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2013 Ford Escape can tow 3,500 pounds with EcoBoost engine

The 2013 Ford Escape, which we saw at the Detroit auto show in January, will have a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds when equipped with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, Ford said on Wednesday. That number easily bests four-cylinder-equipped competitors such as the Volkswagen Tiguan, the Kia Sportage and the Acura RDX. Ford says the new engine will make enough power to pull two jet skis down to the lake with a trailer, or to drag a snowmobile to the frozen tundra.

Classic Lotus Cortina owner wins £5,000 fund

A LUCKY Lotus Cortina owner has won a £5,000 prize to make improvements and restorations to his car. Pete Shaw was awarded the prize by Footman James classic car insurance at last month’s Classic Motor Show. His beloved 1966 Mk1 Airflow Lotus Cortina had been entered into the competition with much-needed work on the cards.

Volvo XC90 grabs IIHS Top Safety Pick+ on its way out

The Volvo XC90 may be the oldest car in Volvo's lineup, with 2013 being the last year for the XC90 before it's replaced by an entirely new model, but it has just captured the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Top Safety Pick+ award. The award is a relatively new title, requiring a car or truck to achieve "Acceptable" or "Good" ratings on each IIHS test. Crucial to the Volvo XC90's achievement of this award was its performance in the new small overlap front tests, which test how a vehicle behaves in an front offset crash with a stationary object at high speeds.