Ford Motor Company has contributed $5 million (RM21 million) to the American Center for Mobility (ACM) to support connected and automated vehicle (CAV) technology development. This will designate Ford as a Founder-level sponsor and member of a government-industry team that supports ACM’s efforts.
The investment will help ACM create an automated vehicle proving ground in Southeast Michigan. This is where companies will be able to develop their CAV technologies and work on other areas that include creating the appropriate standards and education programmes.
Located at Willow Run in Ypsilanti Township, the new non-profit 500-acre state-of-the-art testing site will be used for testing, validation, product development and education purposes. This facility’s first phase will be operational at the end of this year, signaling the beginning of major studies into autonomous transportation.
This latest investment brings ACM’s fundraising total to $95 million (RM397 million), which will go a long way in helping it accomplish its goal. This will also allow for better synergy between entities who share the same goal of creating more advanced autonomous systems.
“We couldn’t be more proud to have Ford Motor Company join the ranks as a Founder. When we first announced our plan to develop the American Center for Mobility, it may have seemed a little ambitious to some,” said John Maddox, president and CEO of ACM.
“However, we’re well along in making this a reality as national and global partners continue to support the facility,” he later added.
Ford’s contribution has allowed it to join ACM Founders Toyota Motor North America (TMNA, Toyota Research Institute (TRI) and AT&T in paving a path for the future of mobility.
The future of vehicle design is here and Ford, is one of the first automakers to have accepted it with open arms. This type of hologram technology enables designers and engineers to collaborate on design and construction efforts for any given project.
Relatively unchanged since the early days of the automobile, designers have had to resort to building clay models of new vehicles in order to truly assess their practicality. And in recent years, 3D modelling has helped somewhat in terms of lowering production time.
That said, the benefits of both, pail in comparison to the relative efficiency, ease of use and time saving measures that come with hologram technology. Ford has incorporated it for use on its vehicles through the use of Microsoft’s HoloLens system.
It’s an augmented reality setup that enables users/viewers to add virtual overlays to the physical world. Unlike the virtual reality fad, where a user is immersed in an enclosed virtual world, augmented reality enhances the physical one with its various systems and functions.
In order to use HoloLens, Ford designers will need to put on a special wireless headset that will overlay the virtual objects on the physical ones. It’s information is received from a PC running Microsoft’s Windows operating system.
Through this method, what used to take days, weeks or even months of communication between engineers, designers and the ‘decision makers’, efforts that involve grille designs, body panels and other elements can be created, altered and approved within hours.
This will significantly lower the cost of R&D work and its labour intensive nature, and enable automakers to shorten the time frame needed for producing a single vehicle. Many brands already employ 3D modelling to help visualise and simulate stresses on components,which have helped with crash testing.
Speaking of the HoloLens tech, Jim Holland, Ford vice president, vehicle component and systems engineering, said, “It’s amazing we can combine the old and the new – clay models and holograms – in a way that both saves time and allows designers to experiment and iterate quickly to dream up even more stylish, clever vehicles.”
“Microsoft HoloLens is a powerful tool for designers as we continue to re imagine vehicles and mobility experiences in fast-changing times,” he later added.
Ford has been using the tech for the past year in it’s Dearbon design facility in Michigan. Doing so has enabled the automaker’s legion of employees to work in a more cohesive manner and review designs or their changes more efficiently and in a manner that was inconceivable just a few years ago.
We hope that such tech is adopted across the board and that automakers are able to benefit greatly from it. This could result in better designed vehicles that are offered at a significantly cheaper price.
Ford has unveiled the new EcoSport, which now comes with an intelligent all-wheel-drive system and a more sporty variant called ST-Line. Building on its predecessor’s design, the Blue Oval has decided make the vehicle a little more rugged this time around.
The rather docile grille has been repaced with a matte-black two-piece louvered one that certainly is in-line with Ford’s current design language. It’s projector headlights slope forward and towards the front fascia, which reminiscent of the ones on the current gen Mustang.
from the side, the two-tone paint scheme does provide the EcoSport with a sporty look as does the 17 or 18-inch alloy wheels. Ground clerance of certain variants might vary depending on the suspension setup that is utilized.
Ford has left the rear relatively untouched safe for minor changes to the taillights and rear bumper, both decent decisions considering that there wasn’t much wrong with them in the first place. The decision to keep the spare tyre internally has had a positive effect on the rear, giving rise to a cleaner and sporty overall feel.
Speaking if the new vehicle, Steven Armstrong, group vice president and president, Europe Middle East and Africa, Ford Motor Company, said, “Ford has sold 150,000 EcoSport compact SUVs in Europe since we first introduced the model to the region in 2014.The new Ford EcoSport offers customers even more style, comfort, capability and choice.”
There will be a diesel (EcoBlue) and a petrol (EcoBoost) engine available with the new EcoSport but the most notable feature of the lot is the Intelligent AWD system. It will be capable of distributing power between the front and rear in a 50/50 configuration.
In fact, it will be able to do this in a mere 20 miliseocnds, which Ford says is 20 times quicker than a human eye takes to blink. It will work seamlessly by transitioning torque between all four wheels, to allow for better traction and stability.
The 125bhp 1.5-litre EcoBlue engine is all-new and comes with a number of innovative technologies. The 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine is offered in several states of tune, which include 140bhp, 125bhp and 100bhp. And if the 4WD life isn’t your thing, you can still opt for the 2WD option that is significantly lighter and easier on fuel consumption as well.
Compared to the outgoing vehicle, the new EcoSport gets optimized springs, dampers, spring aids, steering gear, rear axle twist beam, Electronic Stability Programme settings and steering assistance profiles.
The interior takes on a more refined look with easier to use controls and soft-touch materials, and a new centre console ergonomically designed for easy operation and featuring fewer buttons. The seats have been redesigned to offer good comfort and premium feel.
Occupants can also match the ambiance to their mood with adjustable interior lighting that can be set to one of seven colours. But the cabin’s main party trick is the ability to store small items in compartments hidden through out the cabin including under the seats.
As mentioned earlier, the EcoSport will also be offered as an ST-Line variant that has sportier styling and sports-tuned driving dynamics. As a result, it gets Ford Performance-inspired bumpers and side skirts, black-finish roof rails and headlight bezels, 17-inch Dark Tarnish alloy wheels, ST-Line badging and extended painted roof and door mirrors as standard.
As for the interior, you get a unique ST-Line leather-trimmed flat-bottomed steering wheel; unique partial leather seats featuring Miko®-Dinamica inserts – an ecological suede made from recycled polyester and red stitching, leather handbrake lever and gear knob, ST-Line branded scuff plates, and stainless steel sports pedals.
Other tech that are available across all variants is the SNYC 3 (Voice Assistant) and 8-inch colour touchscreen, which can be operated with pinch and swipe gestures. The B&O sound system offers impressive sound quality for the audiophile in all of us.
The EcoSport for the first time comes with Cruise Control with Adjustable Speed Limiter that helps drivers keep within speed limits, and a Rear View Camera that makes parking more efficient and safer. There’s also Blind Spot Detection and Roll Stability Control, which should help novice drivers handle the vehicle with more confidence.
There’s no word yet on when Ford will bring this vehicle over here, but it should hit European markets very soon.
Ford unveiled an exclusive Black Edition of its ever popular Ranger at the Frankfurt Motor Show. It’s based on the European market’s Limited Series variant that comes with a unique colour scheme and a plethora of features that set it apart from the base vehicle.
This particular Ranger comes with de-chromed body in Absolute Black with a black finish for the radiator grille, alloy wheels, sports bar and exterior detailing. Adding to this level of exclusivity, only 2,500 examples of this variant will ever be produced. And all of them will be offered with the Double Cab body-style only.
Besides this, the Black Edition is fitted with satellite navigation, front parking sensors and rear view camera, Ford SYNC 3 multimedia system with 8-inch touchscreen, dual-zone electronic climate control, leather seat trim, and power-folding as well as heated door mirrors.
Speaking of the latest addition to the stable, Hans Schep, general manager, Commercial Vehicles, Ford of Europe, said, “Ranger customers appreciate the vehicle’s tough, go-anywhere capability and its rugged good looks, and we expect this attractive new limited series to be snapped up within weeks.”
In Europe, the Ford Ranger is the top selling pick-up truck as of July 2017, which also marks an increase of 12.1% in sales for the automaker. It managed to shift 23,100 compared to the same period last year.
It’s a similar story in Malaysia, despite fierce competition, the Ranger is still one of the favorites because of it what it is able to offer local customers.
The Blue Oval has announced that it will be offering a heritage edition of its latest supercar, the Ford GT. Called the Ford GT ’67 Heritage edition, it is an attempt by the company to pay homage to the legendary 1967 GT40 Mark IV that made history by winning the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
The Mark IV GT40 has a special place in the hearts of many Ford fans, because the car was a dominant force of the famous endurance race, outpacing Ferrari mind you, and taking home the crown four times in succession.
And as such, this new car, will feature the same paint scheme as well as unique interior features that not only set it apart from the regular car, but invoke a sense of heritage that can be traced all the way back to the mid 1960s.
