2010 FORD MUSTANG GT PREMIUM REVIEW AND PHOTOS

Taking aniconic car like the Ford Mustang into the future while building upon its proud heritage is a job that Ford has been tackling with their legendary icon for 45 years. Over nine million Mustang owners have bought into the dream and become part of the legend that is Mustang. While the proven and successful formula of a rear-wheel-drive coupe remains the same, the collected knowledge and refinement gained in delivering the ride of choice for a young and vibrant America for over four decades is built into every 2010 Mustang.

The latest Mustang has evolved with the times while adhering to the sporty yet affordable equation that keeps the horse out in front, the driver at the reigns, and the view behind marked by the distance delivered in a way only a Mustang can. The 2010 Mustang takes the timeless formula of affordable performance from the past into the present and sets the bar high again for what will be a modern classic. The world has spoken as to what the icon that is Mustang is and should be to them. Ford has listened and has delivered a further refined and completely redesigned Mustang destined to become an instant classic.

Styling and Design
From its inception in 1964, the Mustang has been a purely American take on the world of sporting automobiles. The latest version in a proud line of pony cars pays homage to its heritage, yet incorporates modern styling touches that convey the essence of the Mustang formula without simply being a throwback. The all-new exterior styling begins out front. Changes to the headlamps and grille tie the redesigned front fenders together and move the eye onto the sculpted and powerdomed hood. The muscular look isn't just for show. The swept forward grille and domed hood are designed to enhance cooling airflow through the engine bay.

The sweeping beltline profile is punctuated by redesigned side view mirrors that accent the signature Mustang spear body detail. The fastback roofline flows down over the new rear fascia and sculpted decklid. The prominent rear center badge of the Mustang is punctuated by a set of sequential LED firing turn signals with vertical reverse lamps for a return to the classic three-lamp Mustang taillight design. This feature was first rolled out on Shelby Mustangs in the Sixties and has been reborn for the 2010 Mustang.

The redesigned front and rear fenders wrap skin tight around the new Mustang. Sculpted fender flares are a tribute to the Mustang's proud racing heritage, and serve as a perfect frame for a new lineup of larger diameter and wider aluminum wheels. Variations of the classic five-spoke theme of yesterday's muscle car wheels have been updated with modern design and manufacturing technology and lighter alloys. There are a total of seven new wheel choices for 2010, starting with 17x7-inch standard wheels for V6 Mustang, and moving up to a 18x8-inch for the V6 Pony Package and V8 GT. Optional bright machined aluminum or painted nickel aluminum 19x8.5-inch wheels are available on FORD Mustang GT Premium packages.

World Class Interior
The 2010 Ford Mustang interior folds the timeless muscle car design formula for success together with thoroughly modern manufacturing. The functional simplicity and beauty of a pair set of deep round gauges with distinctive chrome rings are the visual signature of the Mustang's all-new interior. Genuine brushed aluminum panels sit atop a seamless soft-touch thermoplastic olefin skin and lead out from the redesigned centerstack to precisely crafted dual vane air vents. The seats and armrests feature a softer material and improved stitching. Even what cannot be seen has brought improvement to the Mustang cabin experience. Sound deadening materials out of sight are integrated in such a way that road and wind noise are reduced, but the throaty growl of performance gets a chance to make its note more well heard.

Breathe In. Breathe Out.
This real music in the Mustang inspirational equation is produced by a 210-hp 4.0-liter V6 with 240 foot pounds of torque, or a 315-hp 4.6-liter V8 rated at 325 foot pounds of torque. Both engines are standard equipped with a five-speed manual, which includes an improved short-throw precision shifter for the V8, or an available five-speed automatic transmission. The V8 steps up in horsepower over previous version thanks to knowledge gained on the racetrack. A cold-air intake system adopted from Ford Racing Technology division helps ram more and denser air into the engine for in increase in power from a standstill right up until the 6,500 rpm redline. Engine management electronics of the award winning 4.6-liter, three-valve V8 have been recalibrated to take advantage of better breathing and bumped up redline. The Mustang also offers a dual-adaptive anti-knock system. While the 2010 Mustang engine will run great and kick out every bit of advertised horsepower on regular 87-octane gasoline, it will also know when to squeeze the tiger out with the higher octane premium gasoline it's added into the tank and fed to the engine. Both V6 and V8 engines breathe out through larger diameter exhaust tips for more of the legendary Mustang sound.

