In addition to the carbon fiber driveshaft, upgraded clutch, transmission and axle, SVT fitted its own specially developed Bilstein electronic adjustable dampers, along with six-piston Brembo calipers squeezing massive discs up front.Just as a refresher, at the 1992 show in Chicago the SVT Cobra put out 235 horsepower from its Vanilla Ice-approved 5.0-liter V8. Twenty years later, displacement has grown by less than a liter, but thanks to some 21st century tech and a massive supercharger, the 5.8-liter V8 in the 2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Convertible makes the same 650 hp (and 600 pound-feet of torque) as its coupe counterpart, laying claim to the most powerful production V8 in the world.

Source: Ford

Unveiled today at Charlotte Motor Speedway, the 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup car is the product of a year’s worth of design and aerodynamics work, and it’s intended to bridge the widening gap between production and race car. It will undergo what you can bet will be rigorous testing throughout this year in preparation for its race debut at the Daytona 500 in February 2013.

Source: Ford

Source: Ford

Our Dark Blue Pearl Metallic tester in Limited trim carried a base price tag of $34,915 that rises to $35,910 by ticking the EcoBoost option box. Ford doesn’t mess around when it comes to the Limited trim: Standard accoutrements include leather-trimmed and heated seats up front, a 10-way power driver’s seat, dual-zone climate control, SYNC infotainment, a 390-watt Sony sound system, back-up sensors and a rear view camera.

Our Edge was also packed with some of Ford’s top options, including the 2.0-liter EcoBoost upgrade, Ford’s excellent navigation system ($795), and BLIS blind-spot detection ($485). This Edge Limited also included the Drivers Entry Package ($895), which adds remote start, push-button start and a power rear lift gate. Also making the scene was Ford’s much-maligned MyFord Touch system – in this guise, it includes a pair of 4.2-inch LED screens in the gauge cluster and five-way steering wheel controls. With all options present and accounted for, our tester came in at $38,910.

The draw for this Edge Limited is the 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine, which is a $995 option compared to the capable and relatively efficient 3.5-liter V6. The extra coin will deliver 240 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque mated to a smooth-shifting six-speed automatic transmission. That isn’t as much punch as the 285 horsepower 3.5-liter V6, but the real story comes with a twist – the turbo 2.0 boasts 17 more lb-ft than its bigger, naturally aspirated brother, and it arrives in full force at 3,000 rpm (the V6′s torque doesn’t max out until 4,000 revs).

That extra pull is evident from behind the leather-wrapped steering wheel. The EcoBoost four provides good straight-line acceleration, with a 0-60 time that we estimate to be just over seven seconds. The EcoBoost also weighs a bit less, tipping the scales at 3,998 pounds – 58 fewer pounds than a front-drive V6 model. With torque that comes on early in the revband, the EcoBoost feels even quicker than any instrumented testing might suggest – at least until hitting the freeway. When we tested the V6-equipped Edge about a year ago, passing acceleration felt a bit stronger at highway speeds. The boosted four-cylinder also doesn’t sound quite as pleasant as the V6, but noise levels aren’t obtrusive.

Impressively, we were even more pleased with our real-world mileage. We averaged a surprising 25.1 miles per gallon during our week of driving. For comparison’s sake, we averaged 21.9 mpg in the 3.5-liter-equipped Edge, itself a reasonable number. Assuming our 3.2 mpg difference is representative of real-world fuel economy, is the EcoBoost’s efficiency increase worth $995? If we assume 12,000 miles per year and 87 octane gas sits at $3.50/gallon, the EcoBoost owner can expect to pay $1,673 for fuel each year. The equivalent 3.5-liter V6 owner faces a $1,917 tab – $245 more than the EcoBoost model. That means the $995 price tag of the EcoBoost model should pay for itself in about four years or about 50,000 miles. That’s far from an immediate return on investment, but it’s not bad and the equation could get more favorable if fuel prices spike.

Source: AutoBlog

Source: The Detroit News

The smallest EcoBoost displaces only 1.6 liters, and promises terrific fuel economy and performance. That engine is the thriftiest engine in the Escape, but what if it were to reside under the hood of something much smaller? That’s where the Fiesta ST Concept comes into play. The performance-oriented Fiesta is on display at the Ford exhibit in LA, and though it’s a showcar for now, this B-segment hatch looks production ready.

Ford claims that in this application, the 1.6-liter EcoBoost delivers 180 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque – a whopping 60 more ponies than the naturally aspirated 1.6 featured in the garden-variety production Fiesta. Given that the base Fiesta is only 2,600 pounds, we’re guessing 180 horsepower is more than enough punch to turn the Fiesta into one heck of a fun ride.

Source: Ford

What aren’t old school, however, are the new suite of engines that Ford is offering in its compact CUV. The standard engine is a naturally aspirated 2.5-liter inline four-cylinder, which produces 168 horsepower and 167 pound-feet of torque. Next up is an all-new 1.6-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder with 173 hp and 177 lb-ft on tap, and the range-topping engine is the 2.0-liter EcoBoost that boasts 237 hp and 250 lb-ft. All of these powerplants are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, and with the 2.0-liter underhood, the Escape is capable of towing up to 3,500 pounds. Depending on the engine, Ford says that the new Escape is up to five miles per gallon more efficient than the outgoing model, though official EPA numbers (or estimates) have not been released at this time. Front-wheel drive is standard, but buyers can opt for a new intelligent all-wheel-drive system, as well.

Source: Ford

Further enhancements can be had in the GT500 Performance Pack, which incorporates SVT-designed Blistein electronic adjustable dampers with ‘normal’ and ‘sport’ modes and a Torsen limited-slip differential. What’s more, the Track Package adds an external engine oil cooler, rear differential cooler and transmission cooler. Like the current GT500, 19-inch wheels are standard up front (20-inch rollers are found out back) and a Brembo braking system keeps everything in check when its time to control all that force. The whole package weighs in at just 3,850 pounds – 270 less than the Camaro ZL1 – and Ford says it will not be subject to the dreaded Gas Guzzler Tax.

Source: Ford

What you’ll get for your money is Ford’s fun-to-drive Focus with a permanent-magnet electric motor producing 123 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. The motor is fed by a 23 kwh lithium-ion battery system and mated to a single-speed transmission. A full charge can be had in 18-20 hours by a typical 120v outlet or 3-4 hours by a special 240v charger. While no quick charge option is available, Ford has partnered with a company called SunPower to offer a home solar charging option for an additional $10,000.

You probably know what’s coming: One very big bang. And you’d be right. But you might be at least a wee bit surprised by the sheer amount of devastation inflicted on the poor Focus.