Ford may be preparing a Fiesta-based mini-crossover, judging by the looks of this prototype we just spotted undergoing warm weather testing. The vehicle could become a junior sibling to the slightly larger, Focus-based Kuga. That European-designed small crossover is rumored to be arriving in the U.S. next year.
Spycam: Ford Fiesta Crossover Prototype Clearly wearing Fiesta sheet metal, this white-and-black Ford crossover prototype has significantly more ground clearance than the production Fiesta and, we're told, could be sporting an all-wheel-drive system. Take a closer look at the roof of this car and you'll see ballast added on to simulate the taller body this vehicle would receive.Demand appears to be growing for small, all-wheel drive vehicles -- especially overseas. While Toyota's all-wheel-drive version of the Matrix hatchback hasn't proved to be a sales leader in the U.S., Mini is close to entering this category with the Countryman crossover, and Hyundai has released a teaser sketch just today of the small all-wheel-drive ix20 concept. The latter crossover concept, making its debut at the Paris Motor Show, is not likely bound for U.S. soil should it make production. The same fate could befall a Fiesta crossover.Ford has plenty of fresh product heading to the U.S. in the near future, from the 2012 Focus to the Grand C-Max people mover. If Ford offered a more rugged version of the Fiesta with a taller body and the same powertrain, could it be a hit Stateside? Or are rumors of the upcoming Kuga already enough to have your eyes rolling?
2010 Beijing Auto Show: Ford Start Concept
When it comes to designing eco-friendly urban transportation, automakers have tried just about everything. They've drawn up bubble cars, autonomic pods, even semi-robotic unicycles. Ford however, has decided against cribbing from the pages of a sci-fi novel and opted for something far more conventional: a three-door hatchback. Specifically, the Start concept the automaker unveiled at the 2010 Beijing Auto Show.“Our ambition was to design a car that transcends the practical realities of commuting in these mega cities, and goes beyond just dressing the technology,” said Freeman Thomas, design director. “We wanted to design a car you would also love.”There’s little not to love about the Start, Ford’s first concept in three years, and the first developed under the global auspices of the “One Ford” mantra. Although the Start shows traces of Ford’s “kinetic” design language, its rounded form is much more elegant. Angular edges are limited to both the shoulder lines and the slender, LED-powered headlamp and taillights. Thomas says the Start features “refined surface language” usually found on premium vehicles, and we’d agree -- from some angles, the Start almost resembles Audi’s new A1.Function doesn’t necessarily follow form, however, as stylists made an effort to improve the car’s aerodynamics. Many surfaces, including the windshield, side window glass, and center stop lamp, are flush with the body, while an underbody aero pan further reduces the Start’s drag. The interior is as equally stylish and functional -- the floating dual-cockpit dashboard lends a sporty look, but a conceptual infotainment system, billed as “MyFord Mobile,” incorporates a multi-function touch screen to simplify the center stack.While the Start’s form allowed Thomas’ team to flex their creative muscle, the mechanicals beneath the car are firmly rooted in reality. Ford’s teased the idea of an EcoBoost three-cylinder, but this is our first look at such an engine. The turbocharged, 1.0-liter I-3 utilizes a cast-iron block, but a cylinder head and sump fabricated from cast aluminum. Ford won’t talk power figures, saying only that early tests suggest it can produce power on par with its 1.6-liter I-4, which is rated at 120 horsepower in North America. Power is routed to the front wheels via an ordinary five-speed manual transaxle.Ford says the EcoBoost three-cylinder would allow the Start to emit well under 100 grams of carbon dioxide per kilometer. That’s not a crucial figure here in North America, but it is in Europe, where Ford sells the similar-sized Ka. We doubt the Start is destined for production anytime soon, but look for the turbo-three to land in some small European Fords in the near future.
