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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.

Ford Escort testing, may be bound for Europe

There has been little news about Ford's China-focused Escort concept since debuting at last year's Shanghai Motor Show, but the no-frills sedan has shown its camouflaged face again during cold weather testing in Northern Sweden. While far from a guarantee, the test location might hint that the Blue Oval plans to market the car outside of Asia.
The Escort's black robe and zebra paint make it hard to tell if anything specific has changed about the design, but the shape of the sedan looks close to what was shown in Shanghai. Under the disguise, you can still make out the hexagonal front grille from the concept. When Ford announced the model, the company said that the design wasn't supposed to be "arrogant or pretentious," and it certainly achieved that. The engine range is still a mystery, but it seems safe to expect small, economy-focused powertrains.
A report from last year indicated that Ford may be considering broadening the new Escort beyond Asia and possibly even selling it in Europe. The fact that the company brought it to Sweden for testing could bolster that argument. A release date hasn't been set yet, but the automaker has promised 15 new products for China by 2015. The basic sedan could be on the road soon.

Ford Mondeo Hybrid could beat unloved diesels in Europe

Predicting changes in the European auto market isn't easy, and Ford is hedging its bets there with the introduction of the Mondeo Hybrid. The Blue Oval has no expectation of the electrified version of the sedan being a rollicking sales success, but the model is a fuel-efficient alternative in case the recent backlash against diesel turns into an outright ban somewhere. This is the first time Ford is selling a hybrid version of the Mondeo (a cousin to the Fusion in the US) in Europe. The vehicle pairs a 2.0-liter Atkinson cycle four-cylinder with a 1.4-kWh battery pack to make a total of 185 horsepower and emit 99 grams per kilometer of CO2. The Blue Oval expects to sell around 100,000 units of all versions of the sedan annually there, according to Automotive News Europe. However, fewer than 5,000 of those are predicted to be the gas-electric model. "Legislation around Europe is so different it's very difficult to predict," Roelant de Waard, Ford of Europe sales boss, said to ANE. "If you're betting only on one horse you might be lucky, but you also may be very unlucky." Ford is probably smart to have alternatives ready, and it also already offers the Focus Electric and hybrid C-Max there. Governments in Europe are rapidly turning against diesel, especially in France. The country considered offering buyers 10,000 euros ($11,300) if they trade in an old oil-burner on a new electric vehicle, and the prime minister calls backing the fuel for so long a mistake. The UK's Labour Party is making similar declarations. News Source: Automotive News Europe - sub. req.Image Credit: Ford Government/Legal Green Ford Emissions Green Driving Diesel Vehicles Hybrid Sedan