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Facelifted Ford Focus caught testing in the cold

It's that time in the life of the Ford Focus to get a little work done - a nip-tuck here, some Botox there. Yes, Ford is testing a facelifted version of its global C-segment entry, which first hit markets in Europe and North America in May 2011.
Like the touchup on the Fiesta, expect Ford's gaping grille to make its first appearance on the Focus. Our spy photographers point out that this is likely to be a more comprehensive makeover than previous spy shots suggested, based on the additional camouflage seen here on the front and rear ends of this five-door model. New head and taillights are also likely in order, as are changes to the front and rear fascia.
The interior was also snapped and features a cleaner design with a larger central display. Other than that, it looks like some buttons have been changed, making us think most of the Focus' updates are limited to the exterior.

Ford Mustang Mach-E fails Sweden's moose test

The infamous moose test has claimed another casualty. This time it's the Ford Mustang Mach-E AWD Long Range, which was tested in an electric four-way alongside the Tesla Model Y, Hyundai Ioniq 5 and Skoda Enyaq iV (an electric utility vehicle closely related to the Volkswagen ID.4 that is sold in the United States). According to the Swedish testers at Teknikens Varld, Ford's electric car not only failed to hit the speed necessary for a passing grade, it didn't perform well at slower speeds, either. To pass the outlet's moose test, a car has to complete a rapid left-right-straight S-shaped pattern marked by cones at a speed of at least 72 km/h (44.7 miles per hour). The test is designed to mimic the type of avoidance maneuver a driver would have to take in order to avoid hitting something that wandered into the road, which in Sweden may be a moose but could just as easily be a deer or some other member of the animal kingdom elsewhere in the world, or possibly a child or car backing into the motorway. Not only is the maneuver very aggressive, it's also performed with weights belted into each seat and more weight added to the cargo area to hit the vehicle's maximum allowable carrying capacity. The Mustang Mach-E only managed to complete the moose test at 68 km/h (42.3 mph), well below the passing-grade threshold. Even at much lower speeds, Teknikens Varld says the Mach-E (which boasts the highest carrying capacity and was therefore loaded with more weight than the rest of the vehicles tested in this quartet) is "too soft in the chassis" and suffers from "too slow steering." Proving that it is indeed possible to pass the test, the Hyundai and Skoda completed the maneuver at the 44.7-mph figure required for a passing grade and the Tesla did it at 46.6 mph, albeit with less weight in the cargo area. It's not clear whether other versions of the Mustang Mach-E would pass the test. It's also unknown if Ford will make any changes to its chassis tuning or electronic stability control software, as some other automakers have done after a poor performance from Teknikens Varld, to improve its performance in the moose test. Related video:

Trump takes potshots at Ford in Flint

Doubling down on his general dislike of everything south of the Rio Grande, Republican presidential hopeful Donald Trump took aim at local favorite Ford during his first campaign visit to Michigan yesterday. "Ford is building a $2.5 billion plant in Mexico," Trump told a standing-room-only crowd in Birch Run, MI, yesterday evening. "I'll actually give them a good idea. Why don't we just let the illegals drive the cars and trucks right into our country?" This is not the first time real estate mogul turned reality TV star has whined about Ford's Mexican factory plans. Previously, he promised that if he were elected, he'd levy a 35-percent tax against Mexican-built Fords. Then, as he has here, Trump failed to address other automakers selling Mexican-built vehicles in the US, including Detroit-based General Motors as well as foreign brands like Volkswagen, Nissan, and Toyota. "I would say, the deal is not going to be approved, I won't allow it. I want that plant in the United States, preferably here," Trump said, with Bloomberg reporting his comments were meant with chants of "USA." Ford announced the $2.5-billion Mexican investment in April, saying it'd build two factories to produce transmissions and engines. In response to Trump's criticism of the deal, the Dearborn-based automaker was quick to point out that it hasn't exactly been stingy about building its business here in the US. "We are committed to leveraging our global manufacturing footprint and will continue to invest where it makes the best sense for our business," Ford spokesman Karl Henkel told Bloomberg. "We are proud that we have invested $6.2 billion in our US plants since 2011 and hired nearly 25,000 US employees." Related Video: