According to a report from Left Lane News, Ford Motor Company’s Jaguar luxury marque is naming the next-generation S-Type midsize car not with an “S” type instead, it will carry the "XF" badge. This is according to the head of Jaguar Cars, Bibiana Boerio. The new name aims to reflect the changes that Jaguar made to the new model. Ms. Boerio said the new Jaguar XF will "challenge people to think again about Jaguar as daring and different."
Left Lane News also reported that the new Jaguar XF will be made of steel in order to quickly bring the vehicle to the market. Well, we just have to wait for this vehicle when it rolls out in US showrooms soon. Meanwhile, you can find the best aftermarket Ford auto parts like Ford Mustang parts or Ford Grand Marquis parts at Ford Parts Online.
Each year, about 13,000 people die in car crashes in which a driver was legally drunk.
Now the latest movement to combat this problem comes in a proposal from anti-drunk-driving officials to install alcohol detection devices in every vehicle on the road.
Inside Line reports that the organization Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), backed by a national association of state highway officials and carmakers, has announced that it will push for a change in drunk-driving laws to require that even first offenders be made to install a device that tests a driver and shuts down the car if it detects alcohol.
The next step, according to the report, will be a program to develop devices that would unobtrusively check every driver for alcohol and disable the vehicle if he or she is found to be above the legal limit. The most promising new technologies would be made up of sensors that would work automatically, like airbags.
Sounds good to me. Even if it would cost money it should be worth the investment.
Meanwhile, keep your car safe, make sure your tires are in good shape, and should you need to replace it, just go to your trusted online auto parts store.
Courier-Journal, the main state newspaper in Kentucky reported that Ford’s Louisville assembly plant will slow down its production quantity next year, cutting down jobs, and lowering the production of the popular Ford Explorer SUV. This is according to a letter from Assembly Plant’s manager Joe Bobnar to its employees.
A spokesperson from Ford also said the number of jobs to be cut down is already released. Joe Bobnar ended his letter with some encouragement lines to his employees:
“The company and the plant are in a difficult battle for survival, so good news has been rare. It is imperative that we all stay focused on the things that we have been doing to improve our safety, quality and cost.”
And now for the best aftermarket Ford auto parts like Ford Explorer parts, you can find them at Ford Parts Online.
Ford is reportedly pushing back the launch of its important Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossover utility vehicles to iron out supplier and assembly problems at the refurbished Oakville, Ontario, factory where the two are built.
Joe Hinrichs, Ford vice president for North American manufacturing, confirmed that the Edge and MKX are now scheduled to arrive at dealerships about mid-December instead of late November. Ford told its dealers about the delay Wednesday afternoon.
Hinrichs attributed the delay to some component suppliers which haven't been able to deliver parts on time, and to some stations on the assembly line that haven't been able to finish their assigned tasks in the allotted time. According to Hinrichs, the problem isn't quality, but consistency. "We've had some disruptions" of the manufacturing process because of the issues, he said.
"It's always slow on something new. Once you start getting them, you forget about the delay," says Nick Finstad, sales manager at Chuck Spaeth Ford, which operates dealerships in Sleepy Eye and New Ulm, Minn. "It's too bad it won't be here on time. People are eager for it," he says. But he doubts that the delay will make potential buyers wary about the vehicles' quality.
Hinrichs wouldn't name the suppliers or identify the components that weren't arriving on time. He said there have been no problems with the vehicles' marquee feature, the complex, $1,395 optional Vista Roof — enormous glass roof panels that replace much of the steel roof.
Edge starts at about $26,000; MKX at about $35,000. Ford plans to sell at least 100,000 Edges a year and 30,000 or more MKXs.
Meanwhile for the best Ford parts visit Ford Parts Online.
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) fueleconomy.gov website has released their 2007 Fuel Economy Guide for the 2007 model year vehicles. I narrowed down the list and only selected the Most Efficient Cars of 2007. Check them out!
Most Efficient Overall
Toyota Prius
Most Efficient Two Seater
Mazda MX-5
Most Efficient Minicompact Car
Volkswagen New Beetle Convertible
Most Efficient Subcompact Car
Toyota Yaris
Most Efficient Compact Cars
Honda Civic Hybrid
Toyota Corolla
Most Efficient Midsize Cars
Toyota Prius
Nissan Versa
Most Efficient Large Car
Hyundai Sonata
Most Efficient Small Station Wagon
Honda Fit
Most Efficient Midsize Station Wagon
Ford Focus Station Wagon
And for the best aftermarket Ford auto parts like Ford Focus parts, check out Ford Parts Online.
After ending production of the Excursion last year, Ford introduced a stretched version of the new Expedition to compete with the Chevrolet Suburban. Unlike the Suburban however, Ford is yet to offer a diesel engine option in the Expedition.
Looks like things are about to change as Expedition chief engineer John Viera announced that a diesel engine option is coming within the next two years.
