum master cylinder US $249.00
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 1957 1972 Ford Truck 8 Brake booster 1 1 8 bore master cylinder w valve US $239.95
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 1967 up MUSTANG SHELBY ORIGINAL MASTER CYLINDER CAP WITH ORIGINAL DECAL US $225.00
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 67 68 69 70 Ford Mustang 9 booster Ford style master cylinder w adjust valve US $209.00
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 4 wheel cylinders Ford 1939 1940 1941 45 1946 1947 1948 for your next brake job US $204.95
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 4 Wheel cylinders Ford 1939 1940 1941 45 1946 1947 1948 for your next brake job US $204.95
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 4 Wheel Cylinders Hoses 42 46 47 48 Ford Mercury US $199.99
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 68 69 70 Ford Mustang Brake booster master cylinder w adjustable prop valve US $199.00
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 1947 52 Ford truck brake booster aluminum master cylinder NEW replacement US $199.00
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 1957 1972 Ford Truck 8 dual Brake booster 1 1 8 bore master cylinder New US $194.95
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 67 68 69 70 Ford Mustang Brake booster flat top aluminum 1 1 8 master cylinder US $194.94
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 67 68 69 70 Ford Mustang Brake booster Ford style master cylinder w prop valve US $189.00
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 MUSTANG FORD DRUM BRAKE REBUILD KIT 6 CYLINDER US $184.95
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Used Ford Puma - Faster Than A Speeding Bullitt?
I always wonder just how frustrated Vincent Van Gogh must be. I mean he went though life a pauper, with none of his brushwork garnering any interest whatsoever and decided that the best way forward was to do a Doubting Thomas job on his ear and then end it all. Fast forward a few years (well and a few more) and his art is renowned and has stupid price tags attached to it left, right and centre.
He's not the first person to become more famous post-humorously either: Tupac Shakur, James Dean, Jeff Buckley and Kurt Cobain have become idolised even more so than when their hearts were whizzing along. In recent years there's been an influx in using dead famous celebrities in the world of advertising which leaves me a tad uneasy. The most recent I've noticed is Bob Monkhouse grinning down on the streets below saying that all us blokes should check our prostates or run the risk of ending up in an early wooden box like him. Don't get me wrong, it's a noble cause and Mr Monkhouse's family want to warn the rest of us but I still find it a tad weird.
What I didn't find weird however was Steve McQueen ripping up the tarmac on the San Francisco streets in a used Ford Puma. Ok, well it wasn't a used Ford in 1997, but the 11 year old advert has remained lodged in my brain ever since. To those who aren't familiar with the advert or Steve McQueen's film career a quick recap. McQueen starred in the 1968 car chase movie Bullitt where he played a detective that did some police stuff before capping the film off with the epic and now legendary car chase through San Fran. Ford ingeniously used footage from the film and spliced it with the Puma charging around a modern day San Francisco like a child that's had too many sweets.
In one fell swoop Ford announced that the Puma was a real driver's car. After all if the ghost of Steve McQueen found it enjoyable then wouldn't we all? Well yes actually, the Puma was a hit and when the popular coupe was put to bed in 2002 it was sorely missed. Thankfully a used Ford Puma is relatively easy to come by and you can pick up an early example from as little as £1500, up to £4000 for a 2002 version.
Despite being built on a Fiesta chassis the Puma handles really rather well and coupled with a high revving engine developed in conjunction with Yamaha, it's quite a nippy car. Engine choices were initially restricted to a 1.7 litre unit producing 123bhp. Later models were also offered with a 1.4 litre engine which despite only developing 89bhp doesn't seem sluggish, before Ford settled on a slightly more powerful 1.6 litre engine in 2000.
The styling was radical at the time, with the Puma being one of Ford's first 'New edge' look vehicles. The best way to describe the Puma is like a cuddly bubble, although if you're a male driving it you won't look ridiculous. Even 11 years on it competes well with the current crop of coupes and a good example will just keep on running for years to come.
Inside the Puma offers good head and legroom for a car its size. It also has sports seats which are vital in keeping you glued to behind the steering wheel as the Puma can be thrown around corners like cars twice its original price.
Oddly buying a low mileage example may not be your best bet. The Puma has special cylinder linings on its 1.7 litre Zetec engine meaning that wear is high if incorrect oil is used. Likewise if the car has been used for short journeys on a cold engine, wear will be dramatically accelerated. So avoid cars that have stood still on a driveway and ensure regular oil changes have been made - no more than 10,000 miles between each. Other than the above, as with all used Fords, the Puma is cheap to repair and service and any minor niggles shouldn't cause an expensive headache.
Finally for your consideration, there is the ultra exclusive Racing Edition that was limited to 500 cars. This version came complete with 154bhp, a wide arch body kit and huge alloy wheels. Expect to pay nearer £6000 for an eight-year old version but be warned if you find one in good condition Steve McQueen may very well come and haunt you for the keys.
About the Author
Kevin Creese is an automotive author currently working to promote Sandicliffe a
used Ford
dealer based in the East Midlands. Kevin is currently based in Nottingham in the heart of the East Midlands.
Non Destructive Testing (NDT) Ford 460 Cylinder Head