Pics Aplenty: 2010 SMS Supercars 460 Mustang

Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupe, Performance, Ford

You are looking at one of about 25 2010 SMS 460 Mustangs that Steve Saleen's new company SMS Supercars is building. Why so few? Because production of the new SMS 302 that's based on the 2011 Mustang GT and its sweeeet 5.0-liter V8 has already begun. However, that car's in the future - the SMS 460 is now. Sporting a supercharged V8 good for 470 horsepower and about 460 pound-feet or torque, a fully tweaked suspension and slick-looking body kit, the 2010 SMS 460 has plenty of curb and track appeal. Plus, with less than 25 cars left to purchase (you are looking at an already sold customer car, which is why we couldn't drive it), this is sure to be a Steve Saleen collector's item.

Now, about the upcoming SMS 302; it should be a real humdinger and will be available as either a normally aspirated beast or supercharged monster(s). The "base" version should up the GT's already amazing numbers (412 horsepower, 390 pound-feet of torque) to around 450 hp/430 lb-ft. Again, that's without the aid of forced induction. Of course, there will be a supercharged SMS 302 or two prowling the streets as well. How much gumption? Figure it to be on par with the GT500, around 550 hp.

Then of course there's the only-spoken-of-in-hushed-tones SMS 351X, which is sure to be a range topper's range topper. No final word yet, but SMS is hoping for about 665 hp and about the same amount of torque. Time to buy stock in a tire company as that's over 100 ponies more than the already unbelievably potent (and tire shredding) 2011 Shelby GT500. Let's just end it by saying we can't wait to drive all three of 'em. For now, enjoy these pics.



[Source: SMS Supercars]

Pics Aplenty: 2010 SMS Supercars 460 Mustang originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 19:24:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IIHS awards Top Safety Picks to Audi, Ford, Hyundai and VW on strength of roofs

Filed under: Car Buying, Safety, Audi, Ford, Hyundai, Lincoln, Mercury, Volkswagen

Perish the thought, haters! The above Lincoln MKT is getting its roof caved in not on aesthetic grounds, but rather to test its ability to survive a rollover accident. If you haven't guessed by now, the MKT did so well in the roof-crush test that the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) handed parent company Ford a much coveted Top Safety Pick award. Actually, the IIHS handed FoMoCo a hefty total of five rollover-related Top Safety Pick awards. However we should note that one of the Ford products earning top marks is in fact the soon to be extinct Mercury Millan, so really Ford only nabbed four - but who's counting? Other good-to-rollover-in Ford products include the Flex, Fusion and Lincoln MKZ.

Speaking of thick-sculled corporate cousins, Audi and Volkswagen were handed a couple of Top Safety Picks, too. The 2010 Audi A4 and Q5 as well as the Volkswagen Jetta SportWagen all earned top marks from the IIHS. As far as the Jetta goes, that's just one more reason to choose wagon over sedan. Finally, the new 2010 Hyundai Tucson gets the coveted TSP, and having recently driven the overly-stiff compact CUV, we're not at all surprised that its roof holds up to crushing. To get the dirt on the IIHS's methodology/read the press release, make the jump.



[Source: Insurance Institute for Highway Safety]

Continue reading IIHS awards Top Safety Picks to Audi, Ford, Hyundai and VW on strength of roofs

IIHS awards Top Safety Picks to Audi, Ford, Hyundai and VW on strength of roofs originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 09 Jun 2010 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Battle of the Sixes: Ford Mustang V6 takes on Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 and Nissan 370Z

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Ford, Hyundai, Nissan, Reviews

This comparison test couldn't have happened just a few short months ago. Sure, the Hyundai Genesis Coupe has been around since 2009. And not counting a seven-year walkabout, the Datsun/Nissan Z has been with us in one form or another since the first moon landing. Want to talk old? The Ford Mustang dates back to the invention of the wheel. At least it seems that way.

So why no comparison until now? Because until quite recently, Ford's entry level V6-powered Mustang was never really a sports car. The heavy, near impotent Cologne iron-block V6 was a joke, fit for little more than rental car duty, and it wasn't even terribly adept at that. But the non-V8 pony car has undergone some significant changes for 2011 - the biggest being its all-aluminum V6 producing 305 horsepower and 280 pound feet of torque - allowing it to finally hang with these two V6-powered competitors from across the Pacific.

At least on paper.

Read on to find out which V6-powered sports car reigns supreme. If you can't wait, skip right to the results.



Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Battle of the Sixes: Ford Mustang V6 takes on Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 and Nissan 370Z

Battle of the Sixes: Ford Mustang V6 takes on Hyundai Genesis Coupe 3.8 and Nissan 370Z originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 May 2010 11:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2011 Ford Mustang GT changes the game

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Ford, First Drive

*Originally published at 12:01AM EST, but you were probably sleeping then so we republished it now.

