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Saturday, April 16, 2011

Ford to Introduce 15 new Cars in China and to Double Workforce by 2015

3:25 PM sport sedan No comments

With only a few days left before the start of the Shanghai Auto Show, Ford Motor Company announced a very ambitious plan for China as the automaker aims to introduce 15 new vehicles and to double its workforce in the world's largest car market by 2015.

“Together with our partners, we are leveraging the strength of the One Ford plan and our global platforms to bring 15 new vehicles to China by 2015, reinforcing our commitment to offer a full portfolio of vehicles for our Chinese customers," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa president. "The 15 new vehicles are part of Ford’s plans to introduce 50 new products and powertrains to the Asia Pacific region by 2015,” Hinrichs added.

After Tsunami, American Automakers Looking for Home Turf Sales Boost

5:05 PM sport sedan No comments

According to CNN’s Fortune and simple, cold-hearted business logic, now is the prime time for American manufacturers to take advantage of recent catastrophic events and pounce on their home market's consumers. A lack of Japanese parts (or entire vehicles), in conjunction with a strong yen and ever-improving American small cars, has given Ford, GM, and Chrysler a potential sales pick-me-up as we stroll into the summer months.

Two of the three factors which will help American manufacturers' sales stem directly from the tsunami in Japan a month ago: factory shutdowns have limited parts/vehicle availability, while the yen gained value as the Japanese are expected to repurchase some currency for disaster mitigation.

Ford Expands Airbag-Related F-150 Recall to another 1.2 Million Units

10:36 AM sport sedan No comments

Ford has issued a massive recall action for its top-selling U.S. model, the F-150 pickup truck, of which around 1.2 million units are involved. The move comes after Ford agreed in February to recall more than 150,000 F-150 vehicles built between 2004 and 2006 for possible airbag faults. Read more »

Ford Focus RS

4:05 AM sport sedan No comments

If you didn’t manage to purchase one of limited edition Ford Focus RS500 before production ran out, you may want to take a look at Anderson Germany’s Ford Focus RS “Black Racing Edition”. The tuner-prepped Focus RS features a matte black paint scheme similar to the one featured on the RS500 adding contrasting red elements like the RS badges, the edges of the rims and theFord logo.
Anderson Germany's iteration of the RS uses the same bodykit from the production model spiced up with a different set of alloy wheels, painted black with a red edge. The interior of the car continues the red and black theme but it is more heavily customized than the standard Focus RS.
It sports a pair of black leather bucket seats with matching red stitching, carbon fiber trim on the center console, steering wheel, gearshift and handbrake levers, plus alcantara lining on the door panels and the central tunnel.
The dashboard is also covered in leather with red stitching and, interestingly, the Ford badge has been replaced all over the car with a similar one that reads “Beka”.
The tuner’s most impressive upgrade lies under the hood as the 2.5-liter 5-cylinder unit has been modified to deliver a mouth watering 420 horsepower, 115HP more than the stock Focus RS and 70HP more than the RS500. However, potential buyers should keep in mind that all those ponies are transferred to the front wheels alone….
The German tuning house has not yet released any acceleration figures.

GALLERY

Anderson Germany Creates a 420HP Ford Focus RS for those that didn’t Grab an RS500

