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VIDEO: Penang Road Trip – Travel Safe and Save with PETRONAS PRIMAX 95 XTRA premiers today!

July 7, 2011 at 5:27 pm By Danny Tan Filed Under Cars, Ford, Travel Safe and Save, Videos

Welcome to the first episode of a brand new online travel series brought to you by PETRONAS. Called Travel Safe and Save with PETRONAS PRIMAX 95 XTRA, we will take viewers to off the beaten tracks and check out hidden travel destinations in Peninsular Malaysia.

The show is presented by our very own Harvinder Singh and Julie Woon, as the duo travel to locations with various vehicle models, all fueled up with PRIMAX 95 XTRA. The online series is made up by ten interesting episodes and episodes go live every Thursday.

In this week’s episode, Harvinder and Julie set their eyes on the gorgeous island of Penang in a sporty black Ford Focus 2.0 hatchback. They experienced some traditional Penang Nyonya delicacy at the Chew Jetty which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.

They also checked out the rather chic Ryokan backpackers hostel while Harvinder tries out the King of Fruits, which he isn’t fond of. But has his perception changed after this trip?

Watch the episode and let’s find out!

Places visited:


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Chew Clan Jetty
59A, Chew Jetty, Weld Quay,
10300, George Town,
Penang, Malaysia.


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Bao Sheng Durian Farm,
150 Mk.2, Sungai Pinang,
11010, Balik Pulau,
Penang, Malaysia.
Tel : (+604) 866 8817
Fax : (+604) 866 1362


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Ryokan Hostel @ Muntri Street?
62 Muntri Street, 10200,
Georgetown, Penang,
Malaysia.
Tel: (+604) 250 0287
Fax: (+604) 250 0288

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Ford Fiesta XTR Sapphire edition to debut end-July

July 4, 2011 at 10:36 am By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Ford, Local News

Looks like the limited-edition Ford Fiesta XTR Sapphire is set to begin its run towards the end of the month, when the first examples will come on line. The mules were first seen in April, with the example in Aurora Blue finished in a blue interior (dashboard top, door cards and blue/grey fabric seats), and the one in white dressed up with grey leather seats, with blue and off-white vertical runner lines on the seat centre.

The final production version, an example of which quietly made a showing over the weekend at the roadshow at The Curve, will feature some revisions to the interior, essentially an amalgamation of the two early interiors – the blue dashboard top and door cards will be retained, but SDAC has decided to go with grey leather seats (with runner lines intact).

New items spotted are front door scuff plates (none for the rear) and dedicated XTR floor mats, in black – as opposed to the standard 1.6 S hatch’s grey – and with a blue runner line and XTR moniker. The planned integrated GPS system has been omitted; we hear there were some technical issues that eventually precluded it from the list. To offset this, the leather seats are on, instead of the blue/grey fabric ones.

Otherwise, the rest of the configuration remains as is – no changes to the exterior’s body kit (front lip, side skirts, rear diffuser) and Oracal 651-based decals for the top runner stripes (grey/white combination for blue exterior, blue/grey for white) and side stripes. Though it wasn’t seen here, I’ve been told that the production version will eventually feature the top runner stripes on the front bonnet – down to the bumper – as well; guess we’ll wait and see.

Not forgetting of course the main draw, which are the seven airbags (dual front, side, curtain, driver-side knee) that come with the inclusion of the Safety Pack. Aside from this, there are no specification changes elsewhere.

The anticipated run is 200 units for the variant, which is only available in Aurora Blue and Cool White exterior shades. And the pricing estimate hinted at earlier has held true – the Fiesta XTR will be priced at RM88,888, which is 6k above the standard 1.6 S hatchback.

Photos – including more shots of the interior – after the jump.
[Read more...]

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Ford 1.0 litre EcoBoost three-cylinder to be introduced in 105 PS and 120 PS output forms

July 1, 2011 at 9:31 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Ford, Local News, Technology

The idea of a 1.0 litre engine pulling a Ford Fiesta about may not sound very appealing, but throw in the likes of a turbocharger and direct injection with say, 120 PS for numbers and it doesn’t sound quite so boring, does it?

Such a scenario isn’t that far away from reality; the company’s 1.0 litre three-pot EcoBoost looks to be a certain offering on the B-segment hatch in this market, sometime in 2012. It promises much, and much is expected of it.

