Designer Ciprian Cooks up Ford Cobra 'Snakehead' Concept

Wow, what a sleek design! I love the 77' Stingray rear side profile homage....
A new Ford concept has been released courtesy of designer Andrus Ciprian, dubbed the Cobra Snakehead.

The concept draws inspriation from past and current Ford models, so it fits in with the brand’s existing line up. Yet Ciprian adds some strong lines and distinctive features that make this one outstanding car.

The exterior leaves a lasting impression. Its rear end draws parallels with the first GT40′s, and the body also boasts massive wheel arches and other bold styling elements. Ford’s latest Focus model has some influence that can be seen in the front end. On the inside of the concept, two seats are divided by an excessive center console so each person gets the feel of a cockpit of their own.

To power the Cobra Snakehead, the designer suggests that a front mounted V8 would be fitting.

We hope Ford will take this concept into consideration for future models. The exterior design elements can certainly lend themselves to mass appeal, where as the interior concept may only work for some enthusiasts.

Source;
http://www.egmcartech.com/2011/07/05/ford-cobra-snakehead-concept-by-ciprian-is-a-beautiful-dream/

Lexus, Honda top J.D. Power Initial Quality Survey, Ford plummets

Despite being caught in the undertow of Toyota's recall and safety issues last year, Lexis tops J.D. Power and Associates' Initial Quality Study (IQS) as the best brand in the survey being released today. Even better, Lexus' flagship LS sedan had the fewest problems of any vehicle in the first 90 days of ownership.

Meanwhile Ford, which was fifth last year and the only mass-market brand in the top five, fell to 23rd this year. It had 116 problems per 100 vehicles,up from 93 last year and worse than the industry average of 107 owner-reported problems. Its Lincoln brand dropped from No. 8 to 17 this year, with 111 problems.

Power attributed Ford results partly to two specific issues about which owners have complained: complicated communications and other controls and a dual-clutch automatic that some owners found balky and unpredictable. (Drive On friend Greg Gardner of the Detroit Free Press explained the complaints and predicted the IQS rating fall in a detailed story here.)

Power also said new technologies were an increasing problem for all makers. While the overall industry average improved to 107 from 109 problems last year, the IQS scores for models all-new or with major redesigns was 10% worse: an average of 122 problems, up from 111 last year. Carryover or lightly freshened models, by contrast, improved to 103 from 108.

"Exciting models with the latest features are crucial for winning over today's demanding consumers," said David Sargent, vice president of global vehicle research at J.D. Power and Associates. "However, automakers must not lose their focus on the importance of these models also achieving exceptional quality levels. Expected reliability continues to be the single-most-important reason why new-vehicle buyers choose one model over another."

Honda, Acura, Mercedes-Benz and Mazda rounded out the top five nameplates in the IQS survey, which is one of the most closely watched measures of quality in the car industry.

With Ford's fall, you have to go to ninth place before the first U.S. brand shows up -- Cadillac.

Only it and GMC were above the industry average of 107.

Land Rover showed the biggest improvement.

The worst brands for quality? That would be Dodge, followed by Mitsubishi and Suzuki. Still the gap between best and last isn't all that great. Lexus had 73 and Dodge had 137 per 100 vehicles -- and the study doesn't take into account whether the problem was as simple as a rattle in a glove compartment or as bad as a cracked engine block.

Overall, cars had fewer problems, but the number of issues increased slightly in new models.
"Automakers must not lose their focus on the importance of these models also achieving exceptional quality levels. Expected reliability continues to be the single-most-important reason why new-vehicle buyers choose one model over another," said David Sargent, vice president of global vehicle research at J.D. Power.

Only seven all-new or redesigned models rank among the top three of their respective award segments, compared with 17 models in 2010, and only one launch model receives a segment award this year vs. five launch models in 2010. Just one-fourth of redesigned models perform better than the outgoing previous-generation model did in 2010, and eight all-new models perform above their respective award segment average.

