Fiesta rejoins small car party; Feisty Ford a fun, frugal fuel sipper
Fri Oct 15 2010
Page: D7
Section: Globe Megawheels
Byline: Bob English

The interior door-pulls are a pain, the door caps hard plastic and the Bright Magenta Metallic paint isn't a colour adult males of a certain vintage will feel entirely comfortable with - but otherwise the new Fiesta is the best subcompact Ford's sold here since the last Fiesta it had a fling with in the late 1970s. 
 
I owned one of those as a twenty something, in bright yellow paintwork, and recall it being a neat little car. Stylish inside and out, and with a 1.6-litre motor pumping 66 hp to the front wheels through a four-speed transaxle, it was pretty peppy and economical at about 9.5 L/100 km. 
 
It would have cost me $3,880, almost a grand more than a Pinto but the portion of that ending up in Ford's profit column apparently wasn't too impressive as it was yanked after three years. A couple of subsequent subcompact attempts, the Festiva in the 1980s and Aspire in the 1990s, didn't prove to be what North Americans were looking for either. 
 
But with gas prices inflating a couple of years ago Ford decided adding a fuel-sipper to the lineup again - just in case everybody stopped buying its thirsty and profitable full-size pickup trucks - might be a good idea. And, as with the first Fiesta, it looked to Europe where the current versions, launched in 2008, were already a success with three-quarters of a million sold. 
 
The Fiesta became available here in the summer in base roll-up-windows S and better-equipped SE sedan versions priced at $12,999 and $16,099. You have to step up to the SE trim level (air conditioning, info display, CD player, power windows, locks, mirrors, keyless entry) and $16,799 for a hatchback. 
 
With this Fiesta, Ford has switched its subcompact strategy from trying to sell cheap and decidedly un-cheerful little cars to attempting to interest North Americans in a more up-market small vehicle. This is why it boasts standard features such as push-button start, blind-spot-mirrors, a cap-less fuel filler, electronic stability control and seven airbags. 
 
The five-door tester Fiesta SE came with automatic transmission, Ford's clever Sync entertainment and communications system, sport appearance and winter packages that popped the price up to $20,879, including destination charges. 
 
All Fiestas are powered by a 120-hp/112-lb-ft torque, 1.6-litre four- cylinder engine with five-speed manual or optional six-speed automatic. The automatic is a dual-clutch design, the most advanced transmission offered in this car category. Oddly it doesn't have a shift-it-yourself feature, but perhaps we'll see one on a future sports version. 
 
Fuel economy ratings are an impressive 6.9 L/100 km city and 5.1 highway with the automatic (a couple of tenths better than the manual). I averaged 6.6 L/100 km and at highway speeds it managed 5.9 L/100 km. 
 
I liked the Fiesta from the first tug on the door handle and the satisfying thud it made when I pulled it shut. No tin-can small car this one, it's obviously got some structural substance. 
 
The inside door pulls, however, require that you turn your palm inward and extend a couple of fingers and insert them into a narrow slot. Awkward. It's also puzzling why Ford chose to cover the dash with a soft-touch material and the door caps, where your elbow is often propped, with hard plastic. 
 
Those niggles aside, the Fiesta's interior is pretty cool with a rather busy centre stack with info screen above simple climate controls, easy-to-read instruments, quality sound system, nicely padded wheel and ambient lighting in the foot wells and cup holders. Seats are short-ish but have some firmness and headroom is okay. Rear-seat knee-room is marginal with tall-ish folk up front, and there's 435 litres of space under the hatch. 
 
Keeping in mind that 66 hp was considered adequate three decades ago, the Fiesta's 120 hp is fine, although you will have to press the pedal to let it rev a bit. The engine is smooth and well isolated so this isn't bothersome, although there's a little motor hum at highway speeds and hills will often bring on a downshift out of the tall top gear. 
 
Past criticism of Ford for "Americanizing" Euro imports' handling doesn't hold true with this one. The electric power steering controls the front wheels with a deft touch and they respond willingly to alter your course and the well controlled suspension doesn't clatter and bang over bumps. 
 
