The Auto Blog .ru

The EcoBoost 3.5-liter V6 found in the Ford Flex and Taurus SHO has quickly become one of our favorite mills on the market. But what we’ve really been hankering for from FoMoCo is its smaller displacement offerings, specifically the 1.6- and 2.0-liter turbocharged engines slated to arrive next year.

Along with the Fusion, the all-new Fiesta is set to get a boosted mill sometime in 2011, and these newest spy shots reveal that a high-performance version of Ford’s diminutive hatch is in the works.

Tucked behind a modified version of the Euro-market Fiesta’s Titanium Trim front fascia is a slim intercooler matched with blacked-out trim, a subtle body kit and a prototype rear diffuser modified to fit the European-spec rear bumper and dual exhausts. A set of 17-inch anthracite Speedline wheels complete the package, which poses two questions.

One, is this a prototype of a production vehicle or something that’s planned for this November’s SEMA Show? Either way, Ford’s got big plans for its new three-door and showing off its aftermarket potential is sure to be high on the priority list.

Two, which EcoBoosted engine is powering the mule? The smart money’s on Ford’s new 1.6-liter inline four, which should be good for around 170 horsepower and a similar amount of torque in turbo’d form. The less-than-plausible, yet far more compelling, option is the Fusion’s forthcoming turbocharged 2.0-liter four-pot, which is good for between 230 and 250 hp and 240 pound-feet of twist. Obviously, we’re hoping for the latter, but we’d be just as content with the 1.6-liter option and the possibility of future models turning up the wick even further.

Spy Shots: 2011 Ford Fiesta EcoBoost

Exclusive First Ride: 2011 Ford Edge Sport

Yee-Ha! in a 2011 Ford Edge Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery Manufacturers used to roll out all-new cars every five-to-eight years. Somewhere around the halfway point -…

BMW confirms plans for front-wheel-drive models

If there’s one thing that’s certain in this crazy world, it’s that Ultimate Driving Machines are driven by their rear wheels. Sure, there’s an occasional all-wheel-drive model thrown in for good…

GM gives us sneak peak of next-generation heads-up display technology

GM’s next-generation HUD concept – Click above for high-res image gallery Currently, automakers use head-up displays to project important vehicle information (speed, navigation directions,…

Also of interest:

• AOL Autos debuts official iPhone app for new car shoppers
• Video: Tanner Foust drifts Mulholland Drive in his 600-horsepower Scion tC
• 2011 Ford Mustang V6 to pace NASCAR race at Bristol
• Report: Congressmen spending thousands of dollars a month to lease ordinary vehicles
• Once and For All? Lutz text message reportedly confirms Cadillac Converj is dead
• Reader Spy: Next Ford Explorer with Lincoln-esque grille caught in LA?

Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 3.17.10

Historically, pace cars have been limited to the highest performing models of each brand. That’s about to change this weekend when the new 2011 Ford Mustang V6 will serve as the pace car for NASCAR’s Food Land 500 at Bristol International Speedway. This will be the second time a Mustang has paced a NASCAR race this year after the new 5.0-liter Mustang GT led the pack at the Daytona 500 in February.

Despite being the least powerful Mustang available for 2011, the V6 model will be more than capable of carrying out its duties thank to its new 3.7-liter engine and six-speed transmission. With 305 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, it should have no trouble setting the pace on Bristol’s half mile oval. The budget pony car will undoubtedly be one of the most efficient pace cars in history as well, with the V6 officially rated at a record 31 mpg on the highway. You can see the new 2011 Mustang V6 pace car in action by tuning into Fox this Sunday at 1:00 pm EST.

[Source: Automobile Magazine]

2011 Ford Mustang V6 to pace NASCAR race at Bristol

Manufacturers used to roll out all-new cars every five-to-eight years. Somewhere around the halfway point – usually year three – much hoopla would be made about new front and rear fascias, the addition of some standard features and some new option packages. (*Yawn*). These changes were designed to give shoppers a reason to look at a car that was getting long-in-the-tooth.

Ford Motor Company sung by this songbook for decades, but it’s not any longer. As we’ve seen with the Escape, Fusion and Mustang, the Ford brand is rolling out significant product changes any time they darn well please. For example, the 2010 Fusion could have been a standard refresh, but instead included three all-new powertrains, a significantly upgraded interior, and the expected front and rear fascias.

Introduced as a 2007 model at the close of 2006, the Edge was Ford’s second attempt at a more car-like crossover. (Anybody remember the Freestyle/Taurus X … uhh, not so much.) Heading into its fifth year of production, the Edge needed some serious attention. It just got it: We reported so on the eve of February’s Chicago Auto Show.

Following the new model’s public debut, Ford offered Autoblog an exclusive opportunity to ride in a 2011 Edge Sport with some development engineers so we could have an early, behind-the-scenes look at their handiwork. The new Edge doesn’t go on sale until later this Summer, but you can read all about our experience at the Dearborn Development Center right now after the jump.

Photos by Rex Roy / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading Exclusive First Ride: 2011 Ford Edge Sport

Exclusive First Ride: 2011 Ford Edge Sport

Granted, these aren’t the clearest set of spy photos you’re going to see this week. Regardless, they are interesting as they show what appears to be a next-gen 2011 Ford Explorer with the familiar face of the current Lincoln lineup grafted in place. Sure, it’s not terribly surprising to see a luxurious Lincoln created from a more pedestrian Ford product – it happens all the time – but why the Explorer?

Consider that Lincoln already offers a pair of crossovers that are based on existing Ford models, namely the MKX and the MKT. Consider too that the next Explorer will migrate to a smaller, car-based crossover platform… and one wonders just how many CUVs the Lincoln brand could support.

So, just what is this camo’d vehicle we see roaming the streets? Could it be a new Navigator (or a revival of the ex-Explorer-based Aviator), just a cobbled together mule from spare parts that doesn’t have any production intent whatsoever, or something new altogether? Beats us. Feel free to take a look at the pictures and judge for yourselves. Thanks for the images, George!

Reader Spy: Next Ford Explorer with Lincoln-esque grille caught in LA?

	Valentin Technologies releases teaser images of 170 mpg IngoCar The claim is it can go 1,000 miles on six gallons.		Is it possible – or a good idea – to make good jokes about a speeding Prius? Make us laugh, if you can.
	2011 Ford Mustang GT gets 1/3 more power, now up to 26 mpg hwy! on Autoblog Green" href="http://green.autoblog.com/2010/03/16/2011-ford-mustang-gt-gets-1-3-more-power-now-up-to-26-mpg-hwy/">2011 Ford Mustang GT gets 1/3 more power, now up to 26 mpg hwy! Proof that Mustang > Camaro, at least in the mpg race.	Other news: Daryl Hannah brings ethanol-powered Kill Bill Trans Am to EcoReview TV show Mitsubishi sends first i-MiEVs to Australia, will go on sale in a few months on Autoblog Green" href="http://green.autoblog.com/2010/03/16/mitsubishi-sends-first-i-mievs-to-australia/">Mitsubishi sends first i-MiEVs to Australia, will go on sale in a few months Reports: Toyota to increase – or maybe decrease – Prius production

AutoblogGreen for 03.17.10

When it was first announced that the 5.0-liter engine was making a return to the 2011 Ford Mustang, none of us here at Autoblog were really that concerned with the fuel economy. We were all about the horsepower, and at 412 ponies underneath the hood, the 5.0 doesn’t disappoint. Ford, however, was thinking about appearances and earth-hugging as well, and managed to make the 2011 Mustang even more efficient than the 2010 model despite all that extra extra power. According to the numbers released today, the new Mustang GT gets 17 miles-per-gallon city and 26 mpg highway with the six-speed manual and 18/25 mpg with the six-speed automatic.

These numbers are not only a huge improvement from the 2010 Mustang with the 4.6-liter V8 (15/23 mpg w/manual, 15/22 mpg w/automatic), but they also best the figures achieved by the Chevrolet Camaro SS – 16/24 mpg when equipped with a manual and 16/25 mpg with the automatic. As reported earlier, the 2011 Mustang V6 claims top honors against its Camaro counterpart as well with an impressive 19/31 mpg in six-speed automatic form.

So what accounts for the improved fuel economy despite the increase in displacement and horsepower? According to Ford, having an extra gear in the car’s transmissions play a large role in addition to the Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) that can quickly adjust the intake and exhaust valves. Read more about the Mustang’s powertrain improvements for 2011 after the break.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2011 Ford Mustang GT rocks out with 412 horsepower, 26 mpg highway

2011 Ford Mustang GT rocks out with 412 horsepower, 26 mpg highway

	Scoripion King: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty Power Stroke Diesel is cleanest ever How does an 18-25 percent fuel economy boost sound?		Report: Japan’s fuel cell market could grow 99-fold by 2025 Or it could not.
	Is the cause of runaway Prius stories … other runaway Prius stories? Watch out.	Other news: Tesla Motors battery pack goes to work… in a walk-in van Ingreenuity is Poet’s way to make ethanol more environmentally friendly DOK-ING XD concept, urban EV from Croatia

AutoblogGreen for 03.12.10

For the first time in its history – and considering that the company has been around for over 100 years, that’s significant – GMC decided to make an official appearance at the National Truck Equipment Association show in St. Louis. And the Professional Grade brand brought along the heavies… specifically, the 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD.

