First Test: 2011 Ford Mustang GT Premium

Five-Point-Oh, Boy: Finally Legit, the 5.0 is Back -- and Boy Does it Pack a Punch

Since its debut in 1968, Ford's 302-cubic-inch V-8 has always displaced 4942 cubic centimeters. Or, as any engineer, mathematician, or quick-witted second-grader would tell you, 4.9 liters. Despite this fact, back in 1975 Ford began calling its 4.9-liter, 302cc V-8 a "5.0 L." Why? Well, when it comes to V-8s, bigger is better, even if it's just for perception. And, let's face it: uttering "five-point-oh" with some attitude sounds a helluva lot more imposing than saying "four-point-nine" under your breath.


Mustang GT 5.0 Engine

Well, for all those "5.0" owners who over the last five decades have felt a little embarrassed or deceitful -- and by all means to those who don't even care and simply love their 302s -- it is time to rejoice. After a 16-year hiatus, the 5.0 has returned in the 2011 Mustang GT and, yes, at 4951cc, it now officially displaces five full liters. Better yet, thanks to all-aluminum construction, twin independent variable cam timing (Ti-VCT), and a 6800-rpm redline, this don't-ever-call-me-a-4.9, 32-valve 5.0 liter cranks out 412 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 390 pound-feet of torque at 4250. (A run on the dyno at K&N Air Filters in Riverside, CA, suggests actual output to be around 435 horsepower and 404 pound-feet.)


Mustang GT Drivers View

Peruse the spec sheet of last year's GT, which came with a 4.6-liter 24-valve V-8, and the spikes are monumental -- 97 more horsepower and 65 additional pound-feet. Arguably as impressive are the bumps in fuel economy -- 17/26 versus 16/24 with a manual, 18/25 versus 17/23 with an automatic -- which can be attributed to the more efficient engine design, a four-percent improvement in aerodynamics (revised underbody and air dam, new rear-wheel tire spats and decklid seal), all-new electric power steering (zero drain from an engine-operated hydraulic setup), and fresh six-speed transmissions.


Mustang GT Rear View

Yes, that's right, the 2011 GT finally gets six forward ratios. Gone are last year's five-speed automatic and Tremec 3650 manual; in are all-new six-speed auto and manual boxes, the latter co-developed with Getrag. Naturally, our Grabber Blue test car came with the row-it-yourself, a sublime transmission that glides effortlessly and crisply -- throw in any complimentary adverb, really, and it'll apply to this gearbox -- through its gates and treats a deft left foot to an easy-to-use clutch with linear take-up and precise engagement.


GT Badge

Of course, in order to make a truly great powertrain there must first be a truly great power plant. Which brings me back to the 5.0. Sure the output is prodigious and the fuel economy relatively frugal, but it's the refinement, the soundtrack, and, when you want it, the muscle that make this engine so special. No doubt, buyers today will be telling their grandkids about this mill. "You think your 1.0-liter quad-turbo lithium-polymer hybrid is impressive? Hah, let me tell you about the five-point-oh in my old twenty-eleven Mustang..."


Mustang GT Cockpit

Fire up the 5.0, and it responds with the signature deep burble of a small-block Ford, quickly settling into a subdued rumble that is just audible through the new-for-'11 sound-deadening material residing on both sides of the soft-touch dash. Cruise around town or clip highway miles at 70 mph, and the 5.0 is as docile and smooth as any current American V-8. If Lincoln made a rear-drive sport sedan, this would be the motor. But stomp on the throttle, and the high-tech 302 roars to life with all the subtlety of Matt Kenseth's Sprint Cup car charging down the backstretch of Talladega. And let's just say it's not a whole lot slower, either...


Mustang GT Rear Seats

Equipped with the available 3.73 rear axle ($395), our 5.0 needed just 4.3 seconds to hit 60 and only 12.8 at 110.8 mph to knockout the quarter mile. To answer the million-dollar question: Yes, it's quicker than both the 426-horsepower Chevy Camaro SS (4.5, 12.9 at 110.7) and the 425-horse Dodge Challenger SRT-8 (4.6, 13.1 at 108.4). It's also not that far behind the 540-horse supercharged 2010 Shelby GT500, which requires 4.1 and 12.4 at 116.0. In the league of naturally aspirated muscle cars, the new Mustang GT is in a league of its own.


Mustang GT Gauges

In terms of handling, the same can be said of the GT. Both its lateral acceleration (0.94 g) and figure-eight time (25.3 seconds at 0.75 g) are superior to those of the our best SS (0.90, 25.8 at 0.80) and SRT-8 (0.87, 26.74 at 0.679). Further, the 2011 has retained the sporty, agile, and responsive sensations that we loved so much in the 2010 GT, and dialed them up a notch. Retuned springs and dampers, larger anti-roll bars, and the aforementioned electric power steering all contribute to improved dynamics. At low speeds, the steering is noticeably lighter than the previous hydraulic setup, but once speeds rise, so too does the weighting, delivering first-rate feel and feedback. Our tester was also fitted with the optional $1695 Brembo brake package (front 14.0-inch vented rotors and four-piston calipers, higher-performance stability-control tuning, and 9.0 x 19-inch alloys with 255/40 Pirelli summer tires), which provided excellent pedal feel, fade-free action, and a scant 105-foot 60-0 stopping distance.


GT Rear Camera

At $30,495 to start, the GT costs $1250 more than last year's car. Looking solely at the 97-horsepower increase, that's only $13 per pony. Our tester, which was loaded to its mane with such hefty options as the $3200 Premium package (a dressier leather-lined interior, SYNC, and an upgraded Sirius stereo), a $2340 electronics package (HD radio, dual-zone auto climate control, and nav with traffic), the $1695 Brembos, and more tallied a total of $39,750. Considering the slower, less-powerful BMW 335i Coupe starts at $43,525, a well-equipped GT Premium represents strong return on the dollar, to say the least. What's not an understatement is that the 5.0 is the fiercest and fastest Mustang GT ever. Period. Goodnight.


Mustang GT Wheel

5.0 ON THE DYNO

Ford says the 2011 Mustang 5.0 makes 412 horsepower at 6500 rpm and 390 pound-feet of torque at 4250 rpm. To check that number, we took the new 5.0 to our dyno shop of record, the research and development department at K&N Air Filters in Riverside, California. After examining the power peaks, K&N's techs suggested we use the fourth gear pulls for the 5.0-liter. Here's what we think is the most correct output figure for the new Mustang V-8:

2011 Mustang 5.0 (4th gear pull, 15% powertrain loss)
Claimed horsepower: 412 hp @ 6500 rpm
Claimed torque: 390 lb-ft @ 4250 rpm
Actual horsepower: 435 hp 6500 rpm
Actual torque: 404 lb-ft @ 4400 rpm


Mustang GT Right Side

If you can believe it, that figure puts it well over the top of both the Camaro SS and Challenger SRT-8.

Source: Motortrend

2011 Ford Shelby GT500

Shelby GT500 finally gets aluminum engine, loses 120 pounds

Ever since Ford introduced the modern Shelby GT500 four years ago, almost no one has complained about the prodigious power levels produced by its supercharged 5.4-liter V8. With as much as 540 horsepower and 510 pound-feet of torque in the 2010 model, there was no shortage of grunt. No, the issue was an excess of mass.

Before the contemporary GT500 was born, Ford had a blown aluminum block 5.4-liter V8 in the short lived GT supercar. However, when the engineers at Ford's Special Vehicle Team developed the GT500, they opted to mount the GT's cylinder heads on the cast iron block used in the big F-Series pickup trucks. After debuting a visual refresh for the Mustang a year ago, Ford has spent the last two months announcing fresh new powertrains for the base and GT models. That process has now come full circle with SVT rolling out a heart transplant for the Shelby GT500. The 2011 model finally has the aluminum powerplant we all wanted when it debuted, and the effect is absolutely en-lightening.

The SVT engineers actually had a reason for going with the iron block in the first place. Mustangs like the GT500 and its Cobra ancestors often end up being heavily modified for use at drag strips and race tracks, and the SVT crew wanted to make sure the standard block could stand up to the rigors of those significantly higher outputs. They chose not to use an aluminum block until they had a chance to develop one with the same strength as the iron version, and that time has now come.

We recently had a chance to sit down with GT500 chief nameplate engineer Jamal Hameedi in his office at SVT's headquarters to learn more about what's new for 2011. Switching to an aluminum block was a bit more complicated than simply digging out the casting molds that were used for the GT. The engine in that 200+ mph supercar used a dry sump lubrication system and featured iron cylinder liners. The new GT500 engine is derived from the structural design of the older block but retains the wet sump system used in other Mustangs. The real magic is something that most owners will likely never actually see.



Last June we learned about an award that several Ford researchers had received for a cylinder bore coating system they developed called the Plasma Transferred Wire Arc (PTWA) process. The Ford press release at the time framed the award in terms of fuel efficiency and gave no real hint about what was about to come. It now turns out that the first production Ford to use the PTWA process will be the 2011 GT500.

The heart of the PTWA process involves feeding a steel wire into a device that heats it up to 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit and then sprays it onto the aluminum cylinder bores. Ford is not actually the first company to use a process like this. Similar mechanisms have been used to coat the fan blades in jet engines for a number of years. One of the primary differences is that Ford is using PTWA with a conventional steel alloy rather than some super exotic aerospace material. Ford isn't even the first automaker to use this specific coating process. That honor falls to Nissan, which actually licensed the technology from Ford for use on its V6 engine in the GT-R.

Hameedi believes that Ford has an important advantage over Nissan. Anyone that has ever used a teflon-coated pan is familiar with the problem of the non-stick coating peeling off over time. In the past BMW has also had issues with the nickasil coatings prematurely separating on some of its aluminum blocks. Getting any dissimilar materials to adhere to each other is always a problem, so the initial surface has to be specially prepared in order for the coating to have something to hang on to. Nissan licensed Ford's coating technology but used its own surface preparation process. According to Hameedi, Ford's surface preparation works so well that even after engines have gone through a full durability cycle the bores still look like new.

Using the PTWA process allows the block to have a thinner surface coating – only 150 microns deep – that is just as tough as one with cast or pressed-in iron or steel liners. However, using less material results in lower weight. According to Hameedi, the GT500 block is 8.5 pounds lighter than the sleeved GT version. Overall, the complete engine is 102 pounds lighter than the 2010 cast iron engine. The steel coating has also helped Ford reduce the internal friction of the engine, aiding both efficiency and power production.

Hameedi explained that some drag racers complained of power drop off on humid summer days, which was attributed to reduced heat transfer efficiency. SVT addressed this with a larger intercooler that helps the engine deliver more consistent power over its entire operating range as well as under different environmental conditions. Hameedi tells Autoblog that the new aluminum block engine should be able to survive "at least" as much maximum power in modified form as the iron block equivalent. Also aiding breathing is a larger exhaust system with 2.75 inch header pipes like those on the new 5.0-liter in the Mustang GT. Out of the box, the new powerplant delivers 10 more horsepower bringing the tally up to 550 hp with the same peak torque of 510 pound-feet. Eighty percent of that torque is available everywhere between 1,750 rpm and 6,250 rpm.

For 2011, Hameedi tells us "We're at the top of the power heap, we're the fastest accelerating vehicle, so this really wasn't about going any faster in a straight line. This was about improving the weight distribution and handling of the vehicle." The new engine contributed to a 120 pound overall weight reduction with most of that coming off the front axle. Most of the rest of the weight loss came from new lighter weight wheels that are part of the SVT Performance Package. The front wheels that come with the Performance Package remain 19 inches in diameter but are 4.7 pounds lighter. The rears grow to 20 inches but are still 2.8 pounds lighter. Cutting unsprung mass is never a bad thing when it comes to both ride quality and handling. Along with the extra rear grip provided by the larger Performance Package wheels and tires, SVT has added a 3.73:1 rear axle ratio.



Like other 2011 Mustangs, the GT500 gets a new electric power assist steering (EPAS) system that Hameedi describes as "extremely precise." At parking lot speeds, he describes the steering effort as Lincoln-like but it rapidly builds up as you drive more aggressively and it supposedly has excellent on-center feel, something that is often tough to achieve with EPAS. We'll have to wait a few more months to find out just how precise that is since we won't get to drive the car until Spring.

Getting any high-powered car to accelerate, stop or turn is highly dependent on the adhesion between the tire and the road surface, especially when it's wet. SVT has adopted the latest generation Goodyear F1 supercar tires for the 2011 GT500, which Hameedi says are "a major step" beyond the previous version in both wet and dry grip. With the reduced mass on the front axle, SVT has also modified the spring and damper rates on both base and Performance Package models. The latter version gets 20.5-percent stiffer front springs and 9.5-percent tighter rears that also bring the front end 11 millimeters closer to the road and the rear 8 mm lower.

