It used to be when the talk was of electric vehicles, the perception was that such vehicles would be slow and boring to drive. Apart from some exotic prototypes, most were small and with battery technology being what it was, they couldn’t go very fast or very far. But that’s been changing quickly as carmakers realize that their survival requires ‘electrification’ of their vehicles to meet tighter emission and fuel consumption regulations.
In order to persuade motorists to switch over, they need to develop electric vehicles (EVs) which can offer comparable performance and space as today’s cars with internal combustion engines. Hybrids have been a good transition but ultimately, the aim is to go fully electric when costs can be lowered enough.
Meanwhile, for those who worry that high performance as we know it today will be gone, Ford and Webasto have revealed the Mustang Lithium, an ultra-high-performance battery electric Mustang fastback prototype. With more than 1,356 Nm of torque and more than 900 bhp instantaneously available, this Mustang ups musclecar performance to a new level.
The Mustang Lithium is not only a one-off prototype to showcase electrification on the world’s best-selling sportscar but also a testbed for battery and thermal management technologies Webasto and Ford are creating for the growing e-mobility automotive segment.
“Ford has made no secret of the fact that we are electrifying our most popular nameplates,” said Hau Thai-Tang, Ford’s Chief Product Development and Purchasing Officer. “This one-off Mustang prototype is a great opportunity for us, together with Webasto, to showcase to our customers what a new electrified powertrain can do for performance in a car they already know and love.”
The low and sleek Mustang Lithium is not merely a production Mustang with the powertrain substituted by electric motors. It has custom carbonfibre body components, Brembo 6-piston front brakes from the Shelby GT350R, Sankuer Composite Technologies side splitters and rear diffuser, plus a Webasto bonnet with see-through polycarbonate windows. It is also fitted with Ford Performance’s Track Handling Pack and strut tower brace.
A Phi-Power dual-core electric motor and dual power inverters – all powered by an 800-volt Webasto battery system with EVDrive Technology – can discharge a mega-watt of electrical energy. At 800 volts, that’s twice the voltage of most electric cars on the road today. This allows the system to be lighter, more powerful and generate less heat, and more electric force than most battery-electric systems on the road today.
The 5-litre V8 that is under the bonnet of Mustangs which the public can buy. Certainly looks more interesting that the ‘box’ which houses the 900+ bhp electric powerplant (top)!
In a unique twist, the Mustang Lithium features a manual transmission and uses a dragstrip-proven Calimer-version of the Getrag MT82 6-speed transmission with billet internals to handle the huge amount of torque delivered along the driveline. To enable the driver to use all that torque optimally, there is a unique set of drive modes that apply a controlled amount of torque for different driving scenarios: Valet, Sport, Track and Beast.
Ford Performance half-shafts and a Super 8.8 Torsen differential help supply power to the road via lightweight Forgeline wheels wearing Michelin Pilot Sport 4S tyres.
“Very similar to Ford’s push for vehicle electrification, this is an innovative way to further the technologies we’re developing to enable vehicle electrification while creating a vision of how cool the future of electric performance will be,” said Mark Denny, Webasto Customized Solutions North America President and CEO.
Webasto, which has a 100-year history, is among the top 100 suppliers to the automotive worldwide. While its core business areas are sunroofs and panorama roofs, convertible roofs and parking heaters, they have also diversified into electric heating systems, charging solutions and battery systems we are also addressing the growth market of electromobility.
The latest Mustang is available in Malaysia from Sime Darby Auto ConneXion with full warranty and aftersales support. This is the first generation of the model which has a factory-built righthand drive variant.
More and more car manufacturers are jumping on the EV bandwagon and it comes to as no surprise when one of the OGs of the game decided that they want in and they want to bring the good stuff. With that being said, they’ve released a short teaser of what will be the Ford Mustang-inspired electric SUV! In the famous words of Church Lady (played by Dana Carvey aka “Garth” from Wayne’s World), “Well, isn’t that special?” (more…)
“If you can find a better car, buy it!” the man on the TV screen urged American viewers one night in 1984. It wasn’t just any ordinary car salesman but the CEO and Chairman of Chrysler Corporation – Lee Iacocca. By then, he was already a celebrity in the auto industry he had joined 38 years earlier and would spend another 9 years before finally retiring.
The young generation may not be familiar with Iacocca, who passed away yesterday at the age of 94. But anyone who has had an interest in the auto industry will know that he was one of the legends from a time when the Big Three ruled and served as President of Ford Motor Company and then CEO and Chairman of Chrysler.
