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Ford Focus RS is experiencing engine problems

Ford’s hothatch, the Focus RS, may not be as perfect as we hoped it would. According to a recent article by Autocar UK, several owners if the latest car have reported seeing white smoke from the exhaust. This is a result of coolant being burnt during cold running. A remedy has yet to be established but Ford has stated that a fix will be rolled out to all customers, even ones not affected by the issue.

Several affected owners have already had their engines replaced with ones that are of the latest specification. Whether or not Ford resorts to swapping all these engines with newer ones, remains to be seen but there are several theories as to why the problem occurred in the first place. Some are saying that the issue could be related to the engine head gasket failing to maintain a seal, while others say it’s something worse.

The problem could also be due to the engine block itself getting distorted over the course of several heat cycles. It may not be as tolerant as Ford had hoped with coping with the demands of enthusiastic owners. Whatever the case, Ford could be looking at a major campaign to rectify the issue and help pacify disgruntled owners who yet to even to break-in their new cars.

Coincidentally, the Ford Mustang uses the same engine as the Focus RS but may not inherit the problem. Autocar UK‘s article states that the material used for the Mustang’s block differs from that used for the Focus. Stay tuned and we will keep you updated as the story unfolds.

Source: Autocar UK

Swedish Dodge Charger heads to Jay’s garage

Classic muscle cars are still in high demand in the US. The cool factor, myriad of aftermarket parts and powerful engines, are just some of the reasons why these cars are presently able to exchange hands for huge sums of money.

Jay Leno, the former Tonight Show host, has several of them. But the latest car that rolled into his shop, is something truly extraordinary. Believe it or not, this Dodge Charger was found in Sweden by Johan Eriksson, who painstakingly restored it to ‘beyond brand new’.

It was initially a race car but years of neglect had caused severe deterioration to the bodywork. Thankfully, Eriksson and his small team, managed to restore the car completely with the use of various different parts. Many of the interior’s trim pieces were crafted from aluminium.

Despite what it may look like, this 1968 Dodge Charger RTR is far from stock. In fact, it has more in common with Frankenstein than an original bearing its namesake. The car sits on a Corvette Chassis and is powered by a twin turbo V10 engine from a Viper.

It caused a bit of a stir at SEMA this year, where many stopped and took notice of the excellent level of workmanship that was carried out. The entire restoration process was tastefully done, allowing the car to look almost bone-stock from the outside, but revolutionary on the inside.

Check out the latest Jay Leno’s Garage video and let us know what you think of Eriksson’s creation and whether his efforts deserve more praise.

Classic Mustangs live on as timepieces

Die-hard Mustang fans will be happy to know that a watch company called REC Watches, has a new product line that involves building timepieces out of classic Mustangs. But it isn’t what you think, the company isn’t going about ripping apart valuable cars. Instead they acquire components from cars headed to the scrapheap.

This interesting idea is the brainchild of Christian Mygh and Jonathan Kamstrup, who together scour salvage yards around the world for Mustang models. Each car’s components can be used to create hundreds of unique timepieces, costing from $1,495 (RM6,087).

Based in Denmark, REC Watches is dedicated to this concept, and is willing to create an entirely new watch from parts given to them by customers. Once such person is World Champion Drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr., has had a timepiece specially made out of carbon fibre bodywork taken from his 700‑horsepower World Drift Series Ford Mustang RTR.

“Most people would just see a pile of metal, a ghost of a Mustang. We see something completely different – the soul of a car and a story that needs to be told,” said co-founder Mygh. “I’m not cutting up Mustangs. I’m bringing Mustangs that are beyond repair back to life as a watch.”

Behind every uniquely crafted timepiece, is a special story, which is the case here. REC Watches painstakingly trace the history of each vehicle that is used, speak with previous owners as well as collect stories and images from the car’s past life. All this information is summarized and presented to buyers and fans alike through a short video.

Each watch’s design incorporates the donor vehicle’s identification number, year of production and classic Mustang design cues. These designs include a power dial designed to look like a fuel gauge, watch hands that look like speedometer needles, date and dials that are a homage to the Mustang’s classic dashboard.

A rare 1966 Raven Black Mustang model was used to create the company’s limited edition P51-04 collection of 250 watches. Expect more of such timepieces from REC Watches because there a plethora of Mustangs at various scrapheaps waiting to be crushed. Atleast here, they get to live on as a timeless wristwatch.

Mitsubishi UK lets you buy a car online

The advent of the smartphone and fast cellular data speeds have contributed to the popularity of online shopping. Unlike the old days, where one would need to travel to a brick and mortar store to browse through items, now its just a tap away. Online shopping stores have made it really easy too, with free shipping and delivery to your doorstep.

Most of what we need can be purchased online, with the exception of the automobile, or so we thought. A customer in the UK named Antony Deane has managed to purchase his Mitsubishi ASX through the automaker’s online purchasing portal. Called Mitsubishi Buy Online, it is designed to offer users better convenience and transparency.

The portal is linked with Mitsubishi Motors UK website, allowing customers to access the Mitsubishi showroom in the comfort of their own home. All current Mitsubishi models are included in the programme and online customers can enjoy the same rebates and offers that are offered in the brand’s dealerships.

