Hyundai Car Parts For The World

In January 2011 a team of Hyundai engineers decided to bring to life their company philosophy 'New Thinking New Possibilities'. They set off in a Hyundai iX35, planning to visit different countries around the world by road. At various points in their journey they will utilize parts from the vehicle to make a positive impact. Unplanned, they will set about solving people's everyday problems. By using as many of the car's parts as possible - in unusual and ingenious ways. The Ambition: To bring some sunshine to communities spread far and wide. The first outing sees the team amongst a small community in a remote and inhospitable location in Northern Sweden, 145km inside the Arctic Circle. In winter, the day can be as short as 3 hours, the temperature as low as -50c, and the daily commute cold and and treacherous.

Hyundai Veloster - TV Ad

Hyundai have released their TV Ad for the new Hyundai Veloster.

Be one of the first to see it.

Ford Centenary In Britain - Rallying Heritage

Rallying is a tough, and sometimes cruel, sport. Designed as a Group B rally car, the RS200 was turbocharged, mid-engined, light, 4-wheel driven, and fast on any surface. As regulations demanded, 200 examples were built in the UK with production starting in 1986.


Its rallying career was cut short when the FIA reacted to a number of serious accidents by banning aerodynamic devices on Group B cars and then calling a halt to the entire class from 1987. As a result the RS200 was transformed from stark rally car to a more luxurious road car specification, albeit one that was still cramped, noisy, high-revving and physically demanding to drive.


I just happened to find more photos of the iconic, but ill feated Ford RS200 the other day. 



Despite such setbacks Ford has maintained its commitment to rallying and it recently announced its continued participation in the FIA World Rally Championship for 2012 and 2013. Long-term partner M-Sport, which has successfully operated Ford’s WRC activities since 1997, operates the programme from its state-of-the-art facilities at Dovenby Hall in north-west England.

The Fiesta RS World Rally Car will continue as Ford’s WRC flagship in 2012 and 2013. The climax of the World Rally Championship in the UK saw the Ford Fiesta RS World Rally Car claim eight of the top 10 positions. This is the only time a single manufacturer has achieved this feat since the championship was created in 1973.


Ford’s long and successful heritage in rallying places it second in the all-time wins list with 79 world rally victories and its run of 145 consecutive points finishes, dating back to the opening round of the 2002 championship, is the longest in the sport’s history.

Ford Offers Santa an Ecoboost Powered Concept Sleigh to Lower Reindeer Derived CO2 Emissions

Ford Motor Company is offering to make it a greener Christmas with a concept sleigh that would dramatically downsize Santa’s carbon footprint.

Santa’s new ride, packed with cutting-edge Ford technology, would allow Rudolph and friends to enjoy a well-deserved retirement while Santa makes his annual deliveries with style in an environmentally friendly new sleigh.

“They may look cute, but Santa’s team of nine reindeer1 create a staggering 214,670 tons of CO2 equivalent emissions each year, so something had to be done to help him re-discover his greener roots2,” said Ford car designer Paul Wraith.

The benefits of switching to the concept sleigh go beyond the environmental. Travelling such huge distances – some 200,237,360 km – means Santa currently spends in excess of £122 million on carrots to fuel his reindeer each year. The impressive fuel efficiency of the 1 litre EcoBoost would reduce Santa’s fuel costs by 90% to just £12 million.

Whilst Santa himself was unavailable for comment, Mrs Claus explained: “I am not looking forward to telling Donner and Blitzen the news, but the polar bears in the North Pole will certainly welcome the Ford EcoBoost-powered sleigh.”

Mrs Claus continues: “l would of course back anything that means my husband can get home that bit quicker. Getting presents in a shorter amount of time to all the good children each year may even give him time to reconsider a few names on the naughty list. But I can’t promise.”

Innovative engineering means the new EcoBoost engine delivers performance to rival a traditional 1.6-litre engine but with significantly improved fuel efficiency and lower CO2 emissions of just 114g/km CO2.

The 1.0-litre EcoBoost cylinder block also fits onto a single sheet of A4 paper, but still delivers up to 125PS and 170Nm peak torque (with 200Nm overboost), giving it the highest power density of any Ford production engine to date.

