Obama a Prius? Palin a Camaro? Politics get revved up

We try to stay out of politics here at Autoblog, but sometimes, events obligate us to jump into the fray. The latest event is a Harvard Business School professor's comparison of the two leading presidential candidates to automobiles.

John Quelch said in an interview with Newsweek that he thinks of Barrack Obama as a new Prius and John McCain as an "old Ford F-150." Politically, those two products carry some weighty social symbolism that, as car guys, we're not all that concerned with.

But we do wonder what Mr. Quelch's comments mean to us. The Prius is generally seen as a visually boring, fiscally-conservative choice with little to no fun factor. On the other hand, an old Ford pickup truck isn't exactly exciting to look at and drinks a lot of gas, but it'll carry a lot more furniture on moving day and is way more fun in the mud than the Toyota. Then, in an interview with AdAge, Mr. Quelch says that by choosing Alaska Governer Sarah Palin as his running mate, McCain has put a red Chevy Camaro next to his truck.

Hmm. Palin as a Camaro? Next to McCain's Ford truck? Sounds like a house divided to us.

How about it? Is Obama a hybrid Japanese car? McCain a pickup truck? Should Mr. Quelch have said Palin is a Barracuda?

[Sources: AdAge via Newsweek]

First Drive: 2009 Ford Fiesta (Euro-spec)

Twenty-five year-old females in Milan. According to global product development chief Derrick Kuzak, that's who Ford is hoping to satisfy with the new Fiesta. Well honestly now, who isn't? But that's some ambitious target, to attract the attention of the most trend-savvy (make that trend-setting) demographic in the world capital of fashion.

We didn't pass through Milan while driving the new Fiesta through the Italian countryside, and so, to our dismay, didn't have a chance to test out that particular target. But we did pass by a local road works crew on the winding mountain passes of Tuscany, dutifully working to keep that legendary tarmac silky smooth. They reacted to the Fiesta as if the car were the twenty-five year-old Milanese fashion model, taking notice as we approached and turning to ogle as we passed by. (They may have been shouting cat calls too, but we wouldn't have heard them from inside the Fiesta's whisper-quiet cabin.) That may be an even greater testimony to the new Fiesta's styling than the Blue Oval crew had hoped for. As for our impressions, and why readers in America and around the world alike should take note, just follow the jump to read on.

Gallery: First Drive: 2009 Ford Fiesta

Duel: HSV GTS and FPV GT-P face off Down Under

FPV vs. HSV is basically Australian for "Ford vs. Chevy," but on steroids. The two performance divisions have elevated the production of the muscle sedan to an art form, with audacious looks and big power ruling the day. It's as if the original American muscle car era never ended, but got a passport and moved Down Under. Granted, we in the States don't have much to complain about lately, with Aussie muscle now available in a Pontiac wrapper, as well as the 21st century editions of Camaro, Challenger and Mustang waiting to wreak havoc at stoplights.

Still, the sweetest fruit is that which is forbidden, so you might be interested in the Motoring Channel's super acronym showdown: FPV GT-P vs. HSV GTS. The FPV is based on the new Ford FG Falcon, which arrived earlier this year, while the HSV's Holden Zeta platform underpinnings are now a couple years old. Both have V8s, both look evil, and tires break into cold sweats at the mere thought of being mounted on either machine's rear axle. With these two rides, the differences are such that picking a winner is akin to choosing between porterhouse and prime rib. It's not as if you're going to be disappointed either way, but deep down, you do have a preference. Click here to read which menu item the Motoring Channel likes best. Thanks for the tip, Torrent!

Gallery: HSV GTS

Gallery: 2008 FPV GT-P

[Source: Web Wombat/Motoring Channel]

Ford delays 340-hp Fusion GT to 2012

Motor Trend is reporting in its October 2008 issue that Ford has decided to delay the Fusion GT, an EcoBoost-powered super sedan producing upwards of 340 horsepower. The original plan was to have the GT model arrive at the tail end of the current Fusion's product cycle as a low-volume, super niche send off to the successful mid-sizer before it merges with the European EUCD platform that underpins the Mondeo. The problem is that Ford is planning a big roll-out for EcoBoost engines across its brands and there may not be enough to spare for the Fusion GT. MT is now saying that the Fusion GT will debut around 2012 after the next-generation sedan debuts on the European platform and the automaker's ability to pump out turbocharged, direct-inject engines is up to speed. The good news is that the spiritual successor to the Taurus SHO has not been cancelled altogether, and by 2012 we should be able to drive it.

Ford developing next-gen, ethanol-boosted engines under Bobcat codename

Ford has yet to release its first EcoBoost engines but is reportedly already hard at work on the technology's next phase. Rumors indicate that the new engine technology is codenamed Bobcat and uses small amounts of ethanol injection to improve power and reduce emissions. Ethanol carries a very high octane rating, which allows an engine to be tuned for more power. An engine with ethanol injection can run a much higher compression ratio along with a small turbocharger as the ethanol would be injected directly into the engine's combustion chamber, thereby eliminating precompression, which is more commonly referred to as knock and can be extremely hazardous to your engine's health. The alcohol injection would be performed on an entirely different fuel injection system as the gasoline, complete with its own fuel tank. It would have to be closely metered, but should only need refilled once every few months since the amount used would be so small.

Early estimates put the new Bobcat engine tech at about a $1,100 price premium over a standard gasoline engine, but the turbocharging and gasoline direct injection that makes up EcoBoost accounts for $700 of that charge. While that may seem like a steep amount, consider that many truck buyers opt for high-power diesel engines that carry premiums of $5,000 or more.

Stephen Odell appointed Volvo CEO and President

The last time we heard the name Stephen Odell, it was in connection to a list of possible replacements for current CEO Alan Mulally. While we aren't here to report on the top executive position at Ford, Odell has been tapped as Fredrik Arp's replacement as CEO of Volvo. Arp, who is leaving the automaker for other pursuits, had been serving as Volvo CEO and President since his appointment in October of 2005. Starting in October of this year, Odell will be responsible for leading Volvo towards "sustained profitability", something not seen by the Swedish automaker in quite a while. According to the newly-appointed CEO, the Volvo brand will continue to stand for "safety, environmental concern and its Scandinavian design." Frederik Arp is the third Ford exec outside the U.S. to leave in the last few weeks, following Bill Osborne -- the previous President of Ford Australia -- and Barry Engle, who had been serving as Ford of Canada's top official.

Autoblog playing with KITT, having too much fun

You may have seen our In the Autoblog Garage report from earlier today about a very unique car: the KITT Shelby GT500 KR. When someone offers you the keys to what is essentially a supercharged V8-powered prop, you make the most of your time together. The above video shot and produced by Chris Shunk shows you exactly how we spent our all-too-short time with KITT, which is to say, we peeled out a lot and pretended to be a young loner on a crusade to champion the cause of the innocent, the helpless, and the powerless.

Gallery: In the Autoblog Garage: KITT Shelby GT500 KR

2008 LINCOLN MKX Recall

Ford has announced that they will be recalling certain models of the 2008 Lincoln MKX and Lincoln Mkk all wheel drive vehicles. The fuel tank weld fixture may have been exposed to a containment during production which could cause a dimple in the bottom of the fuel tank at a spot weld.

The dimple could result in a fuel leak or a fuel drip from the tank. Fuel leakage, in the presence of an ignition source, could result in a fire. Dealers will inspect and, if necessary, replace the fuel tank free of charge. The recall is expected to begin during July 2008. Owners may contact Ford at 1-866-437-7332.

