The Ford Story: Bringing Home the Awards

No single brand has ever won as many Automotive Excellence Awards from Popular Mechanics as Ford did this year. The Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Awards recognize the best in automotive design, execution and technology for 2010 model year vehicles in 10 categories.

Ford’s Mustang Shelby GT500 won the award in the Performance category, Transit Connect took top honors in the Workhorse category and F-150 SVT Raptor earned the award in the Off-Road Ability category.

“Ford’s sweep of three categories in this year’s awards speaks to the onslaught of great products coming from Dearborn,” said Ben Stewart, automotive editor, Popular Mechanics.

To determine award winners, Stewart says editors of Popular Mechanics travel the globe and spend thousands of miles behind the wheel of every new car and truck introduced by the world’s automakers. After months of hands-on testing and research, the team nominates a list of vehicles in each category, then votes on the winners.

2010 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – Performance Category Winner

The editors of Popular Mechanics describe the Mustang Shelby GT500 as a new superpower to contend with in the 21st-century muscle car wars.

“The Mustang Shelby GT500 – with its incredibly potent 5.4-liter V-8 engine – certainly impressed us,” said Stewart. “But it was Ford Special Vehicle Team’s (SVT) refinement of the chassis that made our staff declare the GT500 the best Mustang in the model’s long 45-year history.”

2010 Ford Transit Connect – Workhorse Category Winner

Popular Mechanics editors praise the Ford Transit Connect as a fresh alternative to a full-size van that is packaged to address the pressures of the economy, urban congestion and fluctuating gas prices.

“It was the brilliant combination of the Transit Connect’s efficient use of space – and fuel – that won over our team,” said Stewart. “This vehicle proves that small vehicles can handle big jobs, and it comes at an ideal time when contractors and other business owners are looking to downsize and save on fuel.”

2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor – Best Off-road Ability

Popular Mechanics 2010 Automotive Excellence Awards “The most extreme high-speed 4×4 pickup ever produced,” is the way editors of Popular Mechanics describe Ford’s F-150 SVT Raptor.

“We spent time riding along with Ford SVT engineers at near race speeds and had a chance to climb behind the wheel of the truck ourselves,” said Stewart. “For the avid off-roader, the Raptor is the truck we’ve all been waiting for.”

Click here to read the full story on Popular Mechanics 2010 Automotive Excellence Awards.

We make it easy for you to share this story with your friends; simply click on the “share this” method of your choice at the top right corner of this page. You can also click here to sign up for updates from Ford Motor Company, and click here to add an RSS feed to your regular home page.

11 Comments

Joao De Sousa
October 29, 2009 at 12:31 pm

Great Job to all of you at Ford Motor Co. Do me a favor, I HAVE OWNED fORD'S ALL OF MY lIFE, AND WILL CONTINUE TO DO SO. My Brother has worked for Ford Motor Co. Europe for ther last 30 + Years. Now, Serioulsy, you have to regain the market on the youger buyer, beat toyota at its own game, come up with moore youger driven design cars (look at scion line), look at the corola, they are sekliing those cars by the Buckets. Watch the design progression of the (my next vehicul) F 150. The Tundra even being a bad truck, on a blind test, not knowing wich brand is wich I WOULD PICKED THE TUNDRA. Sorry. As you know alot more consumers buy with their Eye's. Not knowing that the F 150 is a much more advanced-Econamical, Stronger Truck. Again because Consumers buy what they see is new. Thank you for Listening. Reply

Jerry Sibert
November 1, 2009 at 7:58 am

WOW! Shelby Cobra concept is a real winner! Reply

craig bowman
November 1, 2009 at 2:46 pm

Thank you FORD for being a true american company and not shutting down dealierships---------------------and being number 1 in america.............................. Reply

Steve
November 1, 2009 at 4:30 pm

Ford is making some great products. One issue I have is on the Lincoln MKS. Good looking car, but the one thing that really bothers me is the panel seam right behind of the rear doors/in front of the rear tire wells. It looks like the designers forgot a small panel and just decided to glue it on afterward. I would of thought the designers/engineers could have figured a way to get rid of the seam ie; one complete panel. You never see those types of strange seams on a BMW or Mercedes etc. Reply

