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It’s taken three years but the Great Britain is finally ready to introduce laws to make driving while impaired by illegal and legal drugs against the law. While Britain’s Home Office waitied for approval of a mobile drug-testing unit – currently drug testing is done at the police station – ministers have been working on the details of the law to fall under the Crime, Communications and Court Bill.

The drugalyzers are expected to be ready by the end of the year and will be able to detect up to 13 drugs from cocaine and crack to certain prescription medications in a driver’s saliva. An advisory panel is devising penalties for operators found to be impaired and considering the idea of differing penalties for different drugs various, but a one-year ban, jail time and a four-figure fine are looking like front runners.

The run-of-show would be that if a policeman pulls you over and suspects impairment, he’ll test for alcohol first. If, in the policeman’s eyes, that doesn’t explain your horrid driving, he’ll test for drugs. If you fail the drug test you’ll be taken to the station and tested again on their fixed machine, to verify the findings. And if you decline to be tested at all, it’ll be considered the same as declining a breathalyzer.

Great Britain set to introduce laws making “drug driving” a criminal offense

Just don’t answer. The question is neither relevant, nor is it even the crux of the column. Get past the clicky smelling headline, and what you have here is a combination of two news stories, one new and one old, both of which you’ve likely already come across.

We’re going to play nice here and not knock over Salon columnist David Sirota’s house of cards, because this is a good read and he’s a talented writer – even if, off the top of our heads, we can name several popular vehicles that offer a fuel economy benefit to those willing to row their own, from the Volkswagen Jetta to the Chevrolet Sonic to the BMW 3 Series. But the guy does have a point that’s probably of great benefit to many Salon readers: If a smug sense of superiority is what you’re after, opting for a manual transmission is no longer a sure bet. (Locally sourced organic produce and craft beer, for the win!)

In the end, Sirota is smart enough to come to two conclusions that most of us would agree to. The first being that driving a manual is fun, and the second, that it’s hard to text while steering, operating all three pedals, and working that stick.

On second thought, maybe you should answer with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’. See below for our completely unscientific poll.

View Poll

Salon columnist asks, “Is it ethical to drive stick?”

Before financial Stargate opened in September of 2008 and transported us to an entirely new economic dimension, it was oh so common to read about domestic automakers hammering Tier One suppliers to lower their prices. Of course, suppliers are still asked to find efficiencies, but pre-2008, it seemed a point of honor to hold a supplier’s feet to the fire. No more: in the latest Working Relations Index survey of suppliers by Detroit firm Planning Perspectives Inc., General Motors and Chrysler rocketed up the charts to bring the bunch much closer together.

Admittedly, the two companies are still in last place, with GM just ahead of Chrysler and Toyota and Honda still up top. But perspective and improvement is the issue here: in 2005, Toyota scored 415 and GM scored 114. In this year’s survey, Toyota scored 296 and Chrysler scored 248. It is the first time in the 12 years of the survey that the six automakers covered have been separated by less than 50 points. Chrysler’s jump was led by the efforts of the the late Dan Knott, whle GM’s improvement has been led by Bob Socia.

And yes, this is also a matter of the perennial leaders, Toyota and Honda, suffering a dip: in 2010 Toyota scored 327 and Honda 309, two years later, Toyota has dropped 31 points. Every automaker, however, from top to bottom acknowledged that they still have work to do with supplier relations. The benefits of good feelings are that suppliers tend to present their newest tech to, and make better parts for, the automakers with whom they have the best relationships. Naturally, it has been found that the reverse is true as well.

Nissan and Ford make up the middle two spots, where they’ve been for years. BMW, Mercedes-Benz, Volkswagen and Hyundai aren’t on the list yet; PPI feels it doesn’t have enough data on the Germans to yet to officially include them, and it doesn’t have enough data on Hyundai to rank it at all. If the data gathered on the Germans was included, though, they would sandwich the rest of the field: BMW and Mercedes at the top, Volkswagen at the bottom a point shy of Chrysler.

Toyota, Honda top supplier survey with lower results, GM and Chrysler improve

If we had a dollar for every time we read a headline that said, “[insert automaker here] considering a diesel for U.S. market,” we’d have a pretty sizable stack of Washingtons. So why, then, is this story of particular interest?

After the website Efficient Automobile wrote about the possibility of Kia offering a diesel-powered Optima here in the United States, the automaker took things a step further, addressing this on its Facebook page. Kia’s North American public relations team asks its loyal followers, “Would you drive a diesel?” And from what we can tell after a quick scan of the comments, there yeses certainly seem to outweigh the nos.

