Ford: Mustang Premium Coupe 2-door on 2040-cars

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Ward's calls out Ford's EcoBoost engines for their crummy fuel economy

With a name like EcoBoost, one might expect Ford's line of turbocharged engines to be somewhat, um, economical. In other words, replacing displacement with a turbocharger is supposed to deliver better fuel economy. Based on the experience time and time again of multiple Autoblog editors, your author included, this is simply not the case. Now, Ward's is calling out the cruddy efficiency numbers of Ford's EcoBoost line of engines. The column dresses down not just the new 2.7-liter V6 of the 2015 F-150, but also the 2.3-liter of the Mustang, the 1.5-liter from the Fusion and the 3.2-liter PowerStroke diesel found in the Transit, while also explaining why just one Ford engine was named to Ward's 10 Best Engines list. In its testing of all four engines, Ward's editors never came even remotely close to matching the 2.7's claimed 26 miles per gallon (for two-wheel-drive models), with the truck's computer indicating between 17.6 and 19 mpg over a 250-odd-mile run. Calculating the fuel economy manually revealed an even more depressing 15.6 miles per gallon. Criticisms with the 2.3-liter four-cylinder focused on its strange soundtrack, although it was business as usual with the 1.5-liter and 3.2 diesel, with Ward's criticizing the fuel economy of both engines. The 1.5, which Ward's claims is sold as a hybrid alternative, failed to get over 30 miles per gallon, while the five-cylinder turbodiesel's figures couldn't stand up against FCA's 3.0-liter EcoDiesel. The entire column really is worth a read, especially if you were disappointed in Ward's decision to only salute Ford's three-cylinder EcoBoost while shunning the rest of the company's new turbocharged mills.

You'll have to apply to purchase a Ford GT

With the 2017 Ford GT rumored to cost around $400,000, an anonymous insider says that the company is taking a very exclusive approach in deciding who gets to own these supercars. The Blue Oval isn't forgetting its roots, though, and some current customers might get the first crack at the coupe's extremely limited production numbers. Reddit user 3031983 claims to work at a dealer and have access to an internal Ford website, which is where this info comes from. The ordering process for the latest GT begins in early 2016, and any interested buyers need to file an application with Ford first. Anyone can submit the request, but Ford is giving top priority to current GT owners. Once selected, customers will be walked through the personalization process and will eventually complete the purchase through a dealer certified to sell the GT. Autoblog reached out to Ford, and the company confirmed that all of the user's details are accurate. The concierge-style service certainly isn't uncommon with other high-end vehicles, though. It's also understandable that the Blue Oval would want to work closely with wealthy, enthusiast buyers, rather than just shipping its supercar off for dealers to sell. The user also reports that Ford is limiting global production of the GT to just 250 units a year, which the company confirms. That makes the Blue Oval's supercar truly exclusive for its early life. For comparison, Ferrari only built 499 LaFerraris, and there were 918 Porsche 918 Spyders. Related Video:

2015 Ford Mustang: Obsessively covered [w/videos + poll]

Here at Autoblog, we've officially stamped December 5, 2013, as Ford Mustang Day. Sure, the sixth-generation Pony Car started leaking out onto the web days ago, but all of the official, non-embargoed hotness has come out today. And man, there's been a lot.
In terms of new car debuts, this is a really big one - not unlike all of the Corvette madness that kicked off the 2013 automotive season. So to make sure you haven't missed anything, here's a wrap-up of everything you need to know about the 2015 Ford Mustang.
Deep Dive: 2015 Ford Mustang