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Two senior Ford Motor Co. executives announced their retirements today, triggering the assignment of a batch of new responsibilities for several other executives.

Retiring are:

• Darryl Hazel, 61, senior vice president and president of the Ford Customer Service Division, will leave after 37 years with the automaker. Hazel also has headed the Lincoln Mercury and Ford brands. Ford said Hazel will serve as a special adviser to Ford on “global service initiatives” through the end of 2009, reporting to marketing chief Jim Farley.

• Peter Daniel, 62, senior vice president and controller, leaves after 38 years with Ford. His departure is effective Oct. 1.

Executives with new responsibilities include:

• Farley, 47, becomes group vice president of global marketing and Canada, Mexico and South America operations. He keeps his marketing duties and adds operational responsibility for those non-U.S. units as of Sept. 1. He will report to CEO Alan Mulally on marketing issues and report to Mark Fields, Ford’s president of the Americas, on his new operational duties.

His new responsibilities mean that Ray Day, vice president of communications, will begin reporting to Mulally instead of Farley.

“Jim has made great progress connecting with our customers and building a strong foundation for our success in North America,” Mulally said in a statement. “He will continue to lead marketing globally, focusing on building the Ford brand around the world and working closely with our product development organization on strategy and planning.”

• Bob Shanks, 56, becomes vice president and controller of Ford Motor Co. on Sept. 1. He had been vice president and controller of Ford’s Americas operations. He will report to CFO Lewis Booth.

• Dave Schoch, 58, will become controller of the Americas on Sept. 1. He had been head of Canada, Mexico and South America. He will report to Fields.

• Ken Czubay, 60, will get the expanded role of vice president of U.S. marketing, sales and service. He will now report to Fields.

• Frederiek Toney, 53, will succeed Hazel and become vice president of the Ford Customer Service Division and a corporate officer as of Sept. 1. He will report to Czubay.

Said Mulally: “We will miss Peter and Darryl but are very fortunate to have a deep and talented management team poised to continue our progress toward building an exciting and profitably growing Ford.”

With the 2010 model year, Ford is marking the start of its EcoBoost initiative, a plan that will dramatically effect the company's entire lineup in the coming years. By using turbocharging and direct injection with smaller-displacement engines, Ford says it can offer better performance and fuel economy. The company expects it will put 1.3 million EcoBoost engines on the road by 2013 and offer the technology in 90 percent of its models.

The Flex crossover is one of the first Fords to get EcoBoost. Using a 3.5-liter V-6, the Flex achieves V-8 performance with V-6 fuel economy. The Flex EcoBoost (which is only available with all-wheel drive) achieves the same fuel economy as the base all-wheel-drive Flex, which is rated at 16/22 mpg.

PowertrainThe technology in Ford's EcoBoost engines isn't revolutionary, but the company's plan for such widespread adoption is unique. In the 3.5-liter V-6, two turbochargers spin as fast as 170,000 rpm to force more air into the engine while fuel injectors spray gasoline into the cylinders at 2175 psi. Adding more air and fuel allows extra power to be squeezed out of each combustion event.

There are plenty of automakers that might detune a performance engine by 10 to 20 hp in the family crossover, but the Flex receives the same 355 hp that will move the Ford Taurus SHO, the Lincoln MKS, and the Lincoln MKT. Ford has decided that its first EcoBoost engine needs to place more emphasis on performance than fuel economy in order to build a positive impression of the technology. Future Ford engines using turbochargers and direct injection may focus more on the fuel economy side of the equation. Torque is rated at 350 lb-ft and spans from 1500 to 5250 rpm. It's that plateau-flat torque curve that creates an exciting and effective blast when the throttle is planted. Ford estimates 0-to-60-mph acceleration occurs in about 7 seconds.



EcoBoost Flexes all receive a manual-shift mode for the six-speed automatic transmission, along with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles. The paddles are a great addition for the performance engine but could use some refinement. When the gear selector is left in drive, the paddles can't be used to effect a downshift. In manual mode, the transmission is happy to provide downshifts at a fairly quick pace but sometimes isn't restrictive enough (yes, we just said that). Multiple times, we asked for one too many downshifts, and the Flex obliged by dropping down a gear - right on top of redline. To top it off, the coarse, dull finish on the plastic paddle shifters looks out of place compared with the rest of the well-trimmed cabin.

