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Ford ’s 1.0-Liter EcoBoost Could Hit 150 Horsepower  Back in September, Ford managed an incredible Nurburgring lap time of 7:22. No, Ford did not used an amazing supercar to perform this feat; it used the tiny Formula race car powered by the automaker’s 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine. In an interview with the British magazine, AutoExpress, EcoBoost chief engineer, Andrew Fraser, has announced that Ford is considering a production version of this incredible high-output version of its 3-cylinder engine. Don’t go getting too excited just yet, as there is no way that this engine can reach production pumping out the 202 horsepower it did when it lapped Nurburgring. Instead, Ford is working toward reaching the 150-horsepower mark from this tiny block. Sure, 150 ponies doesn’t sound like much, but consider the fact that this engine is small enough to move with just a pair of relatively fit people and will mount in a car that weighs next to nothing, like the Ford Fiesta. Suddenly, that 150 ponies sounds pretty appetizing again, huh? There always has to be a "but" with these types of announcements, as, according to Fraser, the engine still needs to complete its development process and pass Ford’s rigorous testing process, which includes long-term running at temperatures ranging from -40 degrees C (-140 degrees F) to 50 degrees C (122 degrees F). With an engine as high strung as a 150-horsepower, 3-cylinder engine, that could be pretty tough. In related news, Fraser also announced that Formula Ford received a positive feedback and that officials have asked for a limited production series of 50 units. 2012 Ford Fiesta by B-Spec Magazine
Ford unveiled the facelift version of their Fiesta at the 2012 Paris Auto Show, but U.S. customers will have to wait a bit longer to enjoy the updated compact car. Until then, all we can do is enjoy this very cool tuning kit that B-Spec Magazine is about to unveil at the 2012 SEMA Show. For their Fiesta project, the guys over at B-Spec Magazine tried to combine form and function in order to obtain a car that will make heads turn, even if it’s just at the show. The only details we have on the car at this point is that it will be painted in a Candy Blue and will feature an audio system that you’ll be able to both hear and feel. There will also be a pretty cool aerodynamic package that makes the car look more aggressive than ever. Under the hood, there is a 1.6 liter engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission. We don’t know just yet if the engine has received any power updates, but we doubt there will be any more push for a build like this.
Video: It’s not Gymkhana, but it’s Ken Block doing yet another drift session
Any time Ken Block is on a video doing some hooning magic, it’s bound to get some serious attention from a lot of folks. The master of Gymkhana has earned that distinction and his latest piece of hoonage is no exception to the attention. Created by ’The Hoonigans,’ Block finds himself in the final round of the Formula DRIFT 2012 season at the Irwindale Speedway in California. Riding his trusty Ford Fiesta HFHV, Block took to the course and did what he always seems to do better than anybody else: smoke the hell out of those tires. The stunts aren’t as complicated as any of his Gymkhana videos, but that’s more because of the nature of the track than anything else. Nonetheless, it still makes for an insane drift ride, something Block appeared to have no problem doing as evidenced by the smoke coming out of those tires. Check out Ken Block and his Fiest HFHV leave a mark on the Irwindale Speedway like only he can. Ford Follows Mini’s Lead and Leaves WRC Just days ago we let you know that Mini pretty much used FIA homologation rules to its advantage by finishing up the 2012 season and calling it quits, now another manufacturer is following suit. There have been rumors floating around since 2011 that Ford Europe was going to pull out of the World Rally Championship and that will become a reality following the 2012 season, as Ford Europe announced that it will pull its sponsorship following the 2012 season. Unlike Mini, Ford has been a long-running sponsor, lasting 16 seasons. With that long of a history, it is more obvious that Ford’s pull out is mostly due to the crumbling automotive market in Europe. Despite pulling its sponsorship, Ford will provide M-Sport, its WRC partner since 1997, with the Fiesta R5 rally car, along with engineering and vehicle support following its departure. In addition, Ford Europe will still offer the Fiesta R2 rally car for grass-roots national and regional driver programs. It looks like we are in for a drastically changed lineup for the 2013 WRC season, and we’re not even through the 2012 season yet. Hopefully no more manufacturers pull out this year. Click past the jump to read Ford’s official press release.
