The Ford Proving Grounds in Dearborn, Michigan is where the automaker performs the vast majority of testing and development work. For obvious reasons, the test track is typically only open to certain Ford employees and high-ranking executives, but the automaker welcomed a few outsiders into the grounds this week when President Biden rolled through in his presidential Cadillac limo to check out the new Ford F-150 Lightning.
Ford CEO Jim Farley was on hand to welcome Biden to the proving ground and show him around the new battery-electric truck. During his visit, Farley couldn’t help but notice that the ride Biden rolled up in was manufactured by arch-rival General Motors, so he tweeted a light-hearted jab at the president’s motorcade, saying the presidential Cadillac limo is the “only Caddy” that they’d ever let into the Dearborn test track grounds.
Only Caddy we would let into Ford’s Dearborn test track. Yes, it’s spelled Lightning, Apple autocorrect didn’t agree: pic.twitter.com/mLBvUMr0AF
— Jim Farley (@jimfarley98) May 19, 2021
Farley also said Biden and him exchanged a few jabs when chatting, with the Ford exec jokingly calling out Biden for his apparent preference for GM products. Biden famously owns a green 1967 Chevy Corvette convertible, which was given to him as a wedding gift by his father.
Biden sitting in a C7 Corvette Z06 with GM CEO Mary Barra
The president also heaped praise on the C7 Corvette Z06 during an appearance at the North American International Auto Show back in 2014 while he was still serving as the vice president under the Obama Administration. At the time, Biden joked that he wouldn’t want to run for president in the future, as that would mean he wouldn’t be able to have some fun behind the wheel of a Z06 in the future.
“Everyone wants to know whether or not I’m going to run for president,” Biden said at the time. “There’s a lot of reasons to run for president, but there’s one overwhelming reason not to run for president. I’d like to get that Z06 with 0 to 60 (mph) in 3.4 seconds. 3.4 seconds! You tach that sucker up to six grand and this comes out of the hole like a bullet, man.”
Being at Ford’s Rouge Electric Vehicle Center today brought me home. For more than thirty years, my Dad managed car dealerships in Delaware. He would’ve loved visiting this complex, where you feel the history and see the future of an iconic American industry. pic.twitter.com/w6fnqSoK55
— President Biden (@POTUS) May 18, 2021
Following his arrival at the Dearborn test track in the presidential Cadillac limo, Biden was also filmed driving a prototype for the Ford F-150 Lightning. The battery-electric pickup truck is expected to enter production at Ford’s Rouge Center facility in Michigan next year and will serve as a rival to the future battery-electric Chevy Silverado.
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Comments
A pandering statement from the POTUS to push the forced EV onslaught. I’d rather the POTUS check out progress on the C8 Z06 as he likes corvettes or maybe liked as EV is the way to go! Not.
The ford CEO is just jealous that American’s like the Caddy Beast. He is also Jealous that america prefers the three lowercase gm BOF offerings. One time I was picking up my rental for work and the woman asked do I want a Tahoe or Expedition. I quickly said Tahoe. The woman smiled and said so does everyone else! So ford is forced to focus on what it does best its truck and sedan the F-150.
GM SUVs the quiet elephant in the room. Sales/profit leader that no one talks about.
You said Focus. That did not work well either.
Actually I am not sure a president would want to be in a Lincoln.
Kennedy and Regan got lead poisoning in the Lincoln’s.
Yeah. One president lincoln even got shot!
🙂
Thank you I forgot that one LOL.
Maybe the only Caddy Farley would let on the track, but you wonder how many of the competition’s vehicles are behind closed doors or cloked in Ford camo. Farley, hates anything GM, and wrestles with GM components, and joint ventures.
I’m sure the same amount of competitors vehicles sit behind GM’s, Chryslers, Toyota, Honda etc etc etc doors as well.
Hey Farley, Is that a GM designed transmission in your Ford or are you just happy to see me?
Nope that’s a 10 Speed Ford design Transmission in the GM, The F150 and Mustang had it 1st
Roy the F150 was testing at the GM proving grounds. GM must have had to fix it.
Either way a Ford prototype at GM is funny!
C8.R GM built a 9 speed transmission that NoBody uses they didn’t build a 10 speed transmission FORD did and let GM buy it. This is like the BIG LIE that the election was stolen
Actually GM builds the 10 speed themselves, but Ford Led the engineering on it.
