Archive for September, 2010
2012 Ford Focus ST details released ahead of world premiere in Paris
Posted by: | CommentsFiled under: Performance, Paris Motor Show, Hatchback, Ford
This is the 247-horsepower, turbocharged 2012 Ford Focus ST hatchback. It’s coming to the United States. Watch your back, Volkswagen GTI.
We’ve long lusted after the Ford Focus RS hot hatch sold in Europe, and while the ST is a slightly tamer version of the pocket-rocket RS, it still has plenty of kit to do battle with hot hatches the world over. The beating heart of the Focus ST is a turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that produces 247 horsepower and 266 pound-feet of torque, mated exclusively to a six-speed manual transmission. Ford’s new torque-vectoring power control system is on hand, which should keep the front wheels in line, as front-wheel-drive turbo cars are always prone to understeer and torque steer.
The 2012 Focus ST debuts in its new Tangerine Scream color, and we’re quite fond of the way it looks on the bulgier, more aggressive Focus. The wheel wells are fully filled out with attractive 19-inch alloys in the Blue Oval’s signature Y-spoke ST pattern. Additionally, the trapezoidal grille has been raised on the front fascia, making way for additional lower air intakes, and while Ford isn’t keen on offering the base Focus with the LED eyebrow in America, we sincerely hope that it is left intact on the U.S.-spec Focus ST. Out back, the Focus’ rear bumper has been completely reworked to incorporate a diffuser setup with a center-mounted sport exhaust.
Inside, the Focus ST uses all the same goodies found on the top-end Focus Titanium, but adds a set of Recaro seats (for both front and rear passengers) as well as some yellow-gold contrast stitching on many of the interior surfaces. The Focus ST gets a bespoke steering wheel, and we must applaud Ford for creating a hot hatch interior that looks both sporting and high-end at the same time.
Watch for the Focus ST to launch sometime in 2012. We haven’t heard any rumblings about pricing, but if Ford can keep things near the $25,000 mark (fingers crossed!), we’ll be in business. Oh, and consider our hot hatch comparison test planned. Follow the jump for Ford’s press blast and scroll through the gallery below for a raft of high-res images.
Gallery: 2012 Ford Focus ST
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading 2012 Ford Focus ST details released ahead of world premiere in Paris
2012 Ford Focus ST details released ahead of world premiere in Paris originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 12:41:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Rumor: Ford GT supercar’s successor will be green machine
Posted by: | CommentsFiled under: Performance, Ford, Rumormill
Back in 2003, Ford gave us the GT supercar – a road-going homage to the iconic GT40 race car. Ford discontinued the GT when its high-powered Shelby GT500 debuted for the 2007 model year, but now the word around Dearborn is that there may be another top-end Blue Oval supercar coming down the pipeline. This time around, however, things may be a bit greener.
According to Motor Trend, Ford Motor Company executives have suggested that if a GT successor is created, its main focus will be fuel efficiency, citing the possibility of an electric drivetrain. The EV supercar isn’t a new idea, after all – Porsche is readying its 918 Spyder and Mercedes-Benz has shown us its SLS E-Cell. Of course, Ford’s plans are simply rumormill fodder at this point, but we’ll keep our eyes peeled for silent supercars roaming around Dearborn in the coming years just the same.
Gallery: Ford GT
[Source: Motor Trend]
Rumor: Ford GT supercar’s successor will be green machine originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Sep 2010 10:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Filed under: Podcasts, Bugatti, Cadillac, Ford, GM, Jaguar, Kia, Volkswagen, Electric
Steven Ewing joins podcast regulars Dan and Chris for Episode #197 of the Autoblog Podcast. Items we cover are the newly expanded powertrain selections for the Ford F-150, a potential diesel-powered car from General Motors, the apparently heating-up American love affair with hatchbacks, the just-out-of-reach Mahindra Pik-Up, the definitely unattainable Bugatti Galibier and the rush to pre-order the Nissan Leaf. At one hour, twenty-two minutes, it’s not quite as epic as last week’s extravaganza, and we wrap up by responding to some of your feedback. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #197 – F-150 powertrains, GM diesel car, hatchbacks, Mahindra, Bugatti Galibier and Nissan’s sold-out Leaf
In the Autoblog Garage:
Cadillac CTS
Volkswagen Tiguan
Jaguar XKR Convertible
News:
- F-150 Ecoboost Drive
- GM will sell a diesel car in the U.S.
- Hatchbacks: Who says Americans don’t buy ‘em?
- Despite uproar, Global Vehicles places its initial order from Mahindra
- Bugatti Galibier coming for 2013
- Nissan full up with Leaf pre-orders
Hosts:
Dan Roth, Chris Shunk, Steven Ewing
Runtime: 1:22:14
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Email: Podcast at Autoblog dot com
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Autoblog Podcast #197 – F-150 powertrains, GM diesel car, hatchbacks, Mahindra, Bugatti Galibier and Nissan’s sold-out Leaf originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 16:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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Report: Mulally says Ford may pare global lineup to just 20 models
Posted by: | CommentsFiled under: Ford
When Alan Mulally took charge of Ford four years ago, the Blue Oval had nearly 100 models. There are fewer than half that now, and the CEO wants to trim the number down to “less than 30, on our way to 20 to 25.” His goal of simplification appears to be driven by the desire to cut costs for everyone – distributors, suppliers, dealerships, as well as Ford itself. That will not only help the brand in the present as it makes do in lean times, but can compound the rewards when markets – especially in Asia – go nuts again.
Mulally says the returns can be put into research and development, along with engineering for the remaining models. To put this in perspective, on Ford’s U.S. site alone, there are 18 vehicles, not including the soon-to-die Explorer Sport Trac, which of course leaves out cars like the Falcon, Territory, Kuga and S-Max, among others. So the natural question is: Which vehicles would or should get the axe?
[Source: Bloomberg]
Report: Mulally says Ford may pare global lineup to just 20 models originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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