WHAT CAR AWARDS - The Fiesta takes best hot hatch as the Galaxy wins best MPV over £26,000.

The acclaimed Ford Fiesta ST was crowned the UK’s best hot hatch for the fourth consecutive year at the 2017 What Car? Awards.

Enjoyed by over 25,000 owners, Ford Fiesta ST remains a UK favourite since its launch in 2013.

To mark the 40^th anniversary last year of the Ford Fiesta – Britain’s best-selling car every year since 2008 – the ST200 was added to the range, adding a further 18PS to the 182PS available from the existing 1.6-litre Fiesta ST.  Also new last year was a five-door Fiesta ST to complement the original three-door bodystyle.

Steve Huntingford, What Car? editor, said: “The Ford Fiesta ST is impossible to dislike. It leaves rivals trailing on a challenging road because it dives into corners like a terrier chasing a bouncing ball and the steering is full of feel. In normal use, it doesn’t disappoint. Like all Fiestas, the ST has a decent boot and plenty of cubbyholes and is small enough to feel wieldy around town.

“Fiesta ST is the best all-round hot hatch. It strikes the perfect balance between performance and affordability. It lets you attack B-roads without worrying about the width of the car or how powerful it is. In fact, it’s sharper than the BMW M140i, which costs almost £15,000 more. To add to its appeal, the ST combines all of this with the reliability, practicality and dealer coverage that has made the Fiesta top seller.”

The consumer magazine and website, attracting over 1.95 million monthly users, chose the well-equipped Fiesta ST-2, priced at £18,895, as their recommended model complete with heated Recaro front sports seats and Ford Power push button start.

On receiving the award, Lisa Brankin, Ford of Britain marketing director, said: “Performance vehicles, and the thrill they bring to driving, are renowned Ford strengths.  Our new ST-Line range, sitting under ST, to RS and Mustang above it, offer a performance car for everyone.  Thank you What Car? for recognising Fiesta ST - the biggest seller in this exciting 2017 line-up.”   

It is also the fifth successive year that Ford has triumphed in the hot hatch category – prior to Fiesta ST’s four-year run of success, the 250PS Focus ST took the title in 2013.

Ford Galaxy – best MPV (£26,000+)

The new Ford Galaxy is also best Multi-Purpose Vehicle for its price, according to What Car?

What Car? named the Ford Galaxy Zetec with 2.0-litre TDCi 150PS diesel engine as its pick of the range.

London Taxi firm, Addison Lee, adds 550 new Galaxy MPV's to it's fleet, taking it's total to more than 4,500 Units.

Ford is supplying 550 new Ford Galaxy models to the UK’s largest private hire firm, Addison Lee, boosting their total fleet to more than 4,500 vehicles.

The Ford Galaxy has become synonymous with Addison Lee since it was first selected in 2008, and the clear favourite will now become an even more familiar sight on the streets of Greater London.

 The efficient new Ford Galaxy Zetec models are powered by a 2.0-litre TDCi engine, emitting 139g/km, and will all be equipped with Ford’s six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission. The Metallic Black vehicles feature Ford’s latest SYNC 3 connectivity system, with an eight-inch touchscreen and front and rear parking sensors as standard. The vehicles also boast Active City Stop, which triggers automatic emergency braking at speeds up to 30mph.

Catherine Faiers, Addison Lee chief operating officer, said: “Addison Lee is trusted by its customers to provide an exceptional service, delivered at scale, through innovative technology and great people.  Our customers appreciate the ride quality and space afforded by the Galaxy and we are proud to use the cleanest seven-seater in its category.”

Owen Gregory, Ford of Britain fleet director, said: “We are delighted that Addison Lee has once again recognised the Ford Galaxy’s first-class comfort and safety features, making it the perfect choice for their fleet of vehicles. Addison Lee’s prestige status as the provider of premium private hire services and chauffeur-driven cars is a great compliment to Ford’s dedication to vehicle quality and reliability.”

