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Navigation systems have clearly changed the way we get from place to place. The process of unfolding, reading, and attempting to re-fold maps has about as much relevance to the most recent generations of drivers as slide rules have to engineers. Most of us have navigation apps on our smartphones, and if your car was new within the past five years or so, you could likely put that app on a center touchscreen. That being the case, Benna Ford finds there are good reasons to have Ford’s Connected Navigation system in your vehicle. With Ford’s Connected Navigation system, you no longer need to connect your phone to your car. You don’t have to worry about its battery state of charge; in fact, you don’t have to have your phone with you at all. Most importantly, however, you don’t have to depend on cell phone reception. You don’t have to travel too far south into the Wisconsin farmland or west into the Minnesota farmland before cell reception becomes spotty. Guidance from Above The Ford Connected Navigation system bypasses cell towers and picks up its signal directly from satellites above, so your system will always be connected. The cloud-based system remains current with real-time traffic updates and any rerouting due to weather conditions, road hazards, or slowdowns from traffic accidents. If you had one of the early in-vehicle navigation systems, you would be happy to know that physical updating with DVDs or some other form of physical data transfer is a thing of the past. The cloud-based database is automatically updated, so the system will automatically know if a particular location has moved or gone out of business or if a newer franchise has opened closer to you. The system is also voice-activated, so you can issue a destination verbally (and safely) without having to stop and punch in numbers and letters. You can also store your favorite and frequently traveled destinations. You may already know where they are, but the system can tell you the best way to get there from any location, while considering traffic and possible detours when applicable. Towing Assistance If you tow, Ford’s Connected Navigation system can be particularly beneficial. By entering your trailer profile, including size and weight, you can avoid conditions such as narrow roads, tight turns, weight-limited or low bridges, and overpasses, making trailer towing that much easier. EV Integration If you have one of Ford’s electric models, Ford’s Connected Navigation is even more useful, as the system can interact with your range information and battery system. The Intelligent range feature will give you real-time updates based on traffic and route conditions. If you are towing with your EV, it can take the trailer’s weight and wind resistance into account as well. The system can help you find your next public charging station. The system is also integrated with your Ford EV’s battery conditioning system so that it will know when the charging station is close and warm or cool the battery as needed to enable peak charging performance when you arrive. When you purchase your Benna Ford model equipped with the Ford Connected Navigation system, you will have a complimentary 90-day, 1-year, or 1-year trial subscription, depending on the model and model year. After that time, the subscription is just $80 a year. Visit Benna Ford and see the benefits of Ford’s Connected Navigation system.

Ford’s research and development goes beyond the already complicated business of creating vehicles. It looks into all aspects of driving, including having a division dedicated to investigating how driving or riding can be made more practical and comfortable for those with special needs. From there, it created the SupportBelt for breast cancer patients. Benna Ford gives you the details. Ford states that one in eight women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in their lifetimes. Unfortunately, that leads to more than 100,000 breast cancer patients having mastectomies every year. Among the many physical and psychological hardships posed by these surgeries, one of them is the pain of using a shoulder harness, which applies pressure over wounds and scarring chemo ports. It keeps many mastectomy patients from wearing their belts or wearing them properly. One cancer patient interviewed describes how she tried to place a shaw between the belt and herself with poor results; others describe dreading driving and not using a belt at all because of the pain involved. Ford has dedicated more than $139 million to breast cancer research over the last 30 years, but in this area, Ford figured it could do the work itself. The last thing these patients need is to suffer the increased injury from not wearing a seat belt during a collision. The project was given to the Ford Human Centered Design team. After extensive research, the team developed the SupportBelt, which is designed to be attached to the shoulder harness portion of the seat belt. At its heart is a comfortable foam core designed to provide comfort over the chest area. Protecting the foam is a leather outer skin, which includes two straps that wrap around the belt and fasten with Velcro. The side that comes in contact with the wearer has soft suede-like surface material, 40% of which is derived from recycled PET plastic from water bottles. It is similar to Ultrasuede and other surfaces used in car interiors that feel like suede but are much more durable and can withstand the wear that vehicle interiors encounter. To ensure the SupportBelt is available to those who need it, Ford offers it at no cost to mastectomy patients in the U.S. who reserve it. Ford is also licensing the design to allow other automakers to adapt, design, and manufacture their own. If you are a mastectomy patient or know a patient who could benefit from the SupportBelt, contact one of Benna Ford’s sales professionals. They can show you how to make a reservation and let you drive or ride comfortably again.

