Ford
Harris Poll Results Are Out. Ford, Mercedes-Benz Are Tops
The latest Harris poll results are out and Ford has taken the top spot in the “Full line automotive” sector, while Mercedes-Benz takes the win in the “Luxury” sector. The winners scored the highest in terms of customer connection, commitment, equity and trust. Ford beat out rivals such as Chevrolet and Honda, while previous category…
Ford Suing Nissan Over Brazilian Bikini Girl Commercial
Taking shots at your competitors is nothing new in the advertising world, but North Americans generally see the kind of gentle ribbing that comes from restrictive libel laws and the preference for subtlety over braggadocio. Not so in Brazil, where Nissan ran a campaign for their Tiida small car (aka the Versa on our shores)…
Ford On Pace To Outsell General Motors In March
While we won’t have final March sales numbers until Thursday evening, but for the first time since February of 2010, Ford looks set to beat GM in sales figures, with 210,000 units sold. GM won’t fare so badly, with a projected 208,000 cars and trucks moved in March. GM’s slump – and Ford’s success –…
Kia Most Improved Brand in ALG Perceived Quality Study
And the findings of its most recent one (Spring 2011); indicated that of all automakers that sell cars and trucks in the US; the most improved in the mainstream category was Kia Motors.
Ford To Cut Back On Red And Black Paint Due To Supply Shortage
Ford is asking dealers to curtail orders of three shades of red paint, and one hue called “Tuxedo Black” due to difficulties sourcing metallic elements needed for the paint. The element, which is produced by a Japanese supplier, is unable to be produced to due damage resulting from the natural disasters that occurred in the…
2012 Ford Fiesta Sport Appearance Package Announced With Sportier Stick Shift
Ford has just released a new sport appearance package for the 2012 Fiesta, adding some exterior goodies and perhaps even a slight improvement in acceleration. The package comes complete with black mirrors and a black grille surrounds, as well as a rear roof spoiler and some 16-inch wheels. As for the improvement in speed, well,…
Ken Block Released from Hospital After Spectacular WRC Crash [Video]
Known for pulling wild stunts behind the wheel of his Ford Fiesta rally car, Ken Block had zero intention of rolling the high-powered machine five times. But that’s just what happened during a shakedown of the car ahead of the Rally of Portugal event this weekend. Block, and co-pilot Alex Gelsomino were both admitted to…
UAW Head Bob King Slams Ford CEO’s $56.5 Million Compensation
UAW chief Bob King slammed Ford CEO Alan Mulally’s $56.5 million stock package, claiming that “I don’t think any human being in the world deserves that much money.” While certain to raise the ire of Ayn Rand fanatics everywhere, King is amping up the rhetoric ahead of the United Auto Workers “bargaining conference” where strategies…
Ford Named One of World’s Most Ethical Companies, Only Automaker on the List
Not only has Ford Motor Co. mounted an incredible industry comeback over the past few years, but they’ve done so without stepping on any toes – including those of Mother Nature. In fact, along with soaring profits, Ford has just been named to the Ethisphere Institute’s list of the World’s Most Ethical Companies, due in…
GM Unveils Colorado ‘Show Truck’ at Bangkok Show
It wasn’t exactly a secret. With Thailand being one of the most popular single markets for small and mid-size pickups – the biggest in the world according to GM’s Susan Docherty, it’s hardly surprising the General chose the Bangkok Auto Show to reveal its global Ford Ranger competitor, the Chevrolet Colorado. However, the actual truck…
Lincoln Offers Free Access To New York Times Online Section
With the New York Times erecting a “pay wall” around their online section, many web enthusiasts are crying foul at the venerable paper’s decision to abandon the online modus operandi of making information free. But 200,000 of the Times’ best customers will be eligible for free access (worth about $150) thanks to Lincoln, which is…
Kurgan Motorsports Transplants 5.0 Coyote into Fox Body 5.0 Mustang
It was just a matter of time before the new generation Ford 5.0 Coyote powerplant (from the 2011 Ford Mustang GT) found its way into the original 5.0 Ford Mustang Fox Body. We’re actually surprised it has taken as long as it has, but Kurgan Motorsports has done a very clean swap into their Fox…
UAW Official Hopes Ford Will Share Profits Amid Executive Stock Offerings
