Author Archives: Zach Bowman

Ford prices 2013 Focus ST from $24,495* [UPDATE: Configurator launches]

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2013 Ford Focus ST - gold - front three-quarter dynamic driving shot

UPDATE: The Focus ST has officially been added to Ford’s configurator. Click here to build one yourself.

Well now, the inexpensive performance game just got considerably more interesting. Ford has officially dropped pricing on its upcoming 2013 Focus ST, and it starts at $24,495 (*including a $795 delivery charge). That kind of coin will net you a EcoBoost 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine good for a whopping 252 horsepower and 270 pound-feet of torque, along with a torque-steer compensation system that works in conjunction with electronic power steering to keep the nose pointed in the right direction. If you’re keeping track, those power metrics are slightly north of the figures Ford had previously released. A variable-ratio steering rack toes the line between sport and comfort while the sport suspension sits the chassis 10 mm closer to the ground than the stock configuration.

That fire-spitting four-cylinder breathes easy through a free-flowing exhaust, and interior options like Recaro bucket seats give the cabin a little pedigree. Of course, massive wheels and plenty of aero work are both part of the package as well. What’s more, Ford says it will give early buyers a GoPro HD Hero2 Motorsports camera when they pick up the keys. Sweet.

The entry price puts the Focus ST well below fellow front-drive competitors like the Volkswagen GTI and Mazdaspeed3, but within spitting distance of playful hardware like the Toyobaru twins and the all-wheel drive Subaru WRX. Suddenly, it appears we live in a world where cheap speed is in abundance. Head over to the Ford site for a closer look and be sure to click past the jump for the full press release.

Continue reading Ford prices 2013 Focus ST from $24,495* [UPDATE: Configurator launches]

Ford prices 2013 Focus ST from $24,495* [UPDATE: Configurator launches] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 01 May 2012 09:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Edmunds charts last month’s quickest-selling cars

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2012 Toyota Prius C - orange - tight three-quarter front static image

Edmunds has taken the time to sort through the March 2012 sales data to find which were the quickest selling models of the month. According to the site’s research, the 2012 Toyota Prius C took the top nod by sitting on dealer lots just eight days before whirring off to a new home. Manufacturers routinely use “days to turn” to evaluate consumer demand, though pesky variables like production capacity can easily tweak the number north or south. That’s likely why the Audi Q7 took just 11 days to turn and its smaller sibling, the Q5, took just 13. Audi is having a hard time keeping production in pace with consumer demand.

Other stars of last month’s show include the Hyundai Veloster. With an average of 14 days on dealer lots, the model finds itself tied with hardware like the BMW X6 and Subaru Impreza for being quick to turn. You can check out the full list of quickest-sellers by heading over to Edmund’s Inside Line.

Edmunds charts last month’s quickest-selling cars originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 30 Apr 2012 16:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: 1967 Pontiac GTO Monkeemobile

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Monkeemobile

Say what you will about The Monkees, but the guys in the band had great taste in automobiles. Take the Monkeemobile, for example. Built off a 1967 Pontiac GTO Convertible, the custom featured genuinely interesting bodywork and some wild engine bolt-ons. If you’re a fan of 1960s pop and yearn to relive the genre’s glory days, eBay Motors may have what you need. A recreation of the 1967 Monkeemobile has showed up for auction. This particular replica was built by Dakota County Customs using an four-speed GTO, just like the original.

Built for the band’s 45th anniversary and the final Monkees tour last year, this Monkeemobile is faithful down to every last detail. Unfortunately, the trumpet exhaust poking out of the front fender wells and the massive gold-flake blower are for show only. Seems fitting.

If you like what you see, this machine is up for bid in Richfield, Minnesota with two days left on the auctions. So far, bidding as whipped up to $60,000 with the reserve not met. Head over to eBay Motors to have a look.

eBay Find of the Day: 1967 Pontiac GTO Monkeemobile originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 29 Apr 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2012 Targa Tasmania kicks off with prologue stages

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The 2012 Targa Tasmania is officially underway, having started on the 17th of April. While we’d give (nearly) any portion of our anatomy to see the spectacle in the flesh, we’ll simply have to content ourselves with living vicariously through the miracle of YouTube for the time being.

Competitors use the prologue stages to work out any kinks in their vehicle as well as get a feel for the competition. As always, the range of vehicles in attendance is as wide as it gets. We’re particularly fond of the fire-spitting Nissan GT-R, though the sight of a Holden Commodore SS ute thrashing about puts a smile on our faces, too.

The Targa runs through April 22, covering 366 miles of transit and rally stages in the process. We’ll do our best to keep up with the coverage. In the meantime, you can check out the competitor list at the Targa site and click scroll down below for the Prologue recap.

Continue reading 2012 Targa Tasmania kicks off with prologue stages

2012 Targa Tasmania kicks off with prologue stages originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Stream the one-hour SPEED Targa Newfoundland special

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2011 Targa Newfoundland on SPEED

If you’ve got an hour to kill and an itch to watch some exciting Targa Newfoundland action, we’ve got good news for you. SPEED has been kind enough to stream the network’s one-hour special free online. The episode spends plenty of time following both the Modern and Classic divisions with barely a nod toward Open or Grand Touring. That’s a shame for plenty of reasons, both because the competition was incredibly tight across the board this year and because I hung out with two entries in both the latter classes during my time up north.

Still, the Flyin’ Miata guys get a little time on screen. The rest of the coverage details the fight between Scott Giannou in his 1981 Porsche 911 and Bob Yuille in his 1969 Chevrolet Camaro. There’s also plenty of interviews with Ralph Gilles. You can check out the full episode by clicking past the jump.

