2012 Ford Mustang

After numerous improvements to the Mustang lineup last year, we wouldn't have been surprised this year to see Ford's engineers just sit back and watch their winning horse run circles around its competition. As it turns out, though, they've been busily creating yet another highly desirable model to join the stable.

Bullitt. Cobra. Shelby. Mach 1. Ford’s charismatic Mustang has taken on many roles, many forms, and many names during its 46-year history, and the company’s modern marketing machine has pillaged pretty much all of them in the past decade. Boss, however, has stayed largely in the shadows, adorning a few track-only specials sold in extremely limited quantities.

The Boss Mustang is hitting the streets once again in the form of the track-oriented Boss 302 unveiled at the Rolex Historic Races at Laguna Seca. According to the company, the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 is the “quickest, best-handling straight-production Mustang ever offered by Ford.” It pays homage to its track-star forebears by lightening and strengthening key components, juicing up the engine, and wrapping it all in the vintage color schemes that Boss Mustangs are known for still today.

Aerodynamic changes include a deeper front air dam and a rear spoiler. Not accidentally, the changes stylistically connect the new car to its predecessor, right down to the livery, including Competition Orange, Performance White, Kona Blue, Yellow Blaze, or Race Red. These are offset by white or black C-stripes and a matching roof.

As good as the Mustang is, there are a few minor faults. The interior still has its share of cheap plastic, while the lack of a telescoping steering wheel means a compromised driving position for some. The new-generation Mustang is also a victim of its own success when it comes to styling, because there are too many on the road to turn heads.

The 2012 Ford Mustang isn't the only horse in the race, either. The Dodge Challenger provides a more spacious interior, while the more dramatically styled Chevrolet Camaro will likely collect a lot more attention. The Mustang pulls away in the home stretch, however, as it presents the most complete package overall.
Body Styles, Trim Levels, and Options.

 The 2012 Ford Mustang V6 is powered by a 3.7-liter engine producing 305 hp and 280 pound-feet of torque. The Mustang GT steps up to a 5.0-liter V8 good for 412 hp and 390 lb-ft of torque. Both have a standard six-speed manual transmission, while a six-speed automatic is optional. As if this isn't enough, the Boss 302's 5.0-liter V8 ups power output to 444 hp and 380 lb-ft of torque. (An automatic transmission is not available for the Boss 302, however.)

The Mustang V6 coupe earns an EPA fuel economy estimate of 19 mpg city/31 mpg highway and 23 mpg in combined driving with the automatic transmission, while the manual is estimated at 19/29/22 mpg. The GT has an 18/25/21 mpg rating with the automatic, and 17/26/20 mpg with the manual. Opting for more aggressive rear differential gear ratios will further drop fuel economy.

In recent Edmunds testing, a V6 Mustang loaded with the Performance package and 3.31 gear ratios accelerated from zero to 60 mph in 5.6 seconds. A V8 Mustang with 3.73 gears managed the same run in only 4.8 seconds.

Standard safety features for all 2012 Ford Mustangs include antilock brakes, front-seat side airbags, side spotter mirrors and stability control. Also standard is Ford's MyKey system, which allows owners to limit speed and audio volume levels for young drivers.

In Edmunds brake testing, the V6 and V8 Mustangs turned in impressive stopping distances. The V6 stopped from 60 mph in only 103 feet, while the V8 needed only 109. It is important to note, however, that both vehicles benefited from the optional performance packages.
Interior Design and Special Features

The Mustang's interior can be appointed with all of the modern conveniences we've come to expect, while also paying homage to its rich history. Sync's voice-activation features greatly simplify operation of audio, phone and navigation systems. The buttons themselves don't have a particularly solid feel, though, and a large percentage of door panel and center console real estate is taken up by hard plastic.

The Mustang also lacks a telescoping steering wheel, though thankfully most drivers should be able to find a comfortable seating position. Both coupe and convertible body styles can accommodate four adults, but rear passengers will be cramped; if you regularly carry around more than two people, the Challenger is a better bet. The coupe's trunk can hold a decent 12.3 cubic feet, while the convertible's space drops to 9.7 cubes.