Honda picked up seven segment awards for the Accord, Accord Crosstour, Civic (in a tie), Element, Fit, Insight (in a tie) and Ridgeline.

Lexus receives four segment awards for the ES, GS, GX and LS models. For a second consecutive year, the Lexus LS has the fewest quality problems in the industry with just 54.

Source;
http://content.usatoday.com/communities/driveon/post/2011/06/lexus-toyota-gm-ford-jd-power-initial-quality-survey/1

Mazda to leave Flat Rock plant it shares with Ford

Detroit News staff and wires
Mazda Motor Corp. will pull out of its manufacturing venture with Ford Motor Co. and stop making cars in Michigan, a Japanese newspaper reported Friday.

Ford and Mazda both declined to comment on the report.

But Mazda has been studying whether to keep making autos at the Flat Rock plant, and senior executives have said they expect to make a decision this year.

Mazda and Ford operate the AutoAlliance International plant as a 50-50 partnership. But the plant was running at less than half of its capacity last year, as its 1,700 workers produced just 36,000 Mazda6 cars and 78,000 Ford Mustangs on a single shift.

Citing unidentified company sources, the Nikkei business daily said Mazda was considering selling its stake to Ford as part of a restructuring of its global production operations.

Mazda would ship cars to the United States from Japan and from Mexico starting around 2013, according to the Nikkei.

The Japanese automaker said in a statement Friday that it had "nothing to announce at this time.

"Today's news report … is not based on information released by Mazda. We do not comment on speculation."

Several analysts expect Mazda to announce a decision soon.

"Mazda has signaled for months that it may be ending its U.S. manufacturing presence at the Flat Rock assembly plant, and although the company still hasn't confirmed the action, it seems circumstances are pointing in that direction," said Bill Visnic, senior analyst at online research firm Edmunds.com.

"Sales in the United States for the redesigned Mazda6 built at Flat Rock are running at about one-third of expectations," he said.

This year, Mazda has sold 103,072 vehicles in America, up 5.7 percent. But sales of Mazda6 cars, battling in the cutthroat midsize sedan segment, are down 8.9 percent at 13,604.

Ford has maintained employment at Flat Rock by increasing output of its vehicles at the plant, the Nikkei said.

But the ties binding the companies have loosened. Ford, once Mazda's controlling shareholder with a 33.4 percent stake, has reduced its holding to 3.5 percent.

In the meantime, Mazda is struggling financially. In the fiscal year ended March 31, its losses widened to 60 billion yen, or $742 million, from 6.5 billion yen, or $76 million, in the previous year.

The Hiroshima-based automaker attributed the deterioration in its results to lackluster sales in Japan, the initial impact of the massive March 11 earthquake and tsunami, and the strength of the yen. Mazda exports around 80 percent of the vehicles it makes in Japan.

Source;
http://www.detnews.com/article/20110604/AUTO01/106040319/1148/AUTO01/Report--Mazda-to-leave-Flat-Rock-plant-it-shares-with-Ford

2011 Consumer Reports Reliability Chart

This is just to piggyback an earlier post....
According to Consumer Reports Annual Automakers Report Card for 2011, Honda and Subaru still make the best vehicles overall, however, Ford posted the largest gain.

Consumer Reports said that Ford outpaced its Detroit rivals in reliability in recent years and that this year its average test score for all tested models increased from 60 to 70. The publication currently recommends 71 percent of the Ford vehicles it has tested.

Honda, Subaru and Toyota are at the top three for the third consecutive year with vehicles doing very well in Consumer Reports tests, remaining relatively trouble-free. Honda, including its luxury Acura brand, has had the best reliability record of any car maker and has made mostly good to outstanding vehicles. In fact, no Honda vehicle scored less than average in reliability.

Subaru, which has the highest average road-test score of 81, makes only half-a-dozen models but all do well in Consumer Reports road tests. Toyota, Lexus and Scion remain solid choices as well with reliability remaining better than average with an average test score of 74 for all tested models. Consumer Reports currently recommends 74 percent of the Toyota vehicles it has tested.