This revolutionary service was developed in conjunction with leading online vehicle retailing specialist, Rockar. Adding to that, Mitsubishi also partnered with automotive auction specialist BCA, which will facilitate the trade-in services of customers’ current vehicles. Besides competitive part-exchange services, it can also predict future trade-in values.

Deane’s ASX was purchased in the same way. After browsing through Mitsubishi’s online showroom, he made his choice and opted to trade-in his current vehicle via the trade-in valuation facility. The entire process can be done on Mitsubishi Buy Online, which can be completed in a mere 20 minutes by following the step-by-step guide.

“Buying a new Mitsubishi is a very big thing for me, it’s the first new car I’ve bought in 25 years of driving and the whole experience was brilliant throughout. Other than uploading some documentation, I completed everything on my phone and if I had a question, the Mitsubishi Buy Online team were a fantastic help.”

“The experience has been so enjoyable that there’s a good chance we’ll use Mitsubishi Buy Online when we replace my partner’s car in the near future,” he added.

Expect to hear more of such services in the near future as automakers start to deal directly with customers rather than go through a ‘middle man’. Tesla has attempted a similar strategy in the US but with mixed results. Legislation in certain countries or states forbid manufacturers from directly engaging with customers, hopefully that will change soon.

Continental tyres beat competition

Continental, a leading tyre manufacturer, has been recognised by the Auto Express Tyre awards 2017. It bagged two accolades for both its summer and winter tyres, namely The Continental ContiPremiumContact 5, and the WinterContact TS 860.

Auto Express’ tyre tests, have for years, been considered the benchmark for actua; tyre performance in the UK. The company’s findings are published to highlight the ones that offer the best performance, quality, safety, desirability and value. Many regard the data, as a stamp of approval of the respective tyre, providing consumers with the proper insight.

Speaking about the winning performance, Auto Express said, “The PremiumContact 5 continues to lead the field in summer tyres, delivering high quality performance across multiple testing disciplines. With sharp handling in wet and dry, the PremiumContact 5 continues to be a hard act to follow.”

The ContiPremiumContact 5 builds upon the test success of its predecessor by winning the Auto Express ultimate tyre test 2017. The TS860 won the winter tyre test and is said to be able to handle twists and turns as well as a great deal of braking, very well, even in harsh conditions.

Continental says the latest victories are an excellent endorsement for Continental’s continued ambition to improve driver safety as part of its VisionZero initiative. And judging from what we have heard so far, Continental will continue to produce competitive tyres for the foreseeable future.

McLaren Senna is a true drivers’ car

McLaren has unveiled a new supercar that’s part of its Ultimate Series collection. Called the Senna, this particular machine pays homage to former McLaren F1 Driver and legend Aryton Senna, in more than one way. Unlike the usual crop of cars we are used to seeing from the Woking based automaker, this one has minimal tech and luxuries.

It is built with the company’s carbon fibre Monocage III chassis, the very same one that underpins the McLaren 720S, and is said to be the strongest one that it has ever built. The car sports similar looks to the base 720S but comes with heavily modified bodywork, rear wing and diffusers for aerodynamic efficiency.

This rear-wheel-drive McLaren forgoes the practicality and luxuries of other cars in the stable for a race-focused setup and overall weight of just 1,198kg. In fact, it happens to be the lightest production car that the company has produced since the iconic F1. Downforce is magnified through the use of active aerodynamics for the front and rear.

“The McLaren Senna delivers true performance, all the way to the limit of a driver’s ability. With a truly astonishing power-to-weight ratio, this car is about performance that is accessible and attainable, yet at the same time exciting and challenging for the very best drivers in the world – and with an intense, sensory experience to match, “ Andy Palmer, Vehicle Line Director, McLaren Ultimate Series.

Powering the car is a mid-mounted 4.0-litre twin-turbocharged V8 engine that produces 789bhp and 800Nm of torque. Codenamed M840TR, the company’s engineers from the beginning, set out to build a powerplant that provides the intended visceral feel and experience. And it is mated to a dual clutch 7-speed gearbox that has manual and auto mode.

Output from the drivetrain can be altered via the Active Dynamics Panel, that sets the throttle response based on the selected setting of Comfort Sport or Track. The ambiance is is improved by several added features that include a roof mounted snorkel air intake, as well as engine acoustics transferred to the cabin via the mounts and body panels.

McLaren has fitted the car with the RaceActive Chassis Control II (RCC II), a hydraulic suspension setup works with the active aerodynamics and race tuned chassis to create a truly track-focused experience. The automaker says that the car, though road-legal, isn’t meant for regular runs to the supermarket. It’s a razor-sharp track car that can be used on the road, occasionally.

The Sena’s adaptive dampers are connected to each other hydraulically. Each has two valves independently adjustable for compression and rebound. The car’s stiffness is separately controlled via a kinetic roll system, or K-damper. As for braking power, the Senna has the most advanced system fitted to a McLaren road car. It features carbon ceramic discs that offer exceptional performance.

Production of the car is limited to 500 units, which will be hand-assembled at the McLaren Production Centre in Woking, Surrey, England from Q3 2018. Like its siblings, all 500 will probably be snapped up in no time at all.