Chevy Silverado takes shot at Ford in apocalyptic Super Bowl ad
Filed under: Truck, Marketing/Advertising, Videos, Chevrolet, Ford
Chevrolet continues its onslaught of Super Bowl ads released before this Sunday's big game, clearly hoping that volume plays in its favor when the points are tallied by marketing analysts on Monday.
Today's commercial, entitled "2012," stars the Chevrolet Silverado in a post-apocalyptic world. In this ad, Chevy reminds us of its oft-repeated statistic that its trucks are the longest lasting, most dependable trucks on the road, and it does so by imagining that the Mayans were right and that 2012 is our last year on Earth.
It's a well-done spot with lots of fun things to focus on - we're even amused by the soundtrack, which isn't what we'd immediately expect to hear as the backing music following life after an Extinction Level Event.
Follow the jump to view the end of the world through Chevy's eyes.
Continue reading Chevy Silverado takes shot at Ford in apocalyptic Super Bowl ad
Chevy Silverado takes shot at Ford in apocalyptic Super Bowl ad originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 03 Feb 2012 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsCamaro chief claims ZL1 will outperform Shelby GT500
Filed under: Coupe, Performance, Chevrolet, Ford
It would seem on paper that the 2013 Ford Shelby Mustang GT500 should easily slay the heavier and less powerful 2012 Chevy Camaro ZL1. The former weighs 3,850 pounds and brings 650 horsepower and 600 pound-feet of torque to the table, the latter carries 4,120 pounds and 580 hp/556 lb-ft.
Not so fast, says Camaro Chief Engineer Al Oppenheiser (above). Speaking with Autoblog at an Arizona drive event for the Camaro ZL1, Oppenheiser told us, "We've done simulations. We predict that the ZL1 will be quicker to 60 than the [2013] GT500... We ran the Nürburgring and released a time. Ford took the GT500, too, and never released a time. I guess you can draw your own conclusions.""We've done simulations. We predict that the ZL1 will be quicker to 60 than the [2013] GT500."
When asked point-blank if he thought the ZL1 would be quicker around the 'Ring, Oppenheiser replied, "No question."
Them sounds like fighting words, especially in the face of data that suggests the opposite is true. Remember, this is the same guy who told Mustang fans "you're welcome" for encouraging Ford to throw everything it can at the Camaro.
But we're not counting Oppenheiser among the crazy just yet. All that power generated by the GT500's supercharged 5.8-liter V8 will be for naught if it can't reach the ground without turning into tire vapor, and let's not forget that the Blue Oval's bomber is still dragging around a solid rear axle, compared to the all-independent suspension sporting third-generation Magnetic Ride shocks on the ZL1. And who's doing the driving can always be the great equalizer when talking 'Ring times.
We're still inclined to put our chips on the blue square, but nothing's certain until these two titans of Detroit meet head-to-head.
Camaro chief claims ZL1 will outperform Shelby GT500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsFord Fusion, Lexus LF-LC win Eyes on Design awards
Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Ford, Lexus, Design/Style
Every year at the Detroit Auto Show, the Eyes on Design awards honors the best designs among production vehicles and concepts debuting that year. Unlike, say, the North American International Car and Truck of the Year awards, the only vehicles eligible for an Eyes on Design award are the ones that introduce themselves to the world - well, really just North America - in Detroit.
What's particularly interesting is that the judges for these two awards (one for production vehicles and the other for concepts) are all active or retired designers themselves, so they know a little something about the topic. This year's group includes, among others, Volkswagen head of design Walter de Silva, President and CEO of SRT Ralph Gilles, and GM Vice President of Global Design Ed Welburn.This year, the Eyes on Design awards were handed out to the 2013 Ford Fusion in the production category and the Lexus LF-LC in the concept category. The Fusion's fellow finalists were the 2013 BMW 3 Series and 2013 Cadillac ATS, while the LF-LC eked out a W over the Chevrolet Tru 140S and Lincoln MKZ.
Ford Fusion, Lexus LF-LC win Eyes on Design awards originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 13 Jan 2012 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments2013 Ford Fusion leaks onto web… again
Filed under: Detroit Auto Show, Sedan, Ford
Embargo breaks are par for the course with big auto shows, and this year's Detroit Auto Show is no different. The 2013 Ford Fusion appears to be big target this time around, with this being our second early look at the Blue Oval's redesigned mid-size sedan. These two images from Czech website Auto Forum, while a bit pixelated, reveal much more than the shot we showed you earlier that escaped Ford's clutches courtesy of a bug in the Fusion iPad app.
