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Ford Recall

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The Ford Motor Company just announced a recall that affects over 650,000 F-150 trucks and Lincoln Mark LT Pickups. These vehicles could have a faulty brake assist hose.

Model year 2005 and 2006 trucks with 5.4-liter three-valve engines are affected. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported:

The brake hose may swell over time causing the hose to become detached from the intake manifold. As a result, applying the brakes could require increased pressure on the brake pedal. Several brake applications with power assist will be available before the vacuum reserve is depleted.

Ford said there had been 11 reports of minor accidents due to the faulty brake assist hose. There have been no injuries as a result.

Ford will begin sending out recall notifications in early June and repairs will be made at no cost to the consumer after the recall begins.

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New Fiat Fiorino Wins Award

The Fiat Fiorino is a van that making a splash in the U.K. In fact, the Fiat Fiorino has won “Best New Van” at this year’s Van Fleet World Honours.

The award is given to the vehicle that is head and shoulders above other vehicles in its’ class.

John Kendall, the Editor of Van Fleet World, said the following about the Fiat Fiorino’s win:

“The launch of the Fiat Fiorino opens another chapter in the light CV co-operation between Fiat and PSA that stretches back 30 years.

“Offering a payload of 610kg and a load volume of 2.50m3, the contenders combine a useful payload with maximum volume in a compact van a size down from established light vans. Established engine options from Fiat and PSA should help to keep running costs low too.

The Fiat Fiorino is best described as a compact transport van.

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Smart Car Gets High Rankings In Crash Test

Here’s proof that a safe car doesn’t have to be the size of a small semi truck. The “SmartforTwo” car is now being sold in Bloomfield, Michigan.

Smart For Two Smart Car.

Of course a small car made for two has a few safety concerns.

Adrian Lund, President of the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety says “for such a small package it does test pretty well. It gets a good rating for frontal crash tests, also good rating for side impact protection, and an acceptable rating for rear crash protection.”

The SmartforTwo car has base pricing of $12,000.00. To find out more or to check on the availability of this Smart Car, please visit Smart Center Bloomfield.

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Volkswagen Will Decide On New U.S. Plant In July

Volkswagen is suffering from a weak dollar. The company is mulling over the idea of building a U.S. manufacturing plant in order to offset such losses. They said yesterday they’ll have their decision made by mid-July.

According to CEO Martin Winterkorn, the option is being seriously considered.

“We will put the issue of the U.S. plant to the supervisory board before the summer break in July,” said Winterkorn.

“We are examining options whether we could produce the next Audi SUV (sports utility vehicle) generation together with our own vehicles. It would certainly be the more cost-efficient alternative compared to a separate Audi plant. Which is why I prefer it,” he continued.

The company has stated in the past that the new plant would initially build between 100,000 and 150,000 cars annually in the United States.

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Hyundai Forgets Plan To Sell U.S. Pickups

Hyundai has decided that now is not the time to launch a U.S. pickup truck business. The company had planned to begin manufacturing pickups in the U.S, but recent business conditions have shelved the plans.

The largest South Korean automaker had considered producing pickups at a plant of its subsidiary Kia Motors Corp. that is now under construction in the state of Georgia, near a Hyundai plant in Alabama. The Kia factory is expected to be completed in 2010.

“We had studied it as a long-term project. But it appears to be too early to get into the market now because oil prices are rising sharply and trucks don’t sell well in the United States,” said Jake Jang, a Hyundai spokesman.

Sales of pickup trucks in the United States are down for two reasons: 1) consumers are buying less pickups because of soaring gas costs and 2) businesses are purchasing less pickup trucks because of the housing slump.

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Ford Motor Opens New Engine Plant In India

In a sign that times continue to change, Ford Motor Company has announced the opening of a new engine plant in India. Plans for the new plant in Chennai are ambitious.

The plant, near Chennai in southern India, will initially make 60,000 engines annually for its Fiesta and Fusion models, starting with the 1.4-litre diesel Duratorq engines, it said.

Ford will first aim the 50,000 diesel and 10,000 petrol engines at the local market, and then export them. It will have an eventual capacity of 250,000 engines.

“This facility will help position Ford India as a strategic manufacturing hub for low displacement powertrain engines within our Asia Pacific and Africa region,” said Michael Boneham, president and managing director of Ford India.

Ford is aiming to increase market share in India, where car sales are expected to soar to 2 million annually in 2010. The company thinks that their cars will be competitive because they’re made from at least 50% local content in their diesel engines.

Ford India is working on a new small car to compete with leaders Suzuki and Tata Motors.

