Tag Archives: Ford

Rotary Engine Le Mans Winner Mazda 787B Selected as ‘Legend’

For the 1990s, the voting- using French sponsorship and nationalist math – was a “dead-heat” between the Mazda 787B and the Peugeot 905 – so 11 cars were given ‘legend’ status. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, milestones, racing | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ford Motor January Sales up 22%, Best since 2006

After the F-Series pickup, the second best seller in the Ford line was the new Fusion sedan at 22,000, followed closely by the Escape at 20,000, the best January ever. Escape also had its best January ever, – sales increasing 16%, topping last year’s January record. The Fusion and Escape are apparently coated with Teflon, since reputation damaging multiple recalls after their launch, including engine fires affecting both, were ignored by buyers of the European-based vehicles that were redesigned for 2013 without the help of former subsidiary Mazda.
Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, sales | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

EPA to Review Consumer Reports Data Claiming Ford C-Max and Fusion MPG Claims are Bogus in Real World Driving

The U.S. Environmental Protection agency will review Consumer Reports data claiming that Ford’s 47 mpg hybrid mileage claims were not realistic during real world – as opposed to computerized dynamometer – driving conditions. Continue reading

Posted in alternative fuels, auto news, fuel economy or emissions | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

CAW Working as 24-hour Contract Talks Shift to Chrysler, GM

Thus far, what is known of the Ford contract represents mixed results for the union, which was fighting a defensive action since talks opened in August. In spite of a push to reduce wage costs by all the automakers, the union retained its base pay and got cost of living bonuses. However, the controversial two-tier wage system that union members decry as divisive remains in place for ten years. Sharply lower wages for new hires at 60% of full pay would only allow them to reach parity after they are on the job for ten years. This could pose ratification problems. A similar deal remains controversial at the UAW in the U.S. among its members, which was successful last year in getting a two-tier contract renewed in spite of member opposition. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, labor issues, news, news analysis, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

JMC and Ford to Buy Taiyuan Changan Heavy Truck in China

Ford Motor Company is reentering the heavy truck market through its partner Jiangling Motors Corporation in China. JMC will buy Taiyuan Changan Heavy Truck Company, its first entry into the heavy truck business. JMC currently builds Ford Transits under license from Ford, and Ford owns 30% of the light commercial vehicle maker. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, manufacturing, milestones, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ford Europe Sales Plummet in June

Ford Europe sales in June dropped 16.1% to 100,400 units, with a declining market share of 7%, as the Eurozone crisis continues unabated. In a statement, Ford said that it would not match “heavy competitive discounting” by its already loss making European operations. Continue reading

Posted in auto news | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

June Auto Sales Soar with Mixed Results for Detroit Three

Sales of new cars and light trucks in June increased 22% from the same period a year ago, as the auto industry delivered almost 1.3 million vehicles for the month. On a seasonally adjusted annual basis or SAAR, this meant that the industry-selling rate continues to be more than 14 million units for five of the six months of 2012, resulting in sales of more than 7.2 million vehicles year-to-date. The slowly recovering auto market presented mixed but arguably positive results for the Detroit Three. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, marketing, news analysis, results, sales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ford C-Max Hybrid Priced $1,000 Less than Prius V

Ford Motor Company said today that the 2013 Ford C-Max compact hybrid utility vehicle will be available this fall with a base price of $25,995 – more than $1,000 lower than the Toyota Prius v’s base price. Whether this makes any sales difference in the marketplace against the formidable Prius lineup remains to be seen. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, electric vehicles, fuel economy or emissions, marketing | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Thirty Percent of Ford Shareholders Vote against Family Control

While a grand total of 63 people bothered to attend the Ford Motor Company annual meeting of shareholders in Wilmington, Delaware today, 29.5% of investors or 1,283,063,982 of them voted against Ford family control of the company through their holdings of Class B stock, which has 16 votes per share as opposed to one per share of common, assuming no one in the Ford family voted for losing power.
Continue reading

Posted in auto news, news analysis, people, results | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ford Sells Former Visteon Trim Plant to Faurecia

ACH was formed in 2005 to sell or close 23 former Visteon plants. The sale of the Saline, Michigan plant is expected to close in June. Nearly all of the 2,100 mostly UAW employees at the business have been offered employment, Ford said in a statement. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, manufacturing, results | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Ford Moves to Decrease Its $15 Billion in Unfunded Pensions

Ford took another step today to solve its huge problem with unfunded global pension plans, by announcing that it will offer to about 90,000 eligible U.S. salaried retirees and U.S. salaried former employees the option to receive a voluntary lump-sum … Continue reading

Posted in auto news, financial results, news analysis, results | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Fitch says Ford Motor Company Debt is No Longer Junk

Fitch Ratings has upgraded the Issuer Default Ratings (IDRs) for Ford Motor Company (Ford) and its Ford Motor Credit Company LLC (Ford Credit) captive finance subsidiary to BBB- from BB+. This means that Ford Motor and Ford Credit debt is investment grade for the first time since 2005 when Ford Motor was losing billions of dollars. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, financial results, news analysis, results | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Chrysler, Ford and GM U.S. March Sales Continue Rebound

All of the Detroit Three continue to have weak spots as they face the resurgent Japanese and hard charging Korean automakers. However, all have critical car launches this year, which should keep the momentum going. One thing is becoming clearer as the year progresses – the offshore brands are coming back and the loyalty of their buyers remains as impressive as it remains a huge marketing challenge to the Detroit Three. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, marketing, results, sales | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

DOE Nixes Carbon Motors Loan in Midst of Taxpayer Subsidy Storm

How you view this depends on what you think of the role of government should be – if any- in nurturing the U.S. economy and promoting energy independence, among other thorny issues. Herewith, two, admittedly simplified interpretations:

– a needed correction after the ‘green jobs’ that were supposed to be established by such subsidies were revealed as just the latest lies from politicians;
or
– simply the squealing of corporate pigs when feeding at the taxpayer trough was stopped

And there remains another real issue about whether there is much – if any – thinking behind the proper role of vast government subsidies, but don’t look for that debate in the sound-bite campaign now under way. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, economy, news, news analysis, people, transportation | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ford, Lincoln Change Touch Screens after Quality Ratings Dive

While Ford keeps claiming its customers want electronic features such as MyFord Touch, saying 56% of them rate the technology as an “important” part of the buying decision, its quality and customer satisfaction ratings by users as measured from independent sources have plummeted during the three years since introduction. Continue reading

Posted in auto news, customer satisfaction, design and styling, distracted driving, news analysis, quality, safety | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment