Updated Ford Focus gains new style and electrified tech

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October 14, 2021

Ford has announced details of a comprehensive update for the Focus hatchback and estate.

The mid-life refresh is aimed at keeping the family favourite on trend, with electrified drivetrains and bold infotainment upgrades inside.

Different trim levels will gain more distinctive styling, making use of Ford’s “human-centric” design philosophy.

An updated Focus ST model benefits from bespoke changes, including a new Mean Green paint option.

Design details with a human focus

Changes to the outside of the new Focus are relatively restrained. A new bonnet increases the overall height of the nose, and sees the Blue Oval Ford badge added to the grille itself.

LED headlights are now standard across all models, with fog lights integrated into their design. Darkened tail lights are intended to add a premium look, with updated LED units for high-spec models.

Connected series and Titanium models use a wide front grille with a chrome surround, with the sporty ST-Line getting a bespoke honeycomb item. Side skirts, a rear diffuser and a rear spoiler are all included on the ST-Line, too.

Ford will now offer the premium Vignale package for Titanium, ST-Line and Active models. Along with a luxurious interior, these cars will benefit from satin grilles and unique alloy wheels.

Vignale is no longer a standalone model.

Mild hybrid technology expands

Focus buyers will now be able to combine Ford’s seven-speed Powershift automatic transmission with its range of EcoBoost Hybrid petrol engines. A six-speed manual can be chosen for those who still want to shift their own gears.

Matching a 1.0-litre three-cylinder petrol with 48-volt mild hybrid technology, the EcoBoost Hybrid engines can achieve up to 51.4mpg. An integrated starter/generator can recharge a lithium-ion battery from braking, and deploy power to help in-gear acceleration.

A non-hybrid EcoBoost petrol engine, producing 125hp, remains available.

Diesel drivers have not been forgotten entirely. The 1.5-litre EcoBlue diesel remains, offered with 120hp. It can be combined with an eight-speed automatic gearbox, and returns up to 56.5mpg.

Multiple drive modes, including a Slippery option for the Active model, are all included.

Bigger screens, fewer buttons

Making a major change inside the new Focus is Ford’s SYNC 4 infotainment system. Originally seen in the all-electric Mustang Mach-E, SYNC 4 uses machine learning to note individual driver preferences.

Key to SYNC 4 is a class-leading 13.2-inch central touchscreen. It uses graphics that look far more modern compared to the existing SYNC 3 display, and works wirelessly with Apple CarPlay and Android Auto.

Controversially, Ford has followed the route of other manufacturers by ditching physical buttons where possible.

Heating and ventilation settings for the new Focus will now be operated through the central touchscreen.

Connected services and more safety

Online services will be a central part of SYNC 4, with FordPass app users able to access an array of digital services. Ford Power-Up wireless software updates will allow changes and upgrades to be made to the Focus remotely.

The FordPass app will allow drivers to check fuel levels, start their Focus remotely, and get security notifications. Connected Navigation, using live data from TomTom, can predict traffic information and warn of severe weather events.

Blind Spot Assist becomes available on the Focus for the first time. Unlike a simple warning, it can take action to guide the car away from potential danger.

A Rear Occupant Alert should stop drivers from unintentionally leaving pets and children in their Focus. If the rear doors are used at the start of a journey, a reminder will be given to check them at the end.

Practical upgrades for the Focus wagon

Extensive customer feedback has resulted in helpful changes to the boot of the new Focus estate model. Research found that 98 percent of estate owners were not aware of the features found in the rear of the previous version.

It means Ford has added a simple quick guide to all the new functions found in the boot.

The adjustable load floor is now centrally hinged, letting it divide the boot in two. A water-resistant wet zone is now included, with a removable liner aimed at storing wetsuits or wellies.

Meaner and greener: New Focus ST

A new Focus ST performance hatchback and estate are also part of the revised lineup.