When the truck hits the market later this year, it will be the first time that GMC has offered a Denali version of its Heavy Duty truck platform. After giving the truck a thorough once (and even twice) over, we have to say that the Denali, even with all of its drilled-out chrome highlights, looks rather subdued and classy in all-black paint. And, though we certainly appreciate the in-your-face attitude of General Motors’ two main competitors in the pickup wars, we’d say that understated appearance is a good thing.

Inside, you’ll find the expected luxury trimmings, including heated and cooled leather seats and a matching wood-trimmed heated steering wheel, along with some nice details like Denali-specific door sill plates. All that is well and good, but the big news resides under the truck’s big black hood: a revised 6.6-liter Duramax V8 diesel engine, which is mated up to a stout Allison 1000 six-speed automatic transmission.

For those who like to keep track of these thing, which is to say every single person who’s actually interested in purchasing one of these earth-moving behemoths, GM’s latest Duramax beats out the 2011 Ford Super Duty in the all-important horsepower and torque wars with 397 horsepower and 765 pound-feet. Wanna pull a ten-ton load? No problem. That powerplant is also more fuel efficient (by 11 percent) and cleaner than the unit it replaces.

Interestingly, GM representatives tell us that they had a bit of a back-and-forth with the Feds regarding how best to handle the required refilling of the diesel exhaust fluid tank, which won’t run dry for about 5,000 miles between fill-ups. It seems that when the truck gets dangerously low on the exhaust treatment, its speed will be capped at 55 miles per hour. If you run out, the computer nannies will keep you to just a four mph crawl so that you’ll never be stranded completely. Want more? Check out our gallery of high-res images below and click here for the rest of the details.

NTEA 2010: 2011 GMC Sierra Denali HD puts the Heavy in Heavy Duty

Not even a month ago, at the end of our post on the 2011 Ford Super Duty engine specs, we wrote: “General Motors, there’s a big ass ball in your court.” Someone at GM has apparently grabbed their big ass racket and said, “Oh, I got this…”, then smacked the ball right back into play. The Ford’s measurements 390 horsepower, 735 pound-feet of grunt. The General has just announced that its 6.6-liter Duramax turbo diesel has 397 horsepower and 765 lb-ft. of torque, a jump of 32 horsepower and 105 lb-ft. over the previous Duramax.

A closer look at the numbers does reveal some give-and-take, however. The Ford’s maximum tow rating is 21,600 pounds, while GM’s is 20,000 pounds. And while not exactly engine related, the Ford truck also has a higher max payload than the GM twins. Still, the RenCen pickups take the power crown, and the new Duramax is more efficient than the previous one – GM didn’t put a specific mileage number to it, but claims 680 miles of highway going possible from the 36-gallon tank. You’ll find GM’s press release on the new engine after the jump.

In related news, GM has released the first image of its GMC Sierra Denali HD pickup, mechanical and sheetmetal twin of the Chevrolet Silverado HD. There’s an additional press release after the jump for it as well.

So… anyone else want to take a swing at that even bigger ass ball?

[Source: General Motors via PickupTrucks.com]

Continue reading GM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierra Denali HD

GM quickly one-ups Ford with 2011 Duramax diesel ratings, shows off GMC Sierra Denali HD

Episode #169 of the Autoblog Podcast has arrived, and it’s Chris, Sam, Alex, and Dan again this week. As usual, the Autoblog Garage starts us off, this time with a couple Suzuki Kizashis, a Ford Transit Connect, and the Cadillac SRX. The first topic for discussion are the latest developments in the ongoing Toyota Recall issue. The Cadillac CTS-V Wagon catches our fancy next, and we stay on the wagon tip to talk about the Acura TSX Wagon, which will debut at the New York International Auto Show. Honda’s CR-Z is next, before we go big and talk about the 2011 Ford SuperDuty. Wrapping up on a sporting note, we offer totally uninformed commentary on the Carl Edwards NASCAR wreck before taking a few listener questions and calling this turkey done. Thanks for listening!