The reborn 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS is the 2010 Ford Mustang GT's most obvious competitor (obviously). While the Camaro is certainly a head turner, it's just not that great of an all around performance car. However, despite the 2010 Mustang GT coming out on top in many comparisons against its crosstown rival, one fact is undeniable: When it comes to power, the Camaro SS kicked the Mustang GT's butt up and down the block. Across the drag strip, too. The 6.2-liter LS3-equipped SS (manual only, as automatic Camaros get the weaker L99 motor) produces a screaming 426 horsepower and 420 rumbling pound-feet of torque, enough mojo to embarrass the 2010 Mustang GT's relatively wimpy 4.6-liter V8 with its 315 hp and 325 lb-ft of torque. True, the Mustang handled better, rode better, had a much better interior and cost less, but at the end of the day we're talking muscle cars. Gumption matters. Chevy was king. Ford had to act.

And act it did. Meet the 2011 Ford Mustang GT, or as everyone is already calling it, the 5.0. That's right, Ford is offering enthusiasts an honest to goodness 5.0-liter V8 (302 cubic inches, baby! Check out our Deep Dive for all the technical mumbo jumbo) in the 2011 Mustang GT. As we're sure you know by now, thanks to some fancy breathing, the all new small-block produces 412 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. That's less than the Camaro, sure, but remember that the Mustang is lighter than the Chevy by a good 300 pounds. Besides, it's looking like Ford has decided to underrate the 5.0's output by about 30 ponies for who knows what reason. Meaning that while Ford might be using invisible ink, the Mustang's got the Camaro beat on paper. But what about in the real world? Make the jump to find out.



Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Ford Mustang GT changes the game

First Drive: 2011 Ford Mustang GT changes the game originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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First Drive: 2011 Ford Mustang V6 rewrites the rental car rulebook

Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Ford, First Drive

*Originally published at 12:01AM EST and republished now because most of you were sleeping then.

To many, the terms "Mustang" and "high technology" are as mutually exclusive as "China" and "transparent, open society." After all, the first Mustang rolled off the assembly line before the Vietnam War got under way, and in the minds of most people it hasn't changed all that much in the 4.5 decades since. Sure, every once in a while Ford will bolt a fairly high-tech motor into a special edition 'Stang (SVT, Cobra, GT500), but for the most part the original pony car represents exactly that: the origin of the species. Especially when it comes to the base model, the until now lowly - some might say primitive - V6 iteration.

For seemingly ever, Ford has been content to let its low-hanging fruit edition Mustang rot away in irrelevance. Nothing seemed to make the Blue Oval boys happier than stocking every rental car fleet in the nation with soft-riding, underpowered has-beens. Let's make that never-rans. So for the performance minded buyer, the V6 version of the Mustang never even entered the picture. Worse, do you know what car people interested in a V6 Mustang cross-shopped the most? Pat yourself on the back if you said Honda Accord Coupe. In other words, the V6 Mustang was never a sports car.

Now, along comes the 2011 model year and you can throw everything you thought you knew about Ford's entry-level pony car out the window. It simply no longer applies. Gone is the archaic, universally unloved and soon to be totally forgotten 4.0-liter V6. In its place is a very high-tech version of Ford and Mazda's 3.7-liter 60-degree V6. With it, the 2011 Ford Mustang V6 produces 305 horsepower, 280 pound-feet of torque, and yet returns 31 mpg on the freeway according to the EPA. In fact, as Ford was happy to tell us (quite a a few times), the 2011 V6 is the only car ever to produce 305 hp and get 31 mpg. Fabulous numbers no doubt, but they only tell part of the story. In our opinion, the Mustang V6 could be the most significant car released this year. Follow the jump to learn why.



Photos by Drew Phillips / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Ford Mustang V6 rewrites the rental car rulebook

First Drive: 2011 Ford Mustang V6 rewrites the rental car rulebook originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 29 Mar 2010 11:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Mustang pricing undercuts Camaro

Filed under: Car Buying, Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Ford

While our drive impressions of the 2011 Mustang V6 and 2011 Mustang GT are still under a strict embargo until Monday, we can tell you one thing with certainty. That thing is pricing, and even though Ford has managed to add close to 100 horsepower to each car, the cash customers need to lay out has barely budged.

The 305-hp Mustang V6 starts at $22,995, while the 5.0-badged 412-hp Mustang GT starts at $30,495, with the V8 premium GT starting at $33,695. That's some pretty potent bang for your buck, especially as both prices include destination charges. Consider that the 304-hp V6 Camaro starts at $23,530, a difference of $535. Of course, that's for the 2010 Camaro, as Chevy has yet to release Camaro pricing for 2011.

The 426-horespower 2010 Camaro SS starts at $31,795, a difference of $1,300, with no 2011 prices announced yet. Of course, many people will be quick to point out that you do get more horsepower for the money (about $93 per pony according to our math). And paying more money for more power is always justified, right? Not so fast. Our friends over at Inside Line managed to (somehow) sneak the new 5.0 'Stang onto a dyno and record 395 horses at the rear wheels. Factor in about 12% parasitic drivetrain loss and you're talking in excess of 440 horsepower. Dang. Of course, we've driven the car and we can tell you with some certainty [CENSORED].

