EcoBoost to spread across FoMoCo lines in coming years, maybe even Mustang

When I went to the recent Lincoln event and drove the MKT and MKZ there was much EcoBoost talk. I even got to talk with Dan, one of the project heads and ask him about the migration of this technology across the FoMoCo line. Currently available in the Lincoln MKS and MKT flagships and the Ford Flex and Taurus SHO, the EcoBoost in 3.5 V6 355 hp glory will next be seen in the F-150 range as well. But there's a lot more to this story than that. While it's true that you can achieve V6 economy and V8 power in the larger vehicles, it's also going to be applied to I-4 engines to give superior economy with V6 power. We're going to see EcoBoost 2.0L engines with 200+ hp and even smaller engines with EcoBoost.

Not knowing if I'd ever get a chance like this again, I popped the question. No I didn't ask Dan for his hand in marriage, I asked him if we could expect to see EcoBoost in the Mustang. At first he assumed I meant the 355 hp V6 in the Mustang GT and told me that it was unlikely since Ford had new V8s which will offer superior performance and better economy. I acknowledged that and corrected myself by asking if we could possibly see an EcoBoost I4 in the "Base" Mustang? And being the smart guy he is, I'm unable to say "Yes" but there's enough wiggle room in what he said to guess that it's a distinct possability. And before the old guard Mustang guys start spitting nails let's see what's possible.

I doubt they would revive the SVT or SVO label for a Turbo 4 Mustang, not with the Shelby GTs.

It wouldn't be some pricey option, but a replacement for the V6 that makes 210 hp and achieves poor fuel economy. In Reality an EcoBoost 4 could produce more power and boost FoMoCo's CAFE ratings. And you're wondering where Ford would get such an engine?

Did you forget the Ford Explorer America Concept that was shown last year?

That has 275hp EcoBoost 2.0L 4 cylinder power.

So, while Dan didn't say it was going to happen, he didn't say no either.

Ford is going to spread EcoBoost across the model lineup, maybe just maybe in the next generation Mustang we'll see better power and fuel economy and an IRS?

Dan didn't mention anything about the IRS, that's just a matter for common sense.

Hey Ford, give me a Fiesta for a week?

Ford wants to get the word out about the Fiesta, I want them to give me a Fiesta for just one week. I'm going on vacation, to a very trendy location where the demographics for this car would be huge. I've seen more Honda Fits, VW Jetta TDI and Tiguans here than anywhere else. Folks come from all over the nation and they have money to spend. These are the people who need to see a Fiesta in the flesh.

So, Ford give me a Fiesta for a week, July 11th to 18th, and I'll make sure it's seen and talked about. What have you got to loose? The idiot in Brooklyn let people stand on his and it sat in an impound lot for that long. E-mail me and we'll talk.

From Top of the line to Bottom of the range, FoMoCo goes after tech savy buyers who want quality. From MKT to Fiesta with Sync and more

As you probably know, I attended a meet and greet with Lincoln Engineers and marketing people yesterday and test drove the new MKT ( review to come later ) and MKZ. And these are two well fitted vehicles, tech goodies out the wazoo. Both cars featured a great blind sport warning system, the MKT has parking assist and of course there are the THX audio and Sync technology integration system, version 3.0 was installed on both the Lincolns I drove. And I will remind you that if you already have a Sync equipped FoMoCo vehicle, fear not, free downloads are available. These are the type of tech gadgets you'd expect on top of the range flagship models. And then it dawned on me, I know I'm slow, but Ford Lincolln and Mercury models across the range are available with some of the best technology available on wheels. Even the lower range cars. The Focus currently has Sync, the Fusion, Taurus, Flex, Edge and on and on until you get to........

Even the Fiesta will have Sync. And not just Sync, but even the lower end models will be tech heavy. And from what I saw when I sat in one at the New York Auto Show, this will not be the crap boxes of yesteryear.

I'll come back to this topic over the weekend, I want to look into more of the amazing tech available.