GM also improved its average road-test and reliability scores. Chrysler had the lowest average test score by far of 50.

Volvo is the only European make with an above-average reliability score. Volkswagen’s reliability has improved of late, but Audi’s reliability brings the combined automaker’s score down.

Luxury automakers Mercedes-Benz and BMW are near the bottom of Consumer Reports Automakers Report Card Ranking with both getting below-average reliability.

- By: Omar Rana

Source;
http://www.egmcartech.com/2011/02/28/consumer-reports-report-card-2011-honda-subaru-make-best-vehicles-ford-improves/#more-75591

Ford rises, but Honda still tops the Consumer Reports report card

I've been selling Honda's now for 9yrs, and other brands have come up and gone back down again, but one thing remains is Honda (and Toyota) are mainstays.
Consumer Reports said Monday that Ford made the biggest gains in its annual Automaker Report Card but that Honda and Subaru still make the best vehicles overall.

The magazine said Ford's average test score for all models rose from 66 to 70 and praised the Dearborn automaker for performing better overall than its crosstown rivals. Ford finished fifth on the report card, with an overall score of 67.

"In recent years, we have seen that Ford has really improved in reliability," said Rik Paul, automotive editor for the magazine.

The company's Mustang was the top pick for sporty cars, placing a U.S. manufacturer at the top of that segment for the first time in six years.

Top picks in other categories include Honda's Fit for the new category of budget cars, Hyundai's Elantra for small cars and Nissan's Altima for family sedans. The overall score for each automaker combines the magazine's own road tests and reliability surveys.

Consumer Reports conducts more than 50 tests on every vehicle to compile its scores and calculates predicted reliability based on subscriber surveys for 1.3 million vehicles.

The influential magazine's report card is part of its annual automotive issue, which hits newsstands next Tuesday.

But even though Ford improved, Honda, Subaru and Toyota were the top three automakers for the third year in a row. Honda finished first, with an overall score of 74, followed by Subaru at 73 and Toyota at 71.

General Motors' overall score improved to 67 from 65 last year, Consumer Reports said. Newer models such as the Buick Enclave and LaCrosse, and the Chevrolet Equinox and Traverse performed well.

However, three of its cars -- the Chevrolet Aveo, Chevrolet Impala and Buick Lucerne -- were listed as the worst values in their segments.

"GM needs to achieve more consistent reliability in order to see a significant improvement," Paul said.

Chrysler came in last place, the magazine said, and needs to make improvements to be competitive. Newer models, such as the Jeep Grand Cherokee and Dodge Ram, have shown improvement, Consumer Reports said.

"Customers will see 16 all-new or significantly updated vehicles at Ram, Dodge, Chrysler, Jeep and Fiat dealers this year," Doug Betts, Chrysler's senior vice president of quality said in a statement. "These vehicles represent a new level of interior refinement, world-class fit and finish."

Source;
http://www.freep.com/article/20110301/BUSINESS01/103010343/0/BUSINESS06/Ford-rises-Honda-still-tops-Consumer-Reports-report-card?odyssey=navhead

Mazda May Exit From U.S. Factory Operated With Ford

By Makiko Kitamura and Yuki Hagiwara - Feb 18, 2011

Mazda Motor Corp. may pull out from a U.S. factory it operates jointly with Ford Motor Co. after production turned unprofitable, Chief Financial Officer Kiyoshi Ozaki said.

The company will announce plans for the factory in Flat Rock, Michigan, by middle of this year, Ozaki told reporters in Tokyo today. Mazda may also consider overhauling the plant or changing the models built there, he said without elaboration.

Mazda, Japan’s second-largest auto exporter, has been hurt by the yen’s sustained rise against the U.S. dollar in recent months. The Hiroshima-based company’s U.S. sales fell 9 percent in January, as increased incentives on Toyota Motor Corp.’s Corolla compact, and demand for Hyundai Motor Co.’s Elantra sapped demand for the Mazda3, Ozaki said.

