World Cars Motor Show

We think the Ford Focus coupe-cabriolet would look great on the sun-drenched streets of Miami Beach or Southern California. And considering that this stylish retractable hardtop convertible is getting the automotive equivalent of a nose job, it would even blend right in with the locals.

Unfortunately, the Focus C-C and its elegant Pininfarina-designed body will be staying in Europe, as there are currently no plans to bring it stateside. Exterior changes to the new version being shown here in Geneva are pretty subtle. The headlights are more swept back, the front grilles are a little larger, and, honestly, that??™s about it.

The C-C has now been brought into line with the same “kinetic” design used on the recently updated European Focus sedan and coupe. We drove the previous coupe-cabriolet and found that it??™s as nice to drive as it is to look at??”or be seen in.

Improvements to the 2009 version include a new instrument cluster (done in “binocular style,” according to Ford) with red backlighting. It also gets tire-pressure monitoring, improved audio systems, keyless start, and an upgraded navigation unit.

The restyled Focus coupe-cabriolet also gets a wider range of diesel and gasoline engines. An entry-level 98-hp, 1.6-liter four-cylinder gas engine is probably good for fuel mileage fanatics, but we??™d opt for the 136-hp, 2.0-liter diesel or 145-hp, 2.0-liter gas engine.

Two trim levels will be available: Trend and the top-of-the-heap Titanium series that includes larger alloy wheels, a sport suspension, and part-leather seating. The Focus coupe-cabriolet goes on sale later this year.

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We were okay with the Verve name, but Ford has decided to go with a tried-and-true global name for the small car it will sell in virtually every market, including the U.S. So when the Verve concept goes into production, it will be known as the Ford Fiesta.

There are three distinct variations of the subcompact, or B-segment, Fiesta for Europe, Asia/Pacifica, and North America??”all to be launched by 2010.

At the Geneva auto show in March, Ford of Europe will show the three- and five-door Fiestas for that market, being assembled this fall in Cologne, Germany. Ford??™s plant in Valencia, Spain, will add production next year. Shown are pictures of the three-door. Ford is making us wait until the auto show to see the production five-door.

The styling, inside and out, doesn??™t veer much from the Verve concept shown at the 2007 Frankfurt auto show, including the futuristic center stack that was modeled after a cell phone and toggle switches on the steering wheel to perform many commands. The 2009 doesn??™t increase in size from the current Fiesta sold in Europe, but it’s lighter through the use of lightweight, high-strength steel.

For Europe, consumers have a choice of five powertrains including a new Duratec 113-hp, 1.6-liter Ti-VCT gasoline engine. Others are 1.3-liter and 1.4-liter Duratec gasoline mills and a pair of diesels: a 1.4-liter and a 1.6-liter. Transmissions are a five-speed manual or a four-speed automatic.

The Fiesta will be kind to the environment, with fewer than 100 grams per 100 kilometers in carbon-dioxide emissions, Ford says. Much as CAFE regulations are dictating product development in the U.S., strict new emissions regulations are forcing greater degrees of efficiency in Europe.

The Fiesta is the first of what Ford says will be many global products, under the mandate of CEO Alan Mulally, who has criticized the regional development process that was in place before he joined the company. All versions of the Fiesta were designed and developed in Europe and are based on the Mazda 2.

More news of the production version of the Asian-market Fiesta will be released in April at the Beijing auto show.

The U.S. gets a sedan body style in 2010, based on the Verve concept shown at the 2008 North American International Auto Show, and perhaps a hatch as well. The powertrain has been described only as a fuel-efficient four-cylinder of undisclosed displacement and performance.

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The Chicago auto show has been quite the event for the Blue Oval??”it also introduced the Transit Connect super-utility van, and the Ford Edge Sport??”but no Ford Windy City debut is as seriously cool as the Work Solutions suite of gadgets.

A four-pronged attack on inefficiency and lost productivity among skilled tradesmen, contractors, and large truck fleets, the Work Solutions gizmos include an in-dash, Windows CE??“based mobile computer; an RFID tool tracker; a fleet telematics and diagnostics system; and a bed-mounted equipment lock.

