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Ford profiles surprisingly affluent Focus ST buyers

It comes as no surprise when Ford says that 32-percent of Focus ST buyers are under 35, but we weren't expecting this: the average annual salary of Focus ST buyers is $127,000. Twenty-two percent of non-ST Focus buyers are under 35, while their average annual salary is $67,000.
We like the Focus ST because it has 252 horsepower, is genuinely fun to drive and offers great value for performance-minded car enthusiasts; facts that are not lost on customers, it seems. Ford says that the Focus ST has the highest percentage of conquest sales for a non-hybrid model it sells, and that the top-four trade-ins are from Honda, Chevrolet, Mazda and Toyota. Demand for the hot Focus is strongest in Los Angeles, Detroit, Houston and Orlando.
"[The Focus ST is] having this kind of halo effect for other vehicles we'd hoped for when we invested in the ST brand," says John Felice, vice president of US marketing, sales and service, because it's helping to boost sales of other Ford vehicles.

Motorweek goes retro with '80s hot hatch shootout

Motorweek's decades of history on television make it the perfect medium to look back into the automotive past and see how things are different now. It recently added old road test videos to its YouTube channel of the Acura NSX and Toyota Supra, as well as the Ferrari F40. For one of its newest flashback clips, Motorweek has exhumed an affordable five-car challenge of 1986's premiere hot hatches.
By today's standards, this is an eclectic field that features fondly remembered classics like the Volkswagen GTI 16-valve and Acura Integra. However, it also throws in some nearly forgotten contenders like the Dodge Colt Turbo and Ford Escort GT. The angular Toyota Corolla FX16 GT-S rounds out the group.
It's fascinating to watch Motorweek run the quintet through the slalom, down the drag strip and on various roads. What's most striking in this clip is the difference in the definition of a performance car between then and now. With its 16-valve, 1.8-liter four-cylinder, the GTI is the burliest of the contenders with 123 horsepower, but it still takes 8.8 seconds to reach 60 miles per hour. By today's standards, that would make it a plain-jane economy car, and not even a particularly quick one.

Ford launches pair of recalls affecting fullsize sedans and Transit Connect van

Ford has announced a pair of pretty significant recalls affecting the 2010-2013 Ford Taurus and Police Interceptor, as well as their platform-mate, the Lincoln MKS. A separate recall covers the 2014 Transit Connect. The fullsize sedans include 205,000 vehicles built at Chicago Assembly over a variety of timeframes, ranging between December 1, 2009 and November 30, 2012. The vehicles, 194,889 of which were sold in the United States, have an issue with the spring controls on the interior door handles that could cause the door to open in a side-impact crash. The Transit Connect recall, meanwhile, includes 16,100 vans built between November 6, 2013 and September 20,2014 at the company's Valencia, Spain factory. In these vehicles, the seatbelt fasteners may not have been tightened properly, which could cause them to loosen over time, a condition that's obviously bad news in the event of a crash. Ford says it is not aware of any accidents, injuries or crashes in either recall. Owners will, of course, be notified and asked to report in for inspections and if necessary, free replacements. Scroll down for the full press release from Ford, which includes the complete breakdown of dates during which the affected sedans were built in Chicago. JAN 28, 2015 | DEARBORN, MICH. FORD ISSUES TWO SAFETY RECALLS Ford is issuing two safety recalls. No accidents or injuries are attributed to either of these conditions. Details are as follows: Ford issues safety recall for certain 2010-2013 Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS and Ford Police Interceptor sedans for interior door handle issue Ford is issuing a safety recall for approximately 205,000 2010-2013 Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS and Ford Police Interceptor sedans due to an issue with the spring that controls the interior door handles. If the spring is unseated, the door may become unlatched in a side-impact crash, increasing the risk of injury. Ford is not aware of any accidents or injuries related to this condition. Affected vehicles include certain 2010-2013 Ford Taurus vehicles built Dec. 1, 2009 to July 31, 2010 and Feb. 1, 2011 to Nov. 30, 2012 at Chicago Assembly Plant; certain 2010-2013 Lincoln MKS vehicles built June 2, 2011 to Oct. 31, 2011 at Chicago Assembly Plant; and certain 2010-2013 Ford Police Interceptor sedans built Dec. 1, 2009 to July 31, 2010 and Feb. 1, 2011 to Nov. 30, 2012 at Chicago Assembly Plant.