David Berkovits
November 1, 2009 at 10:07 pm

Way to go FORD. I drive a 93 F-250 Supercab 4x4 w/the 7.3 L Turbo Diesel and it's a great truck.The room and comfort are GREAT and though I can not afford new if I could it definately would be either a Ford F-250 or F-350 w/the Diesel. Look forward to the new 6.7 L Powerstroke in 2011.Question: Does any one know who I can get get performance mods for my 93 7.3 L Turbo Diesel from? Thanks Reply

Joseph
November 2, 2009 at 9:43 am

Compliments all around! I have had a passion for cars since I learned the word my father was a mechanic and good mechanics are hard pressed to pick favorite brand because they have seen poor build and design from all manufacturers over the years. I however have been a blue oval booster from day one maybe it was just taste but as I learned the history of FoMoCo IT BECAME VERY CLEAR THAT FORD IS THE AMERICAN CAR COMPANY THAT HAS LEFT THE BIGGEST MARK ON THE GLOBAL AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY. The new line up is impressive and I'm very happy to see it's getting some attention from the press I have drove the Fushion, Focus, Mustang GT and Edge and I think the build quality is world class and the styling is perfectly edgy and distinct in a shapless Toyota (and Toyota look alike) world. My only concern is that Ford seems determined to bring back the Taurus name like they can erase the last five years of the original model run when they stopped evolving the design and the quality was gone and the last years when they seemed to do the technical work but had a 2nd grader do the styling in 10 minutes with a crayon. IT FLOPPED CORRECT?!?! so why call it the Taurus again? no one remembers all the awards, Sales titles and value the Taurus originally brought to the table before they gave up but i bet they do remember the downfall!! FOREVER FORD! Nice job. Reply

Steve
November 2, 2009 at 9:03 pm

Marketing 101 is the reason they used the Tauras name. Everyone knows it. It had its down years but so have several common model names that made comebacks after redesigns. Reply

BJ BARRY
November 2, 2009 at 10:13 pm

I love FORD nothing will ever beat FORD love FORD thank you for making the BEST cars like the MUSTANG!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Reply

Connie Courtney
November 3, 2009 at 9:43 am

I am proud of Ford for not taking government handouts and money. My whole family has bought and driven Ford trucks (F150, F250, extension vans, etc.)with much success through the years. I am going to check out the new Taurus for my next car. We need to support Ford and continue to buy American now more than ever. Trust me, from the man on the street in my city (Phila) Ford has new respect, especially for not taking Obama money and coming out on top! Many more years and success to you at Ford. Reply

gerald d. pribyl
November 17, 2009 at 8:31 pm

my family has driven many ford cars. at age 72, I miss the more flamboyant colors of the past and the red, white, blue ,and beautiful greens they used to have in the interiors in the past - especially in the wonderful greens of the 70s Lincolns. Reply

Judy
November 21, 2009 at 8:20 pm

Congratulations to #1 FORD! The cream always comes to the top!! I have never had - nor ever will have - any vehicle that is not a FORD! The "red96" is for my red '96 Thunderbird. It's too bad that venerable nameplate is not currently being used by the #1 automaker in the world! Mustang, Thunderbird, and, Explorer are my favorite vehicles. Please don't stop making V-8 Explorers. I have one of those, too. Buy American - but, buy FORD, NOT Government Motors! Reply

Add Your Comment

Name: (required)

Email: (required)

Email address is used for verification only and will
not automatically be added to distribution lists.

Comment: (required)

Are you looking for Customer Service?

Your complete satisfaction is of primary importance to us. If you have questions or comments about your Ford vehicle, please vist the Ford Contact Us page.

Please enter the word into the field

Our Privacy Pledge: We will never share your personal information with non-affiliated third parties. For information on how we protect your privacy, please read our Privacy Policy.

Comments are moderated in accordance with the Ford Story Rules of Conduct.

I accept and agree to follow the Rules of Conduct.