Euro-spec Ford Focus to Bring Internet Access to the Masses in 2012

The European division of Ford announced on Monday that its Sync system with MyFord Touch will feature WiFi connectivity on the new Focus starting from 2012. The infotainment system will create a password-protected WiFi hotspot inside the car allowing up to five devices to be connected. The service will be free of charge, as the in-car internet connection will use customers' existing USB modems or compatible smartphones to access the web. Read more »

2012 ford focus sedan

 2012 ford focus sedan
MSRP  $17,270
One of the giant holes in Ford’s resume has been its near-insurmountable inability to make a great small car.  It has made plenty of popular small cars, and the Focus was a very good car, but greatness has eluded them so far.  For 2012, though, Ford has overhauled and redesigned the Focus.  Have they finally made a great small car?

 2012 ford focus sedan
The 2012 Ford Focus SE has a 2.0 liter, inline 4-cylinder engine that produces 160 horsepower.  It has front-wheel drive, a manual 5-speed transmission, and 16-inch steel wheels.  The Focus SE is rated at 28 mpg in the city, but a world-class 38 on the highway.
The high-mileage segment of the market has been dominated by the turn toward “green” hybrid cars, but Ford is demonstrating with the Focus that it is possible to get up to 40 mpg with a conventional engine.  With the SE, Ford offers a Super Fuel Economy package that allows the Focus to join the “40 mpg club” on the highway

The Focus SE comes with a tilt-telescope steering wheel, a height-adjustable driver seat, full power accessories, and a trip computer.  The audio system has 4 speakers, AM/FM radio, a CD/MP3 player, and an audio jack.
The Focus has anti-lock brakes, stability and traction controls, side front airbags, and side-curtain airbags.  It also has the Ford MyKey system, which allows you to place limits on how fast other drivers, such as teenagers, can drive the car and how high they can turn up the stereo.  The Ford Sync system with emergency notification is optional.
Conclusions and driver feedback:
The Focus is definitely a different car this year.  The exterior tweaks, such as a rear spoiler and aerodynamic redesign, combine with a reworked suspension to give the Focus a ride that has been described as “European.”  The steering is very responsive, and there is almost no body roll.  Somehow, it pulls off the European trick of handling like a sport car without the stiff ride.  The engine, though it gets great mileage, still has enough punch to accelerate the Focus nicely.  On top of this, the Focus manages to ride quietly.
As good as the mechanical tweaks are, the interior improvement may be even better.  The cabin is now made of high-quality, soft materials that make you wonder if Mercedes engineers are “moonlighting” in Detroit.  The design is very attractive, too.  The seating is almost roomy in the front and adequate in the back.   While the Focus won’t win awards for cargo space, there is still enough for a small car.

 There are a few negatives, but they are more the result of its size than any flaws.  The back seat could use a little more legroom, and some find the controls on the optional Ford Sync and MyTouch screen to be a little confusing at first.
Ultimately, though, the positives far outweigh the negatives.
The verdict: this might be the best small car on the market

2012 ford f-150

 2012 ford f-150
Ford F-150 Raptor, Porsche 911 GT3 truck. As Raptor 911 GT3 equipment for everyday use in road traffic racebred. Ok, I thought GT3 Green Hell Nurburgring Nordschleife, the legendary street circuit in Germany derivatives. Raptor on the floor was washed with the desert sand, stones and shocking whoopdies Baja California developed. Point Raptor call arid desert, and is as fast as they dare go without dribbling mess, air brakes, and after a few tens of kilometers. It gives you a feeling born from the race. We at 70 kmh, and I'm washing future legislation. It 's only two meters wide, but from where I sit, it seems that carved the Grand Canyon jump on us, dark and deep, with jagged edges from the rain. This is ugly. Gene Martindale Flicks trucks sent to spit on the most recent list of the queues of other rear tire struck the animal susceptible to sand and anger unleashed 411 horsepower. I see what it does: the leaching of soil suddenly left, and now they're trying to get the right to secede. But without a doubt a great success. Hug, and ... Do not blow softened the strong, but not unpleasant vertical movement, so ... That is all. After a sparkling white Ford F-150 Raptor SVT SVT barely pauses as a development engineer and pilot Baja Martindale distant horizon.
2012 ford f-150

