car auto blaas

The Stage 3 has always been the flagship of Roush’s modified Ford Mustang stable, and the supercharged pony car is making a return for 2012 with a new RS3 moniker. With 540 horsepower and 465 pound-feet of torque on tap, the Stage 3 replaces the 5XR as Roush’s most powerful offering.

Along with the extra power, the RS3 comes with a new graphics package that is available in six stripe colors and six accent colors, making for 288 color combinations. You can use Roush’s new online configurator to see what colors like Luminescent Lime and Red-Blooded American look on the car and add optional items like the 20-inch Hyper Black wheels and rear three-quarter window louvers. The 2012 RS3 Mustang starts at $59,945 and comes standard with a 3-year/36,000 mile warranty.

[Source: Roush]

PRESS RELEASE:

Livonia, Mich. (April 14th, 2011) – DETROIT MUSCLE | REDEFINED is the vision that sets the direction for the design team at ROUSH® Performance this year. The ROUSH brand has long been synonymous with high horsepower, performance handling and an aggressive body style. And, for the 2012 Mustang model year, ROUSH is introducing some game-changing enhancements that will “Redefine” their heritage of high performance and stylish appearance.

ROUSH Performance proudly introduces the new 2012 ROUSH Stage 3™ performance Mustang. The 5.0L 4-valve DOHC TiVCT power-plant has received clearance for takeoff with the addition of the R2300 ROUSHcharger, forcefeeding up to 12psi of inter-cooled energy to the already robust Coyote engine. The ROUSHcharger® supercharger induction system increases the base horsepower from 412HP to an impressive 540HP and 465 ft/lbs of torque. To enjoy the ride, ROUSH Stage 3 (RS3) vehicle owners enjoy peace of mind with ROUSH’s 3 year/36,000 mile power train warranty.
The 2012 RS3 takes to the streets with an all new graphics and appearance package. ROUSH Performance is now offering a wide palette of color options for the RS3’s appearance and curb appeal. This allows for personal customization of three different aesthetic elements of the car  8 choices for the base vehicle color, 6 stripe colors, and 6 stripe accent colors. Together, these options offer an impressive 288 unique color combinations.

“In addition to the powerful ROUSH power train and tuned suspension, we’re really excited about the new graphics and design options,” says Gary Jurick, VP/GM of ROUSH Performance. “The ‘Redefined’ graphics introduce new metallic colors utilizing automotive paint-grade materials. The result is a breathtakingly deep tone to the RS3’s graphics. We’re now providing our ROUSH consumers a very broad spectrum of graphics and color combinations to consider for their 2012 RS3 Mustang.”

To view and interact with the new RS3 paint colors, graphic striping and accent combinations, painted calipers and wheel options visit the all new ROUSH Vehicle Configurator at: http://www.roushperformance.com/2012-stage3-mustang-configurator.shtml
The ROUSHcharged® 2012 RS3 vehicle is currently not available for sale into California and other states requiring CARB emissions standards.

The estimated retail price for the typically equipped 2012 ROUSH Stage 3 Mustang is around $59,945. Actual final retail pricing will vary based on options selected. The RS3 is backed by a 3-year/36,000-mile warranty and is currently available with a 6-speed manual transmission only. The 2012 ROUSH Stage 3 is expected to start appearing on ROUSH Authorized Ford Dealer lots by the end of April 2011.

For more information on the 2012 ROUSH Stage 1, Stage 2 and RS3 vehicles, upgrades and options, retail pricing, and downloadable Hero Cards, please visit: http://www.roushperformance.com/vehicles.shtml

The panel truck on the back is fantastic, great compliment to the hauler.

http://justacarguy.blogspot.com/2010/03/king-cab-1950s-coe-ford-hauler-from.html for how it looked in 2010 with a pick up on the back.

Ironically named little car, the Ford Focus. While you could surely argue we’re drawing too literal a line between the car and its moniker, we have to chuckle a little when we recall just how far afield Ford drifted with its compact offering over the last several years. Suffice it to say that Ford lost its way somewhere after the original Focus was introduced as a so-called ‘world car’ back in 1999. At the time, the spunky Focus shared the same C170 platform no matter where in the world it was sold.

