Executive Chairman Bill Ford, Jr. and Chief Executive Alan Mulally have reportedly been given big-time bonuses by the Blue Oval for keeping things moving when and filed for bankruptcy. Mulally received $56.5 million worth of Ford stock before taxes and Ford got stock worth $42.4 million.
Ford, Jr. hired Mulally from Boeing in 2006, before they went around to different banks to secure restructuring loans to stay solvent through the lending crisis and economic recession. In 2010, Ford saw its best year since 1999, clearing $6.6 billion in profits.
To add to their enormous bonuses, the Los Angeles Times says that Ford, Jr. and Mulally opted to purchase Ford stock at $14.76 a share. Market value of Ford stock rose three percent today to $14.46 a share.
2013 BMW i3 – Click above for high-res image gallery
engineers are busy putting their new line of i-branded vehicles through the winter-ringer, and in addition to , the i3 has been spied taking to the snow.
The shape of the i3 decidedly un-BMW, with its upright, pedestrian-friendly nose, slab sides and bulbous back end. The taillamps fitted to the prototype obviously aren’t production-spec, while the thin tire and wheel combo are doing double-duty, blending winter grip with low rolling resistance. The overall shape is rather anonymous, but we’re digging the sloped roofline and massive greenhouse, which should make visibility that much better.
Although BMW has confirmed that the , the rest of the chassis is likely to employ plenty of aluminum to keep the curb weight in check. What we don’t know is what kind of powertrain is fitted underneath and which wheels are driven. Our sources indicate that the i3’s architecture will be rear-wheel drive, but there’s . If it’s the latter, expect a 0-60 mph time of around 10 seconds and a range that tops out near 100 miles. Sales are slated to begin in late 2013, right after the range-topping i8 hits the market.
Mini Rocketman Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
This year’s Geneva Motor Show was as packed as ever with new concept cars that point the way forward for the world’s automakers. And with their debuts now behind us, reports are pouring in on their prospects for production.
First came word that the , then reports surfaced of ’s design pitch. Now sources from across the pond are indicating that plans to go ahead with production of its concept.
The subcompact show car aimed to pacify purists who bemoan the enlargement of the modern Mini range, and the new model could bridge the gap between the original Mini and the contemporary iteration.
According to Autocar, Mini plans on producing the Rocketman based on the Group’s new front-drive platform and technologies. Rather than replace the existing three-door hatchback, however, the production Rocketman would slot in below it (at least in terms of size) in the company’s rapidly expanding range.
’s clean diesel initiative here in the United States started with the hatchback and crossover, but in the coming years, we can expect the vast majority of the company’s volume models to offer oil-burning powerplants. This isn’t the first time the German automaker has spoke of expanding its diesel lineup here in the U.S., but during a press conference this morning, Audi of America President Johan de Nysschen outlined exactly what we can expect to see over the next 24 to 30 months.
The first new implementations of TDI clean diesel will be in the and sedans, as well as the crossover. All three of these models are expected to have hybrid variants, as well, meaning customers will have a full range of powertrain options in the coming years.
As for the – Audi’s highest-volume model – TDI power is still in the cards for U.S. consumption. Instead of offering a diesel engine in the current model, Audi will be waiting until the next-generation car arrives. The all-new A4 is expected to launch in 2015, or possibly even 2014.
Finally, de Nysschen stated that Audi’s first electric vehicle is expected to arrive in the U.S. by early 2013. The automaker’s EV technology has been over the past few years, and while it’s unclear exactly what sort of electric vehicle will arrive in the U.S., our bet is on something -based to rival BMW’s new sports car.
Nokian Tires slides past Bentley’s Ice Speed Record – Click above to watch video
Nokian Tires was paying close attention to Ice Speed Record. If you don’t recall, Bentley used a Continental Supersports Convertible to dash across a stretch of ice last month at 205 miles per hour,. Nokian strapped a set of its Hakkapeliitta 7 studded tires on to an Audi RS6 and decided to have its own icy blast. Thanks to the grippy rubber and aerodynamic mods (as well as a curious lack of detail regarding performance mods), the Nokian team and driver Janne Laitinen upped the ice-speed ante with a trap figure of 206.05 miles per hour.
The Nokian team previously set an Ice Speed Record using its Hakkapeliitta 5 tires. During that run, a Bentley was used, but this time Nokian preferred Four Rings, Quattro all-wheel-drive and its latest generation of studded snow tires. to watch the new record and Nokian’s previous 199.86 mile per hour record run. Thanks for the tip, Ville!