A decision by Mazda to leave the plant shared with Ford since the 1980s “wouldn’t catch Ford off guard,” said Kim Hill, an economist with the Center for Automotive Research in Ann Arbor, Michigan.

“Unlike several other Ford facilities, Flat Rock hasn’t had a major recent investment in flexibility,” Hill said. “If Mazda were to leave, Ford would probably want to look at putting something off its small-car platform in that facility.”

Marcey Evans, a Ford spokeswoman, declined to comment.

The Michigan plant needs to run at 70 percent of its full 240,000 annual capacity to make a profit, Ozaki said earlier today. Mazda aims to introduce a more fuel-efficient engine to spur demand and increase domestic production to improve economies of scale after slipping into a third-quarter loss.

Mazda will need to adjust U.S. inventory by 5,000 units through the end of March, he said.

Ford’s Stake
Mazda aims to increase domestic production 33 percent to 1.1 million units in the year ending in March 2016, compared with 827,910 units last fiscal year. The ratio of exports will also increase as demand for cars in Japan declines, he said.

Mazda’s Michigan plant produced about 54,000 units last year, Ozaki said.

Ford, the second-largest U.S. automaker, reduced its stake in Mazda to 3.5 percent from 11 percent last year, scaling back an alliance of more than 30 years. The Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker formed an automatic-transmission joint venture with Mazda in 1969 and acquired a 25 percent stake in the Japanese automaker in 1979.

The U.S. carmaker took effective control of the Japanese company in 1996, raising its stake to 33.4 percent. It reduced the stake to 13 percent in November 2008, and a share issue by Mazda in 2009 further shrank the holding to 11 percent.

New Powertrain
Mazda plans to introduce its new “Skyactiv” powertrain system across almost all models by 2015, starting with the domestic, U.S. and Australian markets this year. Earlier this month, the carmaker reported a third-quarter loss, citing the strength of the Japanese currency which reached a 15-year high in November.

The new Demio compact, the first model to use the system, will go on sale in Japan in the first half of 2011 and runs 30 kilometers per liter of gasoline under the Japanese testing system, Mazda said in October. The new car’s fuel-economy rating is the same as the hybrid version of Honda Motor Co.’s Fit and better than the current Demio’s 23 kilometers per liter.

Yen’s Impact
With exports making up 80 percent of Japan production in 2010, Mazda is more vulnerable to the yen’s impact than its domestic rivals. The strong yen against the dollar cut nine- month operating profit by 13.6 billion yen ($163 million), the company said this month.

Mazda posted a net loss of 2.7 billion yen for the three months ended Dec. 31. The company will still meet its full-year profit forecast of 6 billion yen as sales in Japan recover, Ozaki said.

While the strong yen erodes profitability of exports, Mazda needs to increase domestic output to boost economies of scale, the company has said. It aims to increase domestic production 33 percent to 1.1 million units in the year ending in March 2016, compared with 827,910 units last fiscal year, Ozaki said today.

Source;
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/print/2011-02-18/mazda-s-cash-position-won-t-improve-next-fiscal-year-cfo-says.html

Road and Track: 2013 Ford Escape

Wow, is this ever an improvement over the current Escape, which I think is still very nice....

What was once the Vertrek concept will become the 2013 Ford Escape.
By Matt DeLorenzo

While this sporty crossover was introduced as the Vertrek concept at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, it’s assumed that the production version will have the more recognizable (and easier to pronounce) Escape nameplate.

The Vertrek styling influences represent a major change in crossover design at Ford. While the new Explorer has a tough truck look, the new Escape, taking its cues from the concept, promises to be sleeker and more wagon/carlike, something along the lines of a Honda CR-V.

Now our spies have captured an early development mule of the Vertrek/Escape, which is based on Ford’s Global C-platform that underpins the new Focus and Transit Connect as well as related crossovers sold in Europe as the C-Max and Kuga. Speaking of the Kuga, Ford uses some of that vehicle’s bodywork on the mule, since it is much sleeker than the current boxy Escape sheetmetal.

