Two among Cars.com's commentators says, the new 2009 Jaguar XF is a winner while the other one says it’s a loser. Well, most cars were found a little not too impressive and three among the Cars.com staff were able to identify these cars which are seen at the latest LA Auto Show. David Thomas and Mike Hanley says the new 2009 Jaguar XF is a winner while Joe Wiesenfelder says it’s a loser.
The story was in Kicking Tires when I was looking for Acura air deflectors online. Here's what they've got to say:
Winner:
“In person I thought the XF’s front end looked much more menacing than it did in pictures, and I didn’t even mind the headlights’ strange shape. Inside there are some amazing materials around the pop-up shift lever, but then some cheapos right above them for the A/C controls. Overall, though, this could be a terrific alternative to the 5 Series, with a great engine and transmission that I’ve had plenty of time with in the XKR,” David Thomas says.
Loser:
“You know how we often say a car looks better in person than it does in photos? I can't say that about the Jaguar XF. I'm a huge fan of the XK, and if this is Jaguar's new design direction, I think its navigation system is on the fritz. I'm a proponent of real metal trim in car cabins - over wood and definitely over plastic trying to imitate metal. But somehow the auto show car, which seems to have real metal trim, manages to have too much. The big panel on the passenger's side is overkill. Then there's the grille, which has the same problem as the XK and XKR - it's chromed plastic and it just looks cheap. As many of our visitors have echoed, Jaguar has no idea how much it's hurting itself by cutting costs in this area,” said Joe Wiesenfelder.
Winner:
“I agree with Dave. The XF's round headlight elements look better in person than in the photos I'd seen of the car, which is a good thing because that was one of the few issues I had with the car's styling; otherwise, it's a sleek four-door that should attract buyers in search of a stylish luxury car,” Mike Hanley also commented.
Read Ford news as well as tips and information on where to find the best deals on Ford auto parts.
Monday, November 19, 2007, posted by Jay Stevens at 8:04 PM
The last race of the 2007 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series is named the Ford 400 and it was only fitting that a Ford driver won it. Although the spotlight was on Jeff Gordon and Jimmie Johnson as they were the only two left vying for the championship which Johnson eventually won, Matt Kenseth driving his Ford showed that he is one of the best drivers in the field as he dominated the race.
It was an emotional victory for Kenseth whose crew chief will be leaving him to move up in the ranks so as to become the general manager of Roush Fenway Racing. "I’m not a real emotional guy," said Kenseth after the win. "I’m going to miss working with him on Sundays," he added. Robbie Reiser, Kenseth's former crew chief, announced earlier this month that he will leave his post for Roush Fenway Racing.
After the race, Reiser said: "I’m not a real emotional guy. I enjoy racing. I love to race. My dad brought me up that way. It’s who I am, I’m a racer." His input on Kenseth's car made the difference for them at the last race of the season. For 214 laps out of the 267 laps, Kenseth was leading. His car was so dominant that at some point he was able to put 10 seconds between him and his closest competitor.
After the dust settled, it was still Jimmie Johnson who won the bigger prize - the championship. Kenseth's win at the Ford 400 though took him from sixth to fourth place in the Chase. This will not be enough for Kenseth though as he is looking for his second championship. Next year, expect him to be back with more dedication to win the Sprint Cup as the premiere NASCAR class will be called next year. Don't be surprised if you see him driving flat out while leading the field next year as if he is racing with a Volvo shock-equipped race car.
Friday, November 16, 2007, posted by Jay Stevens at 6:05 PM
After the successful launching of the industry-first ground-breaking Ford SYNC™, the Ford Motor Company will once again introduce an industry-first technology that is sure to be a hit in the auto industry just like the SYNC. Ford will showcase its pioneering ergonomic technology on a “virtual” 2008 Ford Focus along with some clarifications and explanations on how the ergonomic technology was shifted to the newly launched all-new 2008 Focus.According to my source, Ford.com, the company is the first ever North American auto manufacturer to combine sophisticated motion capture equipment with human modeling software to devise work that are less physically nerve-racking on employees. The Virtual Ergonomic Technology is totally ground-pounding that even a Rancho lift kit won’t stand its appeal!