In Europe, the Optima is available with a 1.7-liter turbo-diesel four, good for 134 horsepower and 239 pound-feet of torque. The decidedly vague story from Efficient Automobile also states that the diesel Optima shares many of the visual upgrades that we have on the U.S.-spec Optima Hybrid, including a lowered ride height and special wheels.

It’s worth mentioning that Kia’s North American PR Facebook account is largely geared towards the U.S. media, and we have yet to meet a single member of the automotive press who wouldn’t drive a diesel. But since Kia PR does not restrict its Facebook page, perhaps this is a small way for the automaker to gauge customer interest about the possibility of offering a diesel-powered car here in the United States. And to answer the question at hand, yes, Kia, we would.

Is Kia considering a diesel for the U.S.?

“We are ready to make this car the top seller if the customer agrees.”

Nissan started Job One production for the 2013 Altima sedan at its Smyrna, Tennessee plant today.

Nissan has big plans for the fifth-generation Altima, which was the number-two selling car in the United States in 2011. The company is adding a third shift at Smyna, and shifting models around between this plant and its Canton, Mississippi plant with an eye toward the Altima passing the Toyota Camry as the top-selling model in America.

Toyota sold 308,510 Camrys last year, compared with Nissan’s 268,981 Altimas.

“We haven’t built and designed this car the way we have, and made all these changes with a goal of being number-two,” said Nissan Americas vice chairman Bill Krueger. Krueger admits that the consumer will vote on whether the Altima becomes the top selling car. “But we are ready to make this car the top seller if the customer agrees.”

Tennessee Governor Bill Haslam chimed in on the rivalry. “We are going to give the folks down in Georgetown [Kentucky] a serious run for the money,” said Haslam, speaking of Toyota’s plant in the neighboring state.

Nissan definitely has the capacity to pass the Camry, as it builds Altimas at two plants.

Krueger says he is not willing to cut and slash profit margins to chase the top-seller number for Altima. Nissan has long been more aggressive in incentive spending than its Japanese rivals in large part because it does not have the brand cachet and reputation for durability and quality that Toyota and Honda have.

Nissan built 570,000 vehicles in the U.S. last year and is adding a third shift to Smyrna. Nissan executives, however, won’t pinpoint what total capacity is for Smyrna and Canton for competitive reasons. But it definitely has the capacity to pass the Camry’s sales, as it builds Altimas at both plants.

Driving impressions of the 2013 Altima are embargoed until May 25, but we are allowed to tell you about a new feature we think is pretty cool. The tire pressure monitoring system not only tells the driver specifically what tire is low, but when you inflate each tire to the ideal, manufacturer-specified level, the car’s horn sounds. Pretty neat, huh?.

2013 Nissan Altima production kicks off in Smyrna, aims to pass Camry for #1

The Ford Motor Company and the automotive industry as a whole are mourning the loss today of Harold “Red” Poling, who passed away on May 12 in Pacific Grove, California, at the age of 86.

A Michigan native, Poling was a navy veteran and a graduate of Monmouth College and Indiana University, where he received his MBA. He started working for Ford as an intern at the Rouge steel mill way back in 1950, rising up the corporate ladder over the years as a financial expert.

In March of 1980, after running Ford’s North American and European operations, Poling was named president and CEO of the entire company, and ten years later was elected its chairman.

An inductee to the Automotive Hall of Fame and an active member of his community, Poling lead Ford through lean times and into profitability, ushering an enormous quantity of vehicles into production over his many years of leadership. Scroll down for an official statement from his successor Bill Ford.

Continue reading Former Ford chairman, CEO Red Poling dead at 86

Former Ford chairman, CEO Red Poling dead at 86

The door has not yet closed on Saab. Hoping for yet another 11th hour stay of execution, the defunct carmaker’s chief union, IF Metall, has written directly to President Obama, asking him to intervene, according to Just-Auto. While on the surface, this may seem silly, it’s actually rather clever, even if it has little likelihood of working.

With the United States government still owning 26 percent of General Motors, the Swedish union is hoping it can appeal to Obama to pressure General Motors into granting licenses to continue manufacturing Saab vehicles, according to the report. It’s this sticking point that has torpedoed every attempt to forestall Saab’s dissolution, as GM fears that were it to allow continued production of Saabs developed under GM’s ownership, it would open up the possibility of intellectual property conflicts, particularly if a Chinese manufacturer that competes with GM’s own Chinese partner, SAIC, acquires Saab.

