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Ford Fiesta RS with 250 horsepower mooted

We know Ford is unveiling a new Focus RS on February 3, and it's heavily rumored to arrive brandishing an all-wheel-drive powertrain and as much as 350 horsepower. The folks at Ford Performance have also promised they are working on at least 12 models through 2020, and that still leaves a lot of time to get additional exciting vehicles out the door. One of those could be an RS version of the Fiesta, according to Evo. An RS take on the latest Fiesta would obviously need substantial boosts in both power and handling ability to warrant the work over the current top Fiesta ST (pictured above), which is already one of our favorite cars. Evo speculates that the 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder could be tuned further, possibly up to about 250 horsepower, and the high-performance hatch might even take some inspiration from the Fiesta WRC rally car with an all-wheel drive system. An unnamed Ford spokesperson remained cagey about the chances for the pint-sized hot hatch to Evo, though. "We can't say anything at this moment, but we have promised to produce 12 performance models in the coming years. We'll leave it for you to decide whether that includes a Fiesta at this moment," the source said to the magazine. Evo doesn't expect a launch across the pond until at least 2017, if it actually happens. Of course, there's the lingering question of whether such a niche project would work in the US. In Europe, the Fiesta RS would challenge similarly diminutive speedsters like the Volkswagen Polo R and Audi S1, but true competitors of an equivalent size here would be much more scarce. In fact with 250 hp, the hotter Fiesta could provide unwelcome competition within Blue Oval showrooms for the Focus ST. Featured Gallery 2014 Ford Fiesta ST View 47 Photos News Source: EvoImage Credit: Ford Ford Hatchback Performance ford performance ford fiesta rs

FBI investigating recently fired Ford engineer for espionage

Agents of the FBI are investigating a potential case of industrial espionage involving a recently fired Ford employee. The Dearborn, MI-based manufacturer had its world headquarters searched by FBI agents on July 11, and according to The Detroit News, had warrants to seize recording devices handed over to Ford by Sharon Leach, a now-former Ford engineer.
Leach, who had spent 17 years with the Blue Oval, was fired last month, after Ford Security relieved her of eight Sansa listening devices. The FBI got involved shortly after her dismissal, searching her home on June 20 and seizing some two dozen items, including computers, jump drives and financial records, according to warrants obtained by The News.
Ford has remained quiet on the matter, with spokeswoman Susan Krusel confirming that the automaker was working with the FBI as part of a "joint investigation," while declining to provide any additional details.

Ford to ramp up Lincoln rollout in China in bid to catch rivals

DETROIT/BEIJING — Ford Motor Co's premium Lincoln brand plans to build as many as five new vehicles in China by 2022, according to two U.S. sources, in a move to expand sales in the world's largest vehicle market that would also blunt the impact of trade U.S.-China trade spats. Ford has said it plans to build an all-new sport utility vehicle in China by the end of 2019, however the company has not detailed future production plans for the Lincoln brand in China beyond that. "Our localization plans to support the China market are on track and will serve to further drive Lincoln's growth in China," Lincoln spokeswoman Angie Kozleski said. "Beyond that, it would be premature to discuss our future product and production plans or timing." Sources familiar with Ford's production plans told Reuters the automaker now expects to begin building the new Lincoln Aviator in China in late 2019 or early 2020, along with replacements for the MKC compact crossover and the MKZ midsize sedan, followed in 2021 by the all-new Nautilus, which replaces the Lincoln MKX crossover. A fifth model, a small coupe-like crossover, is tentatively slated for production in China in 2022, the sources said. Ford has much to lose if the war of words over trade between China and U.S. President Donald Trump escalates into a full-blown tariff war. Last year, it shipped about 80,000 vehicles to China from North America, more than half of them Lincolns to support the brand's growth. All Lincoln vehicles that Ford now sells in China are brought in from North America. Even if China does reduce its 25 percent tariff on imported vehicles - as Chinese President Xi Jinping promised on Tuesday - it is not clear that would mean a big, long-term increase in Fords and Lincolns made in U.S. factories heading to Chinese showrooms. Ford is pursuing long-range plans to build more vehicles in China to serve a market that is now roughly 60 percent larger than the U.S. market, and projected to keep growing. But it is playing catch up to hometown rival General Motors Co and German luxury brands including Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz, which have invested heavily in Chinese production in recent years as a form of insurance against trade, political and currency gyrations and to lower price points for their premium cars.