We Finance!!! 2010 Ford F-150 Lariat Flex-fuel Roof Nav Rcamera Sync Sony Tow!! on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Ford Focus 1.0-liter Ecoboost to only get manual trans in US

Photos of the 2015 Ford Focus leaked earlier today, but now we're able to tell you more details of the global five-door hatchback. Bucking automaker's troubling trend of ditching manual transmissions in favor of automatics, Ford says the new 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine will come only in a six-speed manual in the US, because, well, American drivers aren't as sophisticated as our European brothers and sisters.
Ford didn't come out and say it that way, but it has found American drivers are more prone to complain about automatics in smaller-engine cars, Raj Nair, Ford's group vice president of global product development, said at a press conference last week. The recent JD Power Vehicle Dependability Study backs up Ford's claims, pointing out that drivers are complaining about rough transmission shifts, engine hesitation and lack of power, particularly in small cars. In Europe and other parts of the world, drivers seem to understand the quirks of these pint-sized engines, Nair said, so they'll have the option to buy an automatic. Ford is working on tuning its dual-clutch transmissions to make them more amenable to American driver's tastes.
Ford will show off the refreshed 2015 Focus at the Geneva Motor Show in early March. The car is due for an update, having been on sale in its current form since 2012. The automaker said it is jamming the car full of new technology - like a USB port that promises to charge your phone in half the time as a regular USB port. Features like Sync and a rear back-up camera will come standard. For a more in-depth look at the car, take a look at the full press release.

Autoblog Podcast #327

New York Auto Show, Jim Farley interview, 2014 Chevrolet Silverado fuel economy, Ford fuel economy app challenge
Episode #327 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, Zach Bowman and Jeff Ross talk about this year's New York Auto Show, Chevrolet's latest assault in the pickup truck fuel economy battle, and Ford's reward for developing a better fuel economy app. Dan also has an interview with Ford's Jim Farley about the future of Lincoln. We wrap with your questions and emails, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Keep reading for our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!
Autoblog Podcast #327:

Autoblog Minute: Ford's EV Consumer Satisfaction Survey

Survey says, drivers that go green stay green. Ninety-two percent of plugged-in Americans said they planned to buy electric again. Autoblog's Adam Morath reports on this edition of Autoblog Minute. Show full video transcript text [00:00:00] Survey says, drivers that go green stay green. I'm Adam Morath and this is your Autoblog Minute. Ford commissioned a survey of 10,000 electric vehicle owners, posing the question: What would will you buy next? 92 percent of plugged-in Americans said they planned to buy electric again, citing a preference for clean tech and the instant power provided by an electric motor. But what about drivers who live in states with fewer or no plug-in incentives? [00:00:30] Autoblog spoke with Stephanie Janczak who works with electric vehicle technology at Ford: [00:01:00] [STEPHANIE JANCZAK INTERVIEW] Low gas prices and rising truck sales may have stalled EV adoption in the U.S. but Ford's survey shows high satisfaction amongst current EV customers. Begging the question, what will you buy next? Let us know in the comments. For Autoblog, I'm Adam Morath. Autoblog Minute is a short-form video news series reporting on all things automotive. Each segment offers a quick and clear picture of what's happening in the automotive industry from the perspective of Autoblog's expert editorial staff, auto executives, and industry professionals.