The Ford Expedition and Expedition Max will arrive with several innovative features. Amidst the high-mounted 24-inch panoramic display, flex power console, and off-road-ready Tremor model, it may be easy to overlook the split tailgate. After all, your grandfather may remember when station wagons had dropping rear tailgates with lift-up windows. First introduced for the redesigned Lincoln Navigator, Ford brought back this old feature with plenty of new tricks, and Benna Ford is happy to tell you about them. To start, anyone who has packed his or her SUV cargo area to the gills will appreciate that if you found one or two more items to place on top, you can just open the window section while the lower tailgate stays closed to keep everything in place. Once lowered, the tailgate is rated to hold 500 pounds. Not only does that help you slide in something weighty, but it can also act as a bench for two sizable adults, much like that on the rear of a pickup. Making tailgate sitting better than that of a pickup is the versatile cargo manager that can slide in vertically to become a seatback. Not only do you have a place to sit, but you can do it comfortably. The cargo manager can also be placed horizontally to provide two-tiered loading so items below won’t bear the weight of the items above. This can also act as a cover to hide items when the vehicle is locked up. If that wasn’t versatile enough, the cargo manager also has extendable legs to stand over the tailgate at an excellent height to serve as a workspace or a serving table during tailgate parties. To further enhance your work or play, there are multiple outlets on the cargo area walls for lights, tools, and other devices. When the activities extend past sundown, the Expedition is available with multi-zone lighting. This provides light all around the vehicle, making it perfect for when you arrive at your camping location a bit later than planned. Such features cause the Expedition to be more than just a big three-row SUV that can comfortably carry up to eight people. “For Expedition customers, family is at the center of everything they do,” said Trevor Scott, General Manager of Ford Utilities. “We spent more than 1,100 hours talking with customers about their everyday lives. And with those insights we’ve rethought and redesigned Expedition to help customers make the most of their precious time with family and to make life easier – before, during and after every trip they make.” There is much to see on the Expedition when it arrives in the spring of 2025. You can be among the first to see these features by having one of our Benna Ford sales professionals notify you when the first 2025 models arrive.

It is not news that the holiday season brings many long drives, mostly for families to celebrate and enjoy the holidays together. At that time, we can expect many Ford users to use their BlueCruise to make the trip more relaxing for the driver. Ford gathers data about BlueCruise usage, and this blog from Benna Ford shares some of what they found. First, one might think that the days before and after Thanksgiving or Christmas have the highest levels of BlueCruise usage. But in 2023, the most significant driving holiday weekend was actually Labor Day, followed by Thanksgiving and then Christmas. During last Thanksgiving, BlueCruise usage rose by 2.2% compared to non-holiday travel. While that may not seem like a large increase, the data also shows that BlueCruise usage was utilized for longer-distance trips. This indicates that while most BlueCruise owners often use the system for their daily commute, they trust this innovative hands-free system to take charge of their extended holiday driving when the holidays arrive. They also calculate that over 3 million miles were BlueCruise operated across the two weekends, bookending the Thanksgiving holiday. From Thanksgiving through New Year’s Day, the average usage was 13.9 miles. That represents 203 hours of relaxed driving. Such data may seem to confirm the obvious, but Ford finds it useful. Most notably, it led the company to offer BlueCruise service for single-month periods in addition to single- or multi-year subscriptions. This allows those who might otherwise not see the need for the service in their regular daily routine to take advantage of BlueCruise for specific holidays or vacation trips. It should be noted that all of this data is fully anonymous and is only collected from BlueCruise customers who have opted to share it with Ford. In addition to collecting data about when BlueCruise is being used and for how long, it also shows where it is being used. In 2023, the states where it was used most are: California Texas Florida Michigan Ohio North Carolina New York Virginia Washington Arizona They have also tracked that the most traveled highway with BlueCruise users last Thanksgiving was I-75 through Florida and Georgia. This is in contrast to the most used highway during non-holidays, I-96 in Michigan, which Ford suspects is the commuting of its own employees. Each year, Ford offers BlueCruise on more model lines and trim levels of those lines, enabling relaxed cross-country driving to more and more drivers. If you have a BlueCruise-equipped vehicle but haven’t activated it, try it out for your next holiday or road trip. You can activate it directly from the FordPass smartphone app. If you don’t have BlueCruise but are interested in seeing it operate, visit Benna Ford and test drive It before your next long trip.