First seen in the Ford Start concept car that debuted in Beijing in 2010, the engine made its European debut in the Ford B-MAX at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. Full technical details are set to be announced in Frankfurt in September, so the mill should make its market debut next year.

Ahead of this, we managed to get some idea of how much the engine will offer in terms of output. According to David Filipe, Ford of Europe’s chief engineer of engine programs, the European-designed mill – developed at Ford’s Dunton Technical Centre in the UK – will come in two output variant forms when it makes its market debut.

“We’re coming out with two initial output levels for the engine, which will be 120 PS and 105 PS,” said Filipe, who was in town for the launch of the Mondeo and S-MAX Ecoboost models. His work at Ford has included the design and development of Ford’s in-line Ecoboost programs, including the 1.0, 1.6 and 2.0 litre Ecoboost engines as well as the Diesel Stage V engine programs.

The higher 120 PS output form is identical to the Fiesta’s current 1.6 litre twin independent variable camshaft timing, normally-aspirated lump, so it won’t fall short when it comes to numbers. And it promises to be zestier too, according to Filipe.

“That 1.0 litre is very much more fun to drive, compared to the normally-aspirated 1.6. For one, the torque comes in earlier,” he said. As to the choice of partnering powertrain, Filipe said that while the brand would always try to protect itself to be flexible with options, its prime task is to get the engine going with a twin dry-clutch transmission.

Tech-wise, besides turbocharging (another Borg Warner unit again, presumably), direct-injection and Ti-VCT, the three-cylinder – with a 10.0:1 compression ratio – contains a number of innovative efficiency solutions, among them an offset crankshaft that reduces friction and an advanced, Ford-designed split cooling system that allows the cylinder block to warm up before the cylinder head.

Elsewhere, the 1.0 litre EcoBoost, which will come with a cast iron block, cast aluminium cylinder head and cast aluminium sump, features an exhaust manifold cast into the cylinder head – the one-piece assembly lowers the temperature of the exhaust gases, enabling the engine to run in a wider rpm band with the optimum fuel-to-air ratio. The new design also saves weight and allows the engine to operate more smoothly.

It’s set to be available globally – including the US – in the company’s small cars, and will be deployed in the Fiesta, Focus and C-MAX, among others, when the time comes. It will also be a significant milestone when it is introduced, because Ford has never before built a regular production car with fewer than four-cylinders.

Ford may have come to the table later with turbocharging and DI than its European competitors, so how is it aiming to make up ground? “Some of our competitors have been out there with similar technology bundles, but I think we’ve been more aggressive and clear on our strategy to make it a high volume solution,” Filipe said.

“Some competitors have it as a low volume answer for certain products and applications, but we are taking it all across our engines around the globe, and that’s how we get the cost structure more affordable to our customers,” he added, bridging into the next question, that of deployment costs.

In the initial phase of any new cycle or technology, there’s always the issue of increased cost, and though Ford’s plans are ambitious (it plans to offer the EcoBoost engine in up to 80% of its vehicle nameplates, supporting global sales of 1.5 million EcoBoost-powered vehicles per year in the near future), won’t EcoBoost also bring about added cost to the consumer, at least initially?

“As we add the technology, it will cost a bit more, but we’re adding volume and scale to keep the costs of turbo, DI and variable cam timing as low as we can. The fuel economy will certainly get better (by up to 20%), and if you look at other technologies that deliver the same fuel economy, it’s going to be much more cost-effective than those other technologies, so even if it does cost more to start with, it’ll be very good value as it goes along. It really is the lowest cost solution over the long run,” Filipe stated.

Then there’s always the point of perception, about displacement being everything and that something like a 1.0 litre mill, though turbocharged, isn’t going to cut it on a Fiesta will still ring loud in this region, though thankfully the likes of VW’s offerings of late have helped dispel those archaic beliefs somewhat.

David Westerman, regional manager for Asia-Pacific, Ford Export Operations, says that’s something that the Blue Oval’s marketing people will have to break down. “It’s a challenge, but we’ve got to work on dispelling a lot of stereotypes and customer perception about displacement that a vehicle this size needs an engine of a certain size,” he said.


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Though the three displacement units in the current EcoBoost family (aside from the primarily US-based V6) cover ground well enough in terms of output and spread – 150 PS and 180 PS for the 1.6 litre, 203 PS and 240 PS for the 2.0 litre as well as the 105 PS and 120 PS for the upcoming 1.0 litre – the question surely begs as to whether there are plans to open say a 1.2 or 1.4 litre option to provide an even more comprehensive solution in terms of output tune coverage.