You have to admire Saab loyalists, as they clearly have not given up hope. But in this case, they just don’t have any other options: Unemployment in the Saab hometown of Trollhättan has hit 40 percent, according to the report.

Saab union asks Obama to pressure GM for licensing deal

It seems that ever since humankind grew legs and climbed out of the ocean, we’ve been trying to figure out ways to avoid using said appendages. While many of these efforts have been wildly successful – think Roman chariots, Pony Express, and the Ford Model T – the recent spate of personal mobility devices hasn’t quite taken off.

The poster child for this failure is, of course, the Segway. Though completely awesome, its greatest success has come in comedic appearances on television (Arrested Development) and in the movies (Paul Blart: Mall Cop). But manufacturers have forged ahead, undaunted in their desire to bring human-like mobility to humans. The latest: The Honda Uni-Cub.

An evolution of Honda’s U3-X motorized unicycle, the Uni-Cub marries a saddle and sturdy base with an omni-directional drive wheel. A rider controls the Uni-Cub by simply shifting their weight. Honda says it is “designed for harmony with people,” as the device positions the rider at relatively the same height as pedestrians, rather than towering over them like a Segway rider.

The Uni-Cub is designed for use indoors, and is powered by a lithium-ion battery and electric drive. It can reach a top speed of 3.7 miles per hour and has a range of 3.7 miles, meaning that any reasonably fit individual should be able to both outrun and outlast the Uni-Cub.

Honda will begin demonstration testing of the device in June.

Scroll down to read the full press release and watch a video of the Uni-Cub in action, and be sure to check out all the images in our gallery.

Continue reading Honda unveils another Segway-fighter [w/video]

Honda unveils another Segway-fighter [w/video]

It is exceptionally rare for Bernie Ecclestone to be shown the yellow flag when it comes to his Formula One business dealings, but that’s what happened with two of his projects. A month ago, Ecclestone agreed to terms with France’s sports minister David Douillet to reinstate the French Grand Prix at the Paul Ricard circuit (which Ecclestone happens to own). The contract hadn’t been signed while minor details were settled, but the plan was that the French GP would alternate with the Belgian GP starting in 2013.

However, with the defeat of French president Nicolas Sarkozy and the election of François Hollande, new reports suggest that everything from the previous regime will come under review. And it seems unlikely that Hollande, who was voted in by taxpayers who wanted more for their money and their economic pain, will agree to have the state subsidize the race. Said the president-elect, “I do not think the French state should be responsible for any financial outlay. There are enough issues to consider without spending tens of millions of euros on a grand prix.”

And across the world in Singapore, the GP is safe but the planned F1 Initial Public Offering in the nation-state now has a question mark after it. The squalls in the market that have depressed stock markets everywhere have IPO insiders cautious on the endeavor. Word is that they’ll see how the imminent Facebook IPO fares and how the market responds before making a decision. There is also the matter of the Mercedes-Benz not having signed the Concorde Agreement, and Daimler says it needs to get that settled before F1 can go public. According to Reuters, if the offering isn’t conducted by June then it – and the estimated $2 billion it is expected to raise – might have to wait until next year.

Yellow-Flagged: Formula One’s French Grand Prix and IPO potentially on hold

Few marques get auto collectors riled up quite like Ferrari, and of classic Ferraris, few are as highly sought-after as the legendary Testa Rossa. We’re talking, of course, about the 50s-era roadster (as opposed to the 80s-era cheesegrater supercar), and the originals continue to fetch top dollar (or euro) whenever and wherever their fortunate owners are willing to part with them.

That when and where came this past weekend in Monte Carlo during the Historical Grand Prix of Monaco where RM Auctions sold some highly desirable classic metal. Topping the list was the rare 1957 Ferrari 625 TRC Spider you see here, one of only two built, which sold for a whopping €5,040,000 – equivalent to over $6.4 million at today’s exchange rates. That’s considerably more than the $4m four-cylinder 500 TRC that RM auctioned last year, but substantially less than the record $12m it garnered for a 250 TR in 2009.

