Ford to reveal 2011 Mustang powertrain updates at L.A. Auto Show

Filed under: LA Auto Show, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Ford, Rumormill

Los Angeles will be a busy show for the Blue Oval boys. In addition to the official introduction of the U.S. Ford Fiesta, the rumormill regarding what's powering the 2011 Ford Mustang range figures to stop spinning once and for all.

We, along with green cars maven John Voelcker, were guests with Ford's global product development chief, Derrick Kuzak, on FoxNews.com's Fox Car Report yesterday. Kuzak didn't divulge any specifics regarding the Mustang during the broadcast, but as we all headed out following the appearance, he did let us know that our Mustang questions would be answered in Los Angeles this December. Earlier published reports have indicated that a new, more powerful, 300+ horsepower base V6 is in the offing, along with the widely-expected 400-horsepower 5.0-liter V8.

The other juicy rumor floating around that we want to see come true is that of an aluminum-block version of the 5.4-liter supercharged V8 for the 2011 Shelby GT500. To that end, we simply asked Kuzak, "How about an aluminum-block GT500?" He just smiled and replied, "That's a good thought." We'll cross our fingers while we wait and see.

Ford to reveal 2011 Mustang powertrain updates at L.A. Auto Show originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 09 Oct 2009 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Drew Barrymore takes Jay Leno’s Green Car Challenge

Filed under: Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities, Alternative Fuel

Unless you've been living under a rock, you know that NBC, apparently incapable of producing compelling scripted television not named The Office or 30 Rock, has nuked its entire 10 PM primetime lineup (and effectively thrown Conan O'Brien's Tonight Show under the bus) on the gamble that Jay Leno can carry that hour every weeknight. The Jay Leno Show indeed debuted to boffo numbers on Monday (18 million viewers), and went on to win the 10 PM timeslot for NBC every other night as well. (The real competition starts this week, as the other nets roll out their new Fall schedules.) On Friday, 7.7 million viewers witnessed the first edition of the much-hyped Green Car Challenge segment, a regular feature of the Leno show that will put a celebrity guest behind the wheel of an electric Ford Focus ST to see how quickly he or she can run two laps of the circuit painted on the backlot behind Leno's soundstage.

First up was Drew Barrymore, who explained to Jay that she was currently without a driver's license as she clicked into the racing harness in the driver's seat. The segment goes like this: lap one is unobstructed -- the celeb simply tries to get around the course as quickly as possible in the electric Ford Political Correctness Capsule. Lap 2 adds a healthy dose of lameness, with dangling cardboard cutouts of Al Gore and Ed Begley Jr. that try to impede the driver's progress. These are to be avoided if the celebrity doesn't want to take a 1-second penalty for each strike. (We're hoping someone aims right for the stupid things in a future segment.) In addition to tree-hugger avoidance maneuvers, the second lap also features cannons that shoot ping-pong balls and party streamers at the car. It's about as dopey as it sounds, and despite all the hoopla (NBC has the Goodyear Blimp capturing the overhead shots, for crying out loud) it just comes off as a cheap imitation of Top Gear's "Star in a Reasonably-Priced Car", which, of course, it is. Watch and judge for yourselves after the jump, where the segment is embedded in a Hulu player.

[Source: Hulu]

Continue reading VIDEO: Drew Barrymore takes Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge

VIDEO: Drew Barrymore takes Jay Leno's Green Car Challenge originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 20 Sep 2009 10:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Mustang is officially NASCAR-bound in the Nationwide Series (w/POLL)

Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Ford

The rumors are true. The Ford Mustang is is headed to NASCAR, where stickers bearing the Mustang name and front end details will be affixed to stock cars that otherwise bear no resemblance whatsoever to the 2010 Mustang. The NASCAR Nationwide Series "Mustang" will be part of a "limited roll-out" during the 2010 season, which leads us to believe the car will see a full introduction the following year. The idea here is that using the Mustang nameplate in the Nationwide Series will help further differentiate it from the top-tier Sprint Cup. While that may well be the case, after seeing the rendering supplied by Ford above, we have to admit we winced a little. That NASCAR Mustang? Kinda funny-lookin'. So what do you think? Follow the jump to vote in our poll and read the official PR.