Auto Trader announces that September saw the 2012 Ford Galaxy was the best and quickest selling used car.

The 2012 Ford Galaxy has been crowned the UK’s fastest selling used car in September, according to independent research conducted by leading car site, AutoTrader.

The 2012 Ford Galaxy, with diesel engine and automatic transmission, took just 12 days to sell, four days clear of its nearest rival. 

The AutoTrader data also shows the Ford Kuga was seventh fastest used car to leave UK showrooms, while in four of the UK regions a Ford used model was quickest to sell. That included East England where there were five Ford models in the region’s top ten fastest selling used cars, including the 2015 Ford Kuga Diesel Automatic that ranked first with an average of 27 days to sell.

Despite Ford being the UK market leader in total vehicle, car and commercial vehicles sales for September, Ford used cars were also quickest to exit national and regional forecourts.

Ford also came first in London (Galaxy MPV), South West (Fiesta Hatchback) and West Midlands (Ford Ka Hatchback). The ever-popular Ford Fiesta appeared a total of 17 times across the different UK regions’ top ten fastest selling used cars. The Ford Fiesta is currently the number one best-selling new car in 2016, and the UK’s best-selling car of all time, celebrating its fortieth anniversary this year.

Andy Barratt, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, said:  "Ford’s best-ever car and van range contributed to Ford sales for this year's March and September plate-change months exceeding 150,000.  Over 69,000 of those were driven away by new 66-plate owners last month, equating to a new Ford sold every 15 seconds - sustaining our unrivalled standing in the used market too.

Ford Galaxy remains the UK’s top-selling multi-purpose vehicle, after we delivered 1,000 66-plate Galaxys – double the number of its nearest competitor. Galaxy's set to remain a used favourite as a result for years to come."

Ford introduces new lighting technology that removes the guilt of accidentally dazzling other drivers.

• Ford introduces new lighting technology that removes the guilt of accidentally dazzling other drivers – and that helps you to see more of the road ahead
• New Glare-Free Highbeam avoids drivers having to dip their headlights by simply blocking those rays that would otherwise shine in the eyes of other road-users
• Available for all-new S-MAX, Galaxy and Edge, Glare-Free Highbeam works alongside Ford’s Adaptive Front Lighting System, which can adjust the headlight beam angle and intensity according to factors including speed, light and steering angle

Have you ever driven on dipped headlights rather than run the risk angering other drivers by forgetting you are using high-beam headlights? Ford has now developed a technology that enables drivers to take full advantage of their headlights’ capability, without dazzling other drivers.

Glare-Free Highbeam uses a windshield-mounted camera to detect the headlights or taillights of vehicles and bicycles up to 800m away at night, and uses specially developed headlights to block light that could otherwise temporarily blind other drivers and cyclists.

Driving with high-beam headlights enables drivers to see hazards in the road much earlier. And studies have shown that automated high-beam headlights are activated up to 10 times more than when drivers have to switch to high-beam themselves.

Edmund King OBE, AA President, said: “Road-users being dazzled by the use of vehicle full-beam is an increasing problem in the UK, and is said to be the cause of hundreds of road accidents and around 10 fatalities each year. 

Headlight technology is advancing rapidly, providing drivers with a greater field of vision and illumination on the road, but can cause an equal number of problems for other drivers, cyclists and pedestrians. It is testament to Ford for offering this advanced feature to their customers to help tackle the issue.”

According to the UK Highway Code:

1.Rule 114: “You must not use any lights in a way which would dazzle or cause discomfort to other road users, including pedestrians, cyclists and horse riders.”

2.Rule 115: “You must keep your headlights dipped when overtaking until you are level with the other vehicle and then change to main beam if necessary, unless this would dazzle oncoming road users.”

3.Rule 115: “You must slow down, and if necessary stop, if you are dazzled by oncoming headlights.”

“Ask any driver what the most annoying habits of other drivers are and sooner or later the subject of people who don’t dip their headlights will come up,” said Michael Koherr, research engineer, Lighting Systems, Ford of Europe. “Ford’s new Glare-Free Highbeam helps maximise the use of high beam and means drivers can see significantly more of the road ahead – without causing any distraction to other road users.”

