Autoblog

The Internet got a sneak peek at the new 4.4L Ford diesel engine last April when somebody snapped a pic of the complete package sitting on the floor at Ford's national dealer conference. Now, thanks to some eagle-eyed sharp shooters, we can see the new oil-burning mill in its natural habitat under the hood of a Ford F-150. Sure, there's lots of black plastic covering all the good stuff, but we can get a glimpse of all the assorted plumbing that will make this engine squeaky clean. We can also have a good shot of the intercooler, peaking out between the grille and the radiator.

This engine is labeled as a Power Stroke, Ford's long-running moniker for the diesels equipped in its Super Duty trucks. For years, those mills have been made by Navistar, but after the fallout between the automaker and the supplier, Ford is now using a derivative of the diesel from Land Rover in Europe, though the 4.4L iteration will be made in Mexico for the North American market. Offering 20-percent more fuel economy than the 5.4L gas-powered Triton, along with a considerable bump in power, this could be one very important addition for the Ford Motor Company and will likely make its official debut at next year's Chicago Auto Show.

[Source: PickupTrucks.com]

When we see things like this, we feel like Bruce Banner... having to contain our anger... at not getting... the Euro Focus. But hopefully tomorrow our fortunes will change, and if they do, here' s a look at the Focus we could get in 2011.

We were happy enough about the second-gen Focus, and this is even better. With a massive front maw, revised panels throughout, and a well executed sportback rear, the Focus Mk. 3 is, as the English would say, a bit of all right. The highlight show continues inside with better materials and an HMI-like control system. The UK will get the car later this year.

Although this Focus isn't slated (yet) for an RS version, it will put on an ST badge and mods at some point, and will come in three-, four-, and five-door variants, plus a wagon and a convertible. And if you're in Spain, you'll get a special edition diesel Focus WRC-S, with a 2.0-liter four-cylinder pumping 134 bhp. Each one of 666 samples will be signed by Ford WRC driver Marcus Gronholm. Prices have not been announced for any of the new Focus models.

[Source: Auto Express]

Click above high-res gallery of the 2009 Ford Flex

Ford has been banking on strong sales of its crossover vehicles to help counter the sinking ship that is its line of SUVs. While the new Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX, along with the brand new Ford Flex and revised Escape, have sold well enough to post a meager 2.8-percent gain in overall sales so far this year, that number apparently isn't high enough to warrant a third shift at Ford's Oakville, Ontario plant that the automaker was hoping would be necessary. Unfortunately, this shift cancelation means that 350 workers who had planned on showing up for their first day next Monday are now left jobless.

While there are certainly buyers out there who require the capability to haul around their entire families and their associated gear, all large passenger vehicles -- crossovers like the new Flex included -- face an uphill battle now to overcome current market conditions, as this latest announcement once again proves.


[Source: Courier-Journal]

After nearly eight years of getting little or no attention from the White House, it seems as though Detroit's automakers will be a major focus the 2008 Election. With the economy looking worse by the day, lawmakers in Washington have been kicking around the idea of a second economic stimulus package to get people shopping again, and Mowtown's lawmakers want in on the money. Michigan's two Democratic senators are attempting to use the prospect of such a bill to include federally-backed loans to help automakers and suppliers build new factories and engineer new models. The $4B would be used to offset the costs associated with the Treasury Department giving automakers $25B in loans at a discounted rate. Automakers have been against such a loan in the past, but with worsening conditions and tighter lending practices the idea is likely to sound much more exciting this time around.

Presumed Democratic Presidential candidate Barack Obama told the UAW in a letter that he supports the $4B in federal aid, stating that he would "provide real solutions necessary to help this industry compete and win in the global economy." Obama also promised tax breaks for consumers that purchase ultra fuel efficient vehicles and tax credits for automakers as well. Presumed Republican nominee John McCain opposes the idea of federally backed loans, but he does support tax breaks to those that purchase fuel efficient vehicles and a $300M in prize money for electric battery powered vehicles

[Source: Detroit Free Press, Image: Bill Pugliano/Getty]

Mercury has been languishing over the last several years with badged-engineered products barely distinguishable from their Ford brethren. As the market shifts towards smaller cars with higher fuel efficiency, there may be a golden opportunity for the Mercury brand to actually prove its worth as Ford's outlet for European-designed vehicles for the American market. In a move akin to what General Motors has done with Saturn, importing Opels to the U.S. in an attempt to revive the marque, Ford could bring its highly-desirable Euro-only models to the States badged as Mercurys.