While this vehicle does not represent the final design of the 2013 Ford Escape, it does show us that testing well under way. We can see a large piece has been tacked onto the front clip, likely to make room for components related to turbocharging. At the rear, the fascia has been modified to make room for a new exhaust system.

The Escape will follow the industry trend of doing away with V-6 engines, instead sporting a 2.5-liter 4-cylinder for the base model and an Ecoboost 4-cylinder for the upmarket model. Also a possibility is a 1.6-liter turbocharged gasoline engine as a fuel-economy leader, plus a 2.0-liter turbodiesel currently being developed primarily for Europe.

Source;
http://www.roadandtrack.com/future-cars/spy-photos/spied!-2013-ford-escape

Upcoming Cars in 2011 Ford Transit Connect With Reviews and images

Upcoming Cars in 2011 Ford Transit Connect With Reviews and images

The all new 2011 Ford Transit Connect is a mid-size van providing the cargo capacity of its full-size counterparts while maintaining gas economy of a mid-size.

Connect comes in three trims namely Cargo Van XL, Cargo Van XLT and Wagon XLT. It has a 2.0 liter double overhead cam (DOHC) inline 4 cylinder with 16 valves. The model offers a horsepower of 136 hp @ 6300 rpm and produces torque of 128 ft-lbs. @ 4750 rpm. It is a gas based engine and the vehicle’s turning circle is 39.0 ft. The mid-size van comes with front wheel drive and its engine is mated to a 4 speed automatic transmission.

Ford passes Toyota in Consumer Reports quality ranking (Honda 1st!)

Honda and Ford have pushed past Toyota in consumer views of quality, according to Consumer Reports’ 2011 Car Brand Perception Survey.

A series of massive recalls over the last 18 months tarnished Toyota’s reputation as a leader in quality, the magazine said Tuesday. Toyota also paid nearly $50 million in fines last year to federal safety regulators for failing to promptly inform regulators of defects in its vehicles and delaying recalls.

Honda ranked first, with 25% of the car owners participating in the survey naming it as the manufacturer with the best quality in the study. Ford was second, at 23%, and Toyota finished third at 19%, a drop of 11 percentage points for the former leader. Chevrolet, at 16%, and Mercedes-Benz, at 15%, rounded out the top five.

Despite Toyota’s dive in the quality rankings, the Japanese automaker still scored the highest in overall brand perception -– an amalgamation of separate rankings of safety, quality, value, performance, environmentally friendliness, design/style and technology/innovation.

Toyota, with an overall score of 147, narrowly edged out Ford, which scored 144 points on the Consumer Reports scale, because of its big lead as an automaker that is considered environmentally friendly, said C. Matt Fields, a magazine spokesman.

“Statistically, it really is a dead heat,” he said.

Consumers in the study ranked safety, 65%; quality, 57%; and value, 51%, as the most important factors in their car-buying decisions. When it comes to safety, Volvo was named by 70% as the leader. It had a giant 50-point advantage over second-place Ford at 20%. Honda and Subaru were both at 17% and Mercedes-Benz was fifth, with 14%.

In terms of value, Ford, at 25%, squeaked by Honda, 24%, and Toyota, 23%, as the brand most mentioned by consumers. Hyundai, with 17%, and Chevrolet, at 15%, rounded out the value rankings. The full report can be found here.

Consumer Reports saying that Ford has moved up in perception and that Toyota has declined matches other auto-market trends.

The Ford brand outsold Toyota’s line of vehicles last year for the first time since 2006.
Toyota saw its share of the U.S. auto market fall to 15.2% in 2010 from 17% in the previous year.

Meanwhile, Ford’s market share rose to 16.7% last year, up more than a full percentage point. This was the second consecutive year of rising market share for Ford and its first back-to-back increase since 1993.