Sadly, such platform sharing diverged in 2005 as the United States made do with the aging C170 chassis in a reduced number of bodystyles while the rest of the world received a new model based on the brand spankin’ new C1 platform. That new architecture debuted to rave reviews from the international motoring press while the aging North American Focus doddered off to live among the also-rans. A few short years later, with the global economy in the doldrums and fuel mileage sitting atop many consumers’ automotive wishlists, it wasn’t long before the Blue Oval found itself standing flat-footed without a class-competitive compact in its home market. Many tears were shed in the form of lost dollar signs over the ensuing years, until Ford finally promised to make the Focus a truly global car for the 2012 model year.

And we’re happy to report that the 2012 Ford Focus is several orders of magnitude superior to the model it replaces. How so? Keep reading to find out.

We’ll start with its exterior appearance. Instead of telling you how the 2012 Focus was drawn up with smooth, flowing lines and more than a few traces of Ford’s Kinetic design language, we’ll instead share a little story.

After a few days of daily driving duties, our Tuxedo Black Focus sedan was sorely in need of a good washing. After finishing the deed and taking a few moments to admire the shiny metallic flecks in the bright Arizona sun, we noticed we weren’t alone… three burly-looking, bearded workers and their supervisor had stopped toiling away at whatever project they had been assigned and were talking amongst themselves about our car. Eye contact was made, so they gaggle of laborers decided to come take a closer look.

What transpired could best be described as a Focus Love Fest. A traditional walk-around was performed (several times, actually), doors were opened and shut and specifications were debated. Finally, a general consensus was reached: “That there is a nice car.”

And so, the next logical question was asked: “How much?”

The window sticker was presented and summarily dissected. “Wow, that thing’s got a six-speed automatic? My wife’s Civic only has five.” It continued this way for several minutes. “Voice-activated navigation, nice. Leather, heated seats, sunroof… SYNC, what’s that mean?”

SYNC was then demonstrated. Push this button on the steering wheel, then say a command – “Sirius; ALT Nation.” (The stereo is now magically playing ALT Nation.) Impressive.

The price for all these bells and whistles? $26,925. Seems pretty pricey for a compact car, but then again, most compact cars don’t come equipped to the gills like our Focus Titanium sedan, either. We polled the workers. “Not bad… I’d have guessed more,” said the supervisor.

So, we’ve established that the 2012 Ford Focus is attractive enough to draw the attention of casual passers-by, its list of available equipment (in top-drawer Titanium trim, at least) is impressively thorough and that the normal sticker shock inevitably experienced when delving into the new car shopping experience isn’t all that, well… shocking.

Good so far, but how’s it drive?

Very well, it turns out. As our very own Zach Bowman found out during his First Drive of the car, Ford managed to bake quite a bit of handling goodness into the 2012 Focus. Our tester was equipped with the so-called Titanium Handling Package, and, aside from the clunky name, we were impressed. Turn-in was sharp, and the 2012 Focus holds its line through a curve in admirable fashion while responding shockingly well to attitude adjustments from the throttle.

There’s just one engine option for the 2012 Focus, so we’re happy to report that we have no qualms with its operation. The direct-injected 2.0-liter four cylinder powerplant puts out 160 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 146 pound-feet of torque at 4,450 rpm. Those figures put the Focus near the the head of its class, which includes the Hyundai Elantra (148 horses and 131 lb-ft), Chevrolet Cruze (138 hp and 148 lb-ft), Honda Civic (the new 2012 model is rated at 140 horsepower, torque TBA) and Toyota Corolla (132 hp and 128 lb-ft). Among its primary rivals, the Ford is only bested by the Mazda3 s, which packs 167 hp and 168 lb-ft.

EPA fuel economy comes in at 27 miles per gallon city and 37 mpg highway when equipped with the six-speed automatic and the SelectShift option that allows the driver to manually change gears using a little rocker switch mounted on the console shifter. Nope, no paddles on the steering wheel, which is especially frustrating as this transmission is a dual-clutch unit that would seemingly lend itself rather well to the shift-for-yourself crowd. Same as the Fiesta. Why no paddle love, FoMoCo?

Fortunately, we found the automatic gearbox to be extremely well suited to this application. There’s enough power on hand that the transmission doesn’t hunt and peck for gears in daily driving and downshifts come right on schedule when called upon by either the driver’s right foot or by a steep grade. In all other situations, the tranny just goes about its duties without thought from the driver… and that’s exactly what you want from a two-pedal setup, no?

