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2013 Ford Focus ST Priced at $23,700

admin — Wed, 02 May 2012 23:00:00 +0000

Ford revealed more information about its high-performance 2013 Focus ST, including finalized power specs and pricing details. The Focus ST goes on sale this month and is already available for preorder.

The Ford Focus ST has a base price of $23,700, excluding a $795 destination fee. That pricing makes the Focus ST more affordable than the 2012 Mazdaspeed3 ($24,000) and 2012 Volkswagen GTI four-door hatchback ($24,595); the 2012 Honda Civic Si sedan is more affordable at $22,555, however. Compare the competition, here.

Mainly, what you're getting here is the tricked-out engine: a 252-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder that produces 270 pounds-feet of torque. Those figures are a big bump from the 247 hp and 250 pounds-feet of torque Ford stated previously. Compared to the traditional Focus, Ford also reworked the suspension by upgrading the shock absorbers and springs. The rear suspension has been revised with uprated knuckles and an all-new antiroll bar design. The electronic power-assisted steering also has a torque steer compensation program, which detects torque steer and counteracts it when necessary. Overall, the sport-tuned suspension offers less ground clearance but better cornering abilities, says Ford.

Ford Focus ST at the 2011 L.A. Auto Show

Like most pocket rockets, the Focus ST is only available with a manual transmission. If you have your heart set on an automatic, check out the VW GTI.

The Focus ST comes standard with 18-inch alloy wheels with summer tires, fog lamps, sport cloth seats, aluminum pedals and shifter, a leather-wrapped steering wheel, push-button start with passive keyless entry system, Ford Sync, an antitheft engine immobilizer and a perimeter alarm.

Two packages are available: Equipment Group — ST2 adds a 10-speaker Sony audio system, MyFord Touch with an 8-inch touch-screen, dual-zone automatic climate control, HD and satellite radio and Recaro-brand partial-leather seats for $2,385. The Equipment Group — ST3 builds off of ST2 and adds high-intensity-discharge headlights with articulating lenses and LED accent lighting, ambient interior lighting, a rear armrest, a navigation system and full-leather upholstery for $4,435.

The Tangerine Scream exterior color option (shown above) is exclusive to the Focus ST and costs $495.

Other stand-alone options include a power moonroof ($895) and a navigation system ($795 ST2 only).

A fully loaded Focus ST will cost you $29,525, which is a new high for a gasoline-powered Focus. Buyers who are interested in a Focus ST and preorder now will also receive a $299.99 GoPro HD Hero2 Motorsports Edition camera for free. This offer ends Aug. 20 or after the first 1,000 orders.

2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Crowned World’s Most Powerful V-8

admin — Mon, 30 Apr 2012 23:00:00 +0000

The most powerful production V-8 in the world sits under the hood of the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500, According to the Society of Automotive Engineers. The 5.8-liter supercharged power plant in the high-performance Mustang is SAE-certified at 662 horsepower and 631 pounds-feet of torque.

The previous version produced “only” 550 hp and 510 pounds-feet of torque from its supercharged 5.4-liter V-8. Ford says the 2013 model isn't as much of a gas hog as you'd expect. Compared with the previous model, the revised front fascia and splitter help manage airflow and make the car more aerodynamic, also helping gas mileage.

The 2013 Shelby GT500 is the most fuel-efficient vehicle in its segment and is “the most fuel-efficient car with over 550 horsepower in any segment available in America,” Ford said in a statement. The GT500 achieves an EPA- estimated 15/24 mpg city/highway and does not require a gas guzzler tax. Competitors include the 580-hp Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 and the 470-hp Dodge Challenger SRT8 392. The former is EPA-rated at 14/19 mpg, and the latter is rated at 14/23 mpg.

The 2013 Shelby GT500 will be built at Ford's Flat Rock, Mich., facility and goes on sale later this year.

2013 Lincoln MKZ at the 2012 New York Auto Show

admin — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 01:35:49 +0000

Competes with: Lexus ES, Acura TL, Buick Regal, Infiniti G Series

Cars.com News Brief: March 19, 2012

admin — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 21:38:26 +0000

Here's what we have our eye on today:

Auto manufacturing output in the Midwest increased 17.5% year over year in January, according to the Chicago Fed Midwest Manufacturing Index. Total national automotive output increased 12.1% for the month as compared with 2011. Auto manufacturing output is now at levels last seen in mid-2008, according to a tweet from CNBC's automotive/airline correspondent Phil LeBeau.
Toyota Prius c sales are moving at a roaring pace. The carmaker moved 1,201 units during its first three days on sale. If that pace continues, expect significant, and continuous, supply constraints, according to Automotive News. Right now, the U.S. and Canada are collectively allocated about 6,000 Prius c hybrids a month from Toyota's Iwate assembly plant in northern Japan. Although the plant can make 30,000 Prius c vehicles a month, most of the hybrids have been allocated for sale in Japan. There's a backlog of 120,000 preorders for the Prius c by Japanese customers, according to Automotive News.
Toyota is adding an “excess wear and tear” policy to its leasing program, according to Automotive News. The policy covers up to $5,000 of excess wear and use, and up to $1,000 coverage for single “event” damage to a leased vehicle. Lexus vehicles get up to $7,500 in wear and $2,000 of single-event coverage. The plans must be bought at the beginning of the lease, and neither plan waives excess mileage charges. Pricing has not yet been disclosed. Toyota relies heavily on leasing: About 31% of all its new cars are leased through the company's captive financial firm, Toyota Financial Services, says Automotive News.
GM is having trouble forecasting a sales target for its tiny 2013 Chevrolet Spark, which goes on sale in July, according to Automotive News. The Spark will compete with the Fiat 500, Scion iQ and Smart ForTwo. All three vehicles have seen relatively little appeal with the American buying public, says Automotive News, but Chevrolet expects the Spark to be popular with city dwellers. It plans to offer a fun assortment of exterior paint colors, an optional 7-inch touch-screen and pricing that starts below the Chevrolet Sonic (which starts at $13,865) to help distinguish the vehicle in the marketplace.

2013 Ford Mustang: First Drive

admin — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 10:01:00 +0000

PORTLAND, Ore. — Last Thursday morning, Al Roker crooned about summerlike temperatures across the country: 82 degrees in Washington, D.C., 72 in Chicago, 67 in Minneapolis. NBC’s telecast then segued to the local forecast: Forties and rain on Thursday, Friday, Saturday. Not the choicest weather to drive a Ford Mustang, but we gave it a go anyhow. Ford revamped its iconic pony car for 2013, adding a few horses to the 5.0-liter V-8 GT and tweaking the whole lineup’s appearance. V-6 and V-8 coupes and convertibles are on sale now, as is the V-8 Mustang Boss 302 coupe. The 650-horsepower Shelby GT500, meanwhile, arrives this summer.

Stick-shift GT coupes add an optional Track Pack, which combines a 3.73:1 rear axle (versus slower, 2.73 to 3.55 axles for other stick-shift cars) with an engine oil cooler, upgraded radio and performance Brembo brakes. They also get a Torsen rear differential from the stupid-fun Boss. Upgraded Shaker audio systems, a 4.2-inch gauge LCD with various performance monitors, adjustable steering assist and available Recaro sport seats round out the 2013 updates. I took to the hills west of Portland in a stick-shift Mustang V-6 coupe with the 2.73 rear axle, then drove neighborhood streets as engineering manager Tom Barnes sat shotgun in a stick-shift, 3.73 GT coupe.

The Mustang is as raucous as ever, with a gutsy V-6 and a V-8 that pulls like hell. I’m not sold on all the visual updates, and the interior needs work. But the Mustang still combines scrappy fun with everyday livability, and it should draw buyers even as competition heats up not just from Chevy's Camaro but entries from Hyundai to Dodge.

Ford's 3.7-liter V-6 roars like a V-8, and even with the pokiest (but most fuel-efficient) rear axle, the stick-shift Mustang launches strong enough to spin the rear tires all the way through first year. The 305-hp drivetrain loses steam as the tach needle swings to redline — territory where the 420-hp Mustang GT shoves you back in your seat. Barnes says friction reduction helped Ford eke out another 8 hp from the 5.0-liter V-8, which should match or beat the quarter-mile times of the last Mustang GT our friends at “MotorWeek” tested — 13 seconds flat, a few tenths faster than a 426-hp Chevrolet Camaro SS.

Both Mustangs exhibit satisfying steering feedback with power steering dialed to the car's Sport mode. At the other end, a Comfort mode makes the Mustang easy enough to make three-point turns with one palm. The chassis handled tricky roads outside Portland well enough, staying grounded over broken pavement better than any car with a solid rear axle ought to. Sharp turns on wet pavement had the V-6 coupe's all-season tires yielding to mild understeer, but working the tail out only required easing back on the gas coming through the corner.

Our V-8 tester's optional Brembo brakes (14-inch front discs, versus 13.2 inchers in lesser GTs) hammered the car to a stop, albeit with excessive forward suspension dive — an unexpected sensation, given neither the V-6 nor stiffer GT suspensions allowed much body roll. Ride quality keeps with Mustangs past: firm but livable.