Are North Americans going to switch their affections to small cars in great numbers in the near future? Not likely, but the Fiesta will at least change the way many think about them. 
 
RATINGS
Looks  - 8.5  - The magenta tester's visual impact hits the mark with a splash like a grape paint ball - and there are eight other colours to choose from.
Interior  - 8.0  - Front-seaters will find it visually appealing and spacey enough, the ambient lighting is cool and there are lots of gadgets to play with. Rear-seat room is tight.
Ride - 8.0  - Ford didn't, as it has in the past with Euro imports, sacrifice handling with this one. Ride quality, always tough in a short wheelbase car, is also surprisingly good.
Safety - 8.5  - Ford has packed plenty of structural safety into the Fiesta, plus electronic stability control and seven airbags.
Green - 8.5  - Very good fuel economy ratings plus a sensible use of materials to carry four people compared to, say, a Lincoln MKZ, make it as green as the Lime Squeeze Metallic paint it's offered in.
The Verdict - 8.0  - It may be small, but the Fiesta - like a pinata at a Mexican fiesta - is packed with plenty of treats. 
 
You'll like this car if: you are a planet-conscious downtowner. 
 

 
 
Ford cargo van perfect for urban Canada; Light-duty delivery vehicle has been popular in Europe for years
Fri Oct 15 2010
Page: F3
Section: Driving
Byline: Tim Yip 
 
Time is money, as the saying goes. Your business is a going concern and you don't have time to waste researching a new delivery vehicle, so just read this paragraph: 
 
The Ford Transit Connect is a purpose-built cargo van that's small on the outside (its length and width are similar to that of a Mazda3) and big on the inside (the cargo bay can carry loads six feet five inches long, four feet seven inches wide, and a 1,645-lb. payload). Starting price is $26,799 (with 2.0-litre DOHC four-cylinder engine, four-speed automatic transmission, front-wheel-drive, air conditioning, telescopic/ tilt steering, ABS and AM/FM radio). Popular in Europe, the Ford Transit Connect is perfect for Canada, and is simply the best light-duty delivery van available. 
 
Now, for the rest of you analytical thinkers, here are the details: Ford of Europe designed the Transit Connect a few years ago and it's been popular in Europe. Just about every major auto manufacturer makes a similar vehicle. If you've been to Europe in the last few years, you've seen fleets of these mini cargo vans beetling their way through the gridlocked streets of London, Paris and Rome. 
 
Ford claims the Transit Connect, based on the Focus platform, drives like a car but works like a truck, and for once, marketing hype matches reality. Our demo unit -- a Cargo Van XLT with optional block heater ($80), Roll Stability Control ($550) and reverse sensing system ($250) -- is actually easier to drive than some cars. Its seating position is high (aided by a height-adjustable driver's seat), and forward visibility is excellent. 
 
The van's snub nose can be seen with relative ease, and Ford has cleverly cut down the front quarter-windows in the doors to increase the view down to curbside. 
 
Our test vehicle had no side glass, so its blind spots are huge. (Oddly, Ford's Bright Think two-piece/wide-angle, blind-spot-eliminating side mirrors, which are on the 2011 Fiesta, don't show up on the Transit.) 
 
Steering has a nice weight and more feel than it does in the Scion xB we tested recently. But the Transit truly excels as a delivery vehicle. Ford has done its homework here, providing features specifically for delivery drivers. The front seats are easy to get into and out of. Opening the cargo door on either side is a one-hand operation, and they slide open with a light touch. The rear, vertically split cargo doors open 90 degrees for tight spaces or when parked curbside next to moving traffic, but each rear door can swing open a full 180 degrees with a one-touch release. 
 
Remote unlocking/locking doors (front, sides and rear cargo) means speedy entry and no more fumbling with a key. Engage Drive and the doors lock automatically -- important for safeguarding the cargo. Unlatch either front door from inside and both unlock; there's no wasting time releasing a lock, then opening the door as is required on some vehicles. 
 
