Archive for Ford

In conjunction with the launch of the All-New Ford Ranger TDCi, Ford Malaysia is giving out FREE dealership accessories which consist of side step, sports bar and bedliner worth RM 3,000 to the first 500 customers. Ford will also be holding roadshows beginning from 11th of May 2007.

11 – 13 May 2007
Kuantan – Berjaya Megamall
Johor – Aeon Tebrau City Shopping Center

16 – 20 May 2007
Klang Valley – 1 Utama

18 – 20 May 2007
Penang – Gurney Plaza

25 – 27 May 2007
Kota Kinabalu – Kompleks Karamunsing
Kuching – Tun Jugah Mall

When I first had a look at the Ford Flex, I immediately thought it was very clever of Ford to introduce a vehicle of this kind into the market. The only other vehicle I know of this format is the new Honda Odyssey available in our market and Japan, not the USDM Odyssey. Basically a low-rider MPV – more of a stationwagon with extra rear seats than a lowered MPV.

Combining the design elements of an SUV with the people carrying capability of an MPV with the driving dynamics of a sedan, the Ford Flex is powered by a 3.5 liter V6 engine with 260 horsepower and 332Nm of torque. Unique creature comforts include a refrigerator mounted between the second-row captains chairs and a 7-color programmable ambient lighting system. The passengers get to experience an airy-feeling interior thanks to the Multi-Panel Vista Roof.

This is what people carriers should be. More photos after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of 2008 Ford Flex

The latest and most powerful pick-up truck to join the Malaysian pick-up segment has just arrived – the new 2007 Ford Ranger TDCi featuring the latest generation Duratorq 2.5 liter TDCi engine. More details on the truck as well as a video after the jump.

Click here to read the rest of 2007 Ford Ranger TDCi launched in Malaysia

[ UPDATE: The new 2007 Ford Ranger TDCi has been launched. Click here for more details. ]

Motor Trader has spyshots of the new Ford Ranger in Ford Malaysia’s holding bays at it’s plant in Shah Alam. This means the new Ford Ranger will be launched here soon to replace the current aging model that used to be the king of pick-up trucks in Malaysia, until the Japanese took over with the Mitsubishi Storm and later the Nissan Frontier.

As with most of the pick-up truck offerings here other than the Isuzu D-MAX, the variant offered here would most likely be the 2.5 liter turbodiesel. The DuraTORQ 2.5 liter DOHC turbodiesel uses a Variable Geometry Turbocharger with an intercooler, and common rail injection. Based on the Philippines specs, it makes 143hp at 3,500rpm and 330Nm of torque from 1,800rpm. The current pick-up horsepower king in Malaysia is the Mitsubishi Triton with a 136hp and 314Nm torque engine.

The gearbox options are either a 5-speed auto or a 5-speed manual, and if offered here should give it an edge over all the other pick-ups as it would be the only pick-up with a 5-speed auto, with the others only offering 4-speed units.

Check out the related post below for more details on the Thailand-spec new Ford Ranger. You can have a look at the new interior, which is refreshingly truck-like in a sea of pick-up trucks that try to sport car-like interiors. I believe a truck should be all truck – mean and macho!

Related Posts:
New Ford Ranger with 5-speed Auto in Thailand

This advertisement for the Ford Ranger back in 2006 was developed by JW Thompson’s Malaysian team for Ford Malaysia. It’s basically a matchbox with matchsticks in them (what else did you expect?) to promote the Ford Ranger Extreme’s extendable cargo bed. It’s really quite clever – it looks like the little Ranger is carrying the matches in the box if viewed from the proper angle.

Ford will be using the recently unveiled Mazda2 platform as the base for it’s next generation Ford Fiesta, and word is that it’s going to come with a softroader option. With the likes of the CrossPolo and the Suzuki SX4, why am I not suprised?

The other conventional models will be the usual 3-door and 5-door models, but in the future Ford is considering extending the Fiesta to become a supermini-MPV, which to some might not be unimaginable, but hey, supermini-MPVs are already in Malaysia! Just take a look at the Toyota Avanza.

Ford’s new Ford Mondeo will debut at the 2007 Geneva Motor show, in it’s three forms, 4-door sedan, 5-door hatch as well as the estate variant. Ford says this is probably Ford’s most elegant and technologically advanced car they’ve ever launched, and it is a very important car for Ford’s new line-up.

Standard equipment for the new 2007 Ford Mondeo include ESP stability control, a Thatcham Cat 1 alarm system, follow-me-home lights, a trip computer and an auxillary socket for connecting your MP3 players. The Ford Mondeo will also feature Ford’s new Easyfuel capless fuel filler with fuel inhibitor to prevent the car from being refueled with the wrong fuel.

The interior has a classy piano black styling, and thanks to it’s high beltline, feels more upmarket and gives the occupants a more cosseted feel. Ford has also ensured plastics are soft touch. There are four different trim levels, the basic Zetec series, a mid-range Edge trim targetted at business and family needs, and two top of the line trims: Ghia and Titanium X.

The 2007 Ford Mondeo will go on sale in June 2007.

Click here to read the rest of New Ford Mondeo unveiled

Toyota Motor Co is open to a more involved partnership with Ford if Ford wants to, reported Japanese business daily Nikkei. Toyota President Katsuaki Watanabe said Toyota is open to talks of a technological alliance. Toyota and Ford currently have a partnership in place involving hybrid technology. Ford licenses part of Toyota’s market-leading hybrid engine technology for the hybrid versions of its Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner SUVs.

Struggling Ford, just like the other American giants, could use some of Toyota’s excellent Daihatsu-developed small cars, as the US and world market shifts it’s focus onto small and fuel efficient cars.

Source

Volvo will debut it’s new hydraulically controlled dual-clutch gearbox in diesel variants of it’s Volvo S40 sedan and Volvo V50 stationwagon models, coinciding with a mid-life facelift of the two cars. Parent company Ford also plans to introduce the dual-clutch gearbox to other models like the Ford Focus and the Ford Focus C-MAX, which currently also offer CVT gearboxes, as well as the Land Rover Freelander and some Mazda models. Ford Focus ST or MazdaSpeed 3 with a dual-clutch gearbox, anyone?

While Volkswagen’s extremely good Direct-Shift Gearbox (DSG) is supplied by BorgWarner, Ford gets it’s units from Getrag, and the system is called Powershift.

Ford recently unveiled to the new Ford Ranger Double Cab to the Thai market at the Thailand 23rd International Motor Expo 2006. Along with it’s 7-seater brother the Everest, this new generation of the Ford Ranger features Ford’s new Duratorq TDCi common rail direct injection turbodiesel engine. And while the Ford Focus in our local market goes around with only a 4 gear auto, the new Ford Ranger gets a new 5-speed automatic transmission – allowing better use of the diesel’s short torque band.

The 2.5 liter Duratorq engine is a DOHC 16-valve turbodiesel unit, featuring Bosch common rail direct fuel injection and a variable geometry turbocharger. It makes 141hp at 3,500rpm and 330Nm of torque at 1,800rpm, up from our market’s current Ranger’s 2.5 liter SOHC indirect injection turbodiesel which makes 121hp and 262Nm of torque.

With Mitsubishi recently bringing in it’s new Storm replacement, the Triton, and the D-MAX being facelifted quite recently, Ford Malaysia should be doing something about it’s aging Ranger pickup soon.

Click here to read the rest of New Ford Ranger with 5-speed auto in Thailand