2011 FORD MUSTANG V6 RATED 31 MPG HIGHWAY, MOST EFFICIENT 300+ HP CAR EVER

The pony car wars are about one-upsmanship if nothing else. The Ford Mustang held court for years while Chevrolet and Dodge had their horses on hiatus, but times have changed. The new Camaro has been whaling on the Mustang ever since its return, beating the Ford in sales for nine months straight and offering a range engines that are at once more powerful and efficient than the Blue Oval’s aging mills. Advantage: Camaro.

The Mustang, however, received a nicely executed redesign for its 2010 model year and, as is Ford’s way, the automaker waited another model year to introduce its new range of engines. You already know all about the return of the storied 5.0 moniker on this year’s new Mustang GT. You also know that the V6 model is replacing its Civil War era 4.0-liter engine with a more powerful and efficient 3.7-liter. Powerful as in 305 horsepower, but how efficient? We didn’t know before but we do now. The 2011 Ford Mustang V6 will achieve 19 miles per gallon in the city and, more noteworthy, 31 mpg on the highway.

The V6 model’s rating of 30 mpg highway (when paired with the six-speed auto mind you, the manual version achieves 30 mpg) is noteworthy because, well, it’s 2 mpg more than the slightly less powerful 304-hp Camaro V6. Also, it’s a record for being the first 300+ hp vehicle to be officially rated at 30 mpg or more. Wow, think about that. It’s never been done before. Sure, the new Mustang V6 is only marginally more powerful and efficient than its Camaro counterpart, but clawing above that 30 mpg mark will no doubt get Ford’s thoroughbred some extra ink in the press.

Follow the jump for Ford’s official press release on the matter, in which it explains a little more how those magic numbers were achieved (Spoiler: aerodynamics, super smart six-speed auto and electric power assisted steering).

2011 Mustang GT to Pace Daytona 500, Ford to Build Limited Run Edition for the Public

In a first for the Mustang and the first time for Ford since 1970 when a Torino GT Convertible did the honors at the Daytona 500, a Blue Oval model will be pacing the field for the NASCAR season-opening race on February 14 at the Daytona International Speedway.

The car of choice is none other than the refreshed 2011 Mustang GT that’s powered by Ford’s new 412 horsepower 5.0-liter V8 engine linked to a 6-speed transmission. Interestingly, Ford said that the actual pace car will be auctioned off for charity before the race at this week’s Barrett-Jackson.

But fear not because Ford also announced that it is planning to build another 50 examples of the 2011 Mustang GT Daytona 500 Pace Car to sell to the public.

Each example of the limited run series will feature a special Daytona 500 paint scheme, Ford Racing suspension, strut tower brace and mufflers, unique painted wheels, and special interior treatment, including specially branded lit sill plates.

Ford Reintroduces us to Bond's New Girl, Olga Kurylenko

As an official sponsor of the new James Bond film called ‘Quantum of Solace’, Ford gets the chance to promote its vehicles in all sorts of ways, on and off the movie set. In 007′s new adventure that opens in UK and French cinemas on October 31st, with the rest of the world following in November 2008, Ford’s new KA mini makes a cameo appearance by the side of Camille played by Olga Kurylenko. In case it slipped your attention, she’s the foxy lady sitting next to the Ka in the picture above. -Continued

To celebrate the Ka’s cameo role, Ford is promoting a series of media features for the latest Bond girl including a special on MTV where a viewer is selected to be transformed into an authentic 007 girl and a behind the scenes feature through the eyes of Olga Kurylenko from E! Entertainment.

Ford S-MAX and Galaxy MPV Facelift Photos Leaked

The first official shots of Ford’s European market 2010 S-MAX and Galaxy MPV have hit the web ahead of an anticipated unveiling in January 2010. Looking at the photos it appears that the slightly shorter S-MAX gains a new lower grille design that brings it in line with Ford’s latest offerings such as the Fiesta hatch along with a reshaped front bumper that houses a pair of LED lights.

The new tail lamps and alloy wheel designs round off the exterior changes on the S-MAX while there don’t seem to be any visible updates to the interior.

We’ve only got one photo of the 2010 Galaxy MPV, but from what we can tell, changes are limited to the revised upper grille, the new alloys and the restyled front bumper.

It is reported that both minivans benefit from a new diesel engine, however, this has not been confirmed by Ford.

