AppLink software for SYNC comes to Fiesta first, adds iPhone
Filed under: Technology, Ford
It's a good day for Ford Sync users. The Blue Oval has officially announced two big leaps forward for the company's infotainment system for smartphone users. For the first time, Apple users will find that their iPhone is now fully compatible with Sync. Previously, the system was only usable with devices that used RIM or Android operating systems. What's more, users can now control the applications on their smartphones using a hands-free, voice-operated system. So far, there are only a handful of apps that will gel with Sync voice activation, including Pandora internet radio, Stitcher news radio and OpenBeak (a Twitter client), though Ford says that there are more on the way.
The new and improved Sync will first show up in 14,000 Ford Fiesta models, though the free Sync application will eventually be equipped on every Sync-equipped Ford and Lincoln vehicle. Fiesta owners can get the ball rolling by logging into their Sync account online and pointing their browser toward the Update and Customize section of the site. Hit the jump for the full press release.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading AppLink software for SYNC comes to Fiesta first, adds iPhone
AppLink software for SYNC comes to Fiesta first, adds iPhone originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Dec 2010 08:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: Who can do the better burnout, AJ Allmendinger or Ken Block?
Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities
Ken Block and AJ Allmendinger do the burnout thing - Click above to watch video after the jump
Ford has released the fifth video in its 43 Fiestas series, and this time Ken Block and AJ Allmendinger have gone head-to-head to see who can do the best burnout. As always, Richard Petty himself is on hand to oversee the festivities. While you'd think Allmendinger's ridiculous V8-powered, rear-wheel drive NASCAR beast would be the de facto champion of lighting 'em up, Block's wee rally-sped Fiesta held its own this time *ahem* around. The Gymkhana champ fell back on his signature pirouette-around-a-fixed-object move to win an approving nod from the King himself. Not too shabby.
This latest stunt is one in a series leading up to a massive prize giveaway that includes tickets to the Ford 300 Nationwide and Ford 400 NASCAR races and flat-screen televisions. Ford will also give one lucky winner the keys to a 2011 Ford Fiesta, and if the company happens to take the win at the Ford 400, it will give 43 lucky winners their own unique Fiesta. You can head over to the 43 Fiestas site for more details, and hop the jump for a look at the video.
[Source: YouTube]
Continue reading Video: Who can do the better burnout, AJ Allmendinger or Ken Block?
Video: Who can do the better burnout, AJ Allmendinger or Ken Block? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Oct 2010 19:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsSEMA Preview: Fiesta to dominate Ford booth
Filed under: Aftermarket, Concept Cars, SEMA Show, Budget, Sedan, Performance, Hatchback, Ford
2011 Ford Fiesta at SEMA - Click above for image gallery
We've only just gotten over our jet lag from the Paris Motor Show, but there's no stopping the yearly auto expo schedule and the aftermarket insanity that is the annual SEMA show is just around the corner.
This year's show will see the Ford Motor Company continuing to make a lot of noise with its effervescent little subcompact juggernaut, the Fiesta, along with a string of debuts planned from various tuners. But that isn't stopping the Blue Oval from bringing a little heat of its own to the Las Vegas show floor, including a concept car that features a 350-horsepower 2.3-liter four-pot (a bored-out version of the production 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine) and a slew of off-the-shelf Ford Racing Performance parts.
Also on the floor will be a series of other Fiesta showcars including models put together by 3dCarbon, H&R Springs, FSWerks and Steeda Autosports, among others.
We'll be on-hand to capture all the zaniness that is SEMA from November 2 through November 5, so stay tuned. While you're waiting, however, be sure to check out our gallery below and Ford's official release after the jump.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading SEMA Preview: Fiesta to dominate Ford booth
SEMA Preview: Fiesta to dominate Ford booth originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 07 Oct 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: 2011 Ford Fiesta is so pimping, so sexy
Filed under: Budget, Videos, Hatchback, Ford
Ford Fiesta "You so Pimping, You so Sexy" ad by Film Riot - Click above to watch the video after the jump
Ford may have its own ad campaign for the Fiesta, but we're mildly amused by this one-off, three-minute-long ad created by the folks at Film Riot, an online how-to show about filmmaking. The Blue Oval currently sponsors the Film Riot crew, so it makes sense that the funky new Fiesta hatch (in Lime Squeeze, of course) would be the star of their ad spoof.