Bespoke exterior details include a honeycomb front grille, extra aerodynamic features, and a set of 18-inch alloy wheels. An attention-grabbing Mean Green paint option delivers an extra dose of aggression.

A 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine delivers 280hp, and comes with an electronic limited-slip differential. A six-speed manual gearbox, including rev-matching technology, is standard. Buyers can opt for a seven-speed paddle shift automatic, too.

New front seats, developed by Ford’s own Performance engineers, are said to provide support and even promote spinal health.

New 2021 Ford Focus Prices

On the road pricing for the new Ford Focus:

Trend – from £22,465
Titanium – from £23,715
Titanium Vignale – from £25,915
Active – from £24,545
Active Vignale – from £26,745
ST-Line – from £24,545
ST-Line Vignale – from £26,745
ST – from £33,885

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Porsche celebrates 50 years of sports cars at Weissach

By

Tim Pitt

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October 13, 2021

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The Porsche development centre at Weissach has celebrated its 50th anniversary. Home to 6,500 designers, engineers and test drivers, the world famous ‘think tank’ is where every Porsche journeys from initial design sketch to road-going or racing reality.

The Weissach story actually starts in 1960, when Ferry Porsche, son of company founder Ferdinand, agreed a deal with the local Black Forest mayor to build a test track on open fields.

This 200-metre circular skid pad is where the first Porsche 911s were put through their paces – and was quickly followed by rough-road tracks for testing suspension, then a high-speed Can-Am circuit in 1971.

Introduction to forced induction

That same year, the Entwicklungszentrum Weissach officially opened its doors. One of its earliest projects was the original 911 (930) Turbo, which adopted turbocharging technology from motorsport to boost Porsche’s flat-six to 260hp.

A rival for the Lamborghini Countach and Ferrari 512 BB, it was arguably Germany’s first supercar.

At the same time, Porsche engineers were inventing a new type of axle – named after its birthplace. The Weissach axle debuted on the 928 in 1977, and used rubber bushes to make the rear wheels point inwards when cornering. This made the V8-engined coupe impressively stable and easy to drive – quite the opposite of a 930 Turbo, in fact.

Moulded by motorsport

Weissach expanded in the 1980s, leading development for the space-age Porsche 959 and gaining a wind tunnel and crash-test facility.

Since then, additions have included a temperature chamber that simulates from -40 to +90 deg C, an acoustic tunnel with 600 microphones, and a pit-stop practice area for motorsport teams.

In recent times, the development centre has become its own sub-brand. Weissach Package editions of the Porsche 918 Spyder and previous 911 GT3 RS offered less weight and aggressive aero for ultimate track performance.

Expect to see the Weissach name writ large again when the new 911 GT3 RS debuts in 2022.

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Hydrogen Toyota Mirai sets new Guinness World Record

By

John Redfern

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October 12, 2021

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A Toyota Mirai has set a new Guinness World Record for the longest distance covered by a hydrogen fuel-cell vehicle.

On a single tank of hydrogen, the Mirai managed an impressive 845 miles during a two-day Californian road trip.

Battling traffic, and the height of the summertime heat, makes the Mirai’s achievement even more impressive.

California cruising

Toyota did benefit from a pair of drivers with experience of Guinness World Records and ‘hypermiling’ (driving as efficiently as possible).

Wayne Gerdes has previously set records for the lowest fuel consumption driving to the 48 contiguous US states. He also achieved the lowest fuel use driving across America from coast to coast.

Gerdes was supported by his co-driver, Bob Winger, with the duo setting out on 23 August 2021.

Leaving Toyota’s technical centre in Gardena, California, Gerdes and Winger headed through Santa Barbara, Santa Monica and Malibu. Cruising the Pacific Coast Highway, they managed 473 miles on the first day.

Highway hypermiler

The second included loops of the highway system, hitting the fearsome rush-hour traffic around San Diego. With another 372 miles achieved, the Mirai returned to the Toyota Technical Center empty of hydrogen.