C8-R Perhaps you should do more homework… Ford Led the design on the 10 speed, and GM led the design on the 9 speed transverse program. Once again you are wrong… This is from Car and Driver Sep 2016
“This new 10-speed rear-drive transmission is the result of collaboration between Ford and General Motors, although Ford had the engineering lead on it. The companies also are jointly developing a nine-speed transverse automatic for front-drive cars and crossovers; GM is leading the engineering on that effort.”
The BEAST is the only Caddy on the property because Jim Farley don’t know how to build a REAL REAR WHEEL DRIVE LUXURY CONTINENTAL LINCOLN has SADLY SUFFERED because no one FORD hires know anything about LUXURY OR LINCOLN HISTORY
I’m all in favor of letting Joe go back to Delaware and driving the wheels of his Vette. I think we would all be better off !
When he’s done, sure. But he’s better than what we had before regardless of party.
Agreed!
He sure is great! Who needs border security anyways? I don’t know about you guys but I like paying more for fuel, taxes and soon everything else! I also enjoy that I can’t understand him without a teleprompter, very comforting! Lets not forget that he always listens to and including others by way of executive order, such a great way to unify America! Swell guy, swell guy indeed!
Your Out Of Line, His speaking impairment is nothing to make fun of millions of Kids and Adults has the same issue. Not Funny Not Funny at all
He has deeper issues than a childhood stuttering problem. (not what I was referring to) He often forgets what he’s talking about, sometimes even forgets where he’s at. He also messes up facts and figures on a regular basis. It’s actually sad and not very confidence inspiring for someone who’s supposed to be leading us.
So… I take it you were fine paying pre-covid spring/ summer gas high peak prices (like today’s) because it was your main squeeze in the WH?
Speaking of border security, in those 4 years, how’s that magnificent, “ewwuge”, beautiful, great wall of China…I mean America, spaning hundreds of miles going?
Fuel fact check…… April 2020 the national average was $1.93, April 2021 the national average was $2.94 (already higher than at any point in 2020) … source AAA. Do you really want to talk about border security? Last month saw the most illegal crossing in 20 years! (up 392% from last year!)
You can’t look at 2020 gas price as a comparison. Nobody was able to go anywhere so demand for gas was non existent. April 2019 is a better comparison ( $2.88 per gallon).
Year end national average for 2019 was $2.69, 2020 was $2.24, End of 2021 national average will be interesting to look at. It’s not looking good already with the current national average over $3.00 and climbing.
Year end average may very well be higher this year and I wasn’t arguing that. I specifically called out April of ’19 because you compared April of this year vs ’20 in your comment above.
Oh, that’s cute. You want to use 2020 figures when world oil supply was sky high and demand was at record low. All to fit your narrative.
What’s gold is that you think we’re as dense as you are. You speak on facts? Try eia. gov, look up Nation’s average when things were normal in April 2019 at $2.798 vs. April 2021 at 2.858.
You want to know why oil prices was low in 2020? Try no world demand as everyone was on lock down, and read up what happened in March 2020 with Saudi Arabia and Russia.
If you think a president sets gas prices? You really need a lot of catching up on how the oil market works.
Reading comprehension a little low today? I included a year end 2019 national average in my last comment since 2020 was an anomaly. Not to mention you basically repeated Average Joe. Yes there are many factors, supply and demand being the biggest that play into fuel prices, the president does not set fuel prices but policies can and do have an effect. A recent article I read from GasBuddy reported that with Bidens anti oil and environmental agendas it could in fact increase fuel prices. Yes there are reports that say a president has no effect, GasBuddy says while that has largely been true in the past the landscape has changed.
Reading comprehension is pretty darn well over here, it seems you forget what you type, feeling a little Biden-esq (as in forgetful) today? I mean that’s the “in-thing” to say against the current POTUS, no?
Allow me regurgitate what you wrote:
“Fuel fact check…… April 2020 the national average was $1.93, April 2021 the national average was $2.94 (already higher than at any point in 2020) … source AAA.”
Ring a bell? Can you identify now why I gave you the answer that I gave you? Or you don’t know what reading comprehension means either?
