1995 Ford Bronco Black Exterior Red Interior 71,000 Original Miles on 2040-cars

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Carfection looks for the ultimate pocket rocket

If there's one thing we love, it's a good showdown. Especially when it's on video, done by some Englishmen, and involving some manner of performance machinery. Like this latest clip, for example, from Carfection. The team formerly known as Xcar have assembled three very compelling supermini hot hatches: two we can get on our side of the pond, and one we can't. One American, one Frenchman, and one Brit. One cheap, one expensive, and one somewhere in between. They all pack turbo fours, of course, but placed in entirely different packages. There's the evergreen favorite Ford Fiesta ST, the Renault Clio RS 220 Trophy that should have the rest licked, and the retro rocket that is the Mini JCW. And there's only one way to find out which is the best. It's a tough contest, to be sure, but lest you think it all comes down to specifications or which one's the newest, you'll want to think again. Because when it comes to hot hatches, all the electronic gizmos and power boosts in the world can't show up a perfectly dialed-in chassis that lets you hug the curves and feel like you're going a lot faster than you actually are. But don't take our word for it – see what our British friends have to say about it in the Queen's English in the seventeen-minute clip above. Related Video:

Ford Claims Focus As World's Best-Selling Car For Second Year In A Row

Ford Motor Co. has claimed its Focus sedan beat out the Toyota Corolla for the title of 'best-selling car in the world' for the second year in a row. The declaration was based on independent sales figures from January to September of 2013, according to USA Today. Last year, Ford used data from the analysis firm Polk to support its claim of having the best-selling car of 2012. Toyota objected, stating the Corolla sold more units. The numbers eventually showed that the Ford Focus was the best selling nameplate of the year, but may have been second to the Toyota sedan overall since multiple variations of the Corolla are sold under different nameplates around the world. Data from the analysis firm R.L. Polk found Focus registrations from January through September 2013 reached 856,587. Ford can thank booming car sales in China, where the automaker sold 303,481 units, for a sizable chunk of that number, which was a 16 percent increase over 2012. "Our success with Focus is the result of Ford's connection to our customers all over the world," said Jim Farley, an executive vice president at Ford. The Focus and Corolla both compete in the popular small sedan segment, along with other hot-selling cars like the Honda Civic, Hyundai Elantra and Chevrolet Cruze. These vehicles make a up a large portion of sales for their respective automakers, as they tend to hit a sweet spot for many consumers, coming with a starting sticker price under $20,000, solid fuel economy, plenty of cargo and passenger room and, lately, sharp exterior design and sportier driving dynamics. Related Gallery 2013 Ford Focus ST Test Drive Ford focus

Next Shelby Mustang to wear GT350 nameplate

Earlier this month, rumors started to swirl 'round the web about the next-generation Ford SVT Mustang - the halo version of the all-new 2015 'Stang seen testing in the gallery above. Originally, we heard that the Shelby GT500 moniker would be dumped in favor of "a name you're familiar with," which some sources guessed could mean a return of the Cobra nameplate.
That might not be correct. According to Road & Track, citing a report from Mustangs Daily, the new range-topping Mustang will bring back the Shelby GT350 name - currently used on an aftermarket version of Ford's Pony produced by Shelby American (take a look at our recent Quick Spin of that car). Expect the new GT350 to be quite a bit different than the current GT500 - it will be all motor, using a V8 that's derived from the naturally aspirated 5.0-liter Coyote engine (though it will no doubt have a higher displacement). The GT350 will be a lot more powerful than the next Mustang GT, which is expected to offer something like 450 horsepower, but won't be quite as absurd as the 662-horsepower GT500 we currently enjoy.
The Shelby GT350 will reportedly bow with the rest of the new Mustang range at the 2014 New York Auto Show, which coincides exactly with the original Mustang's debut at the New York World's Fair in 1964. If that seems far out, don't worry, we'll be seeing the rest of the 2015 Mustang range before then, but Road & Track reports that the 2014 Detroit Auto Show stage will be reserved for the reveal of the next Ford F-150 pickup.