Inside, above the windshield is a large shelf for stowing miscellaneous items like work gloves, safety vests, site plans and small tools.  Atop the centre stack is a cubby large enough to hold paperwork. The driver's window has a one-push, express-down feature, convenient for when a driver has to check in with security.
Unlocking the doors automatically turns on the dome light, two interior cargo lights and the parking lights -- nice features for night work. 
 
Turn off the engine and the three interior lights automatically switch on for 25 seconds, allowing enough time to gather one's belongings before exiting. 
 
The cargo hold is a large, open box with a low, flat, six-feet-plus-long cargo floor encumbered only by the vehicle's wheel arches, which allow a 48-in.-wide item between them. The floor has two steel D-ring anchors for strapping down loads. 
 
Gripes about the Transit are minor. Although its transmission shifts smoothly, it's an old design four-speed. 
 
(A five-speed or CVT transmission would eke out even better fuel mileage than its already commendable 9.5/7.9 L/100 km city/hwy. rating). 
 
The vehicle has no traction control, but it does have ABS, and traction control is an inexpensive add-on to ABS systems. 
 
Finally, there's no dedicated space for a laptop computer. 
 
Overall, the Transit Connect Cargo Van is in a class of its own -- for now, at least. Nissan is said to be releasing a small commercial vehicle later this year.
The Connect can be highly recommended. It's the perfect vehicle for commercial operators who require a light-duty, easy-handling, fuel-efficient, spacious box on wheels for city deliveries. 
 
Illustration: The 2010 Ford Transit Connect is designed to drive like a car but work like a truck.
Length: 805 words 
 
 
Wheels on Edge

Today's Featured Car ? 2010 Ford Flex Limited Review


 
2010 Ford Flex Limited 
8-Oct-2010
Rob Davidson's point of view


A car that grows on you!

http://www.wheelsonedge.com/video.asp?vid=173

 
 
 
Ford Focus electric convenience cord gives owners easy handle on recharging
Thu Oct 14 2010
Page: W01
Section: Wheels 
 
When Ford debuts its all-new Focus Electric in late 2011, customers will learn a new way of "refueling", plugging in instead of gassing up. 
 
While most owners are expected to recharge the zero-emissions, gas-free Focus Electric at home with an optional wall-mounted 240V charging station, they also will have the ability to recharge at remote locations with a standard 120V convenience cord. 
 
Owners of Focus Electric will recharge the car's onboard lithium-ion battery pack by plugging the convenience plug or charge station plug into the vehicle's charge port. 
 
When plugged in, the vehicle's onboard charger converts the AC power from the electric grid to DC power to charge the liquid-cooled battery pack. 
 
A full recharge is expected to take six to eight hours with a 240V charge station or more than 12 hours with a 120V convenience cord set. When fully charged, Focus Electric is expected to deliver up to 100 miles of gas-free driving - more than enough for most commuters, who average 40 miles per day. 
 
Since Focus Electric owners are likely to recharge their vehicles two to four times each day (nearly 1,500 times a year) compared to once a week for gassing up (52 times a year), Ford conducted an ergonomic study to help determine plug handle design, as well as charge port height and insertion angle. 
  

 


Road Noise
Ford taking turbocharged gamble
By Kelly Taylor - Thursday, Oct 14, 2010

FORT WORTH, Tex. ? Ford is taking a number of risks with the new 2011 F-150, not the least of which is trying to convince customers a turbocharged V-6 engine can compete with V-8s, including its own V-8.
 
Well, it appears that in the truck world, perhaps for the first time, there really is a replacement for displacement. The 3.5-litre EcoBoost V-6, with twin turbochargers, is identical in towing capacity to the monster 6.2-litre V-8, and only 14 pound-feet of torque separate the two.
 
