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Autoblog Minute: Ford Ranger, UK Mustang, Hyundai Hybrid

Ford may bring the Ranger back to the US, the UK goes nuts over the Mustang, and the battle of hybrids heats up with spy shots of the Toyota Prius and a new Hyundai. Autoblog's senior editor Greg Migliore reports on the weekly recap edition of Autoblog Minute. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Ford may bring the Ranger back to the US, the UK goes nuts over Mustang, and the battle of hybrids heats up with spy shots of Prius and a new Hyundai. I'm Autoblog senior editor Greg Migliore and this is your Autoblog Minute weekly recap. 2011 was the last time we saw Ford's midsize pickup in the US but according to a report from the Detroit News we could see production of the Ranger at the [00:00:30] Dearborn automaker's Michigan Assembly Plant as early as 2018. Ranger could compete with the Chevy Colorado and perhaps revive the compact and midsize pickup market for Ford, but the future of Ranger in the US depends a lot on Ford's ongoing negotiations with the UAW. About 2,000 orders for the 2015 Mustang were placed in the UK, tying up production of the pony car until July 2016. According to details in a press release from Ford UK, [00:01:00] it looks like Brits are a lot like their American cousins, opting for the 5.0 liter V8, with Race Red as the popular color of choice. Photos of the 2016 Toyota Prius leaked generating a lot of buzz over the styling. This fourth generation Prius will have some new competition as spy shots of a new Hyundai also surfaced this week. The car is said to be a hybrid and a bonafide "Prius fighter." Those are the highlights from the week that was. Be sure to check out my full recap this Saturday, [00:01:30] including the latest in FCA rumors for 2016. For Autoblog, I'm Greg Migliore. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals. UAW/Unions Ford GMC Hyundai Toyota Truck Hybrid Autoblog Minute Videos Original Video

Ford to update Sync, MyFord Touch software... again

Ford hasn't had the best luck with its MyFord Touch and Sync systems, as the finicky infotainment system has been subject to a critical whooping while customer issues have helped sink Ford's IQS scores. The automaker has made a concerted effort, though, to try and fix MyFord Touch. And while the results have been mixed, The Blue Oval is hoping its latest free update, set to go live next week, will make things better.
According to a report from The Detroit News, the new system promises streamlined voice commands with fewer levels between opening query and actual result. Ford is also addressing where certain options are selected on the touchscreen. Rather than working one of the four quadrants on the homescreen, users will be able to select anywhere within the quadrant to make adjustments.
While it might only be a band-aid for MFT's problems, the fact that Ford is still trying to improve it is a promising sign. It's going to take more than just this update to address the system's ills, though.

Ford debuts Fusion NASCAR racer that edges closer to stock [w/video]

The sixth-generation NASCAR Sprint Cup racecar, which will make its competition debut at the 2013 Daytona 500 this weekend, marks the closest thing to a "stock car" that the sport has seen in more than 20 years. No longer using just stickers to distinguish the different brands, the image above shows the lengths NASCAR and automakers went in order to create a racecar design that more closely resembles the individual cars they represent.
Ford, one of the more open and vocal OEMs regarding the Gen6 car's development, is giving us a closer look at its racing version of the Fusion with a pretty revealing side-by-side comparison with last years' racer (click above for an expanded view). Aside from the more realistic front end and production-like body lines, the overall shape, dimensions and proportions have also been designed to give the racecar a more stock appearance. Most of the new racer was designed by the Ford Design Center, which the automaker says was the first time it has been so involved in the design process since the 1960s. Of course, one area the Sprint Cup Fusion really differs from the production Fusion is its Ford Racing 5.8-liter V8 producing around 850 hp. Can you say Fusion SVT?
Scroll down for a quick video from Ford Racing showing a production Fusion morph into a Cup car.