Benna Ford: We're Here for You

Last month, the Norfolk Southern Corporation held their Thoroughbred Sustainability Partner Awards to honor companies like Ford Motor Company in their efforts toward Energy Efficiency, Environmental Stewardship, and Innovation. Ford was pleased to be named a top sustainability leader in the Energy Efficiency category, in large part due to their efforts to reduce waste along the supply chain. Learn more about how Ford contributes to sustainability and our planet’s future. Committed to Sustainability One of the keys to Ford’s success is their dedication to efficiency, with energy efficiency being a top priority in recent years. Finding new ways to do things isn’t always easy, but that’s precisely what got Ford its start and earned their honors at this year’s awards. They apply energy efficient techniques to every step of the automotive development process, from the corporate level to the partnerships they form, in order to maximize at each level. Ford’s director of global sustainability Mary Wroten notes the company’s commitment to going above and beyond by encouraging and supporting their suppliers as part of the sustainability process. [gallery link="none" columns="2" size="full" ids="397,398"] Ford’s goal of carbon neutrality by 2050 is a worthy one, and it’s easy to see how that could be possible. It all starts at the source, with sustainable raw material sourcing all the way to production – and step in between. In addition to sourcing materials, Ford is building US-based battery manufacturing and solar power plant. The list of Ford hybrid and electric vehicles is a long one, and it only keeps growing every year as demonstrated by a $22 billion investment. Even the iconic Mustang now comes in an all-electric version, with various hybrid and plug-in hybrid vehicles like the Maverick and F-150 Lightning now available as well. Each vehicle in the electrified lineup demonstrates Ford commitment to the future of the environment and making the most of the energy we have to use now. Part of their investment is going towards their goal of becoming carbon neutral and producing an all-electric lineup of vehicles within the next several years. Enjoy Ford Sustainability at Benna Ford You can discover the sustainability today at Benna Ford! Explore our current inventory of hybrid and electric vehicles, or find another  that’s ideal for you. We share Ford’s values of efficiency in all realms, and you can contact us today to learn more.

What Is the Best Truck to Buy for 2023? We’ll admit it. Here at Benna Ford, we are a bit biased toward our Ford models. We are a Ford dealership, after all. And although our love for Ford models is far more than just a sales pitch (we really do love them), we understand that you may be hesitant to take a Ford dealer’s word for how great a Ford model actually is. more That’s OK because there are plenty of organizations and individuals out there who also love Ford modes even though they are not involved with the Ford Motor Company in any way, shape or form. So, when we ask the question of which truck is the best one you can buy for the 2023 model year, we would say it’s tough to beat the Ford F-150 Lightning. But we aren’t the only ones that think this. In fact, the model was named the MotorTrend Truck of the Year for the 2023 model year, becoming the very first electric truck to earn the honor by unanimous vote. What Makes the F-150 Lightning Such a Great Pickup? Times are changing, and although you may not yet think of Ford as an electric vehicle company, the truth is that Ford is the No. 2 electric vehicle brand in the U.S. Much of that success is thanks to the Ford F-150 Lightning. Some of the benefits of the F-150 Lightning include its instant torque. Being battery-powered, torque is direct and available without any of the delay you’d typically find from a gasoline- or diesel-powered engine. Another benefit to being battery-operated is that you have a lot more space for cargo. Not only do you have the rear bed like in a normal pickup, but you also have all that empty space where the engine usually goes. The “engine bay” in the Ford F-150 Lightning is actually a cargo bay, similar to the trunk on a car, giving you an enclosed storage area. The model has an available driving range of up to 320 miles, up to 10,000 lb towing capacity and can launch from 0-60 mph in under 4 seconds. The 2023 F-150 Lightning has a starting MSRP of $34,585. To learn more about it, call the auto experts here at Benna Ford.

The mid-size truck market has been very busy over the past two years, with redesigned models from Nissan, Chevrolet/GMC, and Toyota. Now it is Ford’s turn with the Ranger. The last Ranger first arrived at Benna Ford as a 2019 model, but it has been a design used worldwide for several years. The new Ranger will also be sold around the world, but its design puts US interests and preferences first. Wider and Tougher Prioritizing the U.S. market resulted in a burlier model with several more inches in width and more muscular, squared-off dimensions. It much more closely resembles a smaller  F-150. All 2024 Rangers will have the same five-passenger, four-door crew cab and five-foot (59.6-inch) bed. A key feature of the bed is that the wider rear track now enables your standard 4-foot wide plywood or drywall to fit flat on the bed floor within the wheelhouses, and this is an ability you won’t find in the Nissan, GM, or Toyota models. The tailgate now opens with a damped motion and features a torsion spring to ease closing. The Cab’s central locking mechanism also extends to the tailgate. An available deep and tall inset step just before the rear bumper on the side eases access to adjust things in the bed. All Turbo-charged Engine Lineup The Ranger was ahead of the game with its standard turbocharged 2.3-liter inline-4 engine, and you now see similarly sized turbocharged 4-cylinder engines becoming the standard across the category. The engine continues with the same power of 270 horsepower and 310 lb-ft of torque and remains paired to the 10-speed automatic transmission. Unlike the GM and Toyota models, a V6 upgrade is still available in the form of the F-150's EcoBoost twin-turbo 2.7-liter V-6, which produces 315 horsepower and peak torque of 400 lb-ft. This powertrain will be available post-launch, and Ford has not yet specified it, but this will likely be tied to 4WD drivetrains. The maximum towing case for both models with either of these engines is 7,500 pounds. There will also be a Ford Ranger Raptor model for the first time in the U.S. It will be powered by a twin-turbo 3.0-liter V-6 that is good for a class-leading 405 horsepower and 430 pound-feet of torque. The Raptor will also feature full-time 4WD, front and rear locking differentials, and 2.5-inch Fox Live valve dampers. Updated Suspension Models without the prehistoric moniker have their own updated suspensions. The geometry is largely the same, but the front upper and lower control arms are now aluminum for greater stiffness and lighter weight. In the rear, the dampers are moved outside the leaf springs, and the helper leaf spring is composite instead of steel. When combined with new tuning for the dampers and springs, the result is a smoother and more refined ride. All-New Cabin Naturally, the interior is fully redesigned. Anchoring the center of the dash is a vertical 12.4-inch touchscreen. Within the tall screen, smartphone mirroring from either Apple CarPlay or Android fills the top two-thirds of the screen, while the lower portion features permanent controls for climate and other controls. Physical controls for the climate remain just below. Allow-profile electronic shifters sit on the driver's side of the center console. Another new cabin feature is that the back seat folds flat when needed for additional in-cabin storage. The model line remains with XL, XLT, and Lariat trim levels, with a starting MSRP of $34,265 for the XL. The Tremor model goes away to be replaced by the Raptor, which will arrive after the launch of the rest of the model line. As of this writing, 2024 Rangers are just starting to make their way into the Benna Ford Inventory. Check our site for a model you may be interested in, or check out what’s here, and if you like what you see, we will find one that meets your specifications.