Ford C-MAX plug-in hybrid

Ford C-MAX plug-in hybrid

Ford C-MAX plug-in hybrid

Ford C-MAX plug-in hybrid

Ford announced today that its Valencia plant in Spain will build the company’s first hybrid models for European customers with two versions of the all new Ford C-MAX compact minivans that will be launched in 2013. The first will be a full hybrid electric vehicle, while the second will be a plug-in hybrid vehicle.

“The Hybrid Electric and Plug-In Hybrid Electric derivatives of the all-new Ford C-MAX are great news for the Valencia plant and region, for Spain, and for Ford customers across Europe. These new advanced technology models are key to Ford’s commitment to delivering a portfolio of alternative powertrain vehicles globally and to European customers in the next few years,” said John Fleming, Chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe and executive vice president of Global Manufacturing and Labour Affairs.

“Due to the increasing customer interest in Europe for electrified versions of our vehicles, we are stepping up our efforts to bring these models to market alongside our latest-generation, fuel-efficient EcoBoost petrol and Duratorq diesel models,” Odell added. “European consumers soon will have an even greater range of electric alternatives from Ford.”

In a powersplit hybrid, the electric motor and petrol-powered engine can work together or separately to maximise efficiency. The engine also can operate independently of vehicle speed, charging the batteries or providing power to the wheels as needed. The motor alone can provide sufficient power to the wheels in low-speed, low-load conditions, and work with the engine at higher speeds. As a result, the current-generation Fusion Hybrid can operate in petrol-saving electric mode up to 47 mph under certain conditions for short distances.

“A plug-in hybrid owner will make fewer trips to the pump to refuel, because of its all-electric mode capability,” said Lisa Drake, chief engineer for Ford’s Global Hybrid and Battery Electric Vehicle programs. “They’ll be able to conveniently recharge their plug-in hybrid at home overnight. And they’ll never have to think about the vehicle’s electric range, because the plug-in hybrid seamlessly shifts to petrol when needed.”

“We know that one technology does not work for all customers – hybrids, plug-in hybrids and pure electric vehicles each offer distinctly different advantages,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of Global Product Development. “By leveraging our global platforms, we are able to offer our customer a range of solutions as part of a strong product line-up.”

Roush 5XR Ford Mustang GT

Roush 5XR Ford Mustang GT

Roush 5XR Ford Mustang GT

Roush 5XR Ford Mustang GT
Roush 5XR Ford Mustang GT

2011 ROUSH 5XR is a runner. With the R2300 ROUSHcharger installed the 2011 ROUSH 5XR Mustang will sport an "extreme" 525 horsepower under the hood, along with an "exciting" 465 lb.-ft. of torque. To keep the "exclusivity" high, there will be a maximum of just 150 units of the 2011 ROUSH 5XR Mustang built, each with a 3-year/36,000 mile warranty on the powertrain and ROUSH components. The 2011 ROUSH 5XR Mustang is available in a coupe or convertible, but only with a six-speed manual transmission.

"I'm always excited to get an opportunity to work on a new engine, and the Ford 5.0-liter is a great platform. It has 412 horsepower to begin with, but our group was able to coax out another 113 horsepower with the ROUSHcharger. The 2011 ROUSH 5XR runs fast, sounds great, and is another amazing addition to the ROUSH Mustang heritage," said Jack Roush, motorsports legend and chairman of ROUSH Enterprises.

The installed ROUSH exhaust with square tips gives the 2011 ROUSH 5XR Mustang a deep, throaty sound worthy of a supercharged American V-8 muscle car. The aggressive ROUSH body kit changes the appearance of the car so people know that this is not just any Ford Mustang prowling the roads. The appearance upgrades include a ROUSH front fascia with driving lamps, front chin splitter, side rocker splitters, rear valance and three-piece decklid spoiler. A ROUSH upper billet grille streamlines the front of the vehicle and provides some additional cooling to the engine, and a unique 2011 ROUSH 5XR Mustang graphics package trims out the appearance of this limited edition vehicle. Badging unique to this vehicle can be found throughout the 2011 ROUSH 5XR Mustang.

One thing that makes this car different from previous ROUSH Mustangs is that the 2011 ROUSH 5XR Mustang will be sold only as a post-title vehicle. This means that the authorized ROUSH-Ford dealership must pre-sell the car to a customer or title the vehicle before the order can be placed in the ROUSH system. The 2011 ROUSH 5XR Mustang is not available for sale in California. Please contact your local ROUSH-authorized Ford dealer for more information, or visit www.ROUSHperformance.com to locate your nearest dealer.

