New Ford Focus Mule First Spy Photos

Automotive spies have caught the upcoming Ford Focus while it was out cold weather testing in northern Sweden. Two different mules were spotted by the spy cameras, a sedan and a wagon. Strangely the sedan looks like it's riding higher than normal sedans.

At this early stage in its development the car is just a powertrain and chassis mule but it does give a small idea as to the design direction Ford may be going. It is suspected that theIosis Max concept recently unveiled in Geneva is a source of inspiration for some of the upcoming Focus' design cues, particularly in MPV form like the concept. 

The third generation Ford Focus is expected to hit the showroom floors in late 2010 based on the car's current 6 year production life cycle. Ford assembles the Focus at different locations around the world and in 2007 the Australian Industry Minister Ian MacFarlane said Australia would begin its manufacture in 2011. Some reports contradict this by claiming it will debut simultaneously in North America, Asia and Europe in 2010.

Past generation models have come in various shapes such as sedan, hatchback, coupe convertible and three-door hatch. The next-generation global car will be be modified as an EV for the American market in order to accommodate batteries. That US version, to be called the Focus RV, should be able to travel about 160km (99 miles) without a recharge. The RV will begin selling in 2011.

Source: World Car Fans

FIESTA MOVEMENT REACHES U.S. SHORES; FORD’S NEW SMALL CAR DEFIES DOWNTURN IN EUROPE AND ASIA

Over 140 Ford Fiestas from Ford's Cologne Assembly Plant in Europe, arrived on U.S. shores this week as Ford continues to build awareness for their new small car through the Fiesta Movement.
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• U.S. consumers one step closer to experiencing the Ford Fiesta with arrival of European-specification “Fiesta Movement” vehicles at ports in Baltimore and Oxnard, Calif.
• More than 3,300 Fiesta Movement “agent” applications received and total views of video submissions on YouTube exceed 580,000
• The new Fiesta already is the No. 2 selling car in Europe and is on track for its best sales month yet in March. Early Fiesta sales in China and other Asia-Pacific markets are exceeding expectations

DEARBORN, Mich., March 26, 2009 – The arrival today on U.S. shores of 100 new Ford Fiestas marks an important step in the rollout of the first of Ford Motor Company’s new generation of global small cars.

The European-built Fiestas arrived today at seaports in Baltimore and Oxnard, Calif., and will be loaned for six months to 100 young trendsetters chosen from more than 3,300 applicants as part of the “Fiesta Movement.” Those picked to drive the European Fiesta will share their experiences online through social media sites such as Facebook, Flickr and YouTube to build buzz and anticipation for the vehicle’s North American launch early next year.

The Fiesta already is a hit in Europe and Asia, where it went on sale last year and earlier this year, respectively. The new Fiesta already is the second-best selling vehicle of any make across Ford's 19 major European markets, and is headed for its best month yet in Europe in March. Early response from buyers in China and other Asia-Pacific markets already is outstripping company expectations.

“In the midst of the toughest economy many of us have ever seen, the Fiesta is becoming a legitimate global success story,” said Jim Farley, Ford Group Vice President of Marketing and Communications. “The Fiesta Movement is all about introducing a new kind of small car to a new generation of buyers.”

The 100 five-door Fiestas coming to the U.S. were built at Ford’s Cologne Assembly Plant in Europe. For many U.S. customers, it will be their first chance to see and read about the small car that is one of three finalists for the World Car of the Year award that will be announced next month at the New York International Auto Show.

“We’re really excited to be able to get our U.S. customers behind the wheel and experience this car,” said Sam De La Garza, small car marketing manager. “It’s all part of a plan to build excitement about the new Fiesta with the next generation of Ford customers.”

Designed and developed as Ford’s first global car, the Fiesta takes the nameplate’s three-decade heritage to a new level with its eye-catching kinetic design, widely acclaimed driving dynamics and unexpected refinement.

Before coming to the U.S., special permission was granted by the EPA and the European-spec vehicles were modified for American drivers.

