There is little question that , under the leadership of CEO Alan Mulally, has perhaps never looked better in terms of product and financial stability.
But it’s been less than four years since the company’s stock was hovering near $1.00 a share. The Ford family was making noise about selling out. And Mulally was actually lampooned on Saturday Night Live.
Bryce G. Hoffman, a reporter for The Detroit News, has penned a new book, , on the fall and rise of the Blue Oval. The book really begins with the 2000-2001 Firestone tire recall, continues through the 2008 financial meltdown and eventually finishes with the comeback and reformation of the company under Mulally.
David Kiley, Editor-in-Chief of our sister site, AOL Autos, reviews the book for HuffingtonPost Detroit, bu you can check out a video interview with Hoffman talking all things Ford .
: Bryce G. Hoffman’s new American Icon book on Ford [w/video]
The brand may be meeting its demise, but that doesn’t mean that its cars won’t live on for years to come. And we aren’t just talking about its passenger cars, either. Take, for instance, the we showed you last week. The racer, constructed by Flash Engineering and Team Tidö, is currently preparing to do battle in the Swedish Racing Elite League, with entries from , and clearly in its sights.
Recently, the widebody 9-3 TTA completed its first round of testing in France, with Swiss driver Fabian Thuner piloting the car around the country’s Alés track. After a few more tweaks, the car will then be sent to Sweden where it will undergo official testing in Karlskoga and Anderstorp, driven by the actual TTA drivers who will pilot the car during the Swedish Racing Elite League competition.
For now, click to see (and hear!) this seriously awesome racecar for yourself. We’ll definitely be keeping our eyes on this one.
The United Auto Workers group isn’t backing down on its efforts to unionize the new manufacturing facility in Chattanooga, Tennessee, according to Automotive News. The union is currently asking workers at the facility to sign a petition of support for organization.
The UAW has been meeting informally with workers at the plant for several months, but began handing out authorization cards early this month. Labor laws require a union to submit signature cards from at least 30 percent of the workforce before an election can be held for representation.
Unionizing plants owned by foreign automakers is a necessity for the group’s survival moving forward, the UAW reiterates. The union has seen membership decline for the past 30 years, resulting in a financial crisis that’s been underscored by the United States recession.
Automotive News reports the UAW has not told Volkswagen of its efforts to unionize the Chattanooga plant. An announcement may come about the program in early April. The plant currently employs more than 2,700 workers.
Automotive News reports is staying the course with the company’s EXP 9 F SUV Concept. The ultra-luxury automaker plans to bring the vehicle to the Beijing Motor Show exactly as it appeared at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this month, despite the fact that the concept didn’t exactly debut to resounding acclaim. Critics described the design as awkward and unbecoming of nameplate like Bentley, but the automaker says it wants to vet the design in as many markets as possible before finalizing the exterior. Here’s hoping the crowds in China are as repulsed as those in Switzerland.
The EXP 9 F has already been green-lit for production, and while we have no qualm with the thought of a high-riding luxury brute with a twin-turbo 12-cylinder engine under the hood, we’d like to see something a little less muddled outside. Bentley says an SUV will give the company a leg up in markets like the Middle East and China, where luxury SUVs remain king. Through the first two months of this year, the company’s sales are up 66 percent in China, putting the country ahead of the United States as the largest market for Bentley products.
has a history of offering performance models that would make any niche supercar manufacturer cower. The latest among them is the , but the gullwing coupe and its roadster counterpart aren’t the extent of what the German automaker’s skunkworks have in store. No, that place of honor at the top of the Mercedes-Benz lineup will soon be taken by an SLS AMG Black Series.
Following in the footsteps of the , CLK63 AMG Black Series, and (most recently) the , the new SLS AMG Black Series promises to eclipse them all with an anticipated 560 horsepower, reduced curb weight and aggressive aerodynamics package.
These spy shots, snapped while the vehicle was undergoing cold-weather testing in the frigid north, also show the tell-tale widened fenders to house the upgraded rolling stock and a new front bumper to feed the over-clocked engine with all the air it needs to breathe.
We’re told to expect the SLS AMG Black Series sometime next year, but you can check out the spy shots now in our high-resolution image gallery.
In 2002, the first U.S. dealership opened in San Francisco. With only one model and a gallon of gas selling for an average of $1.25, there were plenty of critics who said the Mini brand didn’t stand a chance in the States.
“Mini launched in the U.S. during the time when gas was cheap and large trucks and SUVs ruled the road,” said Jim McDowell, Vice President of Mini USA in a statement. “Many thought the brand would be a one-hit wonder, and we are extremely proud that we were able to surprise some the toughest critics, and at times, even ourselves.”
Now, ten years later, Mini has six models, gas prices have more than tripled and “small car” doesn’t necessarily mean “cheap car.” It’s safe to say those naysayers in 2002 made a big mistake about the premium small car from .
So, happy birthday, Mini USA, and congrats on convincing an SUV-loving American public that bigger is not always better.
How well is doing with its new made-in-America ? What if we told you that sales in February were up 14,523.2 percent? Okay, perhaps that isn’t the best measure of performance, given that there wasn’t actually a 2011 model year Passat. But VW moved 8,189 of the midsize sedans last month after selling 6,318 in January.
While that’s but a fraction of the 34,543 February sales for the , it’s enough that VW is adding another 800 jobs at its Chattanooga, Tennessee plant that builds the car. That’s the second ramp-up this year – VW already announced last month.
“Quite plainly, we need more Passats to meet the market demand and I’m glad that we can respond so quickly by adding staff in Chattanooga,” said VW’s U.S. President and CEO, Jonathan Browning.
VW currently employs over 2,700 people at the plant, though 500 actually work for a “staffing partner.” VW says the new jobs will be filled both by those contract employees already working at the plant and by new hires. Positions include production, supervisors, quality engineers, and other professionals roles. Click to read the full press release.
hiring 800 workers in Chattanooga to meet Passat demand
Sure, we think of as an American automaker. One of the most American, at that. But its eponymous founder wasn’t born in these United States. He was born in Switzerland. La Chaux-de-Fonds, to be exact, and so to celebrate the brand’s 100th centenary, it has commissioned a local artist to erect a statue of Louis Chevrolet in his hometown’s Parc de l’Ouest.
The giant polished steel bust was created by budding artist Christian Gonzenbach, whose design was selected by an international jury from among four finalists. Measuring five meters (16.4 feet) tall, the oversize bust was commissioned by and will remain in the park as a permanent tribute to the man whose name has become an international fixture in the automotive industry and a veritable household name. Press release .
Wait a second… a diesel Ducati? Has gone through and the TDI engine made its way onto two wheels already? In a word: no. This isn’t diesel with a small D, but Diesel with a capital D – as in the Italian house of denim.
Diesel signed on last year as a sponsor of the Ducati racing team in the MotoGP series, and has now taken the partnership to a new level by giving the Monster 1100EVO the same kind of treatment it’s applied to the . That means a military theme with Diesel’s trademark matte green paint, yellow brake calipers and rear spring, and blacked-out frame, engine covers, exhaust and forks.
The special edition model is, of course, being launched with a range of biker gear including everything from jacket to jeans, all in typical Diesel style but with an added dose of burnt rubber. for the full press blast and check out the trio of images in the gallery for a closer look.
Our spy photographers managed to spot something curious (and decidedly hilarious) recently. General Motors has been busy testing what would appear to be models with massive 20-inch wheels and tires in place of the low-rolling resistance pieces on the stock plug-in.
Why? Guesses are slim at the moment, but one hypothesis is that this is actually our first glimpse at a Cadillac Converj test mule. That vehicle will make use of an altered version of the Voltec drivetrain found in the , albeit bolted to flashier wheels. The luxury hybrid has been an on-again-off-again affair for since the concept first rolled across the stage at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.
Last we heard, the Converj is on track for launch in either 2013 or 2014. If true, now would be the time to begin working out any engineering bugs on the rumored Voltec 1.5 system. With luxury buyers more willing to hand over stacks of cash for new technology, the Converj could make quite a bit more sense to buyers than the Volt. Or bolting chrome dubs to a hybrid, for that matter.
The all-electric hasn’t exactly set the sales charts ablaze since it hit the market, but it has succeeded in delivering a zero-emissions halo to the brand, and the model’s fortunes are poised to improve now that it’s a 50-state offering. What’s more, TheDetroitBureau.com reports that the electric love will soon migrate over to Nissan’s luxury marque, but with a lot of Leaf under some sexier sheetmetal.
We’ve heard rumors of an Infiniti-branded EV concept for some time now, but details on the electric concept car have been scarce to this point. Now, the automaker tells TDB that it will feature G-Series-inspired styling with a sprinkling of inspiration from the concept (pictured above). Infiniti wants to frame the unnamed concept as a luxury car first and EV second, with more performance and a larger battery pack than the Leaf’s 24 kilowatt-hour lithium-ion setup.
The concept will reportedly also utilize a 6kWh charger that will charge a spent battery in about half the time needed for the Leaf. The beefier charger is likely to make it to production, since the Leaf will reportedly get the 6kWh unit by December.
Earlier today, we showed you a brace of images starring that will make its debut at the next month. But upon closer inspection, the folks at CarScoop found something very interesting hiding in the back of one of the GLK photos: the revised .
