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Ford not backing down on MPG-based marketing strategy

The Blue Oval may have to back off a bit from the green messaging. Ford has had to lower fuel-economy ratings on a number of 2013 and 2014 model-year vehicles, namely its hybrids. And that may force the US automaker to rethink some of its marketing strategy, Automotive News reports. Ford has spent much of the year pushing its fuel-efficiency improvements, with everything from a Super Bowl ad saying its Fusion Hybrid gets "almost double" the fuel efficiency of an average vehicle (after the recalculation, it's now more like 75 percent better) to claiming the Fiesta is the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid in the US (it's actually the Mitsubishi Mirage) to stating the C-Max Hybrid gets better fuel economy than the Toyota Prius V (it doesn't). Nonetheless, Ford doesn't plan on changing its mpg marketing emphasis anytime soon, the company said in an e-mailed statement to AutoblogGreen. "Providing customers great fuel economy is a key part of our Ford vehicle DNA." "Providing customers great fuel economy is a key part of our Ford vehicle DNA," the company said. "We will continue to highlight our vehicles features and attributes in our advertising and marketing, which includes fuel economy and fuel-saving technologies like EcoBoost and hybrids." Earlier this month, Ford said it would lower the fuel-economy ratings of models such as the C-Max, Fusion and Lincoln MKZ Hybrids as well as most of the Fiesta line because of mistakes in the company's internal testing data. It was the second change for the C-Max Hybrid. The good news for Ford is that its fleetwide fuel economy is up almost 40 percent from a decade ago, compared to an improvement of around 23 percent for Toyota. Still, while sales of Ford hybrids and plug-ins are about even with last year through the first five months of 2014, C-Max Hybrid sales have plunged 49 percent from a year earlier. Earlier this year, Ford admitted that the first fuel economy downgrade had a negative effect on sales and we can find proof in the numbers. Before that the change was announced, in August 2013, Ford was consistently selling over 2,000 – and sometimes over 3,000 – C-Max Hybrids a month. In September, it dropped to 1,424, then to 1,438 in October. It didn't climb back above 2,000 until May 2014. The second mpg adjustment was announced in June.

These horribly misguided front-drive design studies nearly became the Mustang

As we eagerly await the unveiling of the all-new sixth-generation Mustang, Ford has been giving us some great information over the past few months showing what has gone into shaping its venerable pony car. As many changes as the Mustang has gone through in its 50 years, though, it appears the fourth-gen model played a decisive and pivotal role in the car's future.
As is part of Mustang lore, the front-wheel drive Ford Probe was originally developed as a next-generation Mustang in the Eighties before cooler heads prevailed. The Blue Oval has just released a handful of images showing how bad things could have been - including a full-scale clay model of a front-wheel-drive Mustang (shown above). Fortunately, the FWD Mustang plan was scrapped and Ford went to work designing a rear-wheel-drive replacement for the Fox Body Mustang, with three design studies making it far enough to become full-scale models. These include the soft "Bruce Jenner" Mustang, the over-the-top "Rambo" Mustang and the middle-ground "Arnold Schwarzenegger" Mustang, which finally became the basis for the 1994 'Stang.
By early 1991, the design language of the fourth-generation Mustang had been worked out, and the rest, they say, is history. Scroll down for the fascinating press release telling the story of the fourth-gen Mustang, and be sure to check out the gallery of horribly misguided sketches and various design studies that were all on the table in the late 1980s.

2015 Roush Stage 3 Mustang has 670 hp

My last speeding ticket was nearly two years ago while behind the wheel of a 2014 Roush Stage 3 Mustang. Considering the supercharged 5.0-liter V8 produced 575 horsepower – the lowest of the Stage 3's tunes – an encounter with the friendly folks at the Michigan State Police seemed inevitable. With the 2015 Stage 3 producing 95 more horsepower, if and when I drive the new supercharged 'Stang, another meeting with Michigan's finest seems likely. The combination of the Ford 5.0-liter V8 and a 2.3-liter TVS supercharger turns out 670 horsepower, which should have owners of the weightier Dodge Challenger Hellcat at least a bit nervous. All that power is complemented by 545 pound-feet of torque and what is almost certainly an ear-shattering exhaust note from the quad-tip pipes. On top of the RS3's trademark sound and speed, Roush has fitted the sixth-generation Mustang's body with a new "R7" aero kit that actually looks toned down from last year's car. 20-inch "Quicksilver" wheels are standard, although Roush is offering a pair of optional designs. Either way, Cooper RS3 tires are the rubber of choice. Prices for the Roush Stage 3 Mustang start at $21,995, not including the $32,300 starting price of a Mustang GT donor car. Scroll down for the official press release. Related Video: ROUSH Stage 3 Mustang Produces 670 HP May 7, 2015 – PLYMOUTH, MICHIGAN – ROUSH Performance is excited to announce final horsepower ratings for the all-new 2015 ROUSH Stage 3 Mustang. The RS3 is cranking out a heart-racing 670 horsepower and 545 lb-ft of torque to deliver the ultimate driving experience. All 670 horsepower are created as a direct result of the powerful combination of Ford's 5.0L V8 engine with ROUSH Performance's dynamic new 2015 2.3L TVS supercharger. The new ROUSH Mustang's generous power ratings impeccably compliment the RS3's list of standard and optional features, including the ROUSH Quad-Tip exhaust (with optional ROUSH Active Exhaust System), standard single-adjustable coilover suspension system (or optional competition-tuned 3-way adjustable system), and the fierce new "R7" aerobody. The 2015 ROUSH Stage 3 Mustang is not just a car – it's an experience. The RS3 truly bridges the gap between road car and race car, putting drivers behind the wheel of the ultimate uninhibited muscle car.