Veritas RSIII Hybrid – Click above for high-res image gallery
Vermot AG is on the cusp of unleashing a hail of all-new models, including a fully-electric vehicle and a coupe version of the delicious Veritas RSIII. But before we get a taste of those, the company is dipping a pinky toe into electric waters with the introduction of the Veritas RSIII Hybrid. The vehicle basically throws a 105 kilowatt electric motor into the already delectable mix that makes up the standard RSIII. That means that you still get the sounds and feel of the 507-horsepower -built V10 engine in the standard RSIII, but with a little extra electron punch.
Even with the additional drivetrain components and a stack of lithium-ion batteries, the Veritas RSIII Hybrid tips the scales at 2,821 pounds, which is around 500 pounds heavier than the standard version. Even so, Vermot says its battery-operated speedster can do away with the 0-62 mph sprint in a skinny 3.1 seconds thanks in part to the fact that the electric motor kicks power to the front wheels, effectively making the machine an all-wheel drive terror. For reference, that’s .1 seconds faster than its predecessor.
Going back to the future in automotive design – Click above to watch the video
Think today’s concept cars – like the ones recently unveiled at the currently ongoing Geneva Motor Show – are off the wall? They ain’t got nothin’ on what American automakers and independent engineers alike were coming up with circa the 1950s.
With the jet age throttling up to full speed, the concept cars of yesteryear embodied the unbridled optimism of post-war America. Today, of course, they seem as kitschy as an old Disneyland ride, but you can take that step back into the future that never was in the brief video . Just don’t forget where you parked the there, Marty.
We should have known better, but we just couldn’t bring ourselves to believe the rumors. For over two years now, we’ve heard whispers of Nissan’s plan to introduce a convertible version of its , but the idea seemed so far-fetched that we just couldn’t wrap our gray matter around it. We managed to fall sleep at night by dismissing the notion as yet another silly bit of industry rumor-mongering, the sort of fodder serially dished out by British auto weeklies that splash absurd future product predictions on their covers (generally accompanied by fanciful artist’s renderings) to sell more paper at the newsstand.
We doubted it, but we should have known better. has shown real design bravery lately, as well as an unquenchable desire to fill any and all white space in its portfolio. Remember, it was Nissan’s product planners who conceived of a car designed exclusively with a T-square, throwing in a bit of asymmetrical glass and a patch of fake grass atop the dashboard – just in case anyone thought the was too boring. The automaker then announced that it was making a big bet on a only capable of driving 100 miles before having to have its e-umbilical cord reattached. It followed this up with a tiny yet oddly lovable wearing a Kabuki mask. In retrospect, we shouldn’t be questioning Nissan’s wisdom in lopping the top off its mid-size crossover to create a ragtop – we should be wondering what’s taken it so long.
As we stand around looking at the CrossCabriolet at its sun-drenched San Diego launch, we can’t help but be confounded. By all rights, the CrossCabriolet ought to look like a SEMA refugee. You know the type: four doors, shadetree roofectomy by Sawzall, a frumpy and ill-fitting top and a targa bar straddling the passenger compartment to keep the whole thing from collapsing in on itself. Amazingly, in person, the Murano convertible doesn’t look anything like this. Nissan has clearly expended a surprisingly large amount of styling and engineering resources on the project, and the resulting vehicle looks more cohesive than it has any right to.
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Autoblog Podcast #220 is here, and Chris, Dan and Zach are joined by Jon Linkov. Topics start with the annual CR Autos issue and move on to the idea of a subcompact Jeep, the Smart ForTwo Electric Drive, a globally designed Mustang and, of course, your questions and feedback. It’s an hour and fifteen minutes of fun this week – thanks for listening, we’ll see you next week!
Autoblog Podcast #220: Jeep subcompact, Smart ED, Global Mustang, with Consumer Reports’ John Linkov
Don’t call it a , whatever you do. Ram has officially yanked back the sheets on the newest addition to its growing stable of workhorses – a -based cargo van built to cater to the small business owners of the world. Along with solid side panels down the vehicle’s flanks, the Ram C/V packs a flat load floor and a load-leveling suspension. Under the hood, buyers will only be able to get the new Chrysler 3.6-liter Pentastar V6 with 283 horsepower and 260 pound-feet of torque. Mated to a six-speed automatic transmission, the engine helps provide what Ram calls a class-besting tow rating of 3,800 pounds.
The Ram C/V also boasts an economy mode to maximize fuel efficiency, and says that buyers can expect around 25 mpg highway.
