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Ford recalls 434k vehicles for several unrelated issues

It seems that the hard winter in much of the country has been as rough on some Fords as it has on many people. The Blue Oval is recalling roughly 434,000 vehicles in two separate recalls, and one of them partially caused by the salt used to melt the snow on roads.
The first recall covers 385,750 2001-2004 Escape models in the Midwest, Northeast and Canada because a subframe could rust and eventually fail. This is partially due to the road salt used in those areas, and about 349,000 of the affected vehicles are in the US. To remedy the problem, dealers are installing a reinforcement cross brace on the frame to strengthen them. There has been one crash caused by the failure but no injuries. According to The Detroit News, this is not the first rust-related recall for Ford. It estimates the company has repaired over two million vehicles since 2010 for problems on vehicles related to the iron oxide, including the rear wheel wells of the Freestar minivan.
The second recall covers 48,950 2013-2014 Ford Fusion, Escape, C-MAX and Lincoln MKZ models because welds in their seatbacks don't meet National Highway Traffic Safety Administration standards. The fault affects the front seats, and the sub-standard welds joining the setback to the recliner could increase the chance on injury. There have been no reported injuries or accidents caused by the problem, but there are 42,972 affected vehicles in the US and 4,744 in Canada.

Your official Ford Transit specs are here, $29,565* to start

Ford has released the full list of pricing and specs on its new Transit, the replacement for the long-lived E-Series cargo van. Prices are set to start at $29,565 and can increase rapidly from there, depending on length, engine and wheelbase, among other options.
Let's talk first about those new engines. The base is the familiar 3.7-liter, naturally aspirated V6. It boasts 275 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque and can return up to 14 miles per gallon in the city and 19 mpg on the highway. This engine can also be adapted to run on LPG or compressed natural gas. Of course, there are better alternatives, for a price, the first of which is Ford's well-received, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6. It packs 310 hp and a best-in-class 400 lb-ft of torque (available at just 2,500 rpm) while matching the naturally aspirated engine in both city and highway fuel economy.
Then, there's the diesel. With a 3.2-liter, five-cylinder diesel mill at its disposal, the Transit generates 350 lb-ft between 1,500 and 2,500 rpm, along with 185 hp. This engine hasn't been rated by the EPA, although we'd be really, really surprised if it didn't handily best either of the gas-powered engines in fuel efficiency. A six-speed automatic is standard, regardless of engine.

Ford Focus refresh shots leak ahead of Geneva

In case you haven't been paying attention, Ford has been gradually redesigning its lineup to sport a familiar face. The Aston Martin-inspired grille shape debuted on the Fusion and was soon applied to the Fiesta. Even the front end of the new Mustang takes its cues from the same, and we're sure other models will soon be made-over to fall in line. The next on the docket? The Focus.
Set to be unveiled in little over a week at the Geneva Motor Show, the revised Focus has leaked out a tad early, revealing a mild facelift that bears that same trapezoidal grille with horizontal slats. Along with the new grille, the headlights, lower fascia and hood appear to have been reshaped. Around back there appears to be a new rear bumper and taillights, but otherwise the shape remains largely the same as the current model.
Expect the updates to be applied to all bodystyles offered around the world, including the hatchback, wagon and sedan. The engine lineup is expected to carry over largely unchanged, though the plug-in hybrid powertrain from the C-Max Energi could port over to the revised Focus. Plus Ford seems to have taken the opportunity to spruce things up in the cabin some. Check it out in the image gallery above and watch this space for the official announcement as we pack our bags for Switzerland.