The language in the vehicles’ instrument panel message center was changed from German to English and the speedometers were changed from kilometers to miles per hour. The voice piping from the Bluetooth-enabled vehicle, however, retains its British accent. All the Fiesta Movement vehicles feature keyless entry with push-button start, EasyFuel™ Capless Fuel-Filler System, 16” or 17” wheels, and many other features typically found on larger or premium vehicles.

Agents on a mission
Beginning in late spring, the chosen participants, or “Fiesta Movement” agents, will be asked to complete monthly missions in their vehicles, capture their experiences digitally and share them with Ford and others through social networks.

Ford is aiming the Fiesta Movement at Millennials, the next-generation consumer group born between 1979 and 1985 that will total 70 million new drivers in 2010 – the largest class of any generation. Making up 28 percent of the driving age population, the potential size of the market serves as an opportunity for Ford to connect with a group that hasn’t yet established brand loyalty and is very connected to the use of technology and social networking.

For Millennials, social media is a part of everyday life. Statistics show that for those born after 1980, 62 percent of the content they consume comes from someone they know personally. The missions will be designed based on monthly themes that will take them to new places, to meet new people and to experience new things in their Fiesta.

Collecting data about how the car performs in the U.S. market is an integral part to the vehicle’s launch. With this program, Ford aims to gather valuable customer input on how they perceive the vehicle prior to the next year’s North American launch. It’s the first opportunity Ford has ever had to get a wealth of feedback so early on prior to launch – unique in content and unfiltered from a multitude of sources.

The movement already is catching on, with more than 3,300 agent applications to thewww.fiestamovement.com website and 580,000 views of applicant videos on YouTube.

About Fiesta
In Europe, the Fiesta name has long been synonymous with outstanding performance, design and value. The new Ford Fiesta takes that three-decade heritage to a new level with eye-catching styling and exemplary driving dynamics for U.S. consumers.

The vehicle is also winning awards, including being named Car of the Year 2009 by the authoritative What Car? magazine in the U.K. and was awarded a prestigious “red dot” award for international product design.

In 2010, the Fiesta will be produced at plants in Germany, Spain, Mexico, Thailand and China for sale in markets around the world. The Fiesta for the North American market will be built at Ford’s assembly plant in Cuautitlan, Mexico.

2010 Mustang In Japan! - Drifting Ebisu Circuit

First 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 & Two Mustang GT Concept Cars to be Auctioned

Ford Motor Company will celebrate the 45th anniversary of the Mustang by auctioning the first retail 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 and a pair of Mustang GT concept cars during the 7th Annual Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach Collector Car Auction on April 9-11, 2009. The three historic Mustangs will be sold for charity and are among 400-plus collector vehicles to be auctioned at No Reserve during the automotive lifestyle event at the Americraft Expo Center at the South Florida Fairgrounds. SPEED will provide live, high-definition TV coverage of the auction once again.

"It's rare for a concept vehicle, especially one as iconic as the Ford Mustang, to be sold to the public," said Craig Jackson, Chairman/CEO of Barrett-Jackson. "Giving enthusiasts an opportunity to take home the ultimate keepsake is an admirable way to mark the 45th anniversary of the Mustang, which will be celebrated a few days after our event."

All proceeds above MSRP from the sale of the Shelby GT500 will be donated to The Carroll Shelby Children's Foundation. The two Mustang concepts will be auctioned to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation.

"During the last three years, Ford and Barrett-Jackson have raised more than $2 million for charity through the auction of Ford vehicles," noted Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company's president, The Americas. "Ford and Barrett-Jackson will continue this important tradition at this year's Palm Beach auction. The winning bidders for these fantastic Mustangs will be contributing to worthy causes while purchasing automotive history."

The first 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 (Lot #665) is the latest in high-performance cars and features a color scheme and equipment personally chosen by Carroll Shelby. Clad in Kona Blue with white stripes, this GT500 has world-class handling, aggressive styling, and extreme levels of horsepower and torque that are unparalleled in its segment.

The two Mustang concepts on the Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach docket debuted at the 2003 North American International Auto Show in Detroit and have traveled to more than 50 auto shows around the world. The fresh design foreshadowed a new direction for the 2005 model year that is still relevant in today's Mustangs.

The Redline Red Metallic Ford Mustang GT convertible concept (Lot #655) features a distinct "showbar" with a rim of billet-aluminum trim picking up where the instrument panel and console trim leave off. The dazzling red car is pure muscle from its 20-inch wheels and cross-drilled Brembo brakes to the sharp accent line that runs the length of the body and culminates in a "C-scoop" behind the door cutline. The convertible's interior, awash in supple red and charcoal leather, includes perforated surfaces on the seat backs, as well as a billet-aluminum shifter for the 5-speed automatic transmission, 4-point racing-style seatbelts and unique instrument gauges that resemble a fine watch with its face removed.

"This car began with a significantly modified Ford Thunderbird rear-wheel-drive architecture," noted Steve Davis, president of Barrett-Jackson. "The platform was sectioned to achieve the proper proportion and the front-end geometry is all original. This is truly a piece of history that represents the transition to an entirely new Mustang."

The Tungsten Silver Ford Mustang GT coupe concept (Lot #655.1) has a glass roof and lush red and charcoal leather interior accented by billet-aluminum hardware. Its upward rake angle makes the car appear to be in motion even while at a standstill. The styling matches its convertible sibling. The functional hood scoops help the supercharged engine breathe as it churns out nearly 400 horsepower.

FORD F-150 RECOGNIZED AS MOST RUGGED TRUCK BY CUSTOMERS IN KELLEY BLUE BOOK’S ONLINE SURVEY

• DEARBORN, Mich., March 13, 2009 – Kelley Blue Book announced that Ford Motor Company is the winner of the 2009 Brand Image Award for the “Most Rugged Truck Brand,” the Ford F-150.
  

The 2009 Brand Image Awards are based on consumer data collected from more than 12,000 shoppers on Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com. These customers are in the market for a new vehicle.

“The winners of this year’s Brand Image Awards exemplify automotive brands that are on the right track, making a great impression with consumers not just on a specific model level, but across the entire brand lineup,” said Jack P. Nerad, executive editorial director and executive market analyst for Kelley Blue Book and kbb.com.

The all-new 2009 Ford F-150 continues to make a strong impression on consumers and critics alike as America’s best-selling vehicle and the country’s safest full-size pickup truck. In addition to today’s honor, the vehicle has received a host of prestigious awards and accolades, including 2009 North American Truck of the Year, 2009 Motor Trend Truck of the Year™ and “Truck of Texas” by the Texas Auto Writers.

“What experts think of your brand is very important, but what shoppers think is equally as important,” said Nerad. “These awards, which are the direct result of opinions given by shoppers who are in the market to buy a new vehicle, are a great honor and something for which your company should be very proud.

“In a vehicle segment where ‘best’ often equates to ‘toughest,’ it would be difficult if not impossible to maintain that kind of track record without building the most rugged truck around,” Nerad said.

There is no doubt that the Ford F-150 is the most rugged truck around, said Doug Scott, Ford Truck Marketing manager.

“We have more trucks on the road with 250,000 miles or more than any other manufacturer,” he said. “That’s one of the proof points of Built Ford Tough, and it certainly speaks to the ruggedness, durability and quality of the vehicle.”

To be rugged, a vehicle also must be capable, says Scott.

“We’ve raised the bar in capability with the new Ford F-150, delivering best-in-class trailer tow and payload across all cab types,” he said. “The 2009 model provides class-leading towing capability of 11,300 pounds and hauling capacity of 3,031 – a combination no other competitor can match.”

The new Ford F-150 also delivers more horsepower and unsurpassed fuel economy.

The 2009 Ford F-150, which is built at Ford’s Dearborn, Mich. Truck Plant and Kansas City Assembly Plant, also has earned the following honors and awards:

• 2009 North American Truck of the Year
• America’s safest full-size pickup with 5-star frontal and 5-star side-impact crash-test ratings, the highest possible scores, in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) tests.
• Motor Trend 2009 Truck of the Year Award™
• Top honors as “Truck of Texas” as well as “Best Luxury Pickup” for the 2009 F-150 King Ranch from Texas Auto Writers Association
• Finalist 2009 North American Truck of the Year (with 2009 Ford Flex for Car of the Year)
• Playboy’s 2009 Best Pickup
• 2009 Best Redesigned Vehicle from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com
• “Best Overall Half-Ton Pickup” from PickupTrucks.com
• “Automotive Excellence” award in the Workhorse Category from Popular Mechanics
• Detroit Free Press Truck of the Year
• Detroit News Truck of the Year
• “Top Safety Pick” from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for its standard safety technology: Safety Canopy side curtain air bags and AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control
• “Residual Value” award from Automotive Leasing Guide (ALG) for retaining the highest percentage of its original price among 2009 full-size light duty pickups at the end of a conventional three-year lease, based on ALG projections
• Motor Trend's Truck Trend Top 5 Trucks from Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) for 2009 Ford F-150 Heavy Duty DeWalt Contractor Concept
• “Accessory-Friendly Truck” Design Award from SEMA
• F-Series is best selling vehicle in America for 27 consecutive years; best-selling truck for 32 consecutive years

MOUNTUNE OFFERS MORE POWER FOR FORD FIESTA

* Mountune performance upgrade now available for new-shape Fiesta 1.6 Ti-VCT Zetec-S and Titanium models
* 1.6-litre Duratec Ti-VCT petrol engine is tuned to produce 140PS - 20 per cent increase
* Priced at £1,299 plus fitting at specialist Ford dealers

BRENTWOOD, March 12, 2009 - Performance upgrades for the latest Ford Fiesta 1.6-litre petrol-engined models have been developed by Mountune Performance and are offered through selected Ford dealers.

The Mountune Performance Upgrade for 1.6-litre versions of the new-look Fiesta Zetec-S and Titanium models costs £1,299 (plus fitting), and consists of a high-flow air induction system, a high performance exhaust including high-flow catalyst and tubular manifold, and re-calibration of Ford's 1.6-litre Duratec Ti-VCT engine.

The result takes the target power output to 140PS at 6,750rpm and 170NM of torque at 4,250rpm, compared to 120PS and 152NM for the standard engine. As a result, 0-60mph acceleration time is reduced to 7.9 seconds from the standard engine's 9.9 seconds.

The new dealer-fit Fiesta performance kit follows similar Mountune Performance Upgrades for the popular Focus ST and Fiesta ST models which were made available from the beginning of 2008. 
All kits are fully approved by Ford and have been tested and verified on a wide range of British roads as well as numerous laps of the famous Nürburgring circuit in Germany.

Developed by Mountune Performance in association with Ford Team RS, this upgrade package will only be available at selected specialist Ford dealers in Britain from March 2009. The upgrades carry a minimum of 12 months/12,000-mile dealer warranty and do not affect the original vehicle warranty.

Source: Ford Europe

AutoWeek spring break: The Mustang gets noticed in Panama City

We made it. At 10 p.m. Thursday, the population of Panama City, Fla., increased by two college students and one 2010 Mustang GT convertible.

And the town has noticed. Well, at least it's noticed the car.

"Dude, that's a new Mustang," someone yells as we drive down Front Beach Road. A girl beside him calls out, too, and his friend adds, "Yeah, a 2010."

Photographer Andrew Trahan and I spent Thursday evening cruising down the 16-mile stretch of beachside road that is swamped by souvenir shops, mini-golf courses, nightclubs and, yes, drunken partygoers.

"Light 'em up," someone yells as we pass by a bar.

There is no way to hide in our 2010 Mustang, a vehicle yet to be released to the public. But who doesn't want to make a splash at spring break? The ladies wish they were in the back and the guys wish they were us. At least, that's what we keep telling ourselves.

But we aren't just turning heads in Panama City. We left Cincinnati at 9:30 a.m., and throughout the next 12 hours en route to Panama City, we were given the thumbs up, happy honks and countless offers to "drag" away from stoplights. Most of these came after our external-temp reading hit 65 degrees and we let the top down in Alabaster, Ala. Sixty-five was like heaven on a trip that had seen sleet, snow, rain and the low 30s for most of its duration.

Thursday's leg was long, but the Mustang's Sync technology kept us occupied. We plugged our iPhone and iPod into the car, and after a good three hours, we figured out how to request artists and change songs through the speakers.

