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BP-Ford World Rally Team dominated today’s opening leg of Rally GB to hold first and second with its Focus RS World Rally Cars. Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen were outstanding in dreadful weather conditions to win five of the day’s six speed tests in south Wales and build a 39.6sec lead. Team-mates Marcus Gronholm and Timo Rautiainen shared fastest time on the other special stage to end the day in second.

After last night’s start ceremony in Cardiff, the action on this final round of the FIA World Rally Championship moved west to Swansea this morning. It was from here that competitors left for two identical loops of three speed tests covering 140.80km high in the Vale of Neath forests. Rain over the last few days left the gravel tracks muddy and both Hirvonen and Gronholm opted for BFGoodrich’s extra soft compound tyres on their Focus RS cars, with extra cuts carved into the rubber to help clear the mud.

The opening 17.41km Port Talbot test in Margam Forest was shrouded in thick fog, although the weather improved for the remaining two tests of the opening loop in Resolfen and Rheola. However, heavy rain this afternoon caused the conditions to deteriorate and the final stage in Rheola – held in the dark, in torrential rain and thick fog – was evil, forcing drivers to little more than walking pace on the highest parts of the test.
Hirvonen was a fast starter this morning and quickest time on the opening three tests allowed him to build a 21.4sec lead. He was beaten into third on the middle stage of the afternoon loop but quickest time on the other two stages enabled the 27-year-old Finn to extend that advantage into a comfortable overnight lead.

“I couldn’t see more than a handful of metres on the final stage, it was the worst I can remember,” he said. “It was like having a white wall in front of the car and in some sections it was easier to drive with no lights at all. Driving in the dark, the fog and the rain was scary. I tried to drive through the conditions. My pace notes were perfect all day and I trusted them 100 per cent. I’ve not taken split times for the other drivers because there was enough work to do keeping the car on the road.

“I guess I took more risks than the others and I felt confident with the car and tyres. That allowed me to keep pushing and build my lead. Tomorrow I will try to maintain it, but I’ve not driven those stages for a few years so it won’t be easy,” he added.

Gronholm, making his 150th WRC start on his final rally before retirement, was focused more on the battle for the drivers’ title in the championship. The 39-year-old Finn’s hopes of a third crown depend on the fortunes of arch-rival Sébastien Loeb, and he made a cautious start in the fog. However, he quickly climbed to second and remained there this afternoon to end the day ahead of the Frenchman.

“I was too cautious at the start of the first stage this morning because it was uncomfortable in the fog and I couldn’t see much,” he said. “I don’t have to take risks and I didn’t drive flat out. I didn’t try to catch Mikko, I was just trying to control my pace, but my confidence wasn’t so good because the weather this afternoon was some of the worst I can remember in my career. There was water on the car, under the car and all around the car – there was even water in the car!”

BP-Ford team director Malcolm Wilson described his drivers‘ performances as ‘perfect’. “They couldn’t have done better. This was exactly what I expected of Mikko. He has a good lead and Marcus is in the ideal position if anything happens to Loeb over the next two days,” he added.

In the news release, Ford (NYSE: F) Plug-In Hybrid Hits CaliforniaStreets, issued earlier today by Ford Motor Company over PR Newswire, we areadvised by the company that the contact phone number for Paul Klein shouldread “626.302.2255″ rather than “623.302.7935,” as originally.

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Using Microsoft’s Auto software, Ford Sync looks to integrate mobile devices with cars more tightly than ever

At Microsoft’s Sunday evening CES Keynote, Bill Gates mentioned that one area his company is looking to expand into is providing information services inside the car. With commuters spending hours in the car every day, Gates wishes to give drivers and passengers access to many of the features they experience at home. Mark Fields, Americas president of Ford Motor Company then took over to describe a new factory-installed, in-car communications and entertainment system that is designed to change the way consumers use digital media portable music players and mobile phones in their vehicles.

The Ford technology based on Microsoft Auto software first leaked last year, dubbed Sync, provides consumers the convenience and flexibility to bring into their vehicle nearly any mobile phone or digital media player and operate it using voice commands or the vehicle’s steering wheel or radio controls. In theory, Ford owners will not need to worry about whether their car or truck is compatible with new phones or music players that hit the market – Sync is upgradeable to support future devices and services.

Sync offers consumers two ways to bring electronic devices into their Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles and operate them seamlessly through voice commands or steering wheel controls: Bluetooth, for wireless connection of phones and phones that play music, or a USB 2.0 port for command and control and charging of digital media players – including the Apple iPod and Microsoft Zune – as well as PlaysForSure music devices and most USB media storage devices. Supported formats include MP3, AAC, WMA, WAV and PCM.

In addition to the voice-activated, hands-free calling, another feature offered by Sync that allows the driver to keep his or her eyes on the road is audible text messages. Sync will convert text messages from your phone to audio and read it out loud. The system is even smart enough to translate such commonly used text messaging expressions as “LOL” and other emoticons. The recipient can choose to reply from any of 20 predefined responses.

Sync includes the same features offered on mobile phones, including caller ID, call waiting, conference calling, a caller log, a list of contacts, a signal strength icon and a phone battery charge icon – all located on the radio’s display screen. The system will also automatically and wirelessly transfer all the names and numbers in a mobile phonebook.

Sync will debut this calendar year on the 2008 Ford Focus, Fusion, Five Hundred, Edge, Freestyle, Explorer, Sport Trac, Mercury Milan, Montego, Mountaineer and Lincoln MKX and MKZ. The technology will be on all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles in the near future.

“Ford and Microsoft share a vision for a future where Drivers are safely connected to the people, information and entertainment they care about while they are on the road,” said Bill Gates, Chairman, Microsoft Corporation. “Built on Microsoft Auto technology, Ford Sync delivers an in-car system that is an important step toward achieving this vision. Using software that bridges the automotive and consumer electronics industries, Sync will help revolutionize the driving experience by providing a simple system that intelligently connects mobile phones, music players, and more.”