Hot Version of New Ford Focus "A Natural"
A hot Focus is "a natural," Jost Capito, Ford's global head of sports-vehicle operations has confirmed to Motor Trend. The headline version of the car will be a two-door coupe, although other body styles are likely, too. The 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine will develop at least 250 horsepower initially, elbowing it ahead of the VW GTI.With the recent launch at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit of the sedan and hatchback versions (a wagon is reportedly coming to the Geneva show in March) we know a lot about the new Focus, and the ingredients to make the hot version.Capito formerly ran Ford's European RS division and was chief engineer for the remarkable Focus RS, a marvelous 305-horsepower, 164-mph five-cylinder crazymobile. His job now is to roll RS and SVT together and make hot versions of Ford's global cars.Ford hasn't decided on the performance Focus' branding, Capito says. "SVT has a huge following in the States, but we got the RS brand well-established in Europe and it was well aligned with the World Rally Championship program."With the merging of SVT and RS just underway, we expect the hot 2.0-liter EcoBoost Focus to take more than the usual year after the standard car's early 2011 introduction. What's more, there's no indication the coupe bodystyle will come much earlier.Ford has said it will build 10 body styles off the new Focus platform. It hasn't officially confirmed the coupe among them, although it has ruled out a European-style two-box, two-door hatchback. In other words, the coupe will be a rakish, fastback-hatch.Such a coupe will form an ideal basis for the hot version. Add specific front and rear facias, rocker extensions, fat tailpipes, spoilers and big wheels -- and the Ford performance community should be delighted.Under the hood, the new 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder is designed from the outset for 250 horsepower, and mates to a six-speed dual-clutch transmission as well as a six-speed manual.So much for the "basic" hot Focus. Ford's RS division has previously done things more special than that. In Europe, the outgoing Focus had two performance-themed versions: the ST, with 225 horsepower, and the RS, with 305. If the new car gets the 250 horsepower engine, it will represent performance progress over the ST, and indeed from the Golf GTI. But would it be a true inheritor of an RS badge? Probably not.In Europe, the really hot hot-hatches now need even more power. Recent offerings from Renault, Alfa Romeo and VW with its Golf R variant all surpass the 250-horse threshold. Capito's team has proven it has the engineering talent to play at the highest level and could no doubt build a competitive, high-performance Focus. But details of a true RS successor remain scarce, and getting the budget signed off in present economic circumstances seems unlikely.
2011 Ford Future Cars
When Ford CEO Alan Mulally took out massive loans in 2007 with the entire company serving as collateral, it looked like a desperation move by an automaker on the ropes. Come 2009, Mulally started looking like a genius.Thanks to those loans, Ford didn't have to ask the government for loans or file bankruptcy, and thus didn't earn the public scorn that its cross-town rivals did. On top of that PR victory, Ford was a big beneficiary of the "Cash for Clunkers" program (Ford vehicles, particularly 90s Explorers, were some of the most common C4C trade-ins as well). And, thanks to some well-timed products like the 2009 F-150 and 2010 Fusion, its sales dropped slower than the market as a whole and the Blue Oval finished 2009 with a bigger share of the market.Looking forward (and past the looming release of the Fiesta), Ford has enough product in the pipeline to build on its victories in 2009. Click through to the following pages for all the highlights of what Dearborn is cooking up for 2011
Scoop! Next Ford Mustang Going Global
"2014 is weighing pretty heavily on us right now," said one highly-placed Ford Motor Company source at the Detroit Show. The date is significant because it will mark the 50th anniversary of the Mustang, and Ford aims to have an all-new ponycar on the market to celebrate.But with Ford's global rear-drive platform program apparently dead, Dearborn product planners are trying to figure out exactly how they're going to build it, especially as CEO Alan Mulally re-iterated at Detroit his view that automakers could no longer afford to build vehicles unique to one country.Under the global rear-drive platform plan, the 2014 Mustang was to have shared its basic architecture with the next generation Australian Ford Falcon, and possibly a new flagship sedan for Lincoln. The Mustang would have been on the short wheelbase version of the platform, the Falcon on the mid-wheelbase, and the Lincoln on the long wheelbase. But that strategy has changed, for three key reasons:
Spycam: Ford C-Max Thanks to Ford CEO Alan Mulally's "One Ford" global strategy, the automaker has made it clear that models once deemed European only will soon be booking boat rides across the Atlantic. For example, we already know the new Fiesta and European Focus are set for U.S. shores. Several other vehicles in Ford's overseas portfolio, such as the next-generation C-Max compact minivan -- a mule of which was recently captured testing in Germany -- are also a distinct possibility.The most notable detail of the C-Max mule in the spy shots is its longer wheelbase, which probably means Ford is planning a seven-passenger version of the vehicle (at present the C-Max is available only as a five-seater). North America would likely get the seven-seat model to battle competition such as the Kia Rondo and Mazda5, the latter of which performed well last year for Mazda despite the terrible market conditions. The C-Max is built on the same C1 platform as the Mazda5 and European Focus, among others.A variety of engines are available for the present C-Max, including three gas and four diesel engines ranging from 1.6L to 2.0L, mated to either five and six-speed manuals or a four speed automatic.The C-Max was recently freshened for the 2007 model year, so the European debut of the next-generation model probably won't happen until 2010 at the earliest. If the C-Max were to make it to the U.S. -- which isn't a stretch considering the Focus is expected to converge back into a global model at roughly the same time -- it'll probably be sometime in 2011 or 2012.