Update, video from Ford on YouTube showing some of the neat technology

Detroit News asks how Henry Ford would react to what's happening today in

Interesting article at the Detroit News ( linked in title) asks what Henry Ford would think about current events in the world, especially the auto industry. Bill Ford jr says that it would not surprise his great grandfather, considering Ford's roller coaster history of bankruptcies. "Most of this wouldn't shock him because a lot of this happened during his lifetime," says Bill,

Douglas Brinkley, author of "Wheels for the World: Henry Ford, His Company, and a Century of Progress," which I read several years ago, commented also, pointing out Henry's first auto company Detroit Automobile failed.

And let's not forget Government involvement in the 40's, when after Edsel Ford passed away and the US Navy released Henry Ford II from service to come back and run the company.

Interesting piece. I personally think that the real question should be how would Edsel or Henry II view curent events. Edsel was a greater businessman than his father and Henry II saw Ford through some of their toughest times also.

Henry Ford was capricious and without his offspring FoMoCo could have been history as long ago as 1927 or again in 1943.

Who Google searches this "78 Thunderbird mpg" ? Someone at FoMoCo that's who.

I've mentioned before that I sometimes look to see who's looking at my blog and I've been happy lately to see Livonia MI appear almost daily, because that's Ford Motor Company. And I can even see how they got here, a google search, a tweet or even just typing in http://www.myforddreams.com/ . But what struck me today was how odd this is.

Someone from Ford Motor Company landed on my blog after doing a Google search for 78 Thunderbird mpg ? Who looks up the mpg of a 31 year old car? And of course I've blogged about my 78 T-Bird and posted pictures of it many times, so of course if you do a weird Google search for Ford related items, I'm going to show up.

I get visitors from all over the globe, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, the UK and of course all over the United States. I get people doing Google searches for Ford models like Orion, Ikon, Bantam, Courier, Everest, Ka and of course Ranger and Mustang.

I amuse myself to no end sometimes, but what really amuses me is how some folks find me.
Of course I hope they'll come back, but damn who Googles 78 T-Bird mpg?

Planes hits Ranger, Ranger wins!

An Australian newspaper has a story of a plane near Johanesburg South Africa that crashed into the front of a Ford Ranger Crew Cab and thankfully nobody died! Nobody in the Ranger was even seriously injured. I heard about this when on Twitter, there was a tweet from FordAPA saying Plane hits Ford "SUV" I guess this proves that old tag line "Built Ford Tough"!

I of course was amused that someone at FordAPA confused the Ranger Crew Cab for an SUV.

Maybe they're not familiar with the Australian term Ute? But looking at the picture, you can see the pickup bed. The Explorer Sport Trac isn't sold in South Africa, but the Ranger Crew Cab is.

Take a look at this picture of an un-dammaged Ranger and see for yourself. And wonder why Ford never sold this here in the US

Does FoMoCo really need to be concerned about the new "leaner" domestic competition?

Pundits and analysts have been saying that Ford Motor Company could be facing tough competition from domestic competitors GM & Chrysler, after they've both done restructuring after bankruptcies and in the case of Chrysler the "alliance" with Fiat. Just my view, but I think they're overstating the case and ignoring the advantages Ford has.

Chrysler isn't merging with or forming an "alliance" with Fiat, the italians are buying the company for next to nothing. And neither company has a reputation for high quality products.

Chrysler's model lineup is growing stale and isn't known as fuel efficient. The Caliber/Patriot/Compass triplets are the most fuel efficient models and are already built as part of an allience with GEM ( partnership of Mitsubishi, Hyundai/Kia, Chrysler and Mercedes ) where engines are cooperatively designed and built. The Caliber triplets are also built on a Mitsubishi Lancer/Outlander platform. When you come to think of it, not many of Chrysler's lineup has been a clean sheet design for quite a while, with the exception of mini-vans trucks and SUVs. The 300/Charger/Chalenger & defunct Magnum are/were all built on a chassis from Merecedes' last generation E-Class. The Sebring/Avenger were built on Mitsubishi platforms (Galant? or Eclipse) The big Sprinter was a Mercedes/Freightliner sourced unit. Wow, other than the above mentioned trucks, SUVs (including Jeep) and Minivans what else did they designe? The Journey? Isn't that based on the Caravan? So, their hopes are pinned on new Fiat platforms?