Despite its aforementioned handling prowess, the car’s ride was plenty smooth and controlled, without any undue noisiness echoing through the cabin. Speaking of which, the leather-clad interior, in two-tone Black and Tuscany Red that seemed more maroon to our eyes, is just as stylishly designed as the exterior. The hides covering the seats and door panels is soft to the touch and surprisingly grippy, meaning we didn’t find ourselves sliding to and fro when throwing the car into the bends. Heated seats with five levels of adjustment meant we could fine-tune the bum warmers to our liking, a boon since the last Ford Fiesta we tested offered just two settings: off and scorch.

There isn’t a ton of room in the rear seat when a six-foot driver gets comfy behind the wheel, and taller passengers in the front seat may find that their legroom is pinched a bit by the thick center stack and console. Similarly, trunk space in the sedan isn’t anything to write home about, and its 13.2 cubic feet of volume isn’t as easy to make use of as we’d like, mostly due to a distinct lack of depth. Taller items will need to be placed on the rear seat, which does fold in something like a 70/30 split. Frequent haulers might do better to consider the five-door hatch, which offers up to 44.8 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seats folded.

Considering how much electro-gadgetry the 2012 Focus offers, the center stack is rather easy to navigate. Part of that overall look of cleanliness, though, is attributable to the steering wheel, which rivals that of a Formula One’s tiller for its sheer number of controls. Not counting the horn, there are six clusters of buttons that can be pressed – and no, we’re not making this up – 19 different ways. With controls for cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, SYNC, the audio system and the in-dash computer (which has its own menu system directly between the speedometer and tachometer), we strongly suggest that any new drivers spend a few minutes acquainting themselves with the layout before heading out on the open road.

Note that we haven’t even mentioned the big LCD screen mounted high up in the center stack. It’s a touchscreen, and most anything the driver might want to do can be controlled at that location in lieu of the dedicated buttons. Plus, there’s SYNC, which allows the driver to press a single button and change any number of settings (audio, telephone, etc.) using voice commands. In other words, there’s almost always more than one way to make an adjustment.

That said, in practice we didn’t have any problems using all the technology packed into the Focus, and we appreciate the dedicated set of dials and buttons for the climate control system mounted below the LCD and Sony audio system.

We spent just one week with the 2012 Ford Focus, but that was plenty enough for us to realize that it’s a worthy contender in the hotly contested compact car segment. No other competitors offer the level of available equipment the Focus offers, but the basic goodness of the car’s platform should surely shine through on lesser trims, as well.

We went ahead and made use of Ford’s online configurator, and found that a very nice Focus SE sedan with the five-speed manual gearbox, 17-inch wheels, leather, sunroof and SYNC rings the register at around $22,000. Add about a grand for the six-speed automatic. Either way, you’ll end up with a highly desirable ride that does an equally fine job of catering to enthusiasts and commuters alike. Or even a grizzled quartet of hard-edged construction workers, apparently.

[Source: autoblog]

The Australian unit of concern Ford in collaboration with the magazine TopGear Australia has created two individuals in honor of the cult movie "Mad Max". Unique Cars creatively develop heritage coupe Ford XB Interceptor, «snyavshego" in the famous action movie in 1979, the main role in which Mel Gibson played. Head of the project was the main designer of the regional Asia-Pacific Design Center Ford Chris Svensson, and two lines of designers develop Nima Noorian and Simon Brook.



As a result, they received two show car worthy of any of the modern blockbuster. Ford Mad Max Interceptor is literally stuffed with fantastic weapons - from the Taser for motorcyclists to sharp blades, pulled out of the wheels. In the April issue of  TopGear will be published stories of both concepts, readers will choose the best one, based on which will be released on a limited series of toy models.

Ford is unveiling the dramatic new Ford B-MAX at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, providing an early preview of exciting innovations from Ford in the European small car market.



The Ford B-MAX showcases a unique new body design which eliminates the traditional B pillar and features twin rear sliding doors. This innovative format - which has already been engineered for production - promises best-in-class access to the cabin, together with unmatched convenience and flexibility.



Developing themes from the 2009 iosis MAX design study, the dynamic and stylish new B-MAX illustrates how Ford's kinetic design language can be translated to a unique new vehicle format.



The innovation continues inside the cabin, where the interior offers exceptional space and versatility for such a compact vehicle. The use of high quality materials highlights the vision that small, practical cars can also be comfortable and well-equipped.