“Our tongue may be firmly in cheek as we launch this sleigh design, but our heart is in the right place,” Wraith said. “At Ford, we’re dreaming of a Green Christmas. We’re already thinking of the concept sleigh mark II. With electric vehicle battery technology developing all the time, we are keen to get to work on a zero-carbon version of our sleigh.”

The redesigned sleigh also incorporates other cutting edge Ford technologies. Highlights include:

o Active park assist: Clever technology that first checks if a parking space is big enough, then automatically steers your car/sleigh in. Useful for Santa in making those tight reverse rooftop landings.

o Door edge protector: A simple, but ingenious addition to Ford doors, helping thwart dents, dings and scratches even in the tightest parking spot. Vital to help Santa stop scratching the door of his sleigh on all those annoying chimneys.

o SYNC: A sophisticated in-car, voice-activated technology system, that can be easily personalised. This will help Santa keep in touch with the elves back at base, stay en route with GPS navigation and enable him to listen to and change, his favourite Christmas music.

o EcoMode: In-car software that provides useful advice for drivers on achieving better fuel economy tailored to their individual driving styles. A specially modified version of the software will include an electronic Christmas tree image. The better Santa’s green driving performance, the more of the trees branch symbols will light-up.

o Active City Stop & Blind Spot Information System: Two driver assistance technologies, the first assists drivers in slow moving traffic by detecting if the car in front unexpectedly stops and braking automatically in response, whilst the second helps detect vehicles in blind spots during normal driving. Both will be useful to Santa, as he tries to avoid planes in our increasingly crowded skies.

o MyKey: Enabling car owners to encourage their teenagers (or elves) to drive safer and more fuel efficiently, with increased safety-belt usage, through a range of driver specific configurable features.

o 1 litre EcoBoost engine: As outlined, helping ensure the engine powering Santa’s sleigh is green, lean, mean and compact.

How Does the Hyundai Veloster Drive?

Professional AMCI driver Dave Wandless takes the all new Hyundai Veloster for a spin. Watch the video and hear the final verdict on the car and its dynamics.

Hyundai Veloster - learn more about the design

Take a look at the all new Hyundai Veloster and learn more about the design. The Hyundai Veloster will be on the UK roads from January 2012.

Ford Centenary in Britain - Ford's Global Cars

The winter of 1993-1994 saw a combination of Ford Mondeos – a model with aspirations as a global car – and Ford Mavericks set off from London to support an attempt to drive overland between London and New York via the Bering Strait.  This overland (and ice) route did not prove successful but the team did find alternative means to reach Alaska and, eventually, New York.

In 2010, The Ford Fiesta used conventional routes to embark on a 15,000-mile round-the-world trip that saw Ford’s stylish small car visit a total of 21 countries.


The drive was a demonstration of the "One Ford" global strategy, which is putting the Ford Fiesta, Ford Focus and future Ford Kuga and Ford Mondeo models on sale globally.  The round-the-world programme for the Ford Fiesta took over 50 days to complete, covering North America, Europe, the Middle East, Asia and Australia.


UK-built engines are a key part of the "One Ford" strategy and during the Ford Fiesta's 500-mile leg across the UK, the car stopped off at Ford's Bridgend engine-plant – where the car's 1.6-litre petrol engine is built.

Ford extends World Rally Championship participation with the Ford Fiesta

Ford of Europe announced today it is extending its participation in the FIA World Rally Championship into 2012 and 2013.

Long-term partner M-Sport, the British-based preparation company, which has successfully operated Ford’s WRC activities since 1997, will continue to operate the programme from its state-of-the-art facilities at Dovenby Hall in north-west England. 

The Fiesta RS World Rally Car will continue as Ford’s WRC flagship in 2012 and 2013.  The car, based on the successful Fiesta road car, claimed a clean sweep of the podium in both the first and final rounds of its debut season this year.

Finland’s Jari-Matti Latvala and co-driver Miikka Anttila, who topped the world rankings for special stage victories in 2011 and won the final round of the championship in Britain last month, are confirmed as team leaders for 2012. 