2012 ford f-150

2012 ford fusion

2012 ford fusion

The Ford brand is the most popular automotive brand in the United States, regularly beating Chevrolet and Toyota for top honors. The Ford Motor Company has worked diligently to bolster its namesake brand and has done so by offering numerous models for consumer consideration.
There are too many Ford models to mention here, but we’ve selected five which are fabulous and should be considered if you are looking for a new car or a low mileage used vehicle.
1. Ford F-150 – No Ford list can be written without mentioning the full size Ford F-150 pickup truck. Introduced in 1948, the F-Series is the best selling pickup truck line in America, powered by V-6 and V-8 gas engines paired with six-speed automatic transmissions. Available in two- and four-wheel-drive, in various cabin and bed configurations and trimmed the way you want it, the F-150 features a spacious cabin, excellent payload and towing capacities and, when equipped with an EcoBoost V-6, a nice blend of performance and fuel efficiency.
2. Ford Fusion – Ford’s current midsize sedan, the Ford Fusion, was introduced in 2006 and refreshed in 2010. This five passenger sedan is powered by a fuel efficient four cylinder engine or optional V-6. The Fusion has consistently proven to be a good value, offering better residual value than even the segment leading Toyota Camry. A hybrid model joined the line in 2010, offering 41 mpg city, 36 mpg highway, tops in its class.
3. Ford Edge - The market for midsize crossover models is very competitive, with most every manufacturer offering at least one model. The Ford Edge was restyled in 2011 and now offers improved fuel economy, better handling, numerous technology features including SYNC, Bluetooth and an advanced audio system and leather seating options. This crossover offers plenty of storage room and is suitable for light towing.
4. Ford Focus – New for 2012, the compact Focus sold in North America now matches what Europeans have long enjoyed. This car is roomy, sporty and offers class leading fuel economy, achieving 40 mpg with its most fuel efficient model. The Focus is a tuner favorite too, allowing owners to customize their rides with sport fascia, performance exhaust systems and a host of other features. The new model is available in sedan and hatchback body styles.
5. Ford Fiesta - The smallest Ford model is the Ford Fiesta, a subcompact car retailing for under $14,000. Modern, sporty and offering a roomy interior, the Fiesta is a fuel efficiency leader too, offering 40 mpg on the highway. This car features 10 airbags, a number not found on even most midsize sedans. You can customize your ride to make the Fiesta reflect your personality.
Other Ford models worth considering include the Taurus, Explorer, Escape and Mustang, top performers in each segment. Ford is a proven winner offering many submodels worth considering too.

2012 ford fusion

2012 ford fusion

2012 ford escape

Ford to Introduce 15 new Cars in China and to Double Workforce by 2015

With only a few days left before the start of the Shanghai Auto Show, Ford Motor Company announced a very ambitious plan for China as the automaker aims to introduce 15 new vehicles and to double its workforce in the world's largest car market by 2015.

“Together with our partners, we are leveraging the strength of the One Ford plan and our global platforms to bring 15 new vehicles to China by 2015, reinforcing our commitment to offer a full portfolio of vehicles for our Chinese customers," said Joe Hinrichs, Ford Asia Pacific and Africa president. "The 15 new vehicles are part of Ford’s plans to introduce 50 new products and powertrains to the Asia Pacific region by 2015,” Hinrichs added.

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Ward's Auto Announces the 10 Best Car Interiors of 2011

Like every year, Ward's AutoWorld magazine picks the best interiors the automotive industry has to offer. For 2011, the publication chose 10 the ten best interiors the offer after editors analyzed 51 vehicles that were all-new or featured significantly upgraded interior. Ward's Auto picked the 10 winners from all segments, with the finalists including three luxury brands, three economy cars, a sport sedan, a minivan, an SUV and a family sedan.

If you’re still with us, the top 10 winners for 2011, in alphabetical order, are:

Audi A8
BMW X3 xDrive35i
Chevrolet Cruze 2LT RS
Dodge Charger Rallye Plus
Ford Focus Titanium
Honda Odyssey Elite
Hyundai Elantra Limited
Jeep Grand Cherokee Overland Summit
Kia Optima EX
Volvo S60

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After Tsunami, American Automakers Looking for Home Turf Sales Boost

According to CNN’s Fortune and simple, cold-hearted business logic, now is the prime time for American manufacturers to take advantage of recent catastrophic events and pounce on their home market's consumers. A lack of Japanese parts (or entire vehicles), in conjunction with a strong yen and ever-improving American small cars, has given Ford, GM, and Chrysler a potential sales pick-me-up as we stroll into the summer months.

Two of the three factors which will help American manufacturers' sales stem directly from the tsunami in Japan a month ago: factory shutdowns have limited parts/vehicle availability, while the yen gained value as the Japanese are expected to repurchase some currency for disaster mitigation.

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Anderson Germany Creates a 420HP Ford Focus RS for those that didn’t Grab an RS500

If you didn’t manage to purchase one of limited edition Ford Focus RS500 before production ran out, you may want to take a look at Anderson Germany’s Ford Focus RS “Black Racing Edition”. The tuner-prepped Focus RS features a matte black paint scheme similar to the one featured on the RS500 adding contrasting red elements like the RS badges, the edges of the rims and the Ford logo.

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New European Market Ford Focus ECOnetic Expected to Return 3.5 lt/100 km or 67.2MPG

A new variant of the latest Focus with the ECOnetic moniker and a segment leading fuel efficiency will soon be added to Ford’s European lineup. According to the company, the diesel-powered Focus ECONetic is expected to use less than 3.5 liters of fuel per 100 kilometers (equal to 80 mpg UK or 67.2 mpg US) and return ultra-low CO2 emissions of less than 95g/km when final certification is completed later this year.