We’ll have more on the restyled S-MAX and Galaxy MPVs as soon as Ford comes out with an official announcement.

Ford Galaxy MPV Facelift gets New 2.0-Liter EcoBoost Turbo Petrol with 203HP

This is the subtly facelifted Ford Galaxy MPV that will be making its world debut at the 2010 Brussels Show on January 13. Aside from some minor cosmetic and equipment upgrades, the revised seven-seater minivan marks the debut of Ford’s all-new, high efficiency, 2.0-litre EcoBoost turbocharged petrol engine while the company also tweaked the 2.0-liter turbo diesel units.

The new 2.0-liter EcoBoost STCi petrol with turbocharging and direct injection churns out 203HP at 5,500 rpm and a maximum torque of 300Nm or 221 lb-ft, which is delivered across a broad 1,750-4,500 rpm range.

Linked to a standard dual-clutch transmission, the 2.0-liter unit propels the Galaxy MPV to 100km/h (62mph) from standstill in 8.8 seconds and on to a top speed of 217 km/h or 135mph.

The 2010 Galaxy will also be available with an upgraded 2.0-litre Ford Duratorq TDCi diesel engine in 115, 140 and 163HP variants that come equipped with a standard 6-speed manual gearbox and optionally, with Ford’s Powershift dual-clutch transmission.

On the outside, the new Galaxy features a subtly redesigned snout with a more sculpted bonnet, revised lower and upper grilles along with new silver roof rails and LED tail lights.

The refined climate control and the introduction of a Blind Spot Information System, a new Adjustable Speed Limiter Device (ASLD), a keyless system and Ford’s EasyFuel capless refuelling system complete the changes.

Ford S-MAX gets a New Snout and 203HP 2.0-Liter Turbo Gasoline Engine

Along with the revised Galaxy MPV , Ford -officially- unveiled today the minivan’s ‘sportier’ sibling, the facelifted 2010 S-MAX that will also make its public debut at the 2010 Brussels auto show next January. Being twin-models, the two people carriers share most upgrades including the introduction of Ford’s new 2.0-liter EcoBoost STCi petrol engine and the new diesel lineup.

However, the S-MAX’s makeover is a little more noticeable that that of the 2010 Galaxy. At the front, the new S-MAX gains a redesigned bonnet, bumper and upper and lower grilles, with the high series models now featuring distinctive LED daytime running lights.

Meanwhile, at the back, the seven-seater minivan gets a more dynamically profiled tailgate, a tweaked lower fascia, and reshaped LED tail lights.

Interior upgrades concern the new multifunctional overhead console, an available one-piece panorama roof equipped with power sun blinds, a new LED interior lighting system and revised upholstery colors, graphics and materials.

Like the Galaxy, the S-MAX will be offered with Ford’s new 2.0-liter turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine featuring direct injection that delivers 203 horsepower at 5,500 rpm and 300 Nm of torque from 1,750 to 4,500 rpm.

The new powerplant is linked to Ford’s dual clutch transmission that drives the front wheels. According to Ford, the S-MAX EcoBoost accelerates from 0 to 100km/h (62mph) in 8.5 seconds and has a top speed of 221 km/h or 137 mph.

Ford says that the new gasoline motor will produce 189g/km of CO2 with a combined fuel of 8.1lt/100km or 29.0mpg US / 34.8mpg UK.

At the same time, Ford’s diesel offering for the new S-MAX have has been improved with the upgraded 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi engine family now complying with Stage V emission regulations. The diesel unit is available in three power levels with 115, 140 and 163 horsepower.

The 2010 S-MAX and Galaxy will go on sale across Europe early year.

All-New Ford Focus Hatchback and Sedan Officially Revealed, Identical in All Markets

The next-generation Ford Focus made its worldwide debut today at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. One of the key highlights is that Ford’s new C-segment competitor with rivals such as the VW Golf / Jetta, Chevy Cruze, Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic, is that it will be nearly identical in all markets sharing 80 per cent of its parts around the world.

At Detroit, Ford showed off the five-door hatchback and four-door sedan versions of the new global Focus. Both models share the same styling that marks the next evolution of Ford’s kinetic design form language.

That translates to a crispier and more dynamic design that combines styling features seen in the new Fiesta and the European Mondeo.

