Recently I got to spend a little time with the 2016 Focus SE with "automatic" coupled to Ecoboost 1l 3 cylinder motor which is a new combo for this year. The differences aren't much between the stick and automatic though one does lose a couple mpgs to the automatic. Not much when you're talking over 30 mpg, but noticeable on my 20 mile loop. You can read about my impressions of the 1l Ecoboost and stick HERE from a while back.
Driving this Ecoboost is like the others carrying that badge. Step on the go peddle and it takes off thanks to its 125 foot pounds of torque available practically off idle. This little 3 cylinder is a torque monster and is perfectly happy in the low RPM range. Forced to run into the upper RPM when climbing a hill or scooting down an on-ramp you do notice it runs out of steam faster than the standard 4 cylinder and is a bit coarser sounding. Not objectionable, just noticeable, but then again the 2.0l naturally aspirated is probably the best 4 cylinder power plant Ford has ever produced.
The 2016 has a bunch of little running changes since its new for 2015 face lift and interior redesign. Suffice it to say this 2016 SE Sedan is a handsome devil carrying with the Ford signature trapezoidal grill.
For those of you who like to row their own gears still the Ecoboost 1l is available with a 6 speed manual tranny that is just a hoot to drive. That boosted torque right of idle keeps the car moving without a whole lot of rowing of the gears. Unless of course if you like to imagine yourself as speed racer then all 6 speeds are a dream to snick, snick, snick through.
Dang...this is a fun Cross Over/SUV. Refined from the first generation this Sport has all the right stuff added in to truly make it a "sport" and not just a trim package. Stem to stern suspension upgrade, 2.7L Ecoboost cranking out 315hp on premium fuel are just the start of what sets this apart from the Edges in the line up.
Walking up to it you notice right away this isn't a regular Edge. There are visual cues, gone is the chrome grill replaced with one in a magnetic paint. Gone are the regular wheels supplanted with low gloss magnetic painted 20...yes TWENTY inch wheels.
Opening the door you are welcomed to the smell of leather and alcantara trimmed seats that are heated and cooled. The latter appreciated in this hot climate where nothing is worse than sitting on a hot seat on a hot day. Settling in you notice a nice simply designed dash full of user programmable options in the information portion of the speedometer housing. Center console is equally clean and houses the new Sync3 infotainment center that is so much faster and intuitive than the last version.
An interesting feature that I really like on the Edge Sport is the standard adaptive steering wheel. The system controls the relationship between how much the driver turns the steering wheel and how much the front wheels turn. Low-speed steering – such as pulling into a parking space – requires much less turning of the wheel. On the road it doesn't seem to be any different than the traditional steering wheel, just when you a manually parking do you appreciate the reduced effort to simply turn into your space.
That 2.7; Ecoboost in the version I drove was every bit as powerful and sport as the nomenclature on the rear of the hatch implies. Tip in the throttle and its near instant power and torque propel you forward. Step on it a little harder and it will down shift quickly and push you into the seat back while it runs up to freeway cruising speed with the rest of the traffic. This is the most powerful engine available in its class and it shows.
Fuel economy isn't the concern it was with regular well under $3/gallon and premium hovering around $3/gallon here in Los Angeles but that won't last forever. Over my 20 mile loop from Carson to Signal Hill and back with a mix of fast flowing freeway, bump and go freeway and urban stop-n-go this Edge Sport returned a very respectable 21.7mpg, This compares favorably to the EPA estimates of 17 city/24 highway which is pretty dang good for a midsized SUV with this kind of power and all wheel drive.
As with most Ford products the last few years this Edge has a decidedly premium feel to it. A soft spoken luxury feel that makes one really appreciate the efforts the designers put into the product. Thoughtful touches like real brushed aluminum, soft to the touch leathers where you touch, Delightfully firm yet soft to the touch knows and controls. Non-plastic looking vinyl and plastic where you aren't touching but looking. I really like this generation Ford Edge...so much so I may let into my wife's wishes and let this be what replaces our aging Focus.