One of the main criticisms of the Mustang convertible ever since the S197 debuted for 2005 (actually ever since pretty much forever) is a lack of structural integrity. Because of that flexibility, the 2010 model GT500 convertible was actually considered more of a cruiser model and was thus tuned more for ride comfort than handling. Thus the old convertible was only available with 18-inch wheels. For 2011, SVT took the lead on developing an upgraded body structure for the convertibles that should help keep the corners of the car from moving relative to each other. The effort was successful enough that the changes are being implemented across the board on all 2011 Mustang convertibles. The 2011 GT500 convertible also gets bumped up to the 19-inch wheels and offers handling that is supposedly much closer to the coupe without degrading the ride comfort.

For those who want the sun to shine but still want the extra stiffness of the coupe, the GT500 is now available with the glass roof that has been available on regular Mustangs for the past two years.



Regardless of the roof type, Hameedi tells us that the GT500 has "a very different driving experience driving an '11 from a '10, they're much more nimble, they feel more alive, the steering is quicker." The straight-line acceleration was improved by about 1/10th of second, but overall drivability and handling are said to be vastly improved. The upgrades are far more apparent on a road course than they are at the drag strip. According to SVT spokesman Patrick Hespen, the 2011 GT500 model is three seconds a lap faster than the 2010 around a certain un-named 2.3-mile-long, northern California racetrack that happens to play host to a big historic racing event every August. Closer to home at Grattan raceway in west Michigan, the 2011 GT500 is also about 2.5-3 seconds a lap faster. Given the relatively modest power increase, those are some big numbers.

The Performance Package also gets some modest visual differentiators including narrower racing stripes down the center of the body along with the new wheel design. Inside the car, the shift knob on the Performance Package model lacks the stripes found on the base model.

While most GT500 drivers are unlikely to be too concerned about fuel efficiency, it is a political and commercial reality that Ford does have to deal with. The EPA rated the 2010 GT500 at 14 mpg city and 22 mpg highway and slapped a $1,000 gas guzzler tax on the hood. The addition of EPAS, reduced mass and reduced friction all helped to improve the 2011 GT500's EPA numbers to 15 and 23 mpg and cleared the GT500of the dreaded guzzler label.

Finally, just like the new 2011 V6 and GT Mustangs, the GT500 will go into production this Spring with an on-sale date before Summer. We'll be anxiously awaiting our first time behind the wheel of the 2011 Ford Shelby GT500.

Source

2010 Ford Transit Connect - Hobby Horse

On the Goldilocks scale for toy haulers, Chevrolet's HHR Panel wagon is much too small and the Dodge Sprinter is way too large. What hits the sweet spot is the new Ford Transit Connect, the just-right way to transport dirt bikes, ATVs, kayaks, and hot-air balloons.



This is the scout dog for Ford's platoon of globally engineered new products. On the heels of the Transit Connect, which has been on sale since last summer, you can expect the Fiesta subcompact, the all-new Focus, and the Grand C-Max people mover. Ford's Turkish-made mini-truck that is leading the way is small enough to slip into a standard home garage but large enough to swallow the bulky stuff that minivans, SUVs, and wagons reject. Ford conceived it as a tool for the trades, but the Transit Connect is also the answer to every outdoor adventurer's prayers.



The Transit Connect's forward module houses a tidy two-place cabin and a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine driving the front wheels through a four-speed automatic transaxle. The rear container is accessible through two sliding and two hinged doors. Its load floor is less than two feet above the pavement - a foot lower than the typical pickup bed - thanks to the Transit Connect's rudimentary beam axle and leaf-spring rear suspension.



The rear doors can swing open up to 255 degrees to uncork a 50-inch-wide by 50-inch-high enclosed loading dock capable of carrying 1600 pounds of freight. The 48-inch-wide (between wheelhouses) floor is 73 inches long, but another half a foot of space can be cleared by sliding the bucket seats forward. There's a pair of substantial tie-downs in the rear corners and access beneath the load deck to add your own forward anchors. A shelf above the top of the windshield is ideal for stashing a backpack or three. Fold-forward second-row seats are an available option.



