2011 Ford Fiesta challenge..

Shot just south of Paris, France in Linas at l'Autodrome de Linas --Montlhéry, this 1.58 mile oval track, built in 1924, features banks as steep as 51 degrees, which is more than double the standard incline of most NASCAR ovals. Chosen by Ken for this specific reason, the ramp-like banking proved to be a unique and exciting challenge. The driving physics for the stunts performed were totally unknown until Ken attempted the maneuvers during filming.

NASCAR Ford Mustangs take a test drive

Since news of the Ford Mustang participating in NASCAR hit the scene fans of the iconic pony car have been waiting in anticipation for any news of the upcoming car and newly formed Ford Mustang team. Just recently four Roush Fenway Ford Mustangs were taken out for a two day NASCAR nationwide series test session at the Daytona International Speedway in preparation for the new car debut on July 2, 2010. Ford Racing caught up with drivers Paul Menard and Ricky Stenhouse Jr. for reaction to day one.

PAUL MENARD - NO. 98 MENARDS FORD MUSTANG

ARE YOU HAPPY WITH HOW TODAY WENT?
"This is my first time ever being in this car and only the second time for my guys, so we've come a long ways. I think we've got pretty good speed. We've just got to get it to drive a little bit better, but we've got a whole day tomorrow as well."

HOW DO YOU LIKE DRIVING A MUSTANG?
"Like I said, we have really good speed and we definitely have the coolest-looking cars here. The Mustang decal package and the way the body is shaped makes it the coolest-looking car here. I'm happy to be driving it."

ANY SIMILARITIES IN THE DRAFT HERE BETWEEN THE CUP CAR AND NATIONWIDE CAR?
"No, they're totally different. The suspension and the way we set the cars up are totally different, so there's not a whole lot of translation. The aero package with the Mustang has a bigger spoiler, so the cars actually suck up quicker. You get bigger runs versus the Fusion Cup car, so it's a work in progress. They may change the spoiler on us. We don't know yet, but we'll see."

RICKY STENHOUSE JR. - NO. 6 CITIFINANCIAL FORD MUSTANG

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS ON THE DAY?
"It was interesting. Our Mustang was pretty loose, but I don't feel like it's just the Mustang. I feel like everybody in the garage feels like they're pretty loose. We're just trying to get some rear grip in it. It's got a lot of front grip, which is not a bad thing, but we're trying to find a way to add rear grip. We worked on some stuff and I'm not sure we got it figured out exactly right, but we've got a game plan going into tomorrow and we'll see if it works."

WERE YOU LOOSE IN THE DRAFT OR SINGLE-CAR RUNS OR BOTH?
"Both. There at the beginning doing single-car runs we were a little bit free, maybe not real free, but once we got in the draft we were really loose."

WHAT'S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN A FUSION NATIONWIDE CAR AND A MUSTANG NATIONWIDE CAR IN THE DRAFT?
"They're totally different. The Nationwide car with the Fusion is at one end of the spectrum and the Mustang is at the other. The Nationwide car, you can run around here wide-open and be comfortable in it. Right now, the Mustang is loose, but, then again, I look at it as maybe a good thing. You've really got to drive it. It's not just hold it on the mat and see who is gonna be there to cross the finish line at the end. I think it's gonna be interesting and I think it's gonna be more of a handling race track than we've seen in the Nationwide cars in years past."

Ford Fusion 2009

ford-fusion-exterior

The 2009 Fusion is a 4-door, 5-passenger family sedan, available in 5 trims : Fusion I4 S, Fusion I4 SE, Fusion I4 SEL, Fusion V6 SE, and Fusion V6 SEL. Upon introduction, the I4 S is equipped with a standard 2.3-liter, I4, 160-horsepower engine that achieves 20-mpg in the city and 29-mpg on the highway.

ford-fusion-interior

A 5-speed manual transmission with overdrive is standard, and a 5-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is optional. The V6 SEL AWD is equipped with a standard 3.0-liter, V6, 221-horsepower engine that achieves 17-mpg in the city and 25-mpg on the highway. A 6-speed automatic transmission with overdrive is standard. The 2009 Fusion is a carryover from 2008.

Top Ten Big Power Cars of SEMA 2008

While the premise of the cars around the grounds of the SEMA Show is Las Vegas is to showcase various modifications, from wheels to interior to superchargers, some don't recognize the performance capacity of these "show cars".  However, some of these cars are packing a tremendous amount of power, and we have put together a list of the top ten big power cars of the 2008 SEMA Show.

Top Ten Big Power Cars of SEMA 2008

10. The Shelby Super Snake is one of the most powerful production cars on the road, but this one, converted to right hand drive, will be one of the most powerful cars on the road in Australia.  

