Latest news with #Fastback
Yahoo
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
ECD Auto Design Unleashes ‘67 Ghost — The First in a New Line of Bespoke Custom Mustangs
This debut Fastback ignites a new era of one-of-one Mustangs — custom-built by ECD, powered by Roush-engineered Small Block Ford V8s, and handcrafted to deliver heritage performance with modern-day Fla., May 21, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- ECD Automotive Design (NASDAQ: ECDA), the world's leading builder of reimagined classic Land Rovers and Jaguars, proudly reveals Project '67 Ghost, a fully bespoke 1967 Mustang Fastback — and the first Mustang built entirely in-house by ECD. More than a one-off commission, this vehicle marks the launch of ECD's new Mustang program, offering made-to-order builds across 1965–1970 model years with authentic powertrains, heritage styling, and modern drivability. View images and of Project '67 Ghost Built on the same foundation that has made ECD the global leader in luxury custom restoration, the Mustang program brings the company's signature client-driven, one-of-one experience to a new chapter of American muscle. Each vehicle is handcrafted in Florida through a collaborative design journey — allowing clients to define every detail, from performance to aesthetics. While many restomod builders lean on EV conversions or modern crate engines, ECD has partnered exclusively with Roush Performance to deliver something more meaningful: upgraded Small Block Ford V8s that honor the soul of the original car while elevating reliability and responsiveness. 'This is the beginning of what we're calling a Mustang stampede,' said Scott Wallace, CEO of ECD Automotive Design. ''67 Ghost represents the next evolution of what ECD stands for — one-of-one personalization, authentic powertrains, and best-in-class craftsmanship. Our partnership with Roush lets us preserve the Mustang's identity while enhancing it in ways no one else is doing.' Under the hood, '67 Ghost features a 465-horsepower ROUSH 347 IR V8, purpose-built to balance raw character with everyday usability. The vehicle rides on a Roadster Shop RS Spec chassis, giving it the best of both worlds: responsive handling and confident power, with the comfort and refinement of a modern cruiser. Finished in High Gloss Mineral White with Santorini Black Metallic rally stripes, the exterior draws from classic Mustang lineage, elevated with ECD's precise detailing. Inside, heated Recaro seats in black leather with tan diamond-stitched inserts pair with a brushed aluminum dash, All American gauges, and a Grant Classic steering wheel to deliver both nostalgia and tactile drama. Modern technology is seamlessly integrated, including Apple CarPlay, JBL premium audio, and a remote start. 'We're not chasing trends — we're building timeless machines,' said Elliot Humble, CTO of ECD. 'While others are dropping in off-the-shelf modern drivetrains, we've partnered with Roush to deliver brand-new, performance-built V8s based on the legendary Ford small block architecture. Paired with the RS Spec chassis, the result is a Mustang that's thrilling to drive and remarkably refined — the kind of car you enjoy every day, not just on weekends.' With multiple commissions already in progress — including builds inspired by Shelby GT350s, Boss 427s, and Mach 1 silhouettes — ECD's Mustang program is set to redefine what classic American muscle can be: bold, beautiful, and built entirely around the individual. Vehicle Highlights: '67 Ghost Model: 1967 Mustang Fastback Name: '67 Ghost Engine: 465-HP ROUSH 347 IR Small Block Ford V8 Paint: High Gloss Mineral White with Gloss Santorini Black Metallic Rally Stripes Chassis: Roadster Shop RS Spec with Adjustable RS SV Fox Coilovers Brakes: 11" Drilled & Slotted Rotors, 4-Piston Red Calipers Wheels: 17' Rambler Chrome Wheels on Nitto NT555 Tires Interior: Heated Recaro Seats in Black Leather with Tan Double Diamond Inserts; Sport II Console; Grant Classic Steering Wheel; Brushed Aluminum Dash Technology: Apple CarPlay, JBL Premium Audio with Subwoofer, Remote Start, USB Ports, Automatic Headlights Hood: Vented Hood with Turn Signals About ECD Auto DesignECD, a public company trading under ECDA on the Nasdaq, is a creator of restored luxury vehicles that combines classic beauty with modern performance. Currently, ECD restores Land Rovers Series, Land Rover Series IIA, the Range Rover Classic, Jaguar E-Type, Ford Mustang, Toyota FJ, and highly specialized vehicles from its Boutique Studio. Each vehicle produced by ECD is fully bespoke, a one-off that is designed by the client through an immersive luxury design experience and hand-built from the ground up in 2,200 hours by master-certified Automotive Service Excellence ('ASE') craftsmen. The company was founded in 2013 by three British 'gear heads' whose passion for classic vehicles is the driving force behind exceptionally high standards for quality, custom luxury vehicles. ECD's global headquarters, is a 100,000-square-foot facility located in Kissimmee, Florida that is home to 105 talented and dedicated employees that hold combined 80 ASE and five master level certifications. ECD has an affiliated logistics center in the U.K. where its seven employees work to source and transport 25-year-old work vehicles back to the U.S. for restoration. For more information, visit Media Contact: Kevin KastnerChief Revenue Officerkastnerk@ A photo accompanying this announcement is available at