But here?s the difference: where the 6.2-litre V-8 is a 6.2-litre V8 all the time, the EcoBoost V-6 is only equal to the 6.2 when the turbos wind up. Keep the turbos out of the picture and your gas mileage is very interesting. In a five-mile fuel economy challenge, journalists here were invited to be the most miserly. The winner? In the mid-30s in miles per gallon (US). In Canadian terms, that?s 6.7 litres per 100 km. My result? 26.2 MPG, which is 9.2 l/100 km.
 
To be fair, the winning driver apparently drove at about 20 mph. I stayed closer to the 60 mph speed limit. In normal driving, the truck was averaging about 20 MPG, or 11.7 l/100km. It?s still quite reasonable for a truck that can tow more than twice its own weight. The EcoBoost engine is a $2,000 option on XL, XLT, FX2/FX4 and Lariat editions.
 
Ford describes the EcoBoost as offering diesel-like performance in a gasoline engine. Given the kick to the backside this engine delivers when you punch it, I?d have to agree.
 
The turbo V-6 isn?t the only risk Ford is taking. The 2011 F-150 is the first application in pickup trucks of electric power-assist steering (EPAS). The risk is that electric power assist in cars has a reputation for numb-feeling steering, which can be an even bigger problem in trucks where owners navigate tricky situations by feel, feeling when the tire has hit a rock or dropped off the edge of a log.
 
But Ford?s Frank Davis, executive director of Ford?s North American product development program, says engineers have put significant development time into getting it right, and based on our drive around the Fort Worth area, it appears they have. The steering was light when it needed to be, tight when it should have been and provided good feedback of road surface and bumps through the steering wheel. It was not at all like playing a video game, as some other similar systems can.
 
The EPAS system allows Ford to play some nifty games with the steering. First, because the electric system only draws power when you?re turning (hydraulic systems are always driven by the engine), it saves fuel. But they can also get the AdvanceTrac stability control to talk to EPAS and provide what Ford calls ?drift control.? In crosswinds or on crowned roads, when the vehicle is pulling (or being pushed) to one side, EPAS can take over and compensate for input the driver would normally have to provide to counteract the drift. The result is a truck that tracks on-centre very well.
 
EPAS also varies the amount of assist with the speed of the vehicle, to be light for parking manoeuvres but tight for highway driving.
 
One risk that Ford isn?t taking is a move to an independent rear axle. Davis said Ford customer feedback has indicated that capability outranks ride and handling, and that it?s not clear that enough benefit to handling could be had to offset a loss in capacity.
 
The other engines in F-150?s lineup include a 3.5-litre V-6, a 5.0-litre V-8 and a 6.2-litre V-8. For many pickup buyers, the 3.7 V-6 is all the engine they need. It was responsive and didn?t feel underpowered, even under hard acceleration. Of course, the 3.7 V-6 also has the lowest trailer towing capability, which should be the only real reason to upgrade engines (beyond simply desiring to do so, of course). The 3.7-litre can tow 6,100 pounds; the 5.0-litre 10,000 pounds and the 3.5-litre EcoBoost V-6 and 6.2-litre V-8 11,300 pounds. The 6.2-litre V-8 remains a two-valve, overhead camshaft design.
 
If sex has a sound, it?s Ford?s 5.0-litre V-8. The exhaust note from this engine, whether tuned for the F-150 or the Mustang GT, is simply intoxicating. That alone could prompt some buyers to step up. EcoBoost will be available in the first quarter of 2011 while the other three engines will be offered at launch.
 
Each engine has its own improvements. The 3.7-litre and 5.0-litre move up from variable timing on only the intake camshafts to variable timing on both intake and outtake camshafts. Each camshaft varies its timing independently of the other, as well.
 
Also improved for 2011 is the transmission. In all models, it?s a six-speed automatic, with floor-mounted shifters in the up level models and column-mounted shifters in base models. The six-speed offers a number of options for the cargo- and trailer-encumbered: Select Shift allows drivers to lock out upper gears as needed, shutting off sixth, fifth, fourth and so on depending on the towing situation.
 
When towing a heavy trailer, it?s always a good idea in any vehicle to turn off overdrive, which under load generates considerable heat, and let the vehicle pull in the next gear down (fourth in a five-speed, fifth in a six-speed, and so on). 
 