The earliest any Fiat, more than likely the 500, will get here is 18 months? And then what? New Sebring/Avenger models built on a Fiat platform at least 2 years away? And how will these be better than the Mitsu sourced crap they already have? And what about Hybrids? Other than the electric vans they're building for the Post Office, what does Chrysler have? Fiat doesn't have Hybrid technology, in Europe they rely on small Diesels. And let's not forget Fix It Again Tony.

As I read and commented on the other day, european consumers rank Chrysler and Fiat at the bottom of the scale in quality. So I guess I don't see the "New" Chrysler as being any threat to Ford. Hell, I don't see it being a threat to Kia.

Now, General Motors is another story. They are slashing and burning like a madman with a machette. Selling Hummer, Saab and Saturn, selling huge portions of Opel, killing Pontiac and it's not clear what's to become of Vauxhall. Holden, their Australian subsidiary, seems safe for now and I haven't heard anything about Daewoo either. They've just entered bankruptcy and there's no Fiat waiting in the wings for them. But luckily GM isn't Chrysler. They've got technology and products already in development. We've all heard of the Volt, and they've got Gasoline Direct Fuel Injection engines already in select models and there's talk of smaller Turbo GDI engines in upcoming small cars like the Chevy Cruze. But GM isn't through bankruptcy yet and despite the government's claims that it will be quick and painless GM is much larger.

And despite the big "Hybrid" decals running down the sides of some of their trucks/suvs/cars they don't have a credible Hybrid in place. The "mild" hybrid system that they're canceling in the Malibu is a poor man's substitute for the true Hybrids from Toyota, Ford and Honda.

It's basically a roll start assist system that uses the alternator to get the car moving from a stop and incorporating a start/stop system. "Mild Hybrid" my ass.

General Motors won't take 2 years to get some fresh product out, they will experience delays though. Many products have been put on hold, like the Chevy Cruze, but you can bet that as soon as bunkruptcy is settled they'll be getting programs in gear. But didn't I read at AutoEnthusiasts.net last week that Bob Lutz has said that the Volt is a money loser?

Ford is still losing money, but less each day. Ford is also bringing out fresh models and technologies and that combined with public perception will make the difference.

Yes GM and Ford will always be competing and GM may once again be the top domestic manufacturer. But Ford can settle into second place comfortably and in my opinion it could be less than a decade before Chrysler is either in deep shit or dead.

Another Focus CC video

With so many drop tops dropping from the market, maybe Ford should consider this here?

I was reading this week, that as a result of GM's restructuring (Bankruptcy and killing brands) there's going to be a gap in available convertibles. Maybe Ford should consider bringing the Ford Focus CC here to the US as a Mercury?

Sorry about the "Weasel" thing Bill...

So, I was looking to see who is looking at me and I noticed there was a visitor from Livonia MI and it was someone from FoMoCo. And they had done a Google search for Bill Ford that landed on my post about CNN Money's profile of Alan Mulally. Cool huh? Yeah, maybe not so cool, because in that post I mentioned that in the past I had referred to Bill Ford as a weasel.

Well, I was pissed, Ford was making stupid moves and watching market share drop. I haven't called him a weasel in at least a year. I'm not going to shine his shoes, but I forgive him.
Let's hope he's got a sense of humor too. On the road I'm going to be keeping a close eye in the rearview, making sure a squad of hitmen in new Lincoln MKSs don't try and put me in the ditch. My little Mazda3 wouldn't be much of a match.

Good to see recent visits from FoMoCo, maybe if they'd dropped in back in 05 or 06 they'd be closer to their "Way Forward" and profit? Not to be too smug, but a lot of what Mulally's doing is what I said back then.

Government buys $129 Million worth of Fuel Efficient Fords, and $158 Million on GMs & Chryslers?

