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For the first time ever, a Ford truck has won the Yankee Cup for trucks, thanks to the innovation and hard work that Ford automakers have put into the 2015 Ford F-150.  The Yankee Cup is awarded by the New England Motor Press Association, working with input from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, at a yearly awards dinner.  The Yankee Cup recognizes an automotive system, feature, or vehicle that makes a significant impact in driving safety, cost efficiency, or enjoyableness.  Here at O’Brien Ford of Shelbyville, we are extremely proud of all the Ford automakers’ technological innovations, so we are thrilled to see a Ford vehicle – especially the all-new Ford F-150 – recognized with such an important award. more The 2015 Ford F-150, with over 100 patents, features a huge array of technology that contributes to making it safe, efficient, and enjoyable.  These features include a 360-degree camera view, LED side-mirror spotlights, high-strength aluminum alloys for the body and cargo box, a remote tailgate release, and the BoxLink cargo management system that keeps cargo safe no matter what you’re loading into your pickup.  With features like these, it is easy to see why New England Motor Press Association president Craig Fitzgerald said that the 2015 Ford F-150 is “loaded with innovation,” and went on to say that “We all know this vehicle is Built Ford Tough, but now it is both tough and smart – helping to redefine the light-duty pickup for the next generation.” Here at O’Brien Ford of Shelbyville, we are excited about each and every Ford truck. Louisville, Frankfort, and Lawrenceburg drivers are all invited to visit our Shelbyville dealership so we can share with them just what makes Ford vehicles, and especially Ford pickup trucks, so special.

The Ford Mustang has gone through a lot of changes in the past fifty years. Six generations of design have kept this muscle car up to date. But it is also a vehicle with a history, known as a classic, and Ford designers never want to lose sight of the rich history of the Ford Mustang. And that is why, when you see the 2015 Ford Mustang, you will see a car that is at once new and modern in its appearance – but still recognizable as the classic muscle car you know and love. more Looking at the six generations of the Ford Mustang is a lot like looking at six generations of a human family. While each generation is its own car, and has its own unique appearance, there are features that carry through. Just as you might have inherited your grandfather’s nose, your mother’s blue eyes, and your great uncle’s thick eyebrows (gee, thanks Uncle Bob…), the Ford Mustang retains some of the features that make it so recognizable, even as it grows and develops. You might not even notice some of the pieces that come together to give the Ford Mustang its distinctive look throughout generations. The “twin eyebrow dash” grooves on the hood, “hockey stick” indentation along the side, and “shark bite” nose that gives the Ford Mustang its distinctive profile might not be elements you think about, but they combine in all generations of the Ford Mustang to keep the family resemblance going. And certain elements – just like the smile that you inherited from your great great grandmother, or the exact shade of blond hair that goes back generations on your father’s side of the family – are so obvious that no one could doubt the beautiful muscle car in front of them is a Ford Mustang. From the front, with its unquestionably Ford Mustang grill, to the back, with the tri-bar tail lamps that let you spot a Ford Mustang even from a distance, the 2015 Ford Mustang never forgets that it is just one branch of a large and storied family tree. Here at O’Brien Ford, your Kentucky Ford dealership, we may be a little biased, but we think the Ford Mustang is a classic for a good reason, and one of the most exciting muscle cars in the world. If you think the same yourself, or are willing to be convinced, come visit us in Shelbyville. 2014 Ford Mustang models are available today, and we’ll be happy to show off all the design elements that make every generation of Ford Mustang stand out!

In an unprecedented move, Ford automakers have taken testing to a new level by giving out prototypes of the new 2015 Ford F-150 pickup trucks to workers at high-intensity job sites, to help fine-tune the design of the high-strength aluminum alloy cargo boxes that will be rolling off the production line soon.  This was the first time in history Ford truck prototypes have been given out so early – it was 2011 when the prototype vehicles were sent to gold mine workers in Nevada, construction workers at a dam in Pennsylvania, and to workers in Appalachia servicing power lines.  This extensive testing of the cargo box is just one more way Ford automakers have taken the testing of the 2015 Ford F-150 to a new level. more Ford automakers kept tabs on the hard use the prototype trucks experienced to make sure that when the 2015 Ford F-150 went into production, it was the toughest truck yet and up to whatever kind of work drivers could throw at it.  Denis Kansier, F-150 prototype lead engineer, followed the progress of the prototypes closely.  He said “this secret testing almost immediately yielded results and lessons we have rolled into the all-new F-150,” and went on to explain that “for example, we made the cargo box floors thicker to improve strength, and we made modifications to the tailgate based on lessons we learned through customer usage.”   After all, what better way to test a truck than by putting it through the tasks and trials customers will be using it for every day! When the 2015 Ford F-150 rolls off the lines, it will be as tough as hard-working Ford automakers can make it.  But if you can’t wait until the fall for your new truck, don’t worry – the 2014 Ford F-150 had the hard-working Ford team behind it, and you can stop by your Shelbyville Ford dealer today to take one for a test drive.  Come over to O’Brien Ford of Shelbyville and find out just how tough Ford trucks already are!

