Oakridge Ford

Off-road testing in this Raptor is pure joy in Mudville.

Up to now, most of the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor's appeal lay in the wicked off-road suspension parts tucked under its widebody sheetmetal.  The truck's 5.4 liter, 310-hp, 365-lb-ft V8 just didn't live up to the bat-out-of-hell tradition of its SVT predecessor, the F-150 Lightning.

That all changed with the mid-model-year addition of the Raptor 6.2, with an all-new 6.2-liter, 411-hp, 434-lb-ft V8.

The engine has a bigger bore than its stroke to allow for larger valves and higher revs for improved responsiveness, giving the Raptor true SVT vigor.  It's not as quick as the supercharged SVT Lightning of old, which posted near-6.0-second 0-to-60-mph times, but the 6.2-liter Raptor's 6.9-second time is a full second and a half quicker than the base Raptor.

Our recent test drive at Ford's proving ground near Detroit included a range of paved roads, low-traction gravel, steep inclines and enough mud to make the soggy British Midlands seem arid.  The raptor 6.2 loved wallowing in the mud, thanks to its mongo internal triple-bypass Fox Racing Shox, Raptor-exclusive 35-inch BFGoodrich All-terrain 315/70-17 tires, massive 11.2-inch ground clearnace, electronic locking rear differential, stability control, traction control, hill-descent control, off-road mode--the works.

Although it's seven inches wider than a normal F-150, the Raptor also made easy work of tight wooded trails, despite mud that made steering nearly irrelevant at times.  We picked our way through the rutted, sloppy backwoods two-tracks, up and down hills, with the Raptor's 6.2-liter engine providing ample assistance.  Pushing up steep grades only made the engine dig deeper into its reserves, especially as the revs climbed to match power demand.

Is the Raptor for real?

So far, 7.200 buyers have stepped up to get one, with 3,000 of those orders being for the 6.2-liter version (at a premium over the base Raptor).  The Raptor's average time on a dealership lot is six days.

Need more?  Ford tells us that when the 2011 Raptor hits the market late this summer, the line-up will expand to include a Crew Cab model, offered exclusively with the 6.2-liter engine.

Mud, as we understand it, will be optional.

The AutoWeek editorial staff has named Ford's next-generation Focus the "Most Significant" vehicle of the 2010 North American International Auto Show. High praise indeed, considering the number of excellent cars and trucks at this month's annual gathering in Detroit. The popular auto show hosted nearly 40 new vehicle premieres.

The next-generation Ford Focus made its worldwide debut Monday, Jan. 11 at the 2010 North American International Auto Show. Scheduled to go on sale in both North America and Europe early in 2011, the new Focus will offer customers more affordable technologies and features than ever in this segment, noteworthy levels of craftsmanship, outstanding fuel economy and a new standard for driving quality.

The prestigious AutoWeek award is being presented just three days after Ford received both the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2010 Ford Transit Connect, respectively.

Sleek, stylish and sporty, the new Focus will eventually be sold in 122 markets, with up to 80 percent parts commonality. The Focus will be built on Ford's new C-car platform, which will underpin up to 10 unique models and generate sales of 2 million units annually.

The next-generation Ford Focus will be on public display at NAIAS - along with other award-winning Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles - in Detroit's Cobo Hall through Jan. 24.

For more information
For photos and more information on the next-generation Ford Focus, please click here to reach the global media site.

Quotes
"This was a unanimous vote, one of the few in the history of the AutoWeek award. This car gives Ford and Focus fans their car back. By that we mean enthusiasts have been crying for the European Focus for years and we're finally getting our wish. We also think it's a perfect platform for an SVT version. The car goes on sale in 2011 powered by a sporty four-cylinder engine mated to a DSG transmission, and we can't wait to drive it."
- Wes Raynal, Editor of AutoWeek and autoweek.com

"We are delighted and humbled with the initial response to the next-generation Ford Focus. The new Focus is a direct result of our new global product development system and perhaps the best example yet of what we believe a global Ford product should be - great to look at, great to sit in and great to drive. This is truly ONE Ford in action."
- Derrick Kuzak, Ford's Group Vice President for Global Product Development

Automotive News
November 17, 2009 - 2:01 pm ET

Yup it's true.  Consumer Reports release a statement stating that the Ford Fusion outranks the Honda Accord and the Toyota Camry.

Fun can come in really small packages

...Even sitting at the curb, the Fiesta looks fun to drive, from its sculpted hood and flamelike headlamps, to its wheels-at-the-corner stance, to that look-at-me paint job.  It might be small, but the Fiesta wants to be noticed.

It drives that way, too, its MacPherson-strut front and torsion-beam rear suspension holding tight to the road even during sportier maneuvers.  Steering is sharp and responsive, if a little artificial-feeling at times, mostly because of its electrically assisted setup.  Its peppy little 1.6 liter Duratec four-banger delivers an acceptable 118 hp and 112 lb-ft of torque in surprisingly smooth fashion for such a small engine, but getting at that power is made all the more fun by a lively five-speed manual with gears spaced just right to keep you in the fat of the power band without constant rowing...