Continue reading Stream the one-hour SPEED Targa Newfoundland special

Stream the one-hour SPEED Targa Newfoundland special originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Biggest Rebate Ever? Maybach buyers to get $100,000 spiff

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Maybach

Our sister site, AOL Autos, just dug up one of the largest rebates we’ve ever seen on a new car. If, for some reason, you must have a Maybach before the brand ceases production altogether, you may in line to snag a tidy $100,000 rebate. Daimler previously let slip that the company will kill the ultra-luxury brand in 2013 and replace it with a new high-end Mercedes-Benz S600 Pullman. Given that Maybach models never exactly jumped off of the showroom floor, we’re guessing the German automaker needs all the help it can get moving the Type 57 and Type 62.

Even with $100,000 off the sticker price, you’ll still need a suitcase full of C notes to take one of these machines home. The entry-level Type 57 commands a $376,300 MSRP while the Type 62 starts at $427,700. Even at those prices, reports suggest the the company lost a staggering $500,000 on each and every model it sold. It’s a wonder the marque stayed around as long as it did.

Biggest Rebate Ever? Maybach buyers to get $100,000 spiff originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 18 Apr 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mustang Club of Poland inspires Mustang Club of Parana to make video

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Mustang Club of Parana

It looks as if the Mustang Club of Poland has inspired its South American counterparts to get in on a little movie-making action. The Mustang Club of Parana got together with a few local sponsors to commemorate the group’s eleventh anniversary with a brief flick starring some of Brazil’s most diehard Ford Mustang fans.

Every generation of Mustang development gets at least a little time on screen, from less-loved members of the clan like the Mustang II to a few ever-popular Eleanor replicas. The video took its creators just over three months to produce, and the final product is clean and well-edited.

There’s plenty of engine note, smoky burnouts and sharp sheet metal to obsess over, too. So, is this better than the Polish original? We aren’t picking sides on this one. Both videos are a great way to blow a chunk of the work day. Be sure to check out Brazil’s ode to the Pony down below and click back for a look at the original inspiration behind the new film.

Continue reading Mustang Club of Poland inspires Mustang Club of Parana to make video

Mustang Club of Poland inspires Mustang Club of Parana to make video originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 19:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Bi-fuel option to cost $11,000 on GM pickups [w/video]

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2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD CNG - front three-quarter view

2013 Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD - CNG fuel tank closeupGeneral Motors has released pricing for the bi-fuel option for the Chevrolet Silverado 2500 HD and GMC Sierra 2500 HD, and it’s a pill that probably won’t go down easy. Buyers who want their workhorses to suck down either compressed natural gas (CNG) or gasoline can look forward to ponying up $11,000 for the pleasure. That big chunk of change adds a Type 3 tank in the bed for CNG, and GM says that with both fuels, the trucks will have an effective range of 650 miles. The bi-fuel option is available on any heavy-duty truck configuration, including four-wheel drive and extended cab models.

The automaker says the bi-fuel trucks are a way for business owners to safeguard themselves against volatile gas prices, and that the option could save anywhere from $5,000 to $10,000 over the course of three years depending on fuel fluctuations. However, any option on a work truck that only might break even in three or four years seems like a tough sell in our book, especially given the reduction in useable bed area. Hit the jump for the full press release as well as a quick video.

Continue reading Bi-fuel option to cost $11,000 on GM pickups [w/video]

Bi-fuel option to cost $11,000 on GM pickups [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 17 Apr 2012 17:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Jay Leno’s garage grows by one thanks to BaT

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It turns out Jay Leno shops for classic cars just like the rest of us do: by wasting untold hours drooling over occasionally perusing BringaTrailer.com. The comedian and host of The Tonight Show recently took a shine to a memorable 1963 Ford Falcon Sprint shown on the site, and it wasn’t long before a few phone calls were made. Now the previous owner can say he sold a car to one of the world’s most well-known collectors, and Leno will have a very-cool Falcon in his Big Dog Garage.

So, what made this particular coupe worthy of such admiration? The ’63 had undergone significant revision at the hands of the previous owner and builder, including a substantial weight reduction, suspension tweaks with input from the gurus at Koni, along with a fully blueprinted 302 V8. With an aluminum intake and heads as well as a lightweight T5 transmission, the seller claims to have plucked around 200 pounds from the vehicle’s nose.

The idea was to build the car in the image of the Holman Moody Falcons that once competed in the legendary Monte Carlo Rally. Head over to BaT for both the initial sale listing story and the tale of Leno’s buying.

Jay Leno’s garage grows by one thanks to BaT originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 18:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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eBay Find of the Day: Parnelli Jones 1971 “Big Oly” Ford Bronco tribute [w/video]

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Big Oly Tribute Bronco

We see tribute vehicles come and go. Most of the lot are slaves to every last detail of the original, offering little more than a few engine upgrades to the mix. Then there are beasts like the one above. Built as an homage to Parnelli Jones’ 1971 “Big Oly” Ford Bronco Baja 1,000 bruiser, this machine uses a modern trophy truck chassis wrapped in larger-than life fiberglass first-generation Bronco body. With 723 horsepower on tap, the truck is fully capable of bashing the desert into submission. Owner Marshall Mardruga originally built the machine to tackle the Baja 1,000, but decided to turn it into a show truck instead.

Every visible component was then plated in brass or nickel and protected with a clear powder coat in preparation for SEMA 2011. If you like what you see, this machine can be yours for a heady sum. Available in San Diego, California via eBay Motors, the street-legal tribute commands a $535,000 Buy It Now price. You can see the auction here or scroll below to check out a few videos.

Continue reading eBay Find of the Day: Parnelli Jones 1971 “Big Oly” Ford Bronco tribute [w/video]

eBay Find of the Day: Parnelli Jones 1971 “Big Oly” Ford Bronco tribute [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 16 Apr 2012 16:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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