• News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
  • News
  • Guides
  • Reviews
  • Media
  • About
Sign up Now (For Free)

Sign up for our newsletter and receive the latest automotive news in your inbox!

Invalid email address
We promise not to spam you. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Thanks for subscribing!
News
Read Now
  • All News
  • Automakers
  • Automobiles
  • Auto Shows
  • Business
  • EVs & Environment
  • Guides
  • Lawsuits/Legal
  • Regulatory
  • Ride-Sharing
  • Safety & Recalls
  • Technology
Recent
  • EV Sales Growing Fast, But Stellantis CEO Tavares Warns of “Many Bumps” Along the Way
  • Stellantis Plowing $2.5B into New Indiana Battery Plant
  • Hyundai Recalling 281K Vehicles Due to Exploding Seat Belt Part
  • How Far is Up? Mercedes Teases New Maybach and Mythos Roadsters
  • Honda Drops a Sneak Peek of the All-New 2023 CR-V
  • Rising Gas Prices Slowing Americans from Driving This Holiday Weekend
  • The Headlight News Podcast Offers the Latest News about New Cars, EVs and More
  • Average U.S. Automobile is Now a Record 12.2 Years Old
  • Opinion: It’s Time for Elon Musk to Take a Break
  • U-M Warns of Rough Road in 2023-24 for Auto Industry
Editor’s Choice
    Reviews
    Read Now
    • All Reviews
    • Classic Cars
    • Concept Cars
    • Convertibles
    • Coupes
    • Crossovers/CUVs
    • Diesel
    • Hot hatches
    • Hybrids
    • Luxury Vehicles
    • Minivans
    • Muscle Cars
    • Pickups
    • Sedans
    • Sports Cars
    • Super Cars
    • SUVs
    Recent Reviews
    • A Week With: 2022 BMW 230i Coupe
    • First Impression: 2022 Audi RS e-tron GT
    • A Week With: 2022 Volkswagen Tiguan SEL R-Line 4Motion
    • A Week With: 2022 Kia Forte GT
    • First Drive: 2023 Genesis GV60
    • First Drive: 2022 Mercedes-Benz C 300
    • First Impression: 2023 Nissan Z
    • A Week With: 2022 Lexus LC 500 Convertible
    • A Week With: 2022 Ram 2500 Power Wagon Crew Cab
    • First Drive: 2022 Ford F-150 Lightning
    Editor’s Choice
      Guides
      Car Warranty
      • Endurance Warranty Reviews
      • BMW Extended Warranty
      • Extended Warranty For Cars Over 100k Miles
      • Extended Car Warranty Cost
      • Subaru Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Reviews
      • CarShield Cost
      • Aftermarket Car Warranty
      • CARCHEX Warranty Reviews
      • Reputable Extended Car Warranty Companies
      • Used Car Warranty Companies
      • Best Car Warranty
      • Is CarShield A Scam?
      • Mercedes Extended Warranty
      • CarShield Plans
      Insurance
      • How To Identify A Car Insurance Company
      • Geico Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • How Far Back Does A Car Insurance Company Look
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance For Used Cars
      • State Farm Mechanical Breakdown Insurance
      • Mechanical Breakdown Insurance From Progressive
      • Dollar A Day Insurance
      • Auto Insurance For SSI Recipients
      • Car Insurance Rates After A Suspended License
      • Auto Insurance For Salvage Vehicles
      • Average Cost of Dodge Ram 1500 Car Insurance
      • Car Insurance Florida
      • Full Coverage Auto Insurance
      • GrubHub Insurance
      • Amazon Delivery Auto Insurance
      Shipping
      • Car Shipping Companies
      • uShip Reviews
      • Auto Shipping From California To Hawaii
      • Montway Auto Transport Reviews
      • Cheap Car Shipping
      • Easy Auto Ship Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Miami
      • Auto Shipping To Alaska
      • Car Shipping Cost
      • Auto Shipping Hawaii
      • Auto Shipping Puerto Rico
      • Sherpa Auto Transport Reviews
      • Auto Shipping Atlanta
      • Auto Shipping Boston
      • Auto Shipping. Chicago
      About
      • About Us
      • Contact Us
      • Terms of Use
      • Privacy Policy
      • Affiliate Disclosure
      • Sitemap
      TheDetroitBureau.com

      More than just “another” place to find news, reviews, spy shots, commentary, features, and guides about the auto industry. TheDetroitBureau doesn’t stop with the press releases or confuse a few lines of opinion with insightful, in-depth reporting.