Though having a degree in mechanical engineering, an ambitious Iacocca had decided that sales was where the action was and where he would be noticed. He accepted a job at a Ford regional office instead of the R&D division at headquarters and there, he proved himself to be a talented salesman. But it was to be just a stepping stone because he told friends that his aim was to become a vice-president in the company by the time he was 35.
’56 for 56’ sales campaign
In 1956, he came up with a ’56 for 56’ sales campaign which offered customers any new 1956 Ford model for $56 a month over three years. It was a very successful campaign that was replicated in other parts of the country. The numbers caught the attention of top management and he was transferred to headquarters and moved up briskly. In 1961, when Ford’s President then, Robert McNamara, accepted President John F. Kennedy’s request to be Defence Secretary, Iacocca slotted into the position of Vice-President and General Manager of the Ford Division. He was 36 by then, just missing his target by a year.
Had he been older, he might have taken over McNamara’s position right away but his future was bright because McNamara had been impressed by his achievements and mentored him. 10 years later, at the end of 1970, he finally became President of Ford Motor Company.
Launch of the Mustang
One of Iacocca’s biggest product successes at Ford was the Mustang and some regard him as its ‘father’. The early 1960s was a time when Americans were very upbeat as the economy boomed and the young generation was energised by a young president (who was unfortunately assassinated). Iacocca saw this generation of new car-buyers as wanting something fresh and different. He envisioned a totally new type of product that was sporty and yet, from the company’s point of view, cost-effective enough to make a good profit. Furthermore, there was a level of customisation with options that was far greater than before (said to be Iacocca’s idea) and contributed further to the profit margin.
Flamboyant and outspoken, Iacocca inevitably became associated closely with the Mustang that had the whole of America talking when it was launched in April 1964. Magazines like TIME and Newsweek put the car on their cover – with Iacocca next to it rather than Henry Ford II who was the Chairman.
Iacocca introducing the Mustang at the World’s Fair in 1964.
Fired by Henry Ford II personally
By the second half of the 1970s, Henry Ford II found he had a heart disease and realised he had to think of who would run the company after him. He had become disillusioned with Iacocca, by then President of Ford, who was flamboyant and got a lot of publicity. In fact, it was rumoured that Henry even commissioned a secret investigation into the life of Iacocca to see if there was anything scandalous or corrupt but nothing was ever found.
Nevertheless, one day in July 1978, Iacocca was summoned to Henry’s office and told he was fired. When he asked why, he was told, “Well, sometimes you just don’t like somebody”. Later on, he would say to reporters, “There comes a time when I have to do things my way. I can’t tell you anything more. It’s personal. It’s just one of those things.” But Iacocca was allowed to remain with the company another 3 months till his 54th birthday so he would be entitled to full retirement benefits.
Iacocca (middle) with Henry Ford II (right) in happier times.
Perhaps recalling that his father was in tears the day Henry fired Iacocca, Bill Ford, Executive Chairman of Ford today and nephew of Henry Ford II, has kinder words about the man: “Lee Iacocca was truly bigger than life and he left an indelible mark on Ford, the auto industry and our country. Lee played a central role in the creation of Mustang. On a personal note, I will always appreciate how encouraging he was to me at the beginning of my career. He was one of a kind and will be dearly missed.”
Moving to Chrysler
The super salesman could not bear to be away from the industry and became President & CEO of Chrysler in 1978, and then Chairman a year after that. The company he joined was losing millions and seemed on the verge of closing down. Iacocca managed to get some product and marketing guys from Ford to join him in the challenge to resuscitate Chrysler.
Although Chrysler could struggle to remain in business, it wasn’t going to be able to recover much without an injection of money for development. So in 1979, Iacocca asked the US government to help by giving a loan guarantee which would enable the company to get US$1.5 billion. He was required to carry out massive cost-cutting and close plants. And as a show of confidence in better times for the company, Iacocca had his salary cut to just $1 a year, the first time any CEO ever did such a thing. By 1983, Chrysler was able to repay all the loans it had taken and it did so 7 years earlier than it had to.
Creation of another winner – the minivan
At Chrysler, Iacocca also initiated many product programs that were successful and the Mustang-rivalling success was the minivan. This new type of product was also the brainchild of Hal Sperlich, one of the ex-Ford guys. He was a product planner whom many say was the one who should have been given greater credit for the Mustang than Iacocca.