"This car is a box of mysteries," Andrew said at one point, while attempting to connect his iPhone through Bluetooth to the car.

Our Mustang's sound system might be complex, but it also is powerful. The Shaker 500 audio system puts out some serious decibels, the perfect thing for cruising.

And we will do a lot of cruising, since we are staying at the Marriot Courtyard in Panama City--not exactly a beachfront resort. The reason? We are too young to register for a beachfront room, which requires guests to be 25.

But no matter. What we lack in age we make up for in horsepower.

Source: Autoweek

Ford to Unveil Tri-Fuel Mondeo that runs on Gas, Ethanol and LPG at 2009 Leipzig Show

At the AMI Leipzig Motor Show in Germany that runs from March 28 to April 5, 2009, Ford will pull the covers off a new tri-fuel variant of the Mondeo capable of running on gasoline, bio-ethanol (E85) or any mix of these two, as well as on LPG (liquefied petroleum gas). Available in four-door sedan, five-door liftback and in station wagon forms, the tri-fuel Mondeo uses a 2.0-liter Duratec petrol engine and comes equipped with two gas tanks, one with a volume of 70-liters for petrol and E85 and one with 48.8 liters (40 for the Estate) for LPG.

According to Ford, the 2.0-liter Duratec engine produces an output of 145HP when running on petrol and/or E85, and 141HP on LPG. With LPG, the Mondeo Sedan and Liftback models can cover an estimated total of 460 km (286 miles) while the Estate, 380 km (236 miles), before running dry. When running on conventional fuel and/or E85, the Mondeo has a range of 850 km (529 miles), meaning that the combined range is over 1,200 km (746 miles).

Ford said that its tri-fuel Mondeo cars will go on sale in selected European markets from April with prices starting in Germany from €27,500 ($35,150 with today's rates). This means that the tri-fuel Mondeo is €250 cheaper than the comparable diesel-powered, Mondeo 2.0-liter TDCi 140HP.

Source: Carscoop

FORD BUILDS ON ELECTRIC POWER STEERING TECHNOLOGY TO ENHANCE DRIVE QUALITY, ENABLE MORE FEATURES

DEARBORN, Mich., March 12, 2009 – Ford Motor Company is taking full advantage of the fuel economy, performance and reliability benefits associated with Electric Power Steering (EPS) on a variety of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products, but the company isn’t stopping there.

Customers already behind the wheel of the Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner, one of Ford’s first products to sport EPS, also are enjoying other clever – yet subtle – steering characteristics that enhance drive quality.

One such EPS-enabled feature, pull-drift compensation, is a software-based technology that helps drivers offset vehicle pulling or drifting that can occur in steady crosswinds or on uneven roads.

“Pull and drift are major customer annoyances that have been difficult to completely eliminate because of multiple factors that contribute to this phenomenon,” said Ali Jammoul, Ford’s chief engineer for Chassis Engineering and Steering Systems. “Ford’s innovative pull-drift technology compensates to provide driving comfort straight down the road, even in steady crosswinds and on banked and uneven roads.”

Customer complaints about a “constant pull or drift to one side” or “steering that requires extra uneven effort” historically have been a source of customer dissatisfaction in steering, ride and handling in quality studies. Ford’s EPS with drift-pull compensation is projected to improve customer satisfaction in these areas by up to 50 percent.

The 2008 Escape, one of the first vehicles to showcase EPS with pull-drift technology in North America, substantiated this projected improvement, cutting the number of customer complaints associated with steering in half.

How It Works
EPS is a sophisticated system that uses sensors to constantly measure the wheel torque applied by the driver to maintain the vehicle’s path; continually resetting to adapt to changing road conditions or the vehicle turning a corner.

Ford’s pull-drift software technology gives the EPS system the added ability to compensate for slight steering torque changes caused by environmental factors such as road crowning or steady crosswinds.

“If you’re on the expressway and the road is crowned to the left or right for better water drainage, for example, you may need to make a slight steering compensation for that crowning,” said Brian Kosztowny, a Ford product development engineer in Vehicle Dynamics. “With pull-drift compensation, the EPS system gradually will dial in torque for easier steering in these conditions without the driver feeling it in his or her fingers or needing to make an extra effort. The electric motor does more, so you don’t have to.”