Dang...I'm so anxious to get my hands on this. Love the Focus ST as it is, but adding ludicrous power to the tune of 310+ from a 2.3L Ecoboost and adding AWD will make it insane. INSANE.
But it gets better, Ford is releasing teasers fast and furious. The first of the teasers here this week.
The transformation from the pedestrian Focus SE we commonly see to the RS is going to see an amazing piece of engineering in this machine. WRX...lock your doors firmly...as they'll get blown off as this beast passes you. Ken Block drives this car like no one other in development of this car.
Drool...did I mention I can't wait to get my hands on this road ready rally car? More details on Ford Social. Or better yets start with a well equipped RS starting at 36.6K and build your own at Ford.com. I built mine in Stealth Grey with the RS2 package for 39.4K....still quite the deal. Maybe I should trade in my A4 and actually do this car now that the last teen driver is about to fly the coup?
The updates were many barely a feature or touch point wasn't changed inside. Outside its an entirely new front clip incorporating the now familiar trapezoidal grill first seen in the Fusion a few years ago. Even the rear has new tail lamps on both the sedan and hatchback, the latter is my choice for a lot of reasons.
At the Open house I got to drive 3 versions of the Focus, the Titanium Hatch I liked best. Creature comforts were all over the place as well as really nice tech features that made it a more enjoyable car than the volume leader SE, which in itself isn't a slouch when it comes to features.
Let's focus on the Titanium. Above the well equipped SE you get Sync/Myford with navigation and the ability to voice command many of the features. It pairs well with a smart phone and lets you control it via fingertip controls or voice commands. Easily. Roll in push button start/stop, HD radio, and Dual Zone climate control for more of a premium compact luxury sedan than not. Optional in a technology package includes goodies like Automatic High Beam Headlamps, BLIS® with Cross-traffic Alert and Lane-Keeping Aid (includes Lane-Keeping Alert) make it uber competitive with the likes of likes of Audi instead of main streamers like the Corolla from Toyota.
Where the Focus still shines is its 2.0L direct injected 4cyl putting out 160 horse power and 146 ft lbs or torque. This little 4 pot really moves the Focus along with urgency and nary a huff or puff at steep grades. My only caveat with this car is the Dual Clutch Transmission. Early models, including my 2013 were plagued with premature failure and endless warranty repair and reprogramming visits. Over the now famous 21 mile loop of mixed urban driving this Focus returned a very respectable 29.1MPG.
The interior got a complete refreshing as well. The dash is different, flatter less curves and bumps than the prior, but still the same quality high end material feel to it. The dash layout changed. Thankfully adding the USB port right to the center console rather than buried in the center armrest that you can't easily swap while driving.
Really, the Focus Titanium with its technology package is a viable alternative to the Audi A3 hatch on many levels. The added bonus is that comparably equipped the Focus Titanium is a solid 9K cheaper. Yes, I said it, the Focus Titanium is built with the luxury feel to compete with the likes of an entry level Audi and that's where Ford shines these days, premium quality cars able to compete in the near luxury market at a price we can afford.
As a final side note, Ford added in a lot of these same upgrades to the SE models. The interesting addition to the SE was the 1.0L 3cyl (yes, THREE CYLINDER) EcoBoost. Its an interesting powerplant churning out 123 Horse power and 123 foot lbs or torque mated to a nicely ratioed out 5 speed manual. If MPGs and rowing your gears is what gets you going don't miss out on this combination. It returned a commendable 35.6 MPG on the 20 mile loop in a very nicely equipped Focus SE.
I tried so hard to love this SUV. For a car guy like me it has a lot going on to love. Starting with the new for this year Ecoboost 3.5l V6. Those twin turbos give that beast life it never knew possible. This thing has CHUTZPAH like I never dreamed possible in a full size SUV.
Add in the 6 speed automatic and this beasty is really fun to drive and easyish on gas compared to its V8 brethren if you keep your foot out of the gas. In a rather spirited 20 mile loop including a steep hill climb, urban bump and go and zippy urban freeway I averaged middling 15.2MPG. Given its size not that bad, given that its EPA ratings are 15 City/20 highway/17 combined I did expect a bit better.
