Ford is working on an upgrade for their popular work van, the Transit. An estimated $630 million in funds has been given to the Turkey plant that produces this vehicle for Europe and the United States.

Ford builds the smaller Transit Connect commercial van in Turkey as well, which it began exporting to the States last year. That venture has generated $3 billion in revenue for the American auto maker since 2005 - making it one of Turkey's leading exports.

Given Ford's goal of building global platform vehicles, the full size Transit has a great chance of coming to…

Hatchbacks have long been popular with foreign car buyers, but not so much in America. Maybe there's  too much baggage we want hidden in the trunk. But that seems to be changing as more import and domestic vehicles are available with a hatchback option. Ford is among those bringing hatchback...back.

"Ford reports that 60% of the buyers of its new Ford Fiesta minicar are opting for the five-door hatchback," according to USA Today. By contrast, Ford says that only 8.3% of their cars sold last year were hatchbacks.

Hatchbacks remain popular in Europe, along with station wagons…

For several years, Ford has produced a high performance version of their Focus sedan, dubbed Focus RS, to car buyers in Europe. Now, the American auto maker is bringing a turbocharged Ford Focus to the United States, based on its "global platform" that will roll out in 2012.

This "fast and flashy" Focus ST will be available in every major automotive market in the world.

In the US,  Focus ST will be built at Ford's Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne. This is also where sedan and hatchback versions of its all-new Focus will be constructed.

The Focus is Ford…

Recently, Ford was dropping hints about their upcoming Police Interceptor version of the 2011  Explorer. Well, now the American auto maker has released official specifications of their criminal pursuit SUV, and it can certainly take a punch.

Ford already has their Fusion and Taurus Police Intercepters coming next year, but when you need strength along with horsepower, and room for the unlawful in the rear, Explorer is a sure fire way to go.

Ford calls their SUV the "Police Interceptor Utility Vehicle." It's built to get at least a 20% gas-mileage boost over the Ford Crown Victoria, that best…