With Ford awarding more than $130 million in stock to its top executives, the UAW official in charge of Ford is optimistic that the company will also compensate union members who build the vehicles that Ford sells. “I am going to look at that on the up side and say that I know that they…
Ford Focus To Play Crucial Role If Gas Rises Above $4 Per Gallon
Ford‘s strategy involving smaller cars priced at a premium will become even more important if gasoline rises beyond $4 gallon, said Ford of the Americans President Mark Fields. “There is a natural kind of water level that if a gallon of gas goes over, that may shift the market mentality,” Fields told Automotive News. “When it…
Lincoln Gets Highest Score In 2011 J.D. Power Durability Study
Lincoln received the top award for from J.D. Power and Associates in their annual durability study, narrowly beating out Lexus as well as all other brands sold in America. Two models from Lincoln in particular received shout-outs: the MKZ was the highest-ranked in the category of Entry Premium, and the Navigator captured the Large Premium…
Honeywell Says United States Is An “Emerging Market” For Turbochargers
While forced induction has long been in favor in the rest of the world, Americans have often favored big displacement motors, but recent trends towards fuel economy have necessitated a shift to smaller motors, and turbocharging is considered the optimal way to stretch 4-cylinders into feeling like 6. Honeywell, one of the largest manufacturers of…
2013 Shelby GT500 to Top Camaro ZL1 With 600-HP
The introduction of the Camaro ZL1 didn’t bring balance to the muscle car wars, it has only reignited them. According to sources inside Ford, the 2013 version of the Shelby GT500 will up its output some more, this time laying down 600-hp. In fact, it may be more than that, with a 620-hp number pegged….
Japanese Auto Plants To Face Parts Shortages
Japanese auto makers have been scrambling to assess the impact of the recent natural disasters on their supply chains, as North American production facilities face potential harm, as Japanese factories have begun suspending production in the face of a series of catastrophic events. Toyota has suspended overtime production at their North American facilities, while Subaru…
Ford Ready for $4 a Gallon Gas Says CEO Mulally
If gas hits $4.00 a gallon, which looks to happen soon, Ford is prepared with the right cars says CEO Alan Mulally. The automaker has put into place a new global plan with strong offerings in the compact and sub-compact set, while also proliferating the use of fuel-efficient technologies (ranging from direct-injection, to turbocharging, to…
Fiat 500 Will Fail, Says Ford CEO Alan Mulally
For all the hype surrounding the Fiat 500, Ford‘s CEO, Alan Mulally, has become one of its most prominent detractors, condemning the car to failure before it’s even launched. Speaking to the Italian language magazine Panorama, Mulally remarked “I do not see large market in the U.S.A. for a smaller car than the Fiesta. Those that tried…
Ford, NHTSA Still in Talks Over Larger F-150 Airbag Recall
A more significant recall of Ford F-150 trucks is probable, as talks between the automaker and the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) continue. In February Ford issued a recall of 144,000 F-150 models dating from 2005-2006 in response to a request by the government agency. That recall was not, however, satisfactory, with NHTSA requesting…
Saleen Performance Vehicles Will Stop Producing Mustangs
Saleen Performance Vehicles announced that it will end production of their Saleen Mustang vehicles in order to focus on aftermarket parts. The final vehicle, a 2011 Saleen S302, will end a lineage that stretches back to 1983. Production will end in the third quarter of 2011. Saleen was recognized as the last word in high…
Ford’s Fuel Economy Plan Doesn’t Include Diesels, Global Products Boss Explains Why
Despite plans by both Mazda and General Motors to bring diesel passenger cars to North America, Ford isn’t biting. The moves made by both automakers are partially in response to demand, but more importantly in response to increasingly strict CAFE standards that they need to meet. According to Ford global product boss Derrick Kuzak, the…
Dual-Clutch Transmission On New Fiesta Has Issues, Ford Is Trying To Fix The Issue Quietly
The new Ford Fiesta has been well received by both the members of the press and the buying public. However, some who have spent their hard earned on a new Fiesta aren’t exactly having the time of their lives. According to reports, some Fiesta owners have been complaining about the dual-clutch automatic transmission. The so-called…
