The 2008 ford Focus ST benefits from a range of revisions rolled out across the rest of the Focus line-up earlier this year, created by ford TeamRS , the company’s dedicated performance vehicle arm. Fun, fast and fabulously good looking, a new version of Ford’s performance flagship Focus goes on sale at dealerships across Great Britain starts last May 1. Importantly though, while offering new technologies and features, the car’s well-honed dynamics remain untouched. At the heart of the matter is the familiar 225 PS, 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder Duratec engine. Powerful, and accompanied by a suitably sporty soundtrack, this powerhouse delivers a potential 150mph top speed in tandem with 0-62mph acceleration in just 6.8 seconds. A standard production Focus ST set a segment-leading record time of 8 minutes 35 seconds around the Nordschleife circuit at the famed Nürburgring, as a measure of this car’s ability.

The Focus ST has always provided lots of choice and the range retains its simple ST, ST-2 and ST-3 trim grades and three or five-door hatchback bodystyles. It is priced from £18,250 - £20,850. A powerful braking system is top of this list while Electronic Stability Programme (ESP) and Traction Control are now standard on all versions. And the Focus ST boasts 18-inch five-spoke alloy wheels, sports styling, body-hugging Recaro sports seats, a unique sports steering wheel, upgraded instrumentation, Easyfuel capless refuelling system and ‘Ford Power’ starter button. Upgrading to ST-2 adds a Sony audio system, bi-xenon lights, LED rear lights and Quickclear heated windscreen while the ST-3 includes an in-dash six CD player plus full leather trim.

The Ford Motor Company and the Society of Automotive Engineers will go on board this fall on an international study of a more lifelike prototype abdominal insert for pediatric crash dummies.  Pediatric crash dummies with the more lifelike abdomen will help in analyzing the risk of serious injury to children during car accidents.  Independent studies show that children ages 4 to 8 are at higher risk for injuries to the spine and abdomen.

“This effort furthers Ford’s commitment to help protect families by focusing on one of the most common collision-related injuries among children,” said Dr. Steve Rouhana, a senior technical leader with Ford’s Passive Safety Research and Advanced Engineering Department.  “It will help us better understand the effects of crash forces on children’s abdomens.”

Ford developed the more lifelike abdomen in conjunction with Dearborn-based STR Systems, a safety technology and research firm; The Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia; Wayne State University in Detroit; the University of Virginia; and Takata Corporation, a global manufacturer of automotive safety systems.

The prototype pediatric abdomen insert is similar in size and shape to that of a 6-year-old child and is made of multiple layers of liquid silicone that, when solidified, forms a tough silicone shell.  Inside is a set of electrodes immersed in a conductive fluid that comprise the sensors for the abdomen – six electrodes at the front of the abdomen and one reference electrode at the back.

Initial testing of how the pediatric abdomen responds to belt loading was just completed.  For these tests, the abdomen was placed in a pediatric crash dummy retrofitted with a prototype pelvis created by the University of Michigan.  According to Rouhana, this pelvis is more humanlike, reflecting the rounded shape of an average 6-year-old pelvis.

Ultimately, the data gathered using both actual and virtual crash test dummies may help Ford and other members of the consortium to develop and bring to market innovative safety technologies more quickly.

Ford Says, the 6-speed automatic transmission returns 4 to 6 percent better fuel economy than the 4 or 5-speed automatics. At 2009 Ford plans on fitting its 6F35 six-speed transmission in the 2009 model year of the Ford Escape, Mercury Mariner and the 2009 Mazda Tribute. Currently, all are offered with a four-speed automatic.

“They also deliver improved acceleration and smoother shifting, all at a great value for consumers,” said Barb Samardzich, Ford Vice President.
Press Release:

DEARBORN, May 7, 2008 – Ford Motor Company is fitting the 2009 Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner with the automaker’s newest, advanced 6-speed automatic transmission, further demonstrating its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and improve fuel economy for customers. The new 6F35 front-wheel-drive transmission offers a 4 to 6 percent improvement in fuel economy versus conventional 4- and 5-speed automatics, in addition to improved acceleration.

“With a greater gear span, the 6F35 allows the engine to operate at more optimum combinations of speed and load to meet certain driving conditions,” said Craig Renneker, chief engineer for new automatic transmissions, Ford Powertrain Operations. “The new transmission also enables the engine to run at lower speeds on the highway, which aids fuel economy.”

The 6F35 will be mated to a new 2.5L I-4 engine and a power-improved 3.0L V-6 in the 2009 Escape and Mariner. The engine offers horsepower increases of 17hp for the I-4 and by 40hp for the V-6, while also boosting fuel economy by 1 mpg when mated to the new six-speed transmission. The 2009 Mazda Tribute also will feature the 6F35, as will two other vehicles early next year.

