In the absence of the Dodge Viper, there really aren’t enough top-end sports cars from the American Big Three at the moment. That deficit won’t last long, though. A new Viper is on the way, and it looks like it may be joined by a Ford GT.

According to reports, Ford is developing an all-new GT with a supercharged V8 engine. Ford’s also looking to add a front-mounted electric motor for a little extra juice when accelerating. Total output is rumored to be around 600 horses.

With a more powerful powertrain, and a lightweight body in the 3,000-lb. range, the next-gen GT should beat the last GT’s 205-mph top speed and mid-three-second 0-to-60 mph time. No word yet on the time frame Ford is working with, but we’ll be on the lookout. [via Auto Express]

Ford introduced the 2012 Focus Electric at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier today, giving the world a look at the next mass-produced passenger car. The Electric will hit select markets later this year.

Ford uses a 100 kW motor and 23 kWh lithium-ion battery pack to deliver up to 123 horses and 84 mph worth of speed. Estimates put the Focus’ range right around the Nissan Leaf’s 100 miles, but Ford has not specified range just yet. According to Ford, the Focus Electric will beat the Chevy Volt’s mpg-e rating and will charge in 3 to 4 hours–half the time of the Nissan Leaf. In order for the latter to happen, you’ll need to purchase the 240-volt charger, which will be available through Best Buy.

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The EV/hybrid market should be expanding significantly over 2011, and one of the first new EVs that we’ll get a chance to see is the Ford Focus Electric, which will debut at the Consumer Electronics Show on Friday. Ford teased the new car on its Facebook this week, showing a picture of an LED-lit charging port, along with “Electric” badging.

Ford hasn’t given specifics as to the powertrain of the Focus Electric, but the car is expected to get around 100 miles on pure electric power. Ford has chosen to introduce it at CES rather than the Detroit Auto Show next week. Official debut time is Friday at 11 a.m. PST, and Ford will broadcast the event via its Facebook page. [via Facebook]

The Camaro has made a strong showing against the Mustang since it reentered the market last year. In fact, it currently leads the Mustang by about 7,000 units sold for 2010. Consumer Reports had the chance to weigh in on the V6-powered variants of both models, and cast a little doubt on whether consumers were making the right decision at the dealership.

America’s favorite product testing organization ruled unequivocally for the Mustang V6, praising it for its agility, driving prowess and fuel economy.

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I was in Salt Lake City this week covering the Outdoor Retailer for another blog, and had the opportunity to take a closer look at the new Ford Explorer. Plenty of Ford staff were on hand and were all too eager to talk about their new baby.

Responding to criticism in the media, in articles like this one, Explorer marketing manager Craig Patterson defended the new Explorer’s hardware: “Jeep Grand Cherokee [is a] unibody, always has been. That’s a prototypical SUV. Range Rover: unibody, hardly a more capable truck out there. So it’s not so much the platform as what you do with it to make it capable. It starts as the same platform as the Taurus or the MKS or the Flex, but then you do enough things to it–widen it, reinforce it, put the terrain management system in–to give it the capability of an SUV.”

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After a relentless barrage of teaser pics, Ford has finally come clean on the 2011 Explorer. The new Explorer loses about a hundred pounds, rises to the top of the class in fuel efficiency and maintains much of its off-road handling and towing capabilities.

Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development, sums up the multi-dimensional SUV:“The new Explorer simply does everything well. It raises the bar for ride and handling on the road and transforms the off-road experience. It’s the hands-down winner for towing capability and ease. All this capability – and three rows of seating – with amazing fuel economy will make Explorer the absolute right choice for families with a sense of adventure.”

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Frankly, I’m more excited about ending the incessant barrage of teaser photos than I am about actually seeing the 2011 Ford Explorer. I’ve never seen a company make such a huge deal about watering down a  product before, and frankly, I understand why.

We’ve known for weeks that Ford was going to unveil the new Explorer online, but for some reason the company was remaining silent about when that would happen. Today, it’s been reported that the unprecedented Facebook debut will take place next Monday. No particular time appears to be floating around quite yet–apparently we’ll have to wait even longer for that.

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Yes, it’s another installment of the 2011 Ford Explorer teaser marathon that just won’t end. Only this one comes with some good news: an official end. Ford announced that it will publicly debut the Explorer at an event in NYC on July 26. Sometime before that, Ford will debut the Explorer on Facebook. The Manhattan event will be hosted by Ford frontman Mike Rowe, and as Ray Wert of Jalopnik astutely points out, a NYC event ” says pretty much everything you need to know about the off-road “capabilities” of the new Explorer.”

As for the latest teaser, it’s a headlight. Thanks for not stringing this thing out, Ford. [via Jalopnik and AutoBlog]

I’m betting that most people that put down bills on the new Ford Fiesta fancy themselves as the free-spirited, quirky types. And if that assumption is true, then they should be all too happy to see that Ford has announced a series of interior and exterior upgrades that include custom body wraps.

On the outside, Ford is offering 18 different graphics, as well as a side tattoo. Hard accessories like a rear spoiler, body kit and kayak carrier are also available. Inside, Fiesta owners can add a little atmosphere with a lighted shift knob,  illuminated door sill plates with LED Fiesta logo and light kit with light-accented cup holders and foot wells. The latter comes in choice of seven colors. These options can be added at Ford dealers or online at fordfiestagraphics.com and fordaccessories.com. [via AutoBlog]