Archive for the 'Styling' Category

25
May
10

Officially Official: Ford Flex gets new top-shelf Titanium model

Earlier this month, Editor Paukert spied a caravan of Ford Flex prototypes sporting new trim pieces that indicated a higher-level trim model is in the works. A source within Ford confirmed that our assumptions were correct, and now the automaker has released the full raft of details about its new model, Flex Titanium, which should hit showrooms later this year. Expect to see more Titanium-badged products making their way down the pipeline, too. This trim level is already well-received in Europe, and we’ll be seeing a Titanium version of the 2012 Focus when it goes on sale next year, as well.

Back to the Flex. Available in both naturally aspirated and EcoBoost variants, the Titanium model adds extra appearance goodies like blacked-out headlamps and taillamps, a two-tone Tuxedo Black roof, 20-inch alloys with an aluminum finish and a black badgeless chrome grille with F-L-E-X text on the edge of the hood. Inside, the charcoal black leather-trimmed seats feature gray Alcantara inserts, the center stack is painted in a new metallic alloy finish, a perforated leather steering wheel falls to hand, and illuminated scuff plates light the entryway.

The Titanium will be available in four colors: White Platinum Metallic Tri-Coat, Red Candy Metallic, Ingot Silver Metallic and Tuxedo Black Metallic. We find the Red Candy to be particularly tasty – you can check it out on Ford’s already launched configurator here.

Even though the new Titanium models are pricy ($40,340 for a Duratec-powered front-drive model and $45,185 for an EcoBoost’d all-wheel drive – sans $775 in delivery fees) the Blue Oval may be right for thinking they can expand the model upwards – it says that the current top trim (Limited) accounts for 40 percent of overall Flex sales, and that as much as 60 percent of these vehicles are equipped with add-ons like the panoramic sunroof and rear refrigerator. Hit the jump to read the full details in Ford’s press release.

28
Dec
09

Car News and Reviews:Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Wins 4×4 Award

Yet Another Win For Ford

Ford F-150 SVT Raptor 4×4 of the Year Winner

Ford’s specialty F-150 SVT Raptor truck has caught the attention of a lot of enthusiasts as well as Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off-Road magazine which named the burly off-road truck winner of its 2010 4×4 of the Year award.

Introduced in late 2008 just as the economy tanked and soon after gas prices reached their peak prices, the timing of the Raptor’s release seemed to be a poor one. Nevertheless, Ford says that they straining to keep up with customer demand, in a niche product line that still has a lot of life left to it.

Tough Competitors For Raptor
Petersen’s evaluated the Raptor against three tough competitors: Dodge Ram 2500 Power Wagon, Hummer H3T Alpha and Toyota 4Runner Trail, judging the candidates on a 1,000-mile trail that evaluated the suspension, engine, transmission, transfer case and styling, and of course, off-road performance.

“The Ford F-150 SVT Raptor pickup handily won this year’s test, despite being pitted against top-of-the-line competition,” said Rick Péwé, editor-in-chief of Petersen’s 4-Wheel & Off-Road. “The pickup consistently placed well ahead of the competition in most areas, and great value and fun factors sent it over the top. Basic, solid construction gave us the confidence to take the truck wherever we wanted.” As one judge noted, “It looks cool, drives fast, and seems to take whatever you throw at it.”

New 6.2L V8
Kudos to Ford for building a winner. Even more impressive, the truck builder will be introducing an all-new 6.2-liter V-8 producing 411 horsepower and 434 ft.-lb. of torque early next year.

Customers can choose order that truck now or choose the Raptor outfitted with a 5.4L V8.

02
Sep
08

Ford GT: Quite probably the most “spectacular road car” Ford will ever build.

Ford’s GT, which celebrated 100 years of company history, capitalized on the popularity and success of the GT40, one of the most fabled automobiles of all time from any manufacturer.

As a somewhat stylized, more modern and civilized version of a flat-out race car for the street, the GT had to look the part and play it, too. It’s the acid test for any vehicle that recalls such a rich and victorious track history.

The original GT40 race car, (the “40″ referred to the car’s height, in inches) captured the top-three positions at the famous 24 hours of Le Mans (France) endurance race in 1966. Back then, Ford poured millions of dollars into the program, hiring the best drivers, engineers and specialty suppliers with the sole purpose of beating arch-rival Ferrari, then the undisputed endurance racing champion. Following three more years, including a trio of Le Mans victories, the company retired the GT40.

Thirty-five years later, Ford not only captured the moment, but the mood that prevailed at the time, one of prosperity, success, a desire to win no matter the cost and to unabashedly celebrate that victory. The new GT delivered the goods and was instantly ranked among the best road-going sports cars ever built thanks to some amazing technology.

Perhaps more impressive was that although the GT made its press debut in 2002, the car’s development group, led by Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT) boss John Coletti, was given just 12 months to produce the first three working examples in time for Ford’s anniversary celebrations in June, 2003. In a perhaps coincidental duplication of the 1960s process that led to the GT40, Coletti imported some well-known outside advisors, including respected race-car engine builder/NASCAR race team owner Jack Roush and Steve Saleen, creator of the limited-production S7 sports car.