Felipe says that things are being looked at, though nothing as yet has been fixed. “We are studying to see if there are any gaps that are there, for example between 1.0 litre and 1.6, and if there is, to fill them.” Finally, to the point about fuel requirements, he said that the likes of the 2.0 litre (as found on the Mondeo) can run RON 91 as a minimum, with the 203 PS output rating obtained with RON 95; in terms of robustness, a wide variety of fuel quality grades are used on an EcoBoost design during testing, so it’ll handle what we have comfortably.

On a different note, here’s an interesting snippet of info, and Asean-based at that. The company is exploring the possibility of a small seven-seater, essentially something along the lines of the Nissan Grand Livina. “We know that here, the families are larger and the passenger needs are greater, and as such, a seven-passenger carrying ability is an important feature for a platform in this marketplace,” Westerman said in reply to a question whether there were plans to introduce a B/C segment-spanning product in the region.

“We’re certainly looking at applications to bring it to the marketplace, something smaller than an S-MAX and priced competitively,” he added, though no indication was given as to when such a product would be introduced.

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Ford reveals FPV Concept – it’s black all the way

July 1, 2011 at 1:45 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Ford, International News


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Ford Performance Vehicles has revealed its first-ever ‘concept car’ at the Australian International Motor Show in Melbourne. The all-black GT-based FPV concept features a number of bespoke features and design treatments, fronted by a spectacular black-on-black treatment.

The one-off concept car is powered by a supercharged Boss 5.0 litre Miami V8 engine offering 455 hp and 570 Nm in its V2G guise, and is finished in a Silhouette black paintwork featuring a unique matte finish stripe package on the bonnet, rear wing and bodysides, and the paint treatment is also carried over to the rear diffuser.

Up front, large brake ducts are incorporated into the modified front fascia, black framing has been used to enhance the rear light graphics treatment, and the vehicle carries unique black GT badging.

It sits on 19-inch lightweight one-piece forged alloy wheels (8.0-inch wide front and 9.5-inch wide rear), finished in black of course, shod with special Dunlop SP Sportmaxx GT tyres.

Underneath there’s a track-tuned suspension specification and a full stainless steel high-flow twin exhaust system, finished with quad black tips. The performance brake package includes larger six-piston brake calipers up front and four-piston brake calipers at the rear, which are also both finished in black.

Inside, the all-black theme continues with black leather trim throughout and an all-black dash treatment that includes the interior command centre (ICC).

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Ford Mondeo and S-MAX EcoBoost launched in Malaysia – market introduction of both set for August

June 30, 2011 at 9:37 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Ford, Local News

Ford today announced an August market launch for its Mondeo facelift sedan and S-MAX MPV, both of which are set to introduce EcoBoost – which is the company’s descriptor for turbocharging and direct injection – in the country.

The two vehicles will wear identical powertrains, in this case a 2.0 litre EcoBoost petrol mill, offering 203 PS at 6,000 rpm and 300 Nm (320 Nm in transient overboost condition) at 1,750-4,500 rpm. The EcoBoost engine, which features the latest-generation high-pressure direct injection, low-inertia turbocharging (courtesy of a Borg Warner K03 low inertia integrated turbo system) and twin independent variable camshaft timing, will be mated to a six-speed Powershift dual-clutch transmission.

The Mondeo EcoBoost, in Titanium grade, rolls in to replace the 2.3 litre normally-aspirated version, and in its refreshed form features a bolder, sharper look, aided by a number of external revisions. There’s plenty to go by – new front hood, front bumper (with integrated front spoiler), front radiator grille, lower bumper grille, chrome surround and wing mirror with integrated turn signal.

Also new is a signature chrome cosmetic side vent and front LED daytime running lights, not to mention adaptive bi-xenon headlamps with headlamp washers and new design 17-inch alloys wearing 215/50 series rubbers.

Meanwhile, at the back, the trunk lid has been revised, and the EcoBoost version features new LED rear combination lamps as well as a new rear bumper and exhaust chrome finisher, among other things.

Inside, new items on the list are keyless start/stop push-button ignition, Bluetooth with voice command, rear air-condition vents (mounted on the B-pillars), auto dimming rearview mirror, an Alcantara mix/Ebony leather interior and Ford Convers+ human machine interface, the last featuring a 256-colour screen in the instrument panel and high quality graphics.

