But despite Australia’s expanding demand for little autos, you won’t locate the Fiesta-based mostly compact MPV in local showrooms in the short term, with Ford Australia admitting the B-MAX is not on its agenda at this stage.

Ford Australia’s Sinead McAlary explained the local firm was focusing its efforts on the similarly sized EcoSport compact SUV, which is also based on the Fiesta platform. The EcoSport is expected to go on sale in Australia close to the middle of 2013.

The B-MAX will at first be sold in Europe wherever there is a more substantial market for tall, MPV-type compact autos.

Like the B-MAX notion (above), which was first noticed at last year’s Geneva display, the production model has no fixed B-pillars. Rather, the structurally integral vertical supports are integrated into the edges of the doors. The front doors open conventionally while the two rear doors slide backwards, allowing unhindered access to the five-seat cabin.

The B-MAX will be readily available with the new 92kW/170Nm one.-litre 3-cylinder EcoBoost petrol engine as nicely as a quantity of Duratorq diesel powerplants

Ford says the automobile will set new specifications in style, provide very best-in-class technological functions, and give a versatile seating program and class-primary load space.

Vehicle Assistance

General Motors has released however an additional industrial for Super Bowl XLVI called ’2012.’ The industrial is primarily based around the Chevrolet Silverado and reveals off how reputable the truck is in a 60-second.

The ad is focused around the Silverado navigating the devastation and destruction predicted to take place this year by the Mayan calendar.

Verify out a lot more news on the Chevrolet Silverado.

“A group of buddies, who are Silverado owners, can make its way to the designated meeting spot but discover one of their buddies is missing, GM said about the ad in a statement. “The missing buddy, however, drives an additional manufacturer’s truck and does not appear to have made it to the meeting point.”

The ad also capabilities a shot at the Ford F-150 but we will not spoil it for you.

Make the jump to see the ad.

egmCarTech

Chris Harris will take us back to the globe of Group B rallying in the 1980s and shares his passion about rallying whilst driving the Ford RS200 and the Audi Sport Quattro. Two magnificent historical vehicles featuring the Group B encounter in their veins.

Thirty many years ago, auto makers had to develop 200 road-going examples of the automobile they meant to rally. These guidelines developed some of the most breathtaking road cars of all time.

Check out one more must-see video through the new YouTube channel DRIVE.

GTSPIRIT

Tiny Chinese producer Jianghuai Auto Corporation (JAC) revealed the carbon copy pick-up ahead of its expected unveiling at the 2012 Beijing car show in April.

The similarities – notably at the front finish – are uncanny to say the least, whilst the blue oval badge pushes the boundaries of coincidence.

The JAC 4R3 will be produced in China and sold locally, and could also be exported to Africa and South America. The Ford F-150 is not presently sold in China.

1 point JAC hasn’t copied is the F-Series’ powertrain. Whilst the large Ford truck generates as considerably as 306kW and 588Nm from a six.2-litre V8 engine, the 4R3 will make do with an 81kW/240Nm 2.8-litre 4-cylinder diesel.

It’s not the first time JAC has cloned huge American truck either. The JAC Choose-Up bares a striking resemblance to the Chevrolet Silverado, the F-150’s important rival in the US.

Chinese producers are infamous for creating copy vehicles. Some of the much better-recognized knock-offs contain the BYD S8 Coupe (Mercedes-Benz CLK), Chery QQ (Daewoo Matiz), Shuanghuan Noble (Wise Fortwo) and the Lifan 320 (Mini Cooper).

Honda efficiently sued Lifan three occasions amongst 2005 and 2008 more than its motorcycle styles, including Lifan’s choice to location ‘Hongda’ badges on its bikes.

BMW, Daimler and Fiat have also had accomplishment in banning Chinese copy auto merchandise from staying sold in Germany and the European Union.

Ford has not announced any legal action against JAC at this stage.

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Whenever anyone thinks about America and the automobile industry, one of the first things that should pop-up into mind is the pickup truck: an automobile that is synonymously iconic to our culture like the small roadster is to Great Britain or the executive saloon is to Germany. And when anyone thinks of a pickup truck, the ultimate buy word in the segment would arguably be the proverbial Ford F150. That should be a given considering that the Dearborn-based manufacturer invented the automobile when they produced the “Ford Model T Runabout with a Pickup Body” in 1925. Not to mention, the F150 is indubitably one of automotive history’s most iconic automobiles, racking up some astonishing accolades such as America’s best-selling vehicle for 24-years and best-selling truck for 34.

That said, the Ford F150 can be considered the car that ‘built’ America, much like how Jeremy Clarkson showed the world that the Ford Transit had “built” Great Britain. No matter where you go, you’ll always find some generation and some sort of variant of the Ford F150 running about doing all things utilitarian. I can go on and on about the F150’s prominence, but that would be similar to me rambling on about how famous Mr. Henry Ford is himself—gee, thanks Captain Obvious.

But truth be told, I have very little personal experience with pickups for my short time on Earth. The first and last pickup truck that I had comprehensively driven in-depth was a 2002 Dodge Ram 2500 with the 5.9L Magnum V8. And even though the Ram was uncomfortable, brash and tiresome to drive—on top of abysmal fuel economy that never went north of 15 mpg—the Ram’s commanding view of the road made it interestingly fun to drive and its practicality was hard to trump, considering that the Ram helped me move back and forth between college and home. Afterwards, the last pickup I ever drove entirely prior to this review was a 2005 Ford F150 King Ranch SuperCrew, complete with the top-of-the-line 5.4L Triton V8 during my time working at a used car dealer. Other than that though, pickup trucks never really appealed to my taste for refined and fun-driving performance and luxury cars. And that was due to their sacrifice for utilitarianism in place of luxury and driving pleasure. In other words, I felt one would be socially awkward pulling up to a fancy function in a workhorse pickup truck rather than a stately executive saloon.

2012 Ford F150 EcoBoost Lariat 4×2 SuperCrew V6 Specifications:

• Style: Full-size pickup truck.
• Drive Type: RWD / 4WD.
• Seating Capacity: 5.
• Base Price: $ 39,475.
• Price As Tested: $ 45,380.
• Engine: 3.5 liter twin-turbocharged, direct-injected EcoBoost V6 – 365-hp / 420 lb-ft of torque.
• Transmission: 6-speed automatic.
• 0 to 60 mph: 6.1 seconds.
• Top Speed: 100 mph (electronically limited).
• Curb Weight: 5,699 lbs.
• Fuel-economy (EPA city/highway – egmCarTech Observed): 16/22 – 17/19 mpg.

All Photos Copyright © Omar Rana - egmCarTech.

Social awkwardness aside though, over the years numerous others have proven to take Ford’s recipe for a pickup and have perfected it in their own ways, the Ram being one of them. And over those same years, manufacturers, including Ford themselves, have evolved the pickup to be not only a workhorse automobile, but one of the most versatile vehicles money can buy. In order to continue keeping up with the times of fuel economy-conscious buyers and strict CAFE regulations, Ford had decided to gamble with a new engine top-of-the-line option for the 2011 F150: a twin-turbocharged 3.5L EcoBoost V6. It’s a boosted mill that Ford hopes will help improve the brand’s CAFE rating and sway the traditionalists from the typical pickup powerplant, so that the gasoline-guzzling V8 can slowly fade away into the pages of history (Oh dear God please no), or at least be the second choice. So, how does it fare and does it have what it takes to meet Ford’s and the buyers’ expectations?

Exterior:

There’s really not much to discuss when talking about the aesthetic aspects of pickups. Their designs are pretty straightforward. Though what differs Ford’s F150 from the more chiseled-down looks of GM’s GMT900 pickups and the sleek, refined muscle of the Dodge Ram is the F150’s Tonka Truck Toy-like looks. But it’s not outrageously childish or terribly offensive. In fact, I like the way the F150 looks. It comes off as thoroughly American, rugged and masculine—as if it could take on anything you can throw at it. It has every visual trait a real pickup should have. And who’s to argue? And what makes me appreciate the F150 even more is that its looks are also civil enough that once you were done with your dirty work, you could just take a hose and some suds to it and drive it through town like a boss. In other words, I wouldn’t feel ashamed to pull up in a clean, modern F150—like the one we had—at a fancy function. I couldn’t exactly say the same thing with the Ford F150 from several decades ago and earlier. And I definitely couldn’t say that about the 2002 Dodge Ram I drove several years ago.