Where you sit in the new limited...a lovely leather throne you can't help but love this vehicle. Where it falls short is the lack of even faux wood, brushed aluminum or any other lux details you expect from an SUV starting at 54K and optioned up to nearly 60K. The hard plastics on the doors and dash wreak utilitarian hose it off rather than a luxury vehicle. Sad really as those touches just aren't what we've come to expect from Ford of late. Even the lowly Focus is detailed better in terms of luxury appointments, premium feel at half the price. I understand this is a stop gap edition and an all new for 2016 is coming that will address these short comings and be on part with expectations and the rest of the fleet.
But enough of the niggles...this truck has some outstanding features. The latest iteration comes with forward and rear sensors to protect bumping objects as you park, power liftgate, and heated/cooled power seats. All nice touches and expected at this price point.
The iteration I drove also had Ford's most current Sync MyFord package and it worked like a charm. Voice commands for everything and ample dummy switches for those that prefer that option than a slick working touch screen.
Really nifty touch too is the automatic running boards that deploy when you unlock the doors from the key fob or put the truck into park after driving. A nice way to get in and out without mucking up your pant legs.
At the end of the day, this may not have the premium feel of other Ford products of late, but the refinement and power of its 2015 updated engine/tranny combo more than makes up for the shortcomings. Nice SUV, certainly the most technologically advanced out there for the money.
This past weekend the 2015 EcoBoost Challenge visited Los Angeles at the Santa Anita Park in suburban Arcadia here in the SGV. To say I had fun would be an understatement. I mean...what could be more fun than cars on a closed circuit track?
There are several stations within the event. Each has its own merit...peaks in my not so humble opinion with the ST Academy where you get to drive a Fiesta ST or Focus ST in a reaction time, timed competition. Also in that group is the chance to really drive a Mustang EcoBoost the way it was meant to be...fast through twisty corners.
First up was the Drive the competition. Interesting choice of vehicles representing the areas Ford dominates in the market place, Crossovers and Trucks against some very worthy competitors.
Ford Escape Titanium VS Honda CRV
Ford Edge VS Toyota Highlander
Ford F150 VS Chevy Silverado
First drive it was the compact crossovers, Escape and CRV. The Edge handily won all categories when you look at driving dynamics. It was very capable in the corners and slalom. It smacked the CRV upside the head and left it dead in the straight line acceleration portion of the test. Honda's CRV does get a nod for improvements in the interior and the addition of the 2.4l direct injection Earth Dreams engine to the carlet for 2015. The changes weren't enough though for it to best the Escape on any level whether it be sheer performance or aesthetics.
Second up for me was driving the 2015 Edge Sport against the Toyota Highlander Limited. The Limited was very nicely outfitted and full of wonderful soft touch materials. Straight line acceleration was really very good, certainly more capable than what needs for daily driving. Handling was another matter, the steering was so over boosted there was no road feel and the front end dove under hard braking or in corners it was more like a 45 year old Buick than a contemporary car based cross over. The all new for 2015 Edge was equipped with the 2.7l EcoBoost and it handily spanked the Highlander on any metric you want to consider for driving enjoyment and confidence. It was really that good. Add in the significantly upgraded for 2015 interior and standard features and you will agree Ford really will handily beat the outgoing models sales.
Last up for me was the Trucks. The Silverado for this year got a direct injected 5.3l V8 that was a significant upgrade from last year. Its definitely more powerful than the trucks in the past, the interior needs a lot of work. Like I noted last year this LTZ doesn't have a better look and feel to build quality than my '13 Focus and that's unacceptable when you are talking vehicles in the $40K price point. The F150 as I've written in the past is superior in this category and this 2.7l EcoBoost equipped Lariat was no exception.