Spycam: 2010 Ford Taurus
You're looking are the latest spy photos of the new 2010 Ford Taurus. Ford is betting big on its updated fullsize Taurus sedan, which will make its world debut at the 2009 Detroit auto show.The 2010 Taurus will feature updated powertrain options, and Ford will once again refresh the vehicle's styling, the previous iteration of which -- first seen on the Five Hundred and then slightly updated when Ford changed the name back to Taurus -- failed to jumpstart sales of the sedan. From the looks of the spy shots, it is possible new Taurus, which features Ford of Europe styling cues, might attract more buyers in the shrinking fullsize sedan segment.Judging by the spy shots, the Taurus melds elements of the European Ford Mondeo exterior styling touches with a refined Flex-like interior. Outside, the Taurus eschews the Fusion's three-bar grille and sports lower fascia clearly inspired by the Mondeo -- the same can be said about the wheels, which are probably reserved for a more expensive model. Inside, this particular Taurus appears to have dual-zone climate control, plenty of wood trim, and a Sony audio system. And although we can't see any, we're betting customizable mood lighting is part of the package, as well.One thing is clear: the blurry 2010 Taurus photo we showed you in April (bottom image) was, in fact, a close-to-production prototype.We don't know much about the Taurus' engines, but with the car riding on the D3 platform that also underpins the recently-released Lincoln MKS, a 3.7L V-6 like the one in the 270-hp MKS should make it to the Taurus, with the 3.5L from the Fusion also likely as an option. The MKS is slated to get a more powerful EcoBoost engine upgrade next spring; it's possible Ford could use that engine as part of a high-performance 2011 Ford Taurus SHO-like vehicle, but whether it's high-output or not, an EcoBoost engine will be coming for the Taurus as well. Ford will more than likely continue to offer front- and all-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission as standard in all Taurus models.With Mercury Sable production stopping sometime in 2009, Ford's Taurus will have slightly more room to move upmarket. Alan Mulally's decision to rename the Five Hundred the Taurus failed to boost sales, but maybe one more push is all the Taurus needs to better compete with the Toyota Avalon, Buick Lucerne, and other fullsize sedans.
Spycam: 2010 Ford Mustang/Shelby GT500 Convertible The 2010 Ford Mustang continues to be seen with less and less camouflage as its November launch date at the 2008 L.A. auto show approaches. Most recently, a barely-disguised prototype was captured on camera by a sharp-eyed novice. A similarly undisguised prototype of a new Shelby GT500 Convertible was caught testing as well by the veteran shooters at KGP photography.What can be gleaned from these latest shots are new headlights with integrated amber lights and more rounded taillights in less blocky front and rear ends. While the retro style is definitely still there, the 2010 Mustang is more refined and modern looking than the 2005 design.The Shelby gets more pronounced front end changes than the regular Mustang, featuring a larger hood bulge to accommodate what should be a supercharged V-8 (the current car has a blown 5.4-liter on board), revised hood ducts, and possibly fender vents -- a design touch currently en vogue at the Blue Oval.The interior will get some updates as well. These include a redesigned center stack, new air vents, new gauges, and a new steering wheel with revised control placement -- cruise control is now on the left side and SYNC control buttons are on the right. However, so far Ford has been able to keep a tight lid on all engine information.
