“With so much more power and torque on tap from the new 5.8-liter V8, launch control makes it easier for drivers to take advantage of the performance,” said John Pfeiffer, senior engineer at SVT Vehicle Engineering.  Usually reserved for high-end supercars and the aftermarket, the GT500′s launch control system incorporates assistance from both the ECU and traction control.  Before, a ”hard start” with more than 600 horsepower and rear wheel drive would cause an eruption of white tire smoke and a rather slow forward motion but not in the latest Shelby.  Like most other systems, a driver can depress the clutch, floor the accelerator and the car’s electronics will take care of the rest, holding the 5.8 liter supercharged V8 at its most desirable take-off rpm.  Once the third pedal is released, the ECU and traction control will modulate the engine’s speed and the rear brakes so that just the right amount of wheel spin can occur for lightning fast and grip filled launches. 

“We recognize not every driver has the same style, and surface, tire and climate conditions vary,” said Eddie Khan, SVT Engineering supervisor. Unlike most other manufacture’s systems, the Ford’s allows drivers options.  Available through a simple button push or a perusal through the center display’s Track Apps, the Shelby allows drivers to pick their desired launch speed with 100 rpm increments.  Revolutions ranging from 3,000 to 4,500 rpms can be picked so that sticky drag slicks can be used to their utmost potential.   ”We developed this system to enable 90 percent of drivers to be able to achieve very fast, smooth and consistent starts with the Shelby GT500 regardless of their skill level,” said Khan. “Experienced drag racers may be able to get away slightly quicker, but chances are they won’t be as consistent.”

Source: Ford

As of now, there are approximately 10,500 Ford Motor Company models being investigated.  The vehicles at risk are 2011 through 2012 model year F-150 pickups, 2012 model year Expeditions, 2012 through 2013 model year Mustangs and 2012 model year Lincoln Navigatiors.  On top of the reverse lights not lighting up, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), on certain models of the trucks and SUVs, the “R” on the dashboard might fail to illuminate as well.  The recall is expected to begin on or around June 25 and owners will be notified to have their vehicles taken to a certified dealer.  There, technicians will fix the issue by replacing the Transmission Range Sensor at no extra cost to drivers.

Source: NHTSA

This great man considered his greatest achievement to be the Carroll Shelby Foundation. The foundation was created in 1992 and served many purposes including providing medical assistance for those in need as well as providing young people with educational and training programs throughout the automotive realm.

No official cause of death has been given, but Shelby has been hospitalized for pneumonia in the last few weeks.

Beyond the millions of people who honored the visionary, Carroll is survived by his wife Cleo, his sister Anne Shelby Ellison of Fort Worth and his three children Patrick, Michael and Sharon.

We leave you with a quick photo of the first Shelby Cobra, as it was displayed at the 2012 New York International Auto Show. Built by the legend himself, and still in his possession at the time of his passing.

“Our EcoBoost plans are aggressive, but we believe as customers experience this engine family, they’ll understand why,” said Sherif Marakby, powertrain director, Ford of Europe.  On top of the Romania plant, the 1.0 liter turbocharged, direct injected inline three cylinder also calls Cologne, Germany home.  At the end of 2011, Ford Europe put out 141,000 EcoBoosted engines and already, that number is increasing.  Hopes are for the engines output number to be at 330,000 next year which would account for 44 percent of all European Ford petrol engines.  When that 480,000 number is hit, the littlest EcoBoost should hold 300,000 of those spots as the 1.0 will find more and more homes between now and then.  It currently finds work under the hood of the Focus and in a few months, the C-Max and B-Max.   “We’re at the cutting edge of innovation and the 1.0-litre engine cannot be matched for its balance of efficiency, power and refinement.”

Source: Ford

Beyond there simply being a higher volume in space inside the newly designed Escape, a multitude of cubby holes, storage bins, holders and clips are scattered throughout the cabin to help keep everything as organized as you want it to be. Extra features like a back hatch that automatically opens when you wave your foot below the bumper use technology to make your life easier.