A total of 5.65kg of fuel was consumed during the journey, with the only emissions being water vapour. In comparison, an average internal combustion engine would have emitted 301kg of CO2.

Witnessing the journey was Guinness World Record adjudicator, Michael Empiric. After the run he commented: “I’ve had the opportunity to witness incredible attempts, including several distance-related feats.

“The Toyota Mirai’s journey without the need to refuel showcases the power of fuel-cell electric technology. This technology and the design ingenuity by the team at Toyota led to a history-making moment.”

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Hot Wheels and Gucci make a special Cadillac Seville

Ford Dagenham factory celebrates 90 years

Hot Wheels and Gucci make a special Cadillac Seville

By

John Redfern

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October 11, 2021

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A Hot Wheels recreation of a classic Cadillac will help mark fashion house Gucci’s 100th anniversary.

The Gucci x Hot Wheels collaboration will see 500 diecast replicas of the 1982 Cadillac Seville Gucci Edition made.

Each $120 (£88) model car features the same fashion-led details as the haute couture original. These even extend to a tiny gold Gucci grille badge.

Gold-tinted memories

Cadillac released a ‘designed by Gucci’ edition version of the first-generation Seville in 1979. The designer treatment continued for the second-generation car, sold between 1980 and 1985.

It is this second Seville iteration, complete with divisive bustle-back rear styling, that Hot Wheels has chosen to immortalise.

Like the full-size original, the Hot Wheels Gucci model will feature a half-vinyl roof complete with the interlocking ‘G’ logo. A gold Gucci crest resides on the C-pillar, plus you’ll find whitewall tyres and pinstripes along the sides.

The 1:64 scale interior has gold piping on the miniature seats.

‘It’s all Gucci, baby!‘

Mattel Creations has worked with Gucci to design and build the retro Cadillac. It marks the first time Gucci has made a collectible model, and is intended to demonstrate the concept of ‘toys as art’.

The limited-edition model will be offered directly through the Mattel Creations and Gucci websites. Selected Gucci stores across the world, including New York, London, Paris and Milan will also stock the high-end Hot Wheels.

Sales of the Cadillac start on 18 October 2021. It is likely to be keenly sought by Hot Wheels collectors.

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This Chevy Suburban has a low stance and high standards

By

John Redfern

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October 10, 2021

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Goodguys Chevrolet Suburban © Tyler Clemmensen

Amongst a crowd of hot rods and custom cruisers, a modified Chevrolet Suburban is always going to stand out.

This modified 1967 example did just that at the recent Goodguys Del Mar Nationals event in Southern California.

Along with garnering attention from spectators, it impressed the judges to claim a Chevrolet GM Iron ‘Builder of the Year Finalist’ award.

Pacific Northwest’s finest

The modified Suburban was created by the J-Rod & Custom shop, based in Auburn, WA. Founded by Jared Hancock, the shop has produced multiple award-winning custom cars, and even restored a Lamborghini Espada.

However, the 1967 Chevrolet Suburban sits even lower to the floor than a Lamborghini… and certainly has more interior space.

An exterior painted in Lapis Poly blue, with a contrasting Bianco Italia white roof, helps pull in the crowds.

The work beneath the body is even more impressive, though.

Supercharged sixth-generation SUV

Powering the big SUV is a General Motors supercharged LT4 V-8 engine, featuring performance parts from Lingenfelter. Finished in Hugger Orange, the powerful motor stands out in the clean engine bay.

A GM eight-speed 8L90 automatic transmission sends power to the back wheels. Pirelli P Zero Nero tires are wrapped around Schott Drift wheels, with 22-inch items at the front and 24-inch rims out back.

The exterior color theme continues inside, with blue trim and patterned upholstery used throughout. A Pioneer multimedia display has been integrated into the dashboard, along with Vintage Air cooling.

On a winning streak

Earlier this year, the Suburban had made its debut at the Goodguys Pacific Northwest Nationals. It later appeared at the West Coast Nationals event in Pleasanton, CA, where it was recognized as one of the top five contenders for the America’s Most Beautiful prize.