eBay Find of the Day: 1923 Model T powered by Harley V-Twin

Click above for more images of the 1923 V-Twin powered Model T

Ford's ubiquitous Model T has seen its fair share of modifications over the years. Often powered by an engine other than what was originally designed for the large engine bay, countless variations of the hot rod theme have made Henry Ford's original mass-market vehicle a highly desirable machine to customize. Today, we've stumbled across an entirely new way to power the T, and it's just too cool not to share. Behind the custom spiderweb grille of this 1923 Ford Model T is a 1200cc V-Twin engine taken from the frame rails of a Harley-Davidson Sportster. Considering how little this vehicle is likely to weigh, the air-cooled twin cylinder mill with Screaming Eagle mods is probably plenty powerful to get the vehicle out of its own way. The owner used quite a few HD cues in the overall design and as many original parts from the donor bike as was possible. Note the dual rear shocks suspending the rear axle -- those are from the Sportster, as well as the foot pegs which now see duty as the gas and brake pedals. Nice work.

New Ford KA

Ford made public photos of its new Ka model. The new Ka will replace the 12-year-old Ka, and shares its underpinnings and engines with the Fiat 500.

The Ka expected arrive to dealerships towards the end of 2008. Ford says that its engineers are working hard to ensure that the new Ka can match the current model??�s composure and pin-sharp handling, while offering greater refinement.

There will be a choice of 63bhp 1.2-litre and 100bhp 1.4-litre petrol engines, as well as a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel. The latter will be good for 75bhp and 145Nm of torque, while returning more than 50mpg.

The new Ka will make its world debut at the Paris Motor Show in September, and is sure to appeal to Ford fans with its attractive styling. Short overhangs, a steeply raked windscreen and arching roofline mean the Ka looks sporty, while being spacious enough for four.

Prices for the new Ka are set to start at around $15,000 rising to $24,000 for the ST version.

VIDEO: Ford F-150 hybrid pick up truck gets 41 mpg

Pick up trucks seem to be vehicles that are ripe for fuel economy improvements. GM didn't do so bad with 40 percent city-driving gains made with their Silverado dual-mode hybrid but it's a far cry from what Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technologies (HEVT) has achieved with an ordinary Ford F-150. The Progressive X-Prize entrant has taken the plug-in path and produced a prototype that can go 15 miles on only electricity, get 41 mpg over a 30 mile distance and 21 mpg after that. Considering the vehicle they started with only got 16 mpg, we're impressed. Their alterations also give the truck more low-speed torque, V2G capability and 120V power availability. Pretty sweet!

They say the system can also be scaled for F-250s and F-350s. Heck, they're even working on slapping it into a school bus! This isn't just some shade-tree contraption either but rather the product of an early-stage technology venture developed under the watchful eye of Professor Ali Emadi at the Illinois Institute of Technology. HEVT has just unveiled their creation at the Plug-In 2008 Conference and Exposition in San Jose but if you couldn't make it to that event, we have not only a super video, but also a detailed press release after the jump.

Ford F-150 hybrid pick up truck gets 41 mpg

Pick up trucks seem to be vehicles that are ripe for fuel economy improvements. GM didn't do so bad with 40 percent city-driving gains made with their Silverado dual-mode hybrid but it's a far cry from what Hybrid Electric Vehicle Technologies (HEVT) has achieved with an ordinary Ford F-150. The Progressive X-Prize entrant has taken the plug-in path and produced a prototype that can go 15 miles on only electricity, get 41 mpg over a 30 mile distance and 21 mpg after that. Considering the vehicle they started with only got 16 mpg, we're impressed. Their alterations also give the truck more low-speed torque, V2G capability and 120V power availability. Pretty sweet!

They say the system can also be scaled for F-250s and F-350s. Heck, they're even working on slapping it into a school bus! This isn't just some shade-tree contraption either but rather the product of an early-stage technology venture developed under the watchful eye of Professor Ali Emadi at the Illinois Institute of Technology. HEVT has just unveiled their creation at the Plug-In 2008 Conference and Exposition in San Jose but if you couldn't make it to that event, we have not only a super video, but also a detailed press release after the jump.

Do American cars in Europe sip less fuel?

Autobloggren reader Ron asked us one question: why does it seem that American cars in Europe sip less fuel? As he compared what look like identical models on either side of the Atlantic Ocean and consumption figures seem to differ.