Job #1 when developing the return of the Bronco was to make it as off-road capable as possible, with models within the lineup ranging from very to extremely capable. Having succeeded in that, Ford has responded to customer requests to make the Bronco a more congenial companion on the road. In response, Ford has produced a package or two that are sure to find audiences. Benna Ford gives you the rundown of Bronco changes for 2025. “Our customers asked for a smarter, better equipped, and more stylish Bronco that was more livable everyday and just as capable of off-road adventures,” said Bronco Brand Manager Jason Hyde. “We responded with new standard technology and comfort features, heritage-inspired trims and options, and a durable exterior protection option, all so Bronco remains unmistakable on the road.” Bigger and Better Tech Topping the list of the new standard technology is that all 2025 Broncos now have the 12.0-inch digital gauge cluster introduced in the 2024 Bronco Raptor. Replacing the previous 8.0-inch display, the new display features vivid graphics, dedicated animations for each G.O.A.T. mode, and a more attractive presentation of basic driving information.  Now all Broncos feature dual 12.0-inch display screens. The previous 10-speaker audio system has been replaced by a Bang & Olufsen system featuring a more powerful amplifier, 12 high-quality speakers, and a new subwoofer. All four-door models now have air conditioning vents for second-row passengers. Additional interior lighting and sound insulation also improve the quietness of the ride. Even Sasquatch-equipped models can be quieter on the road with new 35-inch Goodyear Territory rugged terrain tires, which are quieter at highway speeds than the previously offered tires—without impacting off-road capability. The 2025 model line expands with the return of the base trim, a Stroppe Special Edition, and new packages to spice up existing models. Stroppe Special Edition Brings the Baja 1000 to Your Driveway The Stroppe Special Edition recalls the Stroppe Baja Broncos of the 60s and 70s that were tough and often victorious in the Baja 1000.  “ When you purchased a Stroppe Baja Bronco in 1971, it rolled out of Bill Stroppe’s factory ready to tackle the Baja 1000,” said Jason Hyde, Bronco brand manager. “That capability was at the core of our development process for the new Bronco Stroppe Special Edition, including Fox Internal Bypass Dampers designed for performance and improved control during high-speed desert running, a standard EcoBoost 2.7-liter V6 engine, and Baja G.O.A.T. Mode.” Like the original, the Stroppe Special Edition is exclusive to the two-door model and includes modern off-road features the originals would have loved, such as Stabilizer Bar Disconnect, High-Performance Off-Road Stability Suspension 3.0 (HOSS 3.0), and 35-inch Goodyear Territory RT tires. The Edition has a modern take on the color scheme of the original, using an Atlas Blue roof, Code Orange sides, and Oxford White sandwiched in between, including the grille with Code Orange BRONCO lettering. Also, like the original, the hood is matte black to diffuse reflections from the desert sun. Matte Finish for All Exterior Colors You can now have a matte finish on every color the Bronco offers thanks to a Matte Clear Film that can be applied to any external color. There is also a new Black Package that features a black removable hardtop and applies molded-in black to: Fender flares Door handles Mirror caps Grille (with white BRONCO lettering) The Black Package also adds gloss-black painted aluminum wheels with a black beadlock ring when combined with the Sasquatch Package. Get Bold with the Free Wheeling Package If you prefer more color on your Bronco, check out the wild Free Wheeling Package.  Inspired by Ford’s Free Wheeling graphics on trucks, vans, and Broncos of the 70s and 80s, this package applies bold graphics on the sides, featuring a gradient from dark red through reds and oranges to golden yellow. The colors reappear on the seatbacks, with additional red trim on the dash and wheel rims. Upfront, the package features a unique silver grille with BRONCO in red-outlined lettering. “Bronco has always been about fun and capability since day one and Free Wheeling’s looks kick that up a notch with its sunset inspired beach vibes,” said Steve Gilmore, Ford Vehicle Personalization chief designer. Even more than before, there is a Bronco for every off-road adventurer, and you can find or order yours at Benna Ford.