The track made a change with the trucks, instead of the curvy road portion of the track used with the cross overs they add in a rough road test....2X4s laid out on the tarmac for you to drive over and get a feel for how the truck will handle and ride on a rough cobbled dirt road in the woods. Here the Ford and Chevy were pretty neck in neck for acceleration and braking. In the slaloms they were again similar with Ford getting the nod for not understeering and plowing through, I chalk that up to the lower weight on the front due to smaller engine and aluminum construction. The rough road test...Chevy had more cowl shake and noticeable bed shake than the Ford...I presume that comes from a more solid build with the "military grade aluminum"
The ST Challenge portion of the day was without a doubt my most favorite part of the day.
Due to a slight equipment malfunction the timer was working so I got a few extra laps in the Focus ST. To perform this challenge one gets a brief lesson in how the drag timer works, rev to 3,000 RPM and let the clutch out and floor it until the finish line. Then you get to run through a slalom and a twisty curved set on the track before returning to the pit.
Mustang EcoBoost challenge was fun as well. Accelerate hard, mash the brakes for a quick 90 degree turn into some rough curves, then a slalom then a cool down straight away to the pits. Fun.
To learn about the Ecoboost Challenge for a potential visit to your area visit the web site HERE. This was the only shot for SoCal this year. The next closest they will be is NorCal in June.
This last Monday was the most dynamic and surprising Press Conference Reveal at any Auto Show I've ever been at. Ford owned the show, they dominated the conversation of all the media upstaging other manufactures. We knew going into the show that for sure the Mustang GT 350R was going to be shown, our hosts at Ford were tight lipped as to what else we'd see. We were blown away along with the rest of the global automotive press.
The reveal itself was nothing short of amazing. With Ford its about Innovation and Performance at this years North American International Auto Show.
First Ford introduced the new Raptor piggy backing the announcement a bit earlier in the day that the F-150 won North American Truck of the Year. This promises to be the ultimate off-roading performance truck. Here are some of the key features added into this truck above what is available on the F-150
High Output 3.5L Ecoboost V6 producing more horsepower and torque than last years 6.2L V8
First application of Ford's new 10 Speed Automatic
Smart Terrain automatic four wheel drive
Larger standard Fox Racing shocks with more wheel travel
Raptor was upstaged with the new Mustang GT350R,
"R" for racing, a track ready Mustang ready to go toe-to-toe with the Camaro Z/28 at a lower price point. It gets the same upgrades as the Mustang GT350 revealed before our own Los Angeles Auto Show a few weeks ago. Not able is that anything that added weight that wasn't required or optional it was deleted in the effort to reduce weight, including unsprung weight all to better its performance on the track. Thinks like automatic wipers, rear seats, air conditioning and aluminum wheels were deleted all in an effort to reduce weight and increase competency on the race track. This is the most powerful, track ready Mustang in the models history.
A few key features of the Mustang GT350R:
Lighter than basic GT350 by 130 pounds
Active aerodynamics, including front splitter to increase cooling and down force
Aggressively tuned Magnaride suspension, first application in a Mustang, to excel on the track
First mass produced automobile with standard carbon fiber wheels reducing unsprung weight by 50 lb while being stronger than the outgoing aluminum
Michelin Sport Cup Tire specifically designed for the GT350R
5.2l Flat Plane Crank engine that is Ford's most powerful naturally aspirated engine. Ever
6 Speed Tremec transmission with its own cooler
Upstaging the GT350R was a complete surprise. The new Ford GT.
The Ford GT is about innovation and performance. Its a hint at what is to come in production automobiles in the coming years. It was about using innovation to create the Ultimate Expression of Ford Performance. It completely upstage the Raptor, GT350R and every other car revealed at NAIAS this week.
The Ford GT also won the prestigious Eyes On Design Award. Eyes On Design, the official design awards for NAIAS, honors the best production and concept vehicles making global debuts in Detroit. Judges include current and former design leaders from global automakers and transportation departments at top art schools.