It’s unclear exactly which G-Class model this is, though our best guess is that it’s the standard G550. (Those wheels look much too tame for an AMG model.) The G-Wagen’s overall design hasn’t changed (that’s fine, we like it just the way it is), but updates for the 2013 model year include LED running lamps under the headlights and redesigned mirrors.
Word on the street is that the G-Class will feature a reworked interior for 2013, including a new instrument panel, steering wheel and consoles. The big news, however, is that the G55 AMG found in the other AMG models, though it’s unclear if its nomenclature will be altered. You know, because G63 AMG absolutely makes sense.
Mum’s the word on when the official G-Class details will be released, but since the car appears to be finished and already posing for photos, we don’t expect Mercedes-Benz to hold off for too much longer.
The newest trim line of the family will also be its most expensive. The will have a starting price of $45,700 for a , officials tell Autoblog. That’s well over double the $21,820 asking price of a no-frills 1500.
Of course, spending that kind of money, you’d expect the interior trim to come with some fancy name like “black burled walnut,” an overpowering smell of leather every time you open the door and more shiny chrome exterior accents than 1934 Airflow. The Laramie Limited, introduced at the in February, does that and more, playing its role as the ultimate Ram when it arrives at dealerships in the coming months in the full-size and heavy duty offerings. The starting price for a Ram Laramie Limited 2500 HD SWB 4×2 is $47,780 (prices do not include $995 in destination charges).
In recent years, Detroit’s pickup builders have continued to create more high-end pickups along with their work versions. Hey, how’s a One Percenter supposed to tow his yacht? Just a few weeks ago, of its , which will push the price of an F-450 Platinum . There appears to be a growing market for these vehicles as well, as the J.D. Power Information Network notes that nearly 30 percent of heavy duty truck buyers spend more than $50,000 for their vehicles. All of that money is not simply going for the diesel powertrain upgrade. No, these trucks are loaded up with all of the amenities of a luxury sedan. After all, affluent buyers want to flaunt their success a little, but it’s not like you can carry a load of lumber in the trunk of a .
It’s funny how a couple of letters can change the meaning of a word entirely. Take “racy” and “racing,” for example. One implies a certain charge of sexuality, while the other refers to the competition of getting from Point A to Point B the quickest. Pamela Anderson, for example, would be one we’d categorize under the former, but now the Canadian model/actress/bombshell is breaking into the latter by launching her own racing team.
Downforce1 by Pamela Anderson is the name of the new team that will be fielding an in both the (European) Le Mans Series and the International GT Open, wearing white and blue livery with the glamour model’s signature and bearing the logos of PETA (the animal rights group for which Anderson is a spokesperson) and ICM (the talent agency that manages her career). The team is apparently being managed by a Swiss outfit with ten years of experience in GT racing.
This is not the first time we’ve seen a model lending her image to a racing team: Paris Hilton was to a MotoGP squad a couple of years back, and now Pam appears to be following in her high-heeled footsteps. And apparently she’s not stopping at GT racing, either, as the effort could spawn a NASCAR team as well. In the meantime, Anderson hopes to be present at as many of the races as her schedule will allow. Which ought to be plenty distracting for the racers.
So what is it about models like Pam headlining racing teams? Beyond – the airbags have, after all, been removed – maybe the former Baywatch starlet herself put it best in a with British tabloid The Sun: “Fast cars and fast women go together.” Who are we to argue?
The slow drip of official information for Nissan’s continues to spread across the internet. Today, the Japanese automaker has unveiled a (very) short video clip and a shady single image that hints at the expressive profile sheetmetal on its new family sedan. The video is very brief, but together with the other images we’ve seen depicting the new boomerang-shaped taillamps, headlamps and overhead view, we’re starting to mentally stitch together a composite view of the new car.
We couldn’t resist helping Nissan accelerate its reveal process by tinkering with Photoshop’s brightness and contrast controls a bit. You can which reveals a nicely rounded three-window greenhouse and a set of split five-spoke alloys. In addition, check out the short video while you’re waiting for live shots and impressions to drop from New York.
Spring means lots of things to lots of people, but for owners, this time of year points to just one main event on the calendar: Easter Jeep Safari. This year, Jeep and Mopar have put their heads together to create another group of awesome concepts. All told, the automaker will roll out six new vehicles in the desert, including the , Jeep J-12 and Jeep Mighty FC concepts – the last of which is pictured above. We can’t say much about what the Apache will bring to the table, but the J-12 looks to pay homage to the old Kaiser Jeep M715.
Another year, another Jeep pickup truck that’ll likely never make it to production. Sigh.
Still, the truck should be as cool as can be. Speaking of awesome, the Mighty FC teaser hints to the resurrection of the long deceased Forward Control. Our hearts ache from how killer this is. All six concepts will be unveiled in Moab on March 31. for the brief press release.
has announced it will debut the at next month’s New York Auto Show. While based on the company’s platform, engineers worked in several tweaks to the body and chassis to imbue it with a bit more crossover utility. Additional ride height delivers 8.7 inches of ground clearance and a smattering of black plastic cladding helps the vehicle further stand out from its donor platform.