The Ford Mach-E is one of the best-selling and most loved electric vehicles on the market, especially since there is a trim level and set of options for everyone. With the introduction of the Mach-E Rally, Ford has given customers one of the most unique offerings around, especially in the EV space. Recently, Emme Hall from Autoblog got the opportunity to put this EV Rally car to the test at the DirtFish Rally Driving School in Snoqualmie, WA, about 30 miles outside of Seattle. What Makes a Mach-E Rally? Starting off, the Mach-E Rally gets the same dual motor 91 kWh battery as the GT trim level. The Rally has 480 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque with eAWD. Ford claims a 0-60 mph time of a staggering 3.4 seconds while still getting an EPA-estimated 265 miles of driving range. To make sure the Mach-E is ready for the rally course, Ford added an extra inch lift with skid plates to protect the motors that sit in both the front and rear of the vehicle, as well as a giant rear spoiler and larger 385mm front brake rotors with red Brembo calipers. Standard white 19-inch rally-style wheels are wrapped in 235/55 R19 Michelin CrossClimate2 all-season tires. There Was No Raining That Could Spoil This Fun Parade The day that Emme arrived, it was raining, and the courses were wet, muddy, and very slippery. But, before she was let loose, she was given some time on the smaller rally courses at the DirtFish Rally School to test out the various driving modes primarily meant for the street. This helped her understand the differences in the MagneRide suspension tuning, power delivery, braking, and handling performance once she switched to the RallySport mode. In the ultimate street mode, Unbridled, she noticed how hard the traction control works to keep the Mach-E settled and not get too wild. RallySport Mode After a few laps to get ready, she was taken to the larger course to really put the Rally through its paces, saying, “We move to the larger track and I select the new RallySport mode. Now I have the full shebang at my disposal. The steering gets much heftier and communicates a bit more feel into the hands. It’s easier to tell when the tires are close to the edge of grip. RallySport mode doesn’t turn off all the nannies, but traction control is definitely less heavy-handed. Oh, and there isn’t any lift-off throttle brake regeneration. I have to use the mechanical brakes to get this 5,000-pound beast to slow down before a turn.” Loads of Torque and An Amazing All-Wheel Drive System Driving harder and harder with each lap, Ms. Hall continued to grow her confidence with the Mach-E Rally and enjoyed how much power was on tap since it’s an EV with no lag in throttle response: “ RallySport mode brings the torque in much quicker, and it’s very linear. Combined with the single-speed transmission, it means that I always have power coming out of a turn. There is no shifting here, no turbo lag — just getting on the throttle quickly, squeezing out the power and letting the all-wheel-drive system claw its way around the turn. Do I induce oversteer a few times? Heck yeah, I do! But a bit of countersteering and patience keep the Mach-E from coming around all the way.” The Mach-E Can Do It All It seems pretty evident that Emme Hall and Autoblog enjoyed their time exploring the limits of the 2024 Ford Mach-E Rally. When such a fun and unique vehicle is made, it’s designed and engineered by people who truly love what they are creating. That’s exactly what makes the Mach-E Rally so brilliant. How many companies are willing to sell customers an electric rally crossover SUV? Instead of asking why, Donna Dickson, Chief Engineer, Mach-E, said, “Why not?” Why Choose Benna Ford? 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 ensure you drive away happy. Our fantastic service department will take care of your new-to-you vehicle as if it were their own.

The idea behind the Ford Expedition is fairly simple: Take the full-size truck platform from the best-selling Ford F-150 pickup truck and put a 3-row SUV body on it. The result makes the Expedition perfect for active moderate-to-large families who love the outdoors, take long trips, and/or tow a trailer but like to have their cargo securely inside. That kind of utility may be what turns people toward a full-size SUV like the Expedition, but Ford has increasingly filled its big ute with cool kit to seal the deal. Benna Ford presents five of what we find to be the model line’s most remarkable features. Big Eyes-up Screen Heads-up displays have grown in popularity and availability over the last few years, but Ford has a better idea for those who find them easily washed out on a bright day or too distracting at night. On top of the Expedition dash, Ford has placed a long, low 24-inch LED screen at the windshield base, which the driver views over the steering wheel. Thus, it provides information just below your direct line of sight as you view the road ahead, but it is much more precise and configurable. The screen will display essential driving information like speed, fuel status, and driver assist technology info, as well as now-playing information from the audio system and even present the navigation map, even if from your integrated smartphone. The HUD is placed intentionally too far away to be a touch screen, with the center touchscreen containing the controls to configure it. It also responds to the steering-wheel-mounted controls. For example, if you hover your thumb over the steering wheel’s driver assist controls, the system‘s status display will appear on the screen. Accessible Blue Cruising BlueCruise is a true hands-free driving system. It works on divided highways that have been previously mapped out by Ford, with the information downloaded to your Ford vehicle. On the Expedition, you know you are on a mapped highway by a blue light that activates on the above-mentioned upper screen. With your desired speed set, you can now take your hands off the wheel and feet off the pedal and let the Expedition do the highway driving for you. Coming up to a slower vehicle? Just activate the turning signal, and BlueCruise will smoothly operate a lane change to pass the vehicle and return to the previous lane. What makes BlueCruise unique is its accessibility. Active, Platinum, King Ranch, and Tremor trim levels are all BlueCruise-compatible. It is standard on some and has a 90-day trial on others. If you travel long distances