Also last year, Toyota was the subject of more than a quarter of the complaints drivers filed with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, according to a study by auto information company Edmunds.com. Its ratio of complaints to 100,000 vehicles sold jumped to nearly 87 so far in 2010 from 37 a year earlier.

Among large automakers, Ford and Honda had the lowest complaint ratios.

Source;
http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/money_co/2011/01/honda-and-ford-have-pushed-past-toyota-in-consumer-views-of-quality-according-to-consumer-reports-2011-car-brand-percepti.html

Honda and Ford has the lowest complaint ratios for any large manufacturer

By Mark Kleis

2010 will likely go down in history as one of the most historic years in the automotive industry, with major shifts in paradigms, safety legislation and global alliances. Of the most memorable events will likely be the seemingly endless string of safety recalls that plagued Toyota, and as a result the number of complaints logged by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration were driven to a record high of over 40,0000 valid complaints.

By mid-December of 2010, NHTSA had already received complaints across all automakers totaling over 40,000, which is four times more than previous years based on analysis by Edmunds and The Los Angeles Times. The same data showed Toyota leading with the most complaints of any automaker with nearly a quarter of all complaints.

Toyota’s complaints per 100,000 vehicles climbed from 37 in 2009, to 87 in 2010. The second worst offender was Nissan, logging 62 complaints per 100,000 vehicles sold, followed closely by Volkswagen with 58 complaints. The overall industry average came in at just 47 complaints per 100,000 vehicles sold – a figure bumped from just 30 the previous year.

Ford and Honda had the lowest complaint ratios for any large manufacturers in the U.S.

Source;
http://www.leftlanenews.com/toyota-tallies-most-nhtsa-complaints-in-2010-ford-honda-have-fewest.html

Ford, Honda top customer loyalty survey

Scott Burgess / The Detroit News

Ford Motor Co. and Honda Motor Co. have the most loyal customers, according to a new study released today by J.D. Power and Associates.

Nearly two-thirds of Ford and Honda owners, 62 percent, return to their brand for their next vehicle. For Ford, the key vehicles are the Edge crossover, the F-Series pickups and the midsize Fusion sedan. Honda customers come back for the Accord sedan, CR-V crossover and the seven-passenger Pilot.

Hyundai, Lexus and Toyota customers return to their respective brands at the rate of 60 percent. Kia, which had a 58 percent retention rate, improved the most in the study, gaining 21 percentage points over 2009 numbers, the study said.

Additionally, the study noted that more drivers want vehicles that are fun to drive and that has played a role for carmakers to get a customer to switch from one brand to another, known in the industry as a conquest customer.

"Now that economic and market conditions have improved somewhat, vehicle owners are increasingly citing emotional, rather than practical, reasons for staying with their vehicle brand or switching to a different one," said Raffi Festekjian, director of automotive product research at J.D. Power and Associates, in a news release. "In light of this, developing new models with attractive styling and that are perceived as fun to drive is increasingly critical for automakers in order to retain and conquest customers as the market continues to recover."

The study also states that domestic carmakers have done a better job at attracting traditional import buyers. In 2010, 14 percent of buyers of domestic brands had previously owned an import, which was up from 10 percent in 2008.

However, the overall loyalty rates remains fairly consistent, the study noted. In 2009, 69 percent of owners who traded in a domestic brand vehicle bought another domestic brand vehicle compared with 68 percent in 2008. Import buyers, however, are much more loyal to import brands, with 90 percent of import buyers traded in an import brand for another import brand in 2010, which is the same number as 2008.

