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Ford has a long history racing the Baja 1000. The legacy dates all the way back to 1968, when the first Ford Bronco entered and won with Hall of Fame off-roader and pioneer Larry Minor and Jack Bayer. Larry Minor with Rod Hall would win again in a Bronco in 1969. Rod Hall owns the Guinness World Record for the most class wins in Baja history with 25. Rod would win his final race in 2017 at the age of 79. Then, another legendary racing driver, Parnelli Jones, of both off-road and road course racing fame, won in ‘71 and ‘72 with Bill Stroppe in a Ford Bronco. Robby Gordon would later win with a prepped Ford F-150 in 1989. Overall Victories The manufacturer has 23 overall victories at the famed off-roading event, and was absolutely dominant in various classes in the 1990s with their Rough Riders program. Legend In The Making In 2008, Ford took an F-150 and took third place in class 8 racing at the Baja 1000, and it was later revealed during its official launch that it was basically a stock Ford F-150 Raptor that went racing without people knowing. Ever since that ‘08 race, the company has taken great pride in bringing their engines, chassis, brakes, and suspension developments for their trucks and SUVs to the Baja 1000 for the ultimate torture testing. Success Year After Year This year, 2023, was no different. The Ford Bronco Raptor and F-150 Raptor R both won their stock classes at this year’s event. The Bronco Raptor won the same event that the Ranger Raptor won last year, the stock mid-size class. “Ford is a family company with not only a goal to win, but to also further develop our street Raptors for customers around the world to enjoy,” said Mark Rushbrook, global director, Ford Performance Motorsports. “The Baja 1000 not only served as a testament to all the hard work from people on the ground and those in Dearborn, Mich., but this event also emphasizes our continued global commitment to the sport and making better products for our customers.” Drivers & Final Times Driving the brand new Bronco Raptor was Brad Lovell, a 2022 Off-Road Motorsports Hall of Fame inductee, and he would take the checkered flag after a grueling 1,200 miles in just 40:37:47.820. The F-150 Raptor R was driven by Loren Healy, an off-road racing champion in both the Baja 1000 and multiple other off-road racing series. He would cross the line in only 41:44:45.634. Engines The Bronco Raptor is powered by a 3.0-liter EcoBoost V6 with 418 horsepower and 440 lb-ft of torque. The F-150 Raptor R has a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 that puts out 700 horsepower and 640 lb-ft of torque. Both vehicles use a 10-speed automatic transmission. “Winning the Baja 1000 in the Raptor R will go down as one of my favorite victories in my racing career,” Loren Healy, Raptor R navigator, said. “The amount of work that went into the race efforts for both the truck and the Bronco Raptor are absolutely mind blowing. Somewhere around 100 people came together as a family and made magic, getting both these stock production vehicles to win their classes in the second longest Baja 1000 ever. It truly is an honor to be a small part of this epic, history-making team.” Leaving Satisfied Both drivers expressed overwhelming satisfaction and joy with not only the final result of the race, but also with the whole Ford Performance team. Both vehicles were basically stock, save for obvious safety changes. The engine, transmission, and driveline were all the same stock parts you would get in a Raptor product sold at Benna Ford or any other Ford dealer. At Benna Ford, we offer our customers some of the best prices and services. With more than 100 new and used vehicles to choose from, our outstanding sales team and finance department will work hard to make sure you drive away happy. And our fantastic service department will take care of your new-to-you vehicle as if it were their own.