“In creating a worthy successor to the ’66 Heritage edition, we logically looked at our next historic Le Mans victory with the all-American team of Dan Gurney and A.J. Foyt,” said Dave Pericak, global director, Ford Performance.
He later added, “The Ford GT ’67 Heritage edition pays homage to that win, with a modern take on one of the most important vehicles in Ford’s storied history of racing.”
Buyers of the Ford GT ’67 Heritage edition will get a car that has a gloss-finish ‘race red’ paint scheme that is accented with contrasting white stripes and exposed carbon-fibre trim pieces. The number 1, will be placed on the hood, and doors of the car, which is a nod to the championship winning ’67 racer.
Apart from that, other aesthetic tweaks include a 20-inch forged aluminium wheels in silver satin clear coat with black wheel nuts as well as red calipers and silver rear view mirror caps.
On the inside, the car features a new leather trim with red accent stitching for the carbon-fibre seats, which is the same colour scheme adopted for the steering wheel. The seatbelt webbing is red in colour and the paddle shifters are anodized grey.
As proof of the car’s authenticity, there will be a unique serialized identification plate denoting the production number of the specific vehicle with respect to the total production number. Other bits include an exposed matte carbon fibre door sills and air register pods.
The new car is the second iteration of Ford’s homage to the 1967 Mark IV GT40 with the first being, its predecessor, the original Ford GT. The Ford GT ’67 Heritage edition can be viewed at FordGT.com using the configuration tool.
Carbon-fibre plays a major part when it comes to weight savings. Significantly lighter than steel but just as tough, it’s a material that has been used wherever and whenever reduction in weight is an important priority.
Carbon-Fibre Reinforced Polymer or CFRP, has been used extensively in the aerospace industry as well as the world of motor racing. Many exotic supercar makers tend to use CFRP extensively in the construction of their vehicles’ chassis and bodywork.
This brings us to a video that we stumbled upon recently. Jay Leno, the former Tonight Show host, has a popular Youtube channel that showcases special and bizarre vehicles. And this time, a video was published about a fully carbon-fibred Ford Mustang GT350R made by Speedkore.
Though the powertrain and internals were left relatively stock, Speedkore built the entire body and its panels from CFRP using their own propriety construction methods. This offers the car a significant weight savings, which will be especially noticeable when there’s a sudden shift in vehicle’s direction.
Check out the video and let us know what you think of this amazing creation as well as whether future muscle cars should have more carbon-fibre bits added to them.
Ford has introduced a new feature that might help Mustang owners be less ‘quieter’ when arriving or leaving their homes. It helps lower the audible volume of the raspy exhaust notes emanated by the V8 equipped Mustangs, enabling owners to go about their activities without announcing their intentions to the entire neighborhood.
It’s called the Quiet Exhaust Mode, which is available on the latest Mustang that is equipped with the active valve performance exhaust system. It can be activated through the car’s infotainment system – offering three audible exhaust levels namely, Quiet, Normal, Sport and Track.
“Active valve performance exhaust gives Mustang owners the best of both worlds – that classic Mustang sound, and the ability to not wake up your neighbors when you leave the house early in the morning or arrive home late at night,” said Matt Flis, Ford exhaust development engineer.
Also referred to as the ‘Good Neighbour Mode’ this addition to the Mustang line-up should refute the stigma that plague decent Mustang owners – obtuse driving etiquette. It will also allow them to enjoy the vehicle without disturbing the peace and activating about a dozen car alarms.
It’s inception is a result of first hand experience by Steve von Foerster, former head of vehicle engineering for the Ford Motor Company. Apparently, Steve ruffled a few feathers when he drove his Shelby Mustang GT350 out of his driveway one morning. The loud and aggressive roar of the Mustang’s Coyote V8 maybe music to our ears, but his neighbors of the quite suburb, were more than perturbed.
One of them phoned it in to the Police, requesting law enforcement deal with the disturbance. Steven was long gone by the time the cops come and as such, escaped being ticketed. But this goes to show that you can’t really trust your neighbors to be tolerant with your way of life.
The video below was published by Ford to demonstrate the night and day difference that the new Quiet Exhaust mode feature has on the Mustang’s exhaust note. And going a step further, the company has also introduced Quiet Start, which adds on another layer of stealth.
This feature enables drivers to schedule a time for when they require the engine started so as not to inconvenience their neighbors. Owners can set a time between 8pm and 7am to have this feature activated. Working together with the Quiet Exhaust mode, most people won’t notice that they live right next door to the most advanced muscle car that Ford has ever made.