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Ford Sues Nissan Over Brazilian TV Ad that Ridicules the Focus for Being Overpriced [with Video]

Ford’s Brazilian arm has filed a criminal (!) lawsuit against the local division of Nissan for airing an aggressive TV commercial directed at the Focus sub-compact. To make a long story short, the parody-like ad points the finger at Ford for allegedly overpricing its Focus model.

The TV spot, which looks exactly like a rap video, shows two men dressed as Ford engineers living the big life with gold chains and rings, plenty of champagnes, and –the best part- an exotic assortment of sexy women in bikinis dancing around them. And oh, there’s also a silver Ford Focus on the background….

At the end, the commercial announces the price of Nissan’s Tiida sub-compact (sold as the Versa in the States), which in Brazil, costs around BR 3,000 or a little over US$1,800 less than Ford’s rivaling Focus.

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New Video of Ford’s 2012 Focus ST Hot Hatch

Ford’s European arm has released yet another video of its upcoming Focus ST sport hatch that’s expected to hit the market early next year. There’s nothing new to see per se as the company has already published numerous teaser films in the months following the car’s introduction at the 2010 Paris Motor Show.

As a reminder, the hottest version of the new generation Focus (that is, until Ford decides to resurrect the RS nameplate in the near future) will be propelled by a force-fed 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine cranking out 250 ponies and 360 Nm / 265 lb ft of torque. The show car was equipped with a six-speed manual gearbox driving the front wheels, but there’s a good chance the production model will also be offered with a dual clutch transmission. Hit the jump for the video.

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Ford focus review

                                                   Ford focus review

 The Ford focus review  has traditionally set the benchmark in the family hatchback sector of the market. Of that there's no doubt. The MK2 version, however, has a tougher family hatch fight on its hands than its predecessor. Maybe the latest facelift will be enough to keep it on top. Time for an up to date judgement then - and where better to start with the entry-level 'Studio' versions?

Prices start at £11,945 for the 78bhp 1.4-litre petrol engined 3-door Studio. Of course this variant isn't going to set any land speed records but then purchasers of this type of car have other priorities when selecting their vehicles. What they do get, however, is top class family hatchback that drives with much of the refinement previously reserved in latter times for luxury saloons that couldn't hold a candle to the way this car handles. The 5-door hatchback bodystyle offers a choice of the 1.4-litre petrol or a 1.6-litre TDCi diesel. The Studio trim level also offers an estate option featuring a1.6-litre Duratec petrol unit or the 1.6-litre TDCi.
The comprehensive package of safety measures on the Studio includes ESP stability control as well as front and side airbags for both driver and front passenger. There are also front seat belt pre-tensioners, front seat belt load-limiting retractors and a foot pedal intrusion prevention system. It is amazing how far we have come over recent years with regard to safety. It is not that long ago that technology like this would only have been offered on a top of the range executive model whereas now it is standard equipment on an entry-level family hatch.
Ford's tried and trusted 1.4-litre petrol unit will get the entry-level Focus Studio to 62mph in a leisurely 14.1 seconds and on to a top speed of 101mph. More importantly for this car though is the fuel consumption and here you'll return a healthy 42mpg on the combined cycle and a reasonable emissions figure of 159g/km. The 1.6-litre TDCi diesel which features in the 5-door model does the sprint in 11.3 seconds and hits a top speed of 115mph. Fuel consumption is an impressive 59mpg on the combined cycle and the emissions' figure of 127g/km has very 'green' credentials.Ford focus review

Ford focus review

 

 

Ford focus review

Citroen c4 picasso

Introduction

The original Citroen C4 was a boldly styled car both inside and out that featured some unusual and innovative features. But while it was certainly different, it met with some resistance from its target market - the more mature and discerning owner who doesn't necessarily want a car that stands out. So for the second generation model, Citroen has played it somewhat safer, sacrificing the radical styling for comfort, quality and refinement.
With the forthcoming DS4 designed to be Citroen's sporty offering in the medium-family hatchback market, the C4 is free to be a comfort-focussed model that's also practical. In this respect it's very successful thanks to an impeccably good ride, very low noise levels, impressive refinement and a spacious cabin. It's far from the being the best car to drive in its class, that remains the Ford Focus, but then it's not supposed to be. Instead it's composed and relaxing on the move.
Inside, the quality of the interior is massive improvement over the original C4. Not only is the layout a lot more user-friendly, there's also far more useable storage and the materials used throughout feel of a much higher quality. Features such as the much-hyped fixed-hub steering wheel and transculent digital dash of the old model have been ditched in favour of a more conventional look and although it's not as radical, it's a far more pleasant cabin overall that also feels better built.
There's a good range of engines too, including the excellent 1.6-litre HDi which is quiet, smooth and impressively sprightly. It's also very economical with the new green e-HDi models - Citroen's equivalent of Bluemotion or Econetic - capable of a claimed 67.3mpg with CO2 emissions of 109g/km, so running costs are low. And with good levels of standard kit and residual values predicted to be much stronger than before, the C4 has more appeal than ever.
The new C4 range starts at £15,595 for the 1.4 VTi 95hp VTR while the range-topping Exclusive model, powered by the 2.0 HDi 150hp unit, is priced at £21,495.