Ford Ranger

Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger
Ford Ranger

From impressive gains in power and safety to exceptional towing capability, the next-generation 2011 Ford Ranger emerges as a clear segment leader. It not only builds on the tremendous
Ranger heritage of pickup truck capability, but it also gives truck owners a spacious, comfortable, feature-filled interior and sophisticated driving experience they would expect to find only in a car. Amongst the most high-tech in its segment, Ranger is the impressive result of an all-new global compact pickup truck platform from Ford – the latest to emerge under the company’s One Ford initiative – and Mazda. It replaces two previous-generation compact truck platforms currently in production to present a new face of Built Ford Tough to customers around the world.

With an all-new chassis frame, front and rear suspension and steering system, Ranger delivers more payload and outstanding towing capability. It is powered by a choice of three new, fuel-efficient powertrains, including two state-of-the-art common-rail Ford Duratorq TDCi diesels and new fuel-efficient six-speed transmissions. Add in more chassis and safety technologies, and the story of Ranger pickup truck leadership becomes as vivid as its powerful, purposeful stance.

The flagship of the new range is the 2011 Ford Ranger XLT Double Cab model unveiled in Sydney in lustrous Aurora Blue, showcasing a gutsy fuel-efficient new 2.2-litre Ford Duratorq TDCi 110 kW (150 PS) diesel engine with an impressive 375 Nm of available torque.

Ranger introduces three new engines to Ford’s compact pickup truck range globally:
A new 2.2-litre Ford Duratorq TDCi I4 diesel engine with peak torque output of 375 Nm and power output of 110 kW (150 PS).
A highly responsive and efficient new 3.2-litre Ford Duratorq TDCi I5 diesel engine with a powerful 470 Nm of torque and power rated at 147 kW (200 PS).
A 2.5-litre Ford Duratec I4 petrol engine with more power at 122 kW (166 PS). It can be configured for E100 flexible fuel capability or aftermarket upfitted to run on CNG or LPG.
“This all-new engine family demonstrates our commitment to making Ranger the best option for today’s pickup truck customer,” said John Tatge, Ranger chief programme engineer. “We’re bringing the best engine technology from the Ford powertrain range to make Ranger the clear choice for capability and fuel economy, particularly with our world-class Duratorq diesels. Their torque makes Ranger the truck to own.”

The new Ford 6R80 six-speed automatic transmission has been extensively tuned to deliver smooth, quick shifts almost imperceptibly to the driver, reinforcing the car-like refinement of the 2011 Ford Ranger. In Normal mode, the calibration focuses on comfort and fuel economy. For sportier driving, a quick flick of the shifter changes the transmission into Sport mode. This provides later shift points and the driver can manually select gears through a forward (downshift) or rearward (upshift) movement.

The largest brake system in segment provides excellent fade resistance, particularly with maximum payload. While competitive systems start to fade and stopping distances increase, the Ranger is engineered to keep performing.

A progressive production ramp-up is slated to begin next summer (Northern Hemisphere) in Rayong, Thailand, for the Asia Pacific region. Ford is transforming plants in Argentina and South Africa for additional capacity to eventually serve other key regions as the launch cadence progresses. The new manufacturing strategy for the single global compact truck platform will drive new levels of product commonality for the 2011 Ford Ranger all around the globe.

Ford Focus 2.0 I4 Engine

Ford Focus 2.0 I4 Engine
Ford Focus 2.0 I4 Engine
Ford Focus 2.0 I4 Engine
Ford Focus 2.0 I4 Engine
Ford Focus 2.0 I4 Engine

Ford Focus 2.0 I4 Engine

The combination of these technologies help make the dual-overhead-camshaft (DOHC) Focus 4-cylinder one of the most powerful, fuel-efficient and refined engines in its class and one of the most advanced non-turbocharged four-cylinder powerplants Ford has ever offered. Horsepower is rated at 160 and torque 146 lb.-ft., up from 140 and 136 respectively in the 2011 Ford Focus.The 2.0-liter engine coming early next year to the North American version of the 2012 Ford Focus will be one of the first on the market to combine the technology of gasoline direct injection (DI) with twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) and E85 flex fuel capability.

“By combining direct injection and Ti-VCT, we’ve been able to make a quantum leap in fuel economy and performance,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. “We’re meeting the goals of our global powertrain strategy, and we now have another key engine in our lineup.”