When you think about your truck being “built Ford tough,” you naturally might wonder where that building gets done.  When it comes to the 2015 Ford F150, the answer for many of these vehicles will be the Ford Dearborn Truck Plant, part of the Ford Rouge Center in Michigan.  And this year, the remarkable Ford Dearborn Truck Plant celebrates its ten year anniversary by preparing to build one of the toughest trucks yet from the Ford company. more The Ford Dearborn Truck Plant was and still is a groundbreaking plant for truck production.  Featuring a “living roof,” the Ford Dearborn Truck Plant is dedicated to sustainability and minimizing any environmental effects from its truck production.  The living roof is an impressive 10.4 acres, and reduces energy use while simultaneously removing carbon dioxide from the air.  The Ford Dearborn Truck Plant continues its sustainability efforts with a facility designed to use natural lighting and ventilation as much as possible, as well as using water-based primer and base coats to avoid volatile emissions in the paint shops.  And with over 3,600 employees total and nearly 350 robots between the body and paint shops and the assembly areas, the Ford Dearborn Truck Plant is efficient and effective in addition to being sustainable and environmentally friendly. So if you are looking for a Ford truck near Frankfort, you know there’s a good chance your truck was built at the Ford Dearborn Truck Plant, a model of sustainability and efficiency.  And with a Ford truck, you know you are getting a vehicle that was designed and built right here in the United States – and that’s something anyone can feel good about.  So head over to O’Brien Ford in Shelbyville and test drive a US-built Ford F150 today!

The Ford Mustang has a lot going for it.  It’s a classic muscle car with a great reputation and the talent of the Ford automaking team behind it – it’s why we here at your local Shelbyville Ford dealership are so proud to sell Ford Mustang models.  But now there are new words that can be used to describe the Ford Mustang – movie star and philanthropist!  At a Barrett-Jackson auction in Florida this April, a custom 2013 Ford Mustang GT was auctioned off for $300,000.  What made this particular 2013 Ford Mustang GT so valuable?  Its starring role in the Need for Speed movie! This 2013 Ford Mustang GT was made for the movie and was not only filmed in the production, but went out as part of the promotional tour for the movie.  The car has a custom-designed body that sits over Forgiato 22 inch alloy wheels, and it has an extra large lower grille and a twin-snorkel hood.  The striking appearance, with silver paint and racing stripes, suits its V8 engine that delivers true Ford Mustang power.  Not only did this special car go to an excited new owner, but the proceeds will all go to benefit the Henry Ford Health System, a nonprofit dedicated to providing quality and comprehensive health care throughout their system. This custom-made 2013 Ford Mustang GT may be off the market, but there are plenty of other Ford Mustang options for drivers in Shelbyville.  The 2014 Ford Mustang and earlier models are available to drivers in the area – including Louisville, Lawrenceburg, and Frankfort – at O’Brien Ford of Shelbyville.  You too can drive one of these classic cars, and even if yours hasn’t starred in a movie, we think you’ll love it anyways!

Savvy drivers already know that the Ford F150 is a tough truck.  If you drive a 2014 Ford F150, you have experienced it for yourself.  If you haven’t, stop by your local Ford dealership to take one for a test drive today.  But to dispel any lingering doubts and prove the 2015 Ford F150 is its toughest truck yet, Ford automakers have taken their testing to a whole new level.  Before consumers even have a chance to get their hands on the truck, the 2015 Ford F150 will have undergone over 10 million combined miles, from the hot peaks to the rocky valleys, to ensure its durability for drivers everywhere. more Pete Reyes, the Ford F150 chief engineer, explains that “we wanted to build the toughest, most capable F150” so they “challenged the team to torture the truck harder than any F150 before it.”  And when you hear some of what the 2015 Ford F150 has been through, you will understand why they call it “torture testing.”  The 2015 Ford F150 has taken trailers through the mountains in 120 degree plus temperatures.  It has spent five days on a rack being shaken and twisted every which way to simulate over 225,000 miles of use.  In a corrosion bath, the 2015 Ford F150 was driven through salt baths, soaked in high-humidity test chambers, and subjected to an acidified spray specifically designed to corrode the high-strength aluminum alloy body panels – and despite a simulated 10 years of corrosion and exposure, the aluminum held strong and un-degraded. Ford automakers are quick to discourage drivers from designing their own torture tests – it’s all been done before to the 2015 Ford F150.  But you can still put this tough truck through a real world durability test in your day-to-day life.  Can’t wait for the 2015 Ford F150 and want the tough and durable 2014 Ford F150? Shelbyville drivers can test drive one today at O’Brien Ford!