Interior:

The same Tonka-like characteristics can be found inside the F150 as well. Where as the F150s of yesteryear often had flat, boring and monotone insides, the F150 of today (and ever since the 11^th generation F150 from 2004 such as that 2005 King Ranch I aforementioned) dropped the straight-workhorse looks for some style, without any sacrifice or deviation from the F150’s tough, rugged utilitarian roots. And this latest F150 just takes it even a step further. So if you were like me, with the little experience I have with pickups, you’d be surprised to find a very comforting ambiance when compared to the F150s of the 1990s and prior. The responses elicited from me when I first stepped into the F150 were: “wow, this is pretty darn nice,” and “I’m really impressed.” Ford’s use of different colored materials is extraordinarily well executed making you think that you’re in a more civilized Expedition rather than an F150—and it’s definitely an exponential upgrade from that brash Ram. I simply love it.

Our tester was of the Lariat spec, which is one of the most commonly optioned trimlines of the F150. It surely isn’t the most luxurious model, nor is it the cheapest as Ford pins the Lariat just in the middle of the lineup, below (and in order from least luxurious and expensive to most luxurious and expensive) FX4, SVT Raptor, King Ranch, Platinum and Harley-Davidson Editions and above the base XL, STX, XLT and FX2. Ours was fully optioned up the wazoo complete with Microsoft/Ford’s collaboration called SYNC, their tow package, leather-trimmed 10-way heated and cooled seats with memory function—which also means the transmission shifter changes from a column stalk to a center console-mounted selector. All of the ergonomics were simple and easy to use. Admittedly, a lot of the equipment bespoke to pickups that help its owners tow and haul stuff did throw me off a bit. But I’m sure that’s purely from my lack of experience. Either way, Ford offers a lot of kit and the seats were wonderfully supportive and comfortable. Additionally, our F150 was optioned out with the 6.5-foot bed and the SuperCrew layout, which means four full doors and a rear bench to haul not just your friends or family, but their junk as well.

Performance:

Driving the F150 is where the real news is. For the first time ever, Ford’s iconic workhorse gets their latest twin-turbocharged, direct-injected 3.5L EcoBoost V6, which is the same engine that received some honorable mention and placement in cars like the current Taurus SHO and the Ford Flex EcoBoost. And even though the F150 EcoBoost V6 produces the same 365 horses as the Taurus SHO, the F150’s EcoBoost V6 produces 70 more lb-ft of twist for a whopping total of 420 lb-ft that’s best-in-class—and 90% of that is fully and readily available at 1700rpm, all the way through the rev range to 5000rpm. Mated to Ford’s SelectShift six-speed automatic, mashing the pedal from a standstill in the F150 EcoBoost would yield a 0-60 time of roughly 6.5 seconds, which is not shabby at all. In fact, during our week long test, Editor-In-Chief Omar Rana and I often found ourselves with our windows down in between quick stoplight drags with owners of older pickups and even some quick car drivers, all wondering what the hell just put them in the dust. And because that power is so readily available from the well-tuned and adjusted six-speed, highway cruising and overtaking is a breeze. Turbo lag was virtually nonexistent and traditional pickup purists would feel right at home with the EcoBoost V6. The only thing that would tell them that the F150 EcoBoost has two less cylinders would be the options list and the exhaust note, which was the sound of a muffled yet, meaty V6 with a slight hiss from the snails versus a throaty, rumbling V8. But for those who are truly committed to the seductive rumble of Ford’s V8 still have a choice to opt for their all-new 5.0L V8 mill—the same that debuted in the current Mustang 5.0—and 6.2L Boss V8, which is in the SVT Raptor. The only sacrifice with the V8s is for those seeking practicality in terms of tow capacity: the 3.5L V6 EcoBoost has the highest ratings out of all the other engine options.

