By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

Back at the Chicago Auto Show in 1992, Ford revealed the first fruits harvested from its all-new Special Vehicle Team (SVT): a bright-red Mustang Cobra R. The R was pared of weight by ditching the rear seats and most of the comfort and convenience features, and had adjustable Koni shocks, bigger brakes and stickier tires designed more for the racetrack than commuting. SVT only made just over 100 of the original hardcore R and never offered them for sale in Canada.

Since then, SVT grew to be one of the most respected badges - a `domestic` version of BMW`s M or Mercedes-Benz` AMG - especially into the late `90s and early `00s. Besides the obvious continued efforts with the Mustang, the skunkworks quickly moved across the rest of Ford`s product. The F-150 got two generations of Lightning and now the current Raptor off-road race truck, while the Contour and Focus versions had some Euro snob appeal thanks to quickened reflexes and increased power. SVT's crown jewel is certainly the Ford GT, which even seven years later still looks sexy and drives like a dream.

SVT`s latest baby is the updated Mustang Shelby GT500 Convertible, with a 650-horsepower supercharged V8, six-speed manual transmission, and available Bilstein adjustable shocks, giant Brembo brakes, and upgraded oil and transmission coolers. While the Coupe will run unleashed to over 330 km/h, Ford has put an electronic leash on the drop-top so it only runs to 250 km/h.

So what`s your favourite SVT model? I owned a '98 Contour SVT - silver with a purple interior - that was entertaining and a real sleeper. Unlike other performance arms that add radical body kits, flashy wheels and huge wings, few of SVT's road-oriented projects had them. But there`s only so often that you can answer, No, it`s not a Taurus, "No, it's not a Taurus," before part of you wishes for just a bit of flash...

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

There are plenty of sports car racing fans who denigrate the Grand-Am Rolex series for being too much like NASCAR because of the focus on driver safety and team equality. After this past weekend's Rolex 24 at Daytona, though, it's hard to argue that they haven't built up an equitable series.

Despite having significantly smaller budgets than big-name teams like Target Chip Ganassi or Suntrust Racing, Michael Shank Racing used a combination of guts, driver talent and luck to win the 24 hour race on its eighth try. Both the winning #60 and the second-placed Starworks Racing entry were brand-new Ford-powered Riley cars that had barely turned a wheel in anger before pre-race qualifying on the Thursday before. Shank was doubly happy because his second entry, a much older Ford-Riley that at its best was two or three seconds a lap slower than the new-reg cars, remained on the lead lap after 24 hours and rounded out the overall podium.

The both big-dollar Ganassi entries - BMW-powered Rileys - had trouble with gearshifters and gearboxes, putting them too far behind to match the speed of the Ford-powered rivals. The heavily-favoured 'Corvette' prototypes had rough races as well - lots of unexpected teething problems that kept the big-guns in the garage early.

In GT, Porsche had a similar night, with the small Magnus Racing squad holding off bigger-budget squads from The Racers Group and Brumos Racing. Despite issues with front splitters affecting all 911 teams, the proven Porsches held off the relative newcomers from Ferarri, Audi and Dodge, along with proven winners from Chevrolet, Mazda and BMW. 

The GT field had over 40 cars entered, and promises to remain that competitive for the rest of the season.

For full results, click here. 

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

Showing some pretty amazing work with stickers and fibreglass, Ford released photos of its new NASCAR Sprint Cup racer based on its upcoming Fusion. We've already drooled over the production version revealed in Detroit at the 2012 NAIAS, but the overall style has been translated very well over to the strict hardpoints required in NASCAR. 

Ford's release says something about the Fusion being the car that “helped return ‘stock car’ to NASCAR.” We're not so sure about that. Especially since the OHV 5.6-litre pushrod V8 has nothing in common with the production model's DOHC four-cylinder EcoBoost engine besides the fact that it has pistons...

Bing: Why do Sprint Cup Cars look the same?

So what's your favourite current Cup design?

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

Volkswagen's Up line of sub-subcompacts has been receiving a steady stream of positive reviews for bringing some much-needed sophistication to an otherwise price-sensitive class. Now, the company announced it will build a performance-minded GT version based on a concept shown at the last Frankfurt auto show. It'll have nearly double the power (110 horses!), aggressive styling and presumably a more tied-down feel around corners.

That little three-cylinder turbo would provide more than adequate if the Up were to come here to North America, joining an ever-increasingly large number of offerings in the mini-subcompact class. The Fiat 500, Scion iQ and Smart Fortwo are the three currently on sale in Canada, and will soon be joined by the Chevrolet Spark.

Would Volkswagen have a business case to sell the Up in Canada? If so, does your current lifestyle support buying something so small, perhaps as a second commuter car? Or for a student looking for an inexpensive set of new wheels?