Auto Express
21-05-2025
- Automotive
- Auto Express
It's a giant Panda! New Fiat SUV and Fastback to boost brand's line-up
A chunky SUV and cool 'Fastback' crossover are on the launchpad, as Fiat's new model blitz intensifies. The big one – literally, by Fiat's compact standards – is an SUV nicknamed GigaPanda. A sister car to the 4.4m-long Citroen C3 Aircross, the SUV is likely to offer both five- and seven-seat configurations. Advertisement - Article continues below Launching first, however, is Fiat's Fastback. It will fill the gap left by the Tipo, fleetingly sold in the UK as a budget hatchback to challenge the Ford Focus. But the saloon variant is the big ticket item for Fiat: badged as Egea, it's a strong seller in Algeria and Turkey, where it's also assembled. There's also a coupé-SUV called the Fastback in Brazil. The new model is charged with replacing all these Fiats in one fell swoop – and the UK team is looking into bringing it here. 'Two new cars are coming that will complete Fiat's resurgence,' head of Europe Gaetano Thorel exclusively told Auto Express at the brand's Centro Stile design centre. And they'll both be unveiled in the next 12 months, with the Fastback set for a debut before the end of 2025. The cars will underpin Fiat's bid to transform from local player to global force. The once-mighty small car brand has become a minnow in the UK, with the baby Panda no longer manufactured in right-hand drive and only the 500e city car and 600 mild hybrid and electric SUV in showrooms, alongside their sporty Abarth offshoots. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Reinforcements are on the way – Fiat engineers have overhauled the 500's electric platform to accommodate a lightly electrified petrol engine and the show-stopping Grande Panda will land in the UK in September. 'Our dealers have had to cross the desert!' continued the colourful Thorel. 'But now they know the desert is over.' Advertisement - Article continues below The Grande Panda's retromodernist design will dictate the look of the new GigaPanda and Fastback, as previewed by a series of 2024 concept cars demonstrating its versatility. 'When we developed Grande Panda we [created] a series of vehicles in a kind of 'Lego' system, where we'll build different vehicles in different sizes that actually use a lot of common components to really reduce their cost,' Fiat head of design François Leboine told Auto Express at the Centro Stile. The Grande Panda's silhouette, front and rear lamp outlines, blocky, rectangular panels and Panda script capture the spirit of the eighties original, while the short overhangs, complex light patterns and vibrant colours bring modernity. Throw in the design team's cheesy but instructive buzzphrases – to make cars 'practicool' and put the fun into functionality – and you have the recipe shaping the GigaPanda and Fastback. The latter has an angular tail crowned with a diagonally slanted rear screen that mimics the windscreen's rake, a key relationship in the Grande Panda's design too, according to Leboine. Overall the Fastback's form resembles the Polestar 2's, a high-riding notchback. Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below The smart money is on Turkish saloon-fans being disappointed as the Agea morphs into a crossover with a tailgate – but delivers more global appeal. 'Today Egea is a saloon. But I think you can have the consumer evolve,' hinted Thorel. Advertisement - Article continues below Under the skin, the new Fiats will use the Stellantis group's low-cost architecture, introduced on the Citroen C3 and underpinning the Grande Panda. 'We will use the 'smart car' platform to propose and produce new vehicles that will be targeting different regions in the world and different customers, sometimes replacing [existing] products or even coming with new products,' said Leboine. That means smart car's full mix of powertrains and EV batteries are on the shelf for the future Fiat family. Citroen is introducing a range-topping 54kWh battery for the C3 Aircross, set to extend the range to around 250 miles. It'll sit alongside the 44kWh pack, good for 188 miles. Expect the GigaPanda to offer both batteries and muster similar ranges. 