Spycam: 2010 Ford Taurus
The 2010 Ford Taurus made its first appearance in April, when a grainy picture of the vehicle's clay model surfaced on the internet. Now, spy photos of an early, heavily-camouflaged prototype of the fullsize sedan have arrived.The new Taurus will carry some elements of Europe's "kinetic design" styling, but the flamboyance of the Mondeo will be toned down for the large car using design elements from current North American vehicles.It is expected to stay front-drive with available all-wheel drive, although what platform it will ride on remains in the air. Two options are available -- the current car's Volvo-sourced D platform and the Mazda-derived CD3 platform that underpins the new Flex crossover.Power should come from the new EcoBoost family of engines that will first debut in the Lincoln MKS, with the possibility of a new Taurus SHO with a high-power EcoBoost like that in the Lincoln MKR concept
Measure For Measure: Honda Fit vs. Ford Fiesta The conventional wisdom is hatchbacks don't sell in America. Ford marketing boss Jim Farley doesn't believe in conventional wisdom. He plans to bring the hatchback version of the new Fiesta small car to the states to sell alongside the four door model that was earlier approved for Stateside consumption. And why not? Honda's Fit has been proving the conventional wisdom wrong for a couple of years now.In 2007 Honda retailed just over 56,000 of the little Honda hatches. To the end of May this year, it had shifted just shy of 30,000. To put that in perspective, the Fit -- a car that will be replaced by a completely redesigned model in October -- has so far this year handily outsold both Ford's doddery Crown Victoria and invisible Taurus. Dearborn could use a little unconventional wisdom like that.What makes Farley's move fascinating is the new Fiesta hatch -- which launches in Europe this summer -- is a very similar package to the next generation Fit. The Fiesta rolls on a 98.0in wheelbase, while the new Fit will measure 98.4in between the axles. The Fiesta is 156.0in long overall; the new Fit will be almost the same with U.S.-spec bumpers.Two key dimensions are quite different, however -- the baby Ford is an inch wider and 1.5in lower than the little Honda. That helps give the Fiesta sportier proportions and more shoulder room inside. But the new Fit will retain the current car's innovative folding rear seat, which gives it almost baby minivan load carrying flexibility.The sort of functionality is important in the Fit's home market, Japan, where small cars have traditionally been designed to maximize their interior package. Here in the U.S., however, the Fit is positioned as a youth-oriented sporty vehicle. And that's where the five door Fiesta could prove a real rival. A three door version of the Fiesta is also on the way to world markets and probably will be sold here as well.It starts with the styling. Visually the new Fit is a big improvement on the geeky, goggle-eyed current model; cleaner, sharper, with less of a whiff of sweaty basements and flickering computer screens. But it's not a match for Martin Smith's dramatic "Kinetic Design" sheet metal on the Fiesta. This is a small car in Cinemascope, with a sweeping, widescreen stance. The Ford's interior is classier and more entertaining, too, with better use of color, and center stack hardware that's a cool, clever riff on a cell phone keypad aimed straight at the fingers of the SMS generation.
Spycam: 2010 Ford Mustan The 2010 Ford Mustang revamp has been subject to plenty of anticipation, and while we've seen some shots of the development mule before, we now have a closer look at the interior of Ford's upcoming pony car.While the center stack remains shrouded in camouflage, some other interior elements can be seen very clearly. For example, the instrument cluster now features white-faced gauges and the tachometer has swapped position on the right with the speedometer, versus the current setup. The four round air vents have been reworked, and two new rectangular air vents can be found at the very top of the center stack.The steering wheel is also new, retaining the current car's three "open-spoke" design (subtly revised in styling), but rearranging the multifunction setup with cruise control buttons on the left, and multimedia Sync interface buttons on the right. The wheel itself looks like it just may be a little chunkier than the current version as well. Some switchgear also appears to be new, and a slightly different center tunnel shape round out the changes we can make out thus far.Also easily seen in these photos are the new headlight and taillight setups for 2010. Again, the revisions are subtle, but clearly different than the current crop of 'Stangs.