The Transit Connect is hardly steeped in driving joy, but it does carry out its chores without whining. The run to 60 mph takes eleven seconds, and only the very patient will ever experience the 90-mph top speed. ABS is included as standard with the disc/drum brake system. An optional stability control system is well worth the extra $545. Our test vehicle was equipped with a $1395 navigation and computer system that we don't recommend because the touch-sensitive monitor proved cranky. Bring your Garmin and a notebook.

With every market niche filling up with kid-hauling crossovers, it's nice to see Ford think inside the box with the Transit Connect. Now you've got one less excuse to postpone your great adventure.

ON SALE: Now
PRICE: $22,535/$26,215 (base/as tested)
ENGINE: 2.0L I-4, 136 hp, 128 lb-ft
DRIVE: Front-wheel
WEIGHT: 3420 lb
0-60 mph: 11.1 sec
Top Speed: 90 mph
70-0 mph braking: 164 ft
EPA mileage: 22/25 mpg

Source

Sheriff Drives Drug Dealer's Confiscated Muscle Car

Courtesy of a local drug dealer, a sheriff in Michigan is driving a hot new sports car.

William L. Federspiel, the sheriff in Saginaw County, obtained the 300-horsepower 2007 Ford Mustang GT through state and federal drug forfeiture laws, whereby property obtained in connection with drug dealing can be seized by police.

Jeff Schrier, The Saginaw News



In this photo courtesy of Michigan News, Saginaw County Sheriff William L. Federspiel shows off the decked-out Ford Mustang -- confiscated from a local drug dealer -- that he drives.
Federspiel drives the car to and from work, and he had the words "Taken From a Local Drug Dealer" painted on the door, along with a sheriff's logo.

"I want people to know the drug dealers don't run the town, we do," Federspiel told the Saginaw News. "I want the bad guys to know this will be the end result of what they do."

Federspiel stressed that no taxpayer money was used to convert the car for law enforcement purposes, and he told the newspaper that he hopes to seize more cars for the rest of the county's sheriffs.

"I don't want to buy another vehicle for my command staff," Federspiel said, and he's already got his eye on another imprisoned drug dealer's car, a 2008 black Cadillac Escalade, for one of his men.

Federspiel says he hopes the flashy car will make a point. "The reason I'm going to drive the Mustang is because it stands out, and I want it to stand out," he told the newspaper. "I'm not driving it just to drive it. I'm trying to educate people."

Source: AOL News Nation

Ford At Detroit Auto Show

2011 Ford Mustang GT with 5.0-liter V-8

Thirteen months ago at the 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show, Ford introduced their almost all-new 2010 Mustang. Back then, the new 'Stang was a redesigned car that oozed visual chrismal with a brooding face and slick sequential rear turn signals. At the time, Ford didn't have the development dollars necessary to revamp the Mustang's engine line-up along with the car's new exterior and interior.Challengers, eh?


2012 Ford Focus

With all the attention Ford has already generated with their all-new, sub-compact 2011 Ford Fiesta, the bigger small-car news coming from Detroit will be the world-debut of the 2012 Ford Focus.

The all-new Focus is an incredibly important new car for Ford Motor Company. It's reported to be a true world car, with major componentry shared with European Focus models. The Focus is one-size larger than the Fiesta and further bolsters Ford's line of cars that is already outselling their trucks by a factor of 3:2.

For cues on what the new Focus might look like, it's based on the C-Max, already introduced in Europe.

Others
There will be more from Ford at the 2010 Detroit Auto Show. The Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossover twins are also due for some freshening, and based on our sources at Ford, the MKX will show in Detroit.

Curiously, we've heard nothing about any new Mercury concepts or models for 13 months, so FoMoCo may surprise us with one. Or maybe the news will be of Mercury's demise now that the Lincoln brand is getting stronger.

FORD SWEEPS N.A. CAR AND TRUCK OF THE YEAR AWARDS

2010 Ford Transit Connect


2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

* Ford swept the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards today at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), winning both prestigious awards for the
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and the 2010 Ford Transit Connect, respectively
* It is the third time in 17 years that one manufacturer has won both awards
* The Ford Fusion Hybrid is America's most fuel-efficient midsize sedan with an EPA-estimated 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway
* The Transit Connect is an industry-exclusive vehicle developed to be a smart new choice for small business owners; it offers double the fuel economy of full-size vans, generous and accessible cargo space, and the agility and maneuverability to operate in crowded urban areas

DETROIT, Jan. 11, 2010 – Ford Motor Company scored a historic doubleheader today, capturing both the North American Car of the Year and North American Truck of the Year awards for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2010 Ford Transit Connect, respectively, at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). It is only the third time in 17 years that one manufacturer has won both titles.