The minivan, sold as the Dodge Caravan and Plymouth Voyager when it was introduced in late 1983, offered the spaciousness of a large window van but the driving ease of a passenger car. You would recognise it as a MPV, which is what it was. With extra seats for more passengers and all the conveniences of passenger cars, it was a hit with American families, especially the ‘soccer moms’.
The minivan sold under Chrysler’s Dodge and Plymouth brands was the second highly successful product that Iacocca was involved in although it was more associated with Chrysler.
The success of the minivan was more associated with Chrysler than Iacocca but by then, he was already more of a celebrity in his own right than a prominent CEO of a car company. He was still vocal about many things concerning the industry, particularly imports of Japanese cars. In one of his books, he revealed that he had considered running for US President in 1988 but was talked out of it.
Out of touch with the real world
Iacocca retired from Chrysler at the end of 1992, bringing to an end a 46-year career in the auto industry. For a long time, he had been at the upper levels of Ford and Chrysler that he had, in some ways, lost touch with the real world. One story that reflected this was when he drove into a petrol station some time after he had retired. Parking next to the pump, he asked the person whom he assumed was an attendant to ‘fill her up’. To his surprise, he was told, “Do it yourself!”. Iacocca had not realised that self-service was the norm because he always had company cars (usually changed every 6 months) and they would be washed and refuelled by someone else. Even if he did drive, it was usually at test tracks or specific events but never on a daily basis like his customers.
Anger at the DaimlerChrysler ‘merger’
6 years after Iacocca left Chrysler, it was ‘merged’ with Daimler-Benz. It was a development which angered him, especially as his handpicked successor, Bob Eaton, had rather readily agreed to the terms of the ‘merger of equals’ that became DaimlerChrysler but which saw Chrysler being less than equal. It would have been interesting if Iacocca had been the one to negotiate with Jurgen Schrempp, Chairman of Daimler-Benz. Or maybe it would never have happened.
The era that Iacocca thrived in was a very different one from today and though there are still a few ‘cowboys’ in the industry who go with ‘gut feeling’, their influence is limited by board members who want only to please shareholders. His place in the Automotive Hall of Fame, where he was inducted in 1994, is certainly well deserved.
It was less than two weeks ago when the 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 was announced with the world’s most powerful supercharged 5.2-litre V8 production engine with 760hp and 850Nm of torque. Today, Ford announced its price tag and power does come with price. (more…)
Ford has released their shortest press release yet when it comes to the announcement of their latest 2020 Ford Mustang Shelby GT500. Their main message for this new beast? A street-legal monster powered by the world’s most powerful supercharged V8 production engine with a whopping 760hp and close to 850Nm of ‘Oh My God’ torque. (more…)
The legendary Ford Mustang celebrates its 55th year anniversary this week and what a way to turn the party up by claiming the title of the world’s best-selling sports coupe for the year 2018. This is their fourth year in a row of claiming this remarkable feat with a total of 113,066 cars sold worldwide last year. (more…)
Terdapat ramai peminat Ford Mustang di Malaysia dan juga seluruh dunia yang berminat dengan gabungan reka bentuk ikonik jentera ‘muscle car’ dan prestasi unggul dari Amerika Syarikat. Oleh kerana itu, ramai juga yang sedang menanti pelancaran Shelby GT500 2020 yang dikatakan model paling canggih dan berkuasa dalam sejarah. (more…)
Following our previous report on KLIMS or the Kuala Lumpur International Motorshow, we attended the Press Day on 22nd November 2018, and right-off the bat, it’s safe to say that the new venue for KLIMS at the Malaysia International Trade & Exhibition Centre (MITEC) outside downtown KL is definitely a better location, not just in terms of accessibility, but also the floor space and allocated display area. But before we get into that, here’s the video of the official launch ceremony for KLIMS 2018!
Everything also seems a lot better organised this time around, especially in terms of handling the media and providing a proper set-up for us to work. There was free flow of food and drinks in the designated press room, although the room itself was a bit small, considering the number of media personnel who showed up to cover the launch and press day of KLIMS 2018. There was also no designated rest area; let’s not forget that all-in, it was at least a 10-hour day on our feet for many of us. Something to look into for the next one. Here’s our first walkabout video, which we took even before the official launch ceremony. Kudos to all the car brands who participated!