Considering the F150 is no performance automobile, I completely relieved myself from any expectations of handling with the F150. But such a notion wasn’t exactly necessary because simply put, the F150 EcoBoost is truly wonderful to drive for being a full-size pickup. Sure, the handling is completely nonexistent when compared to something with a unibody and finely tuned suspension. But the F150, much like many other pickup trucks from the competitors, has thoroughly proven that utilitarian automobiles don’t have to be woeful to drive like they used to be. When compared to my 2002 Dodge Ram experience, the F150 felt like the Mercedes-Benz of pickup trucks. Refined, comfortable and composed describe the F150 EcoBoost’s ride and handling. The same could be said for the 2005 King Range Edition I drove too a while back. Highway speeds were quiet, relaxing and a complete dawdle making me think that it would be the perfect truck to take on a cross-country adventure. The steering for the entire F150 lineup except for the 6.2L Boss V8-equipped models was converted from the typical lifeless hydraulic setup to a more efficient electronically assisted power steering system. When comparing the two, the electronic system offered nothing in the way of feel next to the hydraulic setup I experienced in the 2005 King Ranch F150, but on the upside, the electric tiller was effortless with solid on-center feel, making any kind of maneuvering a breeze. Should you find yourself approaching a corner too fast, the F150 would respond with enough composure surprise to make you forget about the F150’s on-paper body-on-frame and solid-rear axle setup.

Unfortunately, for the time that we had the F150 EcoBoost V6, we weren’t able to put it in a situation to truly test the F150’s ability to haul or tow something. The closest we got though was a quick trip up into North Jersey to pickup a new couch for my apartment. And this trip led us to come up with a thing or two we could point out. Firstly, our fuel economy hovered around an average of 17-19 mpg, which is very respectable for a pickup truck and understandable when compared to the EPA’s rating of 16 mpg’s city and 22 highway. Though, we didn’t think it was much of an improvement over the alternative and more traditional engine, Ford’s new 5.0L V8, rated at 15 mpg’s city and 21 highway and even the 6.2L V8. That said, we were a little perplexed by the fact that Ford chose to opt for a traditional gasoline engine when diesel technologies are so readily available. Altogether, it raises a question for the brand itself too. Are they still betting on gasoline engines when 2/3rds of the world has been benefiting from the higher fuel efficiency of diesel-powered automobiles? Even on home turf, those who are well informed of the pickup market know that a Dodge Ram with a Cummins or a GM pickup with a Duramax, or even the Ford with a PowerStroke will yield far better fuel economy without a sacrifice in capability. Either way, I think “Big Oil” is still to blame. But that’s a whole ‘nother can o’worms.

Overall:

Altogether, I walk away from the F150 EcoBoost in complete awe as to how pickups have evolved over time. Forgetting my lack of experience aside, as a car guy, stepping into an F150 wasn’t overwhelming or intimidating whatsoever. The F150 was a breeze to get used to, especially for someone with my background…or lack thereof. In all, I see the F150 as a Swiss army knife, but one with a snakeskin holster that’s stylish and practical and is sure to elicit some conversation from others and you can take it anywhere without being terribly uncivil. And for that, I can now appreciate the appeal of pickup trucks and I’m sure those venturing into the market for the first time will too. You can haul your friends/family plus their junk and nearly go anywhere all while in good comfort and style of the mighty Ford F150. In other words, where as enthusiasts come to appreciate cars for their sense of value rather than how superior their performance and drive is, enthusiasts can appreciate the F150 for its gung-ho and do-nearly-anything capabilities. And even for those who are looking to buy the F150 for its utility, they are definitely going to feel right at home. Sure, the fuel economy may not meet the promises of exponentially better fuel economy like Ford is pitching. But Ford has apparently tested the 3.5L EcoBoost V6 to extreme ends so the V6 is sure to be as durable and reliable as the V8 it hopes to replace. Not to mention, those who are considering or have experience with pickups are used to getting cruddy fuel economy anyway. Let’s just hope that Ford’s push for the EcoBoost engines in this F150 and its other cars isn’t a harbinger of things to come, like the potential death of the V8. But simply put, the F150 is A+ all the way.

