End of the line for Mondeo

The car whose name was determined to engender a sense of world-wide belonging has been dropped.

ALREADY pulled from New Zealand, now set to leave every other market.

So it goes for the Ford Mondeo, set to die in 2022 after 29 years with no replacement planned, the Blue Oval having determined to focus instead of sports utilities.

Ford NZ has confirmed its stock essentially ran out at the end of 2020. The car’s final representation here was in petrol EcoBoost and 2.0-litre turbodiesel hatch and wagon formats, with a petrol hybrid sedan also availed as a special order unit.

All those models will go out of production in Europe in March 2022, when the nameplate is also set to be retired for good.

Mondeo launched in 1993 and ran for five generations, with five million built. The nameplate was derived from Latin mundus, meaning ‘world’.

It was thought Ford was hatching plans to replace the Mondeo with a croosover style vehicle. That car is coming, but with a different nameplate.

 Blaming "changing customer preferences" for the decision, Ford Europe said it was “evolving our passenger vehicle range in Europe to meet changing customer needs as we move to an electric future”.

Ford Europe going electric – NZ to follow?

Blue Oval battery drive ties with Volkswagen and starts with a small SUV.

the website for British weekly AutoExpress is picking this as the look of Ford’s first small electric for Europe, a small SUV based off Volkswagen’s MEB platform.

 EVERY Ford passenger and commercial model presently sold in New Zealand might potentially be affected by a bombshell electric drive announcement.

Ford’s decision to transfer its entire passenger vehicle line-up in Europe to electric power within the next few years and also to electrify its commercial vehicle range, including the next-generation of the Ranger utility – a top-seller here in its present form – was delivered overnight. 

The repercussion here is still being considered by Ford New Zealand, with spokesman Tom Clancy saying “we have no news for New Zealand on that one. It’s too early to see how that relates to us.”

However, the inevitability of some degree of impact seems clear enough.

fancy an electric Ford Ranger? It’s on the cards.

While Ford is suggesting some of its electrics are just for Europe, the whole plan also appears to draws in future versions of core passenger lines – Fiesta, Focus, Puma and Mondeo (recently discontinued here, but set to re-emerge in 2022 as a SUV that Ford NZ says it will look at) – that NZ takes from that region, with no Plan B.  

We also commit to its Transit van, which is already available in plug-in electric form locally and will go to full electric year.

This schedule also draws in the new-generation Ranger coming next year. That line is a co-development with Volkswagen, whose new Amarok will be a doppelganger, with the programme handled by the same team operating from Melbourne that were behind the current T6.

Talk from Ford Europe is for the one-tonne ute to deliver it with a plug-in hybrid or all-electric option by 2024; presumably these being optional to the diesel engines it will assuredly continue with. Ford has cited intent to achieve two-thirds of commercial sales to be electrified in Europe by 2030. 

The Blue Oval also announced overnight that its first full electric car out of Europe will base off the German giant’s bespoke MEB platform that’s also underpinning all VW Group’s battery-compelled passenger models.

Ford’s model will effectively be a cousin to the to VW ID.4, Skoda Enyaq, SEAT El-Born and two Audi Q4s that are all already NZ-confirmed.

That car will be a small sports utility similar to the Puma. The website for a British weekly, Auto Express, claims the model will derive its styling influence from Ford’s only current electric car, the Mustang Mach-E. It has published images of how it sees it looking.

Fords’ first EV out of Europe is likely to be similar in size to the new Puma.

Ford has also implied the Escape medium SUV will be subject to more electrification beyond the plug-in hybrid treatment it will deliver to NZ later this year.

With all that going, the potential for its performance icon, the Mustang, being ignored seems unlikely. That will be news the NZ fanbase that overwhelmingly choses the current car in its V8 petrol format might find challenging.

However, Ford’s drive toward electric seems cemented. Europe needs to be a primary development site, because this is where brands need electrics if they have any hope of meeting tough European Union CO2 targets. And, of course, beyond that numerous European regions and the United Kingdom are intent on banning on internal combustion engine cars, many by 2030.

Ford says the Fiesta-like EV will be out within two years and will built at a redeveloped Cologne manufacturing plant.

The factory will become the Ford Cologne Electrification Centre - a dedicated electric car manufacturing site. Ultimately it will produce two Ford EVs tailored for European tastes.