"Winning both of these prestigious awards is confirmation that the ONE Ford plan is working, delivering industry-leading products for our customers," said Mark Fields, president of
The Americas.

The North American Car and Truck of the Year awards recognize vehicles based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. A jury of 49 automotive journalists in the United States and Canada vote for the vehicles, which must be "all-new" or "substantially changed" from the previous model to qualify for the award.

The Fusion Hybrid edged out finalists including the Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf/GTI to win the North American Car of the Year award. It is the fourth hybrid vehicle in 17 years to win recognition as North American Car (or Truck) of the Year. It also is the second hybrid win for Ford – the most hybrid wins for any automaker. The Ford Escape Hybrid was named North American Truck of the Year in 2005.

The Transit Connect bested finalists including the Chevrolet Equinox and Subaru Outback to win the North American Truck of the Year award. It is the sixth Ford truck to win the award – the most wins of any automaker in the 17-year history of the awards program. It also is the second year in a row that Ford has captured the title. Last year, top honors went to the 2009 Ford F-150.

Fusion Hybrid a winner out of the gate
The North American Car of the Year award is the latest in an impressive string of awards and accolades for the Fusion Hybrid. Most recently, the vehicle was honored as CAR and DRIVER Magazine's "10Best" Cars for 2010, one of AUTOMOBILE Magazine's 2010 All-Stars, and the entire Fusion lineup captured the acclaimed MOTOR TREND Car of the Year® award.

The all-new Fusion Hybrid arrived in dealers in March, complete with a powertrain system that combines the best attributes of the gasoline engine and electric battery-driven motors to deliver the optimal experience for the customer in terms of driving performance and fuel economy.
The Fusion Hybrid also offers drivers a way to be more connected to the hybrid driving experience thanks to Ford's SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide, a unique instrument cluster execution that helps coach them on how to optimize the performance of their hybrid.

Other class-exclusive technologies and features that set the Fusion Hybrid apart from the competition include Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®), Ford SYNC®, SIRIUS Travel Link™ and more total passenger and luggage capacity than the Toyota Camry.

Despite the slump in overall industry sales, 2009 was a record-breaking year for the Ford Fusion. Sales are at an all-time high, with the Fusion Hybrid accounting for almost 20 percent of total Fusion retail sales. Perhaps even more significant, more than 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid sales have been to customers coming from import brands – mostly Toyota and Honda.

Awards and accolades for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid include:

* MOTOR TREND Car of the Year Award
* One of CAR and DRIVER Magazine's "10Best" Cars for 2010
* One of AUTOMOBILE Magazine's 2010 All-Stars
* 2009 "Top Safety Pick" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
* 2009 Ward's Interior of the Year Special Achievement Award for Best Graphic Display for SmartGauge with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster
* Great Car for the Long-haul Salesman by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
* One of America's Top 40 New Cars by MOTOR TREND magazine
* Rated the No. 1 Hybrid Family Sedan by CAR and DRIVER in a recent comparison test by the magazine
* 2009 and 2010 Editors Choice for Fuel Sipper by CAR and DRIVER Magazine
* Best Hybrid for the Money in the Midsize Car segment by cars.com
* One of 2009 Top 10 Green Cars by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
* The Detroit News Readers' Choice Award for "Best Value"
* 2010 Consumers Digest Best Buy
* Detroit Free Press 2010 Car of the Year
* 2010 Most Environmentally Progressive Car of the Year by Earth, Wind & Power
* 10 Best Engine by Ward's Auto World

The 2010 Fusion Hybrid is built at Ford's Hermosillo (Mexico) Stamping and Assembly Plant.

Transit Connect fills unmet needs of small businesses and fleets
The Transit Connect was brought to the U.S. to fulfill the unmet needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs, offering them a new vehicle choice with significantly improved fuel economy, generous and accessible cargo space, and the agility and maneuverability to operate in crowded urban areas.

Powered by a 2.0-liter I-4 engine with a four-speed automatic overdrive transmission, the
Transit Connect offers double the fuel economy of full-size vans, delivering an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

The Transit Connect also has more than double the cargo-carrying capacity of the Chevrolet HHR Panel, making it suitable for a broader range of commercial-use applications. And it offers commercial users a cargo payload of up to 1,600 pounds – a larger payload than the full-size Dodge Ram 1500 standard-cab short-box pickup truck.

