The internet blew up recently with some blurry spy photos that apparently showed a real mid-engine C8 Corvette on GM's Milford Proving Grounds. Consumers seem to be remaining somewhat skeptical, and we'll believe it when we actually see them at the showroom. As you may know there has been talk of a mid-engine Corvette for many years and allegedly GM was close to coming into the development stage back in the mid-2000s but GMs bankruptcy cancelled that. Earlier this year there were similar spy photos of what appeared to be a mid-engine modified C7 chassis, so it was clear that GM must be fairly serious.
Detroit News reports that the mid-engine C8 has been given Continue reading →
It looks like Ford’s decision to offer the Mustang Worldwide is paying off. Last year Ford began offering the Mustang in 81 additional countries, officially making it globally available for the first time in history. 25 of those new markets are receiving another Mustang first – right hand drive. Ford says they have already sold around 27,000 right hand drive Mustangs since their introduction last year.
Colin Massey, general sales manager at Jennings Ford Middlesbrough in northeastern England said "Mustang has been a huge success for us. We are still seeing a steady demand for the Mustang and are currently averaging between three and four orders per week." That’s a pretty good sales record given that many of those cars are the V8 model, which doesn’t offer much in fuel economy, in a country where fuel prices average roughly triple the price we pay here in the U.S.
The Mustang is so popular in some countries that the backlog can be a long as 10 months, but that doesn’t seem to have dampened the demand. The Mustang is already the second best-selling Ford vehicle in Australia and the top selling sports car in Saudi Arabia and South Africa. It’s even a heavy hitter in Germany amongst rivals like BMW and Audi, selling around 6,000 units this past year.
Carl Widmann, Mustang Chief Engineer said "We are always trying to eke out one more right-hand-drive unit if we can. We've exceeded expectations overall. We're getting happy customers across a lot of different regions."
While Mustang sales continue to grow in new markets overseas, it's blowing away the competition in the U.S. Mustang sales surpassed the Chevy Camaro last year for the first time since 2009 and it hasn’t lost the lead, even as Chevy rolled out their sixth generation Camaro last fall.
The Mustang's share of the midsize sports-car segment for 2016 has surged from 37 percent in 2014 to 46 percent so far this year. Through August, the Mustang leads Camaro sales in the U.S. by nearly 33,000 units. That’s such a wide gap they could stop selling the Mustang right now and potentially still outsell the Camaro.
Overseas markets still account for a small piece of the Mustang's total sales overall, with about 80 percent of the cars staying stateside. But Ford sees the Mustang's growing presence in more than 100 countries outside North America as a way to spread brand awareness to consumers worldwide.
Ford Introduces 360-Degree Virtual Reality App With Ford GT Action
In addition to building exciting cars and trucks, Ford is always looking to expand the experience for customers and it’s latest release is the new FordVR App, a free downloadable App that puts you trackside at one of the biggest auto races in the world, the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Ford Introduces 360-Degree Virtual Reality App With Ford GT action and there’s more to come.
With the App, you’ll experience the sights, the sounds, and up-close action from pit lane, to being right there in the car with the drivers, and all from the comfort of your own home. The new Ford virtual reality app makes all of this possible. Launching today for iOS and Android users in the United States, Ford’s new virtual reality app delivers a powerful storytelling platform for consumers and fans to experience Ford innovations like never before.
“We are very excited about this opportunity to provide truly immersive experiences that showcase the best of Ford Motor Company,” says Lisa Schoder, Ford digital marketing manager. “Our virtual reality platform allows us to tell dramatic, impactful stories, to show a surprising side of Ford.”
The first piece of featured content is the story behind the all-new Ford GT’s return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Fifty years after the original victory, the innovative balance of power and efficiency in Ford’s EcoBoost® engine delivered an incredible class win earlier this year.
“Just as Ford GT goes beyond the traditional at Ford, our entry into virtual reality content creation demonstrates how our passion for innovation permeates every piece of our business and offers a new touch point for tech-savvy consumers to connect with our brand,” says Schoder.
To help achieve its goals, Ford partnered with integrated production company Tool of North America, a leader in virtual reality and 360-degree content and mobile app creation. Tool has won numerous awards for innovation in storytelling, including Emmys, The One Show, South by Southwest, AICP and the Cannes Lions Palme d’Or.
