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Ford Fiesta ST in startling track battle against Toyota GT86

On the surface, there's very little that the Ford Fiesta ST and Toyota GT86 (or the Scion FR-S that is sold in the US, or the largely similar Subaru BRZ) share in common. One is a hatchback with power coming from a turbocharged engine routed to the front wheels. The other is a coupe with power coming from a naturally aspirated four-cylinder boxer engine routed to the rear wheels.
Thing is, both of them are reasonably priced performance cars aimed at a similar segment of the automotive marketplace, so a comparison isn't out of the question. It is with all of this in mind that we direct you to the video below, in which the blokes from Evo pit the two manic little machines against one another on a race track. The result? Well, it can be summed up this way: Fast versus fun.
See how the track battle goes down in the video below.

NHTSA probes 2014 Ford Edge Sport 22-inch alloy wheels

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is opening a preliminary evaluation into the 2014 Ford Edge Sport for the possibility its 22-inch wheels could break while on the road. This affects an estimated 20,000 examples of the crossover, according to NHTSA. The case that instigated this evaluation was submitted to NHTSA in November 2014. The driver reported that the front, right corner of the vehicle suddenly dipped, and the Edge went into a field. No one was harmed, but upon investigation, the wheel had broken into two pieces, according to The Detroit News. When this happened, this crossover had been driven an estimated 8,500 miles. NHTSA's preliminary evaluations are meant "to assess the scope, frequency, and safety-related consequences of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles." If a problem is discovered during the investigation, this process can lead to a recall. Ford spokesperson Kelli Felker told Autoblog, "We will cooperate with NHTSA on this investigation, as we always do." INVESTIGATION Subject : Wheel Separation Date Investigation Opened: MAY 20, 2015 Date Investigation Closed: Open NHTSA Action Number: PE15020 Component(s): WHEELS All Products Associated with this Investigation Vehicle Make Model Model Year(s) FORD EDGE 2014 Details Manufacturer: Ford Motor Company SUMMARY: On November 29, 2014, ODI received a complaint (ODI No. 10661278) reporting the sudden failure of an original equipment 22-inch alloy wheel rim that failed on a model year 2014 Ford Edge. The right-front corner of the vehicle suddenly dropped while driving, causing the vehicle to drive off the road and into a field. The right-front wheel rim was found to have broken into two pieces. The owner said that there was no prior warning or wheel related problems with the vehicle. The vehicle had been driven approximately 8,500 miles at the time of the incident. A preliminary evaluation has been opened to assess the scope, frequency and safety-related consequences of the alleged defect in the subject vehicles. Related Video:

Monsoon rains disrupt production for Ford, BMW in India

Even modern production techniques can be stymied by Mother Nature. This was demonstrated most recently in India, as torrential, monsoon rains caused a deluge that forced multiple automakers to suspend production. Ford, Renault, and BMW all halted work at their Indian facilities around the southern city of Chennai, also known as Madras. The annual rains disrupted public transport around the city, preventing employees from making the trek into city's factories. According to Automotive News, Chennai saw 48 inches of precipitation last month alone, which is more than Seattle, WA saw in all of 2014. While Ford and BMW closed things down for all of December 1, Renault just cancelled a pair of shifts at its Chennai factory. This is the second time in the past month that automakers in southeast India have been forced to stop production due to severe flooding, and things aren't likely to improve. According to The Weather Channel, forecasts call for thunderstorms over five of the next seven days, while the chance of rain won't fall below 80 percent until December 8. Ford, Renault, and BMW are far from the only automakers that could stand to be impacted by the rains. The city has been nicknamed "The Detroit of India" for its extreme automotive presence. Daimler, Hindustan, Hyundai, Mitsubishi, and Nissan all own factories in the region. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req.Image Credit: STR / AFP / Getty Images Plants/Manufacturing BMW Ford Renault