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LOS
ANGELES -- The 2013 Ford Escape,
2013 Ford Shelby GT500 Mustang, 2013 Ford Mustang Boss 302, 2013
Ford Mustang GT, 2013 Ford Flex, Ford Focus ST, Ford Focus ST-R
and the Ford Fiesta ST concept all debuted during the automaker’s
press conference at the L.A. Auto Show on Wednesday. It was the
most new models that Ford has ever debuted at one auto show.
Ford had
the largest turnout among members of the media with literally
thousands watching the 25-minute presentation. The automaker had
the eighth press conference on the first media day. Also, it was
the first of the conferences held inside the L.A. Convention Center’s
west hall.
The new
Ford Fiesta ST Concept is equipped with a 1.6-liter turbocharged
Ford EcoBoost® engine producing 180 hp and 177 lb.-ft. of
torque. It was built to show what a future Fiesta ST model might
look like. The ST concept is lower to the ground and offers widened
wheel arches with 17-inch alloy wheels. The manual transmission
version will deliver lower emissions than the automatic transmission
model.
“Escape
continues to be designed around our customers,” said Jim
Farley, Ford’s Vice President of Sales, Marketing and Service.
“Customers told us they really like the MyFord Touch. In
fact, four of the seven purchase drivers for the new Edge are
tied to the system. In 2013, we improve what they love and upgrade
what they didn’t like. The screens are clearer, the words
on the screens are larger and the touch-sensitive areas of the
screens are like buttons.”
The 2013
Ford Escape will come with 11 new features including a hands-free
power lift gate with the kick of a foot. It will offer five more
mpg than the 2012 model. The MyFord Touch will come with easier
use of your phone, navigation, entertainment and climate controls.
In addition, the new Escape will come with active park assist,
a blind spot information system and curve control.
The 2013
Ford Flex will feature a 3.5-liter V6 engine producing 20 more
hp and one more mpg than the previous model. Other features include
rear inflatable seatbelts, rain-sensing wipers, keyless entry
and more. Heated and cooled seats will be offered on the first
row along with power-fold mirrors. In addition, it comes with
911 Assist, an automated emergency calling service, which will
be free for the life of the vehicle.
“The
entire Mustang family sports a fresh new look for the 2013 model
year with a bolder design across the entire line-up,” said
Mark Fields, Ford’s President of The Americas. “Performance
updates to the GT, vintage inspired graphics and the paint for
the Boss 302 and our most powerful mustang ever, the new Shelby
GT500. As we continue to keep Mustang fresh for enthusiasts, we’re
also really reaching out to new and younger customers by building
on our global expertise in our small car performance.”
The 2013
Ford Shelby GT500 will be the most powerful V8 automobile on the
road with 650 hp and a top speed of over 200 mph. The 3,850-pound
car will be exempt from the national gas-guzzler tax. It will
come with one of two sets of forged-aluminum wheels, 19-inch wheels
on the front and 20-inch wheels on the rear. It will be built
at the AutoAlliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Mich.
Legendary
Ford designer Carroll Shelby was in attendance and was honored
at the beginning of the press conference.
The new
Ford Focus ST is the automaker’s first truly global performance
car. It comes with a 2.0-liter Ford EcoBoost engine reducing both
CO2 emissions and fuel consumption. The ST features 18-inch alloy
wheels on high-performance 235/40R-18 Goodyear Eagle F1 Asymmetric
2 tires.
“The
ST is the fastest, best-driving Focus we have ever offered here
in North America,” Fields explained. “Focus ST features
razor sharp handling and a 250-hp EcoBoost engine. We’re
also considering a stablemate.”
The ST-R
is basically a racecar based on the Ford Focus. It will be built
to compete in the Grand-Am ST, World Challenge TC and the Canadian
Touring Car Series. Ford hopes it will be used for racing in the
24 Hours of Nürburgring. It will be available for purchase
from Ford dealers by professional drivers, amateur racers and
track-day enthusiasts.
For
more information on these new models, visit www.fordvehicles.com
and click on “Future Vehicles.”