Ford automakers have given New York International Auto Show visitors a treat, revealing the new 2015 Ford Focus four-door sedan at the show.  In addition to both exterior and interior redesigns, the 2015 Ford Focus four-door sedan will offer an exciting powertrain option combining the Ford 1.0-liter Ecoboost engine and a six speed manual transmission.  Ford automakers are confident that the 1.0-liter Ecoboost engine will offer outstanding fuel efficiency among non-hybrid compact automobiles. more As if fuel efficiency and attractiveness are not enough, the 2015 Ford Focus four-door sedan offers the Ford MyKey feature standard on the new model.  A heated steering wheel and rearview camera will make driving a Ford Focus easier and more comfortable than it ever has been before.  And to keep drivers safe, the 2015 Ford Focus four-door sedan has a Blind Spot Information System that will identify vehicles entering the blind zone and notify drivers, as well as a lane-keeping system that warns drivers when they begin move out of their current lane without a turn signal activated.  For those looking to add some zip to their driving experience, the 2015 Ford Focus four-door sedan will offer the option of an SE Sport package.  Paddle shifters will allow drivers to simulate a manual transmission and increase speed and performance, and a revised touring suspension and P215/50 HR-17 tires on 17-inch aluminum wheels will complete the SE Sport package and make the 2015 Ford Focus four-door sedan an even more exciting ride. If you can’t wait for the new 2015 Ford Focus models, don’t worry.  There are plenty of options for drivers in Frankfort.  A Ford dealership in the area has affordable pricing for the 2014 Ford Focus and other great Ford vehicles.   Come to O’Brien Ford of Shelbyville and test drive one today.

You may not be a professional driver, but you always knew that the Ford Mustang was capable of impressive handling.  Professional drifters Vaughn Gittin Jr. and Justin Pawlak agree with you, which is why in this year’s Formula DRIFT competition, they will each be driving a Ford Mustang on the course.  Formula DRIFT is the foremost drifting competition in the United States, and in 2014, Ford is officially sponsoring it for the second year in a row. more Drifting requires vehicles with speed, power, and outstanding handling, which makes the Ford Mustang a great choice for professional drivers.  Taking place on a street course, Formula DRIFT will include a number of events which will be judged on style and execution as well as speed, and Ford automakers knows that the Ford Mustang has what it takes to excel in all these areas.  Last year, the Ford Mustang finished third, but Gittin and Pawlak were consistently near the top of their events, and Ford expects great things from their drivers this year, and of course, from the Ford Mustang. You may not be a professional drifter, but who wouldn’t want to bring a little of the excitement and fun of Formula DRIFT right here to Shelbyville. The 2014 Ford Mustang can help you do that! As the 2014 Ford Mustang speeds along and expertly handles corners, its driver will feel like a professional on the roads of Kentucky.  You can live the dream in your own Ford Mustang.  Just head to your local Shelbyville Ford dealer and take a drive in a 2014 Ford Mustang.  You’ll understand why Formula DRIFT drivers Gittin and Pawlak are hooked on the Ford Mustang – you will be too!

If you are searching for a 2014 Ford F150 in Shelbyville, consider joining 57% of January and February buyers and getting a V6 engine.  Thanks to their power and efficiency, Ford F150 trucks have outstripped other light-duty pickups in V6 sales.  Ford offers two V6 choices for 2014 Ford F150 drivers, the 3.7 liter Ti-VCT V6 and the 3.5 liter V6 EcoBoost engines. more Both of these V6 engines offer fuel efficiency in addition to their towing ability, horsepower, torque, and other powerful features.  By offering two outstanding V6 options, the Ford F150 has made it easier for buyers to find exactly what they are looking for in their light-duty pickup truck.  Ford has accounted for 91% of the growth in V6 truck sales since 2010, and in 2013, Ford F150 trucks made up 78% of total V6 light-duty truck sales. In the last decades, truck sales have been led by V8 engines.  But buyer demand for the whole package has allowed sales of V6 engines to increase greatly.  Why should drivers choose between fuel efficiency and power when the Ford V6 engines in light-duty pickup trucks can allow them to have both?  No wonder the sales of V6 engines in Ford F150 pickups outstripped the sale of V8 engines in the early months of 2014.  The 3.5 liter V6 EcoBoost in particular has helped spur these sales.  46% of February Ford F150 vehicles sold had the 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost.  Efficiency is key for modern drivers, and the combination of fuel economy and power offered by V6 truck engines is a great choice for drivers in Louisville.  Ford F150 trucks lead the sale of light-duty V6 pickup trucks for a reason! If you’re still not convinced, head on down to your local Ford dealer in Shelbyville.