The direct-injected 2.0-liter Ti-VCT I-4 also serves as another example of Ford delivering fuel economy leadership by using advanced technologies to produce surprising power from minimal displacement. The engine can deliver outstanding fuel economy and emissions along with the throttle response, performance and flexibility expected from a world-class engine.

Fuel metering duties on the 2.0-liter I-4 are handled by an injection system that precisely delivers a fine mist of fuel directly into each cylinder for optimal performance, economy and emissions. Unlike port fuel injection (PFI) engines that spray fuel into the intake system, the direct injection system puts the fuel in the combustion chamber, exactly where it needs to be for combustion.

The high-pressure fuel injectors are positioned to the side of each cylinder, aiming the fuel directly into the cylinder adjacent to a high-intensity spark plug and alongside the intake and exhaust valves. Fuel is sprayed into the cylinders at pressures of up to 2,150 pounds per square inch, which is about 35 times more intense than PFI injection.

To keep overall powertrain weight as low as possible, the block, cylinder head and oil pan – traditionally the heaviest engine components – are aluminum castings. To increase rigidity, these elements are ribbed for additional strength and durability. Pistons are cast aluminum as well, with the light weight helping to reduce reciprocating mass.

Geiger Ford Mustang Supercharged

Geiger Ford Mustang Supercharged
Geiger Ford Mustang Supercharged
Geiger Ford Mustang Supercharged
Geiger Ford Mustang Supercharged

The Bavarian US car specialists now react by taking their own tuning version of the V8 coupé to the start. It was refined both regarding looks and performance.

GeigerCars.de brings the 5.0-Liter-V8 a step forward by adapting the compressor. A screw condenser for a volume of 2.3 litres puts an over-pressure of 0.5 bar on this wild horse's eight combustion chambers. In connection with other technical improvements, this conversion leads to a performance increase from once 412 to now 497 HP available at 6,400 rpm. 4,200 rotations already lead to a torque of 634 Newton metres (series 529 Nm at 4,250 rpm). With this performance upgrade, GeigerCars.de removes the Mustang's factory-set Vmax lock. It now has a maximum speed of 274 km/h after an acceleration orgy through the six levels of its automatic gear.

For best driving dynamics, GeigerCars.de gave the US-Boy both a sports chassis and extremely light OZ Ultraleggera light-metal wheel rims at a size of 8.5x20 and 10x20 inches. While 245/35R20 high-performance tires indicate direction, the drive axle uses 285/30R20 rubber tires to dig into the asphalt.

Ford Focus SE

Ford Focus SE
Ford Focus SE
Ford Focus SE
Ford Focus SE

“Our enthusiast customers told us exactly what they want in an all-new Focus,” said Mark Rushbrook, Ford vehicle dynamics manager for the 2012 Ford Focus. “They asked us to give Focus more responsive handling, and they asked that we develop and offer a factory-engineered handling package with beefier suspension hardware. We’ve done just that, fine-tuning a pair of available packages for mid-level SE and up-range Titanium models.”

* All-new 2012 Ford Focus range elevates driving dynamics with standard electric power-assisted steering (EPAS), Control Blade rear suspension and torque vectoring control, making the vehicle feel more responsive and agile in corners
* Top-of-the-line Ford Focus Titanium model features standard sport-tuned suspension in addition to offering an optional Titanium Handling Package with 18-inch alloy wheels and summer performance tires
* Mid-range Ford Focus SE offered with available SE Sport Package featuring alloy wheels, sport seats, rear disc brakes, piano black grille, unique interior appointments and five-speed manual transmission

The automotive enthusiast community should appreciate the sharpened handling offered in the volume-series Focus SE four-door sedan and five-door hatchback. The SE Sport Package features sport-tuned suspension, 16-inch aluminum wheels, sport seats, four-wheel disc brakes, piano black grille, metallic interior trim accents, leather-wrapped steering wheel and standard five-speed manual transmission.

Two additional wheel packages are offered with the Focus SE Sport Package. A 16-inch machined alloy wheel with painted pockets is offered as an upgrade, while serious enthusiasts may wish to add the 17-inch machined and painted alloy wheel option.The range-topping Focus Titanium model is fitted with the sport-tuned suspension as standard equipment. This includes stiffer springs and dampers.

Enthusiast buyers specifying a Focus Titanium sedan or hatchback can add the Titanium Handling Package with optimized suspension components, special 18-inch alloy wheels, low-profile summer performance tires and a trunk-mounted full-size spare.