"With its highly popular S-MAX and Galaxy, and more recently the all-new C-MAX and Grand C-MAX, Ford has a proven history of bringing innovation and style to the multi-activity vehicle market," said Stephen Odell, Chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe."The new Ford B-MAX signals that Ford is ready to bring the same bold thinking to the small car market. With its unique door format and dynamic design, the B-MAX sends a strong message that customers looking for a compact, stylish and versatile vehicle will soon have an exciting new choice." he added.



New vision for compact vehicles



The Ford B-MAX previews some of the exciting innovations developed by Ford for the European small car market. Based on Ford's global B-car platform - shared with the highly successful new Fiesta - the B-MAX on show at Geneva outlines the company's vision for a compact vehicle which combines outstanding space and versatility with stylish design.



At slightly more than 4 metres in length, the Ford B-MAX is just 11 cm longer than the Fiesta five-door, and is a full 32 cm shorter than the new C-MAX.



With this highly compact footprint, the Ford B-MAX is ideally placed to meet the fast-growing demand for downsized cars which are better suited to congested urban conditions, but without sacrificing interior space and comfort.



"With the Ford B-MAX we set out to create a vehicle that captures the spirit of a smaller S-MAX," said Martin Smith, Ford of Europe's Executive Design Director. "We wanted to show that a small car could be very spacious and practical inside, while still having the sleek, dynamic appearance that has made the S-MAX so popular."



Unique integrated B-pillar doors



The key innovation on the Ford B-MAX is the adoption of a unique integrated B-pillar door concept, which promises new levels of convenience and flexibility for small cars.



This new body design eliminates the traditional B-pillar structure at the trailing edge of the front door, which connects the roof to the floor. Instead, the body side features an integrated B-pillar, and access to the interior is via a conventional front door or a rear sliding door, each of which can open independently.



This innovative format - which has already been engineered for production - offers best-in-class access to the cabin via the huge uninterrupted aperture, together with unmatched convenience and flexibility.



"Our iosis MAX design study demonstrated the advantages that an integrated B-pillar door format can offer the MAV-style vehicle," said Martin Smith. "The B-MAX takes this idea to the next level, with a production-ready solution that is neatly integrated into the overall vehicle design."



Unmatched interior versatility



The Ford B-MAX combines the integrated B-pillar door format with a flexible and easy-to-use seating system, resulting in an interior which offers unmatched practicality and versatility.



With both front and rear doors open there is outstanding access to the interior, with a huge, clear aperture measuring over 1.5 metres wide. This is around twice the width offered by competitors with alternative door concepts, making it significantly easier to enter or exit the rear seats, attend to children in child seats, or load shopping.



Having folded the 60/40 split rear seats and the front passenger seat to create an extensive flat load floor, the side access is particularly convenient to load bulky items such as flat-pack furniture or even a bicycle.



With the front passenger seat folded, the interior is capable of swallowing exceptionally long loads measuring up to 2.35 metres in length.



Sitting 11cm taller than Fiesta, the B-MAX also provides extremely generous accommodation for its occupants. Drivers benefit from a higher 'command' seating position, while rear seat legroom and headroom is significantly improved.



Engineered for outstanding safety



In developing the Ford B-MAX's unique integrated B-pillar body design for production, Ford engineers have ensured that it delivers the same outstanding levels of crash protection as Ford products with a more conventional structure.



To deliver the required performance in side impacts, the structure of both front and rear doors has been significantly strengthened - with ultra-high-strength Boron steel in key load-bearing areas - so that the door frames work together to absorb energy like a 'virtual B pillar'.



Special safety interlocks and reinforced latch mechanisms ensure that the doors remain firmly fixed to the roof and floor structure during an impact, and enable the front and rear doors to act together to protect the occupants.



When these measures are combined with other structural enhancements to the bodyshell and the latest restraint system technologies, the result is a body design which meets the highest safety standards.



"Many concept cars have featured integrated B-pillar body designs before, but this time it's for real!" explained Martin Smith. "The Ford B-MAX shows how this new format can deliver unmatched practicality, but still achieve outstanding safety as well."



Compact, sporty and stylish



The exterior design of the B-MAX shows how Ford's kinetic design language can be applied to its unique new vehicle format, creating a compact, sporty and stylish car which adds its own distinctive character to Ford's popular MAV line-up.