One part Swagger Wagon rap and one part Sprockets, the Euro-inspired dance track fits the Fiesta perfectly. Note to Ford: Edit this down to a 30-second television spot posthaste, or keep it in its entirety for next year's Super Bowl. Follow the jump to see Film Riot's ad for yourself.
Photos Copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: YouTube]
Continue reading Video: 2011 Ford Fiesta is so pimping, so sexy
Video: 2011 Ford Fiesta is so pimping, so sexy originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 01 Sep 2010 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: Ford Fiesta shipments flowing again after faulty part fixed
Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, Ford
2011 Ford Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery
The Ford Fiesta launch was supposed to be smooth as glass, but few complex plans go off without a hitch. The first samples of Ford's hot subcompact were stalled due to hazardous weather near the Mexico assembly plant where it's produced. Ford mailed out $50 MasterCard gift certificates to stave off its increasingly impatient order holders, but unfortunately the delays aren't over. The Fiesta had more problems in the last week, but this time Mother Nature had little to do with the delay.
Automotive News is reporting that a quality problem has further postponed some Fiesta shipments, which means already waiting buyers will have to wait a bit longer. Ford President of the Americas Mark Fields declined to say which part caused the delay, but sources at AN say that a faulty seat lever is the culprit. The Blue Oval claims that the issue is now fixed and production has ramped back up in an effort to meet demand. Ford further says that it is unlikely that any defective parts have made it to customers.
While we're sure that Ford management is less than thrilled with the hiccups in the Fiesta launch, Fields summed up the situation by saying, "The great news is that we have a product that is in really high demand."
Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]
Report: Ford Fiesta shipments flowing again after faulty part fixed originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 26 Aug 2010 09:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord offers $50 gift cards to customers facing late Fiesta deliveries
Filed under: Car Buying, Budget, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford
2011 Ford Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery
Due to circumstances reportedly beyond Ford's control, many customers are having to wait a bit longer to receive their new 2011 Fiesta sedans and hatchbacks. After Hurricane Alex and Tropical Storm Bonnie rolled through Northern Mexico earlier this summer, railroads were damaged that provide shipments to the factory where Ford builds the Fiesta.
Customers may have to wait up to two weeks longer than expected to receive the hot new subcompact, and as a token of appreciation for being patient, Ford will be giving these customers a $50 MasterCard gift card. That's a free tank of gas and a smattering of delicious coffee drinks... or a fancy dinner for two!
In speaking with Automotive News, Ford sales analyst George Pipas says that Ford has "about 6,500 to 7,000 [Fiestas] in transit to dealers" and that the cars should start to be fully stocked within the next couple of months. For now, customers will have to wait patiently and take solace in the extra $50 in their pockets when it finally comes time to take delivery.
Photos Copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]
Ford offers $50 gift cards to customers facing late Fiesta deliveries originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Aug 2010 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsVideo: Ford Fiesta takes care of the ‘Honey Do’ list, Ken Block style
Filed under: Motorsports, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Hatchback, Ford, Humor
Ken Block takes out the trash - Click above to watch video after the jump
At some point during the development of the American vernacular, the term "grocery getter" became a term of condescension. Thing is, lugging around a few bags of consumables and clipping apexes don't have to be mutually exclusive. Ford is hoping the average U.S. car buyer has outgrown the prejudices of his forebearers and is willing to jump into something with a hatchback. To help dispel any lingering thoughts of boredom, the Blue Oval has called on none other than Ken Block to use his guano-crazy Fiesta WRC rally racer to take care of a few household chores. Sideways.