'We called it GigaPanda to let people understand it's much bigger than Grande Panda, though they're rooted in the same design,' said the 57-year-old European boss. 'Fiat's playground is urban mobility. That to me means from 2.5 metres [the Topolino version of the Citroen Ami] to four-point-something metres.' Skip advert Advertisement - Article continues below Fiat previewed the GigaPanda concept with a striking purple SUV, again with blocky sections, pixel lights and body detailing inspired by the old Lingotto factory's rows of square windows. The long wheelbase frees up space for larger families, though the kicked up windowline will need extending – perhaps in keeping with the blue Panda Camper XXL concept's sideglass – to give third row passengers a view out. Advertisement - Article continues below 'I cannot say we'll do it [exactly] like this,' Leboine told Auto Express in Turin. 'But we've worked on this vehicle family and they are ready. The [Grande] Panda [concept] was a bit exaggerated but all the cues were there. That's more or less what will happen [with GigaPanda].' Fiat has learned its lesson from only offering the 500 as a pure EV. So the mild hybrid 1.2-litre turbo petrol will be fitted, along with a pure petrol (as well as ethanol options, a popular fuel in Brazil). The two cars should be on the market by the end of 2026, with a pick-up set to join the following year. That will replace the Brazilian Strada and also be offered in more markets, including Europe. 'We have a responsibility to get Fiat back to where it belongs in Europe,' said Thorel. 'We want to be a protagonist, which means having a market coverage of at least 50 per cent.' And what is Fiat's market coverage today, we asked? 'Without Grande Panda? I can't tell you, because otherwise you'd ask: 'How have you survived?'!' Did you know you can sell your car through Auto Express ? We'll help you get a great price and find a great deal on a new car, too . Find a car with the experts Kia is returning to its 'Keeping It Affordable' roots Kia is returning to its 'Keeping It Affordable' roots Mike Rutherford thinks new cars are simply too expensive, but some manufacturers are starting to do something about it Flawed hybrid car efficiency data to stifle UK EV sales and propagate pollution Flawed hybrid car efficiency data to stifle UK EV sales and propagate pollution Half a million extra PHEVs could reach UK roads by 2030 in place of cleaner EVs due to changes surrounding the ZEV Mandate Best electric cars 2025: the top 10 best EVs you can buy Best electric cars 2025: the top 10 best EVs you can buy Thinking about making the switch to an electric vehicle? Here are the EVs that should be on your shortlist, and why… Best cars & vans 14 May 2025
Yahoo
25-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Ford Mustang Sales Are Tanking. Here's Why
Ford is offering significant discounts on the 2025 Mustang in an apparent attempt to boost sluggish sales. The move comes after the iconic muscle car saw its sales tumble by more than 30% in the first two months of the year. Customers looking to buy a new Mustang can now get $1,000 off the EcoBoost model and $2,000 off the V8-powered Mustang GT. But are discounts enough to stop the slide? The biggest factor behind the Mustang's sales slump is its rising price. The 2025 model year brought a $3,700 price hike over the 2024 version, with the GT alone seeing a $2,700 bump across its Fastback, Premium Fastback, and Premium Convertible trims. Then, in December, Ford raised the price again by $1,000. These increases may have priced out some potential buyers, especially as interest rates on car loans remain high. In January, Mustang sales were down 36.4% compared to the previous year, and in February, they were down 32.2%. Altogether, Ford sold just 5,191 Mustangs in the first two months of 2025, a sharp drop from the 7,886 units sold during the same period last year. In fact, the all-electric Mustang Mach-E has now overtaken the gas-powered Mustang in sales, with Ford selling 6,841 Mach-Es so far in 2025. While price increases are a major reason for the Mustang's declining sales, other factors are at play. Muscle cars have always had a niche appeal, and with the rising cost of living, many buyers can no longer justify spending money on a two-door coupe. The base EcoBoost Mustang now starts at $33,515 with destination, which, while reasonable for a performance car, makes it an impractical daily driver for many Americans. The V8-powered GT coupe is even less attainable, with a starting price of $47,055 — putting it in competition with the Nissan Z, Toyota Supra, and BMW Z4, all of which offer compelling performance and modern interiors. Weather conditions may also have played a role. The first two months of 