"In developing the B-MAX, our designers took inspiration from the earlier iosis MAX design study, which established an exciting new vision for our compact MAVs," said Martin Smith. "While it shares kinetic design themes with other recent Ford models, the unique door concept and compact size gives the B-MAX its own distinct identity."



The vehicle's striking front-end features a bold new interpretation of Ford's signature trapezoidal grille, with five strong horizontal grille elements picked out in a bright chrome finish.



Beneath this a slimmer lower grille, finished in gloss black, adds visual stability to the front-end, and emphasises the car's sporty wide stance.



Other distinctive kinetic design elements include strong headlamp graphics, the muscular shoulder line with its powerful undercut, a characteristic window line with its kick-up behind the rear doors, and the prominent wheel lips.



The bold three-dimensional surfacing of the body sides helps to avoid the tall, blocky look which is common in this class of vehicle, and includes a unique new rocker treatment, with a stylish 'zig-zag' form on the rear doors.



With its distinctive window graphic, wraparound tailgate glass, and slim tail lamps split by the tailgate, the rear of the Ford B-MAX is closely reminiscent of the S-MAX. Strong horizontal feature lines help to emphasis the vehicle's wide and confident stance.



The B-MAX is finished in Burnished Glow, a warm and contemporary metallic brown shade. The paintwork is complemented by striking 18-inch 5-spoke alloy wheels, which have a Y-shaped spoke pattern derived from a signature S-MAX wheel design.



Spacious premium interior



The interior of the Ford B-MAX offers exceptional space and versatility for such a compact vehicle. The cabin is immaculately trimmed in contemporary, high quality materials, highlighting that small, practical cars can also be comfortable and well-equipped.



With its bold graphics and sculptured surfaces, the interior develops the kinetic design themes from Ford's latest small and medium cars. Distinctive features include the slim, wing-like section of the upper instrument panel (IP) which reaches out to the door panels, and the prominent centre console, which flows down between the front seats from the IP.



The cabin retains the dynamic, sporty feel of Ford's small-car interiors, but introduces the more premium character and decorative elements from the larger C-MAX.



Driver controls are based on Ford's latest HMI (Human Machine Interface) approach, with a large 6-inch touch screen display mounted in the centre of the upper IP, above the much-acclaimed mobile-phone style integrated control panel.



To reflect the more sophisticated tastes of buyers who are downsizing to compact vehicles, the B-MAX interior is finished in the highest quality materials, with a stylish and contemporary brown colour theme.



The upper IP and doors are wrapped in ebony black premium full grain leather, with contrasting bronze brown stitching. The front seats feature leather bolsters, combined with central panels trimmed with a technical black/brown high-performance fabric.



Further details, which add to the elegant and sporty feel, include a deep brown metallic finish to the centre console bezels, and textured black flooring produced from woven leather with bronze brown highlights.



The sensation of space in the interior is enhanced by a full-size panoramic glass roof, which covers the entire roof area.



Ultra-low CO2 powertrain



The Ford B-MAX is powered by an ultra-low-CO2 powertrain, featuring a state-of-the-art three-cylinder 1.0-litre Ford EcoBoost petrol engine equipped with the Ford Auto-Start-Stop system.



This three-cylinder Ford EcoBoost engine was first previewed in the Start concept vehicle displayed at the Beijing Motor Show in 2010, and represents the next addition to the global family of Ford EcoBoost engines.



Like the 1.6- and 2.0-litre four-cylinder Ford EcoBoost engines, which have recently been launched in Ford's European medium and large cars, the 1.0-litre unit combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and twin independent variable cam timing to achieve significant reductions in fuel-consumption and CO2 emissions.



Designed to replace larger conventional four-cylinder petrol engines, the three-cylinder Ford EcoBoost engine is undergoing final development prior to its production launch.



"The B-MAX demonstrates Ford's commitment to providing customers with exciting and innovative vehicles," said Stephen Odell. "We believe that the new concepts and technologies it showcases will have a major impact on the small car market.

Description:
1968 Ford Mustang Shelby GT 350 Convertible

Classic muscle car for sale - This is an original plate of the car with a tank of great beauty (never restored). The red oxide finish looks like the day it came out of the factory. Has its origin (birth) of the block (photo date codes and VIN stamp available). You also have the original 3.89 rear. The paint is excellent. Overall a very successful car (down to adjust the numbers and date codes in the carburetor and distributor). The car is listed in the Register of Shelby, but there were some errors in the list (which were corrected for the next edition). Marty's report and the original Shelby invoice certifying the origin of this great machine.