The Transit Connect also is available with the industry-exclusive Ford Work Solutions™, a suite of affordable technologies that provides customers with connectivity, flexibility, visibility and security to better run key aspects of their business.

On Transit Connect, Ford Work Solutions delivers three innovative features:

* A wireless in-dash computer that provides full high-speed Internet access, Bluetooth-enabled hands-free calling and navigation. The system also allows customers to print invoices, check inventories and access documents stored on their home or office computer networks right on the job site.
* Tool Link™, a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) asset tracking system that enables customers to maintain detailed real-time inventory of the tools or equipment.
* Crew Chief™, a fleet tracking, telematics and diagnostics system that provides dynamic location and performance data fleet owners need to more efficiently manage their vehicles, quickly dispatch workers to job sites, monitor driver performance for safety and economy, and keep detailed vehicle maintenance records.

Awards and accolades for the 2010 Ford Transit Connect include:

* 2010 Editors Choice for Vans by CAR and DRIVER Magazine
* Detroit Free Press 2010 Truck of the Year
* The Detroit News 2010 Truck of the Year
* 2010 Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award for Best Workhorse Vehicle
* A Great Car for the Small Business Delivery/Utility Worker by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com

The 2010 Ford Transit Connect is built at the Ford Otosan Kocaeli Plant in Kocaeli, Turkey.

2011 Chevrolet Cruze vs. 2012 Ford Focus

Americans vs. Small CarsTiming is everything. Americans have had plenty of chances to turn to small, fuel-efficient cars. Unfortunately, every time they did, they hated what they found.

Who remembers the first Arab Oil Embargo of 1973? Fuel shortages and fist fights at gas stations scared U.S. drivers into considering small cars like the Chevrolet Chevette, Honda Civic, Dodge Colt, Toyota Corolla, Ford Pinto, and Plymouth Cricket. While easier on gas, to a vehicle these cars were cramped, homely, slow, noisy, and cheap. Economy cars from the 1970s were miserable exercises in transportation.

It's no wonder that when fuel got cheap again, American drivers returned to their standard V-8 powered cars and trucks. For the money, the bigger traditional American vehicles made more sense.

Until now.

After generations of neglect, General Motors and Ford Motor Company have finally gotten their collective engineering and manufacturing acts together to offer American drivers small cars worth owning.



Meet The New Chevy Cruze and Ford FocusChevrolet introduced the 2011 Cruze at December's Los Angeles Auto Show. The 2012 Ford Focus made its worldwide debut today (January 11) at the North American International Auto Show held in Detroit.

Together, these cars offer American drivers small cars they can live with. While much differentiates the Chevy from the Ford, one word aptly applies to both: substantial. These are not cheap looking, feeling, or driving cars. Each has a solid presence born from the minds of eager designers and clever engineers who knew they were working on cars that will help make or break their makers.

While AOL Autos has not driven either car, it's clear that the new Cruze and Focus are ready to do battle in America's showrooms. The Chevrolet goes on sale in the U.S. late this year, with the Focus following early in 2011.

Based on what you see on the following pages, which do you want to drive most?


2011 Chevrolet Cruze

Chevrolet learned a few things when they launched their new Malibu as a 2008 model. Perhaps the most important was that people like cars that look more expensive than they are. The Malibu has been a hit for Chevy. Like the Malibu, the Cruze looks handsome, rich, and bigger your mind thinks a small car should.

The Cruze is already a hit outside the U.S. It's been on sale in Asia for more than a year, and European production started in 2009. U.S. production begins in Lordstown, Ohio later this year. There will be three different trim levels; LS, LT and LTZ. We like the look of the 18-inch aluminum wheels fitted to the LTZ best.

Dimensionally, the Cruze is larger than the outgoing Chevy Cobalt and most of the other cars it will compete against. Main adversaries -- in addition to the new Ford Focus -- include the Toyota Corolla (new in 2009) and the Honda Civic (will be all-new for 2011).


2011 Chevrolet Cruze Interior

Acres of hard, poorly-fitting plastic used to define economy car interiors. Not so anymore.