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2009 Ford Flex Crossover

The 2009 Ford Flex Crossover is based on an award winning 2005 design concept known as the “Fairlane Concept” which caught the fancy of auto enthusiasts everywhere. Now the car has been born as the 2009 Ford Flex Crossover, and is being produced. The car debuted in April and is classified as a full size crossover, meaning it’s roomy enough to seat six of seven passengers comfortably.

“The Ford Flex has the power to move people emotionally as well as physically,” said J Mays, group vice president of Design and chief creative officer, last month. “This crossover has been created for people who know it’s the journey - not the destination - that matters most. Its upright, upscale design, versatility and clever touches allow Ford Flex to stand out in an increasingly crowded sea of crossovers.”

The 2009 Ford Flex Crossover has a MSRP of $28,295 - $36,555. It comes with a 3.5L V6, 24 valve, 262 horsepower engine that operates at 6250 rpm, and a 6 speed automatic transmission.

Ford thinks the Flex will be a big part of their future and announced in April that they project selling 100,000 units in 2008.

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Ford Sees Increase, Toyota Eyeing Decline

Toyota is facing slumping numbers and Ford Motor is expecting an increase in sales, indicating a change in the global landscape for auto makers. Toyota announced a 27% decrease in profits amid a North American sales slump, and Ford issued a release with much more optimistic news.

The sluggish U.S. economy has caused some of Toyota’s drop-off. Toyota North America accounted for 35 percent of the company’s fiscal 2008 sales, its largest sales region in the world. Rising gasoline prices are partly to blame: Oil topped $123 per barrel for the first time yesterday; the national average gasoline price is $3.65 per gallon, the AAA reported.

The first half of 2008 was solid for Toyota, the company wrote in its earnings release yesterday. For the year, the company reported $16.5 billion in profit on $253 billion in revenue, up 5 percent and 10 percent, respectively, and both company records.

In the second half, however, “disorder in financial markets triggered by the subprime mortgage crisis and high oil prices resulted in a severe economic condition and a downturn in the world economy,” the company wrote.

The Toyota report contrasts with:

“Our plan is working, and we’re sticking to it,” chief executive Alan Mulally said. “In spite of the head winds we face, we are more excited than ever about the incredible new Ford we are creating.”

Ford reported last month that its first-quarter profit was $100 million, testament to what it said was cost-cutting, restructuring and surging South American vehicle sales, which offset the ongoing North American sales slump.

Things might be very different when numbers are released for the next earnings report. Some analysts though that Toyota’s message was too gloomy and the company is predicting dire times in order to motivate their managers. Either way, we live in interesting times for auto makers, who seek to make the right moves globally as domestic markets undergo rapid change.

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Toyota Announces Delay In Mississippi Plant Opening

Toyota had planned on opening a new plant in Blue Springs, Mississippi soon. But company executives say the slump in the North American market has them worried enough to delay the opening. The plant is being built now, and was scheduled to open in late 2009, but now the opening date will be pushed back further.

American sales are projected to fall to about 15 million vehicles in 2008 from about 16 million last year if declines continue at about the same pace for the rest of the year, according to Autodata Corp., which compiles such industry numbers.

Other Toyota executives expressed some worries about the home Japanese market, which has been stagnant for years.

They said they hoped to attract a wider age range with new luxury minivan models, which bring in bigger profit than smaller models.

Slowdowns in both the Japanese and North American markets are bound to weigh heaviest on Toyota. Toyota also recently announced a number of price increases in North America to offset slumping sales.

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2009 Toyota Corolla S

The 2009 Toyota Corolla Shas been introduced by Toyota. The car can be described as affordable, with a base sticker price of $15,250. Including a decent package of options, the S-Series Toyota Corolla will run $18,401, but the features aren’t bad for the price.

Do you have to pay extra for safety? This is what the 2009 Corolla S buyer gets as standard equipment in that department: nearly everything. The safety protection system includes dual front air bags, head curtain air bags, side-impact air bags, whiplash protection active head restraints and antilock brakes with Brake Assist.

Powering the Corolla is the 16-valve, 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine mated to either a five-speed manual or four-speed automatic transmission. The small engine will develop 132 horsepower and 128 pound-feet of torque. Toyota’s performance-focused Corolla XRS has a 2.4-liter four-cylinder engine that offers 158 horsepower and 162 pound-feet of torque. This engine is rated to return fuel achievements of 22/29 mpg with the five-speed manual transmission.

The Corolla has been a staple for Toyota for four decades now, and the reason is simple. The 2009 Toyota Carolla S Series is a blend of good gas mileage, decent options, and a reasonable price. With more Americans than ever being budget concious these days, the new Toyota is likely to be a hit.

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