New York Times article ( linked in title ) says that the General Services Administration spent a total of $287 million on new fuel efficient vehicles for Government agencies and that the lion's share went to Ford. Well, that makes sense, since Ford offers the Fusion and Escape Hybrids and the standard Focus gets 34 mpg. That $129 Million bought 7,924 Ford models and that averages out to $16,279.66 each car, I'm betting there are a bunch of Focus sedans with those G plates.

I recall reading that The Post Office was going to buy a coule hundred Electric Dodge Minivans, but what else are "We" buying from Chrysler? For our $53 Million, we're getting 2,993 Chrysler products at an average of $17,707.99 each. Calibers? Avengers? What qualifies as "Fuel Efficient" from Chrysler? At that breakdown, I'm assuming the Electric Postal vans are under a seperate deal. Maybe Obama missed his Hemi 300C?

GM's share is $105 Million for 6,348 vehicles, averaging out to $16,540.64 per vehicle. I can see the Cobalt, maybe the Malibu, some Equinox? GM at least has some "Fuel Efficient" vehicles.
Maybe that's where all the Pontiac Vibe and G6s are going?

The Times says that Uncle Sam didn't try and put any pressure on manufacturers or use their "owner's" discount, but paid contract prices.

I guess this will help ease speculation of favortism toward GM & Chrysler and bias towards Ford. It's really a drop in the bucket in the grand scheme of things. But I'd really love to see a breakdown of those 17,265 vehicles to see what our money is buying, I mean besides shares in worthless companies that we'll never see a dime from.

CNN Money gives credit where it's due, profile of Mulally

CNN Money has a profile piece on Alan Mulally and his work at FoMoCo that finally gives credit where it's due. And before I start gushing about Ford's CEO, I will admit that I've been very tough on these two since I started blogging in 2005. Some of the less kind things I've said over the years are "This is no way to run an airline" and I regret to admit calling Bill Ford a weasel.

Over the last year they've redeemed themselves in my eyes, not that they've lost sleep about my comments, but I'm sure they're sleeping better than the heads of crosstown competitors GM & Chrysler. And I promise not to call Bill Ford a weasel anymore, really.

With all the doomsday predictions this piece at least recognizes Mulally's efforts and accomplishments.

Ford going to be David to GM's Goliath?

Not too good at trying to create images, sorry, but couldn't find anything that worked.
One of my rare chances to show my un-creative talents.

So, will Ford be playing David to GM's goliath? Or if you believe all the media hype, will Ford be the heavyweight hasbeen being pummeled by the new welterweight champ? All of the non-stop speculation about the future of Ford has my eyes rolling round and round. Is it that the media believe that if you repeat something often enough it becomes true? Does the media secretly hope for the demise of the one Domestic Automaker that didn't ask for Federal Bailout help?

It seems that every scribe for every publication is faulting Ford for doing the right thing.
They want Ford to fail, despite the fact that it's on the road to recovery. Media like The Wall Street Journal, linked in title, persist in proclaiming GM the eventual top dog in a fight that's far from over. While ocassional praise for Ford's inovation and ability to avoid bankruptcy is seen, there's often the backhanded slap of speculation that they won't be able to compete in the future.

You don't hear speculation about Toyota's future, nor Honda, yet both of those companies are feeling the economic pain as well. Truth be told, there's plenty of bad news at Toyota.
The #1 Automaker has sucummed to the same bad habits that the Domestics had. An overreliance on large trucks and SUVs, stale product and mediocre quality. Toyota has become GM in a very real sense. Yet it's Ford that the media keep digging a premature grave for.

While it's true that Ford Motor Credit is at a disadvantage to GMAC since the later was able to become a bank holding company and tap into further Federal assistance, beyond parent GM's auto bailout loans and bankruptcy. It's also true that Ford will be able to seek Union contracts closer to crosstown rivals.

As the right wing loonies gather to boycott GM and the courts continue to throw wrenches in the Fiat/Chrysler works, Ford continues to make gains and work toward recovery and a profitable future. All the media reports are hoping to become self fulfilling prophecies. And it just makes me sick. A lie is still a lie, no matter how many times you repeat it, except in the American Media.

