Autoblog

Click above for high-res gallery of the Euro-spec Ford Kuga

The grass, they say, is always greener on the other side of the fence. Though that often appears to be the case, most of the time it isn't. Dearborn's new "One Ford" initiative promises that we'll soon be able to stop gazing longingly across the ocean at what the company offers overseas buyers, as Ford endeavors to integrate its global product line-up into one cohesive range for every market around the world. In the case of the new Fiesta, that's a good thing. Less so with regards to the Kuga. Follow the jump to read why.

Photos Copyright ©2008 Noah Joseph / Weblogs, Inc.

click above to view high-res gallery of the Ford Focus Coupe-Cabriolet

Having already taken the wraps off the more conventional four-door sedan, three- and five-door hatchbacks and wagon body-styles in Frankfurt, Ford of Europe is preparing to unveil its new hard-top convertible version of the new European Focus. Unfortunately, this model won't be available in the US market, so we'll have to settle for the images Ford has released of the new Focus CC until we bring you the live shots from the Geneva show floor next month. The CC also joins the ST hot-hatch and the upcoming RS in the new Euro Focus line-up.

Like its predecessor, Ford of Europe's new Focus Coupé-Cabriolet is being built in Bairo, Italy, by Pininfarina. The drop-top Focus boasts a stiff body to maintain handling integrity and class-leading luggage space over rivals like the Peugeot 308 CC and Volkswagen Eos, regardless of whether the roof is up or down. The new Focus CC will be offered with three engine options and three trim levels: a 1.6-liter/100-hp and 2-liter 145-hp Duratec gasoline fours, and the 2-liter Duratorq turbodiesel with 136 hp, in either Trend, Sport or Titanium spec.

Follow the jump to read the full press release, and click on the thumbnails below to view pics in our high-res gallery.

[Source: Ford]

At next month's Frankfurt Motor Show, Ford of Europe will show off a new line of powertrains that produce ultra-low levels of CO2. The engines will be common-rail diesels and will first appear in early 2008 under the hood of the Ford Focus ECOnetic. In the Focus, it should produce a class-leading 115g/km CO2 reading. This 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi engine features a standard diesel particulate filter and also returns 65.7 mpg on the cycle.

With legislators increasingly focusing on economy and emissions, Ford is the latest to announce a specific answer. We just profiled BMW's tweaked gearbox and Chrysler's lightweight steel, and now we have this clean diesel from Ford. Besides the efficient engine, this Focus has been optimized with a lowered ride height, a new aero kit and low rolling resistance tires. It also represents the first use of a new low-viscosity transmission oil that Ford developed with fuel partner BP.

Follow the jump for the full press release.

[Source: Ford]

Despite not being official, we've known for some time that Ford CEO Alan Mulally wants to increase the number of platforms shared by its U.S. and European divisions. It's something Ford fanboys have been demanding for some time, and yesterday Mulally officially confirmed that the next-gen Focus and Fusion would be global vehicles, sharing platforms with their counterparts across the pond. This will be in addition to the B-class car that's coming in the form of the new European Fiesta small car that will slot below the Focus in Ford's U.S. lineup.

The amount of overlap between Ford in the U.S. and Ford of Europe was one of the first things that surprised Mulally when he arrived at Ford exactly one year ago. He's quickly set about fixing the redundancy, but we won't likely see the fruits of his labor until 2010 or 2011 when the next Focus is expected to debut for both markets.

Ford execs have said that these cars will wear different styling and be tuned differently, but we've heard from inside the Blue Oval that a conflict between U.S. and Euro designers is growing, with the former group upset that its delicate balance of three-bar grilles will be upset by the Fiesta, and possibly other models, arriving with FoE's "Kinetic Design" theme.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req'd]

Ford has reportedly announced that its current chief designer at Ford of Europe, Phil Simmons, is being moved over to Land Rover. Rather than having a man with such experience oversee the design of the entire Land Rover brand, Simmons will become the studio director for just the Ranger Rover line of premium SUVs. Simmons is actually the one responsible for the Ranger Rover's current design, having spent a decade at Land Rover before being sent to Ford in the U.S., where he also oversaw the Blue Oval's family of midsize sedans, the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ. He's been at Ford of Europe since 1999, and thus also must've been partly responsible for the Kinetic design language that debuted on the Iosis concept and matured into the production design of the current Mondeo.

Is it a waste (or a demotion) to shift such talent to a brand that's on the verge of being sold from the corporate fold, and then to only give him control over one vehicle line? The Range Rover is certainly key to the success of Land Rover as a whole, but does it need its own design steward? We're a bit perplexed at the appointment, but the rest of Ford's loss is Range Rover's gain.