The technology will be on display today at the Siemens PLM Software 2007 Digital Manufacturing Symposium in Dearborn. This is certainly one of the most anticipated events in the world of digital manufacturing.
“The benefits are fewer injuries, lower cost of tooling changes, higher quality and faster time to market. We’re seeing improvement in every one of those metrics, and I know that our virtual technology is a factor,” says Allison Stephens, the Ford ergonomics technical specialist with Vehicle Operations Manufacturing Engineering.
“Among the project objectives are to predict the ergonomic impact of long-term repetitive motions and to better predicts complex human motions” said Stephens. “The impact on quality is tremendous - as recent results are showing. This is helping us strengthen our leadership position in virtual manufacturing for assembly ergonomics and resulting in higher quality vehicles.”
Wednesday, November 14, 2007, posted by Jay Stevens at 4:45 PM
Ford was able to win the Full-Size Van category in IntelliChoice.com's Best Deals For November 2007. According to James Bell of IntelliChoice.com, "Another big factor consumers need to pay attention to are ever-changing car rebates. Changing rebates is what bumped October's winners out of holding on to their titles for November. In the Full-Size Van category, the Ford E150 beat out the Chevy Express because the E150 offered a $2,500 rebate."Aside from the Ford 150, the Ford Escape Hybrid won the Compact Utility/Crossover category. These are the only two categories won by the Detroit car maker.
Bell also said on a statement, "What consumers need to know is that the best deals can change quickly from month to month. There are seven changes on our list of winners from October to November, which is a big number. Gas is a big factor. Rising fuel costs favor fuel efficient vehicles, including hybrids, and there are six on the November list. Among non-hybrid vehicles, the Yukon knocked out the Sequoia. The Yukon beats the Sequoia on the MPG front, so as fuel costs rise, the opportunity arises to overcome the Sequoia's strong retained value advantage."
Just like Ford, Volkswagen, the maker of VW diesel racing parts, also won one category. The Volkswagen GTI 2-door got the Base Sport Car.
Other winners were:
- Subcompact Car: MINI Cooper Hatchback
- Compact Car over $16,000: Honda Civic Hybrid
- Compact Car under $16,000: Honda Civic Sedan
- Midsize Car over $21,000: Toyota Prius
- Intermediate Utility: Hummer H3
- Full-Size Utility: GMC Yukon
- Luxury Utility: Lexus GX
- Compact Pickup Truck 2WD: Toyota Tacoma Regular Cab 2WD
- Compact Pickup 4WD: Toyota Tacoma Regular Cab 4WD
- Full-Size Pickup Truck 2WD 1/2 Ton: Toyota Tundra Regular Cab 2WD
- Minivan: Honda Odyssey Passenger Van
- Full-Size Van: Ford E150 Passenger Van
- Cargo Van: Chevrolet Uplander Cargo Van
If you want to know the complete details of the Best Deals For November 2007 check out TMC.net.
Tuesday, November 13, 2007, posted by Jay Stevens at 5:55 PM
Let us look into Ford's involvement in the sport for this post. The Dearborn automaker supplies cars for teams in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series; it also has its teams in the Busch Series. Apart from that, Ford also backs a team in the World Rally Championship. And at this point, the automaker's team is in front of all teams and their ace driver, Marcus Gronholm, is also on top of the drivers' standings.
The success of the team and the driver is made possible by the people working for the team. And one of them recently received a prestigious award which only shows that Ford hires the best to become the best.
Christian Loriaux, the technical director of the BP-Ford World Rally Team, was recently named the Design Engineer of the Year at the Professional Motorsport World Expo Awards in Cologne, Germany. The Belgian was selected as the best in his craft by a panel of motorsports experts.