Also, there?s a Tow/Haul mode, which because of Select Shift does not include an automatic overdrive lock-out, but does alter the shift patterns of the truck to accommodate heavy loads.
 
The same rocker switch for Select Shift can also be used to change gears manually when the shift lever is in the M position.
 
Ford?s SYNC system also offers some interesting capabilities for work users. The optional Tool Link provides radio frequency ID tags that customers can attach to their tools (saws, drills, etc.). The system will then warn the driver if he attempts to leave a job site without having returned his tools to the truck. Helpful if the driver is prone to forgetting things.
 
SYNC also offers SYNC 911, which calls 911 using the driver?s cell phone in the case of an accident. Of course, conventional hands-free calling is also offered. SYNC can also be equipped with the juke box, which stores hours worth of music on a hard drive that can be searched and played from the truck.
Ford also made available for our drives Chevy Silverado models in two and four-wheel drive. While I can say the Fords felt better, I also know that in such manufacturer-driven comparisons, competing models are chosen very, very carefully. The one thing that did stand out for me was how much more powerful the Ford base-model V-6 felt compared to the Chevy base-model V-6. 
 
I also preferred the Ford?s thick steering wheel rim, which made grasping the wheel comfortable and sure. GM may wish to revisit its steering-wheel choices, as the rim felt on the small side.
 
Overall, Ford has staked out the 2011 F-150 as a bold, new offering in the truck world. While the skin doesn?t change much from the 2010, it?s what?s inside that?s the really big news. Ford?s Frank Davis said that customers have said that fuel economy is a big motivator in purchasing a truck and a major reason to switch brands. 
 
If customers can buy into Ford?s vision of EcoBoost in a pickup, there could be some serious poaching from the competition.

 


 
Ford F-150
Thu Oct 14 2010
Page: TP4
Section: Trucks Plus

Overall: New 2010 SVT Raptor model gets it on with serious off-road capability; Harley-Davidson edition returns to F-150 fold.
Drivetrain: Two versions of the 4.6-litre V-8 plus 5.4; V-6 option gone and no sign of a thrifty diesel model. 
Variety? The F-150 practically invented it.  Re-engineered and restyled last year, this pickup now includes nine different models, from bare-bones basic to fully dressed. 
 
There's as many as 35 different trim-level configurations, including four box lengths and three cab sizes (regular, extended SuperCab and four-door SuperCrew), not to mention both rear-and four-wheel-drive availability. 
 
The slightly more streamlined body attaches to a boxed ladder frame that was lightened by 45 kilograms yet made stiffer, which boosted maximum carrying capacity to a segment-leading 1,380 kilograms with up to 5,140 kilograms of trailer weight. 
 
There are as many as 30 storage pockets, bins and cubbies available on this truck, depending on the model selected. 
 
The base 248-horsepower 4.6-litre two-valve-per-cylinder V-8 is joined by an optional three-valve-per-cylinder version that makes 292. 
 
There's also a 310-h. p. 5.4-L V-8. A four-speed automatic transmission is mated to the base engine, while the remainder use six-speed automatics . 
 
The optional 4.6-L V-8/six-speed automatic model features a 3,400-kilogram towing capacity. 
 
Beyond the standard air/cruise/tilt/ power content, the F-150 is available with a handy steel step that folds down from the tailgate, as well as a "Midbox," which is essentially three sliding storage trays protected by a locking door that's built into the pickup bed behind the passenger compartment. 
 
Back for another year and built off the F-150 SuperCrew body is the tough-looking (and acting) Harley-Davidson model, with its unique grille, lowered suspension, 22-inch painted wheels, special leather-clad interior festooned with H-D badging and your choice of black or maroon point jobs. 
 
A 320-h. p. version of the 5.4-L V-8 is also standard on this truck, as it is on the new F-150 SVT Raptor 4x4. 
 