AutoExpress says the dimensions of the MEB platform means Ford’s car will likely sit between the Fiesta and Focus in size, and “very close” to the Puma SUV.

“Although the platform is modular and can be extended or shortened with different battery options, it’s expected that Ford’s new EV will be similar in size, allowing clear space between it and the … Mustang Mach-E. However, interior space of the ‘Mini Mustang’ is likely to be in excess of that in the Focus and closer to that in the Mondeo,” the magazine surmises.

Ford will also have VW’s battery technology – so, a choice of 58kWh batteries with power outputs of 150kW or 106kW or a 77kWh battery also with 150kW, but with a longer range.

To be competitive with other MEB models and their rivals, the baby Ford EV would have to offer between 400 and 550 kilometres’ range, AutoExpress says. Fast charging will also be offered with an 80 percent charge expected in a little over half an hour.

Stuart Rowley, the president of Ford Europe, says the announcement in respect to the future of the Cologne factory, which has been outputting cars for almost a century, “is one of the most significant Ford has made in over a generation.”

Here and gone – Endura’s short NZ residency

A big Canada-sourced five-seater SUV that only got here in mid-2018 is leaving Ford’s local line.

The endura as it released in May of 2018. By the end of that year it had a new look, new drivetrain, new tech.

TAKING a name suggestive of longevity wasn’t any help to the Ford Endura – two years on from its local launch, the big Canadian-made five seater sports utility has been dropped from New Zealand sale.

The Auckland-domiciled brand’s confirmation of the model’s demise was not unexpected; earlier this week the car’s only other right-hand-drive customer, Ford Australia, also pulled the plug. 

Ford NZ declined to comment on speculation that the car was doomed without our neighbour’s support, spokesman Tom Clancy suggesting that the car had been “reasonably successful” in our market.

He also cited that the model is set for complete withdrawal from production, as it does not synch with Ford’s move toward an electric vehicle future that demands specific platforms. The Endura’s underpinning is not suited to that purpose, he said.

He voiced same optimism expressed in Australia about Ford still having decent SUV strength without Endura; citing – as Melbourne’s PR team has –the recent expansion of that family to include the new Puma and Escape. In addition, Ford has a Everest off-roader.

Ford NZ says it never saw Endura coming in to reprise the opportunity left by the Falcon-derived Territory, a much-loved car in New Zealand that ended production on 2016.  

Because? Mainly on grounds the new model was a five-seater whereas Territory had room for seven. As does the Everest – though Ford also made clear that Ranger-based vehicle wasn’t a Territory equivalent, either. 

However, families looking for a large Ford might have viewed Endura (which would have been called Edge here, had not Toyota New Zealand claimed dibs to that name) differently. Despite offering fewer chairs it was similar sized and had similar performance traits to the big Aussie, including capability for some limited off-road operation.

 The car’s entry into the market in May, 2018, was interesting; the initial model offered was a short-term proposition, as it arrived in a $73,990 ST Line all-wheel-drive biturbo diesel format whose design dated back to 2014. It already been superseded in North America (where it represents as the Edge) and the United Kingdom.  

Ford NZ had 300 of the pre-facelift cars to sell then subsequently moved in December of 2018 into the refreshed product which offered specification and technical improvements, notably a drivetrain change.

The initial car’s 154kW/450Nm 2.7-litre V6 turbodiesel and six-speed direct shift gearbox was usurped by an eight-speed auto biturbo 2.0-litre diesel with 140kW and 400Nm, and one variant became three: Trend, ST-Line and Titanium, spanning from $53,490 to $69,990.

Ford NZ says it has a handful of cars left in stock.

Battery-driven Transit confirmed for NZ residency

The electric Transit is confirmed for local sale. But what versions we will see and for how much is as yet unknown.

AVAILABILITY is confirmed, arrival date is two years away and, until price is narrowed down, fleet managers will be left pondering the total cost-effectiveness.

That in a snap is the situation in respect to the E-Transit, the wholly electric edition of Ford’s workhorse van, which the national distributor has confirmed for sale here, though not until some time in 2022.

Ford New Zealand’s confirmation of the model, on the same day of its global unveiling, reflects the distributor’s strong conviction that electric is the way forward for this class of vehicle, particularly when used for urban work.