Loriaux' rise to prominence last year with his work on the Focus RS WRC 06 took the sport by storm. With the car, Ford was able to snatch the championship last year. It is also the same car used in the opening rounds of the 2007 season which is a reason why Ford has gained an early lead over its closest rivals. The design of the car and the use of reliable parts as durable as the Volkswagen mass air flow sensor has allowed them to become the team to beat in the WRC.
Loriaux had this to say: "It was a great honor to be recognised with this award by experts from within the motorsport industry. But none of our achievements with the Ford Focus RS WRC would have been possible without the expertise, enthusiasm and hard work of the entire design and engineering team at M-Sport. Together with the support of engineers at Ford Team RS, we developed a world championship winning car in a very short space of time and followed that with an evolution version that has continued our run of rally-winning success."
"Developing a World Rally Car really is a team effort and my thanks go to everyone who contributed to that. But a measure of a rally car's success is how it performs in competition and with just two rounds remaining; our target is to retain Ford's manufacturers' title in the WRC with the Focus RS," he concluded.
Thursday, November 08, 2007, posted by Jay Stevens at 5:22 PM
It is neither Matt Kenseth nor Carl Edwards. So who will be racing a NASCAR Ford Fusion? Wild guess, anyone?
The lucky person will be someone from your home area who will take to the track this weekend in a once-in-a-lifetime chance to compete to become Ford’s “Ultimate Fan Champion.” Yes, it is the latest lure of the automaker to Ford racing aficionados.
The highlights of the event include:
The lucky person will be someone from your home area who will take to the track this weekend in a once-in-a-lifetime chance to compete to become Ford’s “Ultimate Fan Champion.” Yes, it is the latest lure of the automaker to Ford racing aficionados.
The highlights of the event include:
* Nine finalists from Ford’s “Race to the Dream” promotion to compete on Miami race track for a VIP dream weekend at Nov. 16-18 Ford Championship Weekend NASCAR finale.
* Finalists to race each other in Ford Fusion race cars and in F-Series trucks at the same track that will crown three NASCAR champions a week later.
* Unique promotion combines truck customers’ passion for F-Series pickups and NASCAR racing.
This week, the Dearborn-based automaker will give 9 race fans countrywide, including the Florida Panhandle, the Southwest desert, the land of 10,000 lakes, Toledo and more, the rare chance to experience the euphoria of being a NASCAR race-car driver first-hand after the lucky finalists were selected from the 2-month “Built Ford Tough Race to the Dream Ultimate Fan Experience” promotion.
Auto Spectator reported:
This marks the fourth year of the “Race to the Dream” promotion, sponsored by Ford Trucks, which launched Aug. 25 with one finalist selected every week through Oct. 30. The finalists will meet at the Homestead-Miami Speedway Nov. 10-11 to compete on the oval in race-prepared Ford Fusions, and in Ford trucks through off-roading, towing and drag racing competitions. The following weekend, Nov. 16-18, the track will host Ford Championship Weekend where the NASCAR Nextel Cup, Busch and Craftsman Truck champions will be crowned.
“The Built Ford Tough Race to the Dream Ultimate Fan Experience has been a major success in its first three years and we expect more of the same in 2007,” said Todd Eckert, Ford Truck and SUV marketing communications manager. “We’ve connected with thousands of consumers and provided them with an opportunity to learn more about the best-selling and most capable lineup of trucks in America – Ford F-Series – while giving them a chance to win a racing experience only Built Ford Tough Trucks and Ford Racing could provide.”
“Competing in NASCAR Fusions on the track and in Ford F-150s and Super Duties in the dirt at the same place where NASCAR will crown its champions one week later, is something our nine contestants will never forget. We know that NASCAR fans are also truck enthusiasts, so it’s a great opportunity for us to combine two of their favorite passions into a truly unique experience,” he added.