They will be partnered by former world champion Petter Solberg and Chris Patterson, who have signed a one-year agreement to drive the team’s second Fiesta RS WRC in all 13 rounds.  The experienced Solberg won the world title in 2003 and the 37-year-old Norwegian has 13 world rally wins to his name.  It will be his second stint with Ford, having launched his world rally career with the team in 1999.

The squad will be named Ford World Rally Team and will retain support from long-term partner Castrol for both 2012 and 2013.

Ford has a long and successful heritage in rallying.  It is second in the all-time wins list with 79 world rally victories and its run of 145 consecutive points finishes, dating back to the opening round of the 2002 championship, is the longest in the sport’s history.

Ford of Europe chairman and CEO Stephen Odell highlighted the strong will of all parties to continue in the WRC.

“Ford has a rich history in world rallying and we’re excited to continue fighting for titles on the world stage with our great partners at M-Sport,” said Odell.  “WRC is a great fit with the Ford brand DNA of precise handling, fun-to-drive cars with leading technology and we’ll continue to leverage rallying to inspire innovation in future vehicles and reach new audiences.”

Gerard Quinn, Ford of Europe’s senior manager for motorsport, emphasised what WRC competition means to Ford. 

“The WRC is motorsport’s toughest competition for production-based cars,” he said.  Through WRC, we can convey the attributes of our road vehicles and send a clear message to our customers and fans about Ford’s passion and expertise.

“We feel that the timing for our announcement is right.  We had to be confident about the stability of the championship and to ensure it continues to provide great value and increased exposure globally.  We discussed it with our stakeholders and after receiving such assurances we look forward to focusing on competition once again,” said Quinn.

“We have a great team with M-Sport and its leader, Malcolm Wilson, and in Jari-Matti Latvala we have one of motorsport’s rising stars.  Already regarded by many as the fastest driver in WRC, this year he showed consistency and expertise on all surfaces.  We believe he will flourish in his new role as Ford’s team leader, and look forward to seeing his pace light up the special stages around the world.

“The addition of Petter Solberg to the team brings one of the sport’s most experienced and flamboyant drivers back to the team where he started his top-level career.  A drivers’ world title and 13 world rally victories are testament to his abilities and his vast experience will be a great asset to our line-up,” added Quinn.    

Wilson, M-Sport managing director and team director, said the new deal was a vote of confidence in his company. 

“The performance of the Fiesta RS WRC in 2011 was strong on all surfaces and I’m genuinely excited about what we can achieve in the future,” he said.  “We want to challenge for world titles and I have no doubts that our car and driver combination, allied to the infrastructure and expertise of our staff at Dovenby Hall, will allow us to do that.”

M-Sport recently completed its ladder of opportunity, adding a first rung to complete a structured path to take young and talented rally drivers from the grass-roots to the top level in Ford Fiestas.  From the entry-level MS1 car, drivers can progress via the increasingly more powerful R2, S2000 and Regional Rally Car models to the top-billing World Rally Car.

“Ford has five different Fiesta models in which drivers with potential can graduate from entry level to the WRC.  This ladder is the breeding ground of Ford’s future stars, and in the next seasons we will see drivers with ability climb it and begin to emerge at the top,” he added.

Hyundai teases latest European concept car

Hyundai has given a first glimpse of its new i-oniq concept car, which will preview the next evolution of the brand’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ form language.

Describing the i-oniq, Thomas Bürkle, Hyundai’s European Chief Designer, said, “Two strong arched curves define the silhouette of i-oniq, creating a playful contrast between the sharp character lines and soft but muscular features.”

The i-oniq concept was designed and developed at the company’s European R&D centre in Rüsselsheim, Germany.  More information about i-oniq will be revealed ahead of its world premiere at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show.

Ford Centenary - A convoy of Ford Vans on the QE2 bridge.

The Transit Van Club formed to mark the 40^th anniversary of Ford Transit production teamed up with Ford engineers and executives to create a convoy of more than 60 vans – ranging from ambulances to Ford’s World Rallye Transit – spanning the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge in Essex.

Consistent investment, exciting breakthroughs in technology and engine development mean that the Ford Transit has maintained its market leadership for more than 46 years in the UK.