In a report I read today, I learnt that the first batch of the speedy Ford Mustang FR500S were already delivered right to the doorsteps of their new owners. There were 25 units made of this Ford race car and the car company sure did see to it that each and every vehicle had gleaming Ford Mustang parts.

If you are interested in owning one of these vehicles, you would have to shell out $75,000. After all, you may have even set your sights on this one since it was launched during the SEMA Show which happened last year in Las Vegas.

The vehicles were not just delivered as usual vehicles are. With the Ford Mustang FR500S, there was even a special event which Ford Racing attended. BF Goodrich Tires was also there. The new owners of the vehicle were given instructions on how to use the vehicle and also were given some pointers on the special features that came with the vehicle.

While browsing the Internet for really good Valentine’s Day ideas, I found this. And so they say that pink is the new red, then this one just gotta be a good gimmick for my significant other.

Pink Jeep tours look like a lot of fun. Really. According to the site, they have tours in Sedona and in Las Vegas. So if you would like to go around the mentioned places, you could take a Pink Jeep tour.

Now if you’re just a simple person who loves pink, then you really would have a really grand day with the Pink Jeep tours. Imagine, you would be in the company of something really pink and you can have your picture taken riding the vehicle, (looking like you are) driving the vehicle, and just posing right beside the vehicle. Everything about each Jeep tour vehicle is pink - well, except the wheels maybe.

The company has been in the touring industry for over 45 years already and those who have taken a tour have been through off-road adventures. You can take a tour with a special person, with your family, or with your friends. You can go to various places which you can check out at their site.

Anyhow, that would be it for now. I do need to talk this over with my partner first before I book us a tour.

Oh yeah. Happy Valentine’s Day guys!

• The most general combination of vehicles in American households with two to four cars is a full-sized pickup truck and a standard, mid-range vehicle
• Almost 25 percent also own a pickup truck of households with two or more vehicles in which one is an SUV.
• The percentage of one-vehicle households for those earning $250,000 or more yearly is 35 percent -- about the same as households with incomes of $25,000 to $34,999

No matter how much they take good care of their Ford F-Series pickup vehicles, it seems like thieves in Texas are very much into taking it. And once again, the vehicle model has been given the title as the most stolen vehicle in the mentioned state.

The Seguin Gazette-Enterprise took the liberty of asking a Ford employee and they were able to take the opinion of the company’s Seguin branch VP and general manager, Scott Brown, who stated, “The number one pickup in Texas is also the most-stolen pickup. They’re so good even the thieves want them!”

For the top ten most stolen vehicles, the Ford F-Series takes the top rank and it is followed by Chevy and Dodge vehicles. Then they are followed by the Honda Accord, Honda Civic, Chevy Tahoe, and the GMC pickup. The Ford Taurus, Toyota Camry and the Ford Mustang complete the list.

With that in mind, if you own these vehicles, better get more than the usual number of security features for your vehicle. You may have to shell out quite some cash but at least you’ll know that your vehicles would still be right where you parked them.

• Voice technology was used for the first time as an in-vehicle, relationship marketing tool, as automated voice-delivered invitations were sent to select vehicle owners to test drive a new version of the vehicle model they currently owned. Automated messages also were used to remind owners of the need to winterize their vehicles and how to set their dashboard clocks from daylight savings to standard time.  These Dealer Connect services deliver convenience to drivers and revenue for dealers.•    Sales personnel at automobile dealerships now have a valuable on-demand resource to help new vehicle owners activate and understand their telematics systems. A new automated interactive voice application provides simple and consistent steps for subscription activation, as well as a quick and simple way to provide a showroom demonstration of telematics benefits.
• Parents of infants and toddlers no longer have to determine on their own how to best attach child safety seats to their particular vehicle model. By simply pressing a telematics information button, clear, step- by-step installation instructions are immediately available as part of a completely voice-automated, virtual owner's manual, which offers interactive in-vehicle assistance. The patented solution is designed so that content can be updated off-board and downloaded to the vehicle remotely.
• In the event their car alarm is activated, vehicle owners can be immediately notified with an automated message provided via a speech- enabled outbound dialer that listens and provides customized messages.
• Vehicle owners can download target destinations or points of interest obtained through Web searches on Google Maps or Yahoo! Maps directly to their in-vehicle navigation system. Owners receive an audio confirmation within the vehicle that the download was successful. Soon, drivers will be able to verbally request target-destination downloads from within their vehicles.