What you’re clearly showing the lack of understanding of how the oil market works. Now, you want to use the end of the year average for 2019 and 2020… mind you that 24 months of data to justify your original narrative of pinning “Biden is the reason for high gas prices.” But Biden has been in office for 4 months and we can’t make a conclusion on any end-of-the-year average for 2021, for the obvious reason. But unfortunately for you, we can compare year vs. year using a reputable source EIA. gov and the trend are just the same as in 2019. Spring/Summer creates more demand, the oil industry will raise the price to create more profit. Come the fall/winter price will be back down…. to 2019 levels again.
Policies? The only policies I see are to reduce the consumption of fossil fuel…. again, less demand which in return should lower prices until supply dwindles down. That discontinuation of the pipeline? You will be lucky to see a nickel off the price, on average a couple of cents off. Why? Fracking oil is more complicated to refine and that eventually, the consumer will have to pay for it, not to mention the amount is minute to make a dent in the market.
Seems to me you should be more frustrated with the people placing the prices, rather than the people pushing for alternative technology for the future instead of dated technology.
I mean what’s next to replace digital music with an 8-track?
For someone who thinks they are so intelligent I didn’t think I would have to explain to you that the discussion had moved on from 2020 to now include 2019 out of fairness due to Covid. No need to quote what I had said before the conversation had evolved, I was under the assumption you were keeping up. I will give you credit for the Biden-esq reference however, good to see you coming to terms with his condition.
Unfortunately for you, you can’t claim come fall/winter that it will be down to 2019 levels unless you have stumbled upon a crystal ball. Yes there are seasonal trends but it’s no guarantee for such a claim.
I won’t bore you with the details but I will give you a short quote from a recent report. “GasBuddy analyst Patrick De Haas argued on Monday that the Biden administration is contributing to the increase in gas prices and explained the “profound impact” Biden’s energy policies are having on the oil and gas sector.” Believe it or not policies do have consequences and presidents can have an effect!
Long story short this discussion has now run it’s course since your not convincing me and I’m not convincing you. Good night!
I didn’t bring up border security, you did. Ofcourse nothing to fear, we have the great Trump wall and it is working at its finest. That great Trump wall is there deterring all those “under-the-table” jobs that the cheap people and businesses/corporations love so much.
Oops… that’s taboo, lets focus back on that they are here, and not the… why they are here, no?
I was simply implying the border was a subject you probably didn’t want to get into. The border is currently seeing it’s biggest crises in over 20 years due to Biden’s policies. “That great Trump wall” can’t work at it’s “finest” since the democrats done everything in their power to halt it’s completion.
Policies haven’t changed.
I wouldn’t be so sure about that, just read an article stating Biden has had 94 executive actions regarding immigration, 52 of them have set the stage for undoing Trumps policies. Regardless it’s well known outside of the country that a Biden administration means it’s time to flood the border.
I don’t want mind getting into “the wall” because the idea was a joke at inception 5 years ago during the campaign, all the way to last months re-diverting funds back to the military, where it was originally designated.
There has always been a crisis at the border, the only difference is there is now media coverage from corporate media…. Gotta sensationalize the story to make the $.
In the end, the wall is equivalent to closing (unlocked) the front door of your house, while leaving the side windows and rear door wide open. In other words, a false sense of security and more symbolic than anything else. Symbolic is left for East/West Germany and commie countries like it, but then again his actions in the WH were just one military show away from a dictatorship. Come to think of it, the wall fits quite nicely with his persona.
PS…thumbs up on living up to your nickname. 😉
I find it fascinating that many of the career politicians including Biden himself that now oppose the wall either once supported a wall/fence or live in a gated community. But Trump = Satan himself according to the left so a wall is suddenly very very bad…hypocrisy at it’s finest!
How is the border being sensationalized when April 2021 saw the highest number of crossings in over 20 years? There is a very real issue at the border, we will simply agree to disagree.
PS…The name was in reference to the lefts favorite drink!
creepy Joe Biden is a senile old asshole he is destroying the country along with all of his demorat senate and house
Jim Beckes
Covid 19 has twisted your brain. You should get vaccinated. It will allow you to think clearly again.
Folks who say that about Biden but endorse everything 45 put out there have no credibility.
The only Ford I would park in my garage is……well there isn’t one.
