Saturday, October 6, 2012

NHTSA probing Ford Escape over throttle issue

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2008 Ford Escape - black - front three-quarter view

According to the Associated Press, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is training its gaze on 2005-2012 Ford Escape. According to the report, the federal safety agency has opened a probe at the behest of the North Carolina Consumers Council, which petitioned for an investigation following a pair of complaints related to throttle issues.

The council noted in its petition that Ford has previously acknowledged a problem with hesitation and stalling in Escape models, as it has issued a series of technical service bulletins to its dealer body to deal with the issue.

The NHTSA inquiry is not a full-blown investigation at this time and there is no recall pending. No crashes or injuries have been reported due to the problem, but up to 1.6 million examples of the popular crossover could be affected if NHTSA's study does trigger a recall.

NHTSA probing Ford Escape over throttle issue originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Oct 2012 18:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Think Rally and Rallycross are similar? Ken Block's car begs to differ

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Ken Block Fiesta transformation

If you've ever wondered about the "hybrid" in Ken Block's Ford Fiesta H.F.H.V. (Hybrid Function Hoon Vehicle), then this video is definitely worth watching. After winning the Olympus Rally near Shelton, Washington, Block's Fiesta headed to Las Vegas for the fifth round of Global Rallycross (GRC). The same car is used in both racing series. As you'd imagine, racing on narrow dirt back roads Washington is very different than running on the mostly paved course at Las Vegas Motor Speedway.

Aside from the chassis and most of the body components, the Ford Fiesta that raced on Sunday September 23 is almost completely different from the car that practiced on Thursday September 26. The entire powertrain gets swapped in favor of a setup making over 600 horsepower, and the front-mounted radiator is moved aft for the GRC event. To ensure proper air flow to it, different side vents and a vented liftgate are installed. The GRC car also gets bigger brakes and the proper wheel/tire combo. After three days of disassembly and reassembly, this Fiesta is ready for Rallycross.

Sure, it'd probably be easier to just have a second, dedicated GRC car, but where's the fun in that? Scroll down to watch the video of what it takes to transform Block's Fiesta from a gravel-spewing Rally America car to a ramp-jumping Global Rallycross car.

Continue reading Think Rally and Rallycross are similar? Ken Block's car begs to differ

Think Rally and Rallycross are similar? Ken Block's car begs to differ originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Oct 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford, GM win Breakthrough Product awards from Popular Mechanics

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Ford 1.0-liter EcoBoost
Tucked between an avalanche airbag and a 3D desktop printer, a Ford engine and General Motors' crash avoidance system were named two of Popular Mechanics top 10 breakthrough technology award winners for 2012.

Ford's three-cylinder 1.0-liter Ecoboost engine collected one of Pop Mech's honors by providing power through turbocharging and fuel efficiency through its tiny displacement. While the internal combustion engine has been around for more than 100 years, it's not often that it undergoes such a dramatic improvement.

"We placed the bar incredibly high when we set out to design this engine," said Joe Bakaj, Ford vice president, Global Powertrain, in a news release. "We wanted to deliver eye-popping fuel economy, surprising performance, quietness and refinement - and all from a very small three-cylinder engine.

GM's crash avoidance system is a big step toward creating self-driving cars. The system, which debuted in the GMC Terrain, uses a camera mounted near the rearview mirror. It follows the lines on the road to ensure the Terrain stays between them and can detect objects that might be in the way.

While many carmakers are introducing similar systems, Popular Mechanics notes that GM's is "the first practical and cost-effective single-camera vision system for crash avoidance in passenger cars."

Ford, GM win Breakthrough Product awards from Popular Mechanics originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 06 Oct 2012 13:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Thursday, October 4, 2012

How Detroit is being dragged down by the ills of Europe

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Big Three Bracing For Bad News From Overseas



Folks in Detroit could be in for some bad news in a few weeks, and that has nothing to do with who they're planning to vote for in the upcoming election.

In fact, General Motors and Ford will be rolling out their third-quarter earnings just in time for the presidential balloting, and while the U.S. economy has buoyed the industry at a level few might have expected at the start of 2012, the latest quarterly numbers will be hard hit by events on the other side of the Atlantic.

Between them, General Motors and Ford are likely to lose in excess of $500 million - some analysts put the red ink closer to $1 billion - for the July-September quarter. And for the full year, the domestics could run up a deficit closer to $4 billion if you include Fiat SpA, the Italian partner of Chrysler, according to analysts' consensus estimates.


Paul EisensteinPaul A. Eisenstein is Publisher of TheDetroitBureau.com and a 30-year veteran of the automotive beat. His editorials bring his unique perspective and deep understanding of the auto world to Autoblog readers on a regular basis.