All of the devices are designed for 2009 F-series trucks, E-series vans, and the Transit Connect, although any of the tech is available as a dealer retrofit to some existing vehicles, including F-series trucks from 1997 or later, thanks to the in-dash computer??™s double-DIN compatibility.

While most tradesmen and contractors consider their trucks to be their mobile offices, the key ingredient in most modern offices??”connectivity??”has been missing. That??™s where the in-dash computer comes in.

Powered by Windows CE, the computer uses Sprint??™s EVDO cellular data network to offer full Internet access. Besides offering all the features of a full-function browser, the Internet connection also allows truck drivers to connect remotely to a central computer to open word processing documents, spreadsheets, invoices, or anything else on their desktop computer at home or the main office. Navigation is a snap thanks to the wireless keyboard/trackpad combo??”it looks like a laptop with the screen removed.

Here??™s a scenario Ford laid out: a contractor is on the job site when the customer asks for a change in materials and an updated invoice. The contractor heads back to his truck, remotely connects to the office computer, and pulls up the invoice on the 6.5-inch touch screen. He keys in a few changes using the keyboard, and prints out the new invoice with an available Bluetooth-connected printer??”all from the cab of his truck in a matter of minutes.

The computer also integrates a Garmin GPS navigation unit that can provide real-time traffic, weather, and fuel-price information. A USB port, auxiliary music jack, and an SD card slot allow for MP3-player connectivity, memory expansion, and for a few files to be imported to the computer??™s flash memory??”you can set a family photo as the computer??™s wallpaper or send job site photos back to the office via e-mail. The computer also has a CD slot for music and Bluetooth phone connectivity.

Ford says in the course of researching Work Solutions??”the idea for all of these items had its genesis 18 months ago; work on prototypes began just six months later??”that it came across several instances of workers who had multiples of a single tool because it was easier and more efficient to buy a replacement than to retrieve a forgotten item.

Saving that money, frustration, and time is the aim of the Tool Link, which uses RFID tags and cargo-area readers to make sure that the right tools for the job are in the vehicle before you leave.

It works by attaching unpowered RFID tags??”small stickers like you??™d find on merchandise at an electronics store??”to anything. There are 50 tags with the system to start, but you??™ll be able to buy additional tags. When the truck or van is started, two RFID readers passively scan the cargo hold, reporting to the in-dash computer what they find. (Tool Link requires the computer to work; every other Work Solutions gadget can be ordered by itself.) Ford says the antennas will read hundreds of tags in seconds.

The next step for the driver is to navigate to the appropriate tool ???playlist??? for the upcoming task. This could be framing, drywall installation, or even recreational activities such as hunting or camping. The computer determines if anything is missing, showing absent items in red. Place the missing stuff in back, recheck the list, and you??™re ready to go. The computer will also keep a memory of what was present at the beginning of the day so that nothing gets left at the work site when the job is finished.

Problem: People can reach into the bed of a pickup truck and steal stuff out of it. Smaller items can be secured in a locking box or the rear area of a crew cab, but these aren??™t practical for bigger things. Solution: an integrated, in-bed locking system.

Together with Master Lock, Ford has developed a retractable, eight-foot-long cable that owners can use to secure anything from toolboxes to generators to motorcycles. 10mm in diameter and sheathed in plastic, the cable has a cuff on the end that is locked and unlocked using a standard key. The retracting mechanism is mounted at the rear corner of the bed.

The final element in Ford??™s Work Solutions lineup is something the company calls Crew Chief. A fleet diagnostics and telematics tool, Crew Chief offers real-time tracking of vehicles via a web-based utility, which can be accessed not only on a regular computer, but on Ford??™s in-dash setup as well.

The key here is efficiency??”time and fuel. The system can detect whether a particular employee leaves the vehicle idling too long, wasting gas. The system allows a fleet administrator to route trucks based on location to save both fuel and time. Crew Chief will also keep tabs on vehicle health, alerting managers when the oil needs changing, the engine light comes on, or when a tire goes flat. This system is for commercial consumption only right now, but Ford says that Sync Version 2.0 will incorporate some sort of vehicle diagnostic monitoring.

