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Report: GM struggling to market turbo technology

In the automotive realm, marketing can sometimes prove just as important as the actual product. Take, for instance, Ford's well regarded EcoBoost technology, which couples turbocharging with direct injection to produce more horsepower and reduce fuel consumption. Would it surprise you to hear that General Motors has had similar technology on the market for over three years?
It's true. GM's first turbocharged, direct injected powerplants hit the market for the 2007 model. The 2.0-liter Ecotec mills put down an impressive 260 horsepower and a matching 260 pound-feet of torque, and they were lauded by the press in the engine bays of the Pontiac Solstice, Saturn Sky, Chevrolet Cobalt SS and Chevrolet HHR SS. But few people outside a core group of enthusiasts actually remember this fact.
Says Uwe Grebe, executive director of GM's global advanced engineering, "We didn't have a badge and say, 'This is the most important thing we will put on all our brochures.'" Ford, however, did just that, and it's EcoBoost engines are right at the tips of all our tongues when we discuss today's most advanced powerplants. So, how does The General fix its mistake?

Mustang parts under the new Lincoln Aviator mean good things for Ford

NEW YORK — As we mentioned last night, underneath the new Lincoln Aviator "concept" there appears to be an independent rear suspension lifted right from the Ford Mustang parts bin. And while it's pretty cool on its face that Mustang rear-drive platform bits are being reused in the broader Ford universe, what this means for the next Explorer could be really cool. A quick caveat: The Aviator here in New York is very close to the production version, but it's not technically a production car. It looks hand-built, with temporary exhaust and some show-car touches. The suspension underneath looks exactly like a Mustang's, but the actual production Aviator will almost certainly use beefier components with the same basic design and geometry, since the Aviator will be much heavier than the smaller Mustang. That being said, we're fairly confident that even at this early stage, the Mustang-derived suspension seen in New York is a preview of what'll be under the production Aviator. Furthermore, Ford won't say it, but based on what we're seeing on Aviator, it's a safe bet that Ford will utilize the Aviator platform for the next Explorer. That would enable the economies of scale necessary to produce a brand new rear-drive-based SUV platform in the first place. It also means that the Explorer should be available without AWD — and given the stable of powerful EcoBoost engines, and the competent 10-speed automatic in the parts bin, a rear-drive Explorer has a shot at being a decent driver. Aviator wouldn't go rear-drive-based if driving dynamics weren't important; Explorer should inherit these priorities. More evidence: The Explorer spy shots we saw back in February sure share the Aviator's general proportions. Even back then, before Aviator was revealed, we were hypothesizing that an EcoBoost 3.5-liter-powered version could boast as much as 400 horsepower, if the Expedition's tune were adopted. Suddenly, the Explorer seems very interesting. So, an EcoBoost, rear-drive Explorer sure sounds like something Ford Performance would be interested in, right? We knew an Explorer ST is coming, but with 365-400 horsepower potential and a chassis designed with dynamics in mind, it doesn't seem like as much of a stretch as the Edge ST. And a performance-oriented AWD system is a possibility, too. That's an area where Ford has been gathering experience at a rapid pace. What do we not expect from a new Explorer? A V8.

Chinese market Ford Taurus will be unveiled at Shanghai Motor Show

A new Ford Taurus is on the way, at least for some markets. As part of a huge unveiling of seven models for the Asia Pacific market at the Shanghai Motor Show, Ford is announcing the debut of the company's next-gen large sedan on April 18 just before the event in China begins. Unfortunately, the Taurus that we see in Shanghai might not signal too much about the future version in the US. Ford spokesperson Monique Brentley tells Autoblog that this debut is specifically for the Chinese market, and the Blue Oval isn't saying whether any of this updated look will come across the Pacific. We got a tiny preview of the new Taurus earlier this year when one was spotted wearing heavy camouflage while testing in China. That one retained the sedan's hexagonal grille but added more horizontal chrome slats. It also featured reshaped headlights and a broad, lower air dam. Previous reports have indicated the next-gen model might be built around a stretched and widened version of the Fusion platform, and a major goal during development was shedding as many pounds as possible. With little time before the official unveiling, it won't be long until we'll know much of this for sure. Related Video: NEW FORD TAURUS, FORD GT TO LEAD FORD LINEUP AT AUTO CHINA 2015 Ford to unveil seven new vehicles for Asia Pacific at Auto Shanghai 2015, underscoring its commitment to expanding world-class showrooms across the region New Ford Taurus will bring the historic nameplate to China for the first time with sophisticated design, roomy space and advanced technology Ford GT supercar will lead Ford Performance lineup in Asia Pacific debut; Focus RS, Focus ST and Fiesta ST highlight Ford's passion for performance innovation in all forms Full range of Ford vehicles for China and exciting interactive displays will greet visitors to Ford's display SHANGHAI, China, April 2, 2015 – Taking another bold step to fulfill its promise of introducing 15 new vehicles to China by 2015, Ford will unveil the new Ford Taurus at Auto Shanghai 2015, with a special pre-show event on April 18. Ford's new flagship sedan for China will take the stage at the auto show, along with six other new vehicles making their debuts in Asia Pacific. "We are looking forward to taking the wraps off seven new vehicles for our customers in China and continuing our delivery of great products and innovative technologies," said John Lawler, chairman and CEO, Ford China.