“As an auto and racing enthusiast, I was inspired by the opportunity and the challenge of helping the iconic Ford brand make its virtual reality debut,” says Erich Joiner, director and founder, Tool of North America. “For the innovative Ford GT, I wanted to create something that gives people an exciting virtual reality experience beyond the traditional. I wanted to use the immersive technology not only to transport them to a new place, but to take them where only a special few from the Ford racing team typically go – inside the famed track at Le Mans.”
The Ford virtual reality app is accessible to anyone with a mobile device. Each piece of content offers users the option to experience it with a virtual reality headset, but headsets are not mandatory.
Ford virtual reality app users can expect the next story to debut in September, featuring Hoonigan Racing’s Ken Block and Ford Focus RS RX. Users with their push notifications turned on will get the update when new content goes live. The new virtual reality platform goes beyond showcasing Ford Performance vehicles.
“On top of sharing virtual reality stories about our innovative products, we are also looking to bring mobility issues to the forefront,” says Schoder. “As we expand our business to be both an auto and a mobility company, we are pursuing emerging opportunities through Ford Smart Mobility.”
More than just showing you racing, this takes you behind the scenes for an unparalleled experience and we imagine that virtual reality will continue to reshape the way consumers interact with brands and engage in storytelling; more than 1 million New York Times subscribers received a virtual reality experience tied to a weekend edition.
Literally within days of each other, prototypes have been spotted and rumors have been confirmed that there will be both a ZR1 version of the current C7 Corvette and a mid-engine C8 upcoming. I know that is a lot of Corvette news in a short amount of time and it is seemingly contradictory, but stay with me here.
The C7 Corvette platform debuted for the 2014 model year, revitalizing the Stingray nameplate for the base car. The following year the Z06 was released (unveiled at the 2014 North American International Auto Show), brandishing its wide-body and a supercharged version of the 6.2L Gen V V-8 platform. In March 2015 (at the Geneva Auto Show) the 2017 Grand Sport was unveiled, which follows the same formula as the C6 – Z06 wide-body treatment and handling upgrades along with the base model’s 460hp V-8. If we continue the C6’s product formula, the C7 is due for a ZR1 variant in the 2018 model year. As such, it should provide a power upgrade over the Z06’s 650hp LT4, but how?
When a ZR1 mule broke cover recently, Autoblog (among others) speculated that it could be a twin-turbo version that makes over 700hp and dubbed the “LT5” (to follow the Gen II nomenclature). From having worked with the Z06’s LT4, I will propose an alternate theory, which is that it could have a larger supercharger – say 1.9 or even 2.3L like the previous ZR1. The bigger blower and perhaps a few other tweaks could support over 700hp while sharing many of the LT4 components. For those of you skeptics out there, from the pictures it is clear that it is a C7 Corvette and it is definitely not mid-engine. And since the Grand Sport is already on the street, what other C7 would be so heavily camouflaged? Mounts for an unattached wing, an exposed carbon fiber hoop (like the C6 ZR1), blue brake calipers (also like the C6 ZR1), and plenty of cooling scoops are evident from the photos.
Some may think that these rumors are simply perpetuated by the media, and that there is no basis for a mid-engine, all-wheel-drive, hybrid Corvette. However, it is important to keep in mind that the Corvette has always been about pushing the boundaries of technology to produce the ultimate performance. Through his many prototypes, it was apparent that engineer Zora Arkus-Duntov (aka “Father of the Corvette”) only cared about performance. He was a racer after all, and director of high performance at Chevrolet. In 1959 Duntov built the first mid-engine prototype (dubbed CERV), and the early ‘60s sequel used two separate torque converters for the front and rear drive wheels. If this is any indication, the only legacy that Duntov or the Corvette team cared about is the legacy of winning – not the legacy of an outdated platform.
The first piece of featured content is the story behind the all-new Ford GT’s return to the 24 Hours of Le Mans. Fifty years after the original victory, the innovative balance of power and efficiency in Ford’s EcoBoost® engine delivered an incredible class win earlier this year.