      Contact Us

      Like what you see? Have some ideas for making The Detroit Bureau.com even better? Let us know, we’d love to hear your voice.

        Media
        Listen Now
        • Headlight News: All Episodes
        More from TheDetroitBureau
        • Guides
        • Latest News
        • Auto Reviews
        • Podcasts
        Headlight News

        TheDetroitBureau.com’s Headlight News offers a look at the past week’s top automotive news stories, as well as what’s coming up in the week ahead. Check out the week’s top story and our latest review…along with a dive into the past with this week in automotive history.

        home > news > Automobiles > Leno Lands Ford Deal

        Leno Lands Ford Deal

        Automaker to provide Focus EVs for celebrity publicity stunt.

        Paul A. Eisenstein
        Paul A. Eisenstein , Publisher & Editor-in-Chief
        Sept. 09, 2009
        Ford Focus EV
        Four Focus EVs, which won’t reach the U.S. market until 2011 at the earliest, will be used in the publicity stunt.

        While everyone waits and wonders whether former Tonight Show host Jay Leno can work his magic during prime time, Ford Motor Company has signed on in an unusual partnership that will have celebrity drivers racing battery-powered versions of the automaker’s Focus sedan.

        The Green Car Challenge will be conducted on a special track built behind the Burbank, California studios where Leno – an unabashed auto fanatic – will tape his five-night-a-week comedy and entertainment extravaganza, “The Jay Leno Show.”  The first Challenge will be staged on September 18th.

        A total of four Focus EVs, which won’t reach the retail U.S. market until 2011 at the earliest, will be used in the publicity stunt, and the automaker is hoping the regularly televised series of celebrity eco-grudge matches will help it establish an image as one of the industry’s green leaders.

        Ford was the first of Detroit’s makers in bringing conventional hybrid-electric vehicles to market.  And it plans to move into the battery car segment, as well, starting with a version of its new Transit Connect van, which will reach showrooms in 2010, with the Focus EV to follow a year later.

        Industry analysts are uncertain about the potential demand for battery cars, considering their limited range, long charge time and excessive costs, so giving the Focus access to an audience expected to top five million could be a major force in improving consumer perceptions, according to Ford officials.

        “Having our Focus battery electric vehicle on the show is a great way to demonstrate how fun to drive these cars really can be,” said Lisa Drake, chief engineer, Ford Hybrid and Battery Electric Vehicle Programs, in a corporate statement. “Beyond the immediate excitement of driving, it demonstrates that Ford is investing in this technology and that we’re committed to electric vehicles.”

        As for Leno, he maintains a collection that, by some estimates, exceeds 200 vehicles, ranging from dusty, unrestored Duesenbergs to a series of Pebble Beach Concours winners.  While the collection is not exactly green, the comic has expressed interest in eco-friendly technology.

        I wanted to build a modern car that didn’t run on fossil fuel, but (also) didn’t drive like a Prius,” he said, several years ago, explaining his partnership with General Motors in the development of the one-of-a-kind EcoJet.

        The 2-seat supercar is powered by a jet turbine engine and runs on bio-diesel fuel, and much of the material used in its construction – even the paint – are relatively eco-friendly.  To a degree, anyway.  The 650 horsepower EcoJet, Leno conceded, during an interview, probably could only go on the road “during harvest season,” because when pushed to the limits, it would take the output of a large farm to keep it running.

        Recently Published
        Carlos Tavares v3 3-1-22

        EV Sales Growing Fast, But Stellantis CEO Tavares Warns of “Many Bumps” Along the Way

        Today
        Stellantis Samsung SDI Kokomo

        Stellantis Plowing $2.5B into New Indiana Battery Plant

        Today
        2022 Hyundai Elantra Hybrid

        Hyundai Recalling 281K Vehicles Due to Exploding Seat Belt Part

        Today

        Leave a Reply Cancel reply

        Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

        Share this article:
        © The Detroit Bureau 2022
        • Guides
        • Privacy Policy
        • Terms of Use
        • Affiliate Disclosure
        • Contact Us
        • Sitemap
        Follow Us: