I’ve always liked the Ford Focus. It might not be the best family four-door around, but it does give drivers the versatility of having a sporty ride with all the practicality needed by the family. Now here’s another version of the Focus that’s specifically built for the driver with more practical needs – the Ford Focus Estate.

“As with all of the models in our new global C-platform portfolio, there is scope to offer… this estate in markets around the world,” so says Ford of Europe boss John Fleming.

The platform has proven to be solid. The Mazda 3 shares pretty much the same underpinnings as the Focus and so does the upcoming Kuga. A new performance version of the Focus is also set to be unveiled by 2012. No word yet if the new model will be replacing either the ST or the RS.

The new Focus Estate will be unveiled at the Geneva motor show.

The thing with business is it really is a dog-eat-dog world. Falter and your competitors would be more than happy to kick you while you’re down.

Toyota might be the biggest automaker today after GM went bust but it might not be able to hold on to the title for long. Especially with mighty Volkswagen eating away at the lead and, of course, in the light of one of the biggest recalls in history.

An accelerator problem prompted Toyota to recall millions of vehicles worldwide. The company even halted US sales of select models until its engineers figure out a permanent solution to the problem.

Ready to pick on the wounded giant are GM, Ford, Chrysler and Hyundai who are offering Toyota customers incetives on trade-ins.

Chrysler is offering $1,000 bonus for Tundra, Tacoma, and Sienna owners who’d want to get any new Chrysler, Jeep, Dodge or Ram. A similar $1,000 offer is made by Hyundai for any new takers of a Sonata, Elanta, and Elantra Touring.

Call it honor, but Toyota’s biggest Japanese rival Honda which has been permanently trying to pip Toyota’s model range, takes the high road in not trying to steal Toyota’s customers in such a manner.

The beloved American muscle car will get some upgrades for its 2011 incarnation including a new V8 engine for its range-topping trim level.

The V8 engine will see increased displacement from the 4.6L of old to a whopping 5.0L. That should bring back some memories from the ‘Stang fans of old.

The other bits slapped on the engine, however, get a modern twist. It is fitted with an aluminum block and head, twin overhead camshafts and 4 valves per cylinder. It dishes out 412 bhp and 390 lb-ft of torque. Not quite supercar range but that’s enough guns to blast through America’s highways.

Ford also took time to make sure that even with the larger displacement, the new V8 will not be any heavier than the 4.6L and that it is even 5% more fuel efficient despite its power boost.

Between the top two Mustang tuners – Shelby and Roush – my money would always go to Roush. Why? It’s primarily because Roush doesn’t leave out the suspensions and handling when giving the Mustang more pony powers.

Now meet the two new Roush Mustangs – the new 427R 2010 Mustang and the 2010 Roush Stage 3 Mustang.

The 427R is powered by a 4.3L supercharged V8 engine to dish out 435 hp. Now that’s quite something given that it enables the car to do 0 to 62 mph in just about 4 seconds.

But if you want a faster Mustang, then you might want to go for the Stage 3. The car features a modified version of the engine found in the 2009 Roush P-51B Mustang including the R2300 supercharger that ups the power rating to an awesome 540-hp with a peak torque of 510 lb-ft.

Source: Roush

Ford will not be left out of the Frankfurt show. Being the only US automaker who survived the financial crisis without having to declare bankruptcy, they should be proud of showcasing their cars. Never mind if they’re not supercar material.

This here’s the new Ford C-Max which gets the honor of being built on the same platform as the next-gen Ford Focus. The car’s basically a people mover with five and seven-seater options. Your choice depending on the number of butts you’ll be hauling around.

The car will be powered by Ford’s turbocharged 1.6L four-cylinder EcoBoost engine. The C-segment platform used by the C-Max will also be shared by the upcoming Focus and the Kuga replacement.

Pictured is the illustration of the five-seater C-Max. The larger seven-seater will be styled differently mimicking similar people movers like Renault Grand Scenic which employs sliding doors for better access to rear seats.

Source: NY Times

Ford has many reasons to be proud for what they’ve done to the Focus RS but it still has to prove itself across a number of challenges. The Nurburgring Nordschleife is still the proving grounds for any sports car out there and it’s great to see the Focus RS do a lap around it.

In an effort to prove that the Focus RS is the hottest hatch in Europe, Sport Auto’s EIC Horst von Saurma takes the car around the ‘Ring. The driver and car managed to do an 8:26. Not bad at all given that the Focus is a front-wheel drive car.

The RS is powered by a turbo-charged 2.5L Duratec engine. It generates 300 hp and a max torque of 324 lb-ft. It manages 0 to 60 in 5.9 seconds and a top speed of 163 mph.

Here’s a video of the lap:

The little hot hatch that has gained popularity in Europe will be coming to North America. The US launch of the Ford Fiesta is still on track for 2010. In addition to the Fiesta, Ford will also be making available the newly re-designed Focus by the second half.

“Right now, both of those programs remain on target,” Ford product development chief Derrick Kuzak told Reuters in an interview. “And on the Fiesta side, launching in the U.S., we will be building on some very good momentum because the vehicle has already launched in other regions of the world.”

Aside from the two cars, Ford is currently working on the other cars in the lineup. A fully-redesigned Taurus sedan is in the works as well as updated versions of the Fusion and Mustang are in store this year.

Ford’s hold of the market outside the United States with cars like the Focus and the Fiesta helped it stay afloat. The company is the only one in the Big Three not to be threatened by bankruptcy. GM has already gone bankrupt while Chrysler had to be taken over by Fiat.

Source: Reuters

Late in 2008, Ford announced that it would be building a new engine codenamed the ‘Bobcat’. The new engine will feature ethanol-injection as an added feature for improving the power and fuel efficiency of Ford’s soon-to-debut EcoBoost engines. Now, the engine’s development was confirmed by documents filed at the US Department of Energy.

EcoBoost was designed to provide excellent power with better fuel economy, thanks to turbo-charging and direct-injection. Ethanol-injection should hike up the EcoBoost engines’ performance, with slated improvements of 5 to 10 percent in terms of fuel economy.

How does it work? Ethanol is injected along with petrol into the cylinder chamber before combustion. The ethanol serves to cool the chambers as it combusts, allowing engines to run at higher compression rates and also combines with the high-octane petrol for better efficiency. The engine is being developed in tandem with Ethanol Boosting Systems, a company based in Massachussetts. EBS calls the process Direct Injection Octane Boost.

While there are no release dates given by Ford, the company is expected to start testing the ethanol-injected engine on a Ford F-series pickup late in 2009.

Ford has confirmed that the new Focus RS won’t be made available to buyers in the United States. This was recently confirmed by the company’s new performance car chief Jost Capito.

Although Ford expressed the desire to bring European models to the American market, the move to sell the RS just isn’t a financially sound move. “We’d like to, but the base car isn’t homologated for North America and that’s too costly a job to carry out just for a niche vehicle like the RS,” said Capito in an interview with Autocar.

While the loss of the Focus RS is a bit disappointing, Ford already has a couple of European models that will vie for a market share in their respective segments. The Ford Transit Connect has already started sales in the US. Additionally, the Fiesta is set to start selling in the States by next year.

Capito added that the performance division is still intent on making models that are specific to either the US or Europe. He is particularly keen on keeping the RS at a high standard, which might even mean that future global models might only sparingly see RS badges.

The Ford Focus RS got some really great raves from motoring editors and it might just be the hot-hatch to beat in the market. As a contender, Audi isn’t going to let Ford bid for domination without a fight. Soon to roll out of Audi’s production lines are the A3 sedan an d a hybrid variant. Now reports have it that Audi is working on a sporty version with the RS3.

Powering the RS3 will be a 2.5L 5-cylinder twin-turbo engine coming from the TT. The engine will dish out 355 horsepower and will be capable of a max torque of 332 lb-ft. The engine will be mated to the new seven-speed dual-clutch gearbox and torque-vectoring differential.

No performance figures yet but the power figures will definitely put the car in good shape to compete with the Focus RS which packs a “measly” 300 hp (which, in fact is already an engineering marvel given that the RS is front-wheel drive.) The Audi, however, sill be a four-wheel drive car making it more capable of putting down the power on the road.

The car is set to be launched by the end of 2012.

There will be some special events and celebrations organized to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the iconic Ford Capri coupe produced by Ford Europe from 1969 to 1986.

The Capri was, after all, hailed as Ford Europe’s Mustang counterpart. The car was also billed as “the car you always promised yourself” in marketing pitches and advertisements. The range totaled 26 variants throughout the model’s lifespan. Overall, nearly 2 million units of the car were sold through 1986.

Among the celebrations will be meets organized in certain areas all over the UK. The confirmed meets include a June 6 event at Castle Combe, Wiltshire, Grampian Transport Museum, Alford, Aberdeenshire on August 30, Ace Café in London on September 5, and at the Brooklands Museum, Surrey due September 26.

There have also been hints in recent years of some Focus-based Capri designs, although none have made it to the concept stage yet. Who knows, the celebrations could end up in a revelation of a revived Capri.

Source: Autocar

Between Roush and Shelby, I’d always have the thing for Roush Mustangs. Shelby has had this thing for beefing up the engine so much and leaving the suspension as is. That makes for one brutish car if you’d ask me as opposed to Roush Mustangs which get performance tweaks all over.

Roush just unveiled their latest Mustang – the Roush 427RT. Don’t be misled by the monicker since this car packs a 4.3L V8 with a Roush supercharger boosting the total power output to a beastly 435 hp. This allows the car to go from 0-60 in about 4 seconds and 0 to 60 in less than 115 feet.

There will be three “trim levels” to this car with prices starting at $34,847 for the Stage 1T and $43,051 for the 427RT. Buyers, however, can go through 150 parts that they’d like to have on their Roush Mustang.

Source: Roush

Ford is giving a glimpse of the future with its Iosis Max concept four-door hatchback, from which the next-generation Ford C-Max mini-MPV would be derived. The Iosis Max also hints at the appearance of the new Ford Focus due in 2011.

The concept, according to Martin Smith, the vehicle’s chief designer, “is a store of design cues and signature elements that will be evident on the next generation of Focus-family models.” The Iosis Max has strong styling and aggressive elements reminiscent of those from the Ford Fiesta.

The Iosis Max concept runs on a 1.6-liter, 177-brake horsepower engine with EcoBoost, mated to a Powershift dual-clutch transmission system developed by Ford. Simulations peg emission levels at 125g/km.

There was a Ford Iosis concept revealed at the Frankfurt Show back in 2005. While only a few years separate the two concept hatchbacks, the designs are worlds apart. The Iosis Max looks kind of like a barracuda, with the downward-sloped headlights and the huge, frown-shaped lower grille. Good thing it’s still in the concept stage, and much can still be changed from here to production.

Source: Autocar

Ford is reviving its highly-popular Super High Output line with a new SHO based on the 2010 Ford Taurus, which will be unveiled as the Chicago Auto Show goes under way.

The 2010 Ford Taurus SHO draws its 365 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque from a 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 engine, quite easily the most powerful EcoBoost yet. For the transmission, the Taurus SHO uses a six-speed automatic mated to the engine. It also has paddle-shifters and a partial All Wheel Drive system that can detect when wheels slip, automatically engaging to prevent any mishap.

The car is also fitted with EPAS, or electronic power-assisted steering, which helps in maximizing fuel consumption. A variety of other features have also been thrown in the mix: 19-inch alloy wheels and a sports suspension complete with heavy-duty shock absorbers, springs, and stabilizer bars.

For those who have been waiting for the SHO’s revival for far too long, well… you know what they say: Patience is a virtue. Pretty soon, the 2010 Ford Taurus SHO will make its debut in all its sleek, EcoBoost-powered glory.

Source: Motor Authority

Great Britain-based What Car? Magazine lauded the new Ford Fiesta as the publication’s 2009 Car of the Year, calling it “the most complete car (they’ve) ever tested,” with a good balance of style, power, and the all-important fuel economy.

“It’s practical enough to be used as a family car, fun enough to be used as a sports car and stylish enough to make the right impression,” said What Car? Editor Steve Fowler. “It’s also affordable to buy, cheap to run and kind to the planet.”

The UK has been very receptive to Ford’s Europe-produced subcompact (called supermini in the UK). For November and December of 2008, the Fiesta was the top grosser in European car sales. The new Ford Fiesta will see a US release in early 2010, with hatchback and sedan variants to be produced at the company’s Mexico plant in Cuautitlan. Production for Asian markets had started very recently in Nanjing, China.

“This ultimate endorsement by What Car? will drive the new Fiesta to even greater success this year,” said John Fleming, Ford Europe CEO, as he accepted the award.

Most of the time, car magazines often get it wrong (due to bias perhaps) but not this one. The Fiesta will definitely be worth the thought when people consider buying a mini. I think the Fiesta’s one of the biggest comebacks – worthy of John Travolta.

Source: Ford Official Site

Having trouble with parallel parking? Then we’ve got good news for you. Ford has unveiled its new Active Park Assist system, an optional feature for both the Lincoln MKS sedan and Lincoln MKT crossover that will greatly help drivers parallel park.

The system utilizes ultrasonic sensing in tandem with EPAS, or Electric Power Assisted Steering, in order to put the car in the best parallel parking position and come up with the best possible steering angle.

To start things off, there’s a button on the instrument panel and the driver simply pushes this to let the sensors find an appropriate parallel parking slot. Once the driver accepts the parking assistance prompt, the steering system activates and the car practically parks itself. Pedals and transmission are still at the behest of the driver, while he is prompted on distances of nearby cars or people.

So far, only the two aforementioned models will have the Active Park Assist option. However, with Ford planning to put automated steering on more models, there’s a great possibility that the automated parking system will be seen more frequently.

Source: Motor Authority

Ford has come up with a new ‘smart’ gearshift indicator that will be installed on the automaker’s new ECOnetic and Transit cars. The gear-change indicator will be able to let drivers know when the best possible moment is to shift gears.

The indicator will be standard features of the ECOnetic line, including the Mondeo ECOnetic and Fiesta ECOnetic. The Ford Transit and Transit TDCi will also feature the indicator in the basic feature set. By providing drivers with information on when to shift gears, the gear-change indicator will contribute to cutting fuel costs as well as help reduce harmful emissions.

The system keeps track of vehicle data such as throttle position, vehicle load, and the way the driver drives. These bits of information is used by the system to come up with the ideal gear change moment.

“Many drivers could improve their fuel economy significantly by changing gear earlier,” said Tim Winstanley, diesel powertrain manager of Ford. “The indicator provides drivers with a helpful aid to using less fuel and encourages a smoother driving style.”

Source: Motor Torque

As the production version of the Ford Focus RS nears launch, new details have been revealed about this much-awaited car. The new bits of information include a 5.9-second 0-100 kph (0-62 mph) time and a top speed of 264 kph (164 mph).

The Focus RS is also equipped with a Quaife limited-slip differential that has automatic torque-biasing for steady traction on all kinds of surfaces. The standard 2.5-liter Duratec engine features reworked components, including the camshafts, cylinder head and gasket, and intake and manifold system. There are also improved springs, dampers, and anti-roll bars. Overall, the RS provides an upgrade in power, handling, and appearance over the base Focus ST.

Blue, white, and vibrant green are the three basic colors available at launch. Buyers can opt to go with interior colors based off the exterior colors or choose a full-leather black interior.

The Ford Focus RS concept was unveiled back in July at the London Motor Show. It will be the first car to be badged with the RS designation since the 2002 Focus RS. The production model has just been completed, and the car is expected to be distributed early in 2009.

Source: Motor Authority

Ford topped the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) list of vehicles that have been deemed “Top Safety Picks,” citing some major milestones achieved for 2008.

IIHS president Adrian Lund said that the Top Safety Pick citation are given to vehicles that pass front, side, and rear crash tests with flying colors, along with electronic stability control, “a technology that can help drivers avoid many crashes altogether.” Ford was pleased with the results, and this shows that various innovations on car safety technology isn’t going to waste.

Acura managed to have all of its models get a Top Safety Pick citation, giving Honda 13 overall picks. Lexus and Infiniti, meanwhile, did not manage to get a single car picked, owing to “inadequate head and seat restraints”.

A majority of the 72 cars included in the list belong to the large-car and SUV categories. On the other hand, the Honda Fit/Jazz was the single subcompact to earn the honor, disproving the notion that size translates to safety when it comes to modern vehicles.

Source: Motor Authority

In yet another move to bolster its floundering finances, Ford is selling a majority of its shares in Mazda—reportedly 20 out of the 33 percent that Ford owns—for a mere $540 million.

The sale leaves Ford with a 13-percent stake in Mazda. While not as large as before, Ford will remain the entity with the biggest shares in the Japanese company. The Ford-Mazda partnership can be traced as far back as its initial investment in 1979, culminating in Ford padding its stake in 1996. Ford’s entire stake in Mazda was valued at $2.73 billion just this June.

This sale also comes after Ford’s sale of its remaining shares in Suzuki and a majority of its Premier Auto Group. Ford acknowledges its reluctance to part with a big part of its share in Mazda. However, since financial aid talks with Washington have slowed down and with no end in sight to the current financial crunch, Ford is desperate to liquidate some of its assets for cash relief.

It’s a good thing Ford still has significant shares in Mazda, because Mazda’s expertise in small cars is invaluable to Ford’s thrust to develop more efficient and compact cars. Mazda also played a key role in the development of the Ford Fiesta.

Source: MotorTorque

Details on the upcoming Ford Mustang have been released through the official 2010 Ford Mustang micro-site.