Safety Can Be Fun
Suspension tuning can make the difference not only between winning and losing the race, but maintaining a safe grasp on vehicle control. Steering and suspension upgrades for 2010 have taken cues from Ford Racing vehicles and the successful Bullitt edition Mustang. The entire suspension has been fine tuned to deliver a more entertaining driving experience. The balance between more controlled handling and comfortable ride is enhanced by the all-new AdvanceTrac® electronic stability control with traction control and anti-lock brake system. The system reduces engine torque and applies braking when it senses wheel slippage or excessive side-to-side vehicle motion. Traction control can be turned on and off on V6 equipped Mustang. V8 GT Mustang will feature a Sport Mode, which allows the driver to have a little more fun along with an increased measure of modern safety. The aggressive restyling of the Mustang reduces overall drag and reduces front end lift, which delivers increased steering feedback, vehicle control, and driver confidence at higher speeds. Four-wheel power disc brakes with 4-sensor, 4-channel anti-lock braking system (ABS) is standard equipment, and all Mustang models feature dual front airbags and driver-passenger side impact airbags.

Freedom of Choice
While the Mustang has always been about affordable performance, it has long stood as a symbol for personal freedom of choice. The 2010 Mustang stable begins with selecting a V6 or V8 engine, and continues with myriad choices and options beyond this first decision. The V-6 and V-8 Mustang share the aggressive and bounding swagger of the redesign, but each have unique and subtle differences to set them apart. Headlamps and turn signals have been integrated into one unit on both cars for a modern take on the 1970 Mustang. V6 equipped Mustang Premium models feature a set of fog lamps located on the lower fascia. While the V8 GT fog lamps are moved up into the grille but made smaller as a nod to the 1967-68 versions. Along with a coupe and convertible the 2010 Mustang is available with unique and innovative glass roof option.

Beyond the basics come the host of options and packages that carry on the Mustang tradition of a steed for every need. Tried and true muscle car performance and visual impact meet modern technology and engineering. A Red Candy Metallic with tinted clear coat is but one of many bold new exterior colors that harkens back to the untamed spirit of the Sixties and Seventies, while in the interior, 125 shades of driver controlled six-gauge cluster color customization effects are featured with My Color™ along with ambient interior lighting system on premium models. Mustang option packages drift well beyond the visual, with suspension upgrades to spring rates, shock damping, stabilizer bars, stiffness adding mechanical bite to outward appearances. From a V6 Pony Package right up to an asphalt-crunching V8 GT with available 3.73 Rear Axle package there is a 2010 Mustang waiting for every driver. Bringing the seemingly disparate worlds of steel and rubber together with telecommunications and digital entertainment is an improved version of the popular Ford SYNC®, which now offers 911 Assist™ and Vehicle Health reports along with hands free voice-activated operation of virtually all Bluetooth® enabled cell phones and most MP3 devices.

The 2010 Mustang is not only unquestionably more aggressive, but comes equipped with a level of modern refinement and race-bred performance engineering never before attained in an American muscle car. The first Mustang established the formula for the agile American muscle car. Each version of the Mustang carries on this lineage. The swagger and muscle that unapologetically says Mustang is a modern interpretation of the very essence of the best Motor City has to offer. Each new generation of Mustang pays homage to the proud heritage of automotive performance and slots itself into the legendary Mustang timeline. It's up to the driver to keep moving that Mustang legend into the future. The 2010 Mustang carries the 45-year tradition of the American muscle into the hearts and minds of the future, and will be built at the Ford Motor Company Auto Alliance International Plant in Flat Rock Michigan USA.