Safety-wise, there’s ESP, TC, ABS with EBD, EBA and hill launch assist, along with seven airbags in the inventory. For entertainment, there’s a MP3 CD player audio system with eight speakers as well as an aux port.

Five colours will be available for the car, these being Parkside, Ice White, Midnight Sky, Moondust Silver and Panther Black. Pricing for the Ford Mondeo 2.0L with EcoBoost is estimated to be between RM180,000 to RM185,000 (on-the-road with insurance).

Meanwhile, the S-MAX multi-purpose vehicle (MPV) rolls in to open a new segment for the brand in the country. The seven-seater 2.0 litre EcoBoost offering features much of what’s found on the Mondeo – keyless entry and start/stop, LED daytime running lights and LED rear combination lamps, rear B-pillar air-conditioning vents, bi-xenons and Bluetooth with voice command are but some of them.

Other features include a Fold Flat Seating system that offers loads of luggage carrying space – in seven-seat mode, the volume is 285 cubic litres, and going to five-seat mode increases this to 1,171 cubic litres. At the front and rear of the vehicle are Four Eye Parking Sensors, to aid drivers in parking in tight spots and prevent accidents. The S-MAX wears 17-inch alloys too, but different profile rubbers, in this case 225/50 series ones.

Like the Mondeo EcoBoost, the S-MAX will be available in five external shades, four of which is shares with the former – Parkside, Midnight Sky, Moondust Silver and Panther Black, and the fifth colour is a solid white shade called Frozen White. As for pricing, the S-MAX 2.0L with EcoBoost is estimated to be between RM185,000 to RM188,000, on-the-road with insurance. We’re assuming that the final pricing for both cars will be determined by Sime Darby Auto ConneXion closer to the vehicles’ introduction in August.

Gallery of launch photos after the jump.
[Read more...]

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Ford Fiesta 1.6 LX sedan upgraded – now with Bluetooth, USB and seven airbags, RM81,388

June 21, 2011 at 3:01 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Ford, Local News

News is about that sometime from the end of the month on, the Ford Fiesta 1.6 LX sedan will be available in slightly upgraded form, featuring a few new items on the equipment list. An example of the type was on show at the recent Ford roadshow at Sunway Pyramid.

Bluetooth capability and USB are now included, and that also means the addition of a steering wheel control, which wasn’t on the original sedan. The most significant inclusion is with the Safety Pack, which means the LX sedan will now come with seven airbags (driver, passenger, side, curtains as well as knee), a jump from the single one previously.

In line with this, the pricing for the sedan has been increased from RM78,888 to RM81,388 (on-the-road, with insurance), a jump of RM2,500 – it will only be available in this guise from now on. Aside from these new bits, the rest of the car remains as before – the sedan still comes shod with 15-inch alloys, and without the higher-grade fabric seats, leather steering wheel and fog lights as found on the Sport hatchback, so it’s not tagged as a ‘high-specification’ model, but rather as an upgraded variant.

Meanwhile, word is that the limited-run XTR Sapphire edition hatchback – in blue and white exterior colour choices – is set to make its debut sometime in July, replete with the blue-coded fabric interior, seven airbags, bodykit and transfers as noted previously, with indicative pricing being RM88,888, a 6k premium over the Sport.

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Ford 2.0L EcoBoost engine to debut in Malaysia in Ford S-MAX MPV and Ford Mondeo Titanium

June 15, 2011 at 12:08 am By Paul Tan Filed Under Advertorial, Cars, Ford

The age of economy may be upon us, but being frugal with fuel doesn’t mean that there should be any sacrifice in power output delivery, certainly not when you can have the best of both worlds. Today’s engines deliver more, for less, with a bit of help from technology.

These days, the likes of turbocharging and direct-injection offer a smaller engine the performance equal to a larger displacement one – it’s not surprising to see a 2.0 litre DI turbocharged four-cylinder mill more than matching the power output and torque of a normally-aspirated V6, and the numbers add up in performance too.

Ford’s version of this is called EcoBoost. First seen on its 3.5 litre EcoBoost V6 engines, turbocharging and direct fuel injection are the two main items at the heart of EcoBoost’s workings. The turbocharger increases airflow in the engine to boost power and direct injection helps enable more efficient fuel burn for better fuel economy.