The big Chevrolet’s run of form at Goodguys events continued to the recent Del Mar Nationals.

Being one of the ten Builder’s Choice Awards, picked by Charley Hutton, was an achievement in itself. But now, the Chevrolet GM Iron – Builder of the Year Finalist award opens the door to even bigger opportunities.

Ending the year on a high

As a ‘Builder of the Year’ finalist, the Suburban will appear again at the Goodguys Southwest Nationals. Should it claim the top prize, it will earn J-Rod & Custom a new Chevrolet crate motor.

The Goodguys Southwest Nationals will take place from November 19 to 21, at the WestWorld facility in Scottsdale, AZ.

Acting as the grand finale for the Goodguys show season, the Southwest Nationals will see winners in multiple categories crowned, along with the top autocross driver honored.

Should the Suburban win, it will at least have room in the trunk for more trophies.

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How a cashless payment app could make car washes safer

By

John Redfern

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October 9, 2021

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Smartphone payment app GoWash is encouraging car wash sites to gain extra legitimacy by joining its nationwide network.

The GoWash app allows drivers to make contactless payments to hundreds of privately owned car washing and valeting businesses.

By signing up for free to the GoWash app, businesses agree to comply with a number of rules.

Doing so can help them achieve accreditation from the Responsible Car Wash Scheme (RCWS).

What is the Responsible Car Wash Scheme?

Launched in 2018, the RCWS is backed by local authorities and government departments to help improve working conditions and standards in the car wash industry.

To gain RCWS accreditation, businesses must show they meet a range of criteria. This includes operating ethically, respecting environmental rules and paying employees in line with the national minimum wage.

Only accepting cash payments is seen as one of the signs that a car wash could be non-compliant.

A lack of protective clothing for staff, or an exterior car wash costing less than £9, are also seen as potential risk factors.

A conscience as clean as your car

Available for iOS and Android devices, the GoWash app can search for local car washes and valeting firms. Apple or Google Pay can be used, along with a credit or debit card, removing the need for cash.

The app includes sites operated by Car Park Valeting. It provides services to 120 Asda, Sainsbury’s and Morrisons supermarkets across the country.

Jonny Billing, founder of GoWash said: “Concerns over irregularity in this industry have increased public interest and, in tandem with the RCWS pilot project, our team at GoWash is supporting the push for better regulation”.

Teresa Sayers, managing director at RCWS, added: “Payment methods offered by car washes are one of the main indicators of whether they are operating as legitimate businesses. Cash-only payment could be a sign of non-compliance with business or employment regulations. The GoWash app provides transparency over business transactions and convenience to the public looking to find and pay for a car wash nearby.”

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Ford Dagenham factory celebrates 90 years

By

Tim Pitt

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October 8, 2021

1

On October 1 1931 at 1:16pm, the first Ford vehicle made in Dagenham rolled off the production line. Ninety years later, nearly 11 million cars, trucks and tractors have been built at the site in East London.

Today, Dagenham produces and exports around a million diesel engines a year. Its future was secured by a deal to supply engines for the new Ford Transit and Volkswagen Transporter vans, which will be assembled in Turkey from 2023.

To celebrate the factory’s 90th anniversary, we take a brief look at its story so far.

Prefect makes a million

Dagenham was a huge operation from the start; the site had its own steel foundry, power station and on-site railway. Construction took two years and vast quantities of concrete – essential to support the foundations on soggy marshland.

That first vehicle off the production line was a Ford AA truck, based on the successor to the legendary Model T. However within less than a decade, Dagenham would become part of the war effort, building engines and armoured vehicles.

Normal service was swiftly resumed once World War Two ended, and the factory built its millionth car – a 10hp Prefect – in 1946. Famously, it was priced at exactly £100.

Industrial action

The factory expanded hugely in the 1950s, producing popular cars such as the Anglia and Zephyr. The all-conquering Ford Cortina was also built in Dagenham from 1962, with the millionth diesel engine following in 1965.