9. Look like a normal 2010 Shelby Super Snake Look closer at that fender badging...this Camaro is packing an LS7.  Perhaps a hint of a future option?











8. The original Cobra Jet Mustang was among the most powerful cars sold in its day, and while this new CJ isn't street legal, it is still an incredibly powerful car (and race ready).











7. This Chevy Nova is packed with an LS7 from the new Z06, giving the vintage muscle a modern heartbeat.












6. Squire Turbo Systems provided this twin turbo Dodge Challenger, making 620 horsepower, thanks to the snails located behind the rear wheels.











5. This rough looking Mustang may not appear to be much of a show car, but with a recorded top speed of 252.780mph, it's the fastest production Mustang ever.











4. The Fast and the Furious might be outrageous to some, but this blown Dodge Charger packs a mighty punch.












3. Twin turbos and a Ford 460 worked to almost 600 cubic inches...all packed into a sleek '66 Mustang.













2. This 1971 Hemi 'Cuda has lots of power and an 8 second quarter mile time to show that it makes use of every one of those ponies.












1. The Shelby Cobra is regarded as being one of the most powerful and quickest cars of the 60s and 70s, and this 1000+ horsepower car from Hyland Motorsports helps to continue that legacy.

Ford to Export Canadian-Made Edge SUV to China

Now here's something you don't hear very often these days; a North American-made product exported to China. Yes, it's actually true - even though we're not sure how long it will last for... Ford has announced that the recently refreshed in the States Edge sport utility vehicle, which is built in Ontario, Canada, is on its way to the company's dealers in China with sales set to start in October.
Ford Motor China Vice President Nigel Harris told reporters that the automaker expects modest sales of 4,000 to 5,000 examples of the Edge per year.
However, crossover-sport utility sales in China have been doubling every two years and are already up more than 90 percent in the first seven months of this year, according to the Dearborn-based automaker, so there's a good chance Ford may be able to sell more cars in the long-term.
Currently, SUV sales account for about 14 percent of China's passenger car market, but Ford's research shows 25 percent of car owners in the country would consider a crossover / sport utility vehicle for their next purchase.
"It's a market clearly that we've got to be in, and something that we're particularly good at," said Harris.
The new five-seater Edge will join the Fiesta supermini, Focus compact, Mondeo mid-size sedan, S-Max people carrier and the Transit commercial van in Ford's China market lineup. According to Harris, more cars will be added to the company's range in the near future.
Ford currently ranks 11th in brand sales in China, but its sales have grown from 28,000 vehicles in 2003 when it first entered the country to 164,000 unit last year. Still, that's a far cry from GM's 1.5 million vehicles sold in the first eight months of the year.

Source: Businessweek

2011 Ford Mustang GT with 412HP 5.0-liter V8 Officially Revealed

The Mustang 5.0 or as purists prefer to call it, the 302, makes a comeback for the 2011 model year with the presentation of the new GT that will be shown to the public for the first time at next month's Detroit auto show. No thanks to Ford's special relationships with certain media outlets, we already know the basics of the 2011 Mustang GT.
To recap, the GT's new 5.0-liter V8 engine employs 32-valves and Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) delivering 412 horsepower and 390 ft.-lb. of torque, compared to the outgoing 2010 Mustang GT 4.6-liter V8's, 315HP and 325 lb-ft.
Ford says that the V8 engine, as shipped, weighs 430 pounds or 195 kg representing a weight savings of more than 20 percent over the previous 5.0-liter offering.
The new 5.0-liter Mustangs also replace the previous GT's five-speed transmissions with either the 6R80 six-speed automatic transmission or the MT82 six-speed manual gearbox.
With the automatic transmission, the 2011 Mustang GT will deliver up to an estimated 25 mpg highway and 17 in the city, up from 23 mpg highway and 17 city for the 2010 model. The Six-speed manual transmission Mustang GT models are projected to deliver 24 mpg highway and 16 city, matching the 2010 model.
Ford has not disclosed performance figures, but just to get an idea, the current 315HP GT hits 60mph (96km/h) from standstill in just 4.9 seconds. In other words, the new GT should give the 426HP Camaro SS and 425HP Challenger SRT-8 a run for their money.
Along with the new engine and transmissions, the new GT also gets a specially tuned Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS), 11.5-inch front and 11.8-inch rear vented disc brakes, and an enhanced suspension featuring an improved rear lower control arm and stiffened rear stabilizer bushings.
There's also an optional Brembo brake package upgrade that includes 14-inch vented front discs from the GT500 Mustang, specific 19-inch alloy wheels and summer performance tires.
Other updates include the 5.0 fender badges, the speedometer that increases to 160 mph and the tachometer redline that climbs from 6,500 to 7,000 rpm.
More information on the 2011 Mustang GT will be released at the Detroit Motor Show in mid-January 2010.