New Ford Focus Station Wagon Unveiled Ahead of Geneva Show

[Updated] We first told you about Ford's new Station Wagon model during this past weekend but the automaker now come out with official photos of the fifth member of its Focus family after the five-door hatchback, four-door sedan, C-MAX and C-MAX Grand models.

For the time being, the new generation of the Focus Station Wagon is European-only matter as there are no current plans to offer the vehicle in North America.

However, Ford Europe CEO John Fleming noted that the company may sell the Estate model in other markets around the world, "provided the business case and customer demand exist."

Ford considers the Station Wagon a very crucial model for the European market, as around one third of all Focus customers choose this body-style. In some markets, such as Italy and Germany, the wagon derivative is said to represent more than half of all Ford Focus cars sold.

The European powertrain line-up for the 2011 Focus models will include a new range of naturally-aspirated and turbocharged petrol as well as diesel engines.

The petrol offerings include a 1.6-liter unit with 105HP or 125HP, and the all-new 1.6-liter EcoBoost turbo with direct-injection with 150HP or 180HP.

The diesel range includes a 1.6-liter engine producing 95HP or 115HP and a 2.0-liter variant delivering 115HP (some markets), 140HP and 163HP.

No specific details were released about the Focus Station Wagon model but Ford confirmed that the Focus' new global C-segment platform will underpin at least ten vehicles around the world.

Aside from the five bodystyles already introduced, the Focus family will also include a three-door hatchback, a convertible with a retractable hardtop, a replacement for the current Kuga SUV, while there's also talk about a sporty two-door coupe model.

The Focus Station Wagon will make its world debut alongside the five-door Focus hatchback that will be appearing in Europe for the first time at this week's Geneva Motor Show.

European and North American production of the new Focus starts simultaneously in late 2010 with sales to follow from early 2011. Asia, Africa and South America production will follow later in 2011.

Get Litigious: Bumblebee's gone all Mustang

Coming straight out of San Antonio, Texas is this... let's call it interesting... Transformers-inspired Mustang. Some people wouldn't be so kind, and one of those people happens to be Mr. Marton; he had the cajones to get close enough to grab the pics. Marton threw out the phrase "Wrong Car Fail", and while I secretly agree, hey, it's not my car.

However, as a Mustang fan, allow me to say this: Mustangs never look good in yellow (or gold, for that matter). Want to prove me wrong? Send in some pics of your yellow Mustangs and we'll see what passes for good-looking these days.

Go ahead and leave your thoughts on this hybridized Bombus in the comments section a little further south on the page. You know you want to.

-By Phil Alex

Kudos to Marton for the Tip and the Pics

Ford to Unveil New Focus Station Wagon at the Geneva Motor Show

At next week's Geneva Motor Show, Ford will stage the world premiere of the fifth member of its Focus family after the five-door hatchback, four-door sedan and the C-MAX and Grand C-MAX minivans, the station wagon model.

According to our sources, the more practical and roomy Focus SW (also known as the Estate in some countries) will initially be launched in Europe. However, if there's enough interest by buyers in other international markets, Ford will add the station wagon variant to its global range of Focus models in the very near future.

Other body styles planned to join the Focus family are a three-door hatchback, a convertible with a retractable hardtop, a replacement for the current Kuga SUV that's based on a modified version of the outgoing (Euro) Focus platform, while there's also been talk about a sporty two-door coupe model.

*The opening photo is a Carscoop CGI

Ford Releases Details on 2011 F-Series Super Duty Pickup

Ford's Super Duty F-Series pickups - that's F-250s and up - just got a little more super. The fanciness starts with Ford's new, quieter, more efficient, B20 (20% biodiesel / 80% petroleum diesel) compatible Power Stroke turbo diesel V8.

Designed and built fully in-house, the 6.7 liter is best-in-class all around. It develops 390 horsepower while dropping what we like to call a torque bomb - 735 lb-ft at 1,600 RPM.

Depending on chassis selection, towing capacity ranges from 14,000 lbs (F-250/350 single rear wheel) to 26,400 lbs (F-550 with the fifth-wheel hitch). Payloads range from 4,050 lbs in an F-250 to 6,520 lbs in an F-350 dually.

For those not needing to tow planets, Ford also provides an E85-sipping 6.2 liter V8. If it sounds familiar, that's because it's the same 385-horse, 405 lb-ft mill found in SVT's Raptor.

Shifting for either is provided by Ford's new TorqShift 6-speed transmission, combining the best of both automatic and manual transmissions (or so Ford says).

Basically, the new system offers SelectShift with a nifty trick: Progressive Range Select, which limits how high the transmission is able to shift via a toggle switch that also acts as a manual gear selector.

Also, with the Power Take Off (PTO) option installed, the transmission can be be hooked up to external hardware, which is driven by the crankshaft via an output gear connected to the torque converter.

All-in-all, Ford's new lineup of Super Dutys (does that sound like a commercial?) sounds top-notch and tech-loaded. As always, we'll have to wait for reviews and customer input before judgments can be made. Let the stump-towing wars commence...

- By Phil Alex