First, Ford announced the new V6 for the 2011 Mustang with its 305 horsepower and 30 MPG. Then came the announcement of the new GT, with 412 horsepower and 25 MPG. Now Ford announces the upgrades to the Shelby GT500, the big kahuna of the Mustang lineup. The 2010 Shelby made due with only 540 horsepower; the ‘11 bumps that up to 550. Torque stays at 510 lb.-ft. The engine is now made of an aluminum block instead of the iron block, and this contributes to a 102 pound weight reduction for the engine. The weight reduction helps the ‘11 Shelby improve fuel economy from 14 city/22 highway to 15/23. This might not sound like much, but the 1 MPG improvement results in the first Shelby not subject to the dreaded gas guzzler tax.

New for 2011 is an SVT Performance Package for those who want even more performance out of their Shelby GT500 for racetrack-ready driving dynamics. Complete with all-new Goodyear Eagle F1 SuperCar G:2 tires that SVT engineers worked directly with Goodyear to develop, the car is ready to race. The tires offer superb dry traction and precise handling, complete with a race-inspired high-performance tread compound.

The optional package also offers unique styling, lighter wheels, a higher rear axle ratio and stiffer springs, and it is available on both the convertible and coupe. Ford’s data show the 2011 coupe with the SVT Performance Package is 3.0 seconds faster per lap than the 2010 Shelby GT500 on a 2.3-mile test track.

For 2011, Shelby GT500 also benefits from NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) improvements. Ford improved road noise by 20 percent versus the 2010 Shelby by adding sound-deadening material on either side of the instrument panel, sound absorption behind interior trim panels, and a rear wheel arch liner to reduce noise on gravel or wet surfaces – all resulting in the driver hearing more exhaust and engine sound and less road and air noise.

The Shelby GT500 convertible model features enhanced structural rigidity, with lateral stiffness improved by 12 percent versus the 2010 model. The structural improvements to the convertible gave SVT the opportunity to be more sport-oriented in the chassis tuning, without trading comfort. Along with the chassis and structural improvements, the 2011 model also will get standard 19-inch aluminum wheels.

“One of the biggest changes for this Shelby is that the convertible acts and feels like a coupe,” said Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief nameplate engineer. “Before, they had a very different character, and the convertible is taking a big step in the sportiness and handling precision area, without degrading the ride.”

GT500 gets a new exhaust for 2011, roaring with an even more aggressive sound than the 2010 model. The 2.75-inch exhaust with all-new tuning helped to deliver the additional 10 horsepower.

Thus completes the powertrain upgrades for the 2011 Mustang. With a lineup that starts at 300HP and goes up to 550, the Mustang has the best engine lineup in the segment, perhaps the industry. Hopefully, I will be able to test drive this demonic engine, or at least one of its tamer brothers, sometime soon.

That’s what I think - how about you? Please leave your comments below.

Chevy and OnStar announced today the availability of an app for the upcoming Chevy Volt extended-range electric vehicle (EREV).  Called OnStar Experience, the app will allow consumers to view and control certain aspects of the Volt’s unique functions.

OnStar’s Mobile Application allows drivers to communicate with their Volt from Droid by Motorola, Apple iPhone and Blackberry Storm smartphones. It uses a real-time data connection to perform tasks from setting the charge time to unlocking the doors.  The application:

displays charge status – plugged in or not, and voltage (120V or 240V)

provides flexibility to “Charge Now” or schedule charge timing

displays percentage of battery charge level, electric and total ranges

allows owner to manually set grid-friendly charge mode for off-peak times when electricity rates are lowest

sends text or email notifications for charge reminders, interruptions and full charge

displays miles per gallon, electric only miles, and odometer readings

shows miles per gallon, EV miles and miles driven for last trip and lifetime

remotely start the vehicle to pre-condition the interior temperature, but only when plugged in

enables traditional OnStar features, such as locking/unlocking and remote horn and lights – which have typically been accessible only through a call into the OnStar call center – will now be available via the application

The mobile application will be available for the Apple iPhone, Blackberry Storm and Motorola Droid smartphones.  Volt’s OnStar mobile application will also be available on a mobile browser for other internet-capable phones. Volt drivers will also be able to view and manage vehicle systems and commands from the vehicle, the internet or through a monthly OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics e-mail.

Early Volt buyers will be those known to marketers as “early adopters,” so providing this surprise cool feature will certainly appeal to those buyers.  Volt buyers will want to show off their smart purchase and being able to show friends their charge status, etc. will only make them feel even more special for having forked over the expected 40 large for the Volt.  Announcing this new feature also keeps the Volt in the consumers’ minds, which Chevrolet will have to keep up until late this year, when deliveries are expected to begin.  By then, it will have been almost 4 years since Chevrolet introduced the Volt to the public.