2025 have been particularly cold in much of the U.S., which could be discouraging buyers from buying a rear-wheel-drive sports car. To combat this decline, Ford is offering price cuts. The EcoBoost variant, which comes with a turbocharged four-cylinder engine, gets a $1,000 discount, bringing its starting price to $30,920. The Mustang GT, which remains the heart of the lineup, sees a $2,000 cut, bringing its starting price to $44,560. With the Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger no longer in production, the Mustang is the last traditional American muscle car standing. That should give it an edge, but instead of capitalizing on the lack of competition, Ford's price hikes may have driven buyers away. Even with the price cuts, the 2025 Mustang GT is still more expensive than it was in 2024. While Ford hopes that these discounts will bring buyers back, it remains to be seen whether they'll be enough to offset the effects of the previous price increases. A potential revival of the Shelby GT500, rumored for 2026, could inject some excitement back into the Mustang lineup. Leaked documents suggest Ford is working on a supercharged V8 model codenamed "Legend," which could draw enthusiasts back to the brand. Muscle cars have always been about offering big performance at a relatively affordable price. But with the Mustang's rising costs, growing competition, and changing consumer habits, Ford may need to rethink its strategy if it wants to keep the legend alive.
Yahoo
24-03-2025
- Automotive
- Yahoo
Skip The LS Swap: 1965 Mustang Fastback Has A Built 427 Windsor
Read the full story on Backfire News This beautiful 1965 Mustang Fastback skips the trite and tired LS engine swap for something more special: a built 427 Windsor. While the pony car is clean as a whistle, the backstory on it might be even more owner wasn't the one who dreamed up the project or even started it. Instead, he came in partway through after his brother-in-law passed from a medical condition. The '65 Mustang was left in parts stored inside plastic bins and his sister said nobody knew what to make of the thing. Wanting to honor his late brother-in-law's memory, the man hit up a buddy of his who owns a shop. He received a pleasant surprise when that friend seemed to understand the direction the Fastback build was going and wanted to champion it. That Windsor has been stroked and bored, originally being a 351ci V8. Other upgrades have been added, including an intake, hydraulic lifter cam, multi-port fuel injection, etc. Power is about 500-whp. The engine is paired with a four-speed automatic transmission with low gearing, giving the car a lot of get-up-and-go off the line. Originally, the brother-in-law envisioned the Mustang as an autocross competition car. That's why it's running a cantilever suspension and a custom tube chassis with a built-in roll cage. In other words, the Mustang has excellent torsional rigidity, making handling responsive. As for the brakes, they're manual with 16-inch discs and six-piston calipers up front, 14-inch discs and four-piston calipers in the rear. Watch the video and you'll see this pony car looks and sounds amazing. It seems to drive well, too. We're sure plenty of people will be drooling over it. This Mustang is an excellent build and quite the way to honor the guy's brother-in-law. We're sure he's proud of how it turned out. Images via Autotopia LA/YouTube
The Guardian
03-03-2025
- Climate
- The Guardian
Secure the boat, pile sandbags and hunker down: Queensland's Bribie Island braces for Cyclone Alfred
Liam Mac Court was awoken around 6am on Monday by a phone call that every boat owner dreads. Red Cloud, his 30-foot Fastback catamaran named after the indomitable Lakota warrior chief, had been ripped from its mooring in the Pumicestone Passage and driven into the concrete embankments on the lee side of Bribie Island. So, as many of the rest of the islanders prepared to defend their homes from a tropical cyclone menacing the coastal community just north of Brisbane – along with large swathes of south-east Queensland – Mac Court grabbed the crutches he's been hobbling on since a recent bike accident, called his son Luke, and set out to try to secure his catamaran. He found Red Cloud near the bridge connecting the sand island to the mainland beside White Bird, another unmoored boat – and chuckled at the cadence of names. A former Baptist pastor who still carries Swords, Dublin, in his accent, Mac Court – lover of words and people – quotes William Butler Yeats as he talks of the 'terrible beauty' inside the latter, even as the wind whips the normally becalmed passage into a grey churn of white caps. And what of the looming storm, does it too contain a terrible beauty? 'Oh it's magnificent!' Mac Court says with gusto in his Irish lilt. 