The optional six-speed automatic gets a redesigned shifter with a manual-shift mode — long overdue for the Mustang, given the rival Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger automatics include it. Ford says it won't override you with upshifts, but shifting gears happens with buttons on the shifter's side. We have little use for manual-shift automatics, but the others execute this better. The Camaro has paddle shifters, and the Challenger allows manual shifts by slapping the gearshift one way or another. Ford’s button-equals-shift motion is anything but fun. Barnes concedes so: “I'm not saying it's the best, but functionally it gives you what you need.”

Most visual updates should appeal. The grille pulls farther forward, and body-colored rocker panels (previously black) add some maturity. The Mustang used to have two headlamp arrangements — iconic outboard halogen lamps or lizard-eye xenons that sat inboard. The inboard xenons are now standard. They still look reptilian, but horizontal LED daytime running lamps flank them for an interesting effect, and the reshaped grille – including a new front air splitter — increases downforce on the Mustang GT, which Barnes calls “the best V-8 we’ve had by far” in terms of aerodynamics.

A few things need work. New, rectangular LEDs ensconce the taillights, casting a cool glow when they're on. When off, it's anything but: The lowered center portions look like festering sores. Cabin inconsistencies still mar the inside, where Ford dresses the dashboard with premium materials but gives the doors the short shrift. And a telescoping steering wheel, widely offered in the competition, is still MIA.

Stay tuned for a full review.

2012 Infiniti G37 Convertible

admin — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 07:38:00 +0000

If a coupe leaves you feeling cooped up, but you like the look and feel of the 2012 Infiniti G37, the convertible is your answer. Based on the 2012 G37 Coupe and styled very similarly, the G37 Convertible replaces the fixed roof with a folding hard top that opens and closes in about 20 seconds. Best of all, it doesn’t ruin the coupe’s sleek lines…

Fiat Taps Charlie Sheen for New Ad

admin — Sat, 03 Mar 2012 00:45:00 +0000

If J.Lo couldn't sell Fiats, does Charlie Sheen have a chance? Chrysler Group is launching a new ad for the Fiat 500 Abarth model staring the troubled bad-boy actor and his electronic monitoring ankle bracelet. Luckily, Catrinel Menghia, the Romanian model who starred in the car's “Seduction” Super Bowl XLVI commercial also makes a cameo in the new ad.

In the 60-second “House Arrest” spot, Sheen, badly in need of a haircut, joyrides through the hallways of a party-filled mansion behind the wheel of a Fiat 500 Abarth. He power slides to a stop and exits the Abarth with his house-arrest ankle monitor on full display. Sheen, prone to outrageous media stunts and incomprehensible rants, is an unlikely spokesman for the Fiat brand. Or is he?

Fiat Brand Communication Manager Ariel Gavilan recently told Cars.com that he was pleased with consumer response to the 500 Gucci edition, but the brand would like to cast its net wider and appeal to a more masculine audience. The ad seemingly does just that, and its tagline emphasizes the audience it's chasing: “Not all bad boys are created equal.”

“The Fiat 500 Abarth is the 'small but wicked' personality of the Fiat 500, and this spot captures that attitude and spirit,” Olivier Francois, worldwide head of Fiat brand and Chrysler Group's chief marketing officer, said in a statement. “The Fiat 500 Abarth is the bad boy of the Fiat vehicle lineup and Charlie Sheen personifies the edgy and fun attributes of the Fiat 500 Abarth in 'House Arrest.'”

The 500 was launched last year in the U.S. and greeted with a lukewarm customer response. If you're like me, the 500's advertising campaign confused from the start. Fiat parent-company Chrysler's “Imported From Detroit” tagline, coupled with the 500's Italian heritage, Jennifer Lopez's Puerto Rican background and Bronx roots formed a head-scratching mix of counterparts. Unsurprisingly, the ads left most consumers cold; slow sales prompted a marketing shakeup.

We expect the new Abarth model, with its boosted horsepower and sporting pretensions, to inject some heat into the lineup and sales figures – with or without Charlie Sheen. Watch the full ad below.

Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: February 2012

admin — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 02:22:25 +0000

Chrysler and Hyundai saw big increases in February sales as shoppers, spurred by positive economic news and rising personal income, hit dealerships to find incentives remain high. Dealer and manufacturer discounts, including trade-in bonuses and discount financing, totaled 16.1% off the average car's MSRP in early February, CNW Market Research reports. That's about even with January but much higher than February 2011's 13.3% in total discounts.