Spycam: 2011 Ford Fiesta What you're looking at are the first spyshots of the U.S. version of the 2011 Ford Fiesta, which was spotted recently prowling around Ford's Dearborn mothership.The subcompact Fiesta is the first of a number of new global cars coming from the Blue Oval under the watch of Ford CEO Alan Mulally. The automaker is switching gears toward a smaller, more fuel efficient lineup, and the Fiesta is a major cog in Ford's future North American plans.The Fiesta will be similar in appearance to the Ford Verve Concept shown at the 2008 Detroit Auto Show and should go on sale sometime in 2010 as a 2011 model, about a year after its European and Asian counterparts debut.The North American Fiesta will be built at the automaker's Cuautitlan assembly plant beginning in early 2010, which is being transformed from a truck to a small car production facility as part of a $3 billion investment in Ford's Mexican operations.Apparently, Ford heard the cries of hatchback fans here, and both the three and five door hatch versions of the vehicle bound for other markets will reportedly make it to the U.S. as well."Take the five-door Fiesta," says Ford global design chief J Mays of the Fiesta sedan, "and graft on the trunk of the Verve sedan concept, and you'll be 99 percent there." Mays' team has reportedly put extra effort, and dollars, into the cabins. The I.P. designs are sweeping, with deep, pod-like gauges, and the center stack has a "personal electronics" feel. "I believe this is one B-car that has C-car amenities," adds Mays.There's no talk of U.S.-spec powertrains yet, but the Euro Fiesta, which shares front-drive chassis architecture with the Mazda2, runs a 1.6-liter four with a choice of manual or automatic transmissions. It's also possible that the 2.0-liter four from the Focus could a part of the U.S. powertrain mix.
Future Shock: 2010 Ford Mustang
Although Ford's being doing it tough over the past few years, the current-generation S197-platformed Mustang has been a runaway sales hit since its launch in 2005. Now Ford is giving its reborn ponycar its first serious freshening. The basics will remain the same, but the workover will be thorough. Coupe and convertible bodystyles will still be offered, with V-6 and a variety of V-8 powertrains.But here's the shock news: We hear there is a faction at Ford seriously contemplating fitting the new twin turbo EcoBoost V-6 to the 2010 Mustang. As they try to figure out how to meet 35mpg CAFE by 2020, Ford engineers are wondering whether the V-8 has a long term future. The EcoBoost engine, which is currently scheduled to debut in a performance version of the Fusion, could be the more fuel efficient alternative for Mustang in the long term. Depending on spec, the EcoBoost is capable of up to at least 415hp, and has the torque to match a regular V-8.Traditionalists need not worry, though - V-8s will still be very much part of the Mustang program for 2010. If the EcoBoost version does make production, Ford would probably offer it alongside the V-8, and let buyers decide which they prefer. There won't be much of a price difference, if any - although the base V-6 is a cheaper engine, by the time things like turbochargers are added it's basically V-8 money, say our sources.Don't expect any changes in today's, base 4.0-liter V-6 offering, as its prime purpose is motivating low-end and rental-fleet Mustangs. But the Mustang GT model's V-8-currently a 4.6 liter, SOHC, three-valver-will be replaced by a new 5.0-liter engine that's essentially an evolution of the old architecture. In fact, the new 5.0 may even appear in a limited edition run-out series of current model Mustang GTs - is it finally time for the reborn Boss 302?One Ford engineer confirmed that the work done to create the Bullitt-edition Mustang's uprated 4.6 "has a future." That engine, described in our first test story (January 2008) remains internally stock, but breathes better due to a Ford Racing open element, cold air intake system, revised mufflers, a new crank damper (which ups the redline by 250 revs), and revised fuel mapping. This engine management programming allows the use of regular fuel, but switches to a more aggressive timing curve when it detects premium in the tank. The result is 315 horsepower, up from the current GT's 300. The Bullitt's V-8 is freer and quicker revving than before, and sounds great due to the new intake. There's no reason to think the next gen GT's powerplant won't take its cue from this technology, and thus get the same tricks. Something like 325 to 350 horses out of the new 5.0-liter V-8 sounds feasible.
Spycam: 2010 Ford Mustang
Monday, November 1, 2010
Ford Future & Concept Cars
