Ford straps engineers in 2013 Taurus SHO with Carl Edwards, hilarity ensues
Filed under: Sedan, Performance, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Ford
Ford put nine of its own engineers inside of a new car they helped create, the 2013 Ford Taurus SHO, so they could experience its capabilities for themselves. Nothing out of the ordinary there, but Ford also thoughtfully put NASCAR driver Carl Edwards in the driver's seat, and it turns out that the boffins didn't realize how capable their car was until the Sprint Cup driver showed them.
In a new series of TV and internet spots called "Rocket Science," Edwards spends most of his time going tire-smoking sideways while engineers discuss the features of the hotted-up all-wheel drive Taurus, like the blind-spot assistance system and its 475-mile range. There's a press release with the particulars, but you'll want to click past to jump to check out the vids showing a string of very nervous engineers in the hands of a very professional driver on a very closed course.
Continue reading Ford straps engineers in 2013 Taurus SHO with Carl Edwards, hilarity ensues
Ford straps engineers in 2013 Taurus SHO with Carl Edwards, hilarity ensues originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord reveals production Fiesta ST
Filed under: Performance, Geneva Motor Show, Hatchback, Ford
This is the production version of the Ford Fiesta ST, and except for the fact that it's missing a couple of doors, it looks just like the Fiesta ST Concept we saw at the Los Angeles Auto Show last year. Of course, the two-door version is cooler, which should be all the clue you need that we won't be getting it in America. Ford is, however, "open to the idea" of bringing it here.
The specs match the concept: 1.6-litre EcoBoost with 177 horsepower and a top speed beyond 125 miles per hour, along with torque vectoring, three ESP stages and Ford' MyKey - all of which should make it a fabulously good time when it goes on sale in Europe in 2013.
A "pre-production" example will get a showing at the Geneva Motor Show tomorrow, and we'll have a fuller report on it then, but there's a press release below with more details. Perhaps between the show and 2013, Ford can be convinced to ship it this way when it decides to "say more about our plans for other markets."
Continue reading Ford reveals production Fiesta ST
Ford reveals production Fiesta ST originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsPenske switches NASCAR team from Dodge to Ford
Filed under: Motorsports, Dodge, Ford
Roger Penske has run a NASCAR operation off and on since 1972, and continuously since 1991. In that time his drivers have piloted cars from AMC, Mercury, Pontiac, Chevrolet, Ford and, for the last nine years, Dodge. Penske announced this week, though, that 2012 would be his team's last year with Dodge and that 2013 would inaugurate a new partnership with Ford. There's another Dodge in the Sprint Cup field driven by Robby Gordon, but Penske has been Dodge's marquee and development team.
Autoweek reports that the move isn't over money, but Penske's desire "to 'benchmark' his team's position against some same-brand competition, and that the association with Ford would make that possible. To us that sounds like excessive chivalry. Had Penske Racing been winning with Dodge, would it really swap makers just to make closer comparisons? In the last eight years Penske took the Nationwide series in 2010 with Brad Keselowski, but in the Sprint Cup, the team has won just 18 times in 764 starts.
The 2013 Dodge Charger Sprint Cup car is set to be revealed next week at the race in Las Vegas. The question now is, who will run the new car?
Both Penske and SRT CEO Ralph Gilles say they're focused on winning this year, and in a statement Gilles added, "We do value our NASCAR program and will be evaluating the opportunities available moving forward."
Follow the jump for the press releases from Dodge and Ford on the latest events.
Continue reading Penske switches NASCAR team from Dodge to Ford
Penske switches NASCAR team from Dodge to Ford originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 03 Mar 2012 15:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord’s tiny 1.0-liter EcoBoost to net 177 hp?
Filed under: Performance, Europe, Hatchback, Ford, UK
Ford will begin rolling out its 1.0-liter, three-cylinder Ecoboost engine this year in overseas models like the UK-spec Ford Focus and C-Max. Replacing the naturally-aspirated 1.6-liter four-cylinder, the little Ecoboost lump translates its minimal displacement into versions with 99 horses and 118 horses, and up to 125 pound-feet of torque. A report in Autocar suggests Ford can do even better, speculating that The Blue Oval is currently testing a unit outputting 177 hp.
The supplemental power would come from another turbocharger in a production guise, but for testing purposes comes from a supercharger feeding a turbo taken from Ford's 1.6-liter, four-cylinder Ecoboost. A hi-po option would be slated some kind of "performance version of the Focus positioned some distance below the forthcoming 247bhp Focus ST."
Or, if Ford could really get that output to work for production the engine could be an option for the Fiesta ST. Shown off last year, the hotted-up Fiesta was paired with a 180-hp, 177-lb-ft version of the 1.6-liter Ecoboost. Granted, this is all hypothetical, but even with the loss of a noticeable chunk of torque the idea might have its merits.
Ford's tiny 1.0-liter EcoBoost to net 177 hp? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord asks Chevrolet, then NBC, to pull Silverado Super Bowl ad
Filed under: Truck, Government/Legal, Marketing/Advertising, Chevrolet, Ford
Chevrolet is having some pointed fun with its apocalyptic Super Bowl ad featuring the Silverado called "2012," only the fun is pointed directly at Ford, which finds it a little too sharp to be all that much fun. So on the eve of the big game, Ford sent Chevy a cease-and-desist letter to pull the ad and "pressured" NBC not to run the commercial, according to a report on Yahoo!'s Motoramic blog. Chevy has released a statement in response, which you can read after the jump, indicating that the ad will run despite Ford's protest.
Ford found no reason to chuckle at some of the commercial's claims, "particularly around durability." One in particular comes from a character that says of their now-deceased, F-150-driving pal, "Dave didn't drive the longest-lasting most dependable truck on the road. Dave drove a Ford."