Continue reading How Detroit is being dragged down by the ills of Europe

How Detroit is being dragged down by the ills of Europe originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 04 Oct 2012 19:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Wednesday, October 3, 2012

2013 Ford Explorer Sport

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2013 Ford Explorer Sport

Ford has had nothing but great success with its latest, three-row iteration of the Explorer SUV, with buyers finding it a suitably good driving tool for the jobs demanded by family living. And while I've never found the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 that inhabits the engine bay to be anything less than well-suited to this large SUV/CUV class - it wasn't so very long ago that a 290-horsepower, 24-mile-per-gallon-highway six-cylinder would have seemed like a real tough guy - it has never been a particularly exciting powerplant, either.

Enter the 2013 Explorer Sport, with an EcoBoost twin-turbocharged version of that 3.5-liter six, and 365 horsepower with 350 pound-feet of torque to show for it. I should add that the extra shove only comes at the expense of one highway mpg and one city mpg, relative to the four-wheel-drive iteration of the non-turbo Explorer, which is nice, too. Ford was kind enough to invite me to take a taste of this hotted-up Explorer recently; an experience that I found generally pleasant, if not entirely satisfying.

Driving Notes
  • We eat with the eyes first. If your particular set of peepers isn't enamored by piano black accents, then you may not get close enough to even test drive the new Sport, as this model is slathered with shiny black highlights. The big black grille dominates the Explorer, and I think does a good job of making the large vehicle look a bit more compact - lower and meaner. The matching black on the 21-inch wheels, body cladding, roof rails and mirror caps, along with smoked covers for the front and rear lighting, seems like overkill to me. To many it'll just make the Explorer look cooler than ever. Some of us like Original Recipe, some like Extra Crispy.
  • There's no question in my mind that the Sport version of the Explorer feels fleet-of-foot for a vehicle of this size and weight. Ford was coy about official 0-60 times for the model, saying only that it had found it to be "two seconds faster" than the 3.5-liter non-turbo model.
  • Floored from a standstill, the EcoBoost six will hesitate to deliver full thrust for a heartbeat or two, then offer a fairly strong torque pop once the engine is spinning at about 2000 rpm. Middle revs are where this engine eats, however, and I found passing maneuvers on the highway to be easy to execute briskly in the 70-90 mph zone. A decent little exhaust growl is in evidence at high rpm, too.
  • So the Explorer Sport is fairly quick on its feet and looks mean (at least to some), but it doesn't actually go so far as to acquit itself as a full-on performance model, à la a Jeep Grand Cherokee SRT8, or BMW X5 M, for instance. That's not just because the Ford isn't as quick, but also because the chassis and suspension tuning is still balanced more toward highway comfort than aimed at outright handling performance. The Sport is stiffer laterally than the standard SUV, where an added tower brace makes itself felt, but there is still a fairly high amount of vertical movement through the suspension when the Gs pile on.
  • The retuned electric power steering is quicker to turn in (again, that stiffer front section helps here), and accurate when holding a fast line, but it's absolutely lifeless in terms of feel and feedback from the road.
  • The Sport is equipped with paddle shifters to modulate the six-speed automatic, but response time is slow and the physical feel of the paddles is pretty unsatisfying.
  • All-in, the Explorer Sport is kind of a performance middle child; more like a motored-up version of the original than a full sporting variant.
  • I have mixed feelings about that last bullet, in terms of my own conclusion about the Sport. On one hand, starting at $40,720 (including destination and delivery), the Sport is only about $2,600 more than the high-content Limited trim, with a much more powerful engine, similar EPA fuel economy and many of the same standard options. (The Sport comes standard with 4WD, leather, MyFord Touch, SYNC, etc.) On the other hand, the Sport doesn't use its extra go-juice to push many of my "enthusiast driver" buttons, I get no extra towing capacity from the increased power and torque (5,000-pound max), and once the options sheet starts coming into play, a $50,000-Explorer can be a reality. The MSRP for our tester was a heady $48,385.
  • I think Ford is counting on just enough incremental sales from the Sport to make the variant worthwhile in a model that is just killing the rest of its segment. Plenty of former Mustang-owning Dads should be willing to pony up a slightly bigger lease payment for the payoff of winning a stoplight grand prixs here and there. Plus, you know, cool wheels.