Ford's "One Ford" strategy, which refers to the company's plan to leverage its global product lineup to spread models across new markets, is responsible for bringing the Transit Connect stateside. It's a small commercial van Ford introduced in Europe and other markets in 2003. Maximum cargo space is about 135 cubic feet, close to that of larger minivans. The front-wheel-drive Transit Connect comes in cargo and passenger configurations, the latter with a second row



From the load floor to the ceiling, Ford says there's up to 59.1 inches of room, just 5.9 inches short of what a standard-height Dodge Sprinter offers. The Ford Transit Connect enters its sophomore year in the U.S. with few changes. The most important addition is a new model and powertrain option: the Ford Transit Connect Electric, which is reviewed separately.



Offered as both a cargo and passenger van, the Transit Connect is more suited for commercial than personal use. As Consumer Guide says, "Transit Connect neatly fills a size gap between the compact Chevrolet HHR Panel and enormous Dodge/Mercedes-Benz Sprinter. The Transit Connect succeeds as a small cargo van. For businesses, Ford also offers its Work Solutions computer system. Unless the vast cargo space or increased payload/towing capacity of a full-size van are absolutely essential to you, the Transit Connect is a viable and economical alternative for businesses in need of a commercial van.



However there are many vehicles that can be cross-shopped with the Transit Connect. However the Mazda5 and Kia Rondo offer far less cargo space compared to the Transit Connect.

Like most European-bred vans, the 2011 Ford Transit Connect is all about packing maximum functionality into minimum space.



The 2011 Ford Transit Connect is a compact work van available in XL Van, XLT Van, XLT Wagon and XLT Premium Wagon trim levels. The XLT Van adds body-color bumpers, full power accessories, heated mirrors, keyless entry, cruise control, a cargo area 12-volt power point and a CD player.



Entry-level XLT Wagon models get stability control, foglights and a 60/40-split-folding three-passenger second-row bench seat. The new XLT Premium Wagon adds flip-open rear side windows, storage pockets in the rear doors and a four-speaker audio system.



The Van trims can also be equipped with the Tool Link by DeWalt tool tracking and inventory system. Options available on the XLT trims include rear parking sensors, rear doors that open to 255 degrees, Bluetooth and remote ignition. Every 2011 Ford Transit Connect features a 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine good for 138 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque.

EPA-estimated fuel economy is 20 mpg city/26 mpg highway and 23 mpg combined.

Standard safety equipment includes four-wheel antilock brakes (disc front, drum rear) and front side airbags. Stability control is standard on Wagon models and available as an option on Van body styles. In NHTSA frontal crash tests, the Transit Connect earned a top five-star frontal crash rating for the driver and a four-star rating for the front seat passenger, as well as five stars for both front and rear passengers in side-impact tests.



Inside, the Transit Connect offers a carlike driving position. When it comes to cargo capacity, the Transit Connect Van offers a healthy 135 cubic feet, which is about 100 cubic feet less than Ford's larger Econoline vans. For ferrying people around, the Wagon's rear seats offer a firm seat bottom and reasonable elbow room. The 2011 Ford Transit Connect's emphasis on practicality is reflected in the driving experience.

Ford has revealed the all-new 2012 Ford Focus ECOnetic and its hybrid-beating fuel consumption figure of 3.5 litres/100km ahead of its debut at next week’s Amsterdam Motor Show.



The 2012 Focus ECOnetic will be powered by the same 1.6-litre Ford Duratorq diesel engine as the Fiesta, although it has 77kW of power (up from 66kW) and has been optimised for enhanced fuel efficiency.



The Focus ECOnetic will be available in five-door hatch and estate body styles. CarAdvice has contacted Ford Australia about its plans for the 2012 Ford Focus ECOnetic and its potential to be launched Down Under.



The main reason for this incredible figure is the 1.6-litre Ford Duratorq TDCi diesel engine which is further optimized for the ECOnetic with new injection system and turbocharger, improved fill air cooling and friction decrease innovation. Ford Focus also supplied with such an automatic stop and go, Smart Regenerative Charging, Ford Eco Mode and Shift Indicator Light.