Lexus recalls 270,000 models globally

In the latest kick in the teeth to Toyota's quality reputation, the Japanese car maker is set to recall 270,000 Lexus vehicles, (137,000 in U.S, 90,000 in Japan & 3,200 in the UK), after it was revealed that an engine problem could lead to stalling.

Lexus released a statement saying it has "discovered faulty valve springs in some V8 and V6 engines in certain Lexus models sold in the U.S. Due to slight variations during the manufacturing process, some foreign material may have contaminated the valve springs, resulting in potential breakage."

Lexus U.K issued a statement that said: "Improperly functioning valve springs have been found in some Lexus engines and there is a small possibility that abnormal engine noise or unstable idling may occur. In very rare instances, there is a chance that the engine may stop."

The affected models include the GS 350, GS 450h, GS 460, IS 350, LS 460 and LS 600h models. The JDM Toyota Crown is also part of the recall. The faulty springs were found in some V8 and V6 engines. Lexus says it has not received any reports of accidents or injuries related to this issue.

Lexus advise that any anxious customers to contact their local Lexus centre or call the Lexus Customer Relations team on 01737 367601.

Earlier this week, Lexus said it is recalling 17,000 2010 Lexus HS 250h sedans because of a possible fire hazard due to fuel leakage. Lexus also issued a stop-sale order on the HS 250h on 25th June.

Toyota has recalled approximately 9m vehicles since November 2009 to fix problems with accelerators, brakes and other systems. The Japanese manufacture is still under inspection by U.S congressional investigators over claimed reports of unplanned acceleration and is also in the middle of a major court battle in California over product liability.

Ford to cut prices by 16% (UK)

Ford will cut the price of its Ka city-car, Fiesta supermini, Focus compact family car, and Kuga SUV from 5% to 16% (11% average) from 2nd August. The company says the cuts are to bring greater 'transparency' to its showroom prices, which have usually been heavily discounted when buyers haggle and follow an earlier round of reductions this year.

Ford says it now wants the list prices to be closer to what the customer actually pays. This move should make it easier for consumers to compare Ford's vehicles with those of other manufacturers. In April, Ford reduced list prices for its new S-Max, Galaxy and Mondeo models. Since then, it has increased sales on all three models. In the company car market alone, Mondeo sales increased by 18%, S-Max increased by 10% and Galaxy by 5%.

Ford also hopes that the revised prices will make its products more striking to company car drivers, who pay tax based on the car's list price.

Managing director of Ford GB, Nigel Sharp said: 'The traditional way that the car industry has operated in the UK – with high recommended list prices matched to high discounts – is causing confusion for consumers. Together with our dealer partners we are determined to change that formula and make the whole purchase process more transparent and the value of Ford cars more obvious.'

While this is good news for private and company car buyers, prices will shoot up by 3% from January 2011, thanks to the Governments VAT increase, from 17.5% to 20%. From 2nd August, the entry-level Ford Ka Studio will cost from £7,996, as oppose to the current price of £9,360, saving £1,364.
 

Books on programming embedded systems

I'm looking for a good text an programming embedded systems (for example an automotive ECU) but I can't find any that suits the bill. I was hoping to suggest something to students that avoids the trial and error learning methodology I had to endure.

A quick search on Amazon shows some which could be relevant:

• Programming Embedded Systems: With C and GNU Development Tools by Michael Barr and Anthony Massa
• An Embedded Software Primer by David E. Simon
• Embedded C by Michael J Pont
• Embedded Software Development with C by Kai Qian, David Den Haring and Li Cao

Especially the latter sounds interesting since I like the software architecture book from the same author.

I was thinking of writing a book myself on the subject. But it would mostly haven been a collection of data one can find on the internet with some detective work. Subjects to include would be:

• Introduction to C, since embedded systems are programmed in C. Period....
  I like K&R, but you can choose any book that suits the bill.