In a spectacular showcase of off-road prowess, the Bronco® lineup, proudly representing the Built Wild™ spirit, secured a historic victory at the Rebelle Rally. Benna Ford is delighted to report the outstanding achievements of the Ford Performance team, with Melissa Clark and Jessica Moore clinching an unprecedented fourth consecutive victory for the Bronco Sport in the X-CROSS Class. Laura Wanlass and Maria Guitar also brought home the bronze in the fiercely contested 4x4 Class. Commitment to Excellence and Outstanding Performance The recent competition was a resounding representation of the Ford brand's commitment to excellence, with all Bronco teams proudly finishing within the top 10 of the 4x4 Class. Under Ford's silver-level sponsorship, the all-new Mustang Mach-E Rally successfully completed its inaugural Rebelle Rally, showcasing the brand's dedication to innovation. Mark Rushbrook, the global director of Ford Performance Motorsports, expressed pride in the teams' remarkable performance, emphasizing the combination of driving expertise and hand-calculated navigation skills required to conquer the challenging off-road rally. The Rebelle Rally, as reported by Benna Ford, serves as a testament to the capabilities, durability, and agility of Ford vehicles, functioning as a real-world testing ground for models like the Mustang Mach-E Rally, Bronco Raptor, Bronco Wildtrak, and Bronco Sport. An SUV Designed for More The Bronco Raptor, engineered by Ford Performance to be the world’s first Ultra4 Racing-inspired SUV, showcased its capabilities by consistently holding a top-five position throughout the seven competition days. Notable performances from the Wanlass-Guitar duo and the Desert Roots Bronco Raptor, piloted by Ford ambassador Shelby Hall and Rori Lewis, highlighted the vehicle's ability to conquer highway-speed desert dunes and navigate challenging Baja rock-crawling terrains with ease. Overall Victory for the Ford Brand Benna Ford proudly reports the achievements in the X-CROSS class, where the Clark-Moore pairing and the Mustang Mach-E Rally of Bailey Campbell and Kaleigh Miller demonstrated their mettle by frequently jockeying inside the top five. The electric Mustang Mach-E Rally, making an impressive debut, secured a fifth-place finish, showcasing Ford's commitment to innovation in the realm of electric vehicles. A standout performance from Team Velocity, driving the No. 131 two-door Bronco WildTrak™, featuring 2022 X-CROSS Rookie of the Year winners Karisa Haydon and Trista Smith. Despite a quick start and some initial challenges, the duo showcased their resilience, battling back through the rankings to finish a commendable sixth. As the dust settled in the desert, Benna Ford is proud to highlight not just victories but a collective demonstration of skill, determination, and the indomitable spirit that defines the Built Wild™ ethos. The Rebelle Rally served as a challenging yet fitting arena for Ford's lineup, solidifying their position as leaders in off-road excellence. Here at Benna Ford, we know the importance of having a capable vehicle that suits all your adventuring needs. Come down to Benna Ford to experience all that Ford has to offer: quality, capability, durability, and so much more. We look forward to helping you find the car that will take you wherever you want to journey.

What Benna Ford understands from our many small business and fleet manager customers is that people who purchase business vehicles are significantly more focused than your average vehicle consumer. While personal buyers can be motivated by a wide variety of factors, the small business owner and fleet manager will be looking foremost at initial cost, operating cost, reliability, and capability. And for the past 18 years, the annual Vincentric Best Fleet Value in America™ Awards have helped show them the vehicles that represent their concerns. And this year, Ford vans and trucks swept the competition. Our Winners Ford vehicles came out on top nine times at the 18th annual Vincentric Best Fleet Value in America™ Awards. That is significantly more than any other manufacturer. Of four available truck awards, Ford claimed three. Of nine van awards, Ford won six. The specific Ford winners are: Transit Connect cargo vans (Six-time winner) Transit Connect passenger vans (Seven-time winner) T150 cargo T250 cargo T350 passenger E-Transit 350 cargo Maverick Hybrid XL (Two-time winner) F-250 XL (Three-time winner) F-350 XL How Winners are Selected Vincentric’s methodology in determining their awards involves a cost of ownership analysis of over 2,000 vehicle configurations based on their typical use in fleets. They focus on eight different cost factors, including: Depreciation Fees & taxes Financing Fuel Insurance Maintenance Opportunity cost Repairs “The Vincentric Best Fleet Value in America Awards provide guidance to fleet professionals by identifying vehicles that will bring proven value to their fleets,” said Vincentric President, David Wurster. “Managing costs is a critical part of fleet management, and our awards give valuable insight into which vehicles offer the lowest lifecycle costs in their segments.” Who is Vincentric? Vincentric is a privately-held Michigan-based research company that provides data, knowledge, and insight into the automotive industry with a focus on the many many aspects of automotive value. Vincentric data is frequently cited by several well-known automotive sites and publications, including Autoblog, Automotive Fleet Magazine, AAA, among others. If you are to invest in a vehicle for your business, be it a light or heavy-duty pickup, or any size van, the numbers and accolades point to Ford. And in the Superior-Duluth area, that means Benna Ford. Contact the fleet specialists at Benna Ford to see how we can best serve your business vehicle needs.