How a turbocharger works, if you didn’t already know, is by recovering energy from the exhaust that otherwise would be wasted and putting it back in the engine to gain efficiency. Simply put, the turbocharging system puts more air into the engine, creating more power. A compressor increases or boosts the pressure of the air entering the engine, and an air-to-air intercooler reduces the air temperature before it enters the engine.

Meanwhile, direct injection uses high-pressure fuel injectors to spray a fine mist of fuel directly into each cylinder – the fine mist generated by each solenoid-controlled Bosch injector’s tiny outlet holes helps to create a well-mixed air-fuel mixture, and also cools the incoming air, helping to reduce the potential for engine knock. Unlike port-fuel-injection (PFI) engines that spray fuel in the intake system, the direct injection system puts the fuel exactly where it needs to be for combustion.

A high-pressure injector is positioned to the side of each cylinder, aiming the fuel directly into the cylinder adjacent to a high-intensity spark plug and alongside the intake and exhaust valves.

Fuel from the vehicle tank is pumped at normal pressure to the engine compartment, where a special, cam-driven, high-pressure fuel pump increases the fuel pressure – the fuel is then sprayed into the cylinders at pressures of up to 2,200 pounds per square inch (PSI), which is about 35 times more intense than PFI injection. Electronic control system varies the timing and intensity of the fuel delivery, according to engine operating conditions.

This precisely controlled fuel delivery improves the engine’s transient response, contributes to improved fuel economy and enables improved emissions, particularly at cold start, and an EcoBoost engine can reduce CO2 emissions by 15% and improve fuel efficiency by 20%.

The 2.0 litre EcoBoost I-4 four-cylinder engine, which will debut in the upcoming Ford Mondeo Titanium and S-Max models due to arrive in Malaysia soon, employs many of the basic principles of the first generation EcoBoost engines.

Combining a single turbocharger with a direct injection fuel delivery system, the high-pressure fuel pump – which is a cam-driven mechanical pump with a single piston and an electronic control valve – on this mill operates at 2,200 psi, more than 50 times the norm as seen in a conventional NA four-cylinder engine.

Elsewhere, the turbocharger – which is paired with the direct-injection system to virtually eliminate turbo lag – spins at up to 200,000 rpm and is designed for a life cycle of 150,000 miles or 10 years. It spools up quickly to maximum torque and maintains it across a broad range, estimated from 2,000 rpm to 5,500 rpm according to the company.


Click for enlarged image – learn more at ecoboost.com.my

The 2.0 litre EcoBoost I-4 engine also adds Ti-VCT (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing) technology, as seen in the Fiesta.

Working on a ‘More Power, Less Fuel’ tagline, the EcoBoost engine promises to deliver power and performance in a smaller, more efficient package, with lower emissions. No surprise to find then that Ford is targetting to offer the EcoBoost engine – in various displacements – in up to 80% of its vehicle nameplates and aim for global sales of 1.5 million EcoBoost-powered vehicles per year in the near future .

You can find out more about EcoBoost at ecoboost.com.my, a microsite that features explanations on the unique engine technology through detailed articles and video clips. In addition, the website will give consumers an opportunity to sign up and get invited to exclusive test drive sessions.

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Ford seeking globally harmonised communications standards for advanced wireless systems

June 10, 2011 at 5:08 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Ford, International News, Technology

Ford is working with automakers and safety leaders globally on a standardised platform for advanced wireless systems that can allow vehicles to “talk” to each other – based on a common communication standard – to reduce crashes and congestion.

Intelligent vehicles potentially could help in preventing 81% of all police-reported light-vehicle target crashes involving unimpaired drivers, according to a US National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) report.

The company says that global vehicle manufacturers need harmonised standards while the technology is being researched and developed, or the industry could end up with a variety of standards and vehicles that cannot talk to each other from region to region. It adds that failure to develop these globally harmonised standards would delay deployment, decrease reliability and unnecessarily increase costs.

Ford’s researchers are already developing advanced crash avoidance systems that use GPS technologies and advanced Wi-Fi signals, or dedicated short-range communications, on a secured channel allocated by the Federal Communications Commission. The essence is to create intelligent vehicles that communicate with each other in traffic and help drivers avoid or mitigate crashes.

In Germany, the company is collaborating on a wireless research project with other automakers and the government in an effort to address congestion-related traffic safety issues. The Safe and Intelligent Mobility-Test Field Germany research project, which runs through 2012, is a 400-vehicle field test to evaluate feasibility and scalability of wireless systems in the real world.