Sales for Ford's F-Series improved 25.9%, with the V-6 model — both naturally aspirated and EcoBoost (turbocharged) models — accounting for nearly 60% of sales. The Escape, an SUV that made the best-selling list for nine months running, dropped off as sales increased a modest 3.7%. Ford keeps piling on Escape incentives — up versus February 2011 — but perhaps enough shoppers are waiting for its replacement.

The redesigned Toyota Camry maintained a thin lead over the Nissan Altima to remain America's best-selling sedan, despite the Altima selling nearly 60% better. Nissan is cleaning up: Altima incentives are just a tad higher than they were a year ago, and the car is selling despite being in its twilight years. A redesigned Altima will debut at next month's New York auto show.

Honda logged huge increases for two redesigned mainstays, the CR-V and Civic. It's a testament to shoppers' preference since Honda dropped incentives slightly on both cars versus year-ago levels, and dealerships have fewer of both to sell. The Accord, once a perennial best-seller, remains off the list for the third month in a row. Sales dipped 2.4%, but a redesigned Accord is due this fall.

AAA reports the national price for a gallon of regular unleaded gas rose 17 cents in February. Unsurprisingly, shoppers moved toward fuel-efficient choices. January's 10 best-sellers included five SUVs or pickup trucks. This month, that figure dropped to four. Sales of the Toyota Prius, which is still the most fuel-efficient car without a plug, jumped 52.1% and landed the car just two spots off the list. Given that analysts say gas prices could spike even higher, the Prius could soon make its first appearance on the best-sellers' list since October 2009.

GM sales improved just 1.1%, but Ford sales improved 14.4% to remain America's second-place automaker for the first two months of 2012. Witness the shift in the redesigned Ford Focus, which was starved for inventory through much of last year. It overtook the rival Chevrolet Cruze for the first time since the 2012 Focus arrived last April, with sales improving 114.6%. GM's only solace? Cruze sales come with little incentive, while Ford discounts the Focus as much as $2,000. That's about even with a year ago, but a lot of incentives for a redesigned compact.

Behind GM and Ford, Toyota sales improved 12.4%, while hard-charging Chrysler gained 40.4%. Honda, Nissan and Hyundai round out the top seven carmakers in February sales, and they are in the same order as in January's list. Including its Kia affiliate, Hyundai sales improved 26.0%, the second-largest increase of the top seven automakers.

2013 Volkswagen CC Starts at $30,250

admin — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 02:05:46 +0000

Volkswagen's redesigned-for-2013 CC sedan will start just above $30,000 when it goes on sale this spring. It costs almost $2,000 more than the 2012 model's $28,515 base price.

Updates for the new model year include revised styling that's more aligned with the redesigned Jetta and Passat siblings; a new bench seat that allows for three passengers in back; and LED taillights. The CC is available in front- or all-wheel drive, and its powertrains also carry over for 2013: both the 200-horsepower, turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder and 280-hp, 3.6-liter V-6 remain available.

Two new models join the CC's roster for 2013. The 2.0T Sport Plus will slot above the base 2.0T Sport model and feature LED daytime running lights, adaptive headlights, specific 18-inch wheels and the base navigation system. Navigation previously was available only on the Lux trim.

The new VR6 Lux trim slots below the 2.0T Lux and adds a headlight washer system with heated nozzles, backup camera, upgraded navigation system with 6.6-inch touch-screen, leather seats with memory function and specific 18-inch wheels.

2.0T Sport, 2.0T Sport Plus, 2.0T Lux, VR6 Lux, VR6 4Motion Executive models are available for 2013. The starting cost of each version is detailed below. Pricing for the sport-themed 2.0T R-Line model will be released closer to the vehicle’s launch in early 2013.

2.0T Sport with manual transmission: $30,250
2.0T Sport with automatic transmission: $31,350

No Plans for Cadillac XTS-V

admin — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 00:04:48 +0000

Wards Auto is reporting there will be no V performance version for Cadillac's new-for-2013 XTS sedan lineup.

Slated to replace the DTS as the largest Cadillac in the lineup, the XTS is based on the Buick LaCrosse's architecture but is several inches longer. It'll feature a V-6 powertrain when it goes on sale this spring. The sole engine will be a 300-horsepower, 3.6-liter V-6 in front- or all-wheel drive.

With the CTS having a performance version and a plan already in the works for the forthcoming ATS's entry to the V club, Cadillac doesn't see the need to offer a more potent XTS. In fact, Cadillac told Wards that unlike its stable mates, the XTS isn't intended to be a performance vehicle.

Wards is also reporting that Cadillac hasn't ruled out a larger sedan that would slot above XTS in size and price and offer a performance-oriented powertrain.

No XTS Performance Model Planned, But Bigger Cadillac Being Eyed (Wards Auto)