Sticker Shock: U.S. Used Car Prices Soar as Nation Tackles Weak Economy and More

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Well, it was bound to happen sooner or later. U.S. used car prices are up 30% over June 2010, in some cases besting Kelly Blue Book values by as much as 25%. Trade-ins are also up by 30% since this time last year.

A variety of factors, including an economy still reeling from the Global Financial Crisis, high gas prices and the Tōhoku earthquake, are thought to be responsible for the massive price rise.

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Post Title → Sticker Shock: U.S. Used Car Prices Soar as Nation Tackles Weak Economy and More

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Ford Calls Rally Fans to Vote on Their Favorite Roof Livery for the Fiesta WRC

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The Blue Oval’s rally team is reaching out to its fans through Facebook and asking them to choose a unique roof artwork the Fiesta RS WRCs driven by Jari-Matti Latvala, Mikko Hirvonen and Khalid Al Qassimi at next month’s Rally Finland, which runs from July 28-30, 2011.

“Up until now the Ford Abu Dhabi Team Fiesta RS WRCs have simply featured the Ford logo,” said Will May, Motorsport Marketing Manager for Ford of Europe. “So we’re inviting our Facebook followers to vote for one of several designs we’ve developed under one theme – which is ‘the food that fuels you’."

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Post Title → Ford Calls Rally Fans to Vote on Their Favorite Roof Livery for the Fiesta WRC

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Ford Says No to 7-Seat Grand C-MAX for the USA, Yes to Hybrid 5-Seat C-MAX

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Earlier today, we told you about Ford’s decision to increase production of the Focus-based C-MAX minivan at its Valencia plant in Spain to meet strong demand from European customers. We also noted that Ford was planning to launch the longer and more spacious 7-seat Grand C-MAX in the United States.

Well, it turns out there’s been a slight change of plans as the Detroit automaker just announced it won’t be bringing the petrol-powered Grand C-MAX to the U.S. after all. But not all is lost for fans of the Focus-based minivan as Ford will focus on the five-seat C-MAX in both hybrid and plug-in hybrid formats. The C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid vehicles were previewed at the Detroit Auto Show this past January.

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Post Title → Ford Says No to 7-Seat Grand C-MAX for the USA, Yes to Hybrid 5-Seat C-MAX

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Ford Increases Production of C-MAX in Europe to Meet Growing Sales

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Good news for Ford as the company has ramped up production of its new five-seat C-MAX and seven-seat Grand C-MAX to meet growing demand for the two minivans in the European market. The revamped schedule calls for an 18 percent increase in daily C-MAX production at the firm’s plant in Valencia, Spain. Read more »

Post Title → Ford Increases Production of C-MAX in Europe to Meet Growing Sales

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U.S. Government Focusing in on Web Gadgets that Distract Drivers

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We are all living in an age of networked information. Social media sites such as Facebook and Twitter, smartphones and public internet access are making the world smaller every day. Unfortunately, in some instances all this information can distract us from the important things, such as focusing on driving. And no one agrees with this more than U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood:

“We know people are hooked on cellphones and texting devices. But there's absolutely no reason for any person to download their Facebook into the car. It's not necessary. "

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Post Title → U.S. Government Focusing in on Web Gadgets that Distract Drivers

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And the Unluckiest Car in Britain is…the Honda FR-V

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Well, the question and the answer have already been given to you in the title, so let us elaborate for a moment. A UK-based car insurance price comparison website called “Confused.com” conducted a study to find out which vehicle make and model had the highest accident rates in Britain in the last five years. The company notes that the statistics you’re about to read show only a snapshot of accident-related claims made by owners of a particular make and model of vehicle.

According to the results, the Honda FR-V, a compact 6-seater minivan marketed in Europe and Japan from 2004 to 2009, topped the list with 2,529 owners of the model making 466 accident claims in the past five years, which is equal to a claim rate of 18.4 per cent, or close to one in five.

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Post Title → And the Unluckiest Car in Britain is…the Honda FR-V

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Mazda to Stop Building the North American Mazda6 in the USA, Successor will Come from Japan

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For better or for worse, depending on which side of the line you are standing on, Mazda has confirmed rumors that it will stop building the Mazda6 at the AutoAlliance International (AAI) plant in Michigan, which it runs jointly with Ford, after the mid-size sedan's current cycle ends.
The company said the Mazda6's replacement for the North American market will be produced at its Hofu Plant in Yamaguchi prefecture, Japan, adding that the decision was driven by the firm’s “ongoing efforts to increase global manufacturing efficiencies”.
“Our intention is to transfer production of our next CD-car for North America from AAI and consolidate it at Hofu in order to improve production and investment efficiencies and optimize our business," said Takashi Yamanouchi, President and CEO of Mazda Motor Co.
Mazda established the AAI plant in 1985 but it became a 50-50 joint venture between the Japanese automaker and Ford Motor Company in 1992, when the name was changed to AutoAlliance International, Inc. Over the years, the facility has churned out more than 1.7 million Mazda vehicles, including the MX-6, 626 and from 2002, the Mazda6 of which over 500,000 units have been built. The factory also produces the Ford Mustang.
The Japanese automaker said it will continue to work with its former owner Ford, but didn’t go into any specific details.
“We are committed to working with Ford, our joint venture partner in AAI, to identify potential future opportunities for the plant,” said Yamanouchi. “Mazda and Ford have enjoyed a close relationship for over 30 years. We have collaborated on projects where there are mutual benefits, and both companies remain committed to continuing this strategic partnership."
Ford has not yet commented on Mazda’s decision to abandon the joint venture factory in Michigan.
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‘Tis Official: Mazda to Stop Building the North American Mazda6 in the USA, Successor will Come from Japan

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For better or for worse, depending on which side of the line you are standing on, Mazda has confirmed rumors that it will stop building the Mazda6 at the AutoAlliance International (AAI) plant in Michigan, which it runs jointly with Ford, after the mid-size sedan's current cycle ends.

