Ford has announced plans to offer aftermarket tuning for its full range of EcoBoost engines.
The company suggests the EcoBoost engines have been factory tuned to balance fuel efficiency with power density, but existing technology — direct injection, variable cam timing and turbocharging — can easily be tweaked via software management as an inexpensive way to increase horsepower and torque output.

Ford Racing has already developed a programming handset for the Focus ST’s 2.0-liter EcoBoost engine, along with the Fiesta ST’s 1.6-liter EcoBoost mill. The ProCal tool, which costs $595, can be used to modify throttle response, idle speed, turbo wastegate control, fuel curves and spark timing.

“While these settings should be modified only within recommended limits, the resulting performance gains with Ford-tested programs can be impressive,” the company said in a statement. “Focus ST owners, for example, can expect up to a 90 lb.-ft. increase in torque – all while maintaining the Ford-backed limited warranty.”

The Mustang’s 2.3-liter EcoBoost engine is naturally the next powerplant on the tuning list, with a product expected to arrive on the market by the end of next year.

Porsche has announced a second recall for its flagship 918 Spyder.
The company promises to replace unnamed chassis components in 205 vehicles sold worldwide, representing more than a quarter of the model’s entire production run of just 918 units.

“The reason for this is that for vehicles that were manufactured in a certain time period defective parts were used from a delivery batch, whose functionality cannot be permanently guaranteed,” Porsche wrote in a cryptic statement.

The automaker notes that the problem was discovered during in-house quality inspections, however it has not been the subject of any customer complaints related to failure in the field.

The fix takes approximately two days to complete, suggesting it may involve a relatively complicated service procedure.

A startup company based in Naples, Italy, has fully detailed its very first model at an event held in Milan last week.
Dubbed 427 Roadster, the convertible pays a discreet homage to the iconic Shelby Cobra 427 that tore up race tracks in the United States and abroad in the 1960s. Puritalia opted not to go for a full-on retro design and instead limited the visual connection between the 427 and the Cobra to round headlights and a large oval radiator grille.

Power comes from a Ford-sourced 5.0-liter V8 engine that makes 445 horsepower and 390 lb-ft. of torque in its standard state of tune. Buyers looking for extra grunt can order an optional supercharger that bumps output to 605 horsepower and 472 lb-ft. of twist. Regardless of configuration, the eight-cylinder spins the rear wheels via a six-speed manual transmission and a mechanical limited-slip differential.

Puritalia has not published performance figures. However, the company promises that the ragtop tips the scale at just 2,535 pounds thanks to an aluminum chassis and body panels crafted out of composite materials such as carbon fiber. It packs an adjustable suspension setup that uses Blistein shocks and Eibach springs, Brembo brakes all around and Pirelli P Zero tires.

Puritalia plans on building 427 examples of the Roadster. Each one will carry a base price of €180,000, a sum that converts to roughly $220,000. The 427 will be available across Europe but Puritalia has not revealed if it will attempt to break into the United States market.

Wealthy American car collector James Glickenhaus has published an additional pair of teaser images that preview his next sports car. Unlike the P4/5 Competizione that helped him make a name for himself in the automotive world, the upcoming SCG 003 is being designed in-house from the ground up without any input from Ferrari.
The car is being engineered jointly by Scuderia Cameron Glickenhaus and an Italian design studio called GranStudio. The team is still fine-tuning the final design but early teasers suggest that the 003 will wear an aerodynamic three-wing silhouette and borrow a sizable amount of styling cues from cars that compete in the LMP1 class of the grueling 24 Hours of Le Mans race.

The SGC 003 is expected to tip the scale at about 1,600 pounds thanks to body and a chassis crafted entirely out of carbon fiber. The interior will boast a driver-focused cockpit with bucket seats and a full race instrumentation.

Technical details are vague, but Glickenhaus has previously hinted the track-focused version of 003 will be powered by a twin-turbocharged V6 engine that will send about 500 horsepower to the rear wheels, while the street-legal model will feature a V12. The engines’ origins were not revealed.

The 003 is scheduled to greet the public for the first time at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show and make its track debut several months later at the VLM/24H Nürburgring Championship, where it will race in the GT class. The $2.8 million car will be launched as a one-off model, but the Scuderia might build additional examples if it receives enough demand from customers around the world.

Ford is sending its first Shelby GT350 Mustang to the Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale Auction.
The particular example is said to be the first publicly available production unit of the new GT350, likely fetching a significant premium over the retail sticker price.

All proceeds from the no-reserve auction will be donated to JDRF, an organization that focuses on type-1 diabetes (T1D) research.

“JDRF is privileged to work with Ford, and we are extremely grateful for the generous support from Ford and its employees through the years,” said JDRF chairman John Brady. “We are honored to be part of the company’s 50-year celebration of the Shelby GT350 at Barrett-Jackson Scottsdale.”

Unveiled last month in Los Angeles, the new GT350 is outfitted with Ford’s most powerful naturally aspirated engine yet — a 5.2-liter V8 with over 500 horsepower and 400 lb-ft of torque.

The winning bidder will be able to choose from any available colors and package options.

Aston Martin has begun building a track on a frozen lake in Crested Butte, Colorado, for an exclusive driving event.
The Aston Martin On Ice program is said to have been a success when it was first introduced last winter, and now the British luxury marque is back in the Rocky Mountains for a second run.

Participants will have a chance to receive one-on-one training with Aston instructors, who will teach drivers how to maximize speed and retain control around the 10-acre site.

The frozen lake has been partially plowed and graded to include a braking/cornering exercise loop, slalom, skid pad and full mile-long road circuit.

“Combining extreme driving, in an extreme environment, with typically sumptuous Aston Martin luxury living, the 2015 On Ice activity is sure to be amongst the highlights of our year,” said Aston Martin The Americas president Julian Jenkins.

Aston won’t be the only company in Colorado this winter, following a similar announcement by Lamborghini for a separate ice-driving event near Aspen.

According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) Fatality Analysis Reporting System (FARS) data for 2013, road deaths are at record lows.
Capping off a decade in which fatalities decreased by 25%, 2013 had the fewest road deaths per mile traveled (1.10) since the figure was first tracked in 1975.

32,719 people died in motor vehicle traffic incidents in 2013, down 3.1% from 33,782 in 2012. Estimated injuries followed the trend in fatalities, declining to 2.31 million from 2.36 million in 2012.

The news was not entirely positive. While motorcyclists and pedestrians fared better than in 2012, cyclist fatalities increased by 1.2% to their highest level since 2006. Injuries from distraction-related accidents also ticked up slightly (1%) compared to 2012.

The full report also breaks down other contributing factors, including alcohol impairment (31% of fatal accidents) and seat belt use (49% of occupant fatalities).