With engines built at the Ford Dagenham Engine Plant in Essex, commercial vehicle research and development at the Ford Dunton Technical Centre, Essex, transmissions produced from the Getrag-Ford joint venture in Halewood, Merseyside and manufacturing in Southampton, this British icon continues to thrive. 

Car Crime is Getting More Sophisticated and Developments in Prevention

Ford Motor Company, working closely with police agencies, has developed technologies that help thwart car thieves bent on cashing-in this Christmas season.

Aware that Christmas shoppers often return to their vehicles to drop off purchases mid-shopping spree, criminals sometimes use a signal jammer operating on the same frequency as vehicle locking systems to block cars from being successfully locked. Criminals are then able to loot the vehicles unhindered.

Ford’s Vehicle Security Department team in Dunton, England, has developed technology to stay one step ahead of the criminals. For example, Ford vehicles equipped with Keyless Entry remote central locking – Fiesta, Focus, C-MAX, S-MAX, Mondeo and Galaxy – can detect whether a locking command has been successful, and if not, will resend the command at a different frequency.

“Winter, and the festive season in particular, can be a lucrative period for both organised car criminals and opportunist thieves,” says Simon Hurr, Vehicle Security specialist, Ford of Europe. “As a former police special sergeant, I have witnessed first-hand just how crafty car criminals can be and the distress their actions can bring to victims.

“Working with the police to analyse trends in car crime and the methods used by criminals, enables us to develop ways to prevent thieves from spoiling what should be the happiest time of year for Ford owners.”
Dark Christmas nights can be perfect for another activity that’s sure to earn car criminals a place on Santa’s naughty list – the “smash and grab”; a criminal technique as old as car crime itself but one that shows no signs of waning.

The Thatcham Category 1 volume-sensing alarm available for the Focus, C-MAX, S-MAX, Kuga, Mondeo and Galaxy can detect a thief entering through a window and deliver a high-volume warning to deter intruders and attract attention to the crime.

In the past year, 1,189,000 British car owners were victims of car crime according to the British Crime Survey 2010/11, with 70 per cent suffering thefts of goods from the car with an average value of £202.
“Strong security systems are an essential component in the battle against car crime, so we are delighted that Ford’s Vehicle Security Department works alongside police car crime experts to understand the latest criminal techniques and car crime trends,” says DCI Mark Hooper, head of unit for the UK’s Association of Chief Police Officers Vehicle Crime Intelligence Service.

“This relationship helps Ford experts develop more effective vehicle security systems that benefit car owners and assist police forces by reducing opportunities for car criminals to strike.”

Car crime is not a problem restricted to the festive season, but dark nights combined with bustling towns and shopping centres full of distracted car-owners with plenty on their to-do lists are elements that play into the hands of increasingly cunning car criminals severely lacking in Christmas spirit.

“In 2011, criminals succeeded in staying one-step ahead of their victims, but by working in partnership with their customers Ford is making a valuable contribution to customer vehicle security,” says Mike Briggs, Vehicle Security manager at Thatcham, the UK insurer funded automotive research centre.

“Owners have a responsibility to ensure their vehicles are protected; in particular by paying careful attention to keeping their vehicle keys secure at all times. Christmas is already an expensive and busy time of year – by working together Ford and their customers can avoid additional stress and help prevent vehicle crime over the festive period.”

Ford Ranger Backs the Bluebird Land Speed Record Project

The durable Ford Ranger has joined forces with the Bluebird team as it attempts to set a new electric vehicle land speed record.

The Ford Ranger, with its best-in-class towing capacity of up to 3,000kg, will tow the Bluebird to exhibitions, testing sessions and record attempts.

Don Wales, grandson of Sir Malcolm Campbell and nephew of Donald Campbell, will be attempting to break the one mile UK electric vehicle land speed record in the next year.

The Bluebird is the fastest electric vehicle in Europe. The present car - the second powered by electricity to be built under the name - holds the UK land speed record for electric vehicles at 137mph, achieved in 2000 at Pendine Sands. The car, and driver Don Wales, hold another seven class records over a variety of distances.

The car's 300 nickel-cadmium vented cell batteries power two belt-driven 200kW brushless permanent magnet motors, providing around 1100 Nm peak torque to the rear wheels. Bluebird is 26ft long, weighs 1,060Kg and has a drag coefficient of 0.15 Cd.