Of course the Testa Rossa wasn’t the only car sold at the event, which brought in an astonishing €33.5 million (~$43m) in sales on 87 percent of all lots sold. In fact it wasn’t even the only Ferrari represented there, though it was the most expensive by a wide margin. A 1966 Ferrari 206 S Dino Spyder and a 1952 Ferrari 225 Sport Spyder ‘Tuboscocca’ (one of only 12 Vignale Spyders produced) each fetched €2.5 million ($3.2m), a rare factory Daytona Spyder brought in over €1 million ($1.3m), the car which Michael Schumacher drove to the 2000 Formula One World Championship and that Ferrari hydroplane each brought in over €800k (about a million greenbacks).

Other notable racing machinery sold at the auction included a Peugeot 908 LMP (which won several Le Mans Series races), a Lamborghini Gallardo LP600 GT3 (raced by Blancpain CEO Mark Hayek in the Super Trofeo series), a Ferrari FXX Evoluzione and a pair of Ducati Desmosedici MotoGP racing bikes. Follow the jump for all the juicy details and scope out the headline Testa Rossa in the high-res image gallery above.

Continue reading 1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa sells for $6.4M in Monaco

1957 Ferrari Testa Rossa sells for $6.4M in Monaco

Ford has made a Performance Package available for the the 2013 Taurus SHO, promising “uncompromised response, road-holding and durability.” There’s no extra horsepower added to proceedings, but parts like the firmer suspension springs and dampers, upgraded cooling system, high-performance brake pads and stability control that can be turned completely off are meant to help you make the most of its 365 horses.

Have a look at the diagram in the gallery above for the details, and check out the video by scrolling below to watch the SHO doing laps and hear its story.

Continue reading Ford Taurus SHO Performance Package adds track day bite

Ford Taurus SHO Performance Package adds track day bite

It sounds like an urban legend: A serial killer posing as a police officer pulling over motorists and then murdering them in their vehicles on the side of the highway. But this is no hoax, as the Mississippi Bureau of Investigation is on the hunt for a suspect after discovering two such victims, according to CNN.

The shootings both took place last week, on two separate roadways some 55 miles apart, according to the report. Police say the victims were not acquainted.

Authorities in Mississippi are advising motorists to be cautious if they’re pulled over, and to call 911 to verify that the police officer is legitimate. Pulling over into a well-lit, well-populated area is also advised. Scroll down to watch CNN’s report on the Mississippi killings.

Continue reading Why you should call 911 if you get pulled over in Mississippi [w/video]

Why you should call 911 if you get pulled over in Mississippi [w/video]

The current Infiniti G has soldiered on since the 2009 model year with few updates, so it is about time for a design change. But how much longer do we have to wait? Inside Line reports that the new G will arrive next spring with a new design, fresh engines and a possible hybrid variant.

Nissan VP Andy Palmer reportedly let loose the G’s tight time line, while providing room for us to speculate what engineering changes could come with the redesign. The high-ranking executive told IL that the partnership between Nissan and Mercedes-Benz is progressing as planned, and we know that a four-cylinder engine is among the early collaborative endeavors. In fact, just last week Autocar reported that the next G will feature diesel and four-cylinder engines with Mercedes DNA.

Such a powerplant could replace the 2.5-liter V6 under the hood of the G25, and turbocharging could be on order as well. Palmer added that a turbocharged six could also be in the cards, noting that there is a business case for blown sixes that deliver V8 power with V6 fuel economy. Given that the entry Infiniti sedan doesn’t currently feature a V8 option, we’re all for more G-power for 2014.

The last interesting tidbit is the possibility of a G hybrid model. The addition of a battery-assisted G makes sense given that the automaker already features a hybrid option in its M sedan, and using the powertrain in more applications helps lower development costs.

Next Infiniti G to arrive in a year’s time

We’ve heard for years that Chinese automakers hoped one day to export their wares to the United States. Ironically, the global economic slowdown could be what gives the Chinese incentive to finally make it happen.

Chinese automakers ramped up production capacity to meet surging demand at home only to see the local economic conditions slow from 30 percent growth in 2010 to just 2.5 percent in 2011. On top of that, the Chinese auto marketplace has now become crowded with foreign and domestic competitors.

“The rapid growth phase of China’s auto market is coming to an end, and we see exports as one possible outlet for all the capacity we have built up,” Xing Wenlin, Great Wall Motor vice president in charge of overseas markets, tells Reuters. Great Wall’s Phenom concept (pictured above) was shown a few years ago as a possible export model.

