Drivers of the all-new Ford Escape may be surprised to find out there is a plant inside the door.

The Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) today presented Ford truck team members with the prestigious Truck of Texas trophy at an awards luncheon inside Reliant Center – home of the 2012 Houston Auto Show. TAWA named the 2012 Ford F-150 Truck of Texas after the annual Truck Rodeo in October. The nearly three-feet-tall trophy now travels to Kansas City Assembly Plant in Missouri, where the award-winning truck is built.

Ford gave muscle car enthusiasts a rare opportunity to bid on the racetrack durability car used to develop the 2013 Shelby GT500 production Mustang. The car was auctioned at the 41st Annual Barrett-Jackson Collector Car Auction late Saturday night in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Manufacturer brand identity is back in NASCAR.

The 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup car, unveiled today as part of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour, was worked on by Ford designers in an effort to bring brand identity back to the sport. The result is undeniable with the 2013 Sprint Cup car mirroring the recently unveiled 2013 Ford Fusion production car.

When Ford engineers sought out innovative ways to reduce noise in the all-new Ford Escape, they looked in the mirror.

Ford has a car to fit just about every consumer’s way of life, and the Lifestyle Awards handed out by Cars.com prove they are spot on. Cars.com selected Mustang Boss 302 for Play Car of the Year because, “We've liked the Mustang’s blend of raw power and handling prowess. Those qualities have been relentlessly honed in the Boss 302, and we’re suitably impressed.” Additionally, the Ford F-150 won Cars.com’s Work Car of the Year. Editors applauded F-150 because, “If you need your work truck to do double duty, the F-150 has you covered.” It tops the class “because it has stayed fresh and evolved with the market.” Click here for more.