Source;
http://www.detnews.com/article/20101209/AUTO01/12090465/1148/auto01/Ford--Honda-top-customer-loyalty-survey

Upcoming Cars in 2011 Ford Kuga Preview with images

Upcoming Cars in 2011 Ford Kuga Preview

Specifications

These are the specs we know about the Upcoming Cars in 2011 Ford Kuga at this moment:

Pricing: currently unknown. It is likely that the US Kuga will be priced differently than the European Kuga, due to differences in taxation.
Fuel economy: 37 mpg for current model
Engine: 2.0-liter, 161 horsepower four cylinder diesel engine. A 2.5-liter, 200 hp gasoline model is in development. Prior to its US release, a 2.0-liter, 145 hp four-cylinder gasoline engine will probably be available.
Acceleration: 0 to 62 mph in 9.4 seconds
Car safety features: should include standard airbags, stability control, and Trailer Stability Assist
Suspension: suspension provides a comfortable, car-like ride
Warranty: three-year/36,000 mile basic warranty; five-year/60,000 mile powertrain and roadside assistance warranties; five-year corrosion warranty
Ford Kuga

Does the new Ford Kuga spell the end of the Escape? It's not entirely likely, but the new concept car from Ford, which was on display at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show, confirms that Ford Europe is working on a style-driven compact crossover model.

Along with the new Mondeo, S-Max and other contemporary passenger vehicles, Ford of Europe is becoming a real trend setter, and the new Kuga which is slated for production in early 2008 is another sign of the marque's proactive approach to new vehicle design.

Ford Europe states that the show car will be a "preview model of the production vehicle", meaning the overall design is in place, but the huge wheels, show car interior and other minor cues will be omitted from the 2008 production version.
Article by webwombat.com.au/motoring/news_reports/ford-kuga-concept.htm

Autoblog: 2011 Ford Explorer Spyshots

Nice looking SUV....
Source with more pics;
http://www.autoblog.com/2010/07/13/2011-ford-explorer-teasers-continue-with-headlight-peek/

Ford, Honda expected to lead industry in market-share gains

According to closely watched industry report, Ford and Honda are expected to lead the industry in market-share gains over the next four years, while GM and Chrysler hold steady, and slip, respectively. Ford and Honda are expected to each gain 2 points of market share by 2013 courtesy of redesigned cars and trucks being introduced ahead of industry pace.

“Ford’s recent gains should continue, with share reaching the 17% to 18% range, supported by a solid product cadence,” automotive analyst John Murphy said in the report.

While admitting that staying ahead in the automotive game is getting harder, Murphy said that rolling out redesigned vehicles faster than competitors is a sure way to boost sales and keep factories busy, thus posting big profits. Replacement has held steady at about 13% since 1992, but is expected to spike to 27% this year, with Chrysler replacing at a rate of about 24%. “Chrysler products are likely to have a tough time in a competitive market,,” Murphy said.

Source;
http://www.egmcartech.com/2010/06/02/ford-honda-expected-to-lead-industry-in-market-share-gains/

Ford kills Mercury, So What?

Mercury has been vacant in Canada for awhile now....
Sometime this afternoon Ford Motor is expected to kill the Mercury brand. This has been rumoured for quite a while, and it's evoked no end of hand-wringing among the American cognoscenti who believe nothing ever should change in the car business. Ever.

Well, my American friends, Ford of Canada killed the Mercury brand years and years ago, under then-CEO Bobbi Gaunt. I have yet to encounter a single Canadian expressing sadness over Mercury's demise. Mercury has been Ford's Plymouth and Oldsmobile for far too long. My question for Ford: What took you so long? Haven't you noticed what happened in Canada when Mercury went away? Nothing!

Word out of Detroit is that a new compact originally destined for Mercury will now become a Lincoln in 2012. That means we'll get that car in Canada. And lord knows, Lincoln needs all the help it can get both here and down south. The new compact will be based on the 2011 Ford Focus, according to various reports.

Meanwhile, scrapping Mercury will further enable Ford's product people to focus scarce investment dollars on its Blue Oval and Lincoln luxury marques. Another good thing.
Mercury has long been the obvious next target for CEO Alan Mulally. Since arriving in 2006, he has diligently led a simplification of Ford's operations. He wants Ford to be "One Ford" and that has meant jettisoning Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, Volvo, a controlling stake in Mazda and now Mercury.