The same can be said about the Focus’ interior design that was previewed through the MPV variants of the car, the five-seat C-MAX (Europe) and seven-seat Grand C-MAX (Europe and North America).

Ford says that one of the key elements of the interior is the quality of craftsmanship with the soft-touch materials and the choice of trim all helping to give occupants “the feeling that they are travelling in a higher-class car”.

The new Focus has been developed by a global team, led from the firm’s European small and medium vehicle centre in Merkenich, near Cologne, Germany, with powertrain development spearheaded by the company’s technical centre in Dunton, England

Underneath, the 2011 Focus makes use of Ford’s new mid-sized architecture. The company claims that the Focus will raise the benchmark in handling once more blending “outstanding steering precision and road feedback with significantly improved refinement and ride control.”

The 2011 Focus sticks with front-wheel drive, powered by a new family of engines. European buyers will get 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter Ecoboost turbocharged petrol units as well as improved Duratorq TDCi common-rail diesels offering reductions in fuel consumption between 10 and 20 per cent over the outgoing models.

In North America, the Focus will be offered with a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine with Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) and direct injection (DI) delivering an estimated output of 155-horsepower and 145 ft.-lb. of torque.

Depending on the market, the engines will be linked to either manual gearboxes and Ford’s new dual-clutch PowerShift six-speed automatic transmission designed to deliver better fuel economy than comparable automatics.

Production of the next-generation Ford Focus will begin simultaneously in Europe and North America in late 2010, with sales set to start globally in 2011. Ford said that initial production will be concentrated at the Saarlouis (Germany), Michigan (United States) and Chongqing (China) Assembly Plants.

Within the next two to three years, the Focus range will expand to include a three-door hatchback, a station-wagon and quite possibly, a coupe-convertible model, though it remains to be seen if these variants will be sold in all markets.

Ford Confirms All-New Focus and 2011 Lincoln MKX for Detroit Show

On Monday, January 11 at 8:45 am EST, Ford will take the wraps off its brand-new 2011 Focus at the Detroit auto show, while on Tuesday morning, the company will reveal the less significant, 2011 Lincoln MKX midsize crossover. The Fiesta’s new big brother -both in terms of size and styling- is quite possibly one of the most important Fords of the past few decades as it will be a truly global car.

Unlike the current Fiesta which had to be redesigned for North America to address safety, emissions and powertrain issues thus sharing only 60 per cent of parts with its European counterpart, the 2011 Focus has been engineered for all international markets right from the beginning.

According to Ford, around 80 percent of the2011 Focus parts by value will be common between the North American and European versions.

Depending on the market, the new Focus will be offered in various body styles including three- and five-door hatchbacks, four-door sedan and a hardtop convertible (CC).

Ford has already unveiled the MPV variant of the new Focus in the form of the new five-seat C-MAX and its longer, seven-seater sibling, the Grand C-MAX at last year’s Frankfurt Motor Show – pictured below. The Grand C-MAX has been confirmed for the U.S. with sales set to start in late 2011.

In Europe, the new Focus and the C-MAX models will be offered with several diesel and petrol engines including Ford’s new 1.6-liter EcoBoost turbocharged petrol with outputs ranging between 150 and 180 horsepower while in North America, there’s talk about a new 2.0-liter four-cylinder gasoline unit with direct injection.

Both of these petrol units will be offered with Ford’s dual clutch transmission.

We’ll have the full story on the new Focus on Monday.

Ford Confirms Deal with China's Geely on Volvo Sale

While General Motors is still trying to figure out what it’s going to do with its Saab division, Ford Motor Company announced today that it has settled all substantive commercial terms with China’s Geely Holding Group Company Limited on the prospected sale of its Volvo unit.

Ford added that while some work still needs to be done before the deal is sealed such as final documentation, financing and government approvals, the company anticipates that a definitive sale agreement will be signed in the first quarter of 2010, with closing of the sale likely to occur in the second quarter of the same year.

“The prospective sale would ensure Volvo has the resources, including the capital investment, necessary to further strengthen the business and build its global franchise, while enabling Ford to continue to focus on and implement its core ONE Ford strategy,” Ford said in a statement,

The Detroit automaker added that it would continue to cooperate with Volvo Cars in several areas after the sale, but it does not plan to retain any shares in the business.