The system is mated with Ford’s six-speed manual gear shifter of new revolution Durashift. The other new matter is, otherwise perfectly updated, presents to improve fuel economical usage involving:



- Decrease engine friction from liberate-friction piston ring coatings and optonal flow oil pump.

- Extra decreasing in engine power losses from low inactive vacuum pump and not symmetrical handle sprocket model.

- Revised discharge system mating a diesel NOx-decreasing catalyst with a coated Diesel Particulate Filter system.



The Focus ECOnetic 1.6 liter diesel combined with manual transmission 6-speed Ford Durashift, which is also used in the new Focus models with 1.6-liter TDCi engine. Focus ECOnetic model, standard on the innovative Active Grille Shutter – has developed a new system, which optimizes the aerodynamic behavior of the holes to control the flow of air through the grille and the cooling system and engine room. The new Ford Focus ECOnetic will be produced for the European market lead in manufacturing Focus in Saarlouis, Germany.

Ironically named little car, the Ford Focus. While you could surely argue we’re drawing too literal a line between the car and its moniker, we have to chuckle a little when we recall just how far afield Ford drifted with its compact offering over the last several years. Suffice it to say that Ford lost its way somewhere after the original Focus was introduced as a so-called ‘world car’ back in 1999. At the time, the spunky Focus shared the same C170 platform no matter where in the world it was sold.

Sadly, such platform sharing diverged in 2005 as the United States made do with the aging C170 chassis in a reduced number of bodystyles while the rest of the world received a new model based on the brand spankin’ new C1 platform. That new architecture debuted to rave reviews from the international motoring press while the aging North American Focus doddered off to live among the also-rans. A few short years later, with the global economy in the doldrums and fuel mileage sitting atop many consumers’ automotive wishlists, it wasn’t long before the Blue Oval found itself standing flat-footed without a class-competitive compact in its home market. Many tears were shed in the form of lost dollar signs over the ensuing years, until Ford finally promised to make the Focus a truly global car for the 2012 model year.

And we’re happy to report that the 2012 Ford Focus is several orders of magnitude superior to the model it replaces. How so? Keep reading to find out.

We’ll start with its exterior appearance. Instead of telling you how the 2012 Focus was drawn up with smooth, flowing lines and more than a few traces of Ford’s Kinetic design language, we’ll instead share a little story.

After a few days of daily driving duties, our Tuxedo Black Focus sedan was sorely in need of a good washing. After finishing the deed and taking a few moments to admire the shiny metallic flecks in the bright Arizona sun, we noticed we weren’t alone… three burly-looking, bearded workers and their supervisor had stopped toiling away at whatever project they had been assigned and were talking amongst themselves about our car. Eye contact was made, so they gaggle of laborers decided to come take a closer look.

What transpired could best be described as a Focus Love Fest. A traditional walk-around was performed (several times, actually), doors were opened and shut and specifications were debated. Finally, a general consensus was reached: “That there is a nice car.”

And so, the next logical question was asked: “How much?”

The window sticker was presented and summarily dissected. “Wow, that thing’s got a six-speed automatic? My wife’s Civic only has five.” It continued this way for several minutes. “Voice-activated navigation, nice. Leather, heated seats, sunroof… SYNC, what’s that mean?”

SYNC was then demonstrated. Push this button on the steering wheel, then say a command – “Sirius; ALT Nation.” (The stereo is now magically playing ALT Nation.) Impressive.

The price for all these bells and whistles? $26,925. Seems pretty pricey for a compact car, but then again, most compact cars don’t come equipped to the gills like our Focus Titanium sedan, either. We polled the workers. “Not bad… I’d have guessed more,” said the supervisor.

So, we’ve established that the 2012 Ford Focus is attractive enough to draw the attention of casual passers-by, its list of available equipment (in top-drawer Titanium trim, at least) is impressively thorough and that the normal sticker shock inevitably experienced when delving into the new car shopping experience isn’t all that, well… shocking.

Good so far, but how’s it drive?

Very well, it turns out. As our very own Zach Bowman found out during his First Drive of the car, Ford managed to bake quite a bit of handling goodness into the 2012 Focus. Our tester was equipped with the so-called Titanium Handling Package, and, aside from the clunky name, we were impressed. Turn-in was sharp, and the 2012 Focus holds its line through a curve in admirable fashion while responding shockingly well to attitude adjustments from the throttle.