Apart from the exhaust system, Ford has equipped the new Mustang with a restyled exterior design and refined interior, Mustang will offer an all-digital 12-inch instrument cluster, a 10-speed automatic transmission, MagneRide damping system and SYNC® Connect with FordPass.
Check out the videos and picture gallery below and let us know what you think of these new additions to the new Ford Mustang.
Ford’s F-150 Raptor is one powerful behemoth of a truck that needs no introduction. It’s a tough and capable off-roader that surmises the American dream of sticking it to the man as well as mother nature.
The Blue Oval has taken its latest Raptor and customized it to incorporate design cues of the US Air Force’s Lockheed Martin F-22 Raptor fighter jet. This particular truck has been auctioned off during the annual auction at AirVenture Oshkosh.
The purpose of this really cool customization job is to raise money and awareness for the Experimental Aircraft Association Gathering of Eagles. It’s an organization and an event committed to aviation and encouraging youth involvement in flight.
Over the years Ford has raised more than $3 million (RM 12,856,500) for this annual event since 2008 by creating these customized one-of-a-kind vehicles. The automaker has also served as exclusive automotive sponsor of the 2017 AirVenture Oshkosh fly-in at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.
This F-22 inspired F-150 Raptor was eventually picked up by Gary Ackerman of Gaudin Ford in Las Vegas, Nevada for a whopping $300,000 (RM 1,285,650). Ackerman serves as Honorary Commander/Ambassador for the United States Airforce’s F-22 Squadron at Nellis Airforce Base in Nevada.
Ford design manager Melvin Betancourt and Ford Performance led the design and engineering work of the F-22 F-150 Raptor, said, “Our job – both in the air and on the ground – is to intimidate the competition.The money we raised will enable Young Eagles to reach for the skies as well.”
The modifications that were made are more than skin deep and Ford has released an extensive list of features that set this particular Raptor apart from its civilian counterpart. The vehicle has custom suspension, unique exterior trim pieces and off-roading equipment that help it tackle the worst of conditions.
The following is what the truck comes with:
Whipple-intercooled, high-output 3.5-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost® making 545 horsepower and 895Nm of torque
Modified Addictive Desert Design front suspension and bump stop kit
Deaver rear spring pack to provide a smooth, progressive suspension
Fox bypass series shocks with adjustable compression and rebound valving to customize damping for on-road and off-road use
Innov8 Racing custom forged beadlock wheels with Falcon Wildpeak tyres
Modular off-road 1.3-million candela LED lighting system by KC Hilites
Kicker audio system with 1,500 watts of amplification
Unique Sherwin-Williams exterior paint integrating F-22 Raptor jet cues including titanium grille with front silhouette of the aircraft; jet cues
featured on the interior as well
Amp Research power retracting steps
DeBerti two-tyre, gas and ProEagle jack holder
LineX sprayed bedliner
All-stainless-steel cat-back Borla exhaust system with carbon fiber tips
DeBerti carbon fiber fender flares, hood and fender vents
Paint hand-cut and polished to a mirror finish by Independent Detail
The US Air Force’s F22 Raptor is a technological marvel for the 21st century. It is considered a stealth fighter that is able to evade enemy radar with relative ease. Unlike conventional fighter jets like the F-16 Fighting Falcon, its weapons are stored internally. Once the pilot has chosen the target and is ready to fire, only then do its pod bay doors open, exposing the precision weaponry.
This aircraft is one of the deadliest fighter jets in existence and as such, its no wonder that Ford chose it as the the design theme for its ever popular powerhouse, the F-150 Raptor.
Ford’s venerable F-150 may be joining the elite line up of Police interceptors with this latest reveal. The legendary pick-up truck has been outfitted with the latest tech and protective features that will enable it to function as a pursuit vehicle for various police departments in the United States.
It will be the first pick-up that is pursuit-rated which giving law enforcement agencies a more versatile and capable petrol vehicle. Unlike the Raptor, it is equipped with a 3.5-litre V6 EcoBoost engine that delivers 375bhp and 637Nm of torque. It is said to have more power than any other pursuit rated police vehicle currently in service.
The truck is based on the F-150 FX4 off-road model and features Ford’s high-strength, military-grade, aluminium-alloy SuperCrew body. It sits on a a high-strength steel frame, which together offer up the largest passenger volume, payload and towing capacity of any pursuit-rated police vehicle. The Ford also provides best-in-class front, rear shoulder, hip room and rear legroom.
