Ford
Ford Fiesta Closing In On Small-Car Top-Seller
The Ford Fiesta has been selling exceptionally well in the Small car segment, beating key competitors like the Toyota Yaris and Nissan Versa. Last May, 7,120 Fiestas were sold, outselling the Versa’s 4,793 units in the same month. The success of the Fiesta has been attributed to skyrocketing fuel prices as well as the shortage…
White House Taking Credit For Auto Industry Recovery
A statement released today by the White House seemed to take credit for the resurgence of the American auto industry, with President Obama’s bailout plan credited as the driving force behind it. “When President Obama took office, the American automobile industry was on the brink of collapse,” said the National Economic Council, in a prepared statement. “Two years…
Ford Adds New Efficient 1.0-Liter EcoBoost Engine With Eight-Speed Transmission To Lineup
Today, Ford released details on its new fuel saving 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine and eight-speed automatic transmission to its powertrain lineup. The engine will have three cylinders and deliver performance expected from a larger four-cylinder while getting better fuel economy and achieving lower emissions. The new three-cylinder engine will be available globally in the company’s smaller…
Future Of Toyota Matrix In Doubt, Even With Strong Sales in Canada
With Matrix sales slumping in the U.S, Toyota may not invest in a next-generation version when the 2013 Corolla hits dealerships. Only 14,592 Toyota Matrix’s were sold last year in the U.S which is down from 66,836 units in 2002. Matrix sales are still doing well in Canada, but Corolla sales are double that of…
Ford Planning Turbocharged Four-Cylinder Mustang; The Return of the SVO?
The last time a four-cylinder turbo-charged engine was used in a Mustang, Ronald Reagan was president, but this may change. Ford is looking at producing a version of the EcoBoost turbocharged 4-cylinder found in the upcoming 2013 Ford Taurus for the new Mustang. The mustang would be a 2.3-liter version with a different cylinder head…
Despite A Slow May, Auto Sales Expected To Reach Highest Level Since 2008
Nevertheless, the overall outlook remains optimistic. Among the automakers; Toyota says it expects production to return to around 70 percent of normal levels by June, while Honda says it will resume full capacity by August.
Ford Figures Out The Best Place For An Electric Charging Port
Ford thinks it’s finally figured out the best place to put the charging plug on an electric car: on the front grille, like the Nissan Leaf? On the pillar, like the Tesla? Or where the gas cap is supposed to be, like on the G-Wiz? Nope, to all of those: Ford believes that the charging…
Ford Hikes Prices on 2011 Model Year Cars Again
Ford has just issued a price increase on its 2011 model year vehicles, the third hike this year. New manufacturer suggested retail prices have increased on average by 0.4 percent or $124, bringing the yearly total to 1.3 percent or $375. According to Ford spokesman Todd Nissen most automakers have, on average, increased their vehicle…
Rumor: Lincoln To Build A Sports Car
According to the latest barely substantiated rumors, Lincoln the famous American luxury brand know for its large sedans and SUVs is about to get into performance coupes. Lincoln will hopefully join the fight in the performance luxury car sector up against some of the best including: Mercedes- Benz, Audi, BMW and Inifiniti. According to June’s issue…
Ford’s SYNC System Can Benefit Drivers Health & Wellness
Ford researchers are taking an ‘active’ role in developing a series of health and wellness in- car connectivity solutions designed to improve drivers lives. Ford is utilizing its SYNC system to develop a first voice controlled in car connection to an array of health aids such as a glucose monitoring system, diabetes management services and asthma management…
Is Detroit The Next Silicon Valley?