Ford’s application of this technology only corrects for road and environmental conditions within reason, adding slight torque up to a proprietary set limit so inherent steering issues are not masked. In addition, Ford has fine-tuned the software-based technology so it can be adapted to fit driving characteristics of individual products, whether it’s a luxury sedan or a sporty compact SUV.

EPS Delivers More
Ford’s early adoption of the pull-drift software technology demonstrates how EPS combined with invisible software algorithms can deliver tangible results in terms of improving drive quality and the ownership experience for customers.

Ford continues to dig deep, taking full advantage of the big-ticket – as well as the more understated – benefits of EPS, offering them on entry-level as well as high-end products.

Ford’s Active Park Assist – which debuts on several 2010 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles – is, in fact, enabled by EPS. This sophisticated technology uses EPS and an ultrasonic-based sensing system to position a vehicle for parallel parking, calculating the optimal vehicle angle and carefully steering the vehicle into a parking spot.

EPS also can be programmed to communicate with a vehicle’s camera, opening the door for Ford to introduce lane-assist and accident avoidance systems such as lane departure warning systems.

“EPS gives us more warning options for these advanced systems,” adds Darrel Recker, Ford’s EPS supervisor. “With EPS, we can consider more tactile versus visual warning mechanisms, such as a vibration in the steering wheel, and we don’t have to add a lot of components or additional hardware to make it happen.”

EPS has the potential to add steering features for comfort and personalization. Ford currently is examining how to calibrate the system so that customers can select their desired steering effort. Drivers that prefer a sportier ride, for instance, would choose a higher steering effort than someone who prefers a more luxury-car feel.

Steering the Way
EPS continues to gain momentum in North America, with Ford acting as a major player in adapting this efficient technology across nearly 90 percent of its lineup by 2012. For 2010, the all-new Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Ford Taurus SHO and Lincoln MKT include EPS.

Ford’s aggressive migration of EPS represents up to a 5-percent gain in fuel economy for each product application and CO2 emissions savings of approximately 3.5 percent because the system operates on demand. EPS also equates to less maintenance for customers since it is completely free of the complicated mix of hydraulic pumps, hoses, power steering fluids and drive belts that can require regular service and repair.

“As we use advanced technology such as electric power steering to improve fuel efficiency across our vehicle lineup, we have the opportunity to introduce new innovations such as pull-drift compensation and Active Park Assist,” said Ford’s Jammoul. “We are applying these technologies not for the sake of technology, but because they meet the needs and wants of our customers.”

Source: Ford Media

MAYOR HANDS OVER NEW FORD TRANSIT MINIBUSES FOR "RIDE & DRIVE" IN WOLVERHAMPTON

BRENTWOOD, Essex, 11 March, 2009 – The Mayor of Wolverhamtpon, Cllr Christine Mills, unveiled seven newly converted Ford Transit minibuses this week for the West Midlands "Ring & Ride" service.

Ring & Ride provides a free door-to-door, minibus service for people of all ages who find it difficult to use ordinary public transport. Ring & Ride also undertake many trips to and from schools for children with disabilities, and has over the years become a regular sight on the region's roads.

The 9,500 users of the Ring & Ride service will now enjoy more comfort and convenience with electronic tail lifts, folding steps and up to four wheelchair passengers travelling at the same time. The Ring & Ride fleet has 316 adapted vehicles available to its customers.

Chris Rogers, sales manager at Evans Halshaw, Wolverhampton, said: "We tendered for this Ring & Ride deal and it is fantastic to see it come to fruition.  It is the first time they have used Transit minibuses and positive driver feedback was a key part of the decision making process. With the backing of our in-house contract hire division, we were able to provide a monthly fixed cost including service and maintenance."

Steve Kimber, commercial vehicles director, Ford of Britain, said: "The Ford commercial vehicle network is the backbone of our operation.

Customers like Ring & Ride can see the strengths of a 'one-top-shop' dealer who attends to every aspect of their needs: from prices and conversions to offering local servicing and maintenance. This approach demonstrates how good dealer service combined with a great product can benefit everyone in the community."