The Wi-Fi-based radio system allows full-range, 360-degree detection of potentially dangerous situations, such as when a driver’s vision is obstructed. For example, drivers could be alerted if their vehicle is on path to collide with another vehicle at an intersection, when a vehicle ahead stops or slows suddenly or when a traffic pattern changes on a busy highway. The systems could also warn drivers if there is a risk of collision when changing lanes, approaching a stationary or parked vehicle, or if another driver loses control.

Over in the US, meanwhile, it’s contributing two prototype Ford Taurus sedans for a series of clinics slated for later this year. The research will be conducted by a coalition of automakers organised by the Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP), a joint research group founded by Ford and General Motors which is working to develop inter-operability standards in advance of completing the research phase in 2013.

By reducing crashes, intelligent vehicles could ease traffic delays, which would save drivers both time and fuel costs. Congestion also could be avoided through a network of intelligent vehicles and infrastructure that would process real-time traffic and road information and allow drivers to choose less congested routes.

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Ford 1.0L EcoBoost makes the power of a 1.6L!

June 3, 2011 at 3:49 pm By Paul Tan Filed Under Cars, Ford

Ford has announced it’s smallest EcoBoost engine yet – a new 1.0L three-cylinder forced induction engine that promises the power of current normally aspirated 1.6L engines.

They’ve not revealed any specific power output for the 1.0 litre engine right now, but just as a comparison, their current 1.6L Ti-VCT normally aspirated engine found in cars like the Ford Fiesta makes 120 PS and 152Nm of torque.

The small engine is chock full of technology, you’ve got:

  • An offset crankshaft that helps improve fuel economy
  • A split cooling system that allows the cylinder block to warm up before the cylinder head, which saves fuel especially in cold weather
  • One piece exhaust manifold integrated into the head, which saves weight and is claimed to allow lower exhaust gas temperatures, which enables a better air fuel ratio.
  • Direct injection
  • Ti-VCT variable camshaft timing on both intake and exhaust
  • A turbocharger, naturally!

There’s already an indication that this 1.0 litre turbo engine will eventually replace the 1.6 litre Ti-VCT engine currently in the Fiesta, as the Fiesta-based new B-MAX Concept made its debut with this 1.0 litre engine. You can find out more about EcoBoost at Ford Malaysia’s EcoBoost microsite.

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Ford AB35 Fiesta – an All Blacks-inspired limited edition

June 1, 2011 at 3:14 pm By Anthony Lim Filed Under Cars, Ford, International News

Another special edition Ford Fiesta has popped up, and this one’s from Ford New Zealand. It’s called the AB35 Fiesta, built to celebrate the company’s 17-year sponsorship of the national rugby union team, the All Blacks.

Just 35 of these All Blacks-inspired limited edition cars will be made, and it has a fair bit added on. The base car is an European-made Titanium specification 5-speed manual, with a Mountune bodykit – including a carbon lip front spoiler, rear spoiler extension and side skirts – strapped on for starters.

Exclusive to the edition – priced at NZ$35,990 – are 17-inch alloy wheels and graphics, the latter designed with the input of the All Blacks, and each AB35 vehicle also comes with a personalised plate.

Inside, new kit in the cabin – which features a dashboard top and door card trim in a coffee-coloured shade (not unlike the Sport+ version in China) – includes leather sports seats (with the AB35 logo), leather bound steering wheel, alloy sports pedals, a leather wrapped illuminated gear knob and Fiesta carpet mats.

The sound system also gets reworked, with the installation of Sony front component speakers, an 800 watt amplifier and a 12-inch subwoofer housed in a custom tyre well fibreglass enclosure.

It’s not just flash with no dash – the AB35 gets a Mountune performance package as well, consisting of a high-flow air induction system and a cat-back exhaust system (replete with twin-exhaust tips) as well as re-calibration of the lump to improve the AB35′s 1.6 litre Ti-VCT Sigma mill’s power output from the stock 118 hp at 6,000 rpm and 152 Nm at 4,050 rpm to 140 hp at 6,750 rpm and 170 Nm at 4,250 rpm. The improved output helps the AB35 do the 0-100 kph sprint in 7.9 secs, compared to the stock version’s 9.9 seconds.

Gallery after the jump.
[Read more...]

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