First problem is finding two identical models. Then, pollution regulations are different in the USA compared to the EU. As a general rule, the EPA focus on exhaust air quality while the EU aims about quantity and has longer terms for other pollutants. As a consequence, injection systems might be tuned differently. Some people might think that gasoline is different. Europeans have two different types of gasolines: 95 and 98 RON which are more "premium" than the ones sold in the U. S. but, provided the fact that the injection systems are ready for the gas type, mileage should not affected (remember the "don't use premium if not needed"?). Perhaps the most important factor to consider are the differences between the mileage test procedures. The current EU test cycle is considered to give considerably higher results than the latest 2008 EPA test procedure. Finally, make sure that the numbers you are comparing are in the same units. Numbers from the UK are typically expressed in miles per Imperial gallon. One Imperial gallon is 1.16 US gallons.

Ford to retool 3 truck plants for small cars starting in December

In conjunction with the announcement of an $8.7 billion loss for the second quarter, Ford confirmed what had been suspected for some time with a major shift in production capacity from trucks to cars. Starting in December of this year, three truck plants will be retooled so that they can build cars instead. In addition six new models will be coming over from the European lineup and Mercury will live on. Like other automakers Ford will be consolidating production of large trucks into fewer plants. The full-size Expedition and Navigator SUVs will shift from the Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne MI to the Louisville, Ky plant that builds the Super-Duty pickups. The Michigan plant will retool to build to build a vehicle based on the European Focus platform. As previously announced the Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico will shift from building F-series pickups to the new Fiesta at the end of next year. A second plant in Louisville that currently builds Explorers will switch over to building Focus based vehicles as well.

In other product news, we already knew about the Fiesta and the Euro Focus coming in 2010 as well as the Transit Connect van in 2009. Ford has confirmed that Mercury will get a new small car in 2010. What platform this will be built on is unknown. Ford will also introduce what they are calling a "whitespace" vehicle based on the Focus architecture. This will be in a segment that Ford doesn't currently occupy, and the best bet would be the C-Max MPV. This vehicle is a small van similar to the Mazda 5. The full Ford press release is after the jump.

Brand Spankin’ New Images: 2008 Ford Kuga

In an attempt to piss you off and make you jealous this lovely Friday afternoon, we are bringing you brand spankin’ new images of the Ford Kuga. Why would you be pissed off? Well, there is no word yet whether the Ford Kuga will ever make its way to the stateside. You may express your anger in the comments section below and let Ford know that you’ll take this over the Ford Escape any day.

Refresher: Power comes from a 2.0 liter Duratorq TDCi which produces 136 horsepower and 236 lb-ft of torque. The engine is mated with a six-speed manual transmission. The FWD system allows for a fuel-economy of 37mpg while the AWD allows 36mpg.

Kelley Blue Book Posts Most Researched Autos

The information gathered from more than 60 million visitors of Kelley Blue Books’ kbb.com, the most visited third-party auto web site in the net, comprised of the raw data of the latest most researched vehicles for the first six months of 2006. Included in the Top 20 list of America’s most trusted source of new and used automotive information are the following.

Honda Civic
Honda Accord
Toyota Camry
Toyota Corolla
Toyota Rav4
Honda Odyssey
Honda Pilot
Toyota Highlander
Chevrolet Tahoe
Honda CR-V
Ford Mustang
Nissan Altima
BMW 325
Acura TL
Toyota Sienna
Toyota 4runner
Ford Escape
Infiniti G35
Toyota Avalon
Mazda 3

On top of the list are Asian models, Honda and Toyota. Seven slots are occupied by Toyota and five by Honda, which are all included in the Top Ten. In place of the Chrysler 300 and Jeep Grand Cherokee, which has fallen off from the current list, are Toyota RAV4 and Chevrolet Tahoe. Together with the Tahoe is the Ford Mustang, the sole domestic models that made it to the most researched line-up.

