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Ford Fiesta ST gets worked out on the track

We're big fans of the turbocharged Ford Focus ST, and we're plenty excited that the Blue Oval will be offering a similar treatment on the smaller Fiesta here in the United States, too. We first saw the production-ready Fiesta ST five-door at the Los Angeles Auto Show last fall, and Ford has now released this video of a Euro-spec three-door ST being flung around the track.
But not just any track - the challenging Track 7 of Ford's Lommel Proving Grounds in Belgium. The course features 20 turns and plenty of elevation changes along its 2.7-mile loop, and David Put, a vehicle dynamic specialist at Ford, shows just how good the pint-sized Fiesta ST is at handling the lot, even getting the smallest ST up on three wheels every now and then.
It sure does look like a lot of fun, and makes us really eager for our chance to try this ourselves. Scroll down to see the hot little Ford getting busy.

Shelby boosts production of 575-hp Raptor on early demand

Shelby American unveiled its all-new Shelby Raptor at the New York Auto Show last month, saying that it would build just 100 examples of its off-road bad boy, a pickup priced at $17,995 over the cost of the donor Ford F-150 SVT Raptor. But the Las Vegas outfit apparently underestimated just how popular the supercharged 575-horsepower 4x4 would actually be.
Strong early demand reportedly has Shelby singing a whole new tune, as the company is now saying it will build upwards of 500 units annually. While the increased production will likely make for at least 400 more happy owners, those who were on the original short list - possibly speculating on future values - might not be grinning as much. Needless to say, the company has assured everyone that each and every one of the modified Raptors will still be listed in the official Shelby registry.
Keep in mind that Ford isn't sitting idle on its trophy-truck-for-the-street, either. The company will reveal its own 2014 F-150 SVT Raptor Special Edition this month.

Martin Leach's secret EV startup revealed: NextEV

More details have surfaced about ex-Ford executive Martin Leach and the electric-vehicle start-up he's helping to lead. The company is called NextEV, and it's based in Shanghai, Reuters says. Among the fledgling company's investors is Hillhouse Capital, which also has a stake in San Francisco-based car-hailing service Uber Technologies. NextEV is also partnered up with first season Formula E champs China Racing, and that the team will be running a NextEV drivetrain this upcoming season. Late last month, Leach confirmed to Reuters that he was working with an electric-vehicle startup which had employees in both California and China, but he didn't get into the nitty gritty. Now, the company is said to include former BMW senior designer Juho Suh and former Tesla Motors senior program director John Thomas. And although no details have been disclosed about funding levels, there are hints that it may be substantial given possible Chinese backing and an effort to develop a high-end electric vehicle for in China for the domestic market. The group is working on an electric vehicle that it says may debut as early as next year. The supercar will have more than 1,000 horsepower, and will be able to go from 0 to 100 kilometers per hour (62 miles per hour) in less than three seconds, suggesting that the company – like so many others – is looking to out-Tesla Tesla. Leach left his post as chief operating officer of Ford of Europe in 2003, even after being named man of the year by Automobile magazine. He subsequently ran Maserati, then worked last year for Hong Kong-based Hybrid Tech Holdings. That company unsuccessfully put in a bid for the assets of then-bankrupt high-end plug-in vehicle maker Fisker Automotive. News Source: ReutersImage Credit: Luca Bruno / AP Green Ford Electric Shanghai nextev martin leach