• Good coding practices in C, for example MISRA C rules.
  Read some example of MISRA C-rules here, here and here.


• RTOS basics, since this is what is used on most embedded systems.
  Read chapter 1 in the User & reference manual of rt:kernel from rt:labs for a good introduction. But personally I prefer the "run-to-completion" type of tasks which don't wait for external events for predictability.


• Interrupts, stacks, and memory handling - ISR, RAM, NVRAM, ROM, Flash and every other acronym you can think of...


• Development environments, and compilers for embedded development
  My experience is that this is pretty much decided by the OS you are using. I have experienced very mysterious bugs just by not having the correct compiler version, so I can' imagine what could happen when having a compiler from a different vendor... IAR graciously provides all of their manuals free of charge and their IDE and compilers on 30-day on a 30-day free trial.


• Various hardware on a typical embedded controller - Details on how to access hardware with code examples.
  You can see examples of typical hardware devices in the Freescale MC9S12XS256 Reference Manual, a typical automotive processor, especially chapter 10-19. Mind you that this manual is 738 pages long, so it's pedagogical value is limited.


• Debugging - Too much to cover for this blog post. This is the real dark arts...


• Architecture of embedded systems
  Almost all embedded systems are layered, but why? And how do you know which layers to have in your system? And how do you identify the tasks you should have when schedule the system?

No more Government funding for motor industry (UK)

Business secretary Vince Cable has said that car makers can no longer expect financial support to make cars in the UK.

Speaking at a conference in Central London, he said: “I don’t see the future as large scale funding for particular companies. We can’t fight a subsidy war.”

Cable persisted that he saw future Government money going towards assisting the car business as a whole, vowed support for investment in research, technical education, more apprenticeships in the motor industry and appeal to inward investment through lowering corporation tax and creating a more stable economy.

The business secretary also denied that the £5,000 funding for anyone buying an electric car was going to be scrapped, admitting that it was still “actively under consideration”. He also promised support for Britain’s luxury car business arguing, “We’re not trying to turn every car into a Nissan Leaf”. “There’s variety in the motor industry and it needs to be supported,’ he said.

While, a car-buying scheme, such as the scrappage scheme is not the way to invigorate the car market, business secretary Vince Cable has said.

'It got us out of a sensitive stage in the economic crisis, but it was too expensive to run. We are emerging from a period of Government intervention. We are now in a different world. The Government can't fight and win a subsidy war.'

Cable said: 'The best way to back the car industry is to create a good business environment. The Government will continue to back industry in a cost effective way.''

Sky-high fuel prices recommended (UK)

Prices of fuels should be kept permanently high as a way of forcing drivers into smaller and more economical cars, according to the Government’s climate change watchdog.

The Committee for Climate Change has warned that the Government should set a minimum price for petrol and diesel, to make sure Britain meets its targets for emissions reductions.

“We know that people buy more efficient cars if the petrol price remains consistently high,” said the committee’s chief executive David Kennedy.

In its report to parliament, the Committee said that fuel duty needed to be greater than before to balance out reductions in oil prices and there should be a greater gap between the cost of tax on the most and least polluting cars, with drivers of the most fuel efficient cars also qualifying for grants.

AA president Edmund King described the committee’s plans as “unrealistic”.

“People are already moving to more fuel efficient cars so there is no need to punish them by keeping the cost of fuel excessively high," he said.

Maserati CEO spills info on next-generation Quattroporte

The next-generation Quattroporte sedan will be available with four-wheel drive and stop-start technology, according to Maserati’s CEO.

Harald Wester said the new sports saloon, scheduled for 2012, would also weigh about 15% less than the existing model and fuel consumption and CO2 emissions would be improved by approximately 25%.

Wester claims that adding four-wheel drive will help Maserati's flagship model compete with Mercedes, Audi and BMW.

Other methods in the pipeline include economised V6 and V8 petrol engines, in addition to an 8 speed ZF automatic gearbox.