regularly, you can opt to get BlueCruise annually. However, let’s say you only travel far for summer vacations and to visit family for the holidays. You can arrange to activate the system for one month at a time and pay accordingly. That makes this great technology more practical and affordable for many more drivers. Off-Road Capability For 2025, there is an Expedition Tremor for the first time. While a vehicle the Expedition’s size may not seem like the go-to vehicle for rock crawling, the Tremor will undoubtedly enable the Expedition to go deeper off-road, perhaps to a favorite fishing location or staging ground for the toys on the trailer you are towing. The Tremor has Ford’s 440-horsepower 3.5-liter twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 under the hood and an electronic locking differential. It rides on 33-inch all-terrain tires, and the chassis features a modified suspension with Premium Passive Shocks and can claim 10.6 inches of ground clearance. Skid plates for the engine and transmission, off-road auxiliary grille lights, and other specific off-road modifications and technologies can be found on this special Expedition trim level. Interior and Exterior Versatility The Expedition is designed to be accommodating and convenient. For instance, the third-row seatbacks have a 40/20/60 split. You can lower the center “20” section and carry long things up through the seats while still seating two on each side of the third row. If just one person is back there, you can lower the seat on the other side and leave 60% of the third row open for cargo expansion. The Flex Powered Console can slide rearward to be accessible by second-row passengers. For anyone disappointed that their insulated travel cup was too large for the cupholder, the second-row doors have deep insets to accommodate whatever you have. When camping, the Expedition proves helpful even after you’ve arrived at your destination. Available outdoor zone lighting surrounds the vehicle with light to make unpacking more convenient. Also, the Wi-Fi system can accommodate up to 10 devices, so you can cover not only everyone you brought with you but also the people you are camping with. A Tailgate for Tailgating The Expedition has a two-piece tailgate. This allows the lower section to swing down to become a 500-lb. capacity seat for tailgating, and a panel can be lifted up to become a seatback for the tailgate’s occupants. That panel can also sprout legs and turn the tailgate into a two-tiered shelf for serving food, housing an outdoor audio system, or whatever you can imagine. So, while the Expedition is inherently useful just as a big SUV, it becomes more valuable in many unexpected ways the closer you look. Pay a visit to Benna Ford and see the many ways the Expedition can work for you.

If off-roading is your life, you will aim for the Ford Bronco. If off-roading is simply an enjoyable pastime or a means to an end to get to a favorite camping or fishing spot while the rest of the time, you need an efficient crossover, the Bronco Sport is for you. For 2025, Benna Ford is pleased to tell you that the capability gap between the Bronco Sport and its bigger sibling has become narrower as it now has its own Sasquatch Package. The Bronco Sport Advantage Car and Driver states it quite clearly in their review overview: “If you’re looking for a small SUV with off-road capability, the one with the most to offer is the 2025 Ford Bronco Sport.” Ford has an advantage by offering two models in the compact crossover segment. The Escape covers the conventional compact crossover territory as a comfortable model whose owners are expected primarily to use the available AWD system to optimize on-pavement traction. That leaves the Bronco Sport to channel the spirit of the model with which it shares its name by having standard all-wheel drive and offering better clearances for off-pavement use or when the pavement is buried in yet-to-be-plowed snow. “Bronco Sport customers love the outdoors and go off-roading 3.5 times as often as the owners of competitive vehicles, and camping twice as often. They want to know they can overcome obstacles that come their way, which drove our designers and engineers to push Bronco Sport to a new level of capability and performance to let our customers do more and have more fun off-road.”- Matt Simpson, Ford Enthusiast Vehicles General Manager. New Sasquatch Package The new for 2025 Sasquatch Package is available on the Outer Banks and Badlands grades, which are already equipped with a suspension lift and skid plates, with the Badlands adding a twin-clutch rear axle with a locking differential. The Sasquatch package adds the twin-clutch rear axle and locking differential to the Outer Banks model. It adds to both grades steel bumpers with the front bumper overlayed by a formidable steel skid plate with additional protection via a large front bull bar. Two rear recovery hooks are built into the steel rear bumper, and the whole package rides on knobby 29-inch 235/65/R17 Goodyear Territory All-Terrain tires, which are the largest in the class. The package adds Bilstein rear dampers on the Badlands model, including position-sensitive damping and piggyback reservoirs. For the Badlands model, the package also provides new front and rear springs that increase ride height by four-tenths of an inch and offer up to 8.3 inches of front suspension travel with 8.7 inches for the rear. Enhanced G.O.A.T. Modes Every Bronco Sport model comes standard with a new Off-Road G.O.A.T. (Goes Over Any Type of Terrain) Mode. Badlands models add a new Rally Mode designed to optimize high-speed sand running by holding gears longer for increased accessible power, sharpening the throttle response, and increasing feedback through the steering. Also available for 2025 is a 360-degree Camera with a Trail View. It engages automatically when Off-Road or Rally G.O.A.T. Modes are selected to show width-accurate tire overlays showing where the tires are headed to help you avoid obstacles. Walking the Talk While competing compact crossovers offer “off-road” trims that are little more than appearance packages with all-terrain tires, the Bronco Sport with the Sasquatch Package is the real deal, providing unmatched capability in the class. If you have caught the off-roading bug or want the capability to spare in the winter months, check out the 2025 Bronco Sport models with the Sasquatch package at Benna Ford.

