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April 20, 2015

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Home » Business » Autotalk Special

Ford: Innovate through dynamic performance

By Anna Lu | April 20, 2015, Monday | Print Edition

In fast and furious style, Ford is coming to the Shanghai Auto Show with seven new models leading its 2015 product offensive in China, wrapping up its “1515” strategy introducing 15 models from 2011-15.

The star-studded lineup at the show includes three high-performance vehicles in their Asian debut: the New Ford GT, the New Focus ST and the New Focus RS.

Ford is becoming a household name in China through the dynamic character of its best-seller, Focus. It’s a car designed to enhance Ford’s “fun-to-drive” campaign. The result is the world’s hottest hatches, with the Ford ST and the Ford RS providing driving exhilaration for on the road and off-track.

The new Focuses carry the time-honored ST and RS badges and are geared up at the auto show to help the brand make a bigger splash. Ford aims to deliver 12 high-performance models through 2020 under its global Ford Performance team established last December. That includes the biggest highlight of Ford at the show this year — the supercar GT.

Ford’s commitment is to innovation through performance, with racing as a proving ground for cultivating passionate engineers and a test bed for new technologies to be applied broadly to mass-market products.

The history of Ford RS, a symbol of a “no-compromise” driver’s car, can be traced back to 1968.

Performance vehicle sales are really picking up their speed worldwide, growing 70 percent in the United States and 14 percent in Europe since 2009, as young buyers who love to drive are allured into paying a little more for a unique blend of motoring dynamics, performance and style previously associated with higher-priced luxury cars.

The new Focus ST doesn’t just look sportier and handle more aggressively than the previous generation. Its handling refinement and steering feel have been further improved by the new front springs, sportier shock absorber tuning front and rear, and a revised electric power-assisted steering system. A Focus ST simulator is available for Auto Shanghai visitors for a virtual racetrack test drive.

The car is powered a 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, whose output tops 252 horsepower at 5,500rpm, while torque peaks at 270 lb-ft at 2,500rpm. It is fitted exclusively with a six-speed manual transmission with a performance-oriented, short-throw shifter.

The EcoBoost engine series, which was introduced by Ford in 2009 as a pioneering combination of turbocharging, twin independent variable camshaft timing and high-pressure direct injection, has sold about 5 million units.

A specially engineered 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine powers the new Focus RS, a model in its third generation.

It offers more a thrilling experience than the Focus ST, boasting of a maximum output of 315 horsepower, as well as the most powerful RS brake system and Brembo front calipers.

The list of the car’s highlights is long. It has a drag coefficient of 0.35, 9 percent less than the drag of its predecessor, making the shape 6 percent more aerodynamic. It is the first RS model to run with selectable drive modes, which include industry-first drift mode and launch control. It is a pioneer of Ford Performance All-Wheel Drive with Dynamic Torque Vectoring, which combines exceptional traction and grip with unmatched agility and cornering speed based on twin electronically controlled clutch packs on each side of the rear-drive unit.

The ultimate driving experience can be expected in the new Ford GT Carbon Fiber supercar, the most extreme offering by Ford and its new milestone of advancement in light-weighting, aerodynamics and ultra-efficient EcoBoost engine.

In this two-door coupe, the extensive use of carbon fiber elements, such as for passenger cell and body panels, creates a lighter overall package and yet stiffer foundation, which makes one of the best weight-to-power ratio among production cars.

Aerodynamic innovation, which is about reducing drag while aiding down force and stability, gets more active with a deployable rear spoiler, keyed to both speed and driver input.

And the GT packs the most ferocious EcoBoost production engine ever – a next-generation twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 producing more than 600 horsepower, with an all-new, port/direct dual fuel-injection system to improve engine response.

For Ford, being fast is not just about churning out high-performance cars.

Since making its name in China with its compact hatchback Focus, the brand has always been quick to fill in the gaps in its product portfolio, which now covers most of mainstream segments.

The upcoming new Ford Taurus sets a new benchmark for large sedans in China.

It is the first time Ford will be bringing its historic Taurus nameplate to China, targeting accomplished and respected professionals in search of an equally sophisticated vehicle for both business and personal use.

The new Taurus embodies balance, and confidence. A powerful hood profile and planted architecture give its silhouette a sense of solidity and harmony.

The exterior is elevated with fine side details, including upswept highlight trim on the doors. Equipped with polished 19-inch 10-spoke alloy wheels, the car shows a bold and premium stance.

The car’s 5-meter length and 2.95-meter wheelbase give the cabin an airy and spacious feel, especially in the rear seat legroom. A panoramic sunroof allows in more light to enhance a sense of elegance and openness. Smart design places 25 intelligent stowage spaces throughout the cabin.

Thoughtful details for rear-seat passengers include power-reclining seats with optional adjustable lumbar support and a massage function. With the help of sound-deadening materials, advanced technologies and precise engineering, the cabin boasts soothing space and a comfortable ride.

The new Taurus will be powered by Ford’s new high-output, twin-turbo 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine. It will be manufactured at the company’s plant in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, its newly opened sixth plant in China. Capacity is 250,000 units a year.

Autotalk Special


 

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