This year’s Edmunds Top Rated list came out with Ford being awarded in two categories. Both the Ford F-150 and F-150 Lightning won in their categories, with the F-150 winning now three years in a row for Best Truck. As a trusted source for automobile guides, Edmunds puts each vehicle through a series of tests, with its team of editors selecting the final winners from over 375 competitors. After edging out the competition, it’s easy to see how Ford came out on top in two of six categories. Representing the Present and Future of Ford With the history of the F-150, it comes as no surprise that this year's model earned top honors in the truck category. Alistair Weaver, Editor-in-Chief at Edmunds, acknowledged the impact the Ford F-150 has made over the years and the role it plays in the modern world. Weaver notes that it’s “more appealing to drive and more versatile than ever before” as Ford continued to adapt, update, and improve since its introduction in the mid-70s. Customizations are nearly endless, with several powertrains, bed lengths, and cabin configurations to appeal as a work vehicle and personal truck alike. The other winner, the F-150 Lightning, serves as the electric counterpart to the traditional F-150. It represents the future of Ford. By reimagining a mainstay such as the F-series, this Top Rated Electric Truck was a risk that has paid off. It boasts a range of 240 miles on a single charge with a 7,700lb max towing capacity – an impressive feat for any truck, but especially for an electric truck. With so many features, it makes sense that this isn’t the only award the F-150 Lightning has received. Since its release less than a year ago, it’s earned MotorTrend Truck of the Year, a 2023 Kelly Blue Book Best Buy Award, and even earned the Edmunds Best of the Best among many more awards and accolades. [gallery link="none" columns="2" size="full" ids="404,405"] Find Top Rated Trucks at Benna Ford Are you interested in a Top Rated vehicle for yourself? Explore the our Ford F-150 and F-150 Lightning lineup, available today at Benna Ford. Browse our available inventory online, then come visit us for a test drive. Contact us to learn more!

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.

Benna Ford is proud to announce that Ford’s first EV truck, the F-150 Lightning has just won the 2023 North American Truck of the Year Award™.  Ford is on a roll with this award as last year, the Ford Maverick received the honors. This is how NACTOY describes the purpose of their award: “The awards are intended to recognize the most outstanding new vehicles of the year. These vehicles are benchmarks in their segments based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction, user experience and value.” Car magazine awards such as Motor Trend’s Car of the Year, or Car and Driver’s 10Best are important achievements and we at Benna Ford are certainly proud whenever a Ford model wins one.  But the North America Car/Truck /Utility Vehicle of the year awards are even more special because rather than being the opinion of a single publication, the North American Truck of the Year Award is judged by a jury of 45 print and broadcast automotive journalists from across The United States and Canada.  Among the juror comments regarding the F-150 Lightning: “When America’s best-selling vehicle goes electric you know the transition has momentum. Ford’s effort to create an all-electric F-150 is remarkable because it combines the standard truck’s dimensions, which means it retains massive aftermarket support, with substantial upgrades to areas like storage and mobile power support. It’s really the best of all worlds, giving the F-150 Lightning a wide range of applications for both traditional and new-to-the-segment truck customers.” –Karl Brauer, iSeeCars.com, Forbes “Save the reinvention. The F-150 Lightning shows how the most familiar vehicle in American life can be made even better as an EV, and it’s fantastic.” –Bengt Halvorson, Green Car Reports Vehicle shown with available and aftermarket equipment. See Owner’s Manual for important operating instructions. At a glance, the Lightning has the same size, proportions and styling that has made the F-150 America’s best-selling truck.  Open the hood, and in place of an engine, you will find 14 cubic feet of lockable storage space. Inside the standard 4-door cabin, you will find all models equipped with Ford’s Co-Pilot360™ Technology and a 12-inch multimedia screen. The MSRP for the F-150 Lightning Pro starts at $55,974* All models feature two motors for 4-Wheel Drive and a 4-wheel independent rear suspension. Range varies from 240 miles on the Pro grade to 320 miles on the XLT and Lariat grades. The Pro will go from 0-60 in 4.1 seconds while the XLT, Lariat and Premium will get there in under 4 seconds.  All F-150 trims also feature a selectable One Pedal Driving Mode in which the most acceleration and braking is done by simply modulating the accelerator pedal. Towing capacity starts at 7,700 pounds and can be increased to 10,000 lbs with the Extended Range battery.  All of the F-150 towing systems available include Pro Trailer Hitch Assist, Pro Trailer Backup Assist™, and Trailer Reverse Guidance.  All trims, with the exception of the Pro grade, come standard with the convenient 360-degree camera. Here at Benna Ford, we want you to see what our newest award winner is capable of, perhaps even the great gas-powered F-150 it’s based on, stop by our Benna Ford location in Superior Wisconsin today for a test drive.  And keep in mind, whether it runs on gas, electricity, or both, you always have the confidence our Benna Ford Service Team has the experience in keeping your Ford in top shape. *Current MSRP for base vehicles. Excludes destination/delivery fee plus government fees and taxes, any finance charges, any dealer processing charge, any electronic filing charge, and any emission testing charge. Optional equipment not included.