Zeck Ford

USA Today and Cars.com recently decided to team up and host an official "Under 20/Over 35 Shootout." In order to participate, cars had to either cost more than 20,000 and/or delivered less than 35 mpg. The strict criteria left just two auto makers and only five contenders - including the 2012 Ford Focus. For the shootout, USA Today and Cars.com enlisted the help of a family comprised of a teen driver…

It's true what they say, beauty is in the eyes of the beholder. Case in point: dandelions. To you and me they may be nothing more than a pesky weed. To American automaker Ford, however, they're an increasingly valuable resource.

Venture any guesses as to why? It's for the milky-white substance contained within the dandelion root. Apparently, it can be used to make a plant-based rubber, which could eventually be used in…