The technology was developed by a global team of Ford engineers and supplier partners. Testing included a purpose-built light simulation area and test drives in night-time conditions around the globe.

Glare-Free Highbeam works together with Ford’s Auto High Beam system, and Ford Dynamic LED headlights with Adaptive Front Lighting System, which can adjust the headlight beam angle and intensity to one of seven settings according to speed, ambient light, steering angle, distance to the vehicle in front and windscreen wiper activation. Ford’s automated lighting technologies are automatically activated when low ambient light conditions are detected.

“We found that some drivers are so concerned about dazzling other road users that they don’t use high beam at all,” Koherr said. “Ford’s Glare-Free Highbeam technology can remove that stress for drivers, and softly transitioning between settings also helps the driver’s eyes adjust faster to changing quantities of light.”

Further semi-autonomous technologies offered by Ford can scan traffic signs and adjust the throttle to help drivers stay within legal speed limits, and can detect people in or near the road ahead, or who may cross the vehicle’s path, and automatically apply the brakes if a potential collision is detected. Ford also is developing future advanced lighting technology that improves visibility at roundabouts, stop, and give way or yield signs, and draws the driver’s attention to pedestrians, cyclists and even large animals in the vehicle’s path or even just off the road.

Glare-Free Highbeam is available now for the all new Ford S-MAX, Galaxy and also will be offered for the forthcoming Ford Edge SUV.

Drivers will simply push a button and speak to find nearby cafés, petrol stations or car parks using new SYNC 3

• Drivers will simply push a button and speak to find nearby cafés, petrol stations or car parks by saying “I need a coffee,” “I need petrol,” and “I need to park,” using new SYNC 3
• Ford’s voice-activated communications and entertainment system also enables drivers to operate new apps and earn money delivering packages, share audio clips, check weather
• Launching at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, SYNC 3 will be rolled out in Europe to be available first on Mondeo, S‑MAX and Galaxy; and later Kuga

Ford Motor Company is launching its new SYNC 3 communications and entertainment system in Europe, allowing drivers to control their connected smartphones, audio, navigation, and climate functions with more conversational voice commands.

SYNC 3 features a redesigned 8‑inch touch screen and faster performance. Simply by pushing a button and saying “I need a coffee,” “I need petrol,” and “I need to park,” drivers can find nearby cafés, petrol stations or car parks, as well as locate train stations, airports, and hotels. The system then guides the driver to the selected destination via the navigation.

The system will be demonstrated for the first time at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona on the new Kuga, which Ford also is revealing at the event. The company announced new apps for the system that can be voice-activated using SYNC AppLink, enabling drivers to earn money by transporting packages, to record and share audio clips, and to check the weather. SYNC 3 launches in Europe in the summer, starting with Mondeo, S-MAX, and Galaxy.

“Whether you are craving your morning cappuccino on your daily commute or covering the cost of a journey by transporting a package, SYNC 3 brings to life innovative new ways of staying connected on the move,” said Christof Kellerwessel, chief engineer, Electronic and Electrical Systems Engineering, Ford of Europe. “Designed to complement modern smartphones, with an intuitive touch screen, SYNC 3 understands more conversational speech, is faster, and offers an easier-to-read graphical interface.”  

Connectivity redefined

Ford SYNC already enables drivers of 15 million vehicles worldwide to voice-activate essential in‑car features. Now for SYNC 3, Ford has drawn on more than 22,000 comments, and insights gained from research clinics and surveys to ensure the new version is the most customer‑centric designed system to date.

Simplifying the user experience by putting the options customers use most at their fingertips – navigation, audio and phone – the system has been further improved through increased processing power and a reduction in the number of steps required for a command.