The quick clip after the jump is filled with the kind of car control we've come to expect from Block, even with his recent run of bad luck in the WRC. If you like what you see in the video, you can register for a chance to win a 2011 Fiesta worked up to look just like Block's racer. Something tells us the grand-prize car won't be all-wheel drive, though. Hit the jump to watch the video, as well as check out the full press release with details on the drawing.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Video: Ford Fiesta takes care of the 'Honey Do' list, Ken Block style
Video: Ford Fiesta takes care of the 'Honey Do' list, Ken Block style originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Aug 2010 12:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsKen Block reveals possible Fiesta special edition collaboration with Ford in the works
Filed under: Motorsports, Sedan, Hatchback, Ford
Ken Block Gymkhana 3 Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery
Ken Block isn't a World Rally Championship legend by any stretch, but thanks to his immensely entertaining Gymkhana videos, the glorified shoemaker can definitely lay claim to the title of YouTube Legend. And with Ford working the Internets hard during the launches of its new products like the Fiesta and Explorer, it made total sense that Ford would want to partner with the new media star.
The duo of Fiesta and Ken Block is less than a year old, but already there are some rumblings that Block edition Fiesta could be in the works. How about a DC Shoes edition Fiesta? In a recent radio interview with KROQ, Block was asked if there was a KB Fiesta on the way, and he responded with "we're discussing those types of things but there's nothing set in stone at this point." Block went on to add that for now, he wants to concentrate on racing and developing new competition cars.
So, no definitive news on the Ken Block edition Fiesta front, but the two parties are at least thinking about a special model. We can't see how this is a bad idea, considering that 30 million potential car buyers waiting patiently for Gymkhana 3 - we couldn't think of a better way to announce a special edition Fiesta than by starring in another Block-buster internet flick (sorry, we couldn't resist). Head over to the KROQ website to listen to the interview. Hat tip to Joe B!
[Source: KROQ]
Ken Block reveals possible Fiesta special edition collaboration with Ford in the works originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 28 Jul 2010 13:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsEx-Fiesta Movement cars will live on at Team O’Neil Fiesta Rally Experience
Filed under: Motorsports, Budget, Hatchback, Ford
The real revolutionaries in the Fiesta Movement - the cars themselves, not the agents - have more work to do even though they're kind of on sale now and the revolution is over. Ford is giving 43 of the 100 Fiestas from the movement to the Team O'Neil Reilly Rally School in New Hampshire, where the hatchbacks will be refitted for student racing duty.
They'll form the core of the Ford Racing Fiesta Rally Experience, the only manufacturer-backed rally school on the continent. One- and two-day courses start at $495, and your gravel guide will be a man who's coached Travis Pastrana and Ford's WRC driver, Ken Block. Maybe while you're there you'll find out what made Reilly quip, "Driving the Fiesta is like driving an expensive German car." All the info you need on how to get there you can find in the press release after the jump.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading Ex-Fiesta Movement cars will live on at Team O'Neil Fiesta Rally Experience
Ex-Fiesta Movement cars will live on at Team O'Neil Fiesta Rally Experience originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 19 Jul 2010 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord Fiesta shipments delayed due to hurricane, damaged railroads *UPDATE
Filed under: Budget, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Hatchback, Ford
2011 Ford Fiesta - Click above for high-res image gallery
Those waiting patiently for one of the most anticipated new vehicles of the year are going to have wait just a little bit longer. According to Automotive News, Ford has been forced to delay the initial shipments of the 2011 Fiesta by 10 to 14 days due to Hurricane Alex, which hit Northern Mexico in late June, and Tropical Storm Bonnie, which made landfall shortly thereafter.
It seems there are a number of damaged railroads around Ford's factory near Mexico City, and the automaker has been forced to reroute some of its shipments. Ford is reporting that it has collected about 2,000 down payments from customers waiting for the 2011 Fiesta, and some of those vehicles will be arriving later than initially planned.
While nobody wants to wait any longer than necessary for their brand new cars, an extra 10 days or so shouldn't cause too big a problem, right? Especially when it's due to... an Act of God.
*UPDATE: A Fiesta fan on Facebook has uploaded some images that show the damaged railroads in Mexico, one of which can be seen to the right. Click here for more.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]
Ford Fiesta shipments delayed due to hurricane, damaged railroads *UPDATE originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 13 Jul 2010 17:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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