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Ford rolls out diesel Focus ST at Goodwood [w/poll]

If you're in the market for a hot hatch, there are some excellent choices at your disposal - especially if you live in Europe. But if you want a diesel, well, your choices become rather more limited. Volkswagen tends to that niche market with the Golf GTD (essentially an oil-burning version of the GTI available Stateside), but that's about the extent of it. The pleas of those looking for more diesel-burning hot hatch choices haven't fallen on deaf ears at Ford, with the Blue Oval not only rolling out a facelifted gas-powered Focus ST at the Goodwood Festival of Speed this weekend, but also a new diesel version as well.
The diesel Focus ST (which we hope and pray isn't marketed as the STD) packs a 2.0-liter turbodiesel four producing 182 horsepower and 295 pound-feet of torque to propel the oil-burning hot hatch to 62 in 8.1 seconds en route to a top speed of 135 miles per hour. With less power and only slightly more torque, that makes the diesel Focus ST considerably slower than the gasoline one, which packs 252 hp and 270 lb-ft, runs to 62 in 6.5 seconds and tops out at 154 mph, but (in a testament to how far particulate filters have come) the diesel model cuts carbon emissions by nearly a third compared to the petrol version and returns about 50-percent better fuel economy, which makes that much more of a difference in markets where diesel is already priced better than gasoline at the pump.
For buyers who wouldn't consider anything other than a diesel, it also represents 23-percent more power than the previous top-level diesel Focus. The VW Golf GTD, for reference, offers up 181 hp (just 1 horse less), 280 lb-ft (15 fewer torques) but is somehow estimated to reach 60 in a considerably fleeter 7.4 seconds.

Latest Forza Horizon 3 car pack features a Skyline and a fast Swedish wagon

The steady stream of Forza Horizon 3 car packs shows no signs of slowing down, and the latest Rockstar Energy Drink pack includes enthusiast favorites such as the R31 Skyline and the Volvo V60 Polestar. The car pack also features a couple of sporty two-doors and some off-road oriented machines. Luxury-minded players will be pleased to see both the Bentley Bentayga and BMW i8 make an appearance. People more concerned with ultimate performance will have a different pair to consider. Players will want to check out the Ford trophy truck for busting dunes, and the Radical RXC Turbo for race-car levels of pavement performance. Finally, yet another classic Aussie muscle car appears in the pack: the 1972 Ford Falcon XA GT-HO. For those interested in the new rides, this car pack is included in the Forza Horizon 3 Car Pass, or can be purchased on its own. If only one or two vehicles are must-haves, it's also possible to purchase the cars individually. Related Video: Related Gallery Forza Horizon 3 Rockstar Energy Car Pack Image Credit: Turn10 Studios / Playground Games Toys/Games Bentley BMW Ford Volvo Videos bentley bentayga nissan skyline volvo v60 polestar forza horizon 3

Toyota, Ford and Honda again top Consumer Reports Car-Brand Perception Survey

Consumer Reports has released its annual Car-Brand Perception Survey, and the list looks awfully familiar. The top six brands are identical to last year's results, with Toyota, Ford and Honda continuing to occupy the podium. All told, Toyota walked away with 133 points, putting it 15 ahead of second-place Ford. Honda jumped 26 points this year, narrowing Ford's lead to just four points in total.
Consumer Reports polls buyers from across the country on how they see multiple brands in seven categories, including quality, safety, value, performance, design/style, technology/innovation and environmentally friendly/green. Researchers then combine the findings to come up with the total brand score.
While value and performance remain important to buyers, CR found quality and safety are still on top when it comes to significance. Scion and Mitsubishi found themselves at the bottom of the pack with the worst score of all, tied at just six points. Ram, Fiat and Mini filled out the lowest five with scores of seven, eight and 10 points, respectively. You can read the full press release below for more information, or head over to the Consumer Reports site.