Some key features of the 2016 Ford GT...yes, they are building it...making it the Ultimate expression of Ford Performance:
All-new Ford GT supercar sets new standards for Ford innovation through performance with advances in light-weighting, aerodynamics
Ultra-efficient EcoBoost engine
Ford GT features the most powerful EcoBoost production engine ever – a new twin-turbocharged Ford EcoBoost V6 producing more than 600 horsepower
Carbon Fiber passenger tub with lightweight Suspension and Engine cradles directly mounted to the tub
Sync 3 with Navigation
Track proven torsion bar suspension
Push rod suspension with fully active inboard dampers
Carbon ceramic brake discs with 20" wheels
And they still weren't done. The Focus RS, the fastest, most powerful expression of the hot hatch in the EU is going global next year and yes, we in the States are going to finally get our hands on this car. YES!
No details were given on the specifics on the Focus RS being released next year. It will be the subject of its own reveal at a press conference at a later date. We do know we can expect something along the order of 300+ horsepower in an all wheel drive platform. From a Focus!
The opinions expressed in this post are my own. I was a guest of Ford Motor Company as "Digital Influencer" and they did provide my transportation and accommodations. But like Bart Simpson, I beat to my own drummer and these words are all mine.
I'm not a truck person and this is the closest thing yet to make me rethink that. Driving it I had to pinch myself to remind me in fact it was a truck, not a large luxury sedan. Not a sports sedan, but a very capable luxury car none the less. Its so refined you have to remind yourself it has got an 8 foot bed behind you and consciously need to remind yourself of that when making turns and lane changes.
Where to start. First off by now everyone has heard a bajillion times that through the use of "military grade aluminum alloy" the F150 has lost as much as 700 pounds over the outgoing generation. That's huge. (Yes, I know some folks have put similar versions on scales from each year and have measured that, but why quibble over a few pounds difference). The second you start driving you notice the huge difference in how the truck feels. Gone pretty much is the "truck ride" of yore, that diet make a pronounced difference in how the truck feels on the road. That diet has pretty much eliminated the pitch and yaw common in heavier trucks.
When Ford first began talking about the direct injection 2.7l twin turbo Ecoboost I was like "what!?", that's a smaller displacement V6 than they offered back in the Pinto decades ago. This engine is a jewel. Smooth, powerful and quick to respond. This engine is totally new for 2015. A special iron alloy block built to take the turbo load with special aluminium heads for better cooling to handle the heat load make this a very special engine. Producing 325 horsepower and 375 ft lbs of torque, its no slouch in the power department. Power comes on early in the curve and has a wide spread making it very responsive and an easy substitute from the V8's we're used to seeing in trucks.
The truck I drove was the Lariat in a SuperCab configuration. I opted for the more common 4X2 version from the several Ford had for us to drive that day. Its outright zippy. The interior is much more hushed than last years truck. Paying attention to traffic and not speed I found myself cruising along in the "fast lane" with others with no effort...well above the limit and was surprised by its quiet complacent ride even over some rough stretches of pavement. Over my 20 mile loop of mixed freeway, stop and to traffic and urban driving I averaged 19.7 MPG. This stacks favorably against the EPA's estimate of 19 city, 22 combined and 26 highway. Is this really a truck?
Also included in the F150 is 2 information screens. One is an 8" My Ford Touch that included navigation in the version I drove . If interest in particular to me was the 8" Productivity screen that you control from buttons on the steering wheel to display information critical to what you're doing,such as trailer towing, off roading, MPG, whatever. Nice touch and certainly good to be able to sort through data most important to what you are doing at the moment.
Interior fit and finish is the best I've ever seen in a truck from anyone. Earlier this year I drove a V8 powered Silverado in mid-range trim and was pretty repulsed by the fit and finish...worse material choices than my 2013 Focus, certainly not up to the levels seen in this year 2015 F 150, The details in the stitching on the leather trimmed seats alone is high end luxury car, not what you expect to see in a truck.
