Ford Focus ST Performance Kit Adds Over 100 Horsepower

by Gabrielle DeSantis

When the Ford Focus ST was released it sat right in between the base Ford Focus and the rally-inspired Ford Focus RS. With 252 horsepower, four doors, and front-wheel drive, the Focus ST is a respectable starting point for those looking for hot hatch performance. However, as we know, tuners are always looking for more.

That is where Mountune comes in. Mountune is a performance shop with bases in the United States and the United Kingdom that specializes in performance modifications for Ford vehicles. Their umbrella of parts covers the Ford Focus, Ford Fiesta, Ford Ranger, and even the Ford F-150 truck.

Mountune m365 Ford Focus ST power upgrade kit

Ford Focus ST | Mountune

As previously mentioned, the Ford Focus ST comes from the factory with a 252 horsepower, turbocharged, four-cylinder engine. While that is not an Earth-shattering power figure, it is not a low number for a hatchback. However, the tuners at Mountune have found a way to pull even more horses from the Focus ST’s 2-liter powerplant. 

Their new m365 power upgrade kit is the successor to their previous m330 kit. The m330 kit boosted the Ford Focus ST to a total of 325 horsepower which is a significant improvement over stock. The new m365 power upgrade kit can push the Focus ST to 360 horsepower and 413 ft-lbs of torque. That is more power and torque than early models of the Ford Focus RS. 

The heart of the Ford Focus ST m365 power upgrade kit is a Bluetooth OBD II module paired with Mountune’s “SMARTFlash” smartphone app which reflashes the ST’s factory ECU to adjust the air/fuel ratio, ignition timing, and boost pressure to extract more power. Beyond the ECU tuner, the m365 upgrade kit also includes a high-flow air filter and a 3-inch downpipe.

Can owners of the Mountune m330 Ford Focus ST kit upgrade to the m365?

A product shot of the Ford Focus ST m330 performance upgrade kit by mountune.
Ford Focus ST m330 performance upgrade kit | Mountune

The good news is that since the m330 performance kit and the m365 performance kit are both mostly based in software, it is easy for owners of the previous kit to upgrade to the current one. As long as a user has the accompanying high-flow air filter and 3-inch downpipe, they can pay a fee to upgrade their ECU tune via the SMARTFlash app and get the same power gains as the m365 kit.

If a user does not already have the downpipe and the high-flow air filter, they’ll need to purchase both of those parts first before upgrading.

Can you buy the Mountune m365 Ford Focus ST upgrade kit in the United States?

Currently, it seems that the m365 Ford Focus ST upgrade kit is only available from the United Kingdom branch of Mountune. It is possible to order the kit from the company’s UK site. However, it should be noted that this kit was designed with United Kingdom emissions regulations in mind and is most likely not legal for road use in the United States. There is a chance that this kit may be legal for use on track-only race cars but we recommend checking with your state’s laws and regulations before ordering. 

RELATED: Tesla Aftermarket Tuner Unplugged Performance Gets First Of Its Kind

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Will the 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Be Safer Than Last Year?

by Gabrielle DeSantis

While the Chicago Auto Show returned for 2021 in altered form, not every motoring event has been so lucky. The ever-evolving COVID-19 pandemic means some car shows, are still postponed or canceled. But some events are going forward anyway—not just car-related ones, but motorcycle-centric ones, too. And that includes the Sturgis Motorcycle Rally in South Dakota.

The 2020 Sturgis Bike Rally was a COVID-spreading event

2020 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally attendees at the Full Throttle Saloon | Michael Ciaglo/Getty Images

The annual Sturgis Motorcycle Rally takes place in South Dakota’s Black Hills and traditionally brings in large crowds of bike fans. That’s usually a good thing, at least from the perspective of the local economy. However, huge crowds of people—especially unmasked ones—are exactly the opposite of what’s necessary to keep COVID-19 in check.

Yet that’s exactly what happened at the 2020 Sturgis Bike Rally. Last year’s event saw a claimed 460,000 mostly unmasked visitors party and ride it up for several days. And the inevitable result was, according to one study, an estimated 250,000 related cases of COVID-19. The Sturgis Rally typically brings in an estimated $800 million to the area each year. But the previously-mentioned study estimates those COVID-19 cases cost the public $12 billion.

Admittedly, that study’s estimates might be inflated, RevZilla notes. The study is based on randomized cell-phone tracking data, for one, and doesn’t take into account external non-Sturgis infection pathways. In other words, a Sturgis Motorcycle Rally attendee could have been non-infected, but someone in their household got infected from a newly-open school, for instance. Based on the study’s data-collecting logic, that ‘counts’ as a Sturgis-related infection.