All Photos Copyright © Omar Rana - egmCarTech.

- By: Chris Chin

egmCarTech

While many automakers in the industry are constantly fighting for the top spots, market domination, or even global domination, Ford Motor Co. is taking a surprisingly different approach with its Fusion model.

FoMoCo CEO Alan Mulally may have recently hinted that the Ford is trying to outsell the ever-popular Toyota Camry, but executives say this is not the case.

One of the outstanding reasons the automaker hasn’t made it a goal is because they don’t have the production capacity to sell as many units as the Camry.

Click here for more news on the Ford Fusion.

Instead, “Between price and volume, we’ll sort out the right mix,” Jim Farley, Ford’s global marketing chief, said in an interview. “I don’t think we’re very enamored with being No. 1 just to be No. 1. We’re much more enamored with getting the right price point and the right kind of people to buy the car.”

Ford is relying on several factors to get top-dollar for each of the Fusion’s it sells. With the expansion of the brand’s available technology, the demand for it will drive up sticker pricing, while hybrid and plug-in models will attract those looking to go green or save on gas. The improved design is also expected to increase consumer demand, as the model was named the best designed production car at the Detroit Auto Show.

As for figures, last year Toyota rolled 308,510 Camrys off U.S. lots, which is a 6 percent drop for the brand, while Ford was up 13 percent, with 248,067 units sold. This year, Ford is increasing production capacity to 400,000, while Toyota’s capacity is at 500,000 for its newly redesigned Camry.

“It’s going to be hard to outsell the Camry,” Jessica Caldwell, Edmunds.com sales analyst said. “Camry has been on top so long they’ve built up a huge, loyal owner base. Just from the sheer numbers, Camry is hard to beat.”

By: Alexandra Koken

Source: AutoNews

egmCarTech

More Rolex 24 at Daytona:

Unique Race Coverage >>
Exclusive Race Photographs >>
Exclusive Race Movies >>

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Associated posts:Daytona’s Youngest Driver? – 2012 Rolex 24 at DaytonaKia and Mazda to Battle at Daytona on Friday – 2012 Rolex [...]

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2. Kia and Mazda to Battle at Daytona on Friday – 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona
3. Ford Concentrate ST-R Debut – 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona

Road &amp Track Weblog

Ford claims the six.six kW charger on the Ford Concentrate Electric requires only a few to 4 hrs to charge a fully depleted battery when hooked up to a 240V, 32-amp charging station. By way of comparison, the Nissan LEAF has a 3.3 kW charger and will take about 6 to eight hrs to obtain a complete charge from a 240V supply.

According to Ross, this quicker charging rate is a strategic component of Ford’s electric autos, and a single that will ultimately give owners of its EV significantly less to be concerned about when it comes to variety nervousness, as when they are ready to charge during the day, either at home or at a station along their route, they will be able to get more juice in a shorter quantity of time, to drastically extend the kilometres they have at their disposal on any given day.

The Ford Concentrate Electric’s variety on a full charge is 260 km.

AUTO123.COM – RSS

The Ford Racing Focus ST-R will take its first green flag this Friday during the Grand-Am 200 in the Continental Tire Sports Car Challenge ST class. The race is part of the Grand-Am weekend at Daytona International Speedway,which includes the 50th running of the 24 Hours of Daytona.

It might look innocent, but the Focus ST-R is purpose-built for racing. Ford has equipped the ST-R with a FIA-regulation roll cage, uprated brakes, and track-tuned suspension. The turbocharged 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine has been tweaked to deliver an estimated 250 bhp and 265 lb-ft of torque. The engine is coupled to a 6-speed manual gearbox with revised ratios.

The Focus ST-R is available to the general public and is one of many recent turn-key Ford racing machines, such asthe Mustang FR500C, Mustang FR500S, Mustang Cobra Jet, Boss 302R and Boss 302S. As you can tell from that Mustang-intensive list, this is the first time the compact Focus has joined the fun.