The 2012 Mustang Boss 302 and 302 Laguna Seca hit dealerships sometime in 2011 at a price yet to be determined. Figure around $36,000 for the base 302 and upwards of $40,000 for the Laguna Seca. Considering that Ford isn’t having any trouble finding homes for its $50,000 Shelby GT500s, we expect the limited-edition Bosses to likewise go quickly.

2012 Ford Focus

Starting in early 2011, the Focus in both North America and Europe will be the same vehicle. This is to be applauded because there was a big gap between the European Focus and the machine sold here. The European car improved on the basic goodness of the original, with better interior quality and driving dynamics. The U.S. car essentially stayed put: The original Focus was good enough to be a C/D 10Best winner, but the competition moved on, leaving the current version dead last in a recent small-car comparo.

The 2012 Focus is stylish in both sedan and four-door-hatchback body styles. The sedan comes in an entry-level S trim level, and both the sedan and hatch come in SE, SEL and Titanium trims. For a trim-level comparison, check out the sedan and hatchback. A high-performance Focus ST will join the family, but not until next year. With better styling than the Chevrolet Cruze and better handling than the Hyundai Elantra, the 2012 Ford Focus is the most complete package in the compact-car market.

 The 2012 Focus certainly looks terrific, especially in five-door form. The engineers and designers felt able to make the Focus sportier (by lowering its seating position and overall height) due to the upcoming C-Max—a tall-roof, five- or seven-seat derivative off this platform—that fulfills the family-car mission. Compared with the current U.S. Focus, the new car is 0.5 inch lower (at 58.1 inches tall) and 3.0 inches long­er (178.0 inches overall), and it has a 1.3-inch-longer wheelbase (104.2 inches). The 2012 model’s dimensions are close to the current Euro car’s, save for a wider track and lower stance.

A new body in white employs high-strength steel for 55 percent of the structure, the highest of any U.S. Ford. Torsional rigidity is up by 25 percent over that of the current Focus. Under the skin, the layout of the strut front and multilink rear suspension stands pat, but many pieces are revised. According to Gunnar Herrmann, the vehicle line director for global C-segment: “The carry-over on the platform is effectively only seven percent. We have changed almost everything.”

At launch, the Focus will get a new 2.0-liter, direct-injection four-cylinder that has variable intake- and exhaust-valve timing. Ford says the engine will put out 155 horsepower and 145 pound-feet of torque. Later on, expect a sportier engine. Jim Hughes, the chief nameplate engineer for the Focus in North America, adds, “We’ll eventually get an EcoBoost [turbocharged DI] engine in the Focus.” We’re thinking a 1.6-liter making more than 200 horsepower in a sporty ST model.

 There isn't a ton of room in the rear seat when a six-foot driver gets comfy behind the wheel, and taller passengers in the front seat may find that their legroom is pinched a bit by the thick center stack and console. Similarly, trunk space in the sedan isn't anything to write home about, and its 13.2 cubic feet of volume isn't as easy to make use of as we'd like, mostly due to a distinct lack of depth. Taller items will need to be placed on the rear seat, which does fold in something like a 70/30 split. Frequent haulers might do better to consider the five-door hatch, which offers up to 44.8 cubic feet of storage space with the rear seats folded.

Considering how much electro-gadgetry the 2012 Focus offers, the center stack is rather easy to navigate. Part of that overall look of cleanliness, though, is attributable to the steering wheel, which rivals that of a Formula One's tiller for its sheer number of controls. Not counting the horn, there are six clusters of buttons that can be pressed – and no, we're not making this up – 19 different ways. With controls for cruise control, Bluetooth connectivity, SYNC, the audio system and the in-dash computer (which has its own menu system directly between the speedometer and tachometer), we strongly suggest that any new drivers spend a few minutes acquainting themselves with the layout before heading out on the open road.

A newly re-engineered model, the 2012 Focus has yet to be crash-tested by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

As required of all 2012 models, the Focus includes antilock brakes, traction control and an electronic stability system.

The Focus marks the debut of new airbag technology that Ford says will better protect against chest and rib injuries. Both the shape and a new variable venting feature attempt to tailor airbag deployment to suit the occupant's position. Seat-mounted side-impact airbags also have shoulder-level vents that are blocked by taller occupants to maximize deployment force; shorter occupants allow more venting and thus encounter a lesser force consistent with their size. Curtain airbags that cover the side windows for both rows of seats are also standard. For a full list of safety features, click here.

