2011 Ford Mondeo Facelift gets New 240HP 2.0 -liter EcoBoost and 200HP Diesel

Ford's European division has slid the covers off the facelifted 2011 Mondeo ahead of its public premiere at the 2010 Moscow International Automobile Salon at the end of August. All three body styles of the Mondeo [four-door sedan, five-door liftback and estate] receive a subtle redesign, new range-topping turbocharged engines and additional features.
The design refresh up front includes new and slimmer upper grilles combined with a bolder trapezoid lower grille, restyled bonnet profile and new LED daytime running lights. At the back, Ford's designers reworked the tail lights that now employ LED technology while all body styles receive a new rear deck lid treatment.
There are no photos of the interior yet but the company said that among the changes, there's a new "flow-through" centre console design, revised door treatment featuring flush and integrated door release handles, a different central overhead console with ambient lighting and new trim materials.
New interior features include the introduction of LED courtesy lights, a new satellite navigation system and a Premium Sound System option which incorporates a 265-watt, eight-channel amplifier unit.
Under the bonnet, the recently launched 203HP 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbo petrol will be joined by the first application of a higher performance 240-horsepower version and a comprehensively revised 2.2-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engine.
Ford said that the 240HP version of the 2.0-liter Ecoboost turbo petrol will return the same C02 emissions (179g/km) as the 203HP unit, regardless of bodystyle.
For the 2011MY, the revised 2.2-liter turbo diesel unit boasts a 12 per cent power increase to 200-horsepower, making it the most powerful Duratorq diesel engine to date.
The Mondeo also benefits from a newer version of Ford's six-speed PowerShift double wet-clutch transmission system that comes as standard for all EcoBoost petrol engines, and will be available as an option for the 140PS and 163PS versions of the 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi diesels.
New technology features for the 2011MY include Lane Departure Warning, Driver Alert and Auto High Beam systems.
The new Mondeo range will go on sale across Europe from September 2010 (UK: October, 2010) with further information and technical details to be released closer to launch.

Ford Announces Five Focus RS Le Mans Classics Specials, Each One Inspired by a Historic Race Car

Production of the Focus RS may be coming to an end soon, but that isn't about to stop Ford from introducing yet another [we've lost count of the number...] series of special edition versions of the... limited edition hot hatch.
Today, Ford of Europe unveiled a collection of five Focus RS cars in unique paint schemes, each paying tribute to a Ford race car that made history at the Le Mans 24 Hours.
The Focus RS in black with white stripes and gold rims echoes the 1966 GT40 Mk II; the red with white strips the 1967 Mark IV; the white with a thin blue centre stripe surrounded by a red border the 1967 GT40 Mk IIB; the two-tone sky blue and orange the GT40s that dominated Le Mans in 1968 and 1969 and finally, the two tone white and blue, the Capri RS 2600 which took the Touring category in 1972.
All special edition Focus RS get customized interiors including Recaro seats upholstered in leather and diamond-quilted alcantara with stitching that matches the bodywork. In addition, the gearshift gaiter, hand brake handle and central arm-rest are upholstered in leather, and a leather safety belt guide has been added to the front seats while each car carries a personalized numbered plaque on the dashboard.
The automaker said that the five special Focus RS models will be seen in action at the 2010 Le Mans Classic in July, and will be driven on a number of laps of the full track by Ford-invited special guests and VIPs behind the wheel.
After the event is over, the five special edition RS models will be put up for sale, and will be offered with exclusive accessories including a Le Mans Classic watch of which only 600 are to be produced.

Ford Receives More than 1,000 Reservations for New Fiesta in Less Than a Week

More than 1,000 people have placed a reservation for Ford's hotly anticipated Fiesta since the company first launched a dedicated microsite and priced the subcompact model six days ago, on Thursday, December 3.
Not to lessen Ford's bragging rights, but we must note that those that who chose (or will choose) to reserve a Fiesta through this process have no obligation to purchase or put any money down for the car.
But if they go through with the purchase, Ford said that they will receive prioritized order handling with automatic build updates, their personal Fiesta Reservations consultant, and most importantly, a SYNC system with navigation and Premium Sound package, worth $595 free of charge.The Detroit automaker said that up until now, Fiesta reservations have come from 47 different states, with customers from California, Florida, Texas, New York and Illinois leading the way in the number of reservations.
The U.S-spec Ford Fiesta will be built in Mexico and will be offered as a five-door hatchback and a four-door saloon, both powered by a 119-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder engine. First deliveries are expected next summer with prices starting from $13,995.