2013 Ford Explorer Sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Ford adds Titanium trim to 2013 Fusion Hybrid

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2013 Ford Fusion Hybrid - studio view - front three-quarter angle

Ford obviously thinks it was on to something good when it decided to offer its Lincoln MKZ sedan with a no-cost hybrid option, as the Blue Oval will now be taking a similar tack with its new Fusion Titanium. For $32,995, the range-topping 2013 Ford Fusion Titanium can be equipped with either the sporty 2.0-liter EcoBoost and all-wheel drive or hybrid power and front-wheel drive.

At launch, the 2013 Fusion Hybrid will only be available in mid-grade SE trim, but starting early next year, Ford will add a Titanium model that includes sportier exterior styling and a more premium cabin. This trim level will come standard with tech features like a 12-speaker Sony audio system, MyFord Touch, parking sensors and luxury items like power front seats, leather seats and 18-inch polished alloys. It isn't clear if the Fusion Hybrid Titanium's starting price includes the $795 destination charge, but when optioning up a Fusion Hybrid SE with similar equipment, it's right in the same neighborhood at $33,370.

For those keeping track, the fully loaded Fusion Hybrid Titanium is just a step under the $35,925 2013 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, with which it shares its chassis. Scroll down to see Ford's full presser on this new trim.

Continue reading Ford adds Titanium trim to 2013 Fusion Hybrid

Ford adds Titanium trim to 2013 Fusion Hybrid originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 02 Oct 2012 17:46:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Monday, October 1, 2012

Ford's J Mays feels vindicated by Fusion reception

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Ford designer J Mays with 2013 FusionIt's hard to think back now, but the same man overseeing the design of the 2013 Ford Fusion also presided over a rather lackluster period in Ford design, highlighted by vehicles like the Five Hundred and Freestyle. With the redesigned Fusion receiving high praise, J Mays tells Automotive News that he feels vindicated from criticisms suggesting he's not a daring enough designer.

When Mays took over as lead of design in 1997, he admits to having quite an ego ("My head would barely fit through the door some days. I've long since gotten over myself") and the workload to match. With the Blue Oval's portfolio full of premium brands like Aston Martin, Jaguar, Land Rover and Volvo at that point, along with the bread-and-butter Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models, Mays certainly had quite the challenge.

It was in the mid-2000s that Mays took over just the premium brands, and took on the new title of Chief Creative Officer. At the time, Mays endured some criticism for looking backwards to retro styling, rather than setting a new standard for American car design - criticism that Mays says he is free from with the all-new Fusion.

It's also significant to point out the big names in car design came through the doors of Ford's design house under Mays. Names like Ian Callum (now of Jaguar), and Henrik Fisker, who was then at Aston Martin but has now gone on to start his own carmaker.

Mays, who spent time at BMW, Audi and Volkswagen told AN that American carmakers don't have to imitate Europe's luxury automakers to provide premium products (perhaps a bit ironic considering that even cheerleaders of the sedan admit the new Fusion has an awful lot of Aston Martin design language up front). While the Fusion has been well-received, Mays still has his hands full trying to maintain the "One Ford" global design language, matching that up with truck design, and finding an identity for Lincoln. All we can say is, it ain't easy being J Mays.

Ford's J Mays feels vindicated by Fusion reception originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Autoblog Podcast #301

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2013 Ford Fusion, Honda Fit CUV and Civic Type R, Buick Encore pricing, pressure to sell GM stock, Jaguar F-Type autoblog podcast logo

Episode #301 of the Autoblog Podcast is here, and this week, Dan Roth, George Kennedy and Seyth Miersma talk about the 2013 Ford Fusion, new Hondas we can't have, Buick Encore pricing, pressure on the Treasury to sell GM stock and the Jaguar F-Type. Your questions and comments power the end of the 'cast, and for those of you who hung with us live on our UStream channel, thanks for taking the time. Keep reading for our Q&A module for you to scroll through and follow along, too. Thanks for listening!

Autoblog Podcast #301:



Topics:

In the Autoblog Garage:
2012 Toyota Camry LE
2013 Mercedes Benz GL 550
2012 Cadillac XTS Premium

Hosts: Dan Roth, George Kennedy, Seyth Miersma


Runtime: 01:24:12

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Continue reading Autoblog Podcast #301

Autoblog Podcast #301 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 25 Sep 2012 17:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford claims victory in latest round of Michigan State Police testing

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The Ford Crown Victoria relinquished its crown as the top police car when it went out of production last year, but Ford is claiming it still produces the dominant police vehicles on the market. This, following the most recent cop car comparison test held by the Michigan State Police.

While we're still waiting to see the official results for the 2013 model year vehicle evaluations, Ford is saying its new Taurus-based Police Interceptor Sedan and Explorer-based Police Interceptor Utility outperformed other cars intended for rigorous police duty.