Did you know that the Ford Police Interceptor Utility remains the most popular vehicle for public safety departments across North America? The purpose-built fleet version of the Ford Explorer is a staple of fleets maintained and operated by many Federal, state, county, municipal, and private entities. With the introduction of the updated Explorer, Ford is introducing an upgraded 2025 Police Interceptor Utility that’s reporting for duty soon. Aside from a few updates visually with the new clip and taillights, the Police Interceptor Utility is focused on efficiency from an operational and uptime basis. It is also built to be the safest public safety vehicle on the road. Operationally, there’s the standard hybrid driveline. The hybrid system powers onboard equipment even when the gas engine is off, contributing to a potential savings of up to 838 gallons of fuel per year. This translates to projected cost reductions of approximately $17,500 over a six-year ownership term with gas at $3.50 per gallon from the standard 3.3-liter direct-injected V-6 with the hybrid system. This system offers 318 horsepower and 322 pound-feet of torque with standard all-wheel drive. Governments and fleets can also choose to have their Police Interceptor Utilities powered by either a 3.3-liter V-6 gas engine with 285 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque, or a 3.0-liter V6 EcoBoost engine with 400 horsepower and 415 pound-feet of torque. Both of these optional engines have standard all-wheel drive. While performance and efficiency are important, so is safety. The 2025 Police Interceptor Utility was designed and tested to pass Ford’s 75-mph rear-impact crash test. This was a goal by Ford to help keep officers safe out on the highways, earning the vehicle’s pursuit-rated, pursuit-tested distinction. We have seen too many incidents across Minnesota and Wisconsin and hope that we can do something extra to keep our men and women in public safety safer than ever. Towards that goal, the 2025 Ford Police Interceptor Utility comes standard with features designed to help ensure officer safety and productivity. The Police Perimeter Alert system detects moving threats around the vehicle, automatically activating the rear camera, sounding a chime, rolling up windows, and locking the doors, so that officers can monitor their surroundings at different sensitivity levels and complete tasks inside the vehicle. When officers must exit the vehicle quickly, Police Engine Idle lets them lock the vehicle and take the keys while the engine remains running to power the onboard equipment.