Also, what other 'mini-subs' out there would you like to see on our roads? The Ford Ka, like this photo on the right? A Nissan Pixo? Let us know!

By Greg Migliore, AutoWeek

Playing it safe clearly was not an option for Ford with the redesign of the 2013 Fusion.

The body is dramatically creased, in contrast with the current slab-sided barge, the grille looks stolen from Aston Martin, and the interior and chassis were completely redone. Ford also is rolling out a plug-in hybrid model that's said to get at least 100 mpg-e when driven in all-electric mode.

That's right--Ford has turned the Fusion into a Chevrolet Volt fighter, as if squaring off against the Toyota Camry, the Honda Accord and the Hyundai Sonata isn't enough. The Fusion is being revealed on Monday at the Detroit auto show and hits the market in the middle of this year.

Jake Lingeman, AutoWeek

While most of us are home on Jan. 2, working off a two-day sports hangover, the 123rd Tournament of Roses Parade will take place in Pasadena, Calif., with the world's heaviest and longest parade float--powered by a 6.8-liter Ford V10.

The Natural Balance Pet Foods float will measure 116 feet at its longest point and weigh in at 100,000 pounds, all of which is certified by the book of Guinness World Records. The float features a tropical floral arrangement. It's the second consecutive year that Natural Balance will break a record.

The float will have a 90-foot-long beach with a wave machine producing 65-foot-long waves. Tillman the Natural Balance bulldog, famous for skateboarding, has now learned to hang 10, which he will be doing on the float as it rolls down the street with a few other talented canines. In total, the float will carry 6,600 gallons of water.

By Mark Atkinson for MSN Autos

For about 15 years, there was a complete lack of affordable rear-wheel drive cars. Memories of tossable Nissan 240SX's, Toyota MR2's and Corollas were but a fading memory, and the pony cars offered by Ford and General Motors weren't worth the effort.

Now, the Mustang is back in a big way, offering 300 horsepower and neat handling for $21,000, while Hyundai's $25,000 Genesis Coupe will get a revised 275-horsepower turbocharged four-banger in 2012. The Chevrolet Camaro and Dodge Challenger both offer well over 300 horses for just under $27,000.

Bing: Learn about the benefits of rear-wheel drive.

But the latest pair to join the fray come from corporate cousints Toyota and Subaru: the Toyota GT 86, released today in Japan and due to hit Canadian shores as a Scion soon, and the Subaru BRZ will use direct-injection 2.0-litre boxer engines and six-speed transmissions to send 200-odd horsepower to the rear wheels. Chances are they'll be light and tossable. And hopefully relatively inexpensive given the increasing competition.

Do either of the new Japanese cars interest you? And how much would you pay for one? Would you bite if they were a Genesis-matching $25,000?

By J.P. Vettraino, AutoWeek

Ford's redesigned 2013 Escape, unveiled at the Los Angeles auto show, carries more risk than might be apparent. That's because the current Escape remains the best-selling compact SUV in North America and it's selling better than ever in its final year of production.

By appearance, the 2013 Escape is a fairly radical departure from the stout, boxy, pseudo-truck we've known for years. The new one bears a strong family resemblance to the new Focus, which shares Ford's global C platform, and its front end creates almost a cow-plow effect to meet pending worldwide pedestrian-protection standards. The new Escape is about three inches longer and slightly wider than the current one, on a longer wheelbase with a lower roof height.

Search for a pre-owned car with MSN Autos

By J. P. Vettraino, AutoWeek

The all-new Escape SUV might be more important to Ford’s bottom line, but the 2013 Mustang line being unveiled at the Los Angeles auto show is more exciting--starting with the 650-hp GT500.

Yes--650 hp for the 2013 Mustang Shelby GT500. It’s the most powerful Mustang ever, and it will almost certainly be the least expensive 650-hp new car money can buy.

Credit Ford for not letting the Mustang get stale or soft. A year after the debut of the Boss 302, the lineup remains the same, with a V6, GT 5.0, Boss and GT500. Yet all get a mild facelift for 2013, with improvements across the board. There’s a more aggressive shark snout in front, standard HID projector-beam headlights trimmed with LED strips, and three-bar LED taillight/turn signals that flash sequentially. Puddle lights in the outside mirrors cast light in the pattern of the Mustang pony logo.

By J. P. Vettraino, AutoWeek

Beyond the all-new Escape and 2013 Mustang lineup, Ford's Los Angeles auto show reveals will include a facelifted Flex people mover.

The 2013 Flex has a mildly revised look, starting with love-it/hate-it F-L-E-X script along the leading edge of the hood. Projector-beam headlights are standard, inside a bright, oblong ring circling the light clusters and grille, with integrated LED segments around the projector beams. In back, dual exhaust tips are spread near the edges of new under-bumper valance. 

Bing: Deals on the Ford Flex