But the Ford ultimately wins the battle of the bodies, as its longer hoodline gives the Fiesta a less stubby-nosed front-end apperance, while in back, the higher-placed tail lamps and more sloping roofline give it a less blocky feel...Materials in our test Fiesta were of top-notch quality, and the funky styling on the dash and center stack--all controls laid out in a big V-like arrangement, ringed by a brushed-aluminum-like surround--injected the car with a healthy dose of fun...AUTOWEEK

Gail Banks is on Board!

We just installed our first Gail Banks Ram Air intake, Intercooler, and PowerPack Diesel Tuner in a 6.0l diesel---Holy Cow Batman.  There are 5 additional tuner programs on top of the original factory settings for the Ottomnind6 system.  Number 2 is the Economy mode, and 3-6 are all increasing horsepower modes.  I'll post the performance improvements once it stops raining (can't get traction from the dual rear wheels in the wet).  Banks claims over 100 hp and over 175 lb-ft of torque at the rear wheels.  I was skeptical about their claims.  Not so much now-----WOW!!

Smiley

2010 Ford Taurus is way more than the Taurus of old...


The 2010 Taurus, rolling into dealer showrooms this summer, is different.  Way different.  In fact, because of the use of technology in design and engineering, Ford moved the car up a year;  it was supposed to be a 2011 model-year vehicle......This new Taurus is bigger and more luxurious than any car before it wearing the badge.  Even though Ford has so far been the only Detroit automaker to stave off bankruptcy, it has had its back to the wall in recent years.  Having those realities staring you in the face has a way of focusing your attention on the details.  These details are where the 2010 Taurus shines as a car......AUTOWEEK

Hot-rod Taurus lives again

When the Ford Taurus SHO debuted in 1989, it was all about the engine.  Ford engineers dropped a 200-hp V6 developed and built by Yamaha into a four-door Taurus, and the Super High Output legend was born.

For 10 years and 100,000 cars, the SHO surprised many people in stoplight-to-stoplight runs with only subtle badging hinting at the performance car beneath the standard faily-car Taurus sheetmetal.....

In August, the SHO flame will once again burn brightly.

The 2010 Taurus SHO is still all about the engine.  A 365-hp, 350-lb-ft, 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V6 is the only engine available and the first application of Ford's new line of EcoBoost engines.  EcoBoost features direct gasoline injection that ensures a well-mixed and cool-air fuel charge.  The result is improved throttle response, reduced cold-start emissions and improved fuel economy.....

For those wanting more performance, Ford offers a track package with bigger brakes, the ability to switch the ESC completely off, a 3.16 final drive ratio and 20-inch performance rubber.


While the 2010 SHO may not be as groundbreaking as the original, it may be just as significant because of the debut of EcoBoost.  Performance muscle with fuel-sipping efficiency would seem to be appropriate for the times.   AUTOWEEK

Ford Motor Co. will add another flavor of small vehicle in late 2011 when it launches the C-Max, which has two sliding doors and seven seats.

Ford calls the C-Max a multiactivity vehicle.  You could call it a small minivan because of the sliding doors and fold-flat rear seats.

The five and seven passenger C-Max range for Europe was unveiled last week in Frankfurt.  While the five passenger model, called the C-Max in Europe, will not be sold in North America, the seven passenger model, called the Grand C-Max in Europe, will be sold in North America as the C-Max.

Ford has not said where the U.S. version will be assembled.  Insiders say it likely will be built in Wayne, Mich.

The seven passenger model has a trapezoidal lower grille, rising beltline and sculpted side surfaces.

The vehicle lacks the flat sides that make some minivans resemble "refrigerators on wheels," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of global product development.

The track for the sliding doors is hidden in the exterior design's "character line, a very strong undercut line" that rises as it flows to the end of the vehicle, said Kuzak, who spoke last week at a media preview in Dearborn, Mich.  "it is really hard to pick up the track for the sliding door."

Inside, the C-Max and Grand C-Max are unmistakably minivan.  They have three-row seating.  The seats in the second and third rows fold flat into the floor.  A baby stroller can be stored behind the third-row seat.

The model for the United States will offer such upmarket features as blind-spot detection, a power tailgate and a semiautomatic parallel-parking system.  The vehicle will be powered by a four-cylinder engine.  Ford did not release specifications.

Ford's first minivan was the reardrive Aerostar, offered from 1985 to 1997.  The company introduced the front-drive Windstar in 1995 and later re-engineered the vehicle and changed its name to Freestar before abandoning the segment in 2007.

Kuzak said the opportunities are now in what the industry calls the C segment, the largest segment in the world and North America.  The Focus is in the C segment...

..."People are starting to recognize that, unlike maybe in the past with smaller cars, you are not compromising anything in terms of potential technology, features, comfort, convenience, quietness," Kuzak said.  "At the same time, you are gettting essentially better fuel efficiency."

Ford says 10 models will be created for North America on the re-engineered Focus platform.  In addition to the U.S. version of the C-Max, they include four and five door versions of the Focus, the electric Focus, the next generation Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner crossovers and a Mercury sedan.  Three other models are under consideration.

The gasoline powered Focus models will debut in late 2010, while the other models will debut later.

Said Kuzak:  "The trend to small cars is real and sustainable."