Ford Says Next Mustang will be Designed with Styling Input from Around the World

*2006 Ford Mustang Giugiaro Concept Pictured above

Ford believes its Mustang pony car isn't just an icon in North America alone, but an icon all over the world and as such, it should reflect the company's new philosophy in which products are created with global input.

Speaking on the sidelines of the 2011 Geneva motor show, Ford's group vice president for global product development Derrick Kuzak, dropped the bomb: the next-generation of the company's pony car will be the first Mustang with styling themes proposed by studios in Europe, Australia and other regions. Up until now, the design of the Mustang was a U.S.-only matter.

"It is a common process we [now] use on every vehicle," Derrick Kuzak told reporters in Geneva. "When we embark on a new product, particularly one that is all new, it involves all of the studios. Then J [Mays, Ford's global design chief] and the design team pick the best of those themes," he added.

Kuzak said that the 2012 Ranger pickup truck for markets outside North America is one of the latest examples of Ford's new global design approach which was adopted in 2008. "The Ranger was done by the Australian studio with input from the European studio," Kuzak said.

So, when will we see the next generation of the Mustang with design input from Ford's studios across the world? Unfortunately, Kuzak didn't provide an answer to that but it is believed that a new Mustang should enter the market by 2014.

Source: Autonews [Sub. Req.]

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Ford recalls more than 350,000 F-150 pickup trucks

American automotive giant, Ford, has recalled some 363,000 F-150 pickup trucks in the country. It is a strong blow to an American car company who has enjoyed the pride of producing quality vehicles in the nation. The sole reason these pickups have been called back is due to the faulty door issue in its vehicles.

According to the automotive experts and analysts, Ford F-150′s have an eerie problem with its door handles. The spring of the latch will fail to come back or move to its normal position if it is involved in a side impact accident, as the passenger in the vehicle will allegedly be stuck inside.

The issue has been noticed by the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration [NHTSA], and they have asked Ford to rectify it. Ford had now requested the owners of the F-150′s to bring in their trucks to the nearest Ford dealer and replace them with new handles. The notification of the recall will be provided to the F-150 owners across America from the 14th February. As of now there are no reports of any accidents or even deaths due this issue.

Ford F150 MI Automaker Facing Fiery Recall as Unattended Trucks May Burn

Dec 31, 2010 – DETROIT, M.I. – Ford F150 MI trucks have always been perceived as the pride and joy of Ford Motor Corp., but today may have put a damper on some of the favoritism. These “tough” trucks are now facing a recall of 14,737 vehicles in the United States as they may have the ability to burst into flames while not running.
This is not the first time this year the F150 has been put under the microscope of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Only three months ago 1.4 million Ford F150 models from 1997 to 2001 were being investigated as complaints arrived about the fuel tank falling from the frame due to the corrosion of straps, which caused the tank to to drag underneath the vehicle.
[Rewind: Ford F150 Being Investigated by National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]

Back in 2009, Ford F-Series Super Duty was hit hard with recalls along with seven other Ford vehicles like the Ford Windstar, altogether totaling 14 million vehicles. This recall included a glitch in Ford’s cruise control system and had the possibility of causing a fire even while the car was turned off. Two deaths were linked to these fires, and home fires were also reported.
It is obvious that Ford is not new to problems with its vehicles, and this recall will be added to the list. At one point, the Michigan automaker felt strong enough about the power and stability of its Ford F150 MI trucks that it declined a Truck vs. Truck challenge with General Motors, stating there was no need to have a competition when the top sales reports did all the talking for the trucks. Ford may be seeing a shift in F150 sales after this recall.
[Recall: Detroit MI Challenge from General Motors Declined By Ford]
The Ford F150 MI vehicles are joined in the current recall by the Ford Edge, Ford F250, Ford F350, Ford F450, Ford F550 and the Lincoln MKX; all of the 2011 model year.
On Nov. 16, a 2011 Ford F150 truck was found at the Dearborn Assembly Plant smoking with flame. It was then that Ford started an investigation believing the issue to be the Body Control Module (BCM).
On Dec. 5 another Ford F150 MI truck was found in the same condition. At this point Ford put a stop ship on the trucks. According to the NHTSA report, it was then found that a new operator failed to properly clean a soldering machine during four production shifts from Oct. 25 to Oct. 30 which resulted in a small number of printed circuit boards with contaminants that could result in a short circuit. This short circuit could cause overheating which could then lead to an unattended vehicle fire.
Owners with any of these Ford models can visit MI Ford dealers to get the BCM replaced if necessary for no charge. The recall is going to begin Jan. 10. All owners can contact Ford at 866-436-7332. Also for more information, owners can call the NHTSA at 888-327-4236 or visit ww.safercar.gov.
MI Auto Times covers all Michigan automotive news all the time, featuring newly released vehicle recall information, relevant Michigan automaker news, vehicle ratings and comparisons, and everything else auto-related Michigan and world readers need to know.
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Ford to Debut BTCC Focus Race Car at Geneva Motor Show