5:23 PM sport sedan No comments

Ford Crafts 2011

8:16 AM sport sedan No comments

Continuing a tradition that dates back to the 1970’s with the creation of the GT40-based Supervan 1, Ford has lifted the wraps off the next evolution of its SportVan bloodline, the one-off Transit SuperSportVan (SSV). Revealed on Tuesday at the Commercial Vehicle Show at Birmingham’s NEC in the UK, the SSV combines the smallest body available in the Transit lineup with the biggest diesel in the range.
Ford’s flagship 3.2-litre inline-five turbo diesel engine was shoehorned into a short wheelbase Transit, for maximum power-to-weight ratio. The 3.2 TDCi unit, normally found in bigger Transit models like the 4.25 tonnes Transit Jumbo, delivers 200-horsepower and a maximum torque of 470Nm (346.7 lb-ft) at 1700-2500 rpm. The inline-five is hooked up to a six-speed gearbox.
In comparison, the standard Transit SportVan is based on the popular 260, short wheelbase model with front wheel drive, a 140HP 2.2-litre TDCi diesel engine and a six-speed transmission.
Aside from the powertrain changes, the Transit SSV features several exterior upgrades such as the Le Mans-style bonnet stripes, twin exhausts, deep-dish white alloy wheels wrapped around low profile 235/45 tires, front and rear lower spoilers, side skirts and extended wheel arches.
Steve Clary, commercial vehicles director, Ford of Britain, had this to say about the SSV: "[The] Transit has a strong reputation for its robustness and practicality. We wanted to add some contemporary fun and also showcase our engineers’ skill and enthusiasm. SuperSportVan demonstrates just how far you can go with a white Transit van by mixing and matching regular technology in a different way."
Ford was quick to point out that the Transit SSV is a one-off study and that is has no plans to present a production version.

Ford Crafts a One-Off Transit SSV Powered by a 3.2-liter Turbo Diesel

6:42 AM sport sedan No comments

Oops Video: Brand New 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8 392 Limited Edition Rear-Ended by Ford F-150

9:34 AM sport sedan No comments

If we didn’t know better, we’d say that Ford is trying to wipe out the competition with its F-150 pickup truck, or as some may know it, the Ferd F-Teehthousand. The latest victim of the F-150 after the memorable stomping of a Ferrari F-150 is a brand new 2011 Dodge Challenger SRT8, which judging by the bodykit, stripes, alloy wheels and badges, is the 392 limited edition with the 470-horsepower V8 Hemi.

The driver of the Dodge’s muscle car was waiting for the light when a Ford F-150 decided to give the Challenger an unnecessary -and quite painful- rear-end makeover. Follow the break to watch the clip.

Shelby Gone Wild: 2012MY GT500 Super Snake with 800HP to be Unleashed at New York Auto Show

1:18 PM sport sedan No comments

Renowned Ford specialist Shelby announced plans to unleash the latest iteration of its venomous pony car at the upcoming 2011 New York International Auto Show. The 2012 model year Super Snake package will add a mouth-watering 800-horsepower under the hood of the Mustang thanks to a heavily modified 5.4-liter supercharged V8 engine.

New European Market Ford Focus ECOnetic Expected to Return 3.5 lt/100 km or 67.2MPG

8:14 AM sport sedan No comments

A new variant of the latest Focus with the ECOnetic moniker and a segment leading fuel efficiency will soon be added to Ford’s European lineup. According to the company, the diesel-powered Focus ECONetic is expected to use less than 3.5 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (equal to 80 mpg UK or 67.2 mpg US) and return ultra-low CO2 emissions of less than 95g/km when final certification is completed later this year.

Equipois's ZeroG Counterbalancing Act Aims to Revolutionize Assembly Lines

5:48 PM sport sedan No comments

Garrett Brown, the man behind Hollywood's Steadicam, is looking to bring a little upgrade to manufacturing. Brown has partnered with Eric Golden's LA-based Equipois to help release the "zeroG", a new type of mechanical arm that could reduce manufacturers' health care costs by up to $13 billion annually.

Spawned from a conversation with a Honda engineer who liked the idea of a Steadicam mechanism on the factory floor, the zeroG is crafted from high-grade aluminum and steel and helps minimize overexertion by using simple physics. Each arm is fitted with spring that counterbalances the weight of heavy tools, which in turn makes the tools "lighter" and easier to use.

Ford and Top Gear Australia Revive Mad Max Interceptor with a Pair of Concepts

5:33 PM sport sedan No comments

More than 30 years after George Miller's original Mad Max film starring Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky hit the screens turning both the American-born Australian actor and his jet-black Ford Falcon XB GT351 coupe-based Interceptor into movie icons, Ford’s local division in partnership with Top Gear Australia magazine, has revealed two concept studies for a modern day Interceptor.