The range? That’s interesting. American models are rated by the EPA for 202km of travel per charge (in low bodystyle variants), while European models are good for 350km of travel per charge according to the WLTP.

E-Transit’s drive modes are also tailored to its electric powertrain. A special Eco Mode aims to provide up to an 8-10 pe cent improvement in energy usage if it’s driven unladen with spirited acceleration or at highway speeds, according to Ford data. Eco Mode limits top speed, regulates acceleration and optimises climate control to help maximise the available driving range.

All models irrespective of market are powered by a 67kWh battery feeding a punchy 198kW/430Nm electric motor that drives the rear wheels.  

The big question mark is price. Ford NZ says that – along with the market’s specification – won’t be sorted for quite a while yet.  

Even so, the pricing structure already established for the Transit in its orthodox diesel format and plug-in hybrid format – plus market recognition that full-out electrics, due to their technology, unavoidably carry a premium - surely has to give an early warning about the lines’ probable placement.

As things stand, the wholly fossil fuel-reliant models span from $63,000 to almost $75k. The PHEV cargo van that is establishing now is a $89,990 ask. Conceivably, then, the cheapest fully electric model might be up around $100,000, so line-ball with the  Tourneo Titanium people mover that carries a $99,990 premium.

The PHEV and EV models will make for interesting comparison, on performance and per kilometre costing.

Ford is urging potential customers to consider that the E-Transit boasts maintenance costs that are 40 percent lower than its internal combustion cousins over an eight-year or 161,000km period. Which camp does the PHEV sit closer to? That’s not yet clear.

The plug-in uses a 92.9kW electric motor to power the front wheels, drawing on energy stored in its 13.6kWh lithium-ion battery pack.

This gives it around 50km of EV range before a 1.0-litre three-cylinder turbopetrol fires up as a generator to charge the battery pack, but when that happens the model has a range similar to that of the diesel, with around 500km overall. An average optimal fuel burn of 2.4L/100km on the combined cycle is claimed in the United Kingdom. 

The battery pack can be charged via the mains in 4.3 hours or by a Type-2 AC charger in 2.7 hours. The pack comes with an eight year/160,000km warranty.

The full electric’s range varies depending on version. The low-roofed editions have the best range, of 200km. It’s 189km for the medium-height roof version and 174km for the high-roof versions. That compare well with the E-Transit’s rivals including the Peugeot Partner Electric (170km), LDV EV80 (190km) and the Mercedes-Benz eVito (150km).

The E-Transit features AC and DC fast-charging. A full charge on DC using a 115kW fast charger will top the battery up from 15 percent to 80 percent in 34 minutes. The more common 50kW chargers will to that in 65 minutes. Stick it into a home power socket and it’s a 12-hour replenishment. 

In both the full EV and the PHEV, the battery is positioned under the floor. In the plug-in this reduces load capacity a little compared with the standard Transit, however. Suggestion from Ford is that this isn’t the case with the full electric.

The situation for the the maximum payload is not yet clear. The PHEV in its short roof, low wheelbase version has a 1723kg payload compared with the diesel version’s 1339kg.

Another appeal with the full electric is that it features Ford’s SYNC 4 that can connect to the internet to unlock software subscriptions that help fleets manage charging transactions, telematics services and more.

So who’s buying? It’s clearly less likely to be used on long haul than the traditional models, but that’s not the idea anyway. Ford says E-Transit ideal for urban environments, fixed drive routes and deliveries within geofenced zero-emission driving zones, without requiring fleet owners to pay for excess battery capacity they don’t need.

E-Transit is part of Ford’s more than $11.5 billion global investment in electrification through 2022. The all-new, all-electric Mustang Mach-E and the fully electric F‑150, which starts hitting North American dealers in mid-2022, are also part of this push.

NZ-confirmed SM17 set to be a $150k ask

The price is likely going to be higher here than across the Tasman – but who’ll care about that?

 KIWIS intending to enjoy a special edition Ford Mustang honouring a homegrown Supercars hero will be spending more to enjoy the car than the Australian audience it’s been initially aimed at.

While pricing has yet to be set on either side of the Tasman, Ford New Zealand – which helped broker the deal to secure the impressively muscled SM17 created by Melbourne-based Herrod Performance – has indicated a Mustang GT-based fireball honouring three-times Supercars champion Scott McLaughlin will likely sit around $150,000.