The team's Ford Ranger support vehicle is a Ranger Thunder with a double cab and a 2.5-litre TDCi 143PS engine. Martin Rees, Bluebird project manager, said: "The Ford Ranger perfectly met our requirements and the historic link between Ford and Sir Malcolm made the choice an obvious one. As well as Sir Malcolm's one-time directorship at Ford of Britain, the Bluebird and Ford of Britain centenary created a natural synergy between the two brands and reason to mark this special year."

The Ford Ranger combines a sleek modern exterior design with a fresh interior, competitive cost-of-ownership and durability. Available with two fuel-efficient Duratorq TDCi engines, the Ford Ranger is offered with a choice of manual or automatic five-speed transmission and 4x2 or 4x4 drivetrains. A wide choice of model series and body configurations, including chassis cab, make Ford Ranger the ideal workhorse with huge potential for business and leisure activities.

Ford has committed to introduce five full-electric and hybrid models in Europe by 2013 as part of its global electrification strategy.  These include the Transit Connect Electric this year, the next generation Ford Focus Electric in 2012, followed by hybrid and plug-in hybrid derivatives of the all-new C-MAX and another hybrid-electric model in 2013.

Ford Centenary in Britain - The Day Ford Beat Ferrari

To celebrate the centenary of Ford of Britain in 2011 the company is exploring its photo archive to reveal rarely seen images.

In 1962 after failing to buy Ferrari, Henry Ford II challenged Ford engineers to build a prototype racer that would win the Le Mans 24 Hours race, defeating the Italian arch-rival in the process.

After an unimpressive first attempt in 1964, the Ford GT40 Mk II emerged in 1966, claiming the first three places at the Daytona 24 Hours. At Le Mans, it set new speed and lap records, before finishing first, second and third.

The GT40 was powered by a 7.0-litre V8 engine, producing 485bhp with a recorded top speed of 187mph.  The two-door, two-seat car had a body made from glass reinforced plastic, weighed just over 1100kg, and was nicknamed GT40 after its 40in height.

A Tribute to this iconic race car arrived in the form of the Ford GT supercar in 2002, this time featuring a 5.4-litre supercharged V8 engine with 550bhp, a top speed of 205mph and an aluminium space frame chassis.

Ford Model in Ford Focus Parts Dress

Ford Motor Company has unveiled its latest model, only this time it isn't a new vehicle. Instead a fashion model demonstrated how a variety of Ford Focus car parts could be the subject of a stylish photo shoot.

The unique fashion items, a dress and necklace made of Ford car parts, were commissioned as part of the company’s centenary tour, a month-long event celebrating 100 years of Ford in Britain.  They were designed by two accomplished young British designers.

Accepting the challenge to design a dress for the occasion was nominee Scottish Designer of the Year, Judy Clark, who worked with the late Alexander McQueen.  

“My reaction when they approached me was one of delight to be a part of such a unique project as it’s very different to what I normally do,” she said. “I would say that the inspiration for the dress was taken from the Edwardian period and I actually started to design the dress before the car parts arrived.”

The necklace was the work of Katherine Hawkins from Cornwall who runs a jewellery design business called Creme Noveau. Describing the inspiration behind the necklace as a tribute to Metropolis, the vintage science fiction movie, Katherine said that she was rather daunted by the prospect when she was approached by Ford.

"When the box of car parts arrived, I didn't really know what to expect,” Hawkins said. “It doesn't help that I can't actually drive so at first I didn't know what the parts were for! But once I got them spread out to see how they look and sit and how I could work with them, the idea came very quickly and I was able to use really cool metals, plastics and rubbery bits!"

The shoot was handled by photographer, Andy Fallon, who has contributed to magazines ranging from Rolling Stone Magazine to FHM. 

Ford Centenary - How Cars Get Designed.

In the old days cars were designed using pen and paper. These days it's much more sophisticated.

Below is a video showing the making of the Ford EVOS concept car. Not the whole design process, but the building of a model - grown ups model making really.

Another Lovely Piece of Music From the Seoul Philharmonic Orchestra.

I know this is from Austria rather than the UK, but felt I had to share the link simply because I thought the music was so nice.