2010 Ford Fusion SE 6MT

What we have here is a rare breed. A mid-size sedan from a domestic automaker equipped with a manually actuated clutch. In fact, the 2010 Ford Fusion (and its rebadged brother, the Mercury Milan) are the last examples offered with Detroit Three nameplates. The Fusion's competition from Chrysler and General Motors are only available with automatic gearboxes, and while the import brands all offer the option to shift-it-yourself, few are actually purchased by stick-averse Americans.

So when Ford released its powertrain combinations for the 2010 Ford Fusion, we were surprised to find that not only was a manual available on S and SE four-cylinder models, but the Blue Oval also upgraded ye olde five-speed cog-swapper to a six-speed unit. As fans of the three-pedal arrangement, we promptly requested a manual Fusion to see how it stacks up to the high expectations set by the V6-powered 2010 Fusion Sport we've already reviewed.

As our regular readers and podcast listeners are aware, a large cross-section of the editorial staff are fans of the Ford Fusion. For a reasonable price you can pick up a decently equipped, nicely sized, attractive sedan that can accommodate a family of four in comfort, yet still be fun to drive. Most of us like the 2010 Fusion's exterior and interior updates, and for those that want something more visually sedate, Ford continues to offer the Milan through Mercury dealers.

Here at Autoblog's Ypsilanti, MI office, we like a bit of bold mixed in with our daily drivers. Just because you are schlepping the kids to school or commuting to work doesn't mean you have to be invisible. With the most aggressive iteration of the three bar grille motif, the new Fusion is far from subdued. Our tester was a mid-level SE model equipped with the new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that debuted last year in the Ford Escape. This was paired with a new six-speed manual transmission currently unavailable in any other North American market Ford, although we wouldn't be surprised to find that it winds up in the Focus and possibly the Fiesta.

With 175 horsepower and 172 lb-ft of torque, the four-cylinder Fusion is hardly a sports sedan, but that doesn't mean it's not a fun drive. With a comparatively modest (by modern standards) mass of 3,285 pounds, the four banger is more than adequate for daily commuting duties. And as the week progressed, we came to think of our Fusion as a riff on the sort of lightweight sport sedan you don't see anymore – the kind that didn't need massive amounts of power and kit to be thoroughly entertaining and quick to respond on twisty roads. If the span between your house and work-place includes stretches of winding tarmac, the manual-equipped Fusion could be just what you're looking for.

The clutch pedal is smooth and progressive, and one of the advantages of limited output is that the Fusion doesn't need a ridiculously heavy clutch to transmit power. That means that even if you get stuck in stop-and-go traffic, your left leg won't get a heavy workout. When things open up and you push the Fusion harder into and out of corners, the shift lever moves effortlessly through the gates with throws that aren't overly long. Using the six ratios wisely allows you to get the most out of the available power and torque while still returning acceptable fuel economy.

The Fusion's chassis is well sorted, allowing you to carry a surprising amount of momentum through the corners. If you opt for the SE trim over the S model, the rolling stock includes P225/50R17 all-season tires rather than P205/60R16 rubber. Interestingly, the 16-inch wheels on the Fusion S are aluminum while the 17-inch units on the SE are steel. In recent years, wheel makers have been able to develop new steel hoops that are just as light as aluminum and less expensive – a real boon when you hit a Michigan-sized pot-hole. And if the design on our 17-inch-equipped tester looks familiar, that's because it's the same style offered as an 18-inch alloy on the European Mondeo.

Like other Fusions we've driven (including the Sport), this four-cylinder version has a well sorted suspension with perfectly balanced spring rates to provide a decent ride over nasty roads, along with great damping and good roll control. The lighter four-pot and manual gearbox also means less mass on the front axle for better overall balance compared to the six-cylinder models.

As with the rest of the 2010 Fusions, the front seats offer solid comfort and lateral support. The rear seating provides plenty of legroom for adults, but with the optional sunroof, headroom does shrink. Ford's SYNC infotainment system worked well, with easy connection of phones and other devices partnered with reliable voice activation. Our SE model also had aluminum-look trim on the center stack, which looks far more attractive than any metal finish plastic or fake wood we've seen.

Ford estimates that 5% (or less) of Fusion/Milan buyers will option for the stick, but we hope the Blue Oval continues to buck the trend and keep it around. It's a great alternative for those who need a family-sized sedan, but aren't willing to completely compromise on driving dynamics. Our SE tester, equipped with the Sun & SYNC packages, stickered at $22,165, although these days, it's likely you can get one for quite a bit less. The time we spent with the Fusion was hopefully our last wave of frigid temps before spring arrives, so perhaps as a result of blasting the heaters and de-foggers, our mostly city fuel mileage was down more than we expected.