 That’s about $30k above the sticker it’s reportedly expected to carry in Australia, prior to on-roads applying, and would buy two examples of the V8 GT coupe from which it derives.

That New Zealand has become a destination for the Herrod SM17 might seem a given. Though his family shifted to the Gold Coast when he was nine, McLaughlin was born in Hamilton and like all NZ entrants in Supercars, he achieves an ardent following here.

Yet that alone didn’t guarantee access to a Mustang that delivers a supercharged V8 making a Supercars-busting 578kW and 810Nm, plus a host of suspension, aerodynamic and visual improvements.

The background as to how the SM17 gained residency was explained by Ford NZ managing director Simon Rutherford.

His operation is right behind the car’s availability but it cannot represent the model directly. Which is why the distribution rights are with Team Hutchinson Ford, centred in Christchurch. Orders can be placed at any Ford dealership, but thereafter the process goes through Team Hutchinson.

Even so, Ford NZ – whose most expensive Mustang of the moment is the $97,990 Mach 1 coming next year - has been closely involved in sorting this out and is an enthusiastic backer.

Rutherford says it’s all about getting the celebration car to an audience revved up by the “McLaughlin factor”; the driver has a high profile and strong popularity in NZ, he said.

“We think it’s important to do that because Scott McLaughlin has a fanbase here for obvious reasons,” he said in explaining the sales arrangement. 

 “It would be a shame not to support customers who want that option.”

Even though it took Herrod to realise the dream, the concept could also be called Kiwi inspired in that it was McLaughlin’s dad, Wayne, who came up with the idea for a celebration Mustang.

“Scott’s dad was always telling Ford they should do a limited-edition car. Once he had wrapped up his third Supercars title it seemed like the right time to accelerate the program,” says Ryan Story, the managing director and principal of DJR Team Penske, the outfit for which McLaughlin knocked off three consecutive championships. 

The first of those was in a Falcon then the two following were with the Mustang. Story also has also been a key collaborator on SM17 with Herrod’s owner, Rob Herrod.

The car’s price tag is unlikely to deter enthusiasts wanting something truly special. Aside from the driver association, the car should be a beast.

It is not only far more powerful than the standard GT (339kW, 556Nm) or Mach 1(345kW but same torque as the GT) but also has more oomph than the No.17 Mustang GT McLaughlin has raced, but now retired from the pursue a new dream of being a top driver in America’s Indycar.

The key performance-lifting feature is a Whipple supercharger but it also has the largest intercooler available, plus bigger Bosch fuel-injectors and numerous other updates to handle the big lift in horsepower. 

There’s a performance transmission cooler on the 10-speed automatic transmission that’s optional to the six-speed manual. The auto also has a unique transmission calibration for crisper shifts.

The suspension features adjustable sway bars and an alternate tune in the magnetic ride, the 20-inch wheels are bespoke and the tyres are higher performance items than the standard V8 Mustang gets. It also has a more distinctive exhaust.

Herrod has already built one SM17 but production won’t start until January of 2021. The first New Zealand car is expected to land two months after that. It’s a limited-run product, so how many will cross the Tasman is anyone’s guess.

Electric-assisted Escape delayed until late 2021

A battery issue is not the only reason why PHEV Escape is now going to land much later than expected.

A battery fire risk that has caused a New Zealand-promised plug-in hybrid flagship of the new Ford Escape to be temporarily pulled from production is not the only reason why it won’t be here in January, as planned.

Ford New Zealand managing director Simon Rutherford now picks a model promised in a base front-drive and a high-end four-wheel-drive will now arrive in late 2021.

Rutherford said although customers have shown interest in the highly-anticipated model, no orders or deposits had been taken.

He cannot say if the prices - $58,990 for the front-drive and $64,990 for the top spec – announced some months ago will still hold when the car finally arrives.

The car has made headlines recently for being pulled out of production due to risk its lithium ion batteries might catch fire. Yet Rutherford said Ford having prioritised production for Europe – where the fire issue was exposed – had already stymied the original release programme for NZ.

As is, Ford has four petrol Escapes, all powered by a common 2.0-litre engine, in the market, these comprising a $42,990 front-drive base model simply called Escape, a mid-grade ST-Line in front ($47,990) and all-wheel-drive ($50,990), and a ST Line X, at $55,990.