The version of the 2015 F150 Lariat I drove was very nice equipped. It included the Trailer tow Package and a technology package that bumped the base $38.7K sticker up by another $7K to well over $46,000. Not chump change and certainly way more than your average mid size sedan. But you also get your money's worth out of this truck as it has considerably more utility and a lot more luxury than those cars can only dream of.
Driving and spending time in this 2.7l Ecoboost truck I wonder why anyone would bother with the premium of a diesel like the Ram 1500 offers for only an extra MPG you gain. The F150 turns in its numbers on regular gas which is selling for $2.89/gallon in my corner of Los Angeles today, versus the cheapest diesel at 3.99/gallon. The cost per mile of diesel over the gasser just doesn't make sense in my book.
After spending a half hour driving the 2015 F150 in a variety of situations around the South Bay area of Los Angeles and Signal Hill all I can say is wow. Certainly the best in the class. Again. Certainly competitive with luxury SUV's out there and a better alternative if you have real toys to haul, never mind the utility as a work truck. You can build your own here on Ford.com.
RS. As in Focus RS, the Focus that embarasses the already uber competant Focus ST. This iteration of the hot hatch has been in tthe EU for a while. Ford announced today the car is going global and we here in the States, especially SoCal will love this car.
Imagine sport tuned ralley suspension, all wheel drive and a 2.3l Ecoboost 4cyl reported pumping out a rumored 320-350 hp! Thats an easy 50-75 hp bump over the ST and with all wheel drive to put all that power down handling and speed will be unbeatable. What, is the Suby WRX looking nervous in its rear view mirror? It should be.
Actually from what I've read RS is part of a bigger Ford Performance Division that will encompass not only RS, but SVT, ST, Raptor and Racing under one umbrella. Image the outcome with all those resources combined.
Sidebar and rumor mill. Detroit's NAIAS is coming in about 3 1/2 weeks. I plan on being there. Quite a few cars are due to be unveiled there. Ford, from sources I've read is going to reveal 3 cars, a new GT, Mustang GT350r and the Focus RS. That should be quite a show at Cabo Center. Count on me being there and videoing it all crudely with a flipcam.
It takes real chutzpah to invite people to test their product against the segment leaders, or in the case of the Ford F150 its closest competitors. But Ford is doing just that and opening eyes in the process. Their Ecoboost products are more than competitive in my not so humble, ditto their hybrids and no one else domestically has car like the Fiesta ST or the Focus ST (before the trolls attack...the VW GTI isn't a domestic so there).
Friday I was invited to the Ecoboost Tour on a VIP Pass along with a lot of other Media Types to spend the morning taking turns driving various Ford products and their competitors, often a market leader. We were given a closed loop circuit on a track at Santa Anita Race Park to run the cars back to back and then render our opinion.
First stop for me was the Hybrids. Pitting the Prius V against a Ford C-Max. First one up was to step into the Prius V. No power seats in the top line model, whats up with that. Can't exactly dial in a comfortable seating position without it. *Grumble*. Silly drive selector aside its not that bad of a car ergonomically once you get it and get your self half way situated. Its definitely lacking in power, in the slalom portion of the circuit it was flaccid, kinda like a 40 year old Buick Estate Wagon. No fun with this car. Definitely for the point A-B commuter. Mileage...disappointing 38mpg.
The C-Max as a joy and complete polar opposite. Power seats to dial in the perfect seating position, better materials that you touch. More of a luxury feel. On the track this car was more more at home in the curves and the slalom. Even the acceleration portion this car went faster with less of a foot plant than the Prius V. Granted I spent most of my time in EV mode, an option not available on the Prius V...but I got a whopping 64.7 out of it. Impressive. It drove and handled like a much smaller car.
For kicks and giggles I took out a gorgeous new Fusion Energi (Ford talk for plug in hybrid) on the track. It was done up in the new for 2014 drop dead gorgeous Sunset. It didn't disappoint me in how it rode and handled. I managed a very respectable 81.3 MPE in all electric mode. My only niggle is that I would have liked to have a Camry hybrid or Accord plug-in to go up against it.