Unfortunately, while the venue itself was a lot better, manufacturer participation was definitely wanting, for apart from Peugeot, Citroen and DS Automobiles, there wasn’t a single other European carmaker in attendance. No Audi, BMW, Volvo or Mercedes-Benz. The latter was represented only thanks to Petronas who grafted what looked like an entire petrol station into KLIMS 2018, replete with a Kedai Mesra shop, while the only Supercars (apart from the Toyota FT-1 in the second video below of course) were what the peripheral pavilions brought in.
That being said, those who did participate put in a tremendous amount of effort to ensure their pavilions looked top notch! Seriously, many of them looked like they belonged in overseas motorshows like BIMS, GIIAS & TMS. Still, at least we were finally able to bring you this ‘live’ coverage of the new Proton X70 SUV, with no restrictions on photos this time. However, while fully expecting to finally learn the official price of the X70 at KLIMS, we were told that the price will be officially announced only on 12th December at the launch extravaganza…
Undoubtedly though, the star of KLIMS 2018 is the incredible Toyota FT-1, which is also known among fan-boys as the new Supra. It definitely deserved it’s own short video….
And in no particular order, here are more videos from KLIMS 2018! (KLIMS 2018 runs from today 23rd Nov to 2nd Dec 2018)
Video: Ford Malaysia put on a superb show for their new Mustang and much-anticipated Ranger Raptor, whose price was announced at RM199,888!
Video: The upstairs hall at KLIMS was dominated by a huge Petronas pavilion, with its own Kedai Mesra, as well as the Motorcycles section…
Video: Perodua unveils the X-Concept and teases a new SUV for 2019…
Ford Malaysia (Sime Darby Auto Connexion) hari ini telah melancarkan varian baharu Ford Ranger iaitu Ford Ranger Raptor 2019 sempena Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2018 (KLIMS 2018). Bagi mereka yang berminat dengan trak pikap gergasi Ford F-150 Raptor yang laris di Amerika Syarikat, Ford Ranger Raptor 2019 ini mempunyai intipati yang serupa dari segi reka bentuk di dalam pakej yang lebih sesuai untuk gaya pemanduan di Malaysia. (more…)
Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC), the sole distributor of Ford in Malaysia announced its participation in this year’s Kuala Lumpur International Motor Show 2018 which will take place from 23 November 2018 until 2 December 2018 at the Malaysia International Trade and Exhibition Centre (MITEC). The show will see the official launch of Ford’s most anticipated vehicle of the year, the Ranger Raptor – the first and only factory-built, high-speed off-road performance truck. Combining the Ranger’s ‘Built Ford Tough’ character with Ford Performance DNA, the Ranger Raptor sets a new benchmark in off-road capability and opens up a new premium pickup segment.
Alongside the Ranger Raptor (below), Sime Darby Auto Connexion (SDAC) will also unveil the New Mustang (above) exclusively to visitors, the only unit flown into Malaysia on air freight, and will be showcased specifically for the 10-day show.
The SDAC-Ford stand will focus on delivering an immersive customer experience journey through interactive technology. It will enable visitors to engage with the brand through socially shareable content. Interactive experiences include the Virtual Reality Test Drive which educates visitors on Ford’s safety technologies, while the Augmented Reality Experience transports drivers to the various terrains the Raptor is able to overcome through its Terrain Management System (TMS).
Another highlight will be the Self-Guide Audio Tour, where visitors will be able to tour the stand at their own pace with a fully narrated audio guide headset. This “personal tour guide” will inform visitors on the stand’s design concept, educate visitors on the vehicles on display and promotions and happenings.
Visitors who make a vehicle booking of the New Ranger and New Mustang at the 10-day show will stand a chance to grab cash vouchers in a wind tunnel machine. The first 888 customers who register their new Ford Ranger will each receive an electrical goods voucher worth RM1,0001. Customers who purchase any new Ford Ranger variant will also be in the running to win a Ranger Raptor under the ‘Buy A New Ford Ranger, Win A Ranger Raptor’ Contest1. On top of that, Sime Darby Auto Connexion will be offering new Ranger including New Ranger Raptor customers up to 2 years free maintenance or up to 40,000km for customers who successfully register their vehicle before 31 January 2019, whichever comes first1.
The SDAC-Ford stand (No.1009) is located at Hall 2, Level 1 of the MITEC and is open to the public from 10am to 10pm on weekends, and 11am to 10pm on weekdays from November 23 until December 2. For more information and ticketing info, visit www.klims.com.my.
