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Ford will debut the 2009 Focus coupe in an “American Idol” music video on Wednesday, revealing a modest update inspired by customer feedback, including new front and rear fascias, and a new roof-line spoiler. The SES series also gets standard 17-inch aluminum wheels on the SES series. These changes will further differentiate the Focus coupe from the sedan. To better target the young Millennials demographic drawn to the coupe, the design team made the two-door’s appearance sportier, notably toning down the Bic-shaver grille and removing chromed front-fender vents. Fog lamps are now standard. The result is a less flashy appearance. For 2009, the Focus SES coupe features more horsepower (up three to 143) and a throatier sound, thanks to a new sport-tuned exhaust. The SES coupe with a four-speed automatic transmission will have a new 4.2:1 final drive ratio to deliver better off-the-line acceleration. Also available is a super-clean, 130-horsepower Duratec 20E engine that qualifies Focus as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV). Both engines deliver 24 mpg city, 35 mpg highway, according to EPA ratings. Electronic stability control (ESC) is now available. The 2009 Focus Coupe, available...
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The Ford Mustang has experience unparalleled sales success due to its longevity, continuing performance legacy, and value. For decades, it has been a tire-shredding piece of Americana, and as a result, it has reached the rare milestone of 9 million cars built. The Mustang got off to an amazing start, achieving 419,000 sales in its first 12 months on the market, and topped the 1-million mark in the first two years. Today, sales volumes are a more modest, with the Mustang moving 10,180 units this past March, down 30.9 percent from March 2007. Still, Ford continues to refine the venerable pony car range with a variety of special-edition models, including the Warriors in Pink and Bullitt versions, plus the upcoming Glass Roof option. Mustang number 9,000,000 is a Mustang GT Convertible , sold through a dealership in Iowa. Research the Ford Mustang in the buyer’s guide, complete with pricing, specifications, and photo galleries.
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With Earth Day, we were wondering just how popular hybrid cars have become, when we found that R. L. Polk & Co has done the research for us. According to their calculations, nationwide registrations for new hybrid vehicles rose to 350,289 in 2007, marking a 38 percent increase from 2006. The hybrid rock star Toyota Prius continued to lead the segment with 179,178 total new registrations, claiming a simple majority of hybrid market share at 51.2 percent. With the national gasoline prices averaging $3.50 a gallon, it is no surprise that this sales trend looks to continue. The Prius hybrid gasoline-electric mid-sized sedan posted best-ever March sales of 20,635, an increase of 16 percent from last March. (Conversely, Hummer has seen the greatest decrease in sales per dealership, according to Automotive News .) The Toyota Highlander and Ford Escape share leadership positions in the SUV hybrid segment, according to Polk. Learn more about green cars from our DriveSmart articles. Research the Toyota Prius in the buyer’s guide, complete with pricing, specifications, and photo galleries.
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Ford has added a new contender to its ever-expanding family of crossovers, which already includes the recently renamed Taurus X (formerly Freestyle) and the new-for-’07 Ford Edge . Set to go on sale this summer, the full-size Flex lives up to its name for its completely customizable nature. Low-slung and long, Flex mixes old school station wagon lines with new-age features like seven-passenger seating, an interior refrigerator, Ford’s SYNC in-vehicle communications and entertainment system, interior “mood lighting,” plenty of safety features, 18-inch wheels standard, and optional white or silver roofs. Ford is hoping to sell 100,000 units. Pricing for a base Flex SE will start at $28,995, while the all-wheel-drive Flex Limited begins at $37,255. A 3.5-liter, 260-hp V6 mated to a 6-speed automatic transmission powers the Flex for a good balance of performance and fuel economy, although actual EPA numbers are yet to be determined. As distinctive in design, yet completely different from the new, more angular Flex, Ford’s curvaceous, midsize Edge crossover is also powered by the same award-winning engine. Introduced in ‘06 as a 2007 model, the 2008 Ford Edge gets several new options this...
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Ford will launch a two-pronged effort to reduce the potential risks posed by vehicle blind spots, using an inset side mirror and a radar-based monitoring system. This move follows the company’s Volvo division introducing its BLIS system, which similarly illuminates a light by the driver or passenger A-pillar to indicate to the driver that a vehicle may be in blind spot and on what side. The blind-spot mirror is a secondary convex spotter in the top outer corner of the side mirror, aimed exclusively at the driver's blind spot. A frugal, low-tech safety aid, this appears to be similar to a stick-on mirror available at any parts store. In consumer research, Ford found that nearly 76 percent of the participants said the mirror improves their confidence while driving. This simple, yet effective, feature will be standard on many upcoming Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln models. Decidedly more sophisticated, the radar-based Cross Traffic Alert feature can assist drivers in backing up by warning of impending traffic. The radar can sense moving objects within a 65-foot range from either the left or right side of the vehicle. It also works when backing out of angled parking spaces. Using the same...
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Ford introduced a special-edition 2009 Mustang at the New York International Auto Show to continue support for the Susan G. Komen Race for the Cure breast-cancer foundation. With the sale of each Warriors in Pink Mustang, Ford will donate $500 to the foundation. To date, Ford and its dealers together have dedicated more than $95 million in cash and in-kind contributions for breast cancer education and research. The foundation has invested nearly $1 billion to the cause, becoming the largest source of nonprofit funds dedicated to the fight against breast cancer in the world. Response has been strong to the 2008 Warriors in Pink Mustang, and Ford will increase its support for the Cure with this upcoming release. Produced in a limited edition of 1,000 units, the Warriors in Pink package is available on Mustang V-6 Premium Coupe and Convertible models. (Admittedly, this may have limited male appeal, as it transforms the beloved pony car into a rolling pink-ribbon billboard for the cause.) Specifically, the package includes a unique grille, pink ribbon and pony fender badge, pink Mustang rocker tape striping, charcoal leather seats with pink stitching, aluminum-spoke steering wheel with...