Translating a decades-old hand-fabricated competition vehicle into a modern-day street-driveable sports car with real bumpers, windows, air conditioning and a warranty proved no simple task. Working with the set exterior proportions of the original meant that to comfortably accommodate two passengers and build a modern, aluminum platform, all key measurements such as length, width, height and wheelbase, had to be enlarged.

Computers obviously played a vital role in the quick turnaround while providing answers to some tough design questions. For example, computer modeling determined that the safest place to put the gas tank was in a tunnel between the seats. Computer crash testing, instead of wrecking the expensive prototypes, also saved time and money.

New methods of forming the intricate aluminum body parts were also developed. In fact, the giant rear “clamshell” engine cover was just one piece with light-weight carbon-fibre inner panels attached to add strength.

Continue reading ‘Ford GT: Quite probably the most “spectacular road car” Ford will ever build.’

14
Aug
08

Ford begins production of all-new Fiesta

Volume production of the new Ford Fiesta, the first of a generation of new global small Ford cars, started at the company’s Cologne plant in Germany.

This all-new model of the Ford Fiesta has been conceived and developed by the European arm of Ford’s global product development team to meet the demands and expectations of customers around the world.

It is also the blueprint for future Ford global product development, bringing together Europe, the Americas and Asia. The new Fiesta will be tailored for each region and go on sale progressively between now and 2010, starting now with Europe.

The Cologne plant has the honour of being the first Ford assembly facility in the world to build the new car. In January 2009, the Valencia plant in Spain will also begin to manufacture the new Fiesta. The production facilities for new Fiesta outside of Europe will be Nanjing in China, Rayong in Thailand and Cuautitlàn in Mexico. They will begin to produce the car for their respective regions from late 2008 through early 2010.

In a video message to Ford of Europe employees at today’s ceremony in Cologne, Ford Motor Company President and CEO, Alan Mulally, said: “Today we are celebrating the start of a new era for our fabulous Ford Motor Company. The first product of our Global Product Development System, the all-new Fiesta is an outstanding symbol for our One Ford vision of a single, global company designing and building cars for customers around the world. Be proud of what you have achieved and be proud of your contribution to a model that will get the world talking.”

A total of 455 million Euros was invested in the restructuring and modernisation of the Cologne plant for the new Fiesta.

The all-new Fiesta is manufactured with sophisticated techniques more commonly found in the production of large cars: Ford production experts introduced these features at the highly efficient Cologne Assembly Plant, without interfering with existing Fiesta production. The all-new Fiesta production team went into the plant on weekends to install and verify new systems on the existing line. Some of the 50,000 hours of operator training was done off-line on static cars, while some training was dynamic (on-line). In one example of the training undertaken over a six week period, the production team built the same car on the line every day, then stripped it down and built it again.

In 2008, Ford plans to manufacture 148,000 new Fiestas in Cologne. When operating at full capacity, a total of more than 1,900 cars every day – new Fiestas together with the Ford Fusion – will be manufactured in Cologne over three shifts.

EXPLORE THE FIESTA BELOW

Continue reading ‘Ford begins production of all-new Fiesta’

08
Aug
08

SHELBY GT500KR ACHIEVES 1.0G

Suspension and aerodynamic changes bring King of the Road to 1.0G

The changes, on paper, may not seem significant. Try telling that to the engineers at Ford’s Special Vehicle Team (SVT), and they’ll be quick to say otherwise. Handling tests conducted by SVT prior to the launch of the Shelby GT500KR proved that small, calculated changes to aerodynamics and suspension tuning can make big improvements. In fact, the Shelby GT500KR is capable of sustaining 1.0g of grip around the skidpad, a number considered to be the upper stratosphere of road-legal sports cars.

Kerry Baldori, Chief Vehicle Engineer for SVT, talks about aerodynamics saying, “Our goal with the Shelby GT500KR was to increase downforce on the front wheels versus the GT500, while at the same time giving it a more balanced aerodynamic package.” SVT achieved just this by adding a larger carbon fiber front splitter, lowering the ride height, and installing a low-drag rear spoiler. These changes not only increased front end downforce by 31%, but they also managed to reduce drag by three percent.

Changes to the suspension tuning compliment the new aerodynamics to bring the Shelby GT500KR to its incredibly high grip levels. Revised struts that are 17% stiffer front and 7% stiffer rear reduce pitch and roll, and increased negative camber in front gives the car more grip in turns. The Shelby GT500KR is also lowered 20mm in front and 15mm in back to lower the center of gravity. Finally, exclusive to the GT500KR are new Goodyear F1 performance tires with a brand new rubber compound for North America. These tires are not available on any other car in the U.S., and are made of a special rubber that is as close to an R (race) compound as you will find on the street.

All of these changes, while seemingly small, propel the Shelby GT500KR into the top level of the sports car handling echelon. The Shelby GT500 is a capable car in its own right, but leave it to SVT to find even more performance out of an already high performing sports car.




News and Events for the Ford, Lincoln, Mercury owner and enthusiast.





 

September 2010
M T W T F S S
« Aug    
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  

Categories