'The forces at work! What can one man on crutches do, except enjoy and admire it all? 'And the people! I've had hugs, I've had kisses, I've had people bring me coffees'. People have also brought in 14 heavy tyres that are tied to the side of the boat to try to limit hull damage. As he speaks, Luke leaps on and off Red Cloud in an effort to temporarily secure the catamaran, and a council backhoe parts the onlookers. The plan is to dig in a 1.5 tonne concrete block to which to tether the rogue boats with chains and hope they can ride out what is set to be a wild few days of weather. 'I'm praying it will all go well,' Mac Court says. Cyclone Alfred is tracking towards the south-east Queensland coast and could make landfall on Thursday, and surging tides are already reported to be gushing right over narrower and uninhabited parts of the low-lying island. Mac Court, though, is not at all concerned about his own wellbeing, and philosophical about that of the boat. 'It's only fibreglass,' he says. According to the Bureau of Meteorology's cyclone forecast, published on Monday evening, the storm was due to grow to category two on Tuesday, slow and then make a sharp right turn towards the south-east Queensland coast. It was expected to maintain intensity as a category two and make landfall between Brisbane and the Sunshine Coast late on Thursday or Friday morning. Communities from Sandy Cape south to Grafton, including Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sunshine Coast and Byron Bay, were in the watch zone. While Mac Court remains sanguine, others on Bribie Island are far more worried for their own safety – some are preparing to evacuate. Up the road, towards the surf side of the island, at the local State Emergency Service, people queue to collect sandbags with which to defend homes. Jill Sanders is filling the boot of her hatchback with bags to line against her front door and the ranch sliding doors at the back of her duplex home. She has lived at Banksia Beach for 24 years and this is a first – she says she never expected to have to hunker down against the threat of a cyclone. 'But you know, things change so you've just got to go with the flow,' she says serenely. Sanders has become accustomed to painful change in recent years – her husband died in 2022. Sign up for Guardian Australia's breaking news email 'So this is the first thing that I'll have to cope with by myself,' she says. 'That's why I am lugging these by myself.' After filling her boot Sanders plans to head home and run the bath – as an emergency supply of water. Then bring in outdoor furniture and pull down hanging plants. 'I have torches and candles, all of that stuff,' she says. 'I should be fine. I've got good neighbours.' As she loads, Tanya Rivera and Kiana Kilford wait patiently for council trucks to bring more sand so they can take their fill. 'Sandbags are gonna be a while!,' yells a lean man in a singlet that reveals his tattooed arms. 'Council's dropping them off.' The pair can wait, though, Rivera says. This is one of the last steps they have to take to prepare. 'Yesterday the whole family started blowing up my family chat on Facebook, sending so many articles, news reports,' the 29-year-old says. 'That's when I realised the severity of the cyclone. 'Then, last night, I couldn't sleep much 'cause it was so windy, we could just hear the door slamming, so we figured it was going to be serious and we had to prepare.' Rivera and Kilford, who run a production company, packed down outdoor furniture and fishing gear into the shed and stocked up on cans of tuna, beans, toilet paper and muesli bars – they had to buy small children's bottles of water as that was in such short supply. Other than collecting sandbags, the last remaining step for them to prepare for Alfred's possible arrival was to pack bags in case they are forced to flee, Rivera says. 'Food, toiletries, emergency kits, torches, medication and, of course, some food for the pets,' she says. 'I'm a little bit nervous and if we have to evacuate … that's a scary thing'. Others have different priorities when stocking up on essentials. A pair of retirees from Tasmania who have spent the last five months housesitting a home on a Bribie canal emerge from a supermarket whose shelves are being stripped of still and mineral water, bread, toilet paper, long-life milk and canned spaghetti. They don't want to share their names but are happy to divulge their shopping list. 'Grog, toilet paper, that's the main things I suppose,' she says. 'Oh and veggies. And dog food.' She is worried the garden will 'get a bit stuffed up' as the pair have kept it in good nick and the owners are due home in a few weeks, but feel well prepared to last Alfred out. 'We've got brandy, champagne for when it's over, and a couple of bottles of wine to last us until then'.