What Chevy/GM/OnStar need to do now is develop an app that will work with all of their other cars & trucks.  Let me start the car (if equipped with remorte start), check my tire pressure, schedule service with my local dealer, and all of the other vehicle diagnostics that OnStar provides on a monthly basis with a subscription.  The cat’s out of the bag, GM!  Now I want all of this when I want it - immediately.  I don’t want to wait a month for OnStar to send me an e-mail!

That’s what I think - how about you?  Please leave your comments below.

Ford announced last week that it will begin offering a factory-installed remote start system to its vehicles, beginning with the 2011 Super Duty pickup when it launches next spring.  Ford says it will “quickly be offered across the entire Ford, Lincoln and Mercury lineup.”  Ford’s remote start system, when combined with automatic climate control, will gauge the temperature and quickly achieve a comfortable cabin environment. Heating, heated seats and defrost activate on colder days; air conditioning and cooled seats kick in when the weather is warm.

Later that same day, Chevrolet put out a press release that served as a reminder that they have offered remote start since 2003.  Funny that it took a competitor’s announcement of a similar feature to make Chevrolet/General Motors to tout a great feature about which they have been all but silent.  Launched in 2003 as a 2004 model year feature, GM’s factory-installed remote start was the first of its kind to be factory-installed.  Previously, this feature was only available as an aftermarket add-on.  This gave GM an advantage over all of their competitors, but they never seemed to advertise it or make it prominent in their press releases or brochures.

When I first heard of it while working for Ford as the minivan pricing manager, your humble reporter pleaded with the product development community to look into offering this feature, especially on minivans.  I saw it as a family-friendly feature, especially on a vehicle like a minivan where the driver might be carrying an infant into a cold vehicle in the winter or a hot one in the summer.  Alas, they did not listen to me.  I was told that none other than Chairman Bill Ford (and CEO at the time) had decided that it did not fit with the environmentally-friendly image he wanted for the company.  Remote start would waste gas, he apparently said.  Now, they are not only offering it, they are saying, “Ford engineers calculate that using a remote start system could help reduce hydrocarbon, CO and nitrogen oxides emissions by up to 75 percent, since it preheats the catalyst on cold starts (where up to 95 percent of emissions typically occur), prior to those first few accelerations.”  Hmmm, I guess actual facts won the day, huh?

If Ford gets any true traction from this after GM has had it for 6+ years, then they will only have themselves to blame.  Themselves…and their advertising agencies.

That’s what I think - how about you?  Please leave your comments below.

Chrysler announced today that by the end of the year, they will offer live TV in select vehicles as a dealer-installed option.  It will also be offered as a retrofit on some vehicles.

The service, from FLO TV, seems to overcome some of the other limitations of other systems presently available - high price, need for a satellite dish on the roof or very limited channel selection.  The system will be priced at $629, plus installation.  The price includes 1 year of service. The normal price for a subscription is $119 a year or $299 for three years.

The system has a capacity to offer up to 20 channels.  Chrysler has announced that it will include CBS Mobile, CNBC, Comedy Central, FOX News, MSNBC, MTV, NBC 2Go, Nickelodeon and others not yet announced.  Up to 20 channels will be available in late December when the feature is available for dealer installation. By the end of 2009, the FLO TV service should be available in more than 100 major markets and many interstate driving corridors. The FLO TV service is not available in some rural areas.

The entertainment package will be available as a dealer-installed option on the following 2008-2010 model year vehicles with factory DVD entertainment systems: Chrysler Town & Country, Jeep Grand Cherokee, Jeep Commander, Dodge Grand Caravan, Dodge Journey, Dodge Nitro, Ram 1500 and Ram 2500/3500.

The service also can be added to select 2008-2010 model-year vehicles when new Mopar headrest or seat-top DVD entertainment systems are purchased.

Chrysler deserves a lot of credit for offering this innovation.  Like Sync on Ford products before it, this has the potential to change the way customers view their vehicles.  No longer an appliance to get from A to B, your car can now read your text messages, play your music based on voice command and let you watch your favorite programs.  This may, in fact, be the answer to the credit/housing crisis gripping the nation for the last 1-2 years.  Maybe your vehicle will become your home.  Just needs a refrigerator (which you can get on the Ford Flex) and a microwave.

That’s what I think - how about you?  Please leave your comments below.

OnStar, the telematics service of General Motors, announced the addition of Remote Ignition Block to its services.  The new service will prevent a stolen vehicle from starting, if it is confirmed by police.  This service joins Stolen Vehicle Slowdown, which will progressively slow a vehicle until it stops - aiding law enforcement in retrieving the vehicle.