Ford has added compatibility with five additional languages* and more localised versions of the subscription-free Emergency Assistance. In the event of an accident where the airbag has deployed or fuel shut off has occurred, Emergency Assistance utilises a Bluetooth paired and connected mobile phone to help vehicle occupants initiate a direct call to Emergency Services in the correct language for the region. Emergency Assistance alerts first responders with the vehicle location to help emergency call-takers send appropriate resources to the scene.

Starting this year, owners of SYNC 3-equipped vehicles will have more choice in how they access their smartphones in the car:

• iPhone users can activate Apple CarPlay, the smarter, safer way to use your iPhone in the car allowing drivers to make phone calls, access music, send and receive messages, get directions optimised for traffic conditions, and more while they stay focused on the road. The system is also compatible with Siri Eyes Free which allows for easy access to Siri with iPhones connected over Bluetooth
• Android™ users can activate Android Auto™. Android Auto makes apps and services that drivers already know and love, accessible in safer and seamless ways including Google Search, Google Maps and Google Play

Over-the-air software updates are automatically available via Wi-Fi, once a vehicle is set up with credentials for a home Wi-Fi network accessible in a customer’s driveway or garage.

SYNC 3 also enhances the driver’s experience using the Ford Service App by providing Online Traffic Information on the navigation map for better journey planning, adapting to changing traffic situations.

“With pinch-to-zoom and swipe gestures, plus the familiar one-box-search we know from internet search engines, SYNC 3 provides customers with an experience on the vehicle screen very similar to smartphone screens, and is easier and more intuitive,” Kellerwessel said.

Pioneering new apps

First introduced in Europe in 2013, Ford’s SYNC AppLink technology already enables drivers to voice-activate a wide range of smartphone apps, including ADAC, Audioteka, AUPEO!, Cityseeker by Wcities, Cyclops, DetektorFM, DIE WELT, Eventseeker by Wcities, Glympse, Goal Live Scores, Meople, n-tv, Radioplayer, Roald Dahl Audiobooks, Spotify and Wetter.de.

Now Ford is making five new apps available to drivers with the launch of SYNC 3, including the first in-car apps of their kind, MyBoxMan and HearMeOut.

Designed by FretBay, and catching the eye of Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford at the SYNC AppLink Developer Challenge Dublin, MyBoxMan enables drivers delivering a package for others to earn around €5-8 for a typical five kilometre journey.** HearMeOut, the world’s first hands-free voice-based social networking app, enables drivers to record 42‑second audio posts, share them on Facebook and Twitter, and listen to and like audio posts from people they follow.***

“Drivers have never had access to apps like this behind the wheel. MyBoxMan and HearMeOut open up entirely new ways for drivers to stay connected and even earn money,” said Scott Lyons, business and partner development, Connected Vehicle and Services, Ford of Europe. “Like a ride request service for deliveries, MyBoxMan is breaking new ground in social shipping, making intelligent and efficient use of car and van capacity on trips that are happening anyway.”

Further new apps available for SYNC 3 include:

• AccuWeather, the, the global leader in digital weather information, helps drivers to plan and time their trips around weather conditions, and giving advance warning of inclement weather with Superior Accuracy™. The patented AccuWeather MinuteCast^® function uses an exact street address or GPS location to provide minute-by-minute precipitation forecasts, including information about precipitation type, intensity and duration
• Cadena Ser enables drivers in Spain to listen to the country’s most popular national radio station. The app provides voice control to access podcasts, shows, local stations, news and event listings on demand. Available in Spanish for iOS and Android
• Los 40 Principales is the most popular music radio station in Spain, Chile, Colombia, Panama, Argentina, Mexico, Costa Rica, Paraguay and the Dominican Republic. It plays top 40 contemporary hit music, including pop, rock and house. Drivers in Spain can use voice control to access podcasts and shows on demand. Available in Spanish for iOS and Android

IRELAND - Ford see's big growth which will continue with new models, better specifications, and great pricing.