While most Chinese-made cars aren’t up to American quality expectations, developing automotive markets like Egypt, Ukraine, Brazil and Indonesia are clamoring for cheap, reliable transportation. Chinese automaker Chery said earlier this year it would be selling cars in Europe by 2015.

Geely’s purchase of Volvo in 2010 has boosted the Chinese company’s automotive technology expertise and could help it achieve its goal of doubling exports to 70,000 units this year. While the U.S. is still out of reach for most Chinese automakers, Geely may begin selling a Chinese-made car in the UK by the end of this year. If successful there, a logical next market would be North America.

Chinese automakers hope to boost exports

It’s been five years since Aston Martin shifted production to its new facility in Gaydon, Warwickshire, but after years of operating at Newport Pagnell, it could never shake the legacy of its historic home. So while the current model line is produced an hour away (probably less if you’re actually driving an Aston), the company has inaugurated a new facility at its spiritual home.

Actually, truth be told, the old factory at Newport Pagnell was kept as-is under historic preservation laws, so the new facility is actually situated across the street. Its showpiece is a 10-car showroom that will serve as Aston Martin’s flagship dealership. If you’re thinking that Aston doesn’t offer ten different models, well… it actually offers nine, between the DBS, DB9, Virage, V8 Vantage, V12 Vantage, V12 Zagato, Rapide, Cygnet and the One-77 (although we hear they’ve sold out of the latter). And even more if you take the V8 Vantage S variant and five convertible versions into account. But the showroom will also be displaying a variety of hand-picked and pristine classic Astons for sale, too.

That’s because the space is attached to Aston Martin Works, which has spruced up its operations as well. The division is charged with restoring and servicing Astons old and new with its staff of over 60 employees, handling some 2,500 cars every year for everything from an oil change to a full restoration. It also handles the company’s own fleet of historic vehicles and the catalog of new Q by Aston Martin accessories. Scroll down for the full press release and a breakdown of Aston Martin Works’ activities.

Continue reading Aston Martin opens new Works shop at old Newport Pagnell site

Aston Martin opens new Works shop at old Newport Pagnell site

Actor Patrick Dempsey is no stranger to racing. After his wife sent him to a three-day Skip Barber driving school, the actor fell in love with road racing has gone on to compete in Grand-Am for the last several years. McDreamy even got the chance to race at the 24 Hours of Le Mans in 2009, finishing in 9th in the GT2 class behind the wheel of a Ferrari F430 GT.

After getting a taste of Le Mans, Dempsey now has aspirations to return to the legendary endurance race, but this time with his own team and his own car. At the 12 Hours of Sebring earlier this year, Dempsey Racing announced that they would be fielding a car in the P2 class for part of the 2012 ALMS season with the eventual goal of competing at the 2013 24 Hours of Le Mans.

Dempsey and his team took the first steps towards their Le Mans goal this past weekend by debuting their new V8-powered Lola B12/87 race car in the P2 class at the six-hour ALMS race at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca. This was Dempsey’s first time driving a modern prototype race car, and he admitted there would be a steep learning curve.

“It feels familiar but so much more intense – the braking, the acceleration, cornering and power, it is all on a much more dynamic level than the GT cars I have driven,” Dempsey said after a practice session with the car. “It’s an amazing machine and it is incredible to even have the opportunity to race in a car like this at this level, and what better track to start with than Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca.”

Dempsey and his team eventually finished 30th overall and fourth in class – not bad for a brand new team with a rookie driver. They plan to compete in several more races this year and will be running the full ALMS season in 2013.

You can see photos of the Dempsey Racing Lola B12/87 at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in the gallery above.

Patrick Dempsey makes ALMS debut at Laguna Seca

When McLaren was bringing its new MP4-12C to the United States, there were fears that Americans wouldn’t recognize the name. After all, the team from Woking is known principally for competing in Formula One, which has had a spotty presence in the U.S. at best. Those fears proved to be misplaced, as customers in the States have been snatching up all the McLaren supercars they can get their hands on. And part of that might come down to the days when McLaren didn’t only race in America, it dominated.

The bulk of McLaren’s victories on this side of the Atlantic were notched up in the Canadian-American Challenge Cup, a radical form of sports-prototype racing campaigned in the 1960s, 70s and 80s, which Bruce and company won five times in a row. But Can-Am wasn’t the extent of McLaren’s success in America.