[Source: Ford Racing]

Continue reading Ford Mustang is officially NASCAR-bound in the Nationwide Series (w/POLL)

Ford Mustang is officially NASCAR-bound in the Nationwide Series (w/POLL) originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Jul 2009 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford shows off AV-X10 ‘Dearborn Doll’ Mustang built for EAA Gathering of Eagles

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Auctions, Ford

Last year, the Mustang AV8R netted big dollars at the Experimental Aircraft Associaton's Gathering of Eagles charity auction. Building on that success, a factory-produced, one-off, aviation-themed Mustang will once again cross the block at this year's auction, taking place during the EAA AirVenture in OshKosh. The 2010 Mustang AV-X10 sports a star-and-bar-emblazoned glass roof, GT500 19" wheels, a GT500 rear spoiler, and a GT500 lower rear fascia. From there, it's trimmed out in a World War II fighter-inspired paint scheme. Orange trim fore and aft, a white "AV-X10" tail stripe, and "Dearborn Doll" fuselage pinup art set this auction pony apart visually. (There's even orange "propeller tip" trim on the wheel rims between their split-spoke pattern, too.)

You should also know that the AV-X10 is not merely a GT with trick-looking paint. Underhood, the 4.6L V8 has been modified with the Ford Racing Performance Parts 550-horsepower supercharger kit. Enhanced bark comes from an FR500S exhaust, and FRPP's Handling Pack has also been installed to give the AV-X10 extra bite on the tarmac. Inside, the car's got a short-throw shifter, illuminated AV-X10 sill plates, unique aircraft-themed instrumentation, custom bomber-jacket leather, and a special aluminum dash pattern. The power outlet mounted high on the dash has been replaced with an engine start button, too. Want it? Head to Oshkosh, WI next week -- and be sure to bring plenty of money. You'll probably need it. Follow the jump for a "making-of" video about the car.




[Source: MustangBlog.com | Images: Ford]

Continue reading Ford shows off AV-X10 'Dearborn Doll' Mustang built for EAA Gathering of Eagles

Ford shows off AV-X10 'Dearborn Doll' Mustang built for EAA Gathering of Eagles originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 19 Jul 2009 15:35:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford teams up with American Idol on one-off, karaoke-equipped, special edition Fusion

Filed under: Sedans/Saloons, Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Ford, Special/Limited Editions

Some of use here at Autoblog gave up on American Idol a long time ago, but we're obviously the exception, because the talent show still pulls down monster ratings on a weekly basis. In this regard, AI's been a better showcase for Ford (whose involvement dates back to season 1) than say... Knight Rider.

Ford's sponsorship now includes a sweepstakes that will ultimately net someone a new car. Each week, the Idols are featured in some cringe-inducingly terrible music video that makes one long for the understated sophistication that was The Brady Bunch Variety Hour. Anyhow, these videos are posted on the American Idol website, where visitors can register to enter the Ford Music Video Challenge for a shot at the grand prize of a trip to the show's finale and a one-off American Idol Edition Ford Fusion Hybrid fitted with headrest-mounted backseat video screens, an in-car karaoke rig, AI floormats, and an AI trunk decal that would fall victim to a heat gun if it were up to us.

You can watch this week's video here if you dare. It's briefly encouraging in that it momentarily seems as if a Fusion Hybrid is going to mow down the intensely earnest and annoying final five Idols like black-clad bowling pins, but it swerves at the last minute to turn desert into grass, with pink trees sprouting in its multicolored electrical wake. You probably think that we're kidding, but no.




[Source: American Idol / Ford]

Ford teams up with American Idol on one-off, karaoke-equipped, special edition Fusion originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 02 May 2009 14:37:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Survey: Ford’s image gets a boost by nixing federal aid

Filed under: Government/Legal, Ford

In what has to be one of the least surprising developments related to the auto industry, a newly-released survey finds that Americans' favorable view of Ford Motor Company has increased substantially since it became the sole member of the Detroit Three to abstain from taking federal funds.

Before the Capitol Hill Bailout Bonanza got going in earnest late last year, just 41% of Americans held the Blue Oval in a positive light. Now, after billions of taxpayer dollars have been spent keeping now-bankrupt Chrysler and soon-to-be (in all likelihood) bankrupt General Motors in business, FoMoCo's positive number has jumped up to 63%, according to a survey conducted by the Aloft Group last week.

However, that's not to say that those surveyed believe Ford's out of the woods: a mere 24 percent of the respondents think Ford doesn't need Uncle Sam to come to the rescue. Still, Ford's decision to mortgage everything on its own in a bid to stay alive has been a big PR success, and you can bet that Alan Mulally will instruct staffers to burn all the office furniture in Dearborn this winter before he looks to Capitol Hill for a penny in bailout dollars. In Detroit right now, the Scarlet Letter is "B."