Secondly, the study estimated that COVID-19 treatment costs $46,000 per person. That might be accurate for some, but significantly inaccurate for others. So, that ‘$12 billion’ figure should be taken with a grain of salt.

However, RevZilla also notes that the CDC ran a more limited study centered around Sturgis Motorcycle Rally attendees from Minnesota. This study identified Rally-related infections using interviews and genetic testing. In the end, the CDC found 86 COVID-19 cases directly linked to 52 2020 Sturgis Bike Rally attendees. Of those 86 cases, four people were hospitalized, and one person died. Plus, RevZilla notes that shortly after the 2020 Rally, the Dakotas experienced “the two highest per capita COVID-19 death rates of all the 50 states.”

In short, the 2020 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally did spread COVID-19.

The 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally is still happening

2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally attendees and their motorcycles
2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally attendees | Scott Olson/Getty Images

The 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally organizers are trying to put a greater emphasis on public safety. The New York Times reports that the 2021 Rally will “offer free coronavirus tests, free masks, and hand sanitizer stations.” Furthermore, attendees can “carry alcoholic beverages outside without fear of being fined.” The idea here is to limit the number of people inside the bars.

While those are solid preventative measures, they might not be enough. The 2021 Tokyo Motor Show was canceled earlier this year due to a rise in COVID-19 cases. And organizers canceled the 2021 New York International Auto Show and the New York leg of the International Motorcycle Show because of the more virulent Delta variant. Ditto the Handbuilt Moto Show in Austin, Texas, RideApart notes. Also, Autoblog points out that the Sturgis Bike Rally organizers aren’t requiring proof of vaccination.

Yet the problem facing the 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally isn’t just the virus. Much like at the Daytona Truck Meet, attendees’ attitudes are a continual issue. True, not every 2020 Sturgis Rally attendee went unmasked. However, “masks were mostly ditched” during the event, Autoblog says. Yes, the Rally has a certain ‘free-for-all’ reputation that’s part of its appeal. But those same attendees also have friends and family members back home, some of whom might not be vaccinated.

And that’s not the only issue at hand. Insider reports that several 2021 Sturgis Motorcycle Rally vendors are selling paraphernalia with Nazi imagery and the Confederate flag. Those are symbols of racism, pure and simple.

Should you go?

The 81st Sturgis Motorcycle Rally started on August 6th and runs until the 15th. And riding through the Black Hills isn’t the only activity. The Rally features daily concerts, golf and poker tournaments, a 5K race, a tattoo contest, and a custom bike show. Plus, those rides benefit, among other things, local non-profits, homeless veterans, and cancer funds.

Ultimately, the decision to go or not go to the 2021 Sturgis Bike Rally is up to each individual. True, it’s a chance for riders to reconnect and, in some cases, provide assistance. And the extra preventative measures should, theoretically, improve attendees’ safety where COVID-19 is concerned. But if the safety- or culture-related aspects of the event leave you feeling uncomfortable or unsafe, don’t risk it. If you want to give to charity, there are other ways to raise money, RideApart points out. And it’s not like there aren’t other great places to ride in the US.

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RELATED: How Do You Go Camping on a Motorcycle?

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Audi skysphere Concept Will Debut At Monterey Car Week

by Gabrielle DeSantis

Audi is set to reveal a brand new family of concept cars this month at Monterey Car Week. The skysphere EV roadster is the first member of this new family. Thus far, Audi’s electric vehicles are beginning to become true competitors to Tesla’s stronghold on the EV market.

The Audi e-Tron GT is set to release soon as a 2022 model and reviews are already starting to trickle out. It seems that this one-off skysphere concept is Audi’s way of letting the world know they have much more variety coming to their EV line in the future.

The Audi skysphere is a transforming EV roadster

Audi skysphere concept side view | Audi

When it comes to this skysphere roadster concept, Audi was not satisfied with merely slapping an electric motor into an existing convertible chassis. The German brand elected to go further and build the skysphere roadster EV into a literal transforming car. This is not to say that the skysphere will turn into a robot warrior and protect the planet from Decepticons.

However, the Audi skysphere can physically change its wheelbase to suit a user’s chosen driving mode. In the default “sport” mode the skysphere would have a wheelbase of 4.94 meters (16.2 feet). But, when changed to “Gran Touring” mode, the wheelbase extends to 5.19 meters (17 feet). In Grand Touring mode the steering wheel and pedals retract into hidden compartments to provide maximum legroom. From there the skysphere becomes autonomous and will chauffeur the driver to their destination.