According to unnamed sources, the New York Times is suggesting that Ford will begin manufacturing six Euro-spec models right here in America at plants formerly used to produce F-Series trucks, SUVs and vans. We'll have to wait until this Thursday before any official announcements are made by the Blue Oval, but that gives us some time to speculate on which Kinetic-infused products are on their way. That's what the comments are for -- have at.

[Source: The New York Times]

Ford is hoping to continue the reduction of both the number of vehicles the automaker will produce and, correspondingly, its hourly blue-collar workforce. In order to make good with the UAW, the same buyout packages available last year are being extended to these unionized workers. The packages have not changed since they were offered to Ford employees in Kentucky in June of 2007. These latest buyout announcements involve workers from plants in either Michigan or Ohio, a further blow to the already weakened economies in these two auto-heavy states.

Earlier this year, Ford said it was hoping for another 9,000 hourly workers to take buyouts. Between 2006 and 2007, a total of 33,600 union workers accepted either buyout packages or early retirement packages, a huge percentage of Ford's total employees. At this rate, we wonder how many UAW workers Ford will have left after it's all said and done.

[Source: The Detroit News]

We wrote about it earlier, just as a rumor, but it looks like an announcement is imminent: the Wall Street Journal says that Ford is going to make European cars on this side of the pond. However, it isn't merely North American plants that will be changed over, but American plants. The Journal doesn't give any further indication of where those plants might be or what those cars might be, only saying that the strategy could be revealed during Ford's Q2 earnings announcement this Thursday. But we'll say again: come on, Mondeo! (And Focus and Focus Coupe and Ka and...)

[Source: Automotive News, sub req'd]

Click above for high-res gallery of the Ford Focus SVT

All the current clamor for the Euro Focus is reminiscent of the happenings nearly a decade ago. Ford's Escort had quite run its course with a third and final design refreshing having hit the streets in 1997. The very next year, an actual small-car contender wearing the Blue Oval launched in Europe. It was capable, well turned out, and wore Ford's sharp New Edge sheetmetal. American customers took one look at the Escort ZX2, which was supposed to fill the shoes of the Escort GT and kick it against the GTI, Civic Si, and others, and decided that it just wouldn't do, decent performance or not. Much like the current U.S.-Focus versus Euro C1 Focus debate, buyers set their gaze across the Atlantic and decreed the grass greener than the warmed over Mazda B platform ZX2.

Click the photo for a high-res gallery

UPDATE: We've added a video - check it out after the jump

Just as photos of the production version of the Camaro popped up on the web last week ahead of tomorrow's unveiling, Ford decided to trot out the 2010 Mustang this weekend. Unlike the fully-revealed Camaro, the '10 Mustang remained heavily camouflaged as it acted as the pace car for the Kohler International Challenge vintage race at Road America. The prototype 'Stang lead a plethora of ponies from throughout the nameplate's lineage around the natural terrain course at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The Saturday Mustang Corral also was treated as a celebration of the 25th anniversary of the Mustang GTP that won in its debut race at Road America. We won't be seeing the updated Mustang in its birthday suit until Ford drives it onstage at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. In the meantime, you can check out the photos that Ford took of this event in the gallery below.


[Source: Ford]

Just because there's been new life breathed into small cars doesn't mean buyers are going to clamor for dour, joyless, fun-free clunkers. Ford's well aware of that, so its readying a soft-top version of its lauded new Fiesta. The fabric-roofed little party on wheels will make its debut at next week's British Motor Show and should be on the road by early 2010. The sharp looking little cabrio forgoes the popular folding hardtop trend to save weight and maintain usefulness with a small-folding top stack. Competition is heating up in Europe, with plenty of smartly styled, diminutive 'verts hitting the market. We hope that when the Fiesta takes its boat ride across the Atlantic, some of these are tossed in the cargo hold.

[Source: Auto Express]