Exactly, If I buy a Ford I would have to line the garage floor with cardboard to capture the leaking oil. I have not owned a Ford since the 76 Maverick I had as a teenager, that car was tough, I could not blow up the motor, even after draining the oil. It just overheated and stalled, but still ran once it cooled off. I went through engine after engine in my 67 396 Chevelle, so it was nice to have the Maverick as a backup, and to go pickup parts for the Chevelle. Luckily, I worked at a shop building racing engines so always had access to parts and machine work.
Farley has no issue sending Ford Mules of the F150 and the Mach E to the GM Warren Proving Grounds to have work done on them. Both have been seen and photographed leaving the facility after GM did some development work on each.
Odds are Ford would struggle to build a car like the Beast.
GM does not have a proving grounds in Warren… Wind tunnels yes, Design center Yes. Engineering hub yes, Small pilot factory yes. Proving grounds are in Milford…
Any custom coach shop could build the beast, and there are toms of them around MI. Its a fully custom body on a medium duty truck frame, with a Duramax diesel, no biggie….
Your comment about the Beast tells you you know even less about the auto industry than I first thought. OEM’s often do not build their concept cars in house, there are shops all over MI which specialize in this 1 off vehicle construction. Most concepts (or their components) are built in small private shops (often behind someones house, or in small business park with no signs) by very talented, and very trusted craftsmen. GM does do some concepts in house, but almost all the concept components including bodies and chassis are made outside.
Look my comment was just a humor.
You have totally turned this place into access pool with your diarrhea for brains.
We all know you are a lying fool you can stop proving us right daily,
Wow, going all the way to insults, but no fact based backup? How nice, you know the best way to argue with me is with real facts and figures, if you insult me it just motivates me to inundate you with more facts and evidence of how you lack actual real knowledge about the things you talk about. Most of your knowledge comes from google I can see and other times you just make things up. You likely don’t know which end of a pushrod to sit on… Haha!
Tell you what, lets make a deal, if I get GM to publicly state BT1 is a unibody structure, and not a body on frame you sign off this site and never come back, and I will make the same wager if they state officially it is body on frame… Care to play my game?
All I am hearing are crickets? Wager or not? Do you really believe the stuff you spew? Come on kiddo… You have insulted me dozens of times even though I just tried to lead you to the truth, now let’s wager, and see what happens? If you believe the BT1 vehicles are by definition body on frame structures enough to insult me, you should believe it enough to bet on it. I certainly believe it is by definition a unibody enough to bet. If you are so sure, you can get rid of me in one swoop? If you are not willing to bet, everyone reading this will cone to know how full of ____ you really are.
Proverbs 26:4-5 – Answer not a fool according to his folly, lest you be like him yourself. Answer a fool according to his folly, lest he be wise in his own eyes. The self-confident fool thinks too highly of himself and his opinions, and he shares them freely.
Haha, Want to go run and hide behind the bible because you know I will prove you absolutely wrong? OK, at least now we have your partial admission that you were wrong on the Unibody, you could say sorry for insulting me dozens of times, as I would if I wrongly attacked you… But you are clearly not man enough to back up what you say. I am however the opposite, and if I am wrong about something I will be the first in line to shout from the rooftops, as you see when the Hummer Ev weight was confirmed, I quickly pointed out my incorrect assumption. On the Hummer Unibody though, that is not an opinion, that is a fact, and I have dozens of pictures of it being built in trial production at factory zero, and it’s clear the longitudinal frame is made from stamped sheet metal which are welded into the structure, and the entire under structure including the floor pan share loads as 1 structure, which meets the unibody definition. There are other media outlets which have gotten this right Todd Hubbard was quoted in Tech Crunch, Autoweek, and others discussing the structure. GM Authority might be the place that got it the most wrong stated in several places Hummer is a body on frame, which is just WRONG, and not even close to correct. GM Authority also states BT1 is based on T1, though, which is also WRONG, its a completely unique structure for GM, not 1 structural part shared with any T1 vehicle. I think “GM Authority” and its editors should get an official explanation from GM and correct their BS… T1 vehicles have a heavy steel ladder frame front to back, not Hummer, which most of the structural framework consists of stamped and welded sheet metal with the only heavy steel being around the battery box.
In the future before you insult people you should verify that you absolutely have the correct information, I can quote some proverbs on jumping to conclusions and false allegations, but I do not post religions or political statements. I feel that you backed down from the bet is enough of an admission that you know you were wrong, and that is good enough for me.