For the Police Interceptor Sedan, departments that opt for the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 will be rewarded with the best 0-60 mile per hour, 0-80 mph and 0-100 mph times of all police cars, including V8-powered models like the Dodge Charger Pursuit and Chevrolet Caprice PPV. New for 2013, the sedan will offer a 3.7-liter V6, and Ford claims this model will have the best braking distance of the bunch. Even the Police Interceptor Utility with all-wheel drive had top acceleration to 60 mph and 80 mph compared to the Chevy Tahoe. Both the Sedan and Utility held the fastest average lap times around Grattan Raceway, the track where some of the testing was performed.

Until the official results come out, we can't fully call this a win for Ford just yet, but it sure does make a good case for the next generation of Ford police cars.

Continue reading Ford claims victory in latest round of Michigan State Police testing

Ford claims victory in latest round of Michigan State Police testing originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 26 Sep 2012 08:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Ford F-150 King Ranch bows in Texas, V6 claims towing title

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2013 Ford F-150 King Ranch - front three-quarter studio view

The 2012 State Fair of Texas is set to fire up this weekend in the Lone Star State, which means domestic automakers are in the mood to talk about trucks. Ford is using the occasion for two major announcements, the first being that the F-150's standard 3.7-liter engine can now pull a class-leading 6,700 pounds. That's 200 pounds more than the 2013 Ram 1500 and its 3.7-liter V6, and a whopping 1,300 more than the Chevy Silverado when powered by General Motors' 4.3-liter V6.

The second announcement is the debut of the 2013 F-150 King Ranch. The King Ranch has been offered by Ford since 2000 when the Blue Oval and the very large, very old and very much still in operation Texas-based King Ranch partnered up, making this year's model the 12th edition.

The 2013 F-150 King Ranch features its own version of the truck's new three-bar grille, and its two-tone exterior can be complemented with optional 20-inch machined aluminum wheels. Buyers can also opt for monochrome paint, HID headlamps, as well as a unique King Ranch chrome package. The interior features all of the latest Ford tech, including MyFord Touch and ambient lighting, and can be ordered in the King Ranch's trademark Adobe colors or black. Powering the King Ranch are your choice of Ford's 5.0-liter V8 or 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6, though both are mated to the same six-speed automatic transmission.

So yes, the King Ranch is not much more than an F-150 with an earthy color palette, lux'd up interior and a unique set of wheels, but it's also one helluva handsome truck in our eyes.

Continue reading 2013 Ford F-150 King Ranch bows in Texas, V6 claims towing title

2013 Ford F-150 King Ranch bows in Texas, V6 claims towing title originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 00:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Ford Fiesta gets facelifted, EcoBoosted

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Ford pulled back the curtain on the 2013 Cygnet Fiesta at this year's Paris Motor Show, fresh from the machine's debut in Amsterdam. Strutting a healthy dose of the company's new design language, the five-door packs a 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine good for 99 horsepower and, according to Ford, segment-leading fuel economy. The 2013 Fiesta also brings MyKey to Europe for the first time, allowing owners to limit parameters from fuel economy to radio volume.

More importantly, the little hatchback now comes equipped with Ford's Active City Stop. The active crash mitigation technology uses a windshield-mounted lidar array to prevent low-speed collisions by alerting the driver to potentially dangerous situations and engaging the brakes if necessary.

In addition, the B-segment bruiser offers Sync, complete with emergency assistance. Take a gander at the press release below for more information.

Continue reading 2013 Ford Fiesta gets facelifted, EcoBoosted

2013 Ford Fiesta gets facelifted, EcoBoosted originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 06:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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This '32 Ford Roadster is the Goodguys Hot Rod of the Year

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Tom Gloy's '32 Ford Roadster - Goodguys Hot Rod of the Year

Tom Gloy wanted a '32 Ford he could drive low and fast, so he took his dream to Roy Brizio Street Rods Inc. in San Francisco where the car seen above was born.

Brizio and his team made some radical changes to a typical '32 Ford, starting with a narrowed cowl, grille and windshield. The floorboard was lowered more than any rod they have built before and those tall, thin, 18-inch rear tires were nuzzled close to the filled and channeled rear quarters. All that work got the body looking right, and a Ford 302 crate motor and Tremec five-speed got it moving. Gloy went to Porsche for the car's color, choosing a mid-'50s blue to contrast the bright red, leather interior.

The results are at once both classic hot rod and beautifully radical.

When the world-renowned Goodguys show rolled around, Gloy drove the Hi-Boy 2,000 miles from his home in Lake Tahoe to Indiana, proving the rod Brizio crafted is more than just an automotive museum piece. The judges at Goodguys agreed and bestowed the 2012 Tank's Hot Rod of the Year Award on Gloy, Brizio and their low, fast '32.