How much power does the skysphere have?

Close up view of Audi skysphere front grille
Audi skysphere front grille | Audi

The Audi skysphere concept is equipped with a single electric motor mounted on the “powered” rear axle. That motor makes 465 kW of power (623.5 hp) and 750 Newton meters of torque (553.2 ft-lbs). The skysphere has a total weight of 1,800 kg (3,968 lbs) so its acceleration from 0 to 62 in just four seconds is impressive.

60 percent of the skysphere’s weight is over the rear axle. Included in that weight is the aforementioned rear-mounted electric motor. Most of the battery modules are positioned behind the main cabin as well. There are additional battery modules mounted between the seats in the “center tunnel” of the Skysphere chassis.

Battery capacity is “expected” to be “more than 80 kWh which Audi claims gives the skysphere “more than” 500 kilometers (310 miles) of range. That is 72 more miles of range than the Audi e-tron GT.

Is Audi going to sell the skysphere?

A front angled view of the Audi skysphere concept car.
Audi skysphere front angle view | Audi

For now, it seems that the skysphere is purely meant to be a concept and not heading to production. The purpose of the Skysphere according to Audi is to illustrate its “vision for the progressive luxury segment of the future, in which the interior becomes an interactive space and the vehicle a platform for captivating experiences.”

In other words, some of the design and styling choices seen on the skysphere will likely make their way on to future production EVs from Audi. With Tesla’s roadster on the horizon, it makes sense that Audi would want to plant the seed now for a potential competitor. Time will tell which roadster makes it to the market first.

RELATED: The Audi e-tron GT has a Futuristic and Luxurious Interior

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Another Toyota Supra Recall- This Time You Can’t Stop

by Gabrielle DeSantis

We’ve all heard this before, so I’ll get it out of the way quickly. Yes, the new Toyota Supra, god of the JDM scene, is more BMW than Toyota. Additionally, the Japanese-German sports car has been suffering a great deal of late. The cheaper 2.0-liter model didn’t exactly find a lot of fans when the reviews rolled in, and its big brother has something of a dual-citizenship identity crisis. Now, the Supra has run into another issue. This time, the vehicle’s braking assistance is the subject of a recall and adds to a growing list of open recalls on the model.

Toyota didn’t even issue this recall

The new recall takes issue with faulty braking systems | Toyota

So, seeing as the brakes recall is the most recent, we’ll start there. The Toyota Supra, per the NHTSA, has an issue with them. More specifically, there’s an issue with the emergency braking software. Effectively, the software issue causes the Toyota Supra’s emergency braking assist to fail. Without it, braking is done the old-fashioned way, with your feet. I feel it’s important to point out that the brakes still work. In no way are the physical braking controls affected by the recall.

However, it wasn’t even Toyota that issued the recall. It’s a painful reminder that the Supra is more BMW Z-car than Japanese sports machine. The NHTSA lists BMW of North America as the manufacturer. Tough news to swallow, but unfortunately, there’s more bad news. The Supra is a low-volume sports car. As such, they don’t sell many, and the 50,000 units affected are quite a lot. Thankfully, issues will be fixed free of charge.

This Toyota Supra recall isn’t the first

A blue Supra on a race track
The new Supra needs to lean into the name if it wants to survive | Toyota

As I’m sure you remember, this isn’t the only Toyota Supra recall open right now. In total, the Supra has seven open recalls through the NHTSA. Thankfully, the most severe recall affects only a small handful of Supras, 49 to be exact. Issue is, there’s some welds on the fuel tank that may fail or leak. And once again, BMW of North America is listed as the manufacturer.

The last few are significantly more minor than that. Among them are some minor headlight issues and a problem with steering tie rods. That last one could be an issue, but nothing yet. More importantly, BMW of North America is listed as the manufacturer for all of them. Yes, all. Evidently, the Toyota parts of the Supra are holding up, but maybe not so for the BMW parts.

It seems the “Zupra” can’t catch a break

The BMW derived shifter in the new Supra
The BMW-derived shifter in the Supra | Hector Retamal via Getty Images

Honestly, it’s a real shame that the Toyota Supra is having such a rough go of it. I’ll champion fun cars, automatic or manual, BMW or Toyota, till the day I croak. The Supra is fun but clearly has some issues. Ideally, Toyota is able to give that legendary badge a second look, and right some of these BMW-centric wrongs.

RELATED: This Toyota Supra Continues a Worrying Trend for Millenials and Gen Z

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