2014 Ford F150 Xlt on 2040-cars

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Xcar flogs the 2015 Ford Focus ST

There's an inevitable dilemma that practically every auto fan eventually faces, at least other than Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld, and that's the tradeoff of performance, practicality and perhaps most importantly, money. Parking the fabled supercar in the garage might be the wish, but for most folks bigger responsibilities – like a family – just don't allow that dream to be a reality. In the view of XCar Films, this intersection of needs and wants is where vehicles like the latest Ford Focus ST provide a fantastic compromise between exciting driving and everyday practicality. Xcar hops into Ford's recently refreshed European hot hatch to illustrate its abilities as both a hauler for the small family on the move and for the driver who just wants to go. The Blue Oval left the powertrain alone for the ST's update, but sharpened the exterior styling, revised the interior and retuned the front suspension and steering. Being realistic, no one is ever going to get behind the wheel of the Focus ST and mistake it for a Porsche, but that's not really the point. Instead, buyers get to put a smile on their face from time to time and still maintain life's other responsibilities. Related Gallery 2015 Ford Focus ST (Euro-spec) View 14 Photos News Source: Xcar Films via YouTubeImage Credit: Related images copyright Ford Ford Hatchback Performance Videos ford focus st xcar xcar films

2015 Ford F-150 brings big aluminum to the Rust Belt [w/video]

Just when you thought you'd figured the fullsize truck market out, Ford goes and throws us a massive curve ball with the 2015 F-150. The big headline news aren't tow or payload ratings, though we're sure those figures will be fully competitive if not class leading, they haven't yet been announced. Instead, the big headline news Ford is highlighting are the truck's new aluminum-intensive structure and 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine.
And with good reason - all that aluminum means that Ford was able to cut a massive 700 pounds from the truck's curb weight. That is going to cause all sorts of great things to happen to the 2015 F-150's driving dynamics, performance and fuel efficiency, not to mention its ability to haul heavy loads. For those customers worried about the strength of aluminum versus the more conventional steel, Ford is quick to point out that many military vehicles, such as the HMMWV and Bradley Fighting Vehicle, use a very similar sort of aluminum alloy in their construction.
It's also worth mentioning that the backbone, a fully boxed ladder frame, is hewn from high-strength steel. Ford says "2015 Ford F-150 is the strongest and most durable F-150 ever," for what it's worth, claiming that "torture tested" in labs and in the real world for more than 10 million miles. What's more, the truck, in disguised form, completed all 883 miles of the Baja 1000.

Ford evaluating new Fiesta RS?

Word coming in from across the pond has it that Ford is working on developing the business case to create a new Fiesta RS. The development is encouraged by the extremely positive reception the existing Fiesta ST has garnered to date, and the emergence of the above-pictured Fiesta RS WRC rally car, but it'll take more than goodwill to make a more extreme version a reality.
According to Auto Express, a new roadgoing Fiesta RS would almost certainly be based closely on the ST version, albeit with some vital differences. Its 1.6-liter turbo four would be increased from 180 horsepower to somewhere around 230 hp, and that powertrain would be accompanied by lightweight alloys inside blistered wheel arches, a stripped-out interior and possibly lightweight bodywork.
The vehicle's approval would reportedly require a strong business case in Europe, and not just in the UK where Ford hot hatches traditionally enjoy a strong following. It's unclear whether the Fiesta RS would potentially make the transatlantic voyage to American showrooms, but between it and the larger Focus RS, hopefully the Blue Oval wouldn't leave its home market out of the action altogether.