Illustration:  The F-150 features as many as 30 storage pockets, bins and cubbies, making it one of the most versatile trucks on the market today.
Length: 323 words


 
Quirky car for funny guy Sean Cullen - Comedian?s new ride has Flex appeal

Sean Cullen
Profession: Stand-up comedian and actor
Age: 45
Hometown: Peterborough, Ont.

 
Award-winning comedian Sean Cullen is quirky and fun and needs a ride that suits his unique personality
 
Notable achievements: He is a multiple Canadian Comedy Awards winner and has three Gemini Awards. Upcoming: He?s performing at the 11th Annual Canadian Comedy Awards Gala, Best of the Fest Gala, at Winter Garden Theatre in Toronto on Sunday, Oct. 17. He?s performing in Peter Pan at Stratford Festival until Oct. 31. He has a new children?s book, The Prince of Two Tribes, coming out this month; his earlier novel, Prince of Neither Here Nor There, was nominated for the Toronto Book Award this year ? the winner will be announced Oct. 14.
 
Sean Cullen hit the stage more than two decades ago as a member of the comedy troupe Corky and The Juice Pigs. In 1998, he went solo and never looked back. The award-winning comedian is quirky and fun and needs a ride that suits his unique personality ? that?s why he drives a 2010 Ford Flex.
 
Why did you buy a Flex?
I have a couple of kids and my last car only had two doors. It was a ?98 Jeep Cherokee. I bought it 13 years ago. I did a commercial for Ford for their Sync system about a year ago and I got to drive around in a lot of Fords and I was impressed by how roomy it was inside. So I bought it ? it was employee pricing so that was another good bonus. After the Jeep, this is like riding in a jetliner ? it?s amazing.
 
My dad used to get these giant station wagons. We had five kids. The station wagon doesn?t exist any more. I like the shape of this and it reminded me of that ? it can fit seven people. I like things that look a bit strange, too. I like things with a bit of character. I think it looks like a space shuttle.
 
What does a Flex say about you?
It says I am a man who likes to drive larger cars. It?s something I feel secure in with my family.
 
It?s a quirky vehicle and I think that suits me very well. It?s very unusual. People ask you about it a lot. You run into other Ford owners and it?s, like, ?Ah yes, you and I, we get it!
 
It?s funny, in Stratford I see a million Pontiac Aztecs ? I have no idea why, but there are hundreds of them. It?s that kind of car ? it?s got that weird mystique. If you like it you really like it. It?s like being a Beetle owner.
 
What was your first car?
My first car I bought when I was 15. I couldn?t drive it yet. It was a 1967 MG Midget. Five-hundred dollars used.
 
My father revamped it for me and put it all together and I drove it for a few years. It?s still at my home in Peterborough. I?m going to one day fix it up and get it going.
 
Are you handy mechanically ? do you tinker with cars?
No! No!
 
My dad was an amazing mechanic. He?s one of those guys who grew up in the depression and had to learn how to fix everything himself. He couldn?t afford to get anyone to fix things for him.
 
I wish I had learned something from him. He wasn?t a very patient guy. He wasn?t a patient teacher, but he was very good with his hands.
 
Have you had any car mishaps?
I owned a used 1987 Range Rover when I was in California. I like big cars. I like tanks. It was huge and powerful. It was very old and once the safety brake didn?t go on all the way and it rolled down my driveway and crashed into a parked car and totally destroyed it! Absolutely destroyed it and my car was fine. Not a scratch on it.
 
What?s your favourite driving memory?
Those tours across the country were really amazing. Driving around Canada and getting to know people and see the country from a car is the kind of thing every Canadian person should do.
 
My father had a giant Dodge Monaco custom station wagon when we were growing up ? it could seat nine. We would drive from Peterborough to Oshawa ? no one else could ever drive their kid so my dad would have nine kids in the car driving to a soccer game. That was a wonderful memory.
 
He also hitched a trailer and we, all seven of us in our family, went down to Prince Edward Island. That was a really wonderful time. Cars in Canada ? you?re connected with them. It connects you with the landscape.
 