In 1970, the team entered into the Indianapolis 500 with its own car design. The following year, McLaren came back with a radically different design that scored pole position and finished the race in second place. And the year after that, the legendary Mark Donohue piloted his McLaren M16B fielded by the Sonoco-Penske team – complete with its Offenhauser four-cylinder turbo engine producing upwards of 700 horsepower – to the checkered flag.

Not only did McLaren win at Indy that year, but it also won races in Formula 1, Formula 2 and Can-Am, entering the history books as a force to be reckoned with. It would go on to win at Indy twice more in 1974 and 1976, and became the first car to exceed 200 miles per hour on the famed oval in 1977.

Now forty years later, McLaren is celebrating the first of its Indy by showcasing the #66 Sunoco-Penske car at the second annual Celebration of Automobiles in the speedway’s infield. There it will be displayed alongside the current MP4-12C to showcase just how far the company has come since then. You can check out the historic high-resolution images in the gallery and the details in the press release below for more info.

Continue reading McLaren celebrates 40th anniversary of Indy win

McLaren celebrates 40th anniversary of Indy win

It’s been working its way through Congress for years, but according to Car and Driver, an event recorder mandate could soon become law. The Senate has already voted to adopt a transportation bill that would make the so-called “black boxes” mandatory by the 2015 model year. According to the report, the House of Representatives is also expected to pass a similar statute.

While the specifics of the bills are “vague” – to use C/D’s words – they’re also likely to change before becoming law. What probably won’t, according to the report, is the standard data set that the Department of Transportation has set forth, 15 measurements that include direction of acceleration, throttle position, and time that the airbags fired, among others.

This raises the specter of government snooping, of course. The Senate version at least specifies that the data contained in the little electronic box is actually owned by the owner of the vehicle, according to the report. Johnny Law can still come around with a warrant to gain access to it, however, and first responders and paramedics would be able to do so without the warrant, provided they needed the information to respond to the emergency.

Senate OKs mandatory black boxes in cars for 2015, House expected to follow

We see some fairly radical machinery come up for sale on occasion, but few creations manage to raise our eyebrows so high as Project Sea Lion. Created to nab amphibious land speed record, the machine uses a Mazda 13b rotary engine for propulsion, and its creator says the drivetrain is good enough to launch the vehicle to 180 miles per hour if there’s enough roadway. Given that the current record sits at 125 mph, the Sea Lion should have no problem nabbing that title.

Top speed on the water may be a bit more cumbersome, however. The quickest amphibious vehicle can get to 60 mph right now, and Sea Lion’s builder says the creation will need more horsepower to make that happen.

He suggests a Renesis conversion. We tend to agree.

Made from tig-welded aluminum and a variety of CNC-machined components, the car comes only with a bill of sale. That means we can forget all about driving/floating this thing to work. If you like what you see and what to give the amphibious land speed record a go for yourself, Project Sea Lion is for sale over at Fantasy Junction for the low price of $259,500. Scroll down for a quick video and be sure to check out Fantasy Junction for more details and photos.

Continue reading Project Sea Lion is one crazy roadgoing and seafaring spatula

Project Sea Lion is one crazy roadgoing and seafaring spatula

To say that we’re eager to drive the 2013 Ford Focus ST is one of the understatements of the year. After seeing lots of photos and videos, we can’t wait to get Ford’s new hot hatch out on the road, and now, we have a pretty good idea of what sort of aural stimulation the turbocharged Focus will provide while we’re tossing it about.

Ford understands that a good engine and exhaust note is an important part of any performance car’s overall experience, and to that end, the automaker has implemented some interesting technology with its Focus ST. Engineers have added a special sound tube – called a sound symposer – to the ST, which specifically enhances the throaty, low-end frequencies of the exhaust. This sort of sound tube has been used before (on the Mustang and Mazda MX-5 Miata), but here in the Focus ST, there’s an electronically controlled valve that opens and closes based on specific driver inputs. What’s more, this valve is mapped more aggressively in lower gears for great sounds during acceleration, but stays shut more often in higher gears to allow for quieter highway cruising.

But enough of the technical mumbo-jumbo. Click the play button below to hear what the end result sounds like during an acceleration run in the Focus ST.

We like what we hear, though we’ll wait to see just how it sounds when things like road and wind noise are factored in during the overall driving experience. Scroll down for Ford’s official press blast.

Continue reading This is what the 2013 Ford Focus ST sounds like [w/audio]

This is what the 2013 Ford Focus ST sounds like [w/audio]