[Source: The Car Connection]

Click image for a gallery of the 2002 Ford Focus RS

One of the most desirable pieces of forbidden fruit from the Ford of Europe stable was the Focus RS. Based on the Mk1 Focus, the RS sported WRC-inspired looks and handling, and was powered by a turbocharged 215-horsepower 2.0L Duratec that spun the front wheels. Auto Express is now reporting that the next RS, which was to be based on the freshened MkII Focus coming in late '08, expected to boast 300 horsepower and 4WD, has been scrapped.

A UK buyer who had placed a deposit told the publication that his money was returned, saying the dealer informed him that the project was scrapped due to emissions concerns. Ford has dispelled that notion, telling Auto Express that a sound business case for the car simply couldn't be made at this time. Before our European readers get too upset, the mag says that the RS could come back on the radar for the MkIII refresh scheduled for sometime in 2010.

At least we'll be spared the ignominy of being taunted with another awesome Europe-only Focus for the time being.

[Source: Auto Express]

Some cloaked shots of the production version of Ford's newest cute ute have surfaced. First shown as the iosis-X concept in Paris, this C-segment crossover features that same "kinetic design language" we see in Ford of Europe's S-MAX and C-MAX, in a size that slots between the two. This small crossover would compete head-to-head with the Toyota RAV-4 and Honda CR-V, among others.

Just when we thought the CUV/SUV market couldn't get any more crowded, this would be the eleventieth UV in the Ford lineup alone. But it's a looker, this one. Using spy photos of a heavily disguised prototype, the artist created a rendering that looks athletic and stylish but functional, sort of like a scaled down Mazda CX-7, which is a good thing. Our previous spy shots of this productionized iosis-X looked markedly different, but it's likely the older pics were of a test mule. As this vehicle gets closer to it's early 2008 launch and Frankfurt debut, the shape seems to be taking its final, more stylish form.

[Source: drive.com.au]

At least five potential Aston Martin buyers have now whipped out their platinum cards in anticipation of taking the esteemed carmaker off Ford's hands. One London banker said, "The interesting question is whether this is just going to be a scrap between the rich men of Russia and the rich men of the Middle East." It's interesting to note the plethora of former Ford execs hoping to get a piece of Aston.

List of potential bidders after the jump.

[Source: thebusinessonline.com]

Here in the U.S. we think of commercial transport in terms of package delivery trucks from companies like UPS, Federal Express and DHL. In Europe, the commercial transport market is populated not only by tall vans, but a wide array of vehicle types that can carry cargo from point A to point B.

At the Commercial Vehicle Show in Birmingham, England yesterday Ford unveiled the Fiesta SportVan, a dual use domestic/business commercial transport vehicle that combines the styling of a sport compact with a dash of cargo carrying functionality. Powered by a 1.6L Duratorq diesel producing 89 hp and 150 ft-lbs of torque, the Fiesta SportVan features a 5-speed manual cog swapper, 16-inch 12-spoke alloys, color keyed body molding, larger front air intake, fog lamps and a rear spoiler.

The interior also gets the sport treatment with heavily bolstered seats and various “sport” trim. The Fiesta SportVan was designed for the small business owner who might use the vehicle for personal as well as business use, and it’s available as either a window or panel van. Though it’s considered a “van” in Europe, the SportVan looks like a compelling sport compact in its own right.

Check out Ford's full press release after the jump ...

[Source: Ford of Europe]

Esoteric Merkurs are a dime-a-dozen on eBay, with XR4Ti and Scorpios popping up in varying states of tune on the online auction site with some regularity. But the car seen above appears to be something altogether different - a 1989 Ford Sierra Cosworth.

Utilizing the same chassis and sheetmetal but masking an altogether more entertaining car, this rare Richardson, Texas-resident Cossie is said to have been owner-imported from London. Rare birds globally, there are probably at best a dozen or so examples plying U.S. roads (legally or otherwise).

The seller claims that his four-wheeled forbidden fruit is a legitimate Stage-1 270 horsepower buildup, titled as a 1989 Merkur XR4Ti so as not to arouse suspicion from legal types. As this is written, this Sierra is set to trade at $4,800 - a small bargain considering its scarcity-- even in light of a laundry list of condition problems: oil leak, possible bad synchro, dented door and cracked bumper, bad paint and noisy lifters.

See the auction here for more info, and check out the seller's site for more photos and background on its importation and modification.