My one concern is that consumers who read this non-stop obit for a recovering FoMoCo will soon start to believe the hype. I on the other hand have faith that Ford will be David and overcome the Federally supported GM. Inovative fresh product and good business practices will do that.

Pickup Trucks.Com has story on EcoBoost +! Bobcat?

So, I'm looking at Twitter and I see a post from PickupTrucks.com, when I see Ford and Bobcat in the same sentence. You know my mind went into all sorts of spasms. My love of all things FoMoCo, small and quirky was pumping adrenaline and causing a blood sugar crash.
And while I ( and probably only I ) would love to see the resurection of the Bobcat, it was actually better news.

More FoMoCo "green" initiatives. There's been so much to salivate coming from FoMoCo lately that it's easy to forget that crosstown rivals are slashing and burning their way through bankruptcy. Hybrid Fusions, Fiesta Movement, new Focus and possible new Ranger, what more could be coming? We're hearing names like EcoBoost, Coyote V-8 and Scorpion Diesel, it's like overload.

Anyone could tell that I think the EcoBoost program is a winner. Smaller more fuel efficient engines with big engine power! But how do you improve on this? They call it Bobcat, I think of it as EcoBoost + or maybe even EcoBoost for the big boys.

Pickup Trucks . Com has a very thorough explination of the entire thing, linked in title, but basically it's an old racer's trick updated and made green. Ethanol injection added to the EcoBoost system. Well, not pure Ethanol, the more elusive E-85. I've been a critic of the whole Flex Fuel E-85 thing for a while. It's nice to have a Flex Fuel badge on your car or truck, but since the fuel isn't available everywhere it seemed to be more of a public relations and EPA loophole thing than something the average consumer could appreciate.

But, E-85 is going to become more available and FoMoCo is developing this system for the larger end of their lineup, full size trucks and SUVs. It will be cleaner than Diesel and with the E-85 injection have comparable power ( torque ). Click on over to PickupTrucks.com and read it for yourself. I'm going to do a little dance here.

Pundits can't make up their minds about Ford's fate..

It's litterally split down the middle online. Many pundits are saying that Ford Motor Company is picking up market share because they didn't take Federal assistance or enter bankruptcy, but in the same breath they're saying this puts Ford at a long term disadvantage. It's confusing for those of us trying to get a clear picture of what's to come. I'm not an Auto Industry guy or even a journalist, but here's my "regular guy" take on the situation.

While many say that Ford will be at a disadvantage to GM and Chrylser because these bankrupt companies will come back as trimmer and more competative companies, carrying less debt and be able to return to profitable operations quicker. Horseshit! What these pundits seem to be blind to is the American Consumer's ( and to some degree the International Consumer's ) perception of these two floundering companies. Since we the taxpayers are footing the bill for the recovery, with no real chance for a payback, there will be a bad taste left in many folks mouths.

Let's put it simply, many people, for right or wrong, wanted to let GM & Chrysler die last fall. Sure, that was a shortsighted view of the situation, but it will still stick in people's craw. And despite the bailout thousands, tens of thousands of people will loose their jobs and many more will loose their retirement funds ( employess and investors alike ) because of the bankruptcy.

Add onto that world of hurt the closing of over 2,000 dealerships and the bad feelings about that. As many have pointed out, in some smaller rural communities, new car dealerships are major tax revenue sources and genertional members of the communities, who've given to charity and supported everything from Little League to the Elk's Club in some way.

Many of GM & Chrysler's assumptions about a return to profit require that car sales return to pre-crisis levels. But many analysts say that new car sales will never return to the 16 million a year level they were at. I keep reading the new car sales will be closer to 10 million. So, who says GM & Chrysler will be able to regain those sales numbers in a tighter market with all of these bad feelings?

Ford's not out of the woods, but neither is Toyota, Honda, Hyundai or many other manufacturers. Ford has been refreshing models, introducing new models and techonologies and will continue to add more inovations and improvements over the next few years. Ford says they may return to profitable operations by 2011 or 2012. That's because they've got the capital and freedom to invest in the changes they need to make.

Does anybody remember how Chrysler's lineup sucked in 1980? Sure, the K-Cars "saved" the company, but do you remember how stagnant the rest of their lineup was well into the 80's? Their fullsize trucks and vans got minor facelifts and were among the slowest selling for a decade. The Mini Vans are what really helped Chrysler and this time around they don't have that type of inovative product to help them out of this quagmire. Are you counting on Fiat's small cars to do that? Have we all forgoten how bad Fiat cars were? All you have to do is go online and read reviews of the Fiat 500 compared to the Ford Ka, which share platforms and powertrains and are built in the same Polish plant. The Ka is consistantly said to be a better handler and have better reliability. I've read pundits say they think that even with the bailout and buyout by Fiat, Chrysler will be dead in a decade.

I don't expect GM to die in a decade, but other than the Volt and Cruze, I don't expect there'll be much inovation from GM in the near future. They'll be smarting from this for a long while.

I was surprised to read on DrivingEnthusiast.Net ( linked in sidebar ) that Bob Lutz was quoted saying that GM wasn't too sure about the Volt program and that the Camaro was the wrong car at the wrong time. GM thinks that they can't produce the Volt and sell it at a reasonable price and never expect it to earn a profit. It's window dressing for the Government I guess.

What happened to GM's new small car/engine plans? The Cruze looks like it's going to be delayed. And I haven't heard much about their small engine plan. I had heard that Cruze would be powered by a direct injected turbo charged 1.4 cyl.

So, Ford has EcoBoost, new Fiesta and Focus, Hybrid and Electric plans and fresh product. They've also got some measure of freedom that comes from not being on Uncle Sam's payroll.

Do GM & Chrysler believe we the consumers of the world will have such short memories?
Let's see how GM in the US does, let's watch Opel/Vaxhaul/Holden overseas. Don't forget all the Government monies from Canada, Germany, Britain and elsewhere, and the taxpayers who will never see a payback.

Ford has always done fairly well in forgeign markets and they will continue to. I'm not saing Ford will be the number one automaker in the world, I'm saying that I think they'll survive and be competative. I'm saying that my next new car purchase will be a Ford and I think many people who would have thought GM or Chrysler will follow me.

Stop digging Ford's grave. If you want to do a "Deathwatch" start one for Chrysler/Fiat. You can't expect that one mediocre company would buy another damaged company and come away stronger. It just doesn't add up.

Update, two articles that could indicate GM & Chrysler's future;

AutoBlog on Fiat Chrysler UK Quality perception

AutoBlog says Right Wing ready to boycott GM

Emunds' list of cool European cars we can't buy seems to be missing some, here goes...

So, Edmunds Daily has a list of 3 cool European cars we don't get and you know I had to respond.
Top of my list? The Ford Kuga! This cute ute from Europe is rumored to be coming here as the replacement for the Escape. If that's not true, bring it as a standalone Mercury, but bring it here soon! I'll take mine in this blue, with the 6 speed manual and a 2.o EcoBoost.

How did they miss the world class Mondeo? Good enough for James Bond but not us?

And while they rightfully point to the European Focus RS and it's 300 hp, I say why not the Focus CC convertible coupe. The closest we get to this here is the Volvo C-70.

But with 4 years of blogging about what great foreign Fords we don't get I guess I'm being too tough on Edmunds.

If I soud like a cheerleader for Ford sometimes, dig deeper

I realise that recently I've sounded quite a bit like a cheerleader for Ford Motor Company, but you should dig deeper if you think I'm just parroting good news. I've been a major critic as well.
But there's been a lot of good praiseworthy news about Ford lately.
I was going to post a snapshot of myself here, but then I saw just how gray the beard is getting. So, I took a page out of Bob Schultie's book and posted the above. Well, Bob probably gone for something with a bit of cleavage, but we at MFD try and keep it PG.

MyFordDreams has always been my personal blog where I discuss Ford Motor Company, history, global products and where I think the company can do better in the United States.

You need dig no deeper than MyFordDreams Classic to see I've given the company a tough time on many ocassions. I've griped about the latest Focus and why we should have gotten the same Focus the rest of the world has. There have been endless rants about the poor Ford Ranger, how FoMoCo let it deteriorate to near the point of extinction. I've been critcised for my rants on no IRS for the 2005 and forward Mustang.