As it stands, the re-ignited pony car wars just got a whole lot more hot.

2011 Ford Mustang pricing undercuts Camaro originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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DetNews: New Ford Police Interceptor to be Taurus-based

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Work, Ford, Specialty

Just a quick note: The Detroit News is reporting that the next Ford Police Interceptor will be based on the same platform as the Taurus. For you platform geeks out there, that's the Ford D3 chassis that underpins everything from the the Lincoln MKS to the Volvo XC90 to the Ford Flex (though the Flex and the Lincoln MKT ride on a lengthened version called D4). Yesterday, we explained that a new Police Interceptor is showing up tomorrow (Friday, March 12) in Las Vegas and that it probably won't be riding on the Panther platform. Regardless, the concept will be unveiled at the Vegas Motor Speedway.

There's still no official word from Ford on the matter, however. However, if the new Interceptor is in fact Taurus-based, that means no rear-wheel drive Falcon in the United States. Which is a definite bummer. Also, while there are all-wheel drive variants of the D3 platform - and we think it's safe to assume that if the new Police Interceptor is D3-based it will be AWD - it lacks frame rails. Has Ford figured out a way to make a unibody car tough enough for police work? We shall see. And if the new PI is a Taurus, will it be based on a modified 365-horsepower SHO? We'd wager yes. Let's just hope they fit some bigger brakes for cop duty, eh?



[Source: The Detroit News]

DetNews: New Ford Police Interceptor to be Taurus-based originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: Next-gen Ford Police Interceptor will debut this Friday in Las Vegas

Filed under: Concept Cars, Sedan, Government/Legal, Work, Ford, Specialty

Hold on to your sap gloves and night sticks - it's that time of the decade! An Autoblog source reveals that Ford is about to release a brand spankin' new Police Interceptor. Not only is this humongous news for our pals in the law enforcement community, but this is 120-point headline font for taxi companies around the country, as they typically buy old Police Interceptors with 90,000 miles on 'em and repurpose them as the cabs we all know and love passing out in. Why? Because Police Interceptors are the toughest passenger cars money can buy.

Few of us have the need to drive over curbs at 50+ mph, but if that need arises, you're going to want to do so in an Interceptor. Aside from the "severe duty" shocks, you get a beefed up frame and body mounts. Yes, that is correct. The Crown Victoria-based Police Interceptor is body-on-frame. Listen, when you're PIT maneuvering a perp during a high speed chase, the last thing you want to worry about is bending the chassis. Plus you got them heavy duty brakes, suspension components and oil coolers. A sweet package, no doubt.

Here's the thing though. If this new Police Interceptor is more than a package, what platform will it ride on? Ford has stated publicly that it's ending the geriatric Panther Platform Crown Victoria's life in 2011. We'll go ahead and interpret that to mean that this new Police Interceptor won't be Crown Victoria-based. Do we know that for sure? No, but it's a logical bit of speculation. Could the new Interceptor be Taurus-based, maybe something with a SHO motor and stouter brakes? Again, yes, but for all we know the upcoming car's a Fiesta with the Mustang GT's new 5.0-liter V8 crammed in the rear seat. Or one of them apocryphal Australia-only rear-drive Falcons. All we know for sure is that Ford's introducing a new Police Interceptor to a select group of folks in Las Vegas this Friday. Production? Concept? We're not entirely sure yet. More details when we get them.

[Image: davidsonscott15 | CC2.0]

Source: Next-gen Ford Police Interceptor will debut this Friday in Las Vegas originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 10 Mar 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: 24 Hours of LeMons Ford Escort ZX2 flips out

Filed under: Motorsports, Etc., Ford

One of the common, angry refrains that veteran 24 Hours of LeMons teams voice is the fact that the $500 junker series keeps increasing the safety requirements, especially when it comes to roll cages. After all, their cage passed the tech inspection last time, no problem. Why the hassle, man?

It can be safely assumed however, that the driver of the Ford Escort ZX2 sees no problem with tighter, tougher (and yes, safer) LeMons roll cage requirements. First and foremost, the driver walked away from the wreck (it took place at last weekend's Gator-O-Rama 2010 race near Houston, TX) with zero injuries. Second of all, the following video is a very good lesson in why your wheels shouldn't stick out past your car's fenders. Sadly, the AMC Gremlin that the Escort climbed up isn't visible. However, you can see a little piece of its side wing airborne in the image above. Watch the video, after the jump. Thanks to DrWife for capturing the footage!

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: 24 Hours of LeMons Ford Escort ZX2 flips out

Video: 24 Hours of LeMons Ford Escort ZX2 flips out originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 24 Feb 2010 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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