 Rutherford says while it’s disappointing not to have a plug-in hybrid model here, it was more important that the battery issue was rectified.

That situation became public in August, when Ford in Europe advised drivers that they should not charge their vehicles and drive them in the EV Auto mode due to danger of the battery cells catching fire, due to overheating. 

The make’s response to the problem, which arose with cars in Spain, where NZ-market Escapes in all formats are built, has been dramatic.

Production has stopped and 20,500 delivered vehicles have been recalled. Plans to build the car in the United States have also been postponed until next year.

Ford says the problem is not with the car’s design, but with the battery. This comes from the same supplier that is used by BMW, which has also just recalled its plug-in hybrid cars because of operability issues. Overseas reports have traced the issue back to one of the battery pack’s control modules.

What also hurts Ford is that the PHEV has been a big success.

The Escape plug-in, which badges as a Kuga in Europe, and a PHEV version of the Ford Puma that has also just launched in NZ (as a 1.0-litre petrol) have been strong sellers in Europe, where electric vehicles have risen so much in popularity that they historically outsold diesel cars for the first time in September

The 14.4kWh battery in question provides an electric-only driving range of more than 50km and claimed fuel consumption on the combined-cycle test is 1.5 litres per 100km.

The PHEVs are powered by a 2.5-litre four-cylinder Atkinson-cycle petrol engine paired with an electric motor and generator which draw power from the battery. Combined maximum power is rated at 167kW.

The petrol-pure editions are motivated by an updated version of the brand’s turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder ‘EcoBoost’ petrol engine, now good for 183kW/387Nm.

Drive is sent to either the front or all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission.

Escape gets optimal star billing

Latest Ford’s safety provision earns a five star result from ANCAP.

THE independent organisation that sorts passenger car safety ratings for cars sold here has given a Ford sports utility about to come on sale here a top score.

The five star rating from the Australasian New Car Assessment Programme, which is funded by the New Zealand Government and the Automobile Association, results from determination of how the Escape performed in a test conducted last year by NCAP in Europe, where the model is sold as the Kuga.

It achieved full points from the Euro NCAP regime in both the side barrier and the more severe side pole impact tests.

The five-seater’s structure utilises high-strength steel throughout the skeleton and intelligent designs to improve impact protection, including ultra-high-strength 3D-rolled steel tubes incorporated into each A-pillar and along the rooflines.

Escape also has Driver Assist Technology across the range offered to New Zealand. That means AEB with pedestrian and cyclist detection, evasive steering assist, and emergency assist.

The local market rating only applies to the petrol-powered variants coming on sale now and not the plug-in hybrid coming next year. ANCAP has made a point of saying the PHEV car remains unrated.

ANCAP gave the Escape strong scores in all four of its testing categories: Adult Occupant Protection (92 percent), Child Occupant Protection (89 percent), Vulnerable Road User Protection (82 percent) and Safety Assist (77 percent).

Mach 1 just under $100k

More detail about the next special edition Mustang for NZ has been released.

just in case you’re uncertain … it’s the one in the middle.

SOMETHING attendees of this weekend’s national gathering of Mustang owner clubs in Christchurch to consider - announcement the Mach 1 will leave small change from a $100,000 spend. 

The specific tag on the car, in either six-speeds manual or 10-speed automatic form, is $97,990.

The former is a Tremec rev-matching six-speed borrowed from Shelby and the latter a re-calibrated version of the company’s familiar 10-speed.

Also confirmed is that the car achieves a version of Ford’s 5.0-litre Coyote V8 generating 345kW and 556Nm. 

Those are lower outputs than are given for the car in its home market guise.

Ford has explained right-hand drive market emissions regulations are the issue.

Even so, it’s a gain over the standard Mustang GT, which makes 339kW and 556Nm, and leaves this edition on equal footing with Ford New Zealand’s last special edition, the Mustang Bullitt that hit the scene in force last year … for $4500 less than the Mach 1.

Is that a problem for you? Bear in mind they’re not exactly the same car in different special edition colour scheme.

 In saying that, both are limited count cars – Bullitt restricted to 50 units, Mach 1 might be 50 or even 80 – and both take bits from the Shelby 350 GT that has now been dropped in the US.