In the traditionally brisk January car and van sales period, Ford vehicles were the top sellers.  According to figures released by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI), during January, car sales jumped 33.6 per cent to 39,812 units and light commercial vehicles experienced an even more healthy rise of 38.4 percent to 7,081 units (versus 29,808 cars and 5,115 vans for January 2015).

In the combined new vehicle market for January 2016, Ford sold the highest number of vehicles with a tally of 6,002 units (4,381 cars and 1,621 vans) ahead of Toyota with a combined total of 5,434 and Hyundai’s combined total of 5,130.  This is the second year in a row that Ford has been the top seller during the January sales period.

Speaking at the first Irish drive of the all new Ford Mustang, the first time that the iconic nameplate has been available in a right-hand-drive version in Ireland, Ford Ireland chief, Ciarán McMahon, said: “Following the healthy rise in vehicle sales throughout 2015, the January 2016 increase in sales is a clear sign that our economic turnaround is thankfully here to stay,”

“Of course, we are delighted that Ford was the top-selling vehicle in the combined car and van market, but what is particularly heartening is the continued growth in the van sector – commercial vehicle sales give a very clear reflection of the level of confidence of business managers, on the evidence of these strong new van sales figures, the economy is set to continue on its upward trend”.

Retaining its position as Ireland’s favourite range of vans, Ford’s Transit range again dominated the van sales chart.  In relation to cars, the Ford Focus and the Ford Fiesta were both placed in the top-five best-selling models in second and fourth place respectively.

	Top Five Models Jan 2016	Units
1	Hyundai Tucson	2,480
2	Ford Focus Range	1,606
3	Toyota Corolla Range	1,361
4	Ford Fiesta Range	1,282
5	VW Golf Range	1,254

WHAT CAR AWARDS - The Fiesta ST and New Galaxy take awards at the ceremony, even with an aging model.

The acclaimed Fiesta ST was crowned the UK’s best hot hatch for the third year running at the 2016 What Car? Awards.

Enjoyed by almost 18,500 owners, Ford Fiesta ST is still racing ahead up the sales charts three years after launch.

Forecast to account for 5,000 of Fiesta’s overall 130,000 annual UK sales, the ST has averaged well over 6,100 registrations a year since 2013.

Jim Holder, What Car? editorial director, said:  “The enthusiast scene is still frothing at the mouth about the brilliance of the ST.

“Simply put, it’s everything you want in a hot hatch: fast enough to thrill, but not so fast as to scare, small enough to fit easily down tight back roads, and with alert, corner-hungry handling that’s joyful even on mundane roads.”

The consumer magazine and website, attracting over 1.95 million monthly users, also dubbed its favourite hot hatch a “mini rally car for the road”, declaring it more fun than some cars costing more than £100,000.

Priced from £17,645, the Fiesta ST boasts a 182PS 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine, taking the car from rest to 62mph in under seven seconds.  Ford’s award-winning EcoBoost range of 1.0- to 2.3-litre powertrains available in Europe combine direct injection, variable valve timing and turbo-charging to enable a downsized engine to return improved fuel economy and performance.

On receiving the award, Andrew Fraser, lead EcoBoost engineer based at Ford’s Dunton Technical Centre, in Essex, said:  “Winning three years on the trot shows how well loved the Fiesta ST remains.  An EcoBoost engine is now in 50 per cent of all Fiestas we sell, proving how much both the car and our innovative engine deserve our best-selling UK car accolade.”

The previous Fiesta ST, on sale for four years from 2005, was bought by 17,000 fans – already overtaken by the current model.

New Ford Galaxy – best MPV (£25,000+)

The new Ford Galaxy, on sale late last year, is best Multi-Purpose Vehicle for its price, according to What Car?

“The car seems to shrink around you on the open road, feeling grippy and precise through corners, proving MPVs needn’t be tedious to drive after all,” said editorial director Jim Holder.

“For all the enjoyable handling, the ride comfort on the Galaxy is more than good enough and the tall windows give all occupants a clear view out.”

What Car? named the Ford Galaxy Zetec with 2.0-litre TDCi 150PS diesel engine as its pick of the range.