Some conspiracy-types have already claimed that this is just one more step on the road to complete government control of where we go and when.  Like this comment posted on a car magazine website, “You think this is great? For years, many have worried about the Big Brother aspects of OnStar. Now that GM is in government hands, so is OnStar. So now, if our caring and benevolent government decides that you are to [sic] irresponsible to drive your Corvette ZR1, they have a way to stop you.”  Another complained that the service is shut down if you don’t renew the subscription after the free trial period, calling the company “OffStar.”  Does he really think they will provide all of these services for free, just because they are related to safety and criminal activity?

I think this is another useful tool to help reduce crime, and if people are willing to pay for it, they will reap the benefits, if they ever need them.  It’s like an insurance policy.  Sure, there is the possibility that somebody will abuse the power, but there is that possibility with many things.  That’s why we have laws and courts to protect us.

PRESS RELEASE
OnStar Launches Industry-Exclusive Technology to Help with Safe and Quick Recovery of Stolen Vehicles

DETROIT (July 21, 2009) – OnStar is expanding on its Stolen Vehicle Assistance services with the announcement of a new technology that will give law enforcement another critical tool to help safely and quickly recover subscribers stolen vehicles.

This new technology is called Remote Ignition Block and will allow an OnStar Advisor to send a remote signal to a subscriber’s stolen vehicle to prevent the vehicle from restarting once the ignition is turned off. This capability will not only help authorities recover stolen vehicles, but can also prevent dangerous high speed pursuits from starting.

“Remote Ignition Block is a prime example of the rapid pace of technological innovation underway at OnStar. We are developing services desired by our subscribers that deliver important societal benefits as well,” said Chet Huber, OnStar president.

Remote Ignition Block builds on OnStar’s growing suite of Stolen Vehicle Assistance services which includes GPS technology that pinpoints a stolen vehicle’s exact location and Stolen Vehicle Slowdown® which can remotely slow a stolen vehicle to idle speed.

OnStar will make Remote Ignition Block available on select over 2M GM 2009 and 2010 model year vehicles in the U.S. and Canada.

The process for deployment:
An OnStar subscriber reports their vehicle stolen to authorities and requests stolen vehicle assistance from OnStar.

Law enforcement provides confirmation to the OnStar Advisor that the vehicle is in fact stolen.
The OnStar Advisor pinpoints the vehicle’s exact GPS location and sends a remote signal to prevent stolen vehicle from starting the next time someone attempts to start it.

On select models, authorities can also request Stolen Vehicle Slowdown if they have a clear line of sight of the stolen vehicle and confirm that conditions are safe to slow down the vehicle.

“Technology like Stolen Vehicle Slowdown and now Remote Ignition Block will improve the chances of apprehending suspected car thieves and are great assets to the law enforcement community” said Oakland County (Mich) Sheriff Mike Bouchard. “Removing an instrument of harm from the hands of criminals improves the safety of our officers, our highways and our citizens” said Bouchard.

For more than 13 years, OnStar has helped authorities in locating tens of thousands of stolen vehicles in order to assist with their safe and quick recovery. OnStar receives approximately 600 Stolen Vehicle Assistance requests from subscribers each month and has helped in over 28,000 requests over the past decade.

According to the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) Uniform Crime Reports, there were 1,095,769 vehicles stolen in the U.S. in 2007, equating to one motor vehicle stolen every 28.8 seconds. Stolen vehicle incidents can turn into dangerous high speed pursuits; at least 300 people die as a result of the more than 30,000 high speed police chases that happen every year. With capabilities such as Stolen Vehicle Slowdown and now Remote Ignition Block, OnStar subscribers have the added peace of mind knowing their vehicle can be prevented from being used as an instrument of harm. In fact, 97% of OnStar subscribers surveyed said they would like Remote Ignition Block capability on their vehicles.

Ford released details of its new-for 2010 Ford Fusion yesterday, including the picture to the left.  In addition to the bold new styling, the new Fusion (and its friend, the Mercury Milan) will have many powertrain upgrades, including:

• The new 2.5 liter I-4 engine makes 175 horsepower (14 more than the previous 2.3 liter) and will get at least 2 mpg better than a Camry and 3 mpg better than an Accord.
• The 3.0 liter V6 is improved too, delivering 19 more horsepower and 23 more lb.-ft. of torque for a total of 240 horsepower and 228 lb.-ft. of torque.
• The 3.5 liter V6 from the Edge and the Flex joins the Fusion lineup for the first time, powering the Fusion Sport model with a beefy 263 horsepower and 249 lb.-ft. of torque.
• All automatic versions will include a 6-speed transmission, which gives a 10% boost in fuel economy on the 2.5 liter and a 4-6% gain on the 3.0 liter engine.  No word on whether the manual will still be offered.
• Other gas-saving upgrades include electric power steering, adaptive spark ignition and aggressive deceleration fuel shut-off.
• Ford also released some detail about its 2nd-generation hybrid system, which make its debut on the Fusion and Milan early next year.  The system uses a smaller, lighter battery that produces 20 percent more power.  This allows the Fusion to operate in electric mode at speeds of up to 47 mph with a range of more than 700 miles of city driving.  Ford also claims fuel economy wil lbe at leastt 5 mpg better than the Toyota Camry Hybrid.  The 2009 Camry gets 33 city and 34 highway.

• Hybrid versions get the new SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide, which gives hybrid owners a more-connected, fuel-efficient driving experience by coaching them on how to optimize performance of the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids.  It uses two LCD screens on either side of the speedo that can be configured to show fuel and battery power levels and average and instant miles-per-gallon. Growing leaves and vines track and reward the driver’s efficiency.  How cute.  You’ll probably want to give your Fusion a great big hug, too.

This week, Ford announced that it will be introducing a new feature, My Key™, beginning with the 2010 Ford Focus next year. My Key™ allows parents to program certain safety features on a key-by-key basis. It is done using the vehicle’s message center. These new features include:

These first 3 are “standard” when using My Key™:

• Persistent Ford Beltminder with audio mute - Ford already has the seat belt nanny as standard equipment on all of its vehicles. It sounds a chime every minute for five minutes. This goes that extra step further to Super Nanny. First, the chime doesn’t stop after 5 minutes. But the part that will really annoy your teenager is the audio mute, which does exactly what you think. The audio system is muted until the seat belt is buckled. It also displays “Buckle Up to Unmute Audio” in the instrument cluster. Just what every teen wants - their mom programmed into the car!
• Earlier low-fuel warning - instead of warning you when you have 50 miles to go, My Key™ warns you at 75 miles. Hard to argue with this one. I could use this myself. Actually, what they really need is a low-fuel warning that gets increasingly persistent the closer you get to empty. Maybe throw in some profanity to make sure it is noticed.
• Park aid (this is the rear backup sonar that beeps when you get too close to something) and Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert (I really don’t know what this is) cannot be deactivated.

Features that need to be programmed:

• Limited top speed of 80 mph - I can just hear the arguments now. “What if there’s an emergency, and I need to get home or to a hospital right away?” or “What if I’m going to be late for curfew?” Parents, get ready!
• Traction control system, that limits tire spin, cannot be deactivated. This one will be a bummer at the Woodward Dream Cruise.
• Limited audio volume to 44 percent of total volume. First, I want to know how Ford came up with 44%. Is that just below the “make your ears bleed” 45%? And if 44% is deemed loud enough, what kind of idiot would ever need to turn it up all the way? I’ll do the math for you. “All the way up” would be 127% louder. Wow.
• A speed alert chime at 45, 55 or 65 mph - just in case your little genius doesn’t know how fast he/she is driving. Maybe the sound needs to be limited to 44% so you can hear the speed chime?

Kidding aside (pun intended -Ed.), I think this is a great thing to help parents trust that their kids are being responsible while driving the car without supervision. Ford has research that says that parents would likely let their kids use the car more with My Key™. This will give the kids more time behind the wheel earlier, which should make for some better drivers. Teems also said that they were cool with this technology if they got to drive more. Sounds like a win-win. Everybody is happy.

Concerns

Until I see this in action, though, I have some concerns. What would stop a kid from “unprogramming” it? I assume that Ford has thought of this, but there was nothing in the press release.

Another issue is deactivation. Say you buy a brand new Focus for your angel when she’s 17. She keeps it for several years and doesn’t like how you’ve programmed it. She’s now an adult and wants the nanny gone. I’d like to be a fly on the wall for that conversation. Parent:”So exactly why do you need to drive more than 80?” or “Why would you want the radio louder than that?”

The deactivation issue also might rear its ugly head if/when you sell the car with the My Key™ still activated. Oops.

There are also potential legal issues. As mentioned above, there might actually be an emergency that involves a need to go to the hospital. I can see the headlines now. Somebody will sue Ford about this. They won’t have a case, in my opinion, but this is America! We don’t let logic influence our right to blame somebody else for our problems.

Overall, I think this is a great idea. And given Ford’s propensity to over-analyze everything, I’m sure that their legal staff (the dreaded “OGC”) has considered the issues raised above and they think this is still a good idea. I applaud the innovation. Nice work, guys.