Ford gives Mustang carbon fibre wheels

Ford is using carbon fibre for the wheels for the all-new Shelby GT350R track-ready, road-going production Mustang.

Ford puts 2.7-litre EcoBoost in Taurus

The new Taurus is seen by Ford as a premium sedan for discerning Chinese business customers. Perhaps significantly, it is powered by the new 2.7-litre EcoBoost turbocharged gasoline engine that features in the new aluminium-intensive F-150 pick-up truck.

Ricardo moves into vehicle composites

Ricardo plc has teamed with US aerospace composite supplier Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) to provide composite body, chassis and other structural components to the automotive industry.

Automakers are incorporating a variety of new and advanced materials to reduce the weight of vehicle structures and components as they work to reduce carbon emissions and improve passenger safety. 

Ford: No plans for two-cylinder engines

Ford Motor Company has no plans ‘right now’ for two-cylinder engines, according to Barb Samardzich, chief operations officer of Ford of Europe.

Magna expands further in Mexico for Audi

Magna Powertrain (MPT), part of Magna International, has begun construction of a new facility in Ramos Arizpe expected to cost US$75 million.

The new facility – the ground-breaking ceremony took place on 30 April – is expected to be up and running in 2016 and will supply all-wheel-drive systems for the next generation Audi Q5 that will be built in Mexico.

VW diesel mini for China?

 A single-seat car from Volkswagen offering 100km/litre appears on various blogs as the shape of things to come: a car from China that costs $600 and can achieve 258 miles/gallon using a single cylinder diesel engine.

Blogs claim it is not toy but will be introduced next year in China – a single-seater aerodynamic car that carries VW branding.

In fact, Volkswagen completed much of the testing under high security in Germany.