The diesel that Ford is adding to the F-150 is likely to be the power unit for the SUV as well. It is expected to be a larger displacement version of the 3.6L diesel V-8 already available in Land Rover products in Europe. The diesel engine made up 60 percent of sales for the previous Excursion and is expected to be a popular option for the Expedition.
For the best Ford Expedition auto parts visit Ford Parts Online.
Popular Science Magazine has chosen the winners of the 2006 19th Annual "Best of What's New" awards, which features the top 100 technological innovations in 10 categories. An innovative tire from Goodyear, the Eagle has been named one of the “100 Most Innovative Products of the Year" by Popular Science Magazine’s "Best of What's New" in the Automotive Technology category.
The Goodyear Eagle features ResponsEdge Technology along with carbon fiber coating and shock-absorbing InsuLayer made with Kevlar. The Eagle provides stiffness for responsive handling and steering precision and delivers smooth and comfortable ride.
Larry Mason, Goodyear's North American President for consumer tires said:
"We are pleased to be honored by the editors of Popular Science for the innovation represented in the Eagle ResponsEdge tire. Our product development process follows a market-back path - learning what consumers want and then designing tires that deliver the benefits.”
The list of the winners in Popular Science’s Best of What's New awards will be featured in the December issue of the magazine that will be available in newsstands in November 14.
Meanwhile, quality auto parts for replacement like Ford parts are found in Ford Parts Online.
The Automotive Service Association (ASA), a premiere group that advances in professional automotive repair industry through education, representation and member services has released some significant car maintenance tips to ensure safety especially when driving on a long road trip.
You can also replace your damaged Ford auto parts like Ford Festiva parts from Ford Parts Online.
The BlueOvalNews reports that the Ford Fusion has been named as the "Family Car of the Year" by the New England Motor Press Association during the Boston Auto Show media luncheon at the Bayside Expo Center.
The NEMPA jury noted the Fusion's combination of great ride-and-handling, standard safety equipment and value as the factors that put it on the top of the balloting.
Ezra Dyer, president, New England Motor Press Association said that, "The phrase 'family car' connotes a dearth of fun, but the Fusion combines sedan practicality with a level of behind-the-wheel entertainment that you don't typically get in this class, or at this price. And it looks sharp, too."
Fusion is often cited for its deft driving performance by offering an all-wheel-drive system that improves traction on slick surfaces or better handling in a curve. Drivers can choose a 3.0-liter V6 engine that delivers 221 horsepower. The V6 is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission posting fuel economy numbers of 20 miles-per-gallon (mpg) city and 28 mpg highway. The Fusion's I-4 engine delivers 160 horsepower with fuel economy rated at 23 mpg city and 31 mpg highway.
The Fusion's fall 2005 debut helped Ford regain share of the U.S. passenger car market for the first time since 1993. Sales have exceeded company expectations as the four-door sedan finished its first model year with 138,000 units sold. With Fusion's help, Ford anticipates increasing its car market share for a second straight year in 2006.
The Fusion is also a finalist for the coveted North American Car of the Year Award that will be announced in January 2007. For the best Ford parts, visit your trusted online auto parts store.
Finally a bit of good news.
Ford today reported a sales increase of 8 percent for the month of October 2006. Sales at Mercury were down 5.9 percent, sales at Lincoln were up 3.4 percent, sales at Jaguar were down 22.3 percent, Volvo down 3.3 percent, and Land Rover up 6.7 percent.
On the other hand General Motors sold 301,317 new vehicles — an increase of 22 percent over October 2005. GMC, Chevrolet, Buick, Cadillac, Saturn, Pontiac and Saab all had retail sales increases in October.
Chrysler Group reported sales for October 2006 of 159,586 units, an increase of 1 percent. Sales at Jeep were up 29 percent and Dodge rose 17 percent, but Chrysler brand sales fell 16 percent. Sister company Mercedes posted a 12.3 percent increase.
Need new Ford wiper blades? Check out your trusted online auto parts store.
If you’re thinking of getting a more aggressive look other than just giving new bumpers for yourFord Expedition, then maybe you could draw inspiration from what hip-hop guru FunkMaster Flex has done to his Expedition at the 2006 SEMA show in Las Vegas.
The '07 Ford Expedition FunkMaster Flex concept features a Street Scene body kit, 24-inch wheels, two-tone black-and-red fire paint, and a custom interior with DVD screens and a performance audio system (you gotta have these things if yo’re talking about seriously customizing your ride). The concept is part of Ford's ongoing marketing relationship with the customizing guru — a partnership that was announced in May 2005.
And what are the numbers? The redesigned Expedition is powered by a 5.4-liter V8 that delivers 300 horsepower and 365 pound-feet of torque. The engine is mated to a standard six-speed automatic transmission. The production Expedition tows up to 9200 pounds.
Ford has announced the selection of Flex as its first customizer of the Expedition following his work with other Ford products like the 2006 Ford F-150, Fusion and Mustang. And in that case, we might be looking at a production version of the Flex-Pedition concept.