The interior looks like a winner, but there’s a caveat: The styling mockup we examined had hard surfaces, even if Ford assures us everything will be soft-touch in the production version. The mockup had cool piano-black and aluminum finishes and a stitched dashboard. This upscale trim is called “Titanium” in Europe, and it’s hard to imagine that the base U.S. model, which should still retail around the current car’s $16,690 price, will look as stylish.

With options such as a rearview camera, a blind-spot warning system, keyless ignition, a nav system with an eight-inch screen, and an upgraded version of the Sync infotainment system (dubbed MyFord), we can see a Focus stickering well into the $20,000s. Hughes clarifies: “Although we’re trying to maintain the base price, we think there will be pull from people coming down from C/D-segment cars [think Honda Accord, Ford Fusion] to C-class cars—people are downsizing vehicles but not their expectations.”

That’s a prevailing view at Ford these days. But it’s also one fraught with difficulty. People will pay $18,000 or more for a Mazda 3 or a VW Golf or a Honda Civic, but that’s because those cars carry so much brand equity. The average transaction price of a Toyota Corolla is less, and a Focus’s is way lower. No matter how good the car is—and Mark Fields, president of Ford of the Americas, says, “We won’t dumb this one down for the U.S.”—will American consumers pay more money for this latest Focus? If a domestic small car has a chance at challenging the Mazda 3 and the Golf, it’s this one.

2012 Fiat 500

Almost every report on the 2012 Fiat 500 cites BMW's Mini and its highly successful rebirth as a boutique go-kart. While the reborn Cinquecento carries similar luster—European roots, a distant heritage that includes some racing lore, a cuteness factor usually reserved for babies and furry animals--Fiat's four-seat hipster is hardly the mechanical tour de force that makes Mini such a winner.

Our 500 is not exactly the same as the car sold in Europe. To pass more stringent crash regulations in the U.S., the 500 has a new rear structure and a slightly different torsion-beam rear-suspension design. Other differences between the U.S. and European versions are mostly related to comfort: wider and flatter seats, more sound-deadening material, and the addition of an armrest for the driver. Mechanically, a conventional six-speed automatic transmission will be available. Fiat’s tuning of the chassis and electric power steering are slightly different as well, with the latter actually being slightly quicker than the European steering.

 That's not to say the car is a dud to drive. In the run-up to the 500's debut in February in U.S. showrooms, we enjoyed test drives from the winding back roads of New York's Hudson Valley to the hills and valleys surrounding San Diego in Southern California. While that's enough sampling to say definitively that the 500 is no Mini when it comes to carving up corners, the car does corner the market on other redeeming factors.

Pricing, for instance, starts at $16,000 for a well-equipped car, undercutting the Mini by about $4,000 and putting it up against other similarly equipped small entries such as the Ford Fiesta and the Nissan Juke. Content is solid, with seven airbags, active head restraints, antilock brakes, stability control and tire-pressure monitors all standard.

 The suspension keeps the standard 15-inch or optional 16-inch tires planted in hard cornering. The steering can be a little too light in normal driving mode, but when you flick the dash-mounted sport-mode switch, it tightens the steering feel while improving throttle response and transmission mapping (on automatic models). The brakes are excellent, and overall, the car feels reasonably spry and is fun to drive.

Three trim levels will be available. The most basic will be called Pop, and it starts at $16,000. Standard equipment will include air conditioning, 15-inch steel wheels, stability and traction control, anti-lock brakes, seven airbags, power windows and locks, and a tire-repair kit. For those who demand more luxury in their tiny Italian cars—and who doesn’t?—Fiat will offer the $20,000 Lounge trim level, which adds a fixed glass roof, 15-inch aluminum wheels, satellite radio, fog lights, a Bose audio system, leather seats and steering wheel, cruise control, Bluetooth, and a USB port for MP3-player integration.

The version we’re most likely to plunk down our lira for is the $18,000 model. Fiat calls it Sport, but it’s not any more powerful than the other 500 models; the moniker comes from the firmer suspension tune. Additionally, the Sport is upgraded from the Pop with 16-inch aluminum wheels, red brake calipers, unique front and rear fascias, a Bose audio system, and Bluetooth. Options available among the various trim levels include heated seats, a removable navigation system by TomTom, an auto-dimming rear-view mirror, an $850 power sunroof, and the automatic transmission for $1000.