The van is also loaded with heavy-duty kit like a more robust radiator, transmission cooler and stiffer rear coil springs. Combined, the pieces help the vehicle serve up a Gross Combined Weight Rating of 8,750 pounds with an 1,800-pound cargo rating. for the full press blast, or check out Ram’s new fighter out in the gallery below.
BMW i8 Spy Shots – Click above for high-res image gallery
doesn’t seem to be too engaged in trying to hide what the company’s new i8 supercar will look like when it arrives – in fact, it’s been so kind as to leave the label on one of its prototypes. Our keen-eyed spy photographers managed to snap a few quick photos of the vehicle dashing through the snow in northern Sweden during a little cold-weather testing. The machine you see above will be the reigning monarch of the Bavarian automaker’s new sub-brand, , once it debuts.
Based on the Vision EfficientDynamics concept that starred at the 2009 Frankfurt Motor Show, the vehicle is said to pack 2+2 seating, a 0-62 mph time in the 4.8 second range and fuel economy of over 62 mpg U.S., along with a supercar price tag. Look to fork over around $200,000 when this beastie touches down.
There’s been some indication that BMW will forgo the thrifty diesel engine of the concept in favor of a turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline mill to work in coordination with a hybrid system. While that’s bad news bears for diesel fans, the fact that BMW is gearing the platform toward gasoline means that this vehicle will more than likely show up on American shores.
Tesla Model S – Click above for high-res image gallery
Tesla recently held a celebration in honor of its newest store, located in Milan, Italy. At the event, customers and company-folk mingled while chatting about their favorite electric car company. One of the key talking points was the upcoming Model S, and Tesla took the opportunity to answer a few questions.
Deliveries of the North American-market . The first 1,000 vehicles peeled off the assembly line will be Signature Series cars, which means they’re fitted with 300-mile range batteries and identifying options. Once the Signature Series run has been sold, Tesla will continue to produce 300-mile range cars while optional 230-mile and 160-mile Model S sedans will follow later in the year.
The base 160-mile range Tesla Model S will start at $57,000, but a $7,500 tax credit will cut that price to $49,500. Stepping up to the 230-mile range Model S will add $10,000 to the bottom line. The range-topping 300-mile Model S adds $20,000 to the base price. Tesla plans to produce 5,000 units in 2012 before going full-tilt in 2013 with a 20,000 vehicle production run.
Not limited to just the North American market, Tesla will being selling the Model S in Europe during the latter half of 2012. By the middle of 2013, the company will have a right-hand-drive version for the rest of Europe and Asia. Those launches will also features the Signature Series edition.
halted production at six of its plants last week after a fire at Magna International interrupted the companies’ supply of interior parts. The conflagration also halted production at the AutoAlliance International - joint-venture plant in Flat Rock, Michigan, and Automotive News says that production there won’t resume until Friday, March 11. AN does not give a timeframe for when the , also produced at AutoAlliance, will head back into production.
According to reports, the fire started on Wednesday and took nearly a day to put out, damaging around 40 percent of the 187,000-square-foot Magna Atrium plant in Michigan. The Atrium plant builds door panels, instrument clusters and interior trim pieces for GM, , Ford, Mazda and .
Thankfully, the fire didn’t injure any workers, but Magna officials are still trying to determine the extent of the physical damage. No word yet on what the monetary damages will be from the fire, but according to The Detroit News, about half the plant is already back up and running, and the indicates that GM will resume full production at its plants today.
They’re both Italian. They both have V12 engines with around six and a half liters of displacement and upwards of 600 horsepower driving all four wheels. They’ll also both cost their affluent buyers over a third of a million dollars to get their hands on (before speculation and everything else is factored in).
That is, of course, only if they can actually get their hands on one. Because according to reports, both the and the have already been sold out for the next year’s worth of production.
We say “already” because both cars – flagships for arch-rival marques – were only just unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show days before reportedly selling out. Eight hundred of the former are slated to be produced through the end of 2011, and 700 of the latter. Which means that either their buyers have been plonking down over three hundred thousand Benjamins sight unseen, or more likely, both companies have been giving select clientele previews.
If you’ve ever been to the Nürburgring, you’d have been wise to take a ride in the Ring Taxi. Operated by OK Speed Marketing on ’s behalf, the Ring Taxi offers you the opportunity to fly around the vaunted Nordschleife in an piloted by Sabine Schmitz or another from BMW’s talent pool. Or “offered,” we should say, as reports come in that the program may be drawing to a close.
