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Ford Escort Concept goes back to basics

Here's the thing about China: The folks buying cars there have a very different set of standards than shoppers in many other markets around the globe. While we all drool over hot metal with bold designs, and while we appreciate automakers going an extra step to inject even their cheapest offerings with aggressive and interesting cues, that sort of sheetmetal sex appeal doesn't always sell in the People's Republic. Case in point is Jaguar, which may be designing a more traditional-looking version of its XJ for the Chinese market, or more to the point of this story, Ford currently sells the less-exciting, last-generation Focus compact in China right alongside the new one.
So consider this new Shanghai-bound C-segment concept a preview of what's to come for that more traditional, budget-minded, less-sexy market. More proof of this pudding: Ford's even calling this concept the Escort - a nod to the Blue Oval's compact car days of yore, and a name that stirs up thoughts of basic, affordable transportation rather than great driving dynamics or bold design. "Customers in China described seeking a vehicle that is stylish - but not one that is arrogant or pretentious," Ford states. And this new Escort concept previews a possibility of providing exactly that for this rapidly expanding automotive market.
What you're looking at, then, is one of the most simple Ford designs we've seen of late, though it still incorporates all of the automaker's latest DNA. The signature hexagonal grille is front and center, flanked by attractive LED headlamps and chrome-rimmed foglamp housings. The entire car's design focuses on clean, smooth surfaces, with one strong character line flowing from front to back just below the beltline. We will say that the car looks decidedly more premium from the rear view, where narrow, horizontal taillamps with an LED accent give the car added visual width. Bland as it may be, it's a handsome little concept, though fear what would likely happen if all of the conceptual details get dumbed down for a production model.

2015 Shelby GT bows in Scottsdale with 627 supercharged ponies

Between the base V6, the EcoBoost turbo four, the eight-cylinder GT, the monstrous GT350 and the new GT350R (to say nothing of transmission and convertible options), muscle-car enthusiasts have a staggering array of Mustangs to choose from. And now there's one more as Shelby American has introduced the new 2015 Shelby GT. Building off the success of the 2007 Shelby GT and the 2013 follow-up, the new 2015 model was just introduced at the Ford booth at Barrett-Jackson in Scottsdale, AZ. It's based on the latest Mustang GT (whether factory fresh or commissioned from an owner's existing pony car) but upgrades with an enviable list of enhancements from Ford Racing Performance Parts, Shelby's own upgrades and top-shelf third-party components. For starters, the engine is supercharged up to 627 horsepower (with over 700 available through further upgrades). It's got 3.73 gears, a Borla exhaust, WELD Racing wheels, Michelin tires and Wilwood six-piston front brakes. Visual enhancements include a carbon-fiber body-kit (including a two-piece rear diffuser) and billet aluminum front grilles. Designed from the get-go to be sold around the world, the 2015 Shelby GT is certified for use in all 50 states and comes with a Shelby American CSM number registered in the company's registry, but all those enhancements don't come cheap: Shelby's charging $39,995 for the new GT, and that's just for the modifications. Add that to the $32k sticker on a Mustang GT donor and you're looking at over $70k – which is not only more than Ford itself is expected to charge for its own GT350, but more than Dodge gets for a Challenger Hellcat. Related Video: SHELBY AMERICAN LAUNCHES 2015 SHELBY GT MUSCLE CAR FOR ENTHUSIASTS WORLDWIDE LAS VEGAS – Jan. 16, 2015 – Shelby American, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc. (CSBI:PK), launched the first global Shelby GT muscle car, which is based on the all-new 2015 Ford Mustang GT. One of the most popular cars in Shelby history the 627 HP 2015 Shelby GT was unveiled today at the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction in Ford Motor Company's booth. Shelby is now taking orders with delivery of cars planned for the beginning of the second quarter of 2015.

Ford pulling out of V8 Supercars after 2015

Australian racing fans are staring down the end of an era as news breaks that Ford will no longer participate in the V8 Supercars series. Although the official announcement has yet to be made, the decision – as reported widely in the automotive press Down Under and in global motorsport publications – indicates that the Blue Oval automaker has already confirmed its intentions to its shareholders early on Monday to shut down its factory effort in the popular tin-top series at the end of next season. The move will mark the end of an era for what has become the International V8 Supercars Championship. Alongside GM's Holden division, Ford was one of only two manufacturers competing in the series from its inception in the late 1990s through last year when a change in regulations opened the door for entries from Nissan, Volvo and Mercedes. Further rule changes are expected to attract even more manufacturers to the series, with Lexus said to be first among them. Over the past eighteen seasons, the V8 Supercars Championship has been won in a Holden Commodore fourteen times, leaving Ford to win the title only four times with successive versions of the Falcon. Eleven of the cars on the grid this season were Commodores, compared to only seven Ford Falcons between two teams that will need to switch to another manufacturer for the season after next – although some could opt to stick with their Fords for one more season, even without factory support, until the open 2016 regulations take effect. The decision follows Ford's announcement last year that it will cease manufacturing in Australia by 2016, ending a 90-year presence Down Under that stretches back to 1925. Blue Oval models like the Falcon, previously unique to the Aussie market, are being replaced by imported models like the Mondeo and Mustang.