The 500 coming to the States is powered by a Dundee, Mich.-built 1.4-liter, 101-hp, 98-lb-ft inline-four-cylinder gasoline engine with Fiat's MultiAir--the first U.S. application of a technology that independently manages intake and exhaust valves. A hydraulic system operates the intake valves for a more precise amount of air allowed into the combustion chamber. The management helps return 30 mpg in the city and 38 mpg on the highway for the manual model, while the automatic returns 27 mpg city and 34 mpg highway. The engine pulls well for such a small-displacement mill, without a lot of collateral racket and without the aid of a turbocharger. Extra boost will come early in 2012, when Fiat brings us the 148-hp Abarth performance edition now enjoyed by enthusiasts in Europe. A battery-electric model will follow by the end of 2012.

The plant in Mexico can build 100,000 cars annually, with half slated for North America and the other half heading to South America, primarily Brazil. The concessions made for the U.S. market--a quieter cabin, larger seats, cup-holders big enough to swallow Big Gulps, not to mention a six-speed automatic transmission not available elsewhere--should all help make the reborn 500 a success here, just as it has been in other markets. To date, Fiat has sold 500,000 of the 500s in 80 countries.

As with the Mini, the 500's tiny-tot styling draws attention and smiles at every turn. While it might take a bit longer to get to those turns and through them than in a Mini, you will be doing so with Italian style, and that's one thing the Mini can't deliver.

2011 Dodge Nitro

 

 New for 2011, the Dodge Nitro Heat 4.0 lifestyle package joins the Detonator, Shock and Heat models that arrived on the scene in 2010. The new Nitro Heat 4.0 comes standard with a five-speed automatic transmission, standard Úconnect®Phone and an upgraded eight-speaker sound system. Of course the Heat 4.0 would not be complete without the powerful 4.0-liter V-6 engine as standard equipment. The all-aluminum 4.0-liter overhead cam V-6 engine delivers 260 horsepower (194 kW) and 265 lb.-ft. (359 N•m) of torque.

 Interestingly, a four-cylinder engine is not available, only two V6s, perhaps putting the emphasis on "sport" in sport-utility.

Also, two suspensions are available, the standard one called "sport" and another called "performance," which seem to mean the same thing.

So, however it's equipped, the Nitro is big on sport.

The base motor is a 3.7-liter V6 with 210 horsepower and 235 pound-feet of torque. It's made of lightweight aluminum and features an advanced electronic throttle control for precise drive-by-wire control and efficiency. It's mated to either a standard six-speed manual or optional four-speed automatic transmission, and gets 16 miles per gallon in the city and 22 on the highway.

 The up-level Nitro R/T model is equipped with a 4.0-liter V6 that churns out a healthy 260 horsepower and 265 pound-feet of torque. The engine is hooked up to a five-speed automatic transmission. Mileage isn't compromised as it is nearly equivalent to that of the lesser V6, estimated at 16 mpg in the city and 21 on the highway.

Both engines can be had powering either just the two rear wheels or all four wheels.

Towing capacity is 5,000 pounds for the R/T when the trailer tow group option is selected.

Automotive critics have praised the Nitro for its off-road prowess and towing capabilities, saying they out-perform other compact SUVs.

 he all-new Dodge Nitro lineup was revised and renamed in 2010, offering new exterior and interior styling features. These newly repackaged models – Heat, Detonator and Shock along with the Heat 4.o Lifestyle Package – provide Nitro customers with more standard content and style, including 20-in. aluminum wheels, sunscreen glass and performance suspension paint. For 2011, select models feature upgraded interiors with new cloth and leather with premium colored stitching. Detonator and Shock are now tattooed with Dodge Brand's signature racing stripes.

 The Shock has an intense, nine speaker including subwoofer audio system, remote start and Parksense® rear park assist system. The 2011 Dodge Nitro lineup is now available in nine exterior colors, including new for 2011 Bright White Clear Coat, Blackberry Pearl Coat, Toxic Orange Pearl Coat and Redline Two Coat Pearl.