What? Did you say something? Might want to expand on this…..
Thanks there Billy Graham! I prefer the old proverb that states. In the land of the blind the one eyed man is king!
Jealously of not offering a real luxury car…
Frequently Ordered Recalled Devices….
I watched the reveal of the F-150 Lightening online last night. Looks like Ford did a decent job. The ability to use your truck as a generator is a cool standard feature. Having a frunk allowing lockable water tight storage is also a very handy feature. Ford says the frunk has a 400lb capacity; I wonder what that kind of weight does to the driving dynamics. The mileage is a little disappointing, standard is around 220 miles upgraded battery is around 300 miles. The greatest thing about the F-150 Lightening will be what GM brings to the table with the electric silverado. I would suspect given the ultium battery technology that mileage will be better than what Ford is bringing to the table.
I could see them pushing 500+ miles out of the Electric Silverado, better payload and towing, and a far superior interior. Not a fan of the big verticle screen. From what I’ve heard and read, it supposed to be styled like a modern/futuristic Avalance, if that’s the case AWESOME! So we could/should have a frunk, truck box, and hopefully integrated box side storage, here’s hoping!
I do not think Gm has the Technical ability to build a 500 mile Ev out of the BT1 platform, 400 will be pushing it and that is with a 200 kWh monster 3000+ lb battery pack.
Tesla Maybe, GM Nope…
Ultium Gen 2 will have 500-600 miles of range:
https://gmauthority.com/blog/2021/01/next-generation-ultium-batteries-to-deliver-500-to-600-miles-of-range/
Tesla? The company that can’t turn a profit on its core business, despite having more fan boys than anyone can count… that Tesla?
Ok, Ya, I suppose if you take technologies that are not even developed or scheduled for production anything is possible… Why not say GM is going to build a 747 with round the world range with their new battery tech? Now you sound just like a Tesla fan boy, but for GM… Thats why when I compare to Tesla I use technologies that are in my garage for comparison, never even mention Tesla’s future plans, because those like GM’s 500 mile battery are vaporware until they are tested in public.
Ya, Tesla that has a market cap 8X GM’s, ya that one… I made 1000% on my Tesla investment in 14 months, not bad. I made 265% on GM too, and 250% on Ford am I beating the S&P 500 which is always my investment target? I think so…
C8R, Proving grounds are in Milford. DUH!
Warren, Milford it’s all god forsaken Michigan and no one cares.
What I was expecting to read but didn’t see in any of the comments before mine: Da Beast that maybe gets 3-5 mpg being driven to an all electric truck event? This isn’t about dems or repubs or anything political at all. It doesn’t matter who (president) went there for this, the irony of the beast being at a green vehicle event just cracks me up.
FWIW, I’ve heard the Beast engine driving
by (while not carrying the POTUS of course) it’s certainly IMO Duramax v8 powered, and it can really move..
Don’t worry, Joe forgot he was even at Ford. Which Co. Will make first Pres EV limo?
None, Forgetful Joe be outta office before any prototype is developed.
Dream on Trump boy!
Lol, who says I was with that loser also, grow a brain..
I am so confused with all the hype of electric vehicles. II my humble opinion we are getting the cart in front of the horse. Where will the infrastructure for charging all these vehicles come from. If everyone in America arrives at home at ^;00 PM, starts dinner on the stove, has the A/C programmed to cool the house during evening hours THEN plugs in two EV’s to charge — I believe the “grid” will self destruct. We currently can’t produce enough electric power now. We buy a ton of Electric from Canada {Quebec).
Not to mention we will all be competing for this “power” from on large conglomerate source.
Yes – Electric may be more efficient but this race to nowhere drives me nuts!!
@Don: Although I get what you are saying and I do agree based on our “current” ways of living, I must point out that going electric in the future depends on our country making the move to more clean energy (wind and solar mainly) and away from oil/coal. Without our country admitting to the major climate issues we are facing, we can’t correctly make the move to mostly electric vehicles which need to be powered by renewable sources.
Remember, friends don’t let friends drive Fords!
You people obviously don’t know this guy or his 50 year track record. So sad for you young idiots.
Obama bailed out the carmakers and blamed it on BUSH. Now China Joe is doing the same thing to the Trump legacy.