“Ford’s 2018 F-150 Police Responder is the perfect all-terrain law enforcement vehicle,” said Stephen Tyler, Ford’s police brand marketing manager. “Aside from its industry-first on-road pursuit capability, this purpose-built pickup can comfortably seat five, while providing capability in off-road patrol situations for officers in rural environments patrolled by sheriff’s departments, border patrol operations and the Department of Natural Resources.”
Unlike the road-going civilian version, this Police interceptor features a whole slew of upgrades that include police-calibrated brake system with upgraded calipers and pad friction material, upgraded front-stabilizer bar for improved braking and handling and 18-inch alloy wheels with all-terrain tires.
Inside the cabin, there’s a column shifter, heavy-duty cloth front seats with slim bolsters and anti-stab plates as well as vinyl rear seating and heavy-duty vinyl flooring for easy cleanup. There’s also a 240-amp alternator that helps generate enough electricity to support on-board electrical devices used by various police departments including laptops and radios.
Under body skit plates and front bull-bars are installed to ensure maximum protection of the truck when going through rough terrain. Ford has also fitted a class IV hitch, giving the truck towing capabilities, which is said to be best in class with a maximum payload of 3175kg.
The F-150 Interceptor is an amazing truck but we shall have to wait and see if Police departments around the US welcome it as a useful addition to their current fleet of interceptors vehicles.
Ford has made it even easier for car buyers to own its award winning mid-size family hatchback, the Focus. According to the automaker, owning a Focus will only cost you RM668/month or you can forgo this deal for a RM15,000 cash rebate, the choice is yours.
This is an exceptionally good deal based on the numbers but we would advice our readers to speak with a Ford repesentive to know the full terms and conditions of this repayment scheme before committing to anything.
That said, the Focus is one of the best vehicles that the US based automaker sells in our market. It’s the third generation car of the Focus family and is powered by a 1.5-litre turbocharged EcoBoost engine.
Thanks to forced induction technology, a smaller engine is now able to offer similar output to a much larger displacement one. As such, though the car only has a 1.5-litre engine compared to the 2.0-litre one in its predecessor, power is relatively similar.
It’s exceptionally smart too – the automated louvers behind the front grille open and close to minimize drag of up to 6% enabling the car to save more fuel. The car does this automatically when it detects the vehicle’s speed is sufficiently high and that the engine is receiving adequate air for cooling purposes.
Then, there’s a slew of safety tech such as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross-Traffic Alert feature. This system warns drivers of obstacles (vehicles) that are in their blind spots and also alerts them when it detects a vehicle approaching from either left or right side of the car, up to a range of 40 metres.
But the Focus’ best party trick, is its ability to park on its own, with minimal human intervention. Through the use if the Enhanced Active Park Assist system, the car is able to parallel or perpendicular park perfectly, with the driver only having to change gears, brake and accelerate when necessary.
In addition to that, the car can also drive itself out of parking spaces through the use of the Park-Out Assist feature. This takes the stress out of having to carefully maneuver out of tight parking spaces on congested streets. Sounds like magic, but in actual fact, the car relies on various ultrasound sensors that act as its eyes, to help it navigate in and out of spaces.
Enhanced Active City Stop system, allows the Focus to apply the brakes as and when needed at speeds of up to 50Km/h when it senses an impending collision. It cuts engine power and engages the brakes to prevent avoidable fender benders or reduce their severity.
Finally, there’s Enhanced Transitional Stability, which is a Godsend for those who constantly drive during heavy downpours. This system, monitors the car’s movements and intervenes when necessary to prevent the driver from loosing control and sending the vehicle into a spin.
Going one step further, with the Ford MyKey, owners can set limits on the abilities of the Focus when the supplementary key is in the hands of a different driver. This key can be programmed to enable or disable certain features in the vehicle. For example, if a less experienced person is about to drive, the owner can programme the key, allowing for additional features. These could include, reducing the maximum speed of the car, prompting low-fuel alerts earlier and limiting entertainment (SYNC 3) functionality until seat belts are fastened.
Other features of the Focus include the following:
Keyless entry Push-button Start
Six airbags
Dual-zone climate control
Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS)
Electronic Power-assisted Steering (EPAS)
Torque Vectoring Control
Hill Launch Assist
Six-speed SelectShift with paddle shifters
The Ford Focus can be ordered in six different body colours that include Frozen White, Panther Black, Ingot Silver, Candy Red, Magnetic and Winning Blue. The Focus Trend is priced at RM118,888, the Focus Sport+ is RM139,888 while the sedan version, the Focus Titanium+, comes with a price of RM139,888.
For more information about this or other Ford models, visit the automaker’s local website or your nearest authorized dealer.