Ford??™s intent with Work Solutions is to empower the worker in the field and turn his Ford vehicle into the ???most powerful tool [he??™s] got.??? Marketing pabulum, sure, but these products have a chance to live up to the hype, saving serious chunks of time and money for businesses large and small. All of these items??”the computer, the tool tracker, the locking cable, and the telematics system??”are simple, useful, and work with the trucks and computers that businesses already have.

Of course, Ford hasn??™t announced pricing yet, so the possibility remains that a high price of entry could curb our enthusiasm a bit when this stuff goes on sale eight months from now. But for the time being, consider us excited by the possibilities.

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Driving
Whichever version of Mondeo estate you opt for, you??™ve guaranteed a memorable driving experience. No family car can match its ride quality, with the estate shrugging off poor road surfaces with ease. Road manners are in a different league to rivals, too. The immensely stiff body is free from noise and vibration, the controls are light and accurate, and it responds precisely to inputs, making it easy to place on the road. The popular, best-selling TDCi engines are smooth and progressive too, though they do become rough towards the top end of their rev range. Petrol units seem a bit gutless, though the 2.5-litre turbo is more effervescent.

Marketplace
The Mondeo is large ??“ bigger than many executive cars. The estate, though, does a better job of disguising this than the hatch; it??™s handsome and well-integrated, a striking car that??™s more desirable than the hatch. All variants offered in the five-door carry over to the estate, so buyers can choose from 1.8-litre, 2.0-litre and 2.5-litre petrol engines, plus 1.8-litre and 2.0-litre TDCi turbodiesels. Trims include Edge, Zetec, Ghia, Titanium and Titanium X ??“ and sharp prices mean you can get a top-spec Mondeo for the price of an entry-level BMW 3-Series Touring. Other rivals include the Mazda 6, Renault Laguna Sport Tourer and Honda Accord Tourer.

Owning
The Mondeo??™s 554-litre boot is huge, but it could be more practical. The clever features seen in rivals are lacking. Still, well-designed rear suspension means it??™s very wide, while passengers also enjoy colossal rear legroom. The designers have done a great job with the cabin, too, which is well laid out and comfortable. Seats are big and figure-hugging, the driving position commanding, while the thin-rimmed steering wheel is pleasing to hold. All controls are very easy to get on with, and top-notch assembly is also to Ford??™s credit. All variants could be better-equipped though; spec levels are lacking compared to ???mainstream??™ rivals such as the Renault and Peugeot 407 SW. Retained values are only average too, and servicing every 12,500 miles is also an anomaly, though the diesel engine is economical.

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The 2008 Ford E-Series passenger van is a rear wheel drive, full size van that is available in a variety of configurations and can transport up to 12 passengers. Formerly known as the Econoline van, the E-Series has been the best selling full size van for almost 30 years and has continued to survive in a world full of mini vans and SUV’s. If a large amount of interior room, reliability and safety are your primary criteria, the E-Series will have a van that suits your needs.

This jumbo sized people and cargo mover comes with a choice of either a 4.6 liter V8 or a 5.4 liter V8 engine and both come standard with an automatic 4 speed transmission. Depending on engine size, horsepower ratings come in somewhere between 225 and 255.

Body and trim styles are designated as the E150 and E350. The E150 accommodates eight passengers, while the E350 accommodates 12 and the E350 Super Duty Extended version has room for 15 passengers. Each of these full size vans is offered in an XL and XLT trim. The base XL is sparsely equipped with basic features including vinyl upholstery, air-conditioning and an AM/FM radio. The more upscale trims versions are better equipped and include more comfort and convenience features including leather upholstery, cruise control, and an upgraded audio system. The standard passenger side rear exit and entry is via a pair of barn style swinging doors, with a single, sliding minivan type door available at no additional cost. A full compliment of airbags, 4 wheel anti lock brakes and a tire pressure monitoring system come standard to ensure safety on all models while security features such as remote keyless entry and alarm system are optional.

With the Ford F Series pick up trucks providing the inspiration for the 2008 E-Series Passenger Van, the exterior is boldly designed to live up to the hard working ‘Ford Tough’ appearance and the utility associated with it. Often used by emergency services personnel and other businesses, as well as community organizations and large families, the E-Series can be designed to meet your individual needs.

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