The Auto Car Lover's: May 2011

Thursday, May 19, 2011

2013 Ford Taurus SHO

The 2013 Taurus SHO will continue to produce 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque from its 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. Sure, that's still plenty of oomph for the SHO, but with rumors of a higher-output version now dashed, all we can say is, "shucks."Let's not dwell on that, though. There are still plenty of improvements for the 2013 SHO to talk about.

Much like the rest of the refreshed Taurus line, the SHO features styling tweaks at both the front and rear. Unlike the base model, the SHO uses a unique mesh grille pattern up front and adds a new rear spoiler out back, as well as chrome-tipped dual exhaust pipes. A new 20-inch dark wheel option is also part of the SHO package, matching the black finish found on the mirrors and body trim. We like what we see.

There may not be a bump in power, but the 2013 Taurus SHO does get a new performance package option that is said to improve the car's performance prowess. Most notably, a 3.16:1 final drive ratio means initial acceleration is enhanced, and revised suspension tuning features new dampers and springs specific to this package. Additionally, the electronic steering system has been tuned, the stability control now has a track mode with a true 'off' setting and performance brake pads are now available with unique, "track-tuned" calipers. Still, we'd love to see an additional 40-ish horsepower.

Monday, May 16, 2011

2013 Ford Mustang Bullitt

The 2013 Bullitt will likely feature an upgraded interior. The last Bullitt had retro-inspired aluminum trim as well as aluminum shift knobs and pedals. It also took the seats and steering wheel from the GT500 for a slightly more upscale look. Based on the past, the new Bullitt will more than likely have the same interior appointments, but with a more modern feel. It’s also likely that interior bits from the Boss 302 should make their way into the Bullitt.

The Mustang Bullitt first appeared as a special edition model on the 2001 Mustang. Paying homage to the legendary ’68 Mustang fastback that Steve McQueen drove in the movie of the same name, the Bullitt featured a lot of retro design cues both inside and out. In terms of performance, the 2001 Bullitt was lowered ¾ of an inch with Tokico shocks, featured the same 13” brakes that were available on the Cobra of that year, and also featured a 5 horsepower boost over the standard GT, putting out a whopping 265 horsepower out of its 4.6L V8.

The 2013 Bullitt will probably be most notable for its lack of exterior features– it’s supposed to be the “stealth” Mustang, after all. It will likely delete the GT’s signature grill-mounted fog lights, the decklid spoiler, and all of the exterior badging, save for a special edition Bullitt faux gas cap on the trunk. It should also feature the signature American Racing Torq-Thrust style wheels that were on the same Bullitt that Steve McQueen used while escaping the baddies on the streets of San Francisco a touch over four decades ago.

2013 Bullitt would feature a million horsepower, that, frankly, would be a bold-faced lie. The new Bullitt will use the same 5.0L V8 as found in the GT, and it should get a modest horsepower bump through both ECU recalibration and a new exhaust system. Based on speculation, it should be making between 420 and 430 horsepower, that way it wouldn’t be stepping on the Boss 302’s toes too much. Also, expect the Bullitt to feature upgraded brakes in the form of the GT’s Brembo brake package as standard. Lastly, the new Bullitt will ride around almost an inch lower than the standard GT, helping improve both the car’s handling and stance.

Sunday, May 15, 2011

2013 Ford Escape

Ford Escape is at last getting a ground-up redesign, and spies have caught this development mule out on an R&D mission. Although its innards are hidden beneath the curvy body of the current European Ford Kuga—which itself could have made a fitting second-gen Escape years ago—this vehicle gives away its actual identity with covered air intakes up front and ill-fitting tailpipes out back. However little we can actually see here, it is certain that the second-generation Escape will be a vastly different creature, both aesthetically and dynamically, from the Clinton-era ute we know now.

We expect that Ford will offer a choice of powertrains in the next Escape, but we don’t expect any available engine to have more than four cylinders or be paired with a transmission containing fewer than six ratios. Ford’s ubiquitous 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, which produces 168 hp and 167 lb-ft of torque in the C-Max, is likely to be the base powerplant.

The same EcoBoost 1.6-liter inline-four that powered the Vertrek could lend its 180 hp and 173 lb-ft to the production vehicle, and the mighty 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-banger is a possibility for the top-shelf Escape. With about 237 hp and 250 lb-ft, it could make for an interesting Escape Sport. And, of course, the return of the Escape hybrid is a no-brainer. Expect to see upgrades to the system used in today’s hybrid, if not a completely new system or a plug-in version like that found in the C-Max Energi also shown in Detroit.

Sunday, May 1, 2011

2012 Ford Focus

Focus going on sale in the U.S. as a 2000 model and Mulally taking over, product development in Europe and North America took off in different directions. Hence, Europe was rewarded with a heavily reworked second-generation Focus in 2004. The next year, North America got a warmed-over version of the first-gen Focus sedan and hatchback.

The 2012 Focus certainly looks terrific, especially in five-door form. The engineers and designers felt able to make the Focus sportier (by lowering its seating position and overall height) due to the upcoming C-Max—a tall-roof, five- or seven-seat derivative off this platform—that fulfills the family-car mission. Compared with the current U.S. Focus, the new car is 0.5 inch lower (at 58.1 inches tall) and 3.0 inches longer (178.0 inches overall), and it has a 1.3-inch-longer wheelbase (104.2 inches). The 2012 model’s dimensions are close to the current Euro car’s, save for a wider track and lower stance.

he Focus will go on sale with two available transmissions: a base six-speed manual and a very fancy six-speed dual-clutch gearbox co-developed with Getrag. Derrick Kuzak, the global product-development chief, says: “There will be no conventional automatic on this car.” Electric power steering is a new feature, along with “torque vectoring,” which, similar to the systems of many other automakers, uses the anti-lock brakes to approximate a limited-slip differential.

The interior looks like a winner, but there’s a caveat: The styling mockup we examined had hard surfaces, even if Ford assures us everything will be soft-touch in the production version. The mockup had cool piano-black and aluminum finishes and a stitched dashboard. This upscale trim is called “Titanium” in Europe, and it’s hard to imagine that the base U.S. model, which should still retail around the current car’s $16,690 price, will look as stylish.