If you've been watching the transformation at Ford, Mercury has not fit in the U.S. since at least 2005 when Ford began a campaign to turn it into a chick brand. Mercury, founded in 1939 by scion Edsel Ford, had no special appeal for women; rather, it is a relic of a different era. Now the deed is being done and it's about time.

So long, Mercury. We haven't missed you for decades.

Source;
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/globe-drive/driving-it-home/ford-kills-mercury-so-what/article1589702/

Business News: Consumer Reports Says Honda (NYSE:HMC) and Ford (NYSE: F) Top Brand Loyalty

A new survey from Consumer Reports shows that Honda (NYSE: HMC) is currently the top auto manufacturer in terms of customer loyalty, with 68% of current owners saying that they are likely to purchase another Honda as their next vehicle.

Ford Motor Co (NYSE: F) ranked second in the report, with 61% of its owners saying that their next vehicle would likely be a Ford. This is a notable increase from its numbers two months again when Ford was fourth on the list, and just 51% of its drivers said they were loyal to the brand.

Consumer Reports surveyed 1,704 U.S. adults that currently own a Chevrolet, Dodge, Ford, Honda or Toyota vehicle.

Toyota took a major hit in loyalty from their customers after several highly publicized news items came out questioning the quality of and safety issues in several of their models. As a whole, the Japanese automaker has slipped to number three with 57% of its customers saying that they would buy a Toyota as their next new vehicle, a 13% decline from their December 2009 results when it had a 70% probable customer retainment rating.

Source;
http://www.americanbankingnews.com/2010/05/16/consumer-reports-says-honda-nysehmc-and-ford-nyse-f-top-brand-loyalty/

Ford launched commercial production of Figo model in India

Ford India Private Limited (FIPL), a fully owned subsidiary of US based Ford Motor Company, today launched the production of its much awaited small car model Ford Figo, at its Maraimalai Nagar production facility in Tamil Nadu. Mr M Karunanidhi, Chief Minister of the state inaugurated the production of Figo model which is expected to be launched in India by the end of this month. Ford Figo is company's first compact small car in India and it is expecting good response from middle-class buyers after analyzing the high sales of recently launched small car Chevrolet Beat in the country.

Ford to launch Figo model next month

Ford India, a subsidiary of US based automobile manufacturer Ford Motors is all set to launch its much awaited compact small car Ford Figo in India, next month. Production of the Ford Figo model has been started at company's plant in Maraimalainagar, Chennai after inaugurated by the state Chief Minister M Karunanidhi. Ford India has invested around $500 million in its operations in Chennai. Michael Boneham, MD and President of the Ford India said in a statement given to the media that Ford Figo Model will be launched with a very competitive price tag as the Figo model will be launched in a segment which is already very competitive and accounts for 70% of the all new car sales in the country.

Ford Figo and Volkswagen Polo will be launched in India

The Indian auto Industry registered a record sales growth in the starting month of this year and the major contributor to this growth was small car segment. Where the sales of Maruti's flagship model Maruti Alto and Maruti Wagon R remain on top, Hyundai's Santro Xing and i10 models registered a good sales figures. But the show stopper was the Chevrolet Beat model which received a very good response from the Indian customers as company has already sold 2825 units of Chevrolet Beat model in the month of January this year. It is expected that the momentum of high growth will remain in coming months also as many new car models are expected to be launched in India in coming months. Ford Motors is all set to launch its Ford Figo model in India as the production of the model has already been started at its Chennai plant. Ford has invested nearly $500 in its operations in India and the company is targeting to make India its export hub for its small car Ford Figo.

Cool car: Ford Ikon ikool launched

Ford India introduced its new variant, Ikon ikool, of Ford Ikon in India. Equipped with Duratorq TDCi 1.4 diesel and ROCAM 1.3 petrol engines, these models will be available from tomorrow. The ex-showroom price of the car in Delhi is Rs 4.82 lakh for petrol version and Rs 5.42 lakh for diesel version. Ford India said in a statement that the engines of the car are designed in a way to give class leading fuel efficiency.