If I could bring you the keys to any car, what would it be?
 
An Aston Martin DB9. It?s a pretty nice car, or maybe the Aston Martin from Goldfinger. That would be great, too.
 
What's your worst driving memory?
I was the only one who could drive when we were with Corky and The Juice Pigs. One of the other guys decided to get his 365 [learner's permit]. He had driven a bit and thought he was ready.
 
We had just done a show in Ottawa and we had to drive to Winnipeg to do another show the next day. We had no time to stop ? I was driving and I was so tired. I was just dying until I finally said just outside of Thunder Bay to Greg, ?Hey, can you drive? I need to rest.' He gets in the car, comes off the shoulder and drives along.
 
Up north, they have these passing lanes that suddenly widen and I said, ?Okay, indicate and let people go past you' and then he came to the end of the lane and said, ?Now, what do I do?' I said, ?Indicate and go back into the regular lane.' And he says, ?Ah, ah,' and he just spun the entire extended cargo van 360 degrees. We ended up facing the other way on the other shoulder.
 
I was wide awake. I drove the rest of the way. That was terrifying.
 
The interview has been edited and condensed.  Photos by:  Sarah Dea for The Globe and Mail



Friday October 8 2010 | By Colum Wood     
Eight Ford Fiestas to Take Centre Stage at SEMA; Including One 350-HP Version

While we still expect Ford to have a significant presence at the 2010 SEMA Show with the new 2011 Mustang, the Blue Oval has announced the Fiesta will take centre stage at its significantly-sized booth.
 
In total, eight modified Fiestas will be on display and Ford has given us a sneak peak at just what to expect.
 
Most exciting is a Ford Racing Performance Parts version of the cat that will make 350-hp thanks to a 2.3-litre version of Ford?s 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine.
 
?The goal of our 350-horsepower Fiesta is really twofold ? first to reinforce Fiesta?s fun-to-drive nature with an extreme version that captures the attention of the influential enthusiast, and second, to introduce the Ford Racing/EcoBoost connection in a way that?s unexpected and outrageous,? said Mickey Matus, Ford Racing Performance group marketing manager. ?In both cases, we?re targeting the discriminating performance enthusiast with our message. After all, they are the people others rely on for automotive expertise and recommendations.?
 
Some of the added parts are already available through Ford Racing, like a short throw shifter, exhaust and 17-inch wheels. Perhaps Ford is using the SEMA Show to test the waters and see if more high-powered options would be of interest to Fiesta owners.
 
The Ford Racing Fiesta will be on display in a vibrant blue and will be auctioned off to benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Fund (JDRF).
 
Another in-house project will be the Ford Vehicle Personalization Fiesta with a body kit, special wheels and a unique grille as well as a new interior package that will be offered to customers shortly.
 
As for the other six, they are currently under construction by the Universal Technical Institute, 3dCarbon, L&G Enterprises, H&R Springs, Steeda Autosports (should be a cool one) and FSWerks.
 

Ford soars as rivals retreat
September auto sales 'good but not great'
Sat Oct 2 2010
Page: B4
Section: Business
Byline: Tony Van Alphen 
 
Ford roared while heavyweight rivals General Motors and Toyota retreated in showrooms across the country last month. 
 
Sales of cars and trucks at Ford Motor Co. of Canada Ltd. shot up by almost two-thirds in September from the same period last year while business at GM and Toyota tumbled dramatically. 
 
Despite Ford's stunning performance and strong gains by several other automakers, overall industry sales increased only 4.3 per cent or about 5,600 to 135,098 vehicles last month. 
 
"Good but not great," said veteran industry watcher Dennis DesRosiers about the overall market improvement. 
 
Auto sales, a key indicator of the economy's health, have now improved 7.2 per cent to 1.2 million vehicles in the first three quarters of this year from the same nine months in 2009 when business crashed because of the recession. 
 
DesRosiers also said incentives have been a significant factor in boosting the Canadian market in recent months. 
 