The winner of the driving competition will be crowned the “Ultimate Fan Champion” and will remain in Miami with their guest for Ford Championship Weekend NASCAR finales.
“Competing in NASCAR Fusions on the track and in Ford F-150s and Super Duties in the dirt at the same place where NASCAR will crown its champions one week later, is something our nine contestants will never forget. We know that NASCAR fans are also truck enthusiasts, so it’s a great opportunity for us to combine two of their favorite passions into a truly unique experience,” he added.
The winner of the driving competition will be crowned the “Ultimate Fan Champion” and will remain in Miami with their guest for Ford Championship Weekend NASCAR finales.
Activities include:
* All areas access to all three Ford Championship Weekend NASCAR races
* Being an honorary member of the No. 21 Wood Brothers crew for driver Bill Elliott during the Ford 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race on Nov. 18
* Being honorary starter for the Ford 300 NASCAR Busch Series race on Nov. 17
* Riding in the pace truck at the Nov. 16 Ford 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race
* “Meet and greets” with Ford NASCAR drivers and personalities throughout the weekend
* A live national television interview capturing the excitement of the Race to the Dream experience
“Race to the Dream has been a major success for us because not only has it allowed us to communicate on a more personal level with our loyal Ford fans, it also exposes others to the impressive new products we have to offer,” said Tim Duerr, NASCAR marketing manager, Ford Racing Technology. “We like to say there’s a little bit of racing in everything we do and nothing is a better example of that than Race to the Dream. We feel like this is a home run for us from a marketing standpoint, and it obviously has been a hit with the fans.
“We know that racing is important to our customers and it’s important to Ford Motor Company,” said Duerr. “Ford Championship Weekend is one of the biggest sporting events of the year and we’re excited to have such a major presence.”
For a little while, forget about Subaru struts and witness the racing bliss offered by Ford.
* All areas access to all three Ford Championship Weekend NASCAR races
* Being an honorary member of the No. 21 Wood Brothers crew for driver Bill Elliott during the Ford 400 NASCAR Nextel Cup Series race on Nov. 18
* Being honorary starter for the Ford 300 NASCAR Busch Series race on Nov. 17
* Riding in the pace truck at the Nov. 16 Ford 200 NASCAR Craftsman Truck Series race
* “Meet and greets” with Ford NASCAR drivers and personalities throughout the weekend
* A live national television interview capturing the excitement of the Race to the Dream experience
“Race to the Dream has been a major success for us because not only has it allowed us to communicate on a more personal level with our loyal Ford fans, it also exposes others to the impressive new products we have to offer,” said Tim Duerr, NASCAR marketing manager, Ford Racing Technology. “We like to say there’s a little bit of racing in everything we do and nothing is a better example of that than Race to the Dream. We feel like this is a home run for us from a marketing standpoint, and it obviously has been a hit with the fans.
“We know that racing is important to our customers and it’s important to Ford Motor Company,” said Duerr. “Ford Championship Weekend is one of the biggest sporting events of the year and we’re excited to have such a major presence.”
For a little while, forget about Subaru struts and witness the racing bliss offered by Ford.
Tuesday, November 06, 2007, posted by Jay Stevens at 6:23 PM
When you buy a vehicle and you want to "soup it up", one of the most common thing to do is buy aftermarket parts and strapping them on your ride. But doing so will void your warranty especially if it involves parts which affect the performance of the engine or the transmission. But Dearborn automaker Ford has come up with a way so that consumers can customize their vehicles without voiding the warranty.
Showcased at the Specialty Equipment Market Association Show in Las Vegas was the all-new interactive kiosk for vehicles customization designed by Ford. The automaker allows consumers to check out how their cars will look if they are fitted with chrome wheels of different size and designs. Electronic and appearance enhancements can also be made on Ford, Mercury or Lincoln vehicles using the technology.