It is said that Geely is offering the U.S. automaker somewhere around $2 billion dollars for Volvo Cars which is less than a third of what Ford paid for the Swedish brand a decade ago.

With the prospected sale of Volvo, Ford will offload the last brand in the Premier Automotive Group that also included Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin.

2011 Ford Mustang GT with 412HP 5.0-liter V8: First Photos Leaked

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The 2011 Ford Mustang with its spanking new 5.0-liter V8 is proving to be the 2010 Detroit Show’s worst-kept secret, as following an earlier leak on its powertain specs, we now have the first official shots of the car and its engine. From what ‘dam crackers’ told us, the new 5.0 will deliver an output of around 412 ponies at 6,500 rpm and 390 lb-ft of torque, up from the current 4.6-liter V8′s 315HP and 325 lb-ft.

As previously reported, the V8 will be matched to your choice of a six-speed manual or automatic transmission, with the Mustang GT allegedly returning a fuel economy of 25mpg (9.4lt/100km), most likely on the highway.

Ford is expected to release initial details and pictures of the 2011 Mustang GT early next week.

Via: Jalopnik and Autoblog.com

2011 Ford Mustang GT with 412HP 5.0-liter V8 Officially Revealed

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The Mustang 5.0 or as purists prefer to call it, the 302, makes a comeback for the 2011 model year with the presentation of the new GT that will be shown to the public for the first time at next month’s Detroit auto show. No thanks to Ford’s special relationships with certain media outlets, we already know the basics of the 2011 Mustang GT.

To recap, the GT’s new 5.0-liter V8 engine employs 32-valves and Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) delivering 412 horsepower and 390 ft.-lb. of torque, compared to the outgoing 2010 Mustang GT 4.6-liter V8′s, 315HP and 325 lb-ft.

Ford says that the V8 engine, as shipped, weighs 430 pounds or 195 kg representing a weight savings of more than 20 percent over the previous 5.0-liter offering.

The new 5.0-liter Mustangs also replace the previous GT’s five-speed transmissions with either the 6R80 six-speed automatic transmission or the MT82 six-speed manual gearbox.

With the automatic transmission, the 2011 Mustang GT will deliver up to an estimated 25 mpg highway and 17 in the city, up from 23 mpg highway and 17 city for the 2010 model. The Six-speed manual transmission Mustang GT models are projected to deliver 24 mpg highway and 16 city, matching the 2010 model.

Ford has not disclosed performance figures, but just to get an idea, the current 315HP GT hits 60mph (96km/h) from standstill in just 4.9 seconds. In other words, the new GT should give the 426HP Camaro SS and 425HP Challenger SRT-8 a run for their money.

Along with the new engine and transmissions, the new GT also gets a specially tuned Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS), 11.5-inch front and 11.8-inch rear vented disc brakes, and an enhanced suspension featuring an improved rear lower control arm and stiffened rear stabilizer bushings.

There’s also an optional Brembo brake package upgrade that includes 14-inch vented front discs from the GT500 Mustang, specific 19-inch alloy wheels and summer performance tires.

Other updates include the 5.0 fender badges, the speedometer that increases to 160 mph and the tachometer redline that climbs from 6,500 to 7,000 rpm.

Ford Displays Customized 2011 Fiestas at Los Angeles Auto Show

Together with the standard variants of the new 2011 Fiesta, Ford also reveled four ticked-out versions of its North American-spec subcompact car aimed at customization enthusiasts at the Los Angeles International Auto Show today. The modded Fiestas featured an array of styling goodies such as body-side tattoo graphics, body kits and alloy wheels.

“We expect the Fiesta will be wildly popular among people who like to personalize their vehicles because of its affordability, great driving dynamics and award-winning design,” said Ford Designer Melvin Betancourt. “We’ll offer these customers a variety of appearance and performance accessories to choose from so they really can make their Fiesta their own.”

New Ford Mustang BOSS 302R: A $79,000 5.0 GT Track Racer

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Along with the new 2011 Mustang GT 5.0-liter V8, Ford also took the covers off a track version of its updated pony car called the BOSS 302R in honor of the 40th anniversary of Parnelli Jones’ 1970 Trans-Am championship in a Mustang BOSS 302 prepared by Bud Moore Engineering.