But different bits. The Bullitt, you might recall, had the Shelby’s intake manifold. The Mach 1 gets more. 

In addition to the gearbox, the engine oil cooler, oil filter adapter, rear toe-link, and sub-frames are also Shelby products. Ford has complemented these by adding in stiffer sway bars and bushings, MagneRide dampers as standard, and ticking off on a set of Michelin Pilot Sport 4 tyres. 

A new front splitter, rear diffuser, lengthier undertray and a rear spoiler … these are also Mach 1-specific items. 

The Mach 1 also has Recaro buckets and a 12-speaker B&O sound system.

Meantime, all the blue bloods are in Christchurch for the Ford National Mustang Convention, hosted by the Canterbury Mustang Owners Club, with the public highlight being the Grand Mustang Show at Horncastle Arena tomorrow. The gathering is expected to build on a 2014 event that was the country’s biggest Mustang convention – not a bad effort given that this was a year before the first factory-built right-hand-drive models started coming in.

X-rated Wildtrak a limited run … but not a runout

Another special edition Ranger has been announced. But don’t misconstrue why it is here. The current model has more life left it in yet.

“WE’RE getting there … but we’re not there yet.”

So goes the line from Ford New Zealand’s communication manager in response to the obvious question in relation to Wildtrak X, the latest special edition Ranger announced today – namely, is it a ‘runout model?’

Categorically, no.

Rather, says Tom Clancy, a dress-up that purportedly adds $7000 worth of gear for a $2000 premium over the model’s regular sticker is “a special edition.” Nothing more, or less.

“It’s not a runout action … just an awesome action.”

Already rolled out into the dealer network, and restricted to 150 units, the Wildtrak X is a $75,490 variant of the biturbo 2.0-litre automatic that, the national distributor says, builds on a Ranger tradition of delivering greater choice and personalisation to Kiwis.

“Ford continues to adapt, grow and expand the Ranger offering, bringing more targeted, specific capabilities and attributes to customers to help them meet any challenges they face; whether at work or on the weekend,” says Ford New Zealand Managing Director Simon Rutherford.

“Now with Ranger Wildtrak X, customers can get even more out of their off-road adventures.”

The donor is the 157kW and 500Nm bi-turbo diesel 10-speed auto version that is the second most popular choice with Ranger fans, beaten only by XLT in monthly sales that consistently keep the type in sector leadership, with an impressive 750 registrations per month average.

The X variant wears unique 18-inch alloy wheels with +35 offset in tough matte black finish, has fender flares - also finished in black, to emphasise the new alloys and give the Wildtrak X an unmistakable on-road presence – and has a black nudge bar, complete with an LED light bar for improved night-time vision, as a work light or to light up a campsite.

Also fitted is an A-pillar-mounted snorkel, which allows the Ranger Wildtrak X’s powertrain to breathe better on dusty roads, while reducing the risk of water entering the engine compartment so that owners can make the most of the Ranger’s best-in-class 800mm water wading capability, Ford says. 

This is the second additional Ranger announced recently, following the FX4 Max that is set to land in early 2021. At $69,990, the Max will effectively offer as a ‘working man’s’ version of the flagship Raptor but with a $15k saving.

It delivers with Fox suspension all-round, 32-inch off-road rubber and plenty of other dirty work upgrades … yet retains a 3500kg tow rating and one-tonne payload, largely through eschewing the Raptor’s fancy independent rear suspension and instead sticking with the standard leaf-sprung set-up.

Clancy has no comment on thought that Ford is going to keep outputting special editions to keep Ranger interest on the boil as the current generation, which released in 2011, heads into a final full year of full production before restarting all over in 2022.

The next Ranger will be a co-development with Volkswagen, though with Ford’s design and engineering base in Melbourne still taking the lead, just as it did with the current generation. 

Thought is that the next Ranger will continue on the current Australian-developed T6 platform, a version of which also underpins the Ford Everest four-wheel-drive wagon and the Ford Bronco built specifically for North America, but potentially yet to be re-engineered for right-hand-drive.

The next gen Ranger is expected to maintain strong styling similarity to what we have now, but will be slightly larger and will continue to be the class leader for technology.