A 148-horsepower, 2.0-liter boxer four-cylinder engine provides power and should deliver up to 33 miles per gallon on the highway. That’s not a stellar number for a vehicle this size, but as Subaru points out, it’s good enough to help the XV Crosstrek nab the honor of being the most fuel-efficient all-wheel drive crossover on the market. Buyers may bolt the engine to either a five-speed manual transmission or CVT.
Inside, the rear seats can be folded completely flat for around 52.4 cubic feet of cargo area. With the seats up, rear passengers can look forward to around 35.4 inches of leg room. Look for the XV Crosstrek to hit dealers this fall. In the meantime, to check out the full press release and keep an eye out for our New York Auto Show coverage starting April 4.
If there’s one thing nerds love more than obscure factoids, it’s the thrill of a good argument. MSN has set out to settle one of comic bookdom’s quintessential questions by attempting to discern whether the 1989 Batmobile is quicker than its 1966 predecessor. While we’d love nothing better to see the atomic-powered sire do battle with its jet-powered offspring, we’ll just have to make due with a couple of replicas. In this case, the ‘89 gets its power from a carbureted small block with an aluminum intake manifold and not much else.
Meanwhile, the 1966 uses a for its underpinnings, complete with a fuel-injected small block of its own. The ‘66 boasts an estimated 300-325 horsepower while the ‘89 serves up a more modest 285 ponies. Bets are made, flags are dropped an one vehicle stands above the other. We won’t spoil it for you.
We will say there seems to be some on-screen trickery afoot, however. Watch closely, and it’s clear the ‘89 holds onto left lane at the beginning of the race, only to swap places in the slow-motion replay. Something tells us this game was rigged from the start. to see the full episode for yourself, but be warned. Fair warning: the finale sequence may be Not Safe For Work for some of you. Maybe there’s something else nerds love more than arguing and flexing their trivia muscle.
Swedish Model Goes To The Polestar Gym, Comes Back Stronger
has its M Division. has AMG and has a range of S- and RS-badged models. has… well, what does Volvo have, anyway? Yes, we’re all familiar with the brand’s sterling reputation for safety, and in recent times, for attractive Swedish design. Not long ago, with the introduction of the latest sedan, Volvo even took a stab at injecting some so-called into its machinery. And while all those adjectives are welcome, Volvo’s reputation in the United States has never really included performance, despite some credible offerings like the , 850R and S60R.
Interestingly enough, that’s not necessarily the case in its home market of Sweden, where Volvo has been racing and winning in competition for years, oftentimes with the assistance of a tuning company known as . Since 1996, Volvo has been working with Polestar in an official capacity, and for 2012, the automaker is introducing its United States customers to a slew of Polestar-infused models.
Volvo’s entire range of five- and six-cylinder models have been bolstered with performance updates from Polestar, and for the purposes of this article, we’ll be taking a closer look at the crossover. As it turns out, this Swedish ‘ute offers up plenty of reasons for consideration, even in the face of stiff opposition from Volvo’s formidable competition in the entry-level luxury segment.
When the doors open at Manhattahn’s Javitz Center for the in less than two weeks, will have a refreshed version of its on display. But you needn’t wait that long, as parent company Daimler has just released the full spectrum of details and photos of its updated entry-level crossover.
Decidedly evolutionary in its refresh, the 2013 GLK is characterized largely by the same sharp lines as the model it replaces, but now, the creases and sculpting is slightly more rounded and more dynamic in appearance. While the exterior has had its sharp edges smoothed out, the interior has likewise been updated, with those -derived retro air vents dominating the restyled dashboard and the gearshift lever moving to a stalk on the steering column in similar fashion to other recent Three-Pointed Star vehicles.
The biggest news, however, comes under the hood. While the existing GLK was only offered with a single engine, the new model will be available in two specs: the GLK350 with direct-injection 3.5-liter V6 now good for 302 horsepower and 273 lb-ft of torque (up from 268hp and 258 lb-ft), or the GLK250 BlueTEC diesel that, at 190 hp and 369 lb-ft, offers less power but far more twist from its 2.1 liters and four cylinders. While the updated GLK350 will be available starting in the summer, American buyers intent on the diesel will have to wait until early next year. Both are mated to a seven-speed automatic with stop-start ignition, and can be had in either rear-drive or 4Matic all-wheel drive.
There’s plenty more to delve into in the press release after the jump, and a whole mess of high-resolution photos in the gallery, so check ‘em out and watch this space for live coverage from the vehicle’s unveiling in New York.
GLK gets facelift, diesel option ahead of New York