Continue reading This '32 Ford Roadster is the Goodguys Hot Rod of the Year

This '32 Ford Roadster is the Goodguys Hot Rod of the Year originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 07:31:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2014 Ford Transit Connect adds form to function [w/video]

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2014 Ford Transit Connect

Much as we like the current Ford Transit Connect, "sexy" is not an adjective we'd use to describe it. And while this new 2014 model appears a bit bulgier in person than the original stock photos led us to believe, it's no doubt a wholly more stylish van than the vehicle it replaces.

Unfortunately, details are slim regarding the new Transit Connect. When it first debuted in Amsterdam, Ford said that its trusty work van would be powered by a range of "highly-efficient downsized diesel and petrol engines," while in the United States, we'll have to live with "a tailored range of gasoline powertrains." Whatever that means.

We've just returned with a full smattering of high-res images live from the Paris Motor Show floor, so check 'em out in the gallery above. Ford's official press blast and a short video are yours for the perusing, below.

Continue reading 2014 Ford Transit Connect adds form to function [w/video]

2014 Ford Transit Connect adds form to function [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 27 Sep 2012 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Ford Mondeo, a Fusion by any other name, looks sweet

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Ford may have spilled the beans about its 2013 Mondeo in Amsterdam a few weeks ago, but the Blue Oval stand here at the Paris Motor Show is the first place that we've gotten to see the sedan in the metal. The European sibling of our Ford Fusion looks trim, angular and attractive in its auto show debut. (It looks just like the new Fusion, let's be honest.)

This is a global car for Ford, meaning most of the vehicle is the same in North American- and European-spec, even though the names and powertrains do vary. We quite enjoyed our time with the Fusion's 1.6-liter EcoBoost engine, for example, while Europeans will get to judge the Mondeo as fitted with a 1.0-liter EcoBoost, as well as several diesel options. The Mondeo will, of course, also come in wagon and five-door versions, which is enough to cause certain American car guys no small amount of lust.

Continue reading 2013 Ford Mondeo, a Fusion by any other name, looks sweet

2013 Ford Mondeo, a Fusion by any other name, looks sweet originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 04:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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European car dealers buying own inventory to boost sales figures

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European cars

Think car sales in Europe are in the toilet? Well, turns out they're even worse than anyone thought.

A Ford executive tells Bloomberg that dealers for brands across the EU are buying their own cars, boosting new-car sales figures by as much as 30 percent. The dealers then sell the brand-new cars as used vehicles for steep discounts.

"It is a very aggressive environment and until either demand picks up or capacity is adjusted to the situation, it's unlikely going to change," Roelant de Waard, Vice President of Marketing, Sales and Service at Ford of Europe, told Bloomberg at the Paris Motor Show last week.

Ford has been having a rough time in Europe, posting the biggest sales declines in the industry for August, according to Automotive News. The company, which has successfully turned around its operations in North America, is facing $1 billion in losses in Europe this year.

European car dealers buying own inventory to boost sales figures originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 30 Sep 2012 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford, GM co-developing 9- and 10-speed gearboxes

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GM and Ford logos

The wolf shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid and Ford with partner with General Motors on new transmission technology. Has anyone dusted off that old Mayan calendar lately? We're not sure that a Ford/GM tech share speaks to the end of days, but we're not ruling it out, either.

Seriously though, Detroit's two heavyweights, companies that have battled each other since the dawn of the automobile (or close, anyway) are in discussions about working jointly on some very aggressive new transmission projects in the name lessening development costs for each. It's not the first time the two automakers have teamed up on transmissions, hyperbole to the contrary, either.

If all goes to plan, Automotive News says GM will be taking the lead on a nine-speed cogswapper that will be used in front-wheel-drive applications. Ford, meanwhile, will be working on a 10-speed transmission that will find a home in rear-drive products, namely trucks and performance vehicles.

The goal of the new transmission technologies ­- both automatics, by the way - is twofold: greater fuel economy and a more refined driving experience. The "refinement" here has to do with less noise and vibration, most likely, as the many-ratio transmissions have to rev less than they would with fewer forward gears.

The new technology is seen as must-have for the domestic automakers, both of which are hoping to catch up with a competitive set that is now offering seven-, eight- and nine-speed transmissions. Crosstown rival Chrysler, for instance, has worked with German transmission specialist ZF to put an eight-speed auto in its 300 sedan, and has plans to introduce a nine-speed affair sometime in the near future.

Ford, GM co-developing 9- and 10-speed gearboxes originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 01 Oct 2012 15:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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