Set to replace the Mustang FR500C, the BOSS 302R features the GT’s new 5.0-liter V8 engine coupled to a six-speed manual transmission and comes equipped with a roll cage, race seats, safety harness, data acquisition and race dampers/springs, and a Brembo brake and tire package.

The base Mustang BOSS 302R racer retails at $79,000.

If you’re looking for something more hardcore, Ford also offers the M-FR500-BOSS R1 that’s eligible to compete in the Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge series (formerly known as KONI Challenge), starting with the season-opening race in Daytona on Jan. 29, 2010.

Priced at $129,000, this version features a sealed high-output race engine with an upgraded cooling system, a close-ratio six-speed transmission with integral shifter, a seam-welded body, race suspension/KONI dampers and ABS brake tuning, race performance exhaust and a high-speed balance one-piece driveshaft.

Officially Official: 2012 Buick Regal GS unveiled ahead of LA debut

General Motors left us on the edge of our seats at this year’s Detroit Auto Show when its Buick Regal GS show car was unveiled. A few months later, GM confirmed that the sportier Regal was headed for production, and now, just a short time before the sedan’s official debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show, we have official information and photos of the production-ready car. Ladies and gentlemen, the 2012 Buick Regal GS has arrived.

GM has, of late, made great strides to rework Buick’s image here in the United States, trying to inject some youth and enthusiasm in a brand that has long been associated with a much older crowd of buyers. This top-rung Regal is based heavily on the performance-oriented Opel Insignia OPC, one of Europe’s most praised sport sedans, and while the U.S.-spec car you see here certainly looks like it’s fresh off the boat, it has been toned-down in its transoceanic journey. We get the Opel’s beefed-up visuals with large, fang-like air intakes up front, big exhaust-work out back and optional 20-inch satin chrome wheels (19s are standard, if that’s more your style), but where the Regal GS begins to separate itself from the Insignia OPC isn’t visible from outside.

Buick dealers reportedly clamoring for more Regal models amidst strong early sales

The 2011 Regal is Buick’s latest attempt at reinventing its own brand image. Apparently, the plan is working even better than Buick thought it might – dealers are asking for more. In fact, in their monthly re-orders, dealers are asking for twice as many cars as General Motors can actually provide.

Currently, the Regal is built in GM’s Russelsheim, Germany plant and production has just begun on the 2.0-liter turbocharged model (read: not the higher-output GS that will arrive sometime next year). Production of North American Regals will soon be shifted to The General’s Oshawa, Ontario facility.

IIHS awards 2011 Buick Regal Top Safety Pick

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) just wrapped up its battery of batterings on the 2011 Buick Regal, and the results have netted “Good” ratings for front, side, rear and rollover impact protection.

Additionally, the Regal is the seventh vehicle from General Motors to earn a Top Safety Pick award, which includes the aforementioned rollover test where the Regal excelled. Buick’s Euro-born sedan was able to withstand almost five-times its weight – up from the federally-mandated standard of 1.5 times.

The Regal joins its Buick sibling, the LaCrosse, along with the 2011 BMW 5 Series, Ford Taurus, Hyundai Genesis, Toyota Avalon and Volvo S80 as a Top Safety Pick in the large car segment. Full press release after the break.

Review: 2010 Buick Enclave CXL AWD

There was a time when Buick was the brand of choice for doctors, lawyers and politicians. Its cars were elegant enough to show success without being overt signals of wealth, they were the epitome of inconspicuous consumption. But that was a long, long time ago. Buicks of the last 30 years look like slightly disguised versions of a run-of-the-mill Chevrolet, with a bit more chrome and better seat fabrics.

Buick design went from purposely understated to flat-out dull, and the average age of the brand’s buyers shot up to over 70 in the mid-2000s. If it weren’t for Buick’s success in China, the Trishield would have likely followed Oldsmobile into retirement. But instead of mothballing Buick for good, General Motors decided to finally give the brand what it really needed: new and exciting products. Former Vice Chairman Bob Lutz went as far as to say that Buick’s new products were going to compete against Lexus. We were all a bit skeptical, but one vehicle began making believers.

The Buick Enclave took many by surprise when it debuted in early 2007 with attractive styling and a well-appointed cabin. And since production started, the Enclave has proven to be a strong seller. In fact, the Enclave continually beats the combined sales of its crosstown rivals, the Ford Flex and the Lincoln MKT.