Mazda Shinari Concept I Mazda Shinari Concept sport

The Mazda Shinari is a pure design concept model of a four-door, four-seater sports coupe which perfectly expresses the 'KODO - Soul of Motion' design theme in a graceful and carefree form.
The Japanese word Shinari describes the powerful yet supple appearance of great resilient force when objects of high tensile strength, such as steel or bamboo, are twisted or bent. It also refers to the appearance of a person or animal as it flexibly transforms its body to generate a fast movement. Within this movement, Mazda designers discovered the potential to realize 'KODO - Soul of Motion'.
One glance at Mazda Shinari Concept stirs the emotions. Its form expresses the powerful movement of a lean body with highly developed muscles, supple but at the same time filled with tension. Mazda's desire is to reach car lovers' hearts and go beyond the notion of rational logic. This form purely embodies that desire

Read more »

Ford Focus ST price I Ford Focus ST spec

The covers finally came off the production version of the dramatic new Focus ST five-door at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show, revealing the performance car that enthusiasts around the globe are waiting for.

European customers can also choose a stylish wagon version of the Focus ST, which will launch alongside the five-door model in 2012.

The Focus ST is Ford's first truly global performance car, building on the heritage of previous Focus ST models in Europe and evolving it to allow drivers around the world to experience and enjoy the exhilarating performance, unrivaled handling, addictive sound and muscular sports design that the ST badge represents.

With innovative design and technology throughout, the new Focus ST will be more powerful and surprisingly fuel efficient, raising the bar once again when it comes to handling too. For drivers who want refinement for everyday use but with exhilarating performance on tap, the passion, enthusiasm and expertise of Ford's Global Performance Vehicles group shines through and makes the new Focus ST the most rewarding and obvious choice.

Ford's First Global Performance Car

The One Ford approach to working together across geographic boundaries has already seen successful global launches of the Fiesta and new Focus for the company. This approach is the great enabler for performance versions to be readily developed for a global market.

"The new Focus is a fantastic car to develop an ST model from," said Matthias Tonn, chief program engineer for the Focus ST. "It's a solid shell with precise handling as standard, as customers around the world have already found out. It doesn't compromise on any area in any region of the world, and Focus ST builds upon that strength to give our global performance customers the car they want, the car they have been asking for."

More Power and Economy

For global customers, Focus ST is powered by the 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine, which offers an uncompromising mix of performance and efficiency. Ford's lightweight, all-aluminum EcoBoost engines provide the power of a larger engine in a fuel-efficient smaller displacement, utilising three key technologies.

High pressure direct injection, low-inertia turbocharging and Twin-independent Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT) all help to create an advanced combustion system which brings new levels of performance and fuel efficiency to Ford's petrol engines.

Ford's Global Performance Vehicles group has taken this technology and developed a 250PS high-output derivative of the 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost engine for Focus ST.

Sensational Sound

The previous generation Focus ST was acclaimed for its particularly sporty 5-cylinder engine sound. With the introduction of a 4-cylinder Ford EcoBoost engine into the new Focus ST, the Ford sound engineers were keen to ensure the audible delights from this totally different engine keep enthusiasts just as excited.

Unprecedented Driving Dynamics

Incredible driving dynamics are at the heart of the Focus ST. Innovation and technology combine to create a chassis capable of exceeding the expectations of even the most demanding driving enthusiast, while giving even novice motorists an unforgettable drive.

From the driver's seat, customers will experience the newly-developed Ford Sport Steering System. This variable ratio steering rack is designed to increase the agility of the Focus ST on winding roads yet still inspire the same high-speed confidence.

Sports Suspension

Working in harmony with the advanced driver assistance features is the finely tuned suspension setup of the new Focus ST. Uprated shock absorbers and springs lower the ST chassis by 10mm for a more aggressive stance while the centre of gravity is brought closer to the road, which aids precise cornering.

The rear suspension has been revised with a number of new parts developed specifically for the Focus ST. Key components are the uprated suspension knuckles and an all-new anti-roll bar design, both the result of the development team's desire to give drivers an outstanding amount of feedback and control.

Read more »

Ford Taurus SHO 2013 I Ford Taurus SHO Review

The new Ford Taurus SHO is the sportiest Taurus yet to wear the coveted performance badge. With its unique blend of the award-winning, fuel-efficient EcoBoost™ engine, enhanced driving dynamics and performance-inspired design, the new Ford Taurus SHO shows it means business. An unprecedented combination of horsepower, technology and fuel economy takes this acclaimed sporting sedan to a whole new level.

"The Taurus SHO has always followed the original formula of stealthy sleeper, and the new model is no exception," said Gordon Platto, chief designer. "We wanted to keep the subtle, understated, yet sporty elegance, but at the same time we knew it was time to even more fully differentiate the Super High Output model from other Taurus series models."

Inspired by SHO buyers and club enthusiasts, the design team knew just what to do.

"Listening to SHO buyers and enthusiasts encouraged us to strengthen the design and the driving quality for the new 2013 model," said Platto. "For us, this was a clear indication that SHO customers have passionate feelings about aesthetics and design as well as performance."

Enhanced powertrain, refined dynamics

The new Taurus SHO drivetrain continues to use the award-winning and fuel-efficient 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, delivering 365 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque, mated to a six-speed high-capacity 6F55 SelectShift Automatic™ transmission.

Steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters enable the Ford Taurus SHO to match revs for smooth, quick, manually selected downshifts. For the new model, these have been reconfigured for more intuitive operation, with one paddle for upshifts and the other for making smooth, matched-rev downshifts.

SHO dynamics have been enhanced with larger brakes, torque vectoring control - using slight braking to provide the effect of a limited-slip differential - and unique sport-tuned suspension.

Specially calibrated electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) has been further optimized for enthusiast-pleasing road feel and direct, communicative response. In addition to helping Ford Taurus SHO deliver up to 25 mpg highway, EPAS enables the car to park itself with active park assist.

Taurus SHO brake system upgrades include a larger master cylinder, revised booster tuning for improved pedal feel, larger front rotors with 19 percent more thermal mass and 67 percent more swept area to help brakes run cooler. Now vented, the rear disc brakes offer 53 percent more thermal mass.

As with the previous edition, all Ford Taurus SHO models come standard with an advanced torque-sensing all-wheel-drive system to help deliver optimum traction in all weather conditions and to enable the vehicle to efficiently deliver ample torque through all four driven wheels when driving in a sporty, enthusiastic manner.

Read more »