The best-selling commercial van in this country is one that offers a lot more to keep its uptime running toward the bottom line. The 2024 Ford Transit is exactly that van. Why is it the best-selling commercial van in this country? What makes the Transit attractive to both small and large businesses – and even some individuals who simply want a van to do more than haul goods around? A recent article in Kelley Blue Book pointed out ten things that make the Ford Transit the workhorse among vans. Here’s what they cited as their favorite reasons for getting a Transit. Transit comes in multiple configurations, not just for commercial purposes, which include Cutaway and Chassis Cab models. Cargo Vans are available in three roof heights, two wheelbases, and three overall lengths. Plus, there is a Passenger Van version with seating for up to 15 people. In the Passenger Van, you do have a choice of trim levels – XL and XLT -   along with three roof heights, two overall lengths, and one wheelbase. You certainly have a choice to make when it comes to meeting your needs. Did you know you can get a Transit with all-wheel drive? The system works to deliver maximum traction on multiple surfaces, including snow. It is also engineered to not intrude on the standard cargo floor and seat height with no loss in interior volume and space utilization. Transit customers have a choice of two internal combustion engines. A 275-horsepower V6 engine is standard while a 310-hp EcoBoost turbocharged V6 engine is available for bigger jobs. A 10-speed automatic transmission is also standard. In addition to internal combustion engine versions of the Transit, there is the battery-electric E-Transit available. This van is for those who would like an advantage on running costs, especially when the job keeps you within the Twin Ports. On a full battery, the E-Transit has an estimated range of 159 miles. As with all Transits, the E-Transit comes in multiple roof heights and vehicle lengths, along with Cutaway and Chassis Cab models. For better productivity, dual rear doors will open up to a whopping 253 degrees. That makes the job of loading larger items easier into the Transit Cargo Van. Even better with multiple pieces of luggage in the Passenger Van, too! Productivity is also an important part of the Transit when it comes to driver convenience. That is why you can have one with swivel front seats.  This available feature allows the driver and passenger to swivel the front seats for convenient entering or dismounting of the Transit and easy access to the cargo area. Transit vans are far from basic vehicles. Ford adds plenty of features to the cab area to make things easier and more productive. These features include rain-sensing wipers, cruise control, power-adjustable outboard mirrors, air conditioning, remote keyless entry, and more. Not to mention full-screen infotainment systems driven by SYNC and Ford Pro Telematics. Safety and driver assistance are as equally important in a large van as it is in any vehicle. That is why Ford Co-Pilot360 is standard on the Transit. This suite of driver assistance features includes automatic emergency braking, lane-keeping assist, high-beam assist, and a rearview camera with trailer hitch assist. Also available is blind-spot monitoring and a 360-degree surround camera. Through Benna Ford and the Ford Pro commercial vehicle program, you can upfit your Transit with all the organizational tools you need to get the job done. That also includes adding cargo boxes to Cutaway and Chassis Cab models, as well as equipment for mobility transportation. There is one more reason why the Transit is a popular van – it is also available as an overlanding adventure vehicle. The Transit Trail comes directly from the factory to off the grid - deep into woods towards places such as the Boundary Waters. The Transit Trail comes with the EcoBoost V6, all-wheel drive, a 3.5-inch lift, all-terrain tires, swivel seats, a roof vent, skid-plate-style front bumper, wheel-arch cladding, and more. You can configure the Transit Trail with different roof heights, as well. If you think that the Transit is your solution for improved productivity, carrying your large family, or seeking out adventures beyond the Twin Ports, contact us at Benna Ford to connect you with a Transit soon!

Back in the day – about 40 years ago - street trucks were the rage. They gave pickup truck owners a way to customize their trucks by adding body kits, fatter tires, and cool color schemes. Some even added more power to their engines – or dropped something that was beyond capacity. The creativity that went into these trucks was off the scale. They were low, but not slow. These were the stuff that dreams were made of. Over the years, Ford had a few “street trucks” that came from the factory. That tradition has been revived with the 2025 Ford Maverick Lobo. Taking our segment-busting compact pickup truck into a cool ride came from the inspiration that some Maverick owners were doing. They transformed their Mavericks into street trucks from scratch. Ford saw what they created and worked on the 2025 Maverick to present something that was factory-made. The 2025 Maverick Lobo starts out as a Tremor with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost driveline with all-wheel drive. From there, they lowered the ride height by a half-inch up front and 1.12 inches at the rear. The result was a roof height that was 0.8 inches lower than a standard Maverick. Next, Ford added on-road tuned suspension and recalibrated the steering. On the driveline, they took a torque-vectoring twin-clutch drive unit from the Bronco Sport to enhance power transfer. The brakes were swapped out for bigger rotors and dual-piston calipers that were originally on the European-market Focus ST. A larger radiator and fan will keep the 2025 Maverick Lobo cool under all conditions. On the electronics side, Ford created a Lobo mode for this performance-oriented 2025 Maverick. When engaged through the drive mode switch, this mode will improve cornering performance, grip, and stability, helping to minimize understeer. However, Ford asks you to not use the Lobo mode on the street – especially around the Twin Ports. If you want to take the 2025 Maverick Lobo onto, say, Brainerd International Raceway for a track day, then flip the switch and see how Lobo mode can change your perception of street trucks. To be a street truck, it must look the part. Ford created alterations to the 2025 Maverick’s revised design by working on aerodynamics with a specific image in mind. That starts with a unique front fascia, painted rear bumper, and rocker moldings. The roof has a contrasting black paint to set off the primary exterior color. A set of 19-inch black aluminum wheels gives it a custom-modified look that finishes the 2025 Maverick Lobo’s aesthetic. Inside the cab, the 2025 Maverick Lobo sets the theme off right. Grabber Blue and Electric Lime accent stitching, along with a graffiti-inspired overprint on the seats give it a look that is inspired by street culture. The Lobo name is also embossed into the black driver and passenger seats. Because street trucks start off with a blank canvas, Ford invites you to make the interior of the 2025 Maverick Lobo your own. There are two themes to choose from: Standard and High. Even though it is a street truck, it is still a 2025 Maverick. You get all of the equipment found on other models, such as a heated steering wheel and seats, Ford Co-Pilot360 2.0 driver-assist technologies, a 360-degree camera, spray-in bedliners, and a moon roof. Yes, you can use the 2025 Maverick Lobo as a tow rig by adding a Pro Trailer Hitch Assist and Pro Trailer Backup Assist after the first of 2025. If you think this is a concept for a street truck, think again. The Lobo will be on sale at Benna Ford along with the rest of the 2025 Maverick lineup. Deliveries will begin in early 2025. Contact us to become one of the first to own this cool truck in the Twin Ports area.