Over our week with the Fusion, we averaged 25 mpg compared to official EPA numbers of 22 city and 29 highway. The S, with its smaller wheels, gets up to 31 mpg on the highway, but the larger wheel and tire combo seems like a worthy compromise. Our numbers were only three mpg worse than the Milan Hybrid we drove earlier, and we might take another look at both powertrains when the weather gets warmer and gas prices inevitably climb

2008 Ford F-250 Review

The 2008 Ford Super Duty pickups feature new styling inside and out along with a re-engineered suspension that delivers a smoother ride. A new diesel engine and a new Ford F-450 pickup are designed to handle the needs of ever-increasing agricultural, boat, and RV trailer weights. Other revisions and refinements are designed to address customer comment and stricter emissions standards.

Two words can define the 2008 Super Duty relative to the previous iteration: refined and more. It has more of the work ability you expect from a heavy-duty pickup, yet it is more comfortable, rides better, delivers more in the cost-benefit analysis, and is more environmentally friendly, a lexicon not normally applied to big trucks for sale. With realistic expectations, any faults will seem minute when compared to the ability to plow a big parking lot, carry a small car or tow a small house.

The 2008 Super Duty is not an all-new truck. Some body panels, engines and transmissions continue. But many aspects more substantial than the front-end styling have changed. It has a new interior in five different flavors from hose-out to leather lux, a new diesel engine, more added features, and should cost less based on equipment than the outgoing model.

And in a first for any major pickup manufacturer Ford has added a medium-duty pickup, the F-450, to the line. This model will be pricey by pickup standards, probably over $60,000 loaded, but it offers load capacity and towing ability never before found in a pickup, and is capable of carrying 5,000 pounds of hay and towing an 18,500-pound horse trailer simultaneously.

Need a truck to work? The Super Duty line can haul from one ton to three. It can tow from three tons to more than twelve. It can carry three to six real-world people with room to spare. And the door pockets, glovebox, and console will hold more stuff than some exotic sports cars' trunks.

Kit Cars & Replica Cars

Cruising along a deserted beachfront you glance in your rearview mirror and realize that you are being overtaken by an elegant old cars — a 1937 Jaguar SS-100 Roadster. Or is it?

Further down the road you catch up with the car when it stops at a service station to fill up and you get a chance to talk with the owner. She graciously opens doors and pops the hood and talks with you about the fiberglass bodied Squire, a 1937 Jaguar SS-100 replica car sold by Auto Sport Importers, Inc., in the 1970s.

According to Arthur Stahl, on "The Squire SS-100 Registry" home page, "The Squire SS-100 is an almost exact, full size replica of the 1937 - 1939 Jaguar SS-100. The car was commissioned by Auto Sport Importers, Inc. of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and made by Automobilli Intermeccanica in Trofarello, Italy between 1970 and 1975, reportedly by Fiat technicians who were moonlighting evenings and weekends."

Replica cars were assembled by the manufacturer and you purchased a completed car which was made to look like a vintage cars model such as a 1937 Jaguar SS-100, 1927 Bugatti 35B, 1929 Mercedes-Benz SS, 1939 Alfa Romeo, 1935 Auburn Boattail Speedster, 1934 Frazer-Nash or any one of a number of replica cars that were produced.

On the other hand, a "kit car" was exactly what it sounds like. It came disassembled and you put it together yourself, usually using an engine and frame that you already owned. Volkswagen "Beetle" engines and frames were inexpensive and very easy to obtain. For higher powered models you found a wrecked Chevrolet Corvette and pulled the engine. The kit came with instructions on how to modify nearly any engine and frame to accept the body and a few weeks (or months depending on your level of expertise) later you were showing off your new car. Companies such as Almquist helped you with advance preparations with their "Plan-A-Car" information packets.

Kit cars might look like vintage classic cars, but they also showcased designer's concepts of what a luxury sports car should look like. Names such as Aquila, Astra, Auriga, Banjo, Condor, Fiberfab, Gazelle and Invader, among others, bring to mind low slung roadsters, many with gullwing doors, the dream cars of many young men and women.

In the 70s, when sportscar prices were rapidly rising, people who dreamed of owning one suddenly found that they could not afford to buy, or drive, their dream cars. Kit cars which were sold on a small scale in the 1950s and 60s suddenly became a very popular means of driving a "look-alike" and having a lot of fun.