Direct fanmail to Podcast at Autoblog dot com, review the show in iTunes, fill out our survey or even leave us a voicemail on our Google Voice line 734-288-8POD (734-288-8763). Until next week, hit up Joystiq and Engadget when podcast loneliness sets in. Thanks for listening!

Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #169: Wagons and SuperDuty and NASCAR, Oh My!

Autoblog Podcast #169: Wagons and SuperDuty and NASCAR, Oh My!

First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty brings the biggest tools

The F-Series Super Duty is ready for battle and Ford’s all-new heavy hitter is packing more than just class leading power and towing.

Report: Honda CR-Z was almost killed twice, U.S. dealers didn’t want it

A hybrid hatchback with a six-speed manual? Honda dealers have heard that story before and were less than thrilled when the automaker announced plans to bring the CR-Z to the States.

Toyota hits back at David Gilbert’s “no fault code” demonstration

The ABC News report that set the public and lawmakers ablaze has been called into question and Toyota finally responses with its own in-depth analysis.

Also of interest:

• GM scouring the globe for next Corvette design, first time looking beyond U.S.
• Super Coupe: Brabus E V12 now in two-door form
• 2011 Acura TSX Sport Wagon bound for New York Auto Show
• GM CEO Whitacre still flies on AT&T jets equipped with golden parachutes
• Stirling Moss falls down elevator shaft, breaks bones but OK

Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 3.8.10

It’s a guy thing. Tim Allen understands. If you’ve got a job to do, you need the right tool. As guy logic goes, the bigger and more powerful the tool, the better.

If what you do requires a tool shaped like a truck, then you’re currently experiencing a nirvana-like period in history. In just the last few months, Chrysler and General Motors introduced their new heavy-duty trucks. We drove the 2010 Dodge Ram Heavy Duty in October and liked it. We also saw the Chevrolet and GMC HDs at the Chicago Auto Show last month. Although we’ve yet to get behind the wheel, the powertrain and chassis improvements appear promising.

Not to be left out, Ford’s rolling introduction of its latest F-Series Super Duty just culminated with an Arizona-based press-only driving event (we first reported on the new truck in September). Want to know everything about Ford’s big, new tool? For starters, the blue oval on the grille measures 13 inches. Believe it or not, there’s more. Find out after the jump.

Photos by Rex Roy / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty brings the biggest tools

First Drive: 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty brings the biggest tools

Last week in The Wall Street Journal, writer Ben Austen publised an article in which he ruminates on why no one appears to be racing the Detroit Three’s neo-muscle offerings – the Ford Mustang, Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger. That the piece succeeds overwhelmingly at, however, is highlighting the myopia of America’s mainstream press when it comes to motorsports. Many people in media seem to be completely unaware that there are forms of automotive competition other than NASCAR, because the cars the WSJ article focuses on most assuredly are involved in active competition.

NASCAR may be the big dog in terms of the number of races, sponsor participation, and even people at the track. But by no means is anything about modern stock car racing in any way relevant. A more important question might be why automakers continue pour hundreds of millions of dollars into NASCAR every year, but we’ll leave that for another day.

All three of the current crop of pony cars compete in a wide variety of racing, from drags to ovals and road courses. Ford in particular has offered turnkey Mustang race cars for several years, and they’ve been very successful in a number of classes, including the NASCAR-owned Grand-Am series. In fact, fans watching the 2010 Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge will see Mustangs, Camaros, and at least one Dodge Challenger slugging it out on a regular basis.

Pratt & Miller racing currently runs a program in which it converts Grand-Am Pontiac GXP.Rs to Camaro bodies. Dodge Challengers can be found at many drag strips (along with innumerable Mustangs and Camaros). And let’s not forget that NASCAR is running Challenger- and Mustang-branded stockers in a few Nationwide Series races this year as part of its own “Car of Tomorrow” program.

Admittedly, it would be nice to see a revival on the level of the old Trans Am series, with all three of these machines running in force, but journalists like Mr. Austen would do well to remove the NASCAR blinders before summarily dismissing the modern pony cars as being absent from today’s racing scene. It’s just not so.

[Source: The Wall Street Journal]

Who says Mustangs, Camaros and Challengers don’t race each other?

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).