[Source: The Detroit News]

Survey: Ford's image gets a boost by nixing federal aid originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 01 May 2009 19:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: Ford Fiesta for an hour in the Big Apple

Filed under: Economy, Hatchbacks, Ford, First Drive

Those Fiesta Movement "agents" who delivered winning videos to Ford? Envy them, because the cars they're being handed the keys to for the next six months are no joke. Yesterday morning, Ford tossed us a set of those keys (well, it was a key fob, actually) to a reactor-leak green Ford Fiesta. We only had an hour to play with the car, but by the end of it, we were wishing we had busted out the camcorder for the contest.



Photos Copyright (C)2009 Alex Núñez / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: Ford Fiesta for an hour in the Big Apple

First Drive: Ford Fiesta for an hour in the Big Apple originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Winning Bet: Davey G. Johnson gets a Fiesta, we don’t

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Ford

The Fiesta Movement winners are officially being notified, and we have news of a bloggy nature. Our compadre, Davey G. Johnson, the former Jalop and strong aficionado of brown cars, is among the group who will be rolling in a Ford Fiesta for six months. The bad news, according to Davey: his Fiesta won't be brown. Oh well, can't win 'em all. But win he did, nonetheless. Congratulations! We'll have to send someone from Autoblog California Command for a closer look once he takes possession since it appears our own submission from AutoblogGreen lifer Sebastian Blanco wasn't among the favored. Davey's winning Fiesta Movement video, "Baby Bets on a Brown Fiesta," is embedded after the jump for your enjoyment.

[Source: Davey G.]

Continue reading Winning Bet: Davey G. Johnson gets a Fiesta, we don't

Winning Bet: Davey G. Johnson gets a Fiesta, we don't originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Davey Johnson bets on a brown Fiesta

Filed under: Economy, Etc., Videos, Ford

The Fiesta Movement is on. Drivers angling to be a part of Ford's promotional campaign, which will place 100 people in Fiestas for an early six-month trial, are lining up. To even be considered for the endeavor, you need to send Ford a video explaining why you deserve a Fiesta. Quality of the videos submitted thus far is varied, to say the least, but we can now come out and say that we have someone to root for: Davey G. Johnson, erstwhile O.G. Jalop and a very good friend of Autoblog, is officially in the fight.

His video, "Baby Bets on a Brown Fiesta," is posted for your enjoyment after the jump. We're confident it's the only Fiesta Movement video that manages to successfully incorporate a 1970s brown motif; the world's greatest fictional detectives; a Mopar appearance; the sounds of diminutive, unlikely German rock star, Udo Dirkschneider; and a real, in-person endorsement by Bob Mould (of Hüsker Dü -- old-time Jalopnik readers will understand how significant this is).

If it sounds crazy, it's because it kind of is. Is it crazy enough to be a winner? We'll find out soon enough. See for yourselves after the jump.

Continue reading VIDEO: Davey Johnson bets on a brown Fiesta

VIDEO: Davey Johnson bets on a brown Fiesta originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Mar 2009 14:06:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Melbourne 2009: FPV F6 E Concept tests the waters

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedans/Saloons, Sports/GTs, Ford, Misc. Auto Shows, Australia, FPV

The Blue Oval's FPV F6 is relentlessly awesome. Loud colors. Alice Cooper eye makeup. Blistering, turbocharged inline-six power. It drops the full musclecar ethos onto a completely modern Australian performance sedan. We love it, but it may not necessarily be for everybody. Ford Performance Vehicles knows this, and the F6's V8-powered evil twin, the FPV GT, gets an additional, more subdued "E" trim level. Darker colors. No decals. No "eye black.". It's a more conservative Aussie muscle machine.

When the Melbourne Motor Show opens its doors in a few days, the FPV stand will be home to a very production-ready-looking F6 E "concept." Don't let its rather sedate appearance fool you. Underhood, you'll still find the 415-horsepower, 416 lb-ft , 4.0-liter turbo-six. Ford's performance mavens say they're using the F6 E concept car to determine whether there's demand for a production version. We think that decision's obviously been made already. After all, why else would the PR mention things like the color selection and theoretical starting price? Face it, you lucky SOBs Down Under are getting yet another tasty entree added to your street missile buffet. Official press release after the jump.


[Source: FPV]

Continue reading Melbourne 2009: FPV F6 E Concept tests the waters

Melbourne 2009: FPV F6 E Concept tests the waters originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Feb 2009 09:27:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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