Video: Gymkhana parody is all sorts of hilarious
This probably isn’t what Ken Block had in mind when he released his now world-famous Gymkhana video series. Brought to us by Leaking Duck Productions - the name says it all - this Gymkhana parody stars Etienne Guerra reprising the role of Block and a Ford Fiesta Ghia playing the part of Block’s trusty Fiesta HMHV. Suffice to say, hilarity ensues. To be fair to Guerra, he did pull off some pretty sweet drifts given the steed he was driving. But it certainly wasn’t Ken Block and it didn’t have all the kind of theatrics and insane stunts that is normally reserved for Block and his own series of Gymkhana videos. Nevertheless, it makes for great entertainment. And as if to close it out with a guest appearance, a Travis Pastrana copycat was also present at the end of the video. We’re not sure who it is, but we wouldn’t be surprised if it was Guerra too. 2013 Ford FiestaFord unveiled the Fiesta Mark VI back in 2008 and with some creative marketing, it became one of the most successful models on the market - including here in the US. Now, after four years, the car is preparing to receive its first facelift - nothing big, but just enough to keep it fresh. The model will be making its official debut at the Paris Auto Show, with sales in the European market to begin shortly after. Changes on the exterior are minimal and include a trapezoidal front grille, bracketed by laser-cut headlamps with daytime running lamps that use LED technology. The interior has also been updated with new technology, including the segment-first MyKey system. Under the hood, the facelift Fiesta will keep its usual engine line-up, but will also add the award-winning 1.0-liter EcoBoost petrol engine. UPDATE 09/05/2012: This review has been updated with the official images and specs for the Ford Fiesta. Hit the jump to read more on the 2013 Ford Fiesta. Full story Superchips Provides Horsepower Relief for For 1.0-liter Owners We have all heard of Superchips in our lifespans at some point. Well, at least us motorheads obsessed with squeezing every ounce out of our engine that we can. Superchips sells and markets vehicle ECM/ECU/PCM remapping via an installed chip. These are typically good for a few extra ponies without any major overhauling needed. The Ford 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine, which recently took home the International Engine of the Year Award, really pumps out a fair amount of power (127 horsepower and 149 pound-feet of torque) for a little 3-cylinder plant. It looks like Superchips has decided that wasn’t quite enough, as it has recently released a remapping chip for the 1.0-liter Ford engine that pumps its power up to 145 horsepower and 167 pound-feet of torque. It does this without affecting its 56.6 mpg rating either. This chip runs ₤499, which translates out to $713 at the current exchange rate. $713 for an 18 horsepower and 18 pound-feet increase isn’t too bad. This is especially true when considering that it has no adverse effect on the mpg. This hits home when we consider that Ford has already told us that the 1.0-liter engine is coming to the U.S. in 2013, which will likely be in the Fiesta. Considering the Fiesta hits 60 mph in 8.7 seconds with its current 1.6-liter engine that musters 120 horsepower and 112 pound-feet of torque, dropping some weight because of a smaller engine and adding 25 horsepower and 55 pound-feet of torque will get drivers a nice bump in acceleration. That means with this upgrade, the compact Fiesta can likely hit 60 mph in around the 7-second mark, which is damn good for a compact hatch. Now we just have to wait and see if Superchips will offer this upgrade in the U.S. Video: Gymkhana 5 has arrived! (UPDATE)
The wait took longer than we had hoped, but you know what they say, "to those who wait, there is prosperity." So we waited...and finally, our patience has paid off. Ladies and gentlemen, Gymkhana 5 has arrived! As promised, July 9 was the date of reckoning; the day where Ken Block goes back to his roots, away from the Hollywood look of the fourth installment and back to the raw, uncut, thrill ride of a lifetime. This time around, the stage was set for the urban jungle that is San Francisco. Just as we expected - and hoped - Block absolutely takes the Bay by storm, complete with sick drifts, plenty of burnt rubber, and mind-bending jumps that completely blew us away. Then there’s a Travis Pastrana cameo in there too. We had hoped that he would do a few stunts of his own, but we certainly aren’t complaining on how the finished product ended up looking. Gymkhana 5, you made our day and hopefully, the wait for 6 won’t take as long. UPDATE 07/13/2012: Ford has unveiled a series of exclusive new images of Ken Block’s Gymkhana FIVE: Ultimate Urban Playground; in San Francisco. The car featured in this series is a Focus ST developed jointly by Ford’s Team RS in Europe and its Special Vehicles Team (SVT) in the United States. Video: Gymkhana 5 draws closer with teaser number 3
Gymkhana 5 will arrive on the 9th of July, which means that we’re going to be treated to three more days of teaser videos. However, with the way these teasers are being made, we certainly aren’t complaining. Following in the wake of the first and second teasers, teaser 3 gives us yet another sneak peek of Gymkhana 5, complete with plenty of jumping and high-flying action. Just what the doctor ordered. We also already know that Travis Pastrana will be co-starring in Gymkhana 5, which means that we’re expecting nothing less than an epic showing of hooning madness. Count the days, kids. Gymkhana 5 is three days away from dropping into our screens. Like we said, we don’t mind waiting for it, but it certainly doesn’t mean that we’re not biting our nails in anticipation. Here’s to hoping we have enough of our fingers remaining by the time the suspense ends this Monday.
Video: Ken Block’s Gymkhana 5 - Teaser 2
July 9th is getting closer and so is the official launch of the Ken Block’s Gymkhana 5. After the first trailer was unveiled at the end of June, today a second trailer has offered us a few more details on the next Gymkhana 5. As promised, Gymkhana 5 is packed with amazing tricks and this second trailer stars Travis Pastrana and his bike. The video is called "Block vs Pastrana" so we can only imagine all the fun it will bring. Here’s what DC Shoes says: "Now featured on the cover of the September Racer X magazine (on shelves mid-July), the showdown between these long-time friends and DC teammates is nothing less than awesome!" For those who do not know, the new Gymkhana 5 will feature Block’s trusty Ford Fiesta H.F.H.V. rally racer as it cruises through the streets of San Francisco. We can hardly wait for July 9th to come!
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