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2011 Ford Mustang V6 rated 31 mpg highway, most efficient 300+ HP car ever

2011 Ford Mustang V6 rated 31 mpg highway, most efficient 300+ HP car ever

It may not be an earth-shattering revelation or anything – Ford’s own Jost Capito said about as much a couple weeks back – but Ford has reportedly confirmed at the Geneva Motor Show that it is merging its European and American high-performance divisions into one unit. First up on The Blue Oval’s hi-po radar will be a hotted-up version of the new next-gen Focus.

Will the car carry an ST, RS or SVT badge? That we don’t yet know. Nor do we know what engine will be powering the hot hatch, though our best guess (which goes along nicely with rumormill fodder) would be a four-cylinder EcoBoost. Perhaps Ford will find a few more ponies lurking within in its new 2.0-liter turbocharged and direct-injected mill. We’d also gladly take the Powershift six-speed dual clutch gearbox.

All-wheel or front-wheel drive? Dunno. Hatchback bodyshell? Probably, and we hope so. Sale date? No clue, but certainly not before 2011 hits and probably well into the year. Price? We’ll see. Clearly, there are way more questions than answers at this point, but you can consider our interest officially piqued by the notion of a return to real performance from Ford’s neglected (in the U.S. at least) Focus platform.

[Source: Inside Line]

Report: Global ‘high-performance’ Ford Focus variant to spawn U.S. SVT version?

Review: Lexus GS450h uses electrons for fun

Can a Lexus hybrid actually be an entertaining steer? We flog the GS450h for a week and come back with an answer. Yes.

Geneva Preview: 910-hp Koenigsegg Agera

Don’t mess with perfection. That’s the mantra of the new Koenigsegg Agera, a 910-hp, 250+ mph supercar that takes all the right bits from the CCX and distills them into a more attractive package.

Exodus Pictures unveils FireBreather movie car at Detroit Autorama

Exodus Pictures has made a modern Firebird out of the 2010 Camaro and 50 examples are up for grabs in the ramp up to the company’s new movie.

Also of interest:

• Geneva Leakage: Ferrari 599 Hybrid caught on stage
• 2011 Ford Mustang sales off to a galloping good start
• Officially Official: 2012 Lexus LFA priced at $375,000*
• Report: Saab 9-2 plans proceeding, design influenced by brand’s ’50s teardrop models
• Is the Utah legislature moving to ban all aftermarket exhausts?

Browse our archive of Daily U-Turn posts or subscribe to the RSS feed

Daily U-Turn: What you missed on 2.26.10

2009 was not a banner sales year for the Ford Mustang. Despite a complete makeover for the 2010 model year, sales of the usually successful pony car topped off at 66,623, an all time low. The Mustang still managed to beat out the Camaro in total sales for the year, but Ford sold fewer Mustangs for each month that the Camaro was actually on showroom floors.

Enter the 2011 Mustang. Apparently, a 305-horsepower V6 that gets 30 mpg and a 5.0-liter V8 putting out 412 horsepower does wonders for sales. Ford is reporting that three times more 2011 Mustangs have been ordered than 2010 models at this same time last year. In total, 11,000 Mustangs have been ordered since January.

Customers have been particularly taken with the V6 model, which makes up half of all the orders, and the California Special has also fared better than expected, tripling Ford’s initial sales projections. Ford says that 41-percent of 2011 Mustang orders have been for the GT model, who will surely enjoy rollin’… in their five-point-ohs, and the remaining nine percent have been for GT500s. Hit the jump for the full press release from Ford.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2011 Ford Mustang sales off to a galloping good start

2011 Ford Mustang sales off to a galloping good start

Heavy duty truck lovers have been waiting for these figures for a while, so let’s just cut to the main course. The 2011 Ford Super Duty can be had with two engines: the 6.2-liter gasoline-powered V8 found in the upgraded SVT Raptor, which puts out 385 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque, or an all-new, Ford-designed 6.7-liter turbo-diesel V8 producing 390 hp and a pavement pummeling 735 lb-ft of twist (at 1,600 rpm).

The latter engine in the F450 is able to tow some 24,400 pounds and has a maximum payload of 4,920 pounds. The F350, which is the closest competitor to the Chevrolet, GMC or Ram equivalent, comes to the fight with 21,600 pounds of towing capacity and 6,520 pounds of payload (if you’re curious why the F450’s maxium payload is less than the F350’s, check out this explanation half-way down the page). Each engine is mated to a 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission.

Our First Drive of the new King of the Hill will be forthcoming, but you can get all the details in the press release after the jump. Oh, and General Motors, there’s a big ass ball in your court.

Continue reading 2011 Ford Super Duty power, towing specs released

2011 Ford Super Duty power, towing specs released