Most famously I've stated that there were certain Fords I just wouldn't buy. Lets not forget that in 2006 I bought a Mazda 3 and even test drove the Dodge Caliber, rather than even look at the 06 Focus. I'm not a huge fan of Ford's naming scheme of the last decade, the "F-Bomb" pieces I've doen and the "E-Bombs" too. I've lamented on previous Lincoln offerings and Ford's over reliance on big SUVs and Full Size truck sales. I've pulled out the soap box on what I consider the waste of NASCAR.

So, I if I sound like a cheerleader lately, you'll have to realise just how far Ford has come and how far they're going in the future to understand the praise. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to rant on the Dave vs Kinetic design and the continued lack of IRS for the Mustang, and have no doubt I will, but just giving credit where credit is due.

Kudos for Fusion ( especially Hybrid) EcoBoost, Fiesta and upcoming Focus. I'm waiting for the Kuga ( rumored to replace the Escape) and Ranger.

World Car Fans has more spy shots of future Ranger, maybe we'll get it?

You don't have to dig much to learn I love the Ranger and I have one. And of course I've lamented it's rumored demise. I've also hoped and dreamed it could survive. And of course recently there have been rumors flying about an Australian designed replacement codenamed T6 that if it makes it to these shores will share in the EcoBoost goodness via 1.6 liter 175hp 180 lb ft Torque turbo I-4.

And if you click on the link in the title you can see spy photos at World Car Fans taken in the Swiss Alps showing the truck in Double Cab form.

Business Week's "Car that could save Ford" article and my take

David Kiley of Business Week wrote a nice piece on the upcoming 2011 Ford Fiesta. He's had seat time in a Euro Spec version, talked to a Fiesta Movement Agent and interviewed FoMoCo Euro design personel. And he's got nice things to say, but I of course take issue with a couple of things. First is this dig at the top "The Bad: Lacks a few features, like a sliding rear seat, to keep costs down." David this is odd, how many competitors have this "Sliding rear seat" you're looking for? I've read up the Fiesta, watch reviews on Fifth Gear and Top Gear and many many others and nobody but Nobody including the notoriously cranky Jeremy Clarkson ( who stands well over 6' ) complained about a sliding rear seat. Many mentioned that the seat doesn't fold flat, but nobody thought that a deal breaker. How many tall folks ride in the back of sub-compact cars for any lenght of time anyway? But I'm nit picking here.

My real issue is the implication that any one vehicle will "save" Ford at all.

David your assumption that Ford needs to be "saved" is wrong in the face of what we've been seeing lately and their "Way Forward" plan that's been working to evolve the Blue Oval.

It's going to be several models that set Ford apart. It's going to be the work that Alan Mulally has been doing with the "One Ford" and the fact that Ford has recently updated several solid models like Mustang, Taurus,Fusion and F-Series trucks while bringing new product like Flex and Edge to market.

Ford will survive because they're going to have the products and technologies to compete in a truly global market. Because of the Fiesta, Fusion, Upcoming Focus redesign and EcoBoost & Hybrid technology.

I'm sure Ford appreciates the praise of the Fiesta, it's a praise worthy car, but let's not peg our hopes on just one model or understate all the hard work that's been done.

4 of the top 20 selling vehicles in May are Fords! The Car Connection has the entire list

#1 Ford f-150 shouldn't be a real shock to anyone, the F series truck has been one of the best selling vehicles in the world for 26 or more years. And with a nice update of a great truck it's topped the list.

And new product sells, so the Fusion which was already popular is again an easy call.

The one that sort of raised my eyebrows was the Escape. Sure, it's recieved a recent update and it's a solid performer, but with other cute utes in it's class receiving major overhauls and the Escape' blocky styling, I was surprised that Escape was higher on the list than CRV or Rav4.

And although I've been critical of the US Focus, here it is also in the top 20.

Well, it's styling is fresh and with features like SYNC it's got appeal. But I'm sure the 34 mpg and relatively low price don't hurt.