There’s just one engine option for the 2012 Focus, so we’re happy to report that we have no qualms with its operation. The direct-injected 2.0-liter four cylinder powerplant puts out 160 horsepower at 6,500 rpm and 146 pound-feet of torque at 4,450 rpm. Those figures put the Focus near the the head of its class, which includes the Hyundai Elantra (148 horses and 131 lb-ft), Chevrolet Cruze (138 hp and 148 lb-ft), Honda Civic (the new 2012 model is rated at 140 horsepower, torque TBA) and Toyota Corolla (132 hp and 128 lb-ft). Among its primary rivals, the Ford is only bested by the Mazda3 s, which packs 167 hp and 168 lb-ft.

EPA fuel economy comes in at 27 miles per gallon city and 37 mpg highway when equipped with the six-speed automatic and the SelectShift option that allows the driver to manually change gears using a little rocker switch mounted on the console shifter. Nope, no paddles on the steering wheel, which is especially frustrating as this transmission is a dual-clutch unit that would seemingly lend itself rather well to the shift-for-yourself crowd. Same as the Fiesta. Why no paddle love, FoMoCo?

Fortunately, we found the automatic gearbox to be extremely well suited to this application. There’s enough power on hand that the transmission doesn’t hunt and peck for gears in daily driving and downshifts come right on schedule when called upon by either the driver’s right foot or by a steep grade. In all other situations, the tranny just goes about its duties without thought from the driver… and that’s exactly what you want from a two-pedal setup, no?

Despite its aforementioned handling prowess, the car’s ride was plenty smooth and controlled, without any undue noisiness echoing through the cabin. Speaking of which, the leather-clad interior, in two-tone Black and Tuscany Red that seemed more maroon to our eyes, is just as stylishly designed as the exterior. The hides covering the seats and door panels is soft to the touch and surprisingly grippy, meaning we didn’t find ourselves sliding to and fro when throwing the car into the bends. Heated seats with five levels of adjustment meant we could fine-tune the bum warmers to our liking, a boon since the last Ford Fiesta we tested offered just two settings: off and scorch.

There isn’t a ton of room in the rear seat when a six-foot driver gets comfy behind the wheel, and taller passengers in the front seat may find that their legroom is pinched a bit by the thick center stack and console. Similarly, trunk space in the sedan isn’t anything to write home about, and its 13.2 cubic feet of volume isn’t as easy to make use of as we’d like, mostly due to a distinct lack of depth. Taller items will need to be placed on the rear seat, which does fold in something like a 70/30 split. Frequent haulers might do better to consider the five-door hatch, which offers up to 44.8 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seats folded.

Considering how much electro-gadgetry the 2012 Focus offers, the center stack is rather easy to navigate. Part of that overall look of cleanliness, though, is attributable to the steering wheel, which rivals that of a Formula One’s tiller for its sheer number of controls. Not counting the horn, there are six clusters of buttons that can be pressed – and no, we’re not making this up – 19 different ways. With controls for cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, SYNC, the audio system and the in-dash computer (which has its own menu system directly between the speedometer and tachometer), we strongly suggest that any new drivers spend a few minutes acquainting themselves with the layout before heading out on the open road.

Note that we haven’t even mentioned the big LCD screen mounted high up in the center stack. It’s a touchscreen, and most anything the driver might want to do can be controlled at that location in lieu of the dedicated buttons. Plus, there’s SYNC, which allows the driver to press a single button and change any number of settings (audio, telephone, etc.) using voice commands. In other words, there’s almost always more than one way to make an adjustment.

That said, in practice we didn’t have any problems using all the technology packed into the Focus, and we appreciate the dedicated set of dials and buttons for the climate control system mounted below the LCD and Sony audio system.

We spent just one week with the 2012 Ford Focus, but that was plenty enough for us to realize that it’s a worthy contender in the hotly contested compact car segment. No other competitors offer the level of available equipment the Focus offers, but the basic goodness of the car’s platform should surely shine through on lesser trims, as well.

We went ahead and made use of Ford’s online configurator, and found that a very nice Focus SE sedan with the five-speed manual gearbox, 17-inch wheels, leather, sunroof and SYNC rings the register at around $22,000. Add about a grand for the six-speed automatic. Either way, you’ll end up with a highly desirable ride that does an equally fine job of catering to enthusiasts and commuters alike. Or even a grizzled quartet of hard-edged construction workers, apparently.

[Source: autoblog]