The Windy City is well-known for many things: its food, its music, its rich history, its art scene. Soon, it will also be known for its cabbies driving natural-gas-powered vans.

Taxi Medallion Management, which is also affiliated with Yellow Cab Chicago, bought a small fleet of Ford Transit Connect vans as part of its goal to cut its total emissions by 25 percent. The natural-gas-powered vans themselves are expected to arrive in the city early…

No, inflatable seatbelts are not meant to be used as floatation devices. Thought judging solely by the name, that would be a good guess. Rather they are designed to offer back seat passengers additional protection during a car crash.

The inspiration for Ford's inflatable seatbelts (which made their debut in the 2010 Explorer SUV) came from an existing safety device proven to protect front passengers: the airbag. Covered in super-soft webbing, the inflatable variety…

While consistently a dominant brand, Toyota has lost significant ground to Ford in consumer regard over the last two years, according to Consumer Reports' 2011 Car Brand Perception Survey. Now, the two brands rank a close first and second in overall perception, with Ford having a clear advantage in the factors that matter most to car shoppers: Safety, quality, and value.

The scores in our survey reflect how consumers perceive each brand in seven categories: safety, quality, value, performance, design/style, technology/innovation, and environmentally friendly/green. Measuring across those categories gives us the total brand perception and does not…

LAS VEGAS - Saying that Ford Motor Company is "fully charged," Alan Mulally, the automaker's chief executive, unveiled a fully electric version of its 2012 Ford Focus compact car during a keynote address Friday at the Consumer Electronics Show here.

Nearly simultaneously in New York City, the company's chairman, William Clay Ford Jr., was making a similar announcement.

"Our vision is unique and compelling, and we offer powerful choices," Mr. Mulally said in a brief interview after his remarks. "This vehicle will be in production by the fourth quarter of this year, and it will be followed in 2012…