With a freshly styled exterior, and a more practical interior, the new Escape could be the SUV to beat, but we will hold verdict until we can get some seat time.

“Requiring more capacity from our plants is a good problem to have and having the flexibility to add a week of production in our plants goes a long way toward solving it,” said Jim Tetreault, vice president of North America Manufacturing for Ford.  In total, 13 facilities will witness the shorter shutdown.  According to Ford, production capacity has already reached its limits at most plants meaning two full weeks of idle time simply wouldn’t be in the cards.  Of the plants affected, Chicago Assembly, Dearborn Truck, Kentucky Truck, Louisville Assembly, Michigan Assembly and Kansas City Assembly will continue to work strong to pump out as many vehicles as possible.  This decision comes just a short time after Chrysler LLC announced a similar move which goes to show, the Americans are running as strong as ever.

Source: Ford

“We are delighted to add the new Focus to our lineup in China and look forward to bringing more great vehicles to Chinese customers that they want and value,” said  Dave Schoch, chairman and CEO of Ford China.  In April, the 2012 Focus found 9,400 new buyers in the first few weeks which allowed Ford China to earn a total wholesale figure of 54,881 units.  Those figures are rather impressive especially considering the little compact has only been available to the market since April.  Year-to-date, Ford has sold 176,274 vehicles in the Chinese market and as of now, they are showing no signs of slowing down.

Source: Ford

Not only will the folks who pre-order their cars get 252 SAE-certified horsepower, five doors and technologies such as SYNC and MyFord Touch, they’ll also get a complementary GoPro HD Hero 2 Motorsports Edition camera package.  “In terms of athletics, the Focus ST is a gold-medal decathlete,” said Lisa Schoder, Ford Focus ST Marketing manager.

With a base price of $24,495, the Focus ST is truly a performance bargain.  Joining the 252 horsepower in the fight for velocity is a SAE-certified 270 lb-ft of torque from its 2.0 liter EcoBoost engine.  The single turbocharged inline four-cylinder puts its power down to the front wheels via a close ratio six speed manual transmission.

With that much gusto spinning the front wheels, Ford engineers have equipped the ST with an Electric Power-Assisted Steering (EPAS) system to deal with excess torque steer.  Inside the hatchback, things are not all track-day special as innovative creature comforts can be found.  SYNC voice recognition, MyFord Touch media controller and a Sony supplied stereo system can all be found inside the 2013 Ford Focus ST.

Source: Ford

Even though the third shift will be responsible for the 3.7 liter V6 used in the F-150 and Mustang, the primary focus will be set on the EcoBoost.  This 3.5 liter, twin-turbocharged and direct injected V6 has been around since 2009 and is currently found in numerous Ford products.  The Cleveland powerplant motivates the F-150, Flex, Tauras SHO as well as the Lincoln MKS and MKT.  Since its introduction three years ago, the EcoBoost has found 180,000 buyers with 121,000 of those taking place in 2011 when the F-150 began using the block.  Ford plans of seeing an even greater success in 2012 as in the first quarter alone, 39,000 models with the engine were sold.  For that, 250 employee who once worked at the now-quiet Cleveland No. 2 plant will find themselves busy at the V6′s No. 1 home.

Source: Ford

“The amount of hard work and resources dealers put into becoming certified really is a testament to how excited they are, how excited customers are and how excited we are about electric vehicles, starting with Focus Electric,” said David Gutman, Ford’s field operations manager.  So far, the first run of dealerships to become fully certified are 67 located in California, New York and New Jersey.  Given the abilities held by electric hatchback, Ford is eager to make sure anyone will be able to witness one for themselves at any time.  This means that each dealership must (per certification) keep at least one Focus Electric on site for demonstration and event purposes.  And to make sure all questions get answered, more than one sales consultant, manager, service advisor or service manager will be ready with hours of training in the field of vehicle electrification.  

Source: Ford