The current generation Ranger’s strength in respect to advanced safety – remember, it was first ute in its class globally to earn a five-star rating from the national safety auditor, ANCAP  – will be built upon, with available safety aids such as blind zone warning, rear cross-traffic alert, and a 360-degree camera implementing to supplement the autonomous emergency braking, radar cruise control and speed sign recognition on today’s model.

The model will be likely obliged to adopt a centre airbag in the middle of the two front seats, a feature that has already come to the Isuzu D-Max and its Mazda BT-50 twin. That device is a new requirement to meet increasingly stringent crash safety ratings to prevent contact between the front occupants in a collision. Having it earned the D-Max a five-star under the latest ANCAP testing process, which kicked in at the start of this year.

Speed of sound – Mach 1 for NZ

A historic Mustang nameplate is being dished up locally …. but it’s a modest portion, so buyers need to move fast.

KIWI Mustang fans are getting opportunity to enjoy life at Mach 1 from early next year – but once the order book opens they’ll need to quick.

Ford New Zealand’s announcement today intent to offer that a limited-edition version of the current Mustang built as modern equivalent of the hallowed 1969 Mach 1 Mustang comes with news that somewhere between 50 and 80 examples will likely come here.

A spokesman for the distributor says that count has yet to be finalised.

However, he affirms this country will certainly not be achieving anything like the 700-unit consignment signed off for Australia.

“It’s a limited amount of vehicles … we’re doing less than 100,” says Tom Clancy.

“It’s still up in the air. It’s less than 100, probably around 50 initially but if there’s massive demand we might get more, but not too many more, maybe another 30.”

That’s not to say the build run will be open-ended, he adds. Only so many Mach 1s will be produced for global consumption.

The template for this market appears to be the $93,490 Mustang Bullitt edition, created as a homage to the Steve McQueen movie of the same name, which was capped at 50 units – though more could have been sourced – and sold out well before the first one landed. Used examples now tend to sell for above the original RRP.

 The Bullitt’s appeal ran beyond it having tribute paintwork and wheels – it was delivered with suspension changes and 345kW/556Nm 5.0-litre V8 was upgraded with an Open Air induction and intake manifold, Ford Racing air-filter and a PCM (Powertrain Control Module) shared with the Shelby Mustang GT3.

Clancy says it’s too early to say what tweaks will arrive with the Mach 1 – pricing and full specifications won’t be rolled out quite yet.

However, special content is a given as this is a unique heritage model that pays full homage to the legendary 1969 original. 

Today’s announcement promises that “the all-new Mach 1 delivers additional V8 power, driver-focused cockpit and a track-focused upgrades above the Mustang GT.”

Though cars aren’t being delivered until next year, the buy-in begins virtually immediately.

Customers are able to secure their individual unit though a dedicated online reservation process over the coming weeks, before delivery at their preferred Ford dealership upon arrival in 2021

The Mach 1 designation was previously used from 1969 to 1974.

Chuck Yeager’s historic flight in the Bell X-1, in which he became the first pilot to break the sound barrier – Mach 1 – inspired the name, though it was something of a tardy celebration by Ford as Yeager’s feat occurred in 1948.

Even so, today’s announcement comes 73 years since that day.

“Achieving Mach 1 for the first time was a significant human feat,” says Simon Rutherford, Ford NZ’s managing director.

“That spirit and determination to keep pushing, never settling and always trying to go further is what the Mach 1 Mustang was all about – and it’s fitting that we can bring our customers, who’ve made Mustang part of our motoring landscape, a 2021 Mustang Mach 1 of their very own.” 

This is of course the first-ever factory right-hand drive Mach 1. It will be produced at the same Flat Rock, Michigan, plant that provisions NZ-market 2.3-litre and V8 GT models.

 Mustang has been on sale here since 2015 and since then has cemented as the country’s best-selling sports car and has built a passionate customer base. 

The car’s pedigree is also built on its racing success. In this part of the world it has dominated the Virgin Australia Supercars Championship, through the efforts of Scott McLaughlin and the Shell-backed DJR Team Penske outfit, wrapping up at Bathurst on Sunday. The car has won the 2019 and 2020 manufacturer titles for Ford.

Ford Puma - five stars but no comet for NZ

Sorry Puma fans – we’re only getting the tame versions, not the wildcat flagship.