The company formed a group of designers led by chief designer of passenger cars for the Asia, Pacific and Africa region, Todd Willing. The team created several of studies that paid tribute to the styling cues from the original XB Coupe Interceptor, but ultimately, only two made the cut. The winning designs were penned by Nima Nourian and Simon Brook.

Ford Sues Nissan Over Brazilian TV Ad that Ridicules the Focus for Being Overpriced [with Video]

4:47 PM sport sedan No comments

Ford’s Brazilian arm has filed a criminal (!) lawsuit against the local division of Nissan for airing an aggressive TV commercial directed at the Focus sub-compact. To make a long story short, the parody-like ad points the finger at Ford for allegedly overpricing its Focus model.

The TV spot, which looks exactly like a rap video, shows two men dressed as Ford engineers living the big life with gold chains and rings, plenty of champagnes, and –the best part- an exotic assortment of sexy women in bikinis dancing around them. And oh, there’s also a silver Ford Focus on the background….

At the end, the commercial announces the price of Nissan’s Tiida sub-compact (sold as the Versa in the States), which in Brazil, costs around BR 3,000 or a little over US$1,800 less than Ford’s rivaling Focus.

Ford Focus Race Car Concept 2011

5:42 PM sport sedan No comments

Whoever believed that the new Ford Focus was just a boring sedan for everyday use was wrong. And Ford has proof of that statement in the form of the new Focus race car arriving today at the Los Angeles Auto Show. This new concept demonstrates the car’s potential in road and touring car championships with teams around the world, at least that is what Ford is saying. We don’t know if we buy that statement just yet.

The concept car is powered by a 2.0-liter Ford EcoBoost I-4 engine and features performance coil-over adjustable dampers, Ford Racing upgraded sway bars with adjustable end links, front brakes with 320-millimeter two-piece rotors, and race pads. The concept sits on Anthracite 18-inch wheels and Hoosier race tires.

The interior also got the racing treatment with an FIA Super 2000 regulations roll cage, Recaro racing seats, an AIM MXL Pista data system, and an AIM Smarty Cam. Added safety features include a Ford Racing fire suppression system and Ford Racing six-point safety harness.

We’re still not entirely convinced that the Focus race car will make Ford proud out on the track, but this is just a concept as of yet and should serve as a decent base for the production model. Ford is production will be ready by 2012, leaving them plenty of time to build on a good thing.

Gallery

Ford Flex Titanium 2011

5:41 PM sport sedan No comments

The Ford Flex is known for its unique styling and its ability to allow someone to stand out in the crowd. At least, that’s what Ford’s research has shown on the full-size crossover. Now, it seems that Ford is using that research to develop a new version of the vehicle to top its 2011 Flex line-up. Move over SE, SEL, and Limited, there’s a new chief in town and its the new Flex Titanium. The Titanium is based on the Limited series and will be offered in three versions: a 3.5L V6 Duratec FWD priced at $40,340; 3.5L V6 Duratec AWD $42,190 and 3.5L EcoBoost V6 AWD priced at $45,185.

The Titanium version will be offered in four exterior colors: Red Candy, White Platinum, Tuxedo Black, and Ingot Silver combined with a new Tuxedo Black two-tone roof. The key features on the exterior are the blacked-out additions. These include the beltline moldings, fog lamp bezels and side-view mirror skull caps. The liftgate appliqué is now black chrome as well. The beautiful and striking exterior is finished off with 20-inch 10-spoke wheels.

The Ford Flex Titanium is also distinguished by charcoal black leather-trimmed seats with gray Alcantara suede inserts, circle check appliqués on instrument panel and doors, painted alloy metallic finish on center stack and door panels, a perforated leather steering wheel and illuminated scuff plates.

Gallery