Two utilitarian minivans came in at the 6th and 7th spots, the Honda Odyssey and the Toyota Sienna respectively. Three entry level luxury vehicles also made it in the list - the BMW 325, Acura TL and Infiniti G35 (pictured above) – which according to Jack R. Nerad, executive editorial director and market analyst of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com have definitely become the brands and vehicles that the public aspires to drive and own.

Redesigned Fords to boast best mileage in class

Every automaker currently selling cars in America is now doing all that they can do to increase fuel efficiency. Even on models which were already launched, redesign time is the perfect opportunity to make another attempt at raising fuel mileage. Such is the case at Ford, as product chief Derrick Kuzak's new mandate for his engineers is to make every new or redesigned Ford the most fuel efficient vehicle in its class, starting with the revised Fusion due for 2010. Currently, the base 2.3 liter four cylinder engine is mated to a five speed automatic transmission. That combo is able to offer up 20 miles per gallon in the city and 28 on the highway. While that is decent, it's not class leading. So, we are expecting a significant bump when the next Fusion appears with both a hybrid model and an enlarged 2.5 liter engine with six speed automatic. We got the chance to sample this powertrain in the 2009 Escape and found that it both increased performance and decreased fuel consumption. Sounds like a winner.

This is not how cars are built - Fiesta Love Factory

If Willy Wonka made cars, this is what it would look like. The cold, hard reality is that automobiles are ground out like sausages in huge factories that ingest raw materials at one end and spit out shiny metal boxes filled with ticky-tacky at the other end. Marketing's a funny thing, though; building an emotional connection to your product can often lead to sales gold, so Ford's slathering its Fiesta marketing effort in pheromones to make it irresistible to buyers. It's all very trippy and fun, full of primary colors and smiling faces, but the thing is, we already love the Fiesta. They could put Orson Welles out there at his most cantankerous, and that'd be fine. We do dig the creativity, and since it's an entry level car, maybe the target market will be entirely comfortable with the campaign, having just recently graduated from Sesame Street, anyway.

British Motor Show Preview: Ford to intro 42mpg Fiesta Zetec S

We're only a week away from the British Motor Show and we've got some info on the sportier version of the new Fiesta. The Zetec S will be officially unveiled in London with a brand new 1.6L four cylinder rated at 118hp. In the Fiesta the new engine will get you up to 62 mph in 9.9 seconds. Along the way the Fiesta Zetec S consumes gasoline at the rate of 41.6 mpg. Carbon dioxide emissions are rated at 139 g/km. All of this bodes well for what we can expect when the Fiesta debuts in North America in early 2010. Like the Mazda2 with which it shares its platform the Fiesta is actually lighter than the previous generation model. More than half of the Feista structure is made of high strength steel giving it increased strength at a lower mass. Ford still hasn't revealed which engines wil go into the US Fiesta but this 1.6L seems likely to be part of the lineup.

The end is nigh: Turbo-four a possibility in 2013 F-150

A four cylinder engine in the F-150? What is the world coming to? Um, the realization that the price of gas isn't likely to go back down, that's what. Still, it was one thing when muscle car enthusiasts were told they may get a four cylinder Camaro, but it's a different story to expect hard-core truckers to welcome anything less than six cylinders. In truth, the 2.5 liter Eco-Boost engine Ford is considering for its entry-level F-Series truck should prove plenty powerful with 260 hp and 300 lb.-ft. of torque, especially in the short-bed single-cab versions of the pickup it will be offered in.

Next year, the 4.6 liter V8 will be the base-engine, which seems contrary to expectations in this day of fuel saving fever. In time, a 3.5 liter Eco-Boost six cylinder will take over for the aging modular 4.6 in base-truck duties, and its 350 hp and 390 lb.-ft. of torque will be more than powerful enough in the quarter-ton. The 16 mpg city and 22 mpg highway is also a welcome improvement over its V8 forebear. We should also mention that a new smaller diesel V8 engine is on the horizon. Truckers, welcome to the new world order. Come on in, the water's fine.