Prospective owners will have a choice between a 4-liter V6 and a GT version with a 4.6-liter V8 engine. The V6 has 210 horsepower and 240 lb.-ft. of torque, while the V8 has upwards of 315 horsepower and 325 lb.-ft. of torque. The car also boasts of a 5-speed transmission, cold air induction for heightened performance, and AdvanceTrac Electronic Stability Control (with a Sport Mode on the GT Premium version for “more spirited driving”).

Exterior redesigns include a new power-dome hood, wheel designs, LED tail lamps, and body color exterior mirrors. The car also makes extensive use of advanced car technology, which includes Ford SYNC that allows voice commands for BlueTooth mobiles and portable media devices, automatic temperature control, SIRIUS TravelLink navigation system, and a reverse camera system.

The 2010 Ford Mustang is slated for release in early 2009. Both GT and non-GT versions have a standard and a Premium configuration. Ford also conveniently allows a customizable feature package using the order form at the Mustang micro-site.

Source: 2010 Ford Mustang Micro-site

Ford has its eye on the future. Despite already stating the need to cut costs and delay development of some of its cars, the American automaker sees the introduction of new, must-buy models as the answer for the steep decline in its car sales.

After six weeks of discussing viable measures to regain profitability, Ford execs realized that it is not enough to cut back on costs and simply bank on the old reliable models to keep sales afloat. “We’re only going to be in business if we create products that people really do want and value,” said Ford president and CEO Allan Mulally.

Ford is already in cost-cutting mode. The financial flexibility gained from cutting salary, restructuring, and reduction in advertising and executive bonuses will be dedicated to this new mindset.

This is a good mentality for Ford, simply because relying on older models is tantamount to mediocrity for an automaker. The cars are at the heart of the business, and that’s where car companies should focus on. Cost-cutting efforts would be such a waste if product development stagnates.

Source: Motor Authority

With the high price of gasoline, Ford will shift its focus from full-sized trucks and pickups and is now turning to smaller cars that are geared towards fuel economy and efficiency. Even with the launch of the F-150 Raptor, CEO Alan Mulally stated the importance of having a “full complement of small- and medium-sized cars and utilities that complement (Ford’s) larger vehicles.”

Mulally further said that the priority is to get the Ford Fiesta subcompact out on the U.S. market, preferably as early as possible in 2010. There is also the possibility of marketing the redesigned Ford Ka microcar in North America, though the CEO has not yet set a deadline for this decision. The Ka will be launched in Europe in 2009.

The critical factor here is the profit margin difference between small cars and larger trucks and pickups, where Ford basically gets a sizeable portion of its revenue from. The bigger vehicles naturally provide a larger profit margin. This is especially relevant, what with Mulally foreseeing continued downturns in the automotive industry in 2009.

Source: Autoweek

Ford finally unveiled the F-150 Raptor, in the Nevada desert no less, showing pretty much what this highly-anticipated truck is all about—off-road performance. The revelation was made one day before the SEMA Show opened and after many leaked photos and much speculation on the vehicle’s specs.

Hermann Salenbach, director of Ford’s Special Vehicles Team, said that the Raptor is “a high-speed off-road performance truck.” Just take a look at the engine: a 5.4-liter V8 engine capable of turning out 320 horsepower and 340 lb ft of torque. The all-wheel drive truck will also have a 400-horsepower 6.2-liter engine come winter.

The high-performance F-150 also sports 11.2 inches and 13.1 inches front and rear wheel travel, respectively, and wider fenders for the bigger BF Goodrich tires. Internal bypass shocks help facilitate smooth travel even in the most unforgiving off-road terrain.

Ford said that the company saw a shortage in the market for high-performance off-road trucks. The F-150 Raptor is definitely a step forward in this direction, as it brings a healthy dose of off-road control and stability. The price tag will be a bit on the heavy side, and of course there’s still the price of gas to think about.

Source: Autoweek

Yes. What the world needs now is to make roads safe by making cars idiot-proof. While I usually frown upon driving cars that act smarter than you, I have to admit that these smart systems make the world a better place.

Ford has introduced their new “active” safety system that helps drivers avoid collisions. Using radar, the system detects if the car in front of them is braking too fast and, in turn, warns the driver. The brakes are also primed for some emergency braking, making it more efficient for stopping. This is a problem simply addressed by observing the two-second braking rule and avoiding tailgaiting. But yeah, many problems now squat.

The system piggybacks on Ford’s existing adaptive cruise control system which is first scene slapped on the new 2009 Lincoln MKS. This new system will be made available in the MKS by next year and would be integrated to other cars in the fleet as well.