However, it wasn’t all plain sailing. In 1968, Ford’s female sewing machinists went on strike, demanding the same hourly wage as their male colleagues. With no car seat covers being made, car production at Dagenham ground to a halt.

After three weeks, the strike was resolved, the workers’ action leading to the Equal Pay Act of 1970. It also inspired Made in Dagenham, the West-End musical and film starring Sally Hawkins and Bob Hoskins.

The engine of change

By the 1970s, the plant looked dated and more industrial strife (not unique to Ford) was taking its toll. The company decided to build its new Escort in Saarlouis, Germany, while production of the Ford Fiesta was shared with a new site in Valencia, Spain.

Likewise, the 1982 Sierra was jointly produced with the Genk facility in Belgium, and by the 1990s only the Fiesta (and its Mazda 121 cousin) we being made in Dagenham.

The final Fiesta rolled off the line in 2002, leaving Dagenham as purely an engine plant, a role in which – despite large areas of the original site falling into disuse – it has thrived.

Ninety not out

In recent times, Dagenham joined the effort to make ventilators for the NHS for Covid patients. Ford transformed an empty warehouse into a manufacturing facility in just three weeks, then staffed it with up to five hundred people a day.

The Ford plant also played an important role in industrialising the production process of ventilators, so they could be made in large numbers. This echoed Henry Ford’s pioneering of mass production techniques in 1908 with the original Model T.

Another new facility at Dagenham will convert and customise Ford’s sporty MS-RT vans on-site. The factory may no longer build cars, but it has a place in British history – and a promising future.

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Huge Ram 3500 pickup truck to be built Down Under

By

John Redfern

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October 7, 2021

0

Ram Trucks Australia has announced details of the enormous 3500 Heavy Duty Laramie pickup.

It is the latest right-hand-drive truck to be offered in the country, and is fully designed and homologated for Australian customers.

More than 50,000 hours were spent developing the Australian version of the Ram 3500. This was followed by 150,000 km (93,000 miles) of rolling road and real-world testing.

Some 400 locally-sourced parts are used in the right-hand-drive conversion.

Ready to get to work

Making the 3500 HD Laramie stand out from the rest of the Ram range is the use of a two-stage longitudinal leaf solid axle.

This boosts the 3500 HD’s payload capacity to a gargantuan 1,724 kg, letting it carry the largest of loads.

When using a conventional tow bar, the 3500 HD can pull up to 4,500 kg. Adding an appropriate gooseneck fitment, along with air brakes, pushes the towing capacity to 8,000 kg.

All of this is made possible by the standard 6.7-l Cummins inline-six turbodiesel engine. It produces 370hp, combined with a Herculean 850lb ft of torque, which is delivered to all four wheels.

Blue collar ability, white collar price

Despite its propensity for hard work, the 3500 HD Laramie is packed with luxury features. Part-leather trim for the Crew Cab is standard, along with a 12-inch multimedia touchscreen and 10-speaker Alpine sound system.

Such performance and comfort does not come cheap, however. Pricing for the Australian Ram 3500 HD Laramie Crew Cab starts at $162,950 (£87,250) before on-the-road costs.

“The 3500 is a remarkable vehicle that cements our product offering in 2021”, said Ram Trucks Australia national manager, Jeff Barber.

He added: “Only Ram Trucks Australia can deliver such a vehicle, thanks to our robust and detailed planning, development, remanufacturing and testing programme, in conjunction with our local and global partners including Stellantis.”

Australian customers will also be offered the performance-orientated Ram 1500 TRX in the near future.

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Opinion: You’re spending too long at the petrol station

By

Gavin Braithwaite-Smith

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October 6, 2021

0

parking fines petrol station

The queues for fuel across the UK have finally started to shrink. However, that doesn’t mean you’ll be in-and-out of a petrol station within five minutes.