More than an engine upgradeThe Flex with EcoBoost is more than just a Flex with a different engine. The engineering team has also modified the suspension with stiffer springs, higher damping rates, and a ride height that has been lowered by ten millimeters. Combined with the already-low ride height and excellent body control, the subtle changes make this Flex one of the best handling crossovers on the market and do a good job of disguising its 4839-pound weight.

Ford has also equipped EcoBoost Flexes with electric power steering (the base Flex will continue to use a hydraulic system). The primary advantage is that Ford can now incorporate its Active Park Assist (see below), but the system also adds a feature called Pull-Drift Compensation. When a driver has the steering wheel slightly turned to keep the vehicle straight on a crowned road or in strong crosswinds, the computer recognizes it and activates drift compensation. By adding small amounts of torque to keep the wheel off-center, the driver can reduce the amount of effort to keep the wheel cocked and car straight.



The enthusiast's crossoverFord touts EcoBoost's advantages with a pragmatic slant: better towing with above-average fuel economy. We agree that those are admirable attributes. But driving the winding roads of the Rockies outside of Boulder, Colorado, we came to admire the Flex EcoBoost as something else: an enthusiast's crossover. Combined with confident body control and surprising handling, the torque-monster engine creates a fun driving experience. All-wheel drive provides sure footing, and the paddle shifters allowed us to run up and down through the gears and keep boost at the ready.

To emphasize the Flex's towing credentials, Ford took us to Estes Park, Colorado, at an elevation of approximately 7500 feet. Towing trailers that were loaded with 2500 pounds of ATVs and dirt bikes, we ran up mountain roads in a GMC Acadia, a Dodge Durango Hemi, and a Ford Flex EcoBoost. While the normally aspirated engines--a 3.6-liter V-6 in the Acadia and a 5.7-liter V-8 in the Dodge Durango--wheezed from a lack of air, the Ecoboost's turbochargers kept the Flex steaming ahead. At sea level, the Hemi and the EcoBoost are on a much more level playing field - but the earth is not flat. The Flex can pull up to 4500 pounds and comes standard with a trailer sway control system when equipped with the towing package.



Different crossover, same styleInside and out, the turbocharged Flex looks very much like the same vehicle that was introduced last year. Unique to the EcoBoost crossover are twenty-inch painted aluminum wheels and chrome-tipped dual exhausts.

EcoBoost will only be offered in SEL and Limited trims. That means you'll automatically get power driver and passenger seats, dual-zone automatic climate control, a six-disc CD player, and Sync, which incorporates media player control and phone integration. Stepping up to the Limited adds voice-activated navigation with back-up camera, ambient lighting, HID headlights, and LED taillights. All EcoBoost Flexes found on dealers' lots will also include the convenience package highlighted by adjustable pedals, a power liftgate, and a 110-volt power outlet.

Park it, JeevesThe headlining technology in the EcoBoost Flex is Ford's Active Park Assist, a system that identifies parallel parking spots and then steers the Flex into them. Lexus has offered a similar system on the LS460 for several years, but Lexus's system is notoriously finicky, often canceling the process in the middle of a parking maneuver.

We tested Ford's system by parallel parking a Flex in a generous-sized space between two customized Flex SEMA show cars. To start, simply push a button and cruise the street. The Flex searches for a parallel parking space on the right side of the street. If you're on a one-way street and want the Flex to check the left side, simply turn on your left turn signal.

When a spot has been identified, the system alerts you with a ding, and the display in the dash lets you know that you need to continue forward a few more feet. Another audible alert will tell you when it's time to put the transmission in reverse. At that point, the hands go in the lap as the Flex takes control of the steering wheel. As the driver, however, you're still responsible for the gas and the brake pedal. If you want to try parallel parking at 40 mph, Active Park Assist will try to keep up with you.

As you ease on the gas pedal, the wheel steering spins to lock and the eventually back in the other direction. What with the magically spinning steering wheel, a series of audible beeps, and the live action in the rear-view camera screen, it can be easy to lose focus. Don't forget to hit the brakes, or you'll smack the car behind you. To complete the maneuver, shift back to drive and allow the Flex to move to the center of the spot.