Could the motor city be turning into tech town usa? In a CNN Money special, Detroit’s automotive related technology boom is highlighted for its recent increase technology related jobs. Tech job openings rose 82% in Detroit, with companies like Google and Ford hiring engineers en masse. According to the report, Google says this will be its…
Ford Says 25 Percent Of Lineup To Be “Electrified” By 2020, Calls On Government Subsidies For Batteries
Ford Motor Company Chairman Bill Ford (great-grandson of Henry Ford) revealed to Fortune magazine that his namesake automaker will apparently launch a global line of electric vehicles, with 25 percent of Ford’s lineup available with some degree of electrification by 2020. Ford cited the electric Focus and both plug-in and fully electric versions of the…
For Two Hours, Vintage Car Collector Opens Garage To The Public For Charity
Last Sunday, Malcolm Pray, now 82, opened up his collection for a fund-raiser to benefit the Transportation Association of Greenwich. This group provides transportation for elderly and disabled people. Tickets were $275 a couple, and $15,000 was raised within those two hours for the charity. Pray’s cars are staples of the annual Greenwich Concours d’Elegance. His collection…
JFK Jr’s Ford Thunberbird Turbo Coupe Sells for Chump Change at Auction
If you’re a child of the ’80s then you probably lusted after the Ford Thunderbird Turbo Coupe at some point. This 9th-generation model of the Thunderbird was the only one to ever be offered with a turbo-charged motor and was even offered with a manual gearbox. While most American coupe’s from that era sported a…
2012 Kia Sorento to Get Optional 2.4L Direct-Injection Engine and UVO Infotainment System
The 2012 Kia Sorento will get an optional 2.4-liter GDI direct-injection four-cylinder engine and the company’s hands-free UVO infotainment system. The company is hoping these two features will appeal to Ford consumers. The Sorento will also have available options including Kia’s YES Essential seat treatment, which makes the seats resistant to stains and static electricity. The…
Survey: Car Owners More Satisfied With Independent Garages For Maintenance
Car owners are more satisfied with independent shops for maintenance, according to a latest Consumer Reports Annual Survey. The survey was based on more than 92,000 reports on service visits to independent mechanics and 230,000 service visits to new car dealerships. Buick and Lincoln were among the leaders with a score of 93, on a…
Feds Investigate Ford Freestyle For Unintended Lunging
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is investigating 170,000 2005 through 2007 model year Ford Freestyle’s after 18 crashes caused by “lunging.” No injuries have been attributed to the abnormal vehicle behavior, however. The Ford Freestyle abnormally lunges forward even when drivers didn’t have their feet on the gas pedal says the reports. Hitting the…
Ken Block And Tanner Foust Square Off In Dirt 3 Promo Video
Ken Block and Tanner Foust are becoming household names in the world of motorsports, with Ken Block’s infamous Gymkhana videos and Tanner Foust being on every other automotive television show, rally race and former Formula Drift champion. Both are stars in their own way and both drivers have a cult fan following while campaigning their…
Ford F-150, Toyota Tundra Earn IIHS Top Safety Pick Awards
During a test conducted by the institute, where a large plate of steel is pressed against the corner of the roof, the Tundra was able to support 4.5 times its own weight; the F-150 4.7 times.
Automakers Petition White House To Reject 62-MPG CAFE Standard
A trade group representing Detroit’s three automakers as well as Toyota is currently urging the Obama administration to say no to a proposal that could mandate a 62-mpg CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) industry standard by 2025. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, in a letter addressed to Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood and Environmental Protection Agency administrator…
Ford Teams Up With Google To Make Your Car Smarter
You already use Google to find things on the Internet. So it’s not surprising to hear that your car will be using technology developed by the search engine company to find its way around too. Ford has teamed up with Google to develop a car that will be smart enough to know where you’re going…
Ford Explorer Selling Briskly Despite Criticism
Car enthusiasts may have lamented its switch from a truck to a car platform, and magazines like Motor Trend and Consumer Reports have slammed it, but consumers have really taken to the Ford Explorer. While sales figures weren’t available at the time of publication, Ford reports that 43.5 percent of Explorer sales are conquests, and…
Ford Focus ST Currently Undergoing Testing, Will Be Global Hot Hatch
Perhaps the industry’s worst-kept secret (other than Sergio Marchionne’s grandfatherly enthusiasm for v-neck sweaters) is the Ford Focus ST—the hyped-up, hi-po hot hatch we Americans finally get our hands on since the death of the SVT Focus in 2004. European RS and American SVT teams are currently putting 60 camouflaged prototypes through their paces, from…
Porsche Moving U.S. Headquarters to Old Ford Facility, Will Build On-Site Track
German sportscar giant Porsche is looking to move its U.S. headquarters from a suburb of Atlanta, to an ex-Ford facility that used to manufacture the old Taurus, according to the Atlanta Journal Constitution. The old plant, which is located near the Hartsfield-Atlanta International Airport, has been leveled and cleaned of any environmental hazards. Porsche is…