A while ago, we reported on the chap fined for spending too long at a BP garage. No, not Alan Partridge. There’s no whiff of Lynx Java about this story.

Since then, ANPR cameras and time limits have proliferated at petrol stations. But here’s the thing: if you’re spending half an hour on the forecourt, you’re part of the problem.

Anything longer than 15 minutes, frankly, is inexcusable. I’ve never got a stopwatch out, but assuming there’s no queue, the splash and dash should be completed in less than 10 minutes.

Sure, grab a Dairy Milk or a packet of Wine Gums on your way to the till, but taking anything other than the shortest route between the door and the cashier should be avoided. Pay, get into your car, then go.

The man in our original news story spent 47 minutes at a site in Croydon. Yep, forty-seven minutes. Most of that time was spent queuing behind six vehicles to use the car wash. Seriously, wouldn’t you come back another day?

Another man who received a fine wondered whether an “allowance of 45 minutes would be far more reasonable”, to which I say “NO”. Think about that for a moment: can you genuinely see a scenario in which you’d want to spend three-quarters of an hour at a petrol station?

Why? There must be better things you could be doing with your time.

Won’t get fuelled again

petrol station at night

Almost everything is more expensive at a petrol station, so anything other than a distress purchase should wait for another day. You’re paying for convenience and the fact that the retailer makes virtually nothing out of the highway robbery you experienced at the pump.

It means that today’s petrol station is less about petrol and more about shopping. Even the petrol element is in doubt, with forecourts adding banks of chargers to prepare for our electric future.

Quite how charging fits into the maximum stay limits is a subject for another day…

I have sympathy for drivers caught unaware by the parking restrictions – I’m not siding with any retailers who have misled motorists. But I think spending the equivalent half a football match at a petrol station is time wasted, even if you’re a Man Utd fan.

Casually wandering around a Little Waitrose or M&S Simply Food looking at chilled ready meals, cat food and household cleaning products while your fellow motorists slip into a coma in the queue behind your family SUV just isn’t cricket.

When you’re back in your car, don’t spend an age checking your smartphone, arranging your shopping or having an in-depth conversation with your passenger. Make like a celebrity and get outta there.

A visit to a petrol station should be like an Olympic event. Time yourself from when you open the filler cap to the moment you’ve fastened your seat belt and are ready to go. If you beat your personal best, treat yourself to a mint Aero the next time you fill up.

No queues, no parking fines, no bother. Better for you, better for all of us.

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Call for new driving instructors to clear Covid learner backlog

By

Richard Aucock

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October 6, 2021

0

UK adults with full driving licences are being encouraged to train as approved driving instructors to help clear an enormous pandemic-related backlog of driving tests.

The industry is currently suffering an accumulation of 420,000 driving test bookings – one that is growing as more young adults turn 17.

The number of people taking their driving test over the past year fell nearly 73 percent, mostly due to cancelled tests caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Many remain eager to get on the road, along with thousands more who are looking to take up driving and avoid public transport.

Despite this, the number of official qualified Approved Driving Instructors (ADIs) in the UK is actually falling, from more than 39,000 in March 2020 to just over 38,000 in March 2021.

‘Playing catch-up’

Driving school Bill Plant, which is leading the call for adults to train as driving instructors, says the overall ratio of drivers to instructors “has changed dramatically”. This imbalance is predicted to stretch well into 2022.

“After the past 18 months the driving school industry has faced, we’re going to effectively be playing catch-up for a long time,” said head of training at Bill Plant, Peter Brabin.

“We’re calling on adults all over the UK who might be out of work or considering a career change to really think hard about becoming a driving instructor.”

A rise in the pass rate for driving theory tests is further proof of the demand for practical driving tests, added Mr Brabin.

The pass rate has grown 8.6 percent in a year, the highest since March 2014.

As for those lucky enough to get a slot for a practical driving test, records show 51 percent of learners passed first time – meaning the overall pass rate is the highest since records began in 2008.

It seems those who do finally take a practical driving test are making the most of it…

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