The Ford system works surprisingly well. When we're finished, the Flex is perfectly centered in the spot, just inches from the curb. While the Lexus system uses cameras to identify spaces and obstacles, Ford's system uses four ultrasonic sensors at each corner of the vehicle. It also helps that Ford gives the driver full control over the gas and the brake, so you don't have to tolerate slug-speed parking. Had our space been smaller, it's possible that the Flex would have requested multiple shifts between reverse and forward to get into the spot, but it would in all likelihood still do a better job than you would. The Active Park Assist Technology will also be offered on the Lincoln MKS sedan and MKT crossover in 2010 and is only available on EcoBoost models of the Flex.

Premium performance, premium priceTechnically, the Flex with EcoBoost will start at $36,115, but you'll have to special order that vehicle from the dealer. As mentioned, Ford is building all of its stock Flexes with additional equipment that it figures most buyers will want. That means the cheapest EcoBoost Flex SEL in stock on dealer's lots will run $39,995. Limited models start at $42,785 with the tacked-on options. Those are big numbers, but Ford does have a rare product on its hands, because this crossover offer V-8-like performance. Competition such as the Chevrolet Traverse, the Honda Pilot, and the Toyota Highlander still offer V-6 engines.

Ford hopes that EcoBoost will give even more buyers reason to shift from their large SUVs to a crossover. For those able to foot the bill, the Ford Flex with EcoBoost is an engaging, unique offering in the crossover segment.

In pursuit of better fuel economy, carmakers have created various forms of hybrids. In pursuit of a childhood dream, Chris Lentz created a wild hybrid.

The fifty-five-year-old electrical foreman from Jackson, Michigan, had longed for a jet-powered truck for decades. Two years ago, Lentz discovered a way to realize his dream when he met a pilot from New York who imported used turbojet engines. After watching an example run on a test stand, Lentz paid $10,000 for one. Obtaining a rolling platform for his new toy was a bit easier. Lentz bought a used 2005 Ford F-150 STX on eBay for $12,000.

Lentz's jet engine was designed in the mid-1950s by the Czechoslovakian company Motorlet to power the L-29 Delfin jet trainer. The Motorlet M-701 turbojet has a centrifugal compressor, seven combustion chambers, and a single-stage turbine. According to Jane's All the World's Aircraft, the powerplant weighs 728 pounds and produces 1962 pounds of thrust at 15,500 rpm.

To install the jet in the truck, Lentz fabricated a sturdy mounting stand, a twenty-gallon kerosene tank, and a control console from aluminum and stainless steel. His decorative touches include a red, white, and blue nose cone and a 2700 HP badge (not divulged is the 516-mph velocity needed to achieve that power level).



To light the burner, the pilot advances a red fuel lever and a blue throttle control while operating a two-stage electric starter. There are snapping sounds as ignitors fire in the combustion chambers followed by a muffled explosion and a whine not unlike a 737 taxiing past the lowered tailgate. Viewing the procedure from the rear of the truck reveals a bright orange ball of flame accompanying the muffled explosion upon ignition. With the jet idling at 3500 rpm and during full-throttle acceleration, there are waves of heat but no external flames.

Without jet assist, Lentz's 231-hp V-8 accelerated its 6600-pound burden (truck, jet engine, two occupants) to 60 mph in a sluggish 14.5 seconds. We recorded a quarter-mile speed of 73 mph and a top speed of 85 mph.



The best of three runs in hybrid mode - exploiting both piston and jet propulsion - trimmed six seconds from the sprint to 60 mph. The quarter-mile speed jumped 30 mph and we achieved 140 mph after 45 seconds of acceleration. Feeding more ram air to the jet engine by moving it aft in the bed and shifting the F-150's transmission to neutral at 100 mph to cut the drag of its speed-limited driveline would likely improve performance.

Lentz occasionally fires his jet while cruising but mainly enjoys the reactions he experiences in parking lots and at car shows. His JET PWR vanity plate helps slow learners grasp the point of the bed apparatus.

The Specs

Construction Cost: $25,000
Engines: 4.6L V-8 231 hp; turbojet with 1962 lb of thrust
Weight: 6221 lb
Weight Dist., F/R: 45.6/54.4%
Acceleration: 0-60 mph in 8.5 sec; 1/4 mile in 16.3 sec @ 103 mph
Top Speed: 140 mph