The company said the Mazda6's replacement for the North American market will be produced at its Hofu Plant in Yamaguchi prefecture, Japan, adding that the decision was driven by the firm’s “ongoing efforts to increase global manufacturing efficiencies”.

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Post Title → ‘Tis Official: Mazda to Stop Building the North American Mazda6 in the USA, Successor will Come from Japan

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Ford 1.0L EcoBoost Three-Cylinder And Eight-Speed Transmission!!

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Ford Grοup Vice President οf Global Product Development, has cοnfirmed that the Dearborn autοmaker will offer turbοcharged EcoBoost pοwertrains in 90 percent οf its vehicles here in the United States by 2013. This jοurney fοr full-line forced-inductiοn started with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 fοund in the Taurus, Flex and F-150, as well as the Lincοln MKS and MKT. Next, we will be seeing a 2.0-liter EcoBoost inline-fοur under the hοοd of the Edge and Explorer, and nοw, Ford has cοnfirmed development οf a 1.0-liter EcoBοοst three-cylinder engine.

This 1.0-liter, inline-three will be the smallest engine in Fοrd's portfοlio, and it will find its way under the hood οf vehicles across the glοbe. Nο specific output οr fuel economy numbers have been divulged just yet, but Jοe Bakaj, Ford's Vice President οf Global Powertrain Engineering, says that the 1.0-liter triple will prοvide similar power tο the automaker's 1.6-liter naturally aspirated fοur, while improving fuel ecοnomy. When asked, Bakaj tells us that the fuel ecοnοmy improvements will be similar in percentage tο those with the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 cοmpared tο a naturally aspirated V8.

Fοrd says it plans tο announce mοre information abοut the 1.0-liter engine at this year's Frankfurt Motor Show, including exactly what vehicles will be pοwered by this mill. Since Fοrd is benchmarking its 1.6-liter engine here – the pοwerplant used in the Fiesta, we did expect that this EcoBoost three almοst certainly slοt into Ford's smallest οffering here in the States.

The Blue Oval has alsο confirmed that it is wοrking οn an all-new eight-speed automatic transmissiοn, which is being designed, engineered and built by Ford in-hοuse. Bakaj states that the eight-speed autοmatic will offerbest-in-class shift smoοthness and respοnsiveness.

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Report: Mazda to Cut Ties with Ford and Stop U.S. Production by 2013

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Earlier in May, we told you about a report concerning Mazda’s plans to discontinue production of its Mazda6 mid-size model at its joint-venture plant with Ford in Michigan. Today, new reports from both Japan and the U.S. are claiming that Mazda Motors will dissolve its 50-50 joint venture with Ford and stop building cars in the USA by 2013, with the Japanese company already in talks with the Detroit automaker to sell its stake in their car production venture Auto Alliance International [AAI]. Read more »

Post Title → Report: Mazda to Cut Ties with Ford and Stop U.S. Production by 2013

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Ford’s Smallest Production Engine Ever

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It took the Ford Motor Company a very long time to jump aboard the turbocharged engine bandwagon for mainstream, non-sport models, but now the Detroit automaker is going full speed ahead with the presentation of a full range of force-fed gasoline powerplants. Ford latest offering is a new 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine, the company’s first three-cylinder unit and its smallest production engine ever.
Designed by the engineering team at Ford’s Dunton Technical Centre in the U.K., the 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine promises to deliver performance of a larger four-cylinder unit with even higher fuel economy. It employs all EcoBoost technologies, such as turbocharging, direct injection and twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT).
The Detroit automaker is not yet ready to talk numbers, but Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of Global Product Development, said the new three-cylinder unit “will deliver horsepower and torque outputs equivalent to or better than most normally aspirated 1.6-liter gasoline engines”.
The new engine, which was first seen in the Ford Start concept mini at the Beijing Show in 2010, and more recently in the Ford B-MAX study at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show, will be launched globally in Ford’s small cars and will be available in North America.
“Consumers are telling us they want to buy affordable vehicles that get many more miles per gallon,” said Kuzak. “Our new 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine will give consumers looking for hybrid-like fuel economy a new, more affordable choice.”
While Ford did not specify which models will get the tiny EcoBoost engine, it is believed that the Ka and the Fiesta will be among the first Ford models to be equipped with the petrol unit.
The company said full technical and application information for the new 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine will be released in September at the 2011 edition of the Frankfurt Motor Show in Germany.

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Ford’s Smallest Production Engine Ever: The New 1.0-liter EcoBoost Three-Cylinder Gasoline Unit

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It took the Ford Motor Company a very long time to jump aboard the turbocharged engine bandwagon for mainstream, non-sport models, but now the Detroit automaker is going full speed ahead with the presentation of a full range of force-fed gasoline powerplants. Ford latest offering is a new 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine, the company’s first three-cylinder unit and its smallest production engine ever.

Designed by the engineering team at Ford’s Dunton Technical Centre in the U.K., the 1.0-liter EcoBoost engine promises to deliver performance of a larger four-cylinder unit with even higher fuel economy. It employs all EcoBoost technologies, such as turbocharging, direct injection and twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT).

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Post Title → Ford’s Smallest Production Engine Ever: The New 1.0-liter EcoBoost Three-Cylinder Gasoline Unit

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