Ford will be launching production of the first EcoBoost V6 engines early next spring for installation into the Lincoln MKS and Ford Flex. The first units will get a 340 hp, 340 lb-ft performance rating and Ford is planning to charge a $700 premium for the new 3.5L turbocharged and direct injected engine. Compared to a similarly powerful V8 engine, the fuel savings from the new V6 are estimated at $339 a year at $3.25/gallon. At current prices the savings will obviously be even higher. In 2010, Ford will also add the engine to the F-150 as an alternative to the current 5.4L V8. In the next couple of years Ford will also be introducing four cylinder EcoBoost engines in other models. By 2012, Ford plans to have EcoBoost engines available in over 90 percent of its vehicles.

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Ninety-five days and counting until the 2010 Ford Mustang is revealed, and 95 days to visit the newly revealed mini-site in anticipation of the last of the new generation of muscle cars to arrive. Following on the heels of the Challenger and Camaro, the Mustang is leaving its debut somewhat late in the game, but Ford is working to build up the hype with the new site.

Not much in the way of content is available yet, though a few fast-cut videos and smoky burnouts do whet the appetite for more. Interested parties can sign up for updates to be kept abreast of the latest developments, while those that feel compelled to tell their story could win themselves one of the 2010 models when they are finally released for sale in early 2009.

The next iteration of the Mustang might take some inspiration from the gorgeous Mustang Giugiaro concept (pictured) from 2006, though it will certainly see a great deal of rationalization as the production process irons out the more expensive creases and lines. Nevertheless, starting with such a beautiful design would almost certainly result in an attractive final product, though spy shots captured to date indicate the company is well along the road to whatever design it has chosen.

While the Challenger, Camaro and Mustang camps have long been divided on Mopar, GM and Ford lines, newer buyers may not share the brand loyalty that those who grew up with the cars feel so fiercely, and the long time lag of the Mustang behind its competition could cost sales if people jump on the first car that’s available. Building the car’s image in advance may be a measure that Ford helps will lock potential buyers into the Mustang brand, and help them wait out the long months until the car is finally on dealer lots.

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We’ve been waiting for an official production announcement of the Lincoln MKT since the concept was unveiled at the Detroit Auto Show in January, and according to Automotive News and the Wall Street Journal, that confirmation comes today. The Ford Flex-based crossover will give Lincoln a seven-seat CUV to compete with the Acura MDX and the Audi Q7, while providing customers a more fuel efficient alternative to the Navigator. The production MKT will share none of the Flex’s boxy sheet metal, but the mechanicals will be very similar. The MKT will launch with either the 3.5L V6 from the Flex or the bored-out 3.7L version from the MKS sedan. It’s almost assured the MKT will get Ecoboost soon after launch, but Ford hasn’t announced anything yet. Ford plans to build approximately 25k Lincoln MKTs annually, and production is slated to begin next year.

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Ford has made safety one of its top priorities, and its efforts have paid off. Not only does the Blue Oval have more five-star crash rated vehicles than any other automaker, but it’s added another notch to its safety belt with NHTSA giving the Flex five stars for both front and side impact tests. A front crash impact score of five stars means that there is a 10% or less chance of serious injury at 35 mph, and the five star side impact score indicates a 5% chance of serious injury at 38.5 mph. The Flex comes standard with dual front air bags, headliner mounted side curtain air bags, traction and stability control, and tire pressure monitoring, which helps with NHTSA scoring. The Flex also received four stars for rollover protection, tying the CUV for best in class in the crossover segment.

With a Volvo-derived platform and plenty of heft, we’re not surprised the Flex achieved a five-star score in NHTSA testing. Then again, it doesn’t hurt that just about every automaker engineers all new cars and trucks specifically to score well on the Fed’s tests. Continued

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After loosing the number 2 spot in worldwide sales to Toyota in 2003, Ford is on its way to yield the third place to the VW Group. During the first half of 2008, Volkswagen managed to slip into the third position right behind Toyota and GM, leaving Ford in fourth place. The German Group reported sales of 3.27 million vehicles during the first half of the year, a 5.8 percent increase over 2007. Ford on the other hand saw its sales fall 11 percent during the same period to 3.09 million vehicles.

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The first official image of Ford’s second generation KA citycar was leaked into the internet this morning. We’re still short on details but we gather it won’t take long before Ford lets outs official information on the KA’s long-awaited successor that’s scheduled to make its world debut at the Paris Show in early October. Our first take is that Ford’s designers did a pretty convincing job in hiding the new KA’s Fiat 500 underpinnings as the minicar looks remarkably distinct and different.

Ford of Europe’s engineers are also said to have reworked the Fiat 500’s chassis in order to maintain the previous KA’s reputation for fine handling. In terms of powerplants, the KA is expected to be powered by the same engine range as its Italian cousin. Though this has not been officially confirmed yet, the KA’s line-up is said to include an ST model equipped with the 500 Abarth’s 1.4-liter turbocharged unit. The new KA will be built alongside the 500 at Fiat’s Tychy plant in Poland.

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 The Focus we’ve all been waiting for since the launch of the second generation model in 2005 made its first public appearance at this week’s British Motor Show in London. Equipped with a 300Hp 2.5-liter turbocharged 5-cylinder engine, the Focus RS will be able to sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in less than 6.0 sec. Even though Ford maintained the front wheel drive setup of the less powerful Focus ST, the company says that the RS is able to target a class-leading balance of traction, handling and performance. Read all the details on the Focus RS here of follow the jump to see live images of Ford’s lime-green monster at the London show

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