"There's no better place to customize a vehicle than at the dealership at the time of purchase," said Kim Irwin, Ford Customer Service Division manager of Vehicle Personalization and Accessories according to the automaker's newsletter. "It's convenient for customers, great for dealerships, and now it will be easier than ever before. This will allow Ford and Lincoln-Mercury dealers to conquest customers who, in the past, went elsewhere for customization."
Kirk Stump, owner of Dale Jarrett Ford in Indian Trail, N.C. had this to say: "It's all about personalization these days. In years past customization was an afterthought or limited to the 'fast and furious' urban consumer, but now we have suburban moms coming in, asking to see custom wheels on their Expeditions. That never happened 18 months ago."
Today, it is no longer about installing Acura oxygen sensor on your vehicle but installation of other aftermarket performance-enhancing parts as well.
Labels: Ford
, posted by Jay Stevens at 4:53 PM
In the world of car racing, the name Ford has marked several highlights that place them among the top teams in the planet! The continuing campaign of Ford Racing has remained consistent for the past years. They are consistently blazing as hot as a BMW 328i radiator!
Two days ago, another highlight was set by one of Ford Racing’s best drivers! Matt Kenseth finished 2nd place at the recent event held in Texas. Kenseth gave his insights about his victorious day. Here are some bits from the press conference published in Ford.com:
Two days ago, another highlight was set by one of Ford Racing’s best drivers! Matt Kenseth finished 2nd place at the recent event held in Texas. Kenseth gave his insights about his victorious day. Here are some bits from the press conference published in Ford.com:
MATT KENSETH – No. 17 USG Ford Fusion (finished 2nd) – “I’m happy and I’m disappointed. Whenever you’re leading with three to go, you’re always disappointed when you don’t win. That’s been a couple of races here in a row that’s happened to us, got passed on the last lap. So, I was disappointed in that, but overall, if I look back at the day, it was a great day for us. I don’t think we necessarily had a second-place car most of the day. It was good Friday when we unloaded, and tonight when it got dark it was pretty good again. But during the day we weren’t really any good at all. So that was probably a little bit of an advantage at the end. We probably had top-three or -four car, and took two tires at the end and this week they got four and beat us with it, last week they got two and beat us with it. So, it’s hard to figure out, but they made the right call and had the best car at the end and got through there.”
CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE SAME THING HAPPENING TO YOU IN BOTH RACES AT THIS TRACK THIS YEAR?
“There’s a couple of things. It is disappointing. When you’re leading with two or three to go and you get passed, it is disappointing. We’ve had three top-fives in a row now, and I’m happy about that. We seem to be getting back to where I want again, and I’m also firm believer that if you get get yourself in position to win enough, you’re going to win races. It’s easy to say after you’ve just lost one, but you hate losing any of them, but there’s also times I think you go through that, you get yourself in position to win and maybe the other guy has a little trouble or whatever happens and hopefully you’ll win a couple that maybe you shouldn’t have, and it all kind of balances out.”
Saturday, November 03, 2007, posted by Jay Stevens at 10:59 PM
We all have to admit that life can be a little too rough to us sometimes especially for those who drive daily. Who would know if you are driving towards a body of water or if your car tumbles from a bridge? No one right? But just in case you find yourself sinking with your car, what do you do?
This is not the right time to think about saving your possessions or your car parts like the VW rear disc brake. Think about saving your life first. You have to roll the window down before it hits the water. This will allow the water to come inside the car so it will be easier for you to escape.
If you are having a hard time opening your car window and you find your car sinking, break the window. Do a strong kick or break the car window with a heavy object. Make sure to shield your eyes so the broken glass won’t enter. You skin must also be protected.
Now, get out of the car by releasing your seatbelt. Use a knife if your seatbelt is jammed. The broken glass can also be used to cut the seatbelt just in case it won't release. If your children are inside the car, push them ahead of you.
For you to easily get out of the car, wait until the car is filled with water. This is the best time to use your swimming skills. Take a deep breath as possible, hold it and use enough strength to get out of the car.