You may already know that the F-150 is the best-selling vehicle in the country. That means there are plenty of trim levels, and nearly all of them have 4-wheel drive. While any 4x4 F-150 will get you in and out of the worksite or take you down a well-worn trail, Ford offers two models for those seeking the particularly rough and rugged. What is the difference between them? Benna Ford explains. The difference can be summed up in their names. Experiencing a tremor is a cause for concern. Experiencing a raptor would be a far more intense experience than anyone who has seen the first Jurassic Park movie will tell you. Tremor The Tremor was originally an option package but has since become its own trim. It starts with having a standard 4x4. Then, including all of the hardware found in the FX4 Off-Road package, including: Locking rear axle Off-road-tuned front shock absorbers Monotube rear shocks Rock Crawl Mode Hill Descent Control Skid plates for the fuel tank, transfer case, and front differential To that, the Tremor adds: Selectable Drive modes Raptor Hi-Lock Transfer Case Trail Control with trail 1-pedal drive and Trail Turn Assist 33-inch all-terrain tires over 18-inch matte-finish wheels Additional Tremor aesthetic trim. Available modular front bumper with two hooks and integrated fog lamps that can easily accommodate an added brush bar or light bar. The Tremor comes standard with the legendary 5.0-liter V8, which produces 400 horsepower and 410 lb-ft of torque. It is also available in the twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, which produces 400 horsepower but boosts peak torque up to 510 lb-ft. Power should be no problem with either choice, particularly since the Tremor is best at attacking rough terrain at slow speeds. The Trail Control system facilitates this by acting as an off-road, rough-terrain cruise control and Hill Descent Control, which controls speed down steep hills. Raptor and Raptor R The Raptor is for the less patient. Indeed, this is the primary difference between the two. The Tremor will get you almost anywhere, while the Raptor will get you almost anywhere at absurd speeds. The Raptor is designed to take a beating and, in fact, was the first full-size pickup designed to take jumps. Key features include: 35-inch all-terrain tires Five-link coil spring rear suspension with Panhard rod High-output, gas-pressurized, electronically controlled, continuously variable compression damping FOX Racing Shox™ Heavy-duty skid plates 14-inch front wheel travel and 15-inch rear wheel travel. All this is designed to create a truck that can fly over rough trails at speeds that should perturb anyone invested in self-preservation. Then, the Raptor R takes it a step further with a 5.2-liter supercharged V8 that produces 720 hp @ 6,650 rpm and 640 lb-ft of torque @ 4,300 rpm. The tire size increases to 37 inches, and they are mounted to 17-inch forged aluminum alloy beadlock-capable wheels, which results in a very tall sidewall. There is nothing subtle about the Raptor R's appearance with its own grille, hood vent, and other Raptor R exterior and interior trim. Which Is For You? To conclude, the Tremor is ready to take on just about any terrain you are likely to encounter while still being a comfortable daily driver that can get things done. Its starting MSRP is $64,350. The Raptor is for the truly committed who likes their thrill-seeking at speed, and that velocity sets you back with a starting MSRP of $78,440. The Raptor R package is another $31,925, which brings the MSRP to $113,055. As mentioned, the Raptor R is for the truly committed, but for those so inclined, there is no substitute. Tremors and Raptors are niche products that are not always found in the Benna Ford inventory. If none is found, check with one of our sales professionals to find you one. Keep in mind that Benna also deals with tuner specialists such as Roush, Tuscany, Waldoch, and Shelby, who have their own take on off-road-focused F-150 models. If you like to run off-road, Benna Ford is the place to go.