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Known by car enthusiasts for its Mustang transformations and excessively gilled S7 supercar, Saleen has pulled the cover its latest potential high-performance model, the S5S Raptor. At the New York International Auto Show, Saleen revealed its brilliant, sharp-edged S5S Raptor, along with its Dan Gurney Signature Edition Mustang (more on that in the near future), and cover-car status with Rockstar’s latest Midnight Club video game. The S5S Raptor is the first ground-up vehicle to be conceived by the new Saleen management team. “The Raptor is just a glimpse of things to come from Saleen,” says Chief Technical Officer Chris Theodore. “Our company is unique in that we have the experience and knowledge behind some of the most exciting performance vehicles built over the past 20 years. Beyond the S7 Supercar, our team members have been involved in the Viper, Prowler, Ford GT, and the products of Chrysler SRT and Ford’s SVT performance groups. These ‘lessons learned’ are evident in the Raptor concept and we will continue to build upon them as the company evolves.” The Raptor is a two seat mid-engine super car that competes in size and style with core offerings from the most notable of Italian...
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Ford Motor Company has been making aggressive moves to put the automotive giant on more solid footing, with none more shocking than rumors it would part with brands. Just a few short years ago, FoMoCo built itself into a global powerhouse by building a portfolio of luxury brands to augment its own Lincoln. Now, the Premium Automotive Group (PAG) is in active retreat, with its uppercrust British brands Jaguar and Land Rover widely reported to be sold for $2 billion to India-based Tata Motors Ltd., part of the massive Tata Group conglomerate. “Ford acquired Jaguar for $2.5 billion in 1989 and Land Rover for $2.75 billion in 2000,” reports the Wall Street Journal . WSJ cites that Ford spent more than a combined $5 billion to purchase the two brands originally. As part of the deal expected to be announced Wednesday, Reuters reports that Ford will provide about $600 million to seed the pension fund for Jaguar and Land Rover employees. Tata will retain the 15,300-strong British work force, according to Business Week . Ford will be a supplier to Tata, providing powerplants and other components for Jaguar and Land Rover models, opening a new revenue stream for the smaller, leaner automaker...
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Looking for a bigger piece of the small-car pie, Ford recently introduced its small-in-size four-cylinder Verve concept car with the hopes of replicating stateside what it has achieved in sales as a leading seller of small cars in Europe. Ford projects consumer small car purchases in the U.S. to increase by over 60% during the period between 2002 and 2012. Based on this trend of increased sales of lesser sized vehicles, it’s clear that people no longer subscribe to the belief that small cars are just for small people. What with growing global environmental concerns, skyrocketing gas prices , and roadside parking becoming, well, more of a chore than anything since the turn-of-the-century SUV boom, more and more car shoppers are considering factors of practicality over flash and machismo when making their new car commitments. With a virtual rainbow of offerings available from competing import manufacturers, like the Fit from Honda or the new-to-the-U.S. smart fortwo , Ford is making a bold move with its entrance in to America's growing small-car world. With the Verve concept, Ford is trying to emphasize its understanding that small car benefits and lifestyle car features can indeed...
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Among the most significant unveilings at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show was the Ford Works Solutions mobile computing solution for full-sized trucks and vans. Available this fall on F-150, F Series Super Duty, and E Series, Ford Works Solutions replaces the stereo with a full computer with scalable features engineered to aid small businesses, contractors, and field managers. Powered by Microsoft Auto, the in-dash computer provides high-speed Internet access via the Sprint mobile broadband network and navigation by Garmin. (Owners will be responsible for the monthly access fee.) The computer is equipped with a 6.5-inch touch screen, two gigabytes of memory, a slot for memory card, and a USB port. The computer works with Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones, offering hands-free calling with push-to-talk voice recognition, access to user address books, and the ability to receive text messages. A stylus is included for use on the touch screen. The system also comes with a wireless keyboard. The rest of the Works Solutions system builds on this foundation, enabling the driver to use Web-based applications and connect to the office computer from anywhere. The possibilities are quite enticing for field...
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Speed cameras prove effective in reducing speeds, according to a new report by The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The study is based on evaluation of the effectiveness of speed camera enforcement in Scottsdale, Arizona, and Montgomery County, Maryland. Prior to the speed-camera enforcement program, 15 percent of drivers were traveling faster than 75 mph on sections of a busy urban freeway with a 65 mph posted limit in Scottsdale. Once the cameras were in place on Loop 101, the number of violators plunged to 1-2 percent. Speeds were also reduced on the same freeway 25 miles outside of the enforcement area. Surveys also indicate that speed cameras garnered the support of local drivers. Montgomery County, Maryland, tested speed cameras in residential areas and school zones with compelling results. The proportion of vehicles going more than 10 mph faster than posted limits fell by 70 percent on roads where cameras were operational and by 39 percent on roads with signs warning of enforcement but where cameras weren't yet in place. Given the strength of these results, and sway of the IIHS, expect more such programs to roll out across the country. No word was given on how...
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