After the Hybrids is the main event. Ecoboost Mid-size car, SUV and Pick-up against its competition.
First drive was the Honda's CRV and the Ford Escape have been duking it out this year for sales dominance. The Escape with its 2.0L Ecoboost just knocked the snot out of the CRV in the acceleration run. It just flew down the straight away and braked straight going into the curves. No drama just an urgent slam back into the seat when you stepped on it. That 2.4l naturally aspirated engine just isn't a match for the Ecoboost.
In the Slalom its close for the two, the CRV does nose dive on braking a bit more than the Escape and demonstrates a little tilting sensation in the curves, but not scary. Close but I'd still give the edge up to the Escape. The CRV was put together well inside, but its much more simple and lacks the elegance of the Escape, material choices the Escape winds hands down.
Next I stepped into the Fusion with its 2.0L Ecoboost to go up against the Toyota Camry with a 3.5L V6. In the straight line acceleration the Fusion was easily 10mph faster at the end of the run than the Camry. the Camry power came on in a swell with the big gain after 30mph where it seemed to come up on cam and get is power.
In the slalom the Camry was outright scary. It sloshed through the slalom so bad I feared I was scrubbing the door handles on the tarmac. The Fusion was confidence inspiring and just swooshed through the curves with little tilting sensation. Fusion was the clear winner in this portion of the test.
I'll toss down the gauntlet and tell you the Camry needs a lot of work inside and mechanically to be the car the Fusion is. The only reason I think the Camry sells is on its bullet proof reputation of durability in getting you from point A to B daily. Live is more than just a straight line without detours.
The Final test in this cycle was the spanking new redesigned Chevy Silverado against an F150 FX4 Ecoboost. The Ecoboost won on acceleration against the 5.3L V8 by a nose. Handling was similar with it really too close to call. Interior fit and finish...really Chevy, your interior materials are no where near as nice as my Focus, and you are wanting how much for this truck and can't spring for decent fabric? I will be most curious to see what happens when the new F150 comes out this fall, all aluminum for a 700 lb weight loss which will translate to better economy, performance and handling.
The final stop, and absolute kick in the pants is the ST Performance Academy where you get to run a Fiesta ST on a race course and are timed against other participants. Its a ton of fun and the Fiesta ST is an amazing machine. The time to beat was 30.1 seconds through a half mile course. After 3 tries I got a nice upper third result of 33.611.
Also on hand to enjoy were some 2015 models coming on sale soonish.
Coming this fall is the aluminum bodied F150. Loosing nealry 700 lbs will increase its performance on all measures including the all important fuel economy. Top MPG powerplant is expected to be a 2.7L V6 with stop/start technology and bring in near diesel numbers without having to pay the premium for diesel fuel (which is 25-75cents/gallon over premium here in L.A).
2015 Ford Expedition in Platinum trim. New for 2015 is a host of changes, the biggy being the dumping of the thirsty 5.4L V8 and slipping in the more powerful and efficient 3.5L V6 Ecoboost.
The Transit Connect grows up for the new model year and loses a lot of its Eastern European quirkiness. Bigger and with Ecoboost engines its being billed as the alternative to the mini-van. Should be interesting to see how it performs in the market.
The show stopper for me, and I did save the best for last was the 2015 Mustang. What a beauty this one in Charcoal metallic was. Its a "base" V6 with a nicely optioned up leather interior. I so want this car, but we aren't in the market for one now, but I did get the Mrs blessing to add it to a short list when we are ready for a new car in a couple of years. Make mine this exact color and trim but swap out the 300+ Horsepower 2.3L Ecoboost please.
In the end we were given an exist interview and asked our opinion on a lot of topics. Overall I can't believe how crappy Toyota's products are against the comparable Ford, folks just need to drop the marketing rhetoric of both and drive them back to back and make up their own mind. Ford will the own the pony car market again when the new Mustang launches. Camaro is a good competitor but won't have the weight and performance edge, Challenger doesn't count as its a bloated pig for old farts. Just my not so humble ramblings after a fun day on a track.