In a vehicle as complicated as the Ford F-150 pickup, it would be easy to overlook some of the more subtle—but important—touches that the expert designers at Ford have incorporated. And that’s a shame, because the new 2015 F-150 has a few options that bear mentioning. One of our favorites is a segment-exclusive new technology for LED headlamps that will change the way you see both your vehicle’s lights, and the road. more Even among new Ford pickup trucks, the 2015 Ford F-150 holds a special place because of the amount of innovation packed into its lightweight aluminum body. And this technology extends to the lighting, because the new Ford F-150 is the first truck ever to offer more efficient light-emitting diode—or LED—headlamps. Not only is the 2015 F-150 pickup the first truck ever to offer LED headlamps, but it’s also picking up on a trend that has been present in modern vehicle cabins for a couple of years: the incorporation of modern smartphone and tablet technology. Those crystal-clear touch screens are also made using the advanced capabilities of LED. And there are many reasons to be glad that you can find LED headlamps in the 2015 Ford F-150. Around Shelbyville, your average headlamp will never stand a chance of lasting the whole life of the vehicle—at some point, almost everyone will have to head to the auto parts store to change out a bulb. But the LED lights of the new Ford F-150 will last more than five times as long as regular bulbs. On top of that, they are proven to be more durable and they use 63% less energy. Once again, Ford proves it’s on the cutting edge of vehicle technology.

At this point, it’s pretty much a given: those looking for a high-capability, heavy duty functional pickup truck will turn to the Ford F-Series for their needs. The reasons are many, and the long history of American F-Series pickup trucks speaks to their reputation, reliability, and resilience. But Ford has never been satisfied to rest on its laurels with the best-selling pickup in the world, so the 2015 F-Series Super Duty trucks have been improved for the next generation of demanding customers. more To start with, the 2015 Ford Super Duty pickups will include a second-generation 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbo diesel, with a standout 440 horsepower available. That is not just more than any other truck in the class—combined with the incredible 860 lb-ft of torque, its enough to shift up to 31,200 pounds through Frankfurt. This Ford truck is also equipped with fifth wheel and gooseneck towing configurations in either the F-450 or F-350 chassis models. This means that, apart from the stellar towing capacity, the F-450 and F-350 models are also capable of class leading 40,000 pound and 35,000 pound weight ratings, respectively. But the largest new innovation in the 2015 Ford F-Series Super Duty is clearly the 6.7-liter Power Stroke turbo diesel V8, which includes a few key innovations to keep it at the top of the heavy duty pickup game. This design includes a graphite iron engine block, and an innovative reverse flow engine layout. In short, this layout gives shorter airflow to the exhaust system and better temperature management, which improves both the power output and efficiency of the motor. Come by your local Ford dealer and test drive one of these beasts today!

The rise of hybrid vehicles has coincided with a decrease in popularity for the standard SUV offerings. But the Ford Expedition has risen above these fluctuations, and remained the standard for those who find flexibility and utility indispensable. This is why the slew of improvements in the new 2015 Ford Expedition are so impressive—it could’ve stayed the same and still been one of the best full-sized SUVs on the market, but Ford has made it even better. more One of the main features that will draw people to the 2015 Ford Expedition is the available 3.5-liter direct-injected twin-turbocharged EcoBoost engine, which gives the Expedition some of the best fuel economy in the SUV market while still producing the power drivers have come to expect from a new Ford SUV. Power from the EcoBoost motor is then routed through a six-speed SelectShift automatic transmission with an available manual mode. Combined with continuously controlled damping and innovative electric power-assisted steering, the new Ford Expedition is one of the stablest and most adaptive SUVs on the road. But the technology goes beyond the exterior features that give the driver of a new 2015 Expedition a safe trip around Frankfurt. The Ford SYNC with MyFord Touch systems give the cabin of the Expedition some of the best in-vehicle connectivity and entertainment technology around. What’s more, the cabin includes an 8-inch touchscreen display for the SYNC and MyFord Touch systems, and two full-color 4.2-inch LCD screens for driver information and data. Factor these features in with the various driver-assists like a Blind Spot Information System, and the 2015 Ford Expedition is the highest-tech SUV you’re likely to see in the coming year.