Sales at Ford, which is poised to topple GM as the annual industry leader for the first time in more than half a century, shot up a stunning 63.7 per cent to 26,453 vehicles during September. It marked the company's best results for the month in 32 years. 
 
Truck volumes including sport utility vehicles and crossovers outperformed any September for Ford in 45 years. 
 
But sales at GM plunged 24.6 per cent to 17,897 vehicles last month. The big drop came after the company showed promising signs of breaking a long sales slump with gains in recent months. 
 
In response to the decline GM said it it would resume a leasing program for the Buick and Cadillac brands. It is already offering financing at low rates and the option to return a vehicle after 48 or 60 months. 
 
Toyota Canada Inc. didn't fare much better than GM last month. The company which is trying to recover from a series of recalls earlier this year, said sales including the Lexus luxury division plunged 17.1 per cent to 14,563 vehicles. Although the company's truck volumes hit a record for the month, car sales slid dramatically. 
 
Chrysler Canada's business improved for a tenth consecutive month with an increase of 2 per cent to 16,135 vehicles. 
 
Sales at Honda Canada Inc. including the luxury Acura division, climbed 10 per cent to 13,662 vehicles. Nissan Canada Inc. said its sales jumped 18.2 per cent to a record 8,548 vehicles. 
 
At booming Hyundai Auto Canada Corp. the Sonata and Sante Fe models boosted sales by 12.1 per cent to 10,406 vehicles.  It is the 20th consecutive month that Hyundai has increased sales from the same period a year earlier. 
 
Mazda Canada's sales improved 5.5 per cent to 6,881 while BMW Group Canada said volumes rose 11.3 per cent to 3,053. 
 
Meanwhile, in the U.S. where Canada exports most of its auto production, auto sales jumped 29 per cent, the best performance of the year. Business at Ford south of the border climbed 46 per cent; Chrysler, 61 per cent; GM, 10 per cent, Toyota 16.8 per cent and Honda 26 per cent. 
 
© 2010 Torstar Corporation  Length: 473 words

 
 
GM Canada loses sales race to Ford; September data
Sat Oct 2 2010
Page: FP4
Section: Financial Post
Byline: Scott Deveau 
 
The wheels came off General Motors of Canada Ltd. in September after the expiration of its employee pricing program led to an 8.4% decline in sales on its four core brands -- GMC, Buick, Cadillac and Chevrolet -- from already weak sales a year ago. 
 
The sales decline at the Detroit automaker stood in stark contrast to the 64% sales gain at FordMotorCo. ofCanada Ltd. during the month, and the more modest increase of 2% at Chrysler Canada Inc. 
 
GM Canada said the 19% drop in retail sales during the month was largely responsible for its drop in sales. 
 
"Clearly September's results were impacted by the end of the GM employee pricing event in August," said Marc Comeau, GM of Canada's vice-president of sales, service and marketing. 
 
The drop in GM's sales has all but solidified Ford Canada's lead in the 2010 sales race, said Dennis DesRosiers, president of DesRosiers Automotive Consultants Inc. 
 
Canadian auto sales had been tracking up by nearly 9% this year, he said. 
 
The decline in sales at GM Canada in September, combined with a 17% drop in sales at Toyota Canada Inc. -- still struggling to attract customers in the aftermath of a series of safety recalls -- led to a more modest gain in September of 4.3% for the industry as a whole, according to Mr. Des-Rosiers' estimates. 
 
"The issue everyone has to be wary of though is the degree of incentive money in the market which is massive from a historical perspective," he said in a note to clients. 
 
He said that while some manufacturers are "hugely profitable," most are losing money given the level of discounting in the marketplace. 
 
"It is inevitable that incentives will come back to more normal levels and when they do look for the market to correct accordingly," he said. 
 
Mr. DesRosiers said the one misleading factor about September sales data is that the industry is finally getting to a point at which stronger year-over-year comparable numbers are presenting themselves. 
 
So despite the somewhat slower growth during the month, 2010 sales are tracking at a rate that could put them above 1.6 million units this year, he said.
Length: 353 words