GOOD news about the new Ford compact crossover soon on sale here if you’re interested in safety – not so much if sizzle is more your turn-on.

The positive is a top marks safety score for the Puma, decided by an independent crash testing agency whose opinion is most relevant to New Zealand drivers as it is the only organisation that has our Government’s sanction and to be fuelled by NZ tax funding.

The Australasian New Car Assessment Programme’s decision to give the new five-seater a five-star rating has thrilled Ford New Zealand.

It’s a positive for potential buyers, too. ANCAP says the car’s inclusion of autobraking with pedestrian and cyclist detection, lane departure warning and lane keeping, traffic sign recognition, driver impairment monitoring, rear parking sensors, TPM, Isofix and provision of six airbags across the range all weighed into the result.

That kit is available to all versions of the Puma – including one that was announced within a day of the ANCAP score being publicly shared.

The Puma ST, the green car pictured today, is set to stand as the family’s performance flagship, offering a peppier alternate to the one litre model that lands within weeks in two forms.

To refresh your memory, there’s a standard edition going for $29,990 plus ORCs as a launch special. The full RRP is $33,990. The higher specified Puma ST-Line (the blue car) adds adaptive cruise control, sports suspension, seats and body kit, hands-free tailgate, paddle shifters and other gear besides. It will go for $37,990 plus ORCs.

The ST obviously sits above that, being a taller-standing equivalent of the Fiesta ST and Focus ST, which have become popular here though are currently subject to supply disruption.

No good asking about the potential premium, though. As much as it might seem like good addition to the ST push, the performance Puma won’t be coming here any time soon.

The reason why comes down to the transmission. For now the Puma ST only comes with an orthodox, three-pedal manual. Ford NZ doesn’t see it finding it sufficient favour with that choice – they’d prefer it to have the two-pedal automated manual that is solely offered with the Focus ST now. There’s no sign of that happening, sadly.

The decision might leave ST fans a bit confused, given that the Fiesta ST is only available with an orthodox manual and seems to do just fine, regardless.

Ford New Zealand’s comms man, Tom Clancy, steered clear of going into the issue, instead simply stating: “….. no plans for the Puma ST for NZ.”

In respect to Fiesta ST and Focus ST supply, he said both had been affected “initially and again due to hurricanes delaying boats. However, supply is getting back online.

“More Fiesta STs are arriving next month, and dealers have Focus STs available. All of our initial stock of Fiesta ST sold out.”

Focus ST sales ramped up in August, with the type account for more than 30 percent of Focus sales. 

“We’ve seen the hot hatch faithful come in as customers but also new customers.”

The Puma versions signed up for duty here run a 1.0 litre three pot turbo petrol, good for 92kW and 170Nm from 1400rpm and in marriage to a seven-speed auto.

The ST, meantime, has a 1.5-litre three-pot engine with radial-axle turbo and the same 147kW as the Fiesta ST, but with an even beefier 320Nm – up 30Nm.

The extra shove in grunt gives the Puma ST the same 6.7 seconds 0-100kmh time of the Fiesta version, despite a more portly curb mass. 

Power is sent to the front wheels via a six-speed manual. It has a mechanical LSD and torque vectoring to reduce understeer and the same force-vectoring springs of the Fiesta ST. The steering rack is also 25 percent quicker, and the brakes larger than standard. Oh yes, and it sits on 19-inch black alloys with Michelin Pilot Sport 4S rubber.

On offer for the driving experience are Normal, Eco, and Sport driving modes and a new Track mode which disables traction control while limited stability control.  Optional is a launch control function. ST Recaro sports seats make their way inside alongside a flat-bottomed steering wheel and ST gearknob.

Surely it looks worthy of a petition, right? 

Meantime, back to the Puma’s ANCAP score. One interesting aspect is that it is was based on the latest examination standard, the barometer the Isuzu D-Max (for example) faced up so well.

Because? Well, while the Puma is only arriving now, the car launched in Europe in 2019 and subsequently went through Euro NCAP crash testing in December that year. 

That same five-star rating has carried over to the Puma here despite ANCAP changing its testing criteria this year to include a more stringent frontal offset crash, side impact crash and far-side impact crash tests.

ANCAP says the ‘Euro’ rating has carried over because it is still applicable to the Puma despite the tweak in local testing.