The first ever touring race car version of the all-new Ford Focus will make its world premiere at this week's 2011 Geneva Motor Show, ahead of it is scheduled track debut in the British Touring Car Championship at Brands Hatch towards the end of March.

The BTCC Focus was developed by Arena Motorsport with technical support from Ford, and it's the first car to come out from a global initiative by Ford to support private teams around the globe in developing one common race car to S2000 specification.

To meet current local regulations, Arena Motorsport's UK-based Team Aon has opted for a 2.0-litre turbocharged Ford engine, instead of the 1.6-litre Ford EcoBoost engine other teams will use in Championships in line with international FIA regulations.

"There has been tremendous interest in new Focus from the racing community and it's the perfect fit for a global touring car," said Jost Capito, director of Ford Global Performance Vehicles and Motorsport Business Development.

"This new BTCC Focus is the first result of a collaborative effort between Ford and race teams around the world that have already built and raced successful Focus race cars. The teamwork has resulted in a global technical platform for racing using a common Focus with a safety cage built to FIA regulations – a competitive platform that can be tailored for regional competition, based on different rules," Capito added.

Ford said that the new Team Aon Focus touring car is expected to compete in all 10 rounds of this year's British Touring Car Championship .

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Geneva Preshow: Ford Reveals B-MAX Small MPV Study Based on the Fiesta

Scheduled to make its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show this week is Ford's brand-new B-MAX concept that previews the firm's upcoming small MPV, designed to replace the current European Fusion and rival the Opel Meriva. Based on the Fiesta platform, the almost production-ready minivan has some striking features, the most obvious being the new door concept. It has no B-pillar and the twin doors have a conventional opening system in the front and a sliding system in the back.

By eliminating the traditional B-pillar, Ford promises best-in-class access to the cabin without compromising safety. With both front and rear doors open, the aperture measures 1.5 metres, around twice the width offered by competitors, according to Ford.

“With its unique door format and dynamic design, the B-MAX sends a strong message that customers looking for a compact, stylish and versatile vehicle will soon have an exciting new choice,” said Stephen Odell, CEO of Ford Europe. Another highlight is the lack of door handles, with the opening system being remote-controlled.

The B-MAX measures is a little over 4 meters in length, and is 110mm longer than and 110mm taller than the Fiesta five-door hatch, with Ford promising enough room for five passengers. With the rear seats folded 60/40, the car offers a flat load floor that extends up to 2.35 meters in length when the front passenger seat is folded.

The B-MAX is powered by an all-new 1.0-liter three-cylinder engine that uses EcoBoost technology and is equipped with Ford's Auto-Start-Stop system. The 3-cylinder unit uses turbocharging, direct fuel injection and twin independent variable cam timing to achieve significant reductions in fuel-consumption and CO₂ emissions. This engine is set to replace larger conventional four-cylinder units in the future and is now undergoing the final development phase.

A production version of the B-MAX is expected to launch within the next two years.

By Dan Mihalascu

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