“Because the Focus ST-R is a production-based road race car, it features stock body panels and production parts where possible,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing. “People who buy one will get a fully prepared race car that will only need communications equipment and the customer’s decals to go racing.

The Focus ST-R has been designed to compete in racing series around the world, including Grand-Am ST, World Challenge TC and Canadian Touring Car Series. Ford says it hopes that European racing teams also enlist the ST-R to compete in races like the 24 Hours of Nürburgring.

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1. Ford Mustangs Go After BMW M3s – 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona
2. Audi R8 Grand-Am to Debut – 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona
3. Kia and Mazda to Battle at Daytona on Friday – 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona
4. Which Team to Root For? – 2012 Rolex 24 at Daytona
5. 2012 Ford Focus SFE – Ford Focuses on 40 mpg

Road & Track Blog

Final year BMW was the clear winner of the Grand Sports (GS) class in the Continental Tire Sports activities Auto Challenge, grabbing the Manufacturers Championship although Turner Motorsport captured the Driver and Team Championships with their M3 Coupes.

Naturally BMW hopes to repeat its achievement this year specially on Friday at the Daytona Speedway in the BMW Overall performance 200, which is the very first round of the 2012 Grand-Am Continental Tire Sports Auto Challenge (CTSCC).

If every group has their autos prepared, the race must be magnificent with no significantly less than 81 autos split among the GS and ST (Street Tuner) classes.

Turner Motorsports returns with the same drivers – Bill Auberlen and Paul Dalla Lana in automobile no. 96 and Michael Marsal and Boris Said in car no. 97. The team might be favorites to win but several teams campaigning Ford Mustangs are determined to give them a run for the funds. Roush Overall performance, which finished 2nd in the 2011 CTSCC, has expanded its group with a few Mustang Boss 302Rs, which includes one driven by Jack Roush Jr.

According to a news bulletin Starworks Motorsport will take the shackles off their herd of Mustangs at Daytona this weekend. The Fort Lauderdale-primarily based group will have no less than four Venezuelan-backed Ford Mustangs in the steady. Yes truly. The team, which competes in the Grand Am series but will be a newcomer in this series, goes on to say it has saddled up some of the hottest driving talent close to — with regular drivers Ryan Dalziel from Scotland, and Venezuelans Enzo Potolicchio and Alex Popow joining latest FIA GT1 champ Lucas Luhr. John Dalziel and Miguel Potolicchio will team up in the 3rd auto with Gianni Potolicchio and Maurizio Scala in the fourth vehicle.

Even though the battle up front seems like it will be between BMW M3s and Ford Mustangs there are numerous other automobiles competing. For illustration, Aston Martin Racing, which is creating a return to domestic competitors in North America, has joined forces with Toronto-based mostly Multimatic Motorsports to enter a pair of Vantage GT4s in the series.

Scott Maxwell and Joe Foster will drive the lead auto, whilst Patrick Dempsey will drive the second automobile. Chris Porritt, Aston Martin’s Chief Engineer and vastly seasoned Vantage GT4 driver, will compete alongside Dempsey in a 1-off guest appearance.

There’s even a single 2012 Subaru WRX STI formulated particularly to compete in a class that sees more substantial automobiles establishing more than 400 horsepower. The Subaru Road Racing Team (SRRT) automobile is prepped and maintained by Joe Aquilante’s Phoenix Performance in Phoenixville, PA. His son Andrew Aquilante and Bret Spaude return as factory group drivers for Subaru’s entry in the GS class.

The very first round of the 2012 CTSCC is on Friday, the day before the 50th anniversary Rolex 24 at Daytona The race final for two and a half hrs with a mandatory driver alter. Sadly if you can’t make it to the Daytona Speedway to view in person, you will have to wait till Feb four to watch it on Speed Television at 12.00 pm ET.

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2. Race Prepared 2012 Ford Mustangs
3. BMW one Series M Coupe Set to Pace Rolex 24
4. 2012 Corvette Daytona Prototype in Action
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Road &amp Track Website

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