Ford Motor Company is spending a substantial amount of money on its Valencia plant in preparation for the next-generation Ford Kuga medium-sized Sports Utility Vehicle. More than €750 million (RM3.7 billion) has been poured into the facility to facilitate several upgrades that are related to cost efficiency and productivity improvements.
In total, Ford has spent about €3 billion (RM14.7 billion) since 2011 for its manufacturing site in Spain, which currently employs 8,000 workers across all of its operations. Its latest investment signals the Blue Oval’s commitment to this facility and its workforce.
“This major investment reconfirms in the clearest way our continuing commitment to the Valencia region and to Spain. I also want to thank the national government in Madrid and the Generalitat Valenciana for their continued support,” said Steven Armstrong, president and CEO, Ford of Europe, Middle East and Africa.
About 25% of all vehicles sold in Europe are SUVs, which is probably the reason for Ford’s recent investment strategy. According to the automaker, sales figures for the Kuga this year stands at 126,900, which is a 22% increase compared to the same period in 2016. And it happens to be Ford’s third top-selling model after the Fiesta and Focus.
It also accounts for 50% of the total production numbers at the Valencia facility, which speaks volumes about Ford’s mindset of maintaining a foothold in the highly competitive European SUV market.
Ford has developed a new technology that will enable Focus RS owners to have more fun with their hot hatches in a way that wasn’t possible before. It’s called the Drift Stick and is basically a rally-inspired electronic handbrake, developed and designed specifically for this car and was approved by rally and stunt driver Ken Bock.
The car already had a feature called Drift Mode, where the electronics would allow the Focus RS’ rear wheels to break traction to perform a controlled slide around a turn. Now, Drift Stick will make this maneuver far easier, which was the point of its inception.
Referred internally as Project Wicked Stick, its development was led by Ford Performance program manager John Wicks. This kit is basically an aluminium lever between the driver’s seat and manual transmission.
Tugging on it, opens up the rear-drive unit’s clutches of the AWD system, and then hydraulic pressure is applied to lock the rear wheels to induce a drift. This results in clutch-free tails-sliding action, which is similar to maneuvers executed by rally drivers around sharp turns.
“The passionate engineers at Ford Performance are also enthusiasts,” said Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance. “Everyone here is encouraged to think outside the box, so project ‘Wicked Stick’ was born.”
“Our engineers will leverage the learnings from its development for many future products for Ford Performance and, ultimately, take back even more of an innovative spirit when they rejoin our mainstream engineering teams,” he added.
Ken Block, who is known for his eccentric and creative stunts performed in his viral Gymkhana videos, contributed to the project and was responsible for the final sign-off. He is a seasoned veteran of using the hydraulic handbrake in rally cars, to execute the same maneuvers.
Incorporating the hydraulic handbrake into the current Focus RS wasn’t considered because substantial modifications would need to be done to the car. These changes couldn’t be easily reversed should an owner want the car returned to its original configuration.
Using electronic technology to accomplish the same goal, was considered a more sensible choice. The following are the benefits that this system offers:
Instantaneous engagement and release – just five to six pounds of pressure is required to operate the Ford Performance Drift Stick – significantly less than a hydraulic handbrake – for easy, precise use
Installation and removal is easy, as there is no welding, hole drilling or calipers as necessary in a hydraulic kit
It also connects to the onboard diagnostics port on the car, allowing it to function as a professional calibration tool
The Drift Stick is available as a kit for Focus RS owners in the US and Canada, which includes the Drift Stick lever, mounts and circuit board with professional calibration functionality. Owners won’t void the factory warranty by choosing to get this installed in their vehicles.
Roush Performance, the world renowned tuning house that specializes in building supped up performance vehicles, has teamed up with Ford to produce something interesting. The duo have co-developed a new supercharger kit for the Blue Oval’s Mustang and F-150 truck.
When bolted on to the Mustang GT that has a 5.0-litre V8, this new supercharger helps to provide a total output of 700bhp and 827Nm of torque. A 2018 F-150 pick-up truck that has the same V8 and bolt-on supercharger kit, will produce 640bhp and 813Nm of torque.
It takes advantage of the new V8’s port and direction injection fuel system technology to maximize boost for better power delivery. The kit comes with all installation hardware and an exclusive performance calibration.
Though considered an aftermarket upgrade, Ford says that this new supercharger kit will be offered with a limited warranty and the vast support network of Ford Motor Company and Roush. Adding to that, bolting it to a Mustang or F-150 will not void the vehicle’s warranty.
“Ford and Roush have teamed up on performance for years on and off the track,” said Doug White, Global Ford Performance Parts Manager. “This new supercharger is another great example of our innovation in performance, greatly improving horsepower and torque so people can enjoy two of our most iconic vehicles even more.”
The partnership between Roush and Ford dates back more than two decades and since that time, both companies have enjoyed a successful partnership on track and the road. Roush is considered a leading expert in Ford powertrains and how best to improve power and enjoyment.
Ford Motor Company opened its Smart Mobility Innovation Office in London, with its President and CEO JIm Hackett officiating the launching ceremony. The team working at the facility will be in charge of near-term development of smart mobility technologies while focusing on the specific requirements of European cities.
It’s a prime location for the Smart Mobility team, which is headed by Sara-Jayne Williams. This is because it relatively easy for the team to access world-class digital companies, leading academic institutions, nimble start-ups, and existing partners.
This area is also home to Loughborough University, one of Ford’s most significant U.K. university research partners. It’s advanced Propulsion Centre, has been responsible and supported Ford’s powertrain research, which includes hybrid technology.
Ford will continue to work on projects with the UK city in areas that will help improve air quality, ease congestion and broaden mobility. And thanks to the new facility, the Blue Oval can work together with partners to develop its plug-in hybrid Transit van that is due for trial later this year.
“London is not only one of Europe’s biggest mega-cities, it is also one of the most progressive in its openness to new ideas and new partners, as we work together to create smart vehicles for a smart world,” said Hackett.
“Here East is the perfect location for Ford’s European smart mobility hub with Plexal’s incredible talent pool and start-up diversity right on the doorstep,” he later added.
This new London office joins Ford’s other smart mobility centres in Dearborn and Palo Alto at handling the automakers projects as well as supplement Ford’s global network of research and innovation centres, including RIC Aachen, in Germany.