Ford spokesman Mike Levine says his company has more trucks with 250,000-plus miles on the road than any other brand, which would appear to contradict the small print that appears in the "2012" ad that reads, "Dependability based on longevity: 1981-2011 full-size pickup registrations." Ford says its lawyers will decide what to do (if anything) after the ad airs during tonight's game, but Chevy's legal minions must have vetted the spot closely well before time.
Or Ford could take Chevy marketing honcho Joel Ewanick up on his offer and bide its time. Said Ewanick, "We can wait until the world ends, and if we need to, we will apologize."
Continue reading Ford asks Chevrolet, then NBC, to pull Silverado Super Bowl ad
Ford asks Chevrolet, then NBC, to pull Silverado Super Bowl ad originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 05 Feb 2012 17:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments2013 Ford Escape configurator powers up, prices subject to change
Filed under: Car Buying, Crossover, Ford
The configurator for the 2013 Ford Escape is live - or rather, a survey masquerading as a configurator. On the introductory page of small print, there are three crucial bits Ford wants you to know: that "the information on this site is for survey purposes only," that "features and prices for the final 2013 Ford Escape will only become available when the vehicle goes on sale in 2012 and are subject to change," and that "information on this site may change frequently, so don't be surprised if things look different next time you visit."
Once you get past all that you can do a little bit of configurating, from the $22,470* base Escape to the $32,120* Titanium Escape with the 2.0-liter EcoBoost and all-wheel drive. Checking all five options boxes, the biggest price tag we could come up with was $36,595*, which got us treats like a full-leather interior, navigation and Class II trailer tow. Many have made comments on the styling of the new Escape, but we won't be surprised if we see quite a few of these on the road.
* Remember, prices aren't final.
2013 Ford Escape configurator powers up, prices subject to change originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 15:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord Focus Titanium to get manual transmission
Filed under: Sedan, Hatchback, Ford
The Ford Focus sedan comes in four trim flavors, S, SE, SEL and Titanium, while the five-door hatch omits the base S version. Keeping form with past economy car tradition, only the S and SE trims have been offered with a five-speed manual transmission, but that changes with the 2012 Focus: the top-drawer Titanium trim will shortly receive a manual option.
According to a report in Car and Driver, enough Ford customers have been specifically asking for a Focus Titanium with the handling pack and the five-speed tranny that the company is going to put it out there. No one is sure what percentage of buyers will check the box, but it will be interesting to see if it beats the seven percent of S and SE buyers who choose the manual.
On the lower trims, the manual is standard and the dual-clutch automatic adds a $1,095 premium. While a base Focus S is priced at $16,500, Titanium models start at $22,200 for the sedan or $22,700 for the five-door (both are subject to a $795 delivery fee). The Titanium manual option isn't available yet on the Focus configurator, but we'll be on the lookout to see if Ford lowers the price for top-tier Focus drivers who want to do their own rowing.
Ford Focus Titanium to get manual transmission originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 25 Jan 2012 10:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord says SYNC base is now 4M, will reach 13M by 2015
Filed under: Technology, Ford
Ford SYNC is a success. The connectivity software has found its way into four million cars since its introduction in 2007. With European and Asian buyers getting SYNC for the first time this year, and North American offerings like the Fusion and Flex getting it as standard equipment, Ford expects to add nine million more users by 2015.
The prediction isn't solely based car buyers' increased access to SYNC; even in the U.S. the uptake continues to grow, from 80 percent of buyers in 2010 to 82 percent in 2011. The percentage of those recommending SYNC has remained stable at 80 percent, but that might also rise with more features and apps on the way. You can read all about it in the press release after the jump.
Continue reading Ford says SYNC base is now 4M, will reach 13M by 2015
Ford says SYNC base is now 4M, will reach 13M by 2015 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 14 Jan 2012 14:36:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments2013 Ford Mustang V6 spied nearly camo-free
Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Ford, Design/Style
Our spy photographers captured the 2013 Ford Mustang GT recently, and not far behind it is this, the V6-flavored pony car. The V6, as with the GT, gets a significant brawny cue from the top-dog Shelby GT500, that protruding grille. Although it receives the same headlight treatment as the GT, the V6 leaves off the front splitter and the running-horse logo remains front and center in the grille, not offset as on the GT prototype.
Things are tamer out back, naturally, but a revised treatment of taillights and bumper will set this one apart from others in the family. It appears to be a mild suite of changes that we'll have to wait another year for, but perhaps this is all Ford thinks it needs to put the Mustang back on the number-one peg.
2013 Ford Mustang V6 spied nearly camo-free originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsPickupTrucks.com names Ram 1500 best truck for $30K
Filed under: Truck, Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Nissan, Toyota, Comparisons
PickupTrucks.com asked five half-ton truck manufacturers to provide their best trucks for $30,000. The entries consisted of the 2011 Chevy Silverado 1500 Extended Cab, 2011 Ford F-150 Regular Cab, 2011 Nissan Titan King Cab, 2011 Ram 1500 Quad Cab and 2011 Toyota Tundra Double Cab, all of which were put through a variety of tests over four days in and around Detroit. Unlike a comparison that seeks model-feature parity, this one allowed for manufacturers to provide whatever they thought was best, which is how you get Ford supplying the only regular cab among the field.
After being run through load tests, brake tests, the drag strip, 0-to-60 and even an autocross run, the crown was given to the Ram 1500 Quad Cab. It didn't scorch its competition, but it was always near the top of the field, which gave it enough to take the glory. There's a video of the test after the jump, or head over to PickupTrucks.com to read the full piece.
Continue reading PickupTrucks.com names Ram 1500 best truck for $30K
PickupTrucks.com names Ram 1500 best truck for $30K originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Sep 2011 12:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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