Since the program’s start in 1986, some 90,000 passengers have enjoyed the experience, clocking more than 400,000 miles over the course of over 300,000 hot laps. But with financial constraints apparently coming to bear, OK Speed Marketing is reportedly canceling the Ring Taxi program due to an apparent lack of profitability. Which is a shame, because from what we hear, the combination of Sabine, an M5 and the Ring added up to one heck of a wild ride.
Looking on the bright side, however, it appears that some unknown entity is looking to pick the idea of the Ring Taxi back up… though it wouldn’t seem likely to keep the same name. We’ll let you know what we hear.
2011Hyundai Sonata 2.0T – Click above for high-res image gallery
has been on an extended roll these last few years, and car buyers have apparently noticed. The Korean automaker’s sales have been steadily climbing, and new products like the and only help matters. Winning new customers is obviously a large part of Hyundai’s recent success, but it’s important to keep current owners in the fold as well.
Hyundai is apparently doing just that, as Brand Keys has named Hyundai the brand with the best customer loyalty. Brand Keys President Robert Passikoff pointed out Hyundai’s ability to meet customer expectations, adding that the car maker “scored the highest levels of loyalty when it comes to the Automotive category.”
After Hyundai, the top six automakers were at number two, followed by a tie for and and another dead-lock for and . to read over the press release.
Ssangyong SUT-1 Concept – Click above for high-res image gallery
, which has by , has announced its intentions to start selling up to 20,000 cars a year in the U.S., beginning sometime in the next two to five years. That would mean that Mahindra could wind up with a back door into the U.S. market.
Currently, there are no announced plans for such a deal, but the 350 dealers that have been planning to market Mahindra vehicles in the States have been left hanging in the balance and are surely starting to worry. Currently, nobody is sure if or when Mahindra will break into the American market after the company’s deal with Atlanta-based independent distributor Global Vehicles fell through.
For now, the only plans that are concrete are Ssangyong’s designs on bringing more Korean-made cars to our shores. Where Mahindra and Global Vehicles settle out remains to be seen.
Playboy model demonstrates co-ed naked drifting – Click above to watch the video
To some, drifting is kinda sorta a non-sport. After all, the winning car isn’t necessarily the one that crosses the finish line ahead of all others, and the vehicles themselves were created on purpose to be ill-handling, tail-happy smoke generators.
Somehow, we have a feeling all those ills would be forgiven by the detractors if the cars were piloted by naked Playboy models.
And so we bring you the video after the break. We’ll go ahead and label this one not-safe-for-work-ish… while there technically isn’t any nudity shown on camera, the model clearly is performing these smoky antics sans clothing. Oh, and of course she doesn’t know how to drive a stick.
We’ll say no more, and we’ll leave all those rather obvious double entendres to you. to see co-ed naked drifting’s first (completely non-sanctioned) clothing optional event.
One final note: This is the same car (repainted) we featured in a four-part web documentary that .
Playboy model demonstrates co-ed naked drifting – Click above to watch the video
To some, drifting is kinda sorta a non-sport. After all, the winning car isn’t necessarily the one that crosses the finish line ahead of all others, and the vehicles themselves were created on purpose to be ill-handling, tail-happy smoke generators.
Somehow, we have a feeling all those ills would be forgiven by the detractors if the cars were piloted by naked Playboy models.
And so we bring you the video after the break. We’ll go ahead and label this one not-safe-for-work-ish… while there technically isn’t any nudity shown on camera, the model clearly is performing these smoky antics sans clothing. Oh, and of course she doesn’t know how to drive a stick.
We’ll say no more, and we’ll leave all those rather obvious double entendres to you. to see co-ed naked drifting’s first (completely non-sanctioned) clothing optional event.
One final note: This is the same car (repainted) that we featured in a four-part web documentary that .
2012 Ferrari FF – Click either image for high-res image gallery
’s unprecedented FF marks a startling new direction for the Italian automaker. The first all-wheel-drive Ferrari is also the first factory shooting brake, picking up where coachbuilt specials like Drogo’s 250 GTO Breadvan and Chinetti’s 365 GTB/4 Panther left off in the 1960s.
Until now, we’ve seen the FF from the , we’ve seen it powering through and we’ve seen it in person on the of the 2011Geneva Motor Show. But to coincide with its public debut, Ferrari has hit us with another batch of images, apparently shot in Abu Dhabi around the grounds of the Ferrari World theme park. Among the fresh shots are also the best views we’ve gotten yet of the meticulously-crafted bovine graveyard that is the FF’s commodious interior. Check ‘em out in the updated high-res image gallery below.