Looking inside the new Cruze, it's roomy cabin is fully modern. Aluminum finished accents and bold use of color stand grab your attention. The interior's sweeping cockpit design uses high-quality soft-touch plastics and fabrics. Everything fits as it should with clean, even panel gaps.

Ten standard airbags provide impressive occupant protection.

In addition to ample room up front, those in the rear seats enjoy over 36 inches of legroom and 54 inches of shoulder room. This is 5 inches more than the outgoing Cobalt sedan, and used to be a competitive measurement for a mid-size sedan.



The Cruze's Vehicle Line Director, Chuck Russell said, "The key to a high-quality car that works for different worldwide markets is having bandwidth in the car's structure to meet driver demands and crash regulations everywhere we'll sell it."

What Russell means is that the 2011 Cruze was engineered from the beginning for the entire world with no compromises. The Cruze's chassis was designed to handle the speeds of the German Autobahn, and its strength allows for super tight exterior panel gaps of just 3 mm because the structure is so strong.

American-market engines include two fuel-efficient four-cylinder options, a 1.8-liter with 136 horsepower and a 1.4-liter turbocharged engine with 138 horsepower. Automatic and manual six-speed transmission are available with both engines. Chevrolet promises at least one of these powertrains will deliver 40 miles per gallon highway mileage.

Dynamic safety features like electronic stability control, ABS and traction control are all standard as per new federal safety standards.


2012 Ford Focus

More aggressively styled than the Chevrolet Cruze, the all-new Focus is based on Ford's globally-developed C-Car platform. (Cars of this size are generally talked about as C-Segment vehicles by industry insiders). Ford will begin building two different body styles of the new Focus at a plant in Wayne, Michigan that used to build full-size, gas-swilling SUVs.

After receiving rave reviews for several concept cars including the Iosis (shown at the Frankfurt, Germany motor show in 2005), Ford developed an exterior style they're calling "kinetic design form." Their goal was to make the car look as if it's moving, even when parked. The 2011 Ford Fiesta is the first Ford to bring kinetic design to the U.S.

The Focus's exterior design is sporty, especially as applied to the five-door hatchback. But the sedan is certainly not staid and stuffy.

The Cruze and Focus are nearly identical in length and height. The Focus is an inch wider, but the body rides on a 104.2-inch wheelbase compared to the Cruze's 105.7-inch spacing.


2012 Ford Focus Interior

The new Focus gets a sporty, sculpted new interior. There will be several trim levels, including the range-topping Titanium edition (shown) that is already popular on several of Ford's European models.

At first glance, you might not notice the groundbreaking technology. As on the current Focus, Ford's Sync technology (developed with Microsoft) is optional.

The 2012 Focus offers Sync along with the all-new MyFord Touch system that provides special steering wheel controls and a multiple LCD screens designed into the car's interior.

“This isn’t a new dashboard or a new instrument cluster or an interior redesign,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. “MyFord rethinks how information is presented to drivers and how drivers are able to personalize the way they relate to the information or entertainment the car makes available to them. It puts tremendous power at the hands of Focus owners.”



Like many manufacturers, Ford is using advanced engine technologies such as direct fuel injection to simultaneously improve horsepower and fuel economy. The new Focus will be powered by a 2.0-liter four cylinder that produces 155 horsepower, 15 more than the current Focus.

A six-speed manual transmission is standard. The only automatic is a six-speed Ford calls the PowerShift. The transmission is technically a dual-clutch design similar to those used on sports cars from Porsche, Audi, Ferrari, Lamborghini. The PowerShift provides the easy operation that comes with traditional automatics (there is no clutch pedal) with the efficiency and responsiveness associated with a manual. Ford claims a 9-percent increase in fuel economy just from the PowerShift technology.

Highway mileage for the new Focus will exceed the current models 35 mpg by a significant margin.

We expect that Ford will continue to deliver cars that are exciting to drive, and we'll bring you a drive report as soon as we get behind the wheel.



Like when the New York Yankees play the Mets, the Cruze vs. Focus makes for a great cross-town rivalry … especially when the battle happens in Detroit.

The bigger story is that both cars will compete against other C-Segment competitors. The Toyota Corolla and Honda Civic are perennial members of the 10-most popular cars in America. Vehicles like the Subaru Impreza, Mazda3, Hyundai Elantra, and Suzuki SX4each offer product advantages that the newest Chevy and Ford must overcome.

Time to see whether they can do it.

Source: AOL Autos