Here the influence of the Ford Evos concept that debuted last August at the Frankfurt Motor Show is plainly evident. From the hexagonal grille to the headlights, fog lamps and lower air inlet, all of the Evos' front fascia elements are there and arranged in a very similar fashion.
Unfortunately, we can't say much more about the 2013 Ford Fusion until the actual embargo lifts at 12:01 AM EST tonight, but you can talk about it all you want in the comments. Just make sure to come back here at midnight for the full story.
2013 Ford Fusion leaks onto web... again originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 08 Jan 2012 11:05:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsNext Ford Mustang GT will channel GT500
Filed under: Spy Photos, Coupe, Performance, Ford, Design/Style
After decades of dominating the pony car sales charts, the Ford Mustang has finally met its match in the latest Chevrolet Camaro. Naturally, this high-profile segment, is one that Ford is loathe to concede. After being infused with completely new engines in 2011, the Mustang will soon receive a visual refreshening that aligns this horse's looks even more with the range-topping Shelby GT500 model.
Our spy photographers have snapped a Mustang GT prototype with just a thin layer of 3M vinyl hiding the changes. Up front, you can clearly see the GT500's influence in this Mustang prototype's protruding grille. Also note that the coupe has dropped the Mustang GT's circular, grille-mounted foglamps, as well as swapped out its galloping horse badge for a new logo that's been moved from the center of the grille to the side. Even the lower air intake is shaped like an open smile, just like on the current GT500. And, is that a splitter we see hanging off the car's chin?
We can also see brand new projector beam headlights up front with some LED tech buried within, and out back, the rear end gets new taillights. That rear wing is also new, and the rear bumper has been slightly redesigned as well.
Ford clearly hopes to imbue the Mustang GT with the GT500's aggressive looks, and these spy shots show they're on-track to do just that. Will it be enough to boost sales above the Camaro? We'll see. The more interesting question is once the Mustang GT looks like the GT500, what will Ford do with its most powerful pony car? With the impending arrival of the 580-horsepower Camaro ZL1, we're sure Ford's got something planned.
Next Ford Mustang GT will channel GT500 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 04 Nov 2011 12:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments2012 Ford Focus Electric priced from $39,200*
Filed under: Car Buying, Hatchback, Ford, Electric
The 2012 Ford Focus Electric showed up on the company website's configurator this morning with a base price of $39,200 before state and federal incentives, plus an additional $795 for destination charges. That brings the total base starting price of the Focus Electric to $39,995. Factor in a maximum federal tax credit of $7,500 and the price falls to a more palatable $32,495.
For comparison's sake, the 2012 Nissan Leaf features a base starting price of $35,200 plus $850 for destination charges. Factoring in delivery fees, Ford's EV will cost $3,945 more than Nissan's before incentives.
Options that will inch up the Focus Electric's price are few, but include special Blue Candy ($395) and White Platinum ($495) paint options, as well as leather-trimmed seats ($995) to replace the car's standard Earth-friendlier cloth seats.
What you'll get for your money is Ford's fun-to-drive Focus with a permanent-magnet electric motor producing 123 horsepower and 181 pound-feet of torque. The motor is fed by a 23 kwh lithium-ion battery system and mated to a single-speed transmission. A full charge can be had in 18-20 hours by a typical 120v outlet or 3-4 hours by a special 240v charger. While no quick charge option is available, Ford has partnered with a company called SunPower to offer a home solar charging option for an additional $10,000.
You can reserve your own 2012 Ford Focus Electric by clicking here.
2012 Ford Focus Electric priced from $39,200* originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 02 Nov 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsUAW workers in Chicago reject Ford deal, strike possible
Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, UAW/Unions
Ford's hourly workforce is having a tough time ratifying the tentative agreement struck between the Blue Oval and United Auto Workers union last week, despite that deal being the most generous among those made this year between the Big 3 automakers and their respective unions. For example, Ford workers will receive a $6,000 signing bonus if the contract is ratified, compared to $5,000 for General Motors workers and $3,500 for Chrysler workers. GM was the first to strike a tentative deal with the UAW in September and has already seen its contract ratified, while Chrysler's deal is the most recent with voting expected to begin soon.
Earlier this week, UAW Local 900, a chapter that represents three Ford plants near Detroit, rejected the deal by a narrow margin. Automotive News is now reporting that Ford's Chicago Assembly plant is joining them in rejecting the offer, though this time "overwhelmingly." Chicago Assembly handles production of the Ford Taurus, Lincoln MKS and Ford Explorer. Of the 2,317 workers who voted, 77% cast their ballots against the proposed deal.
At the same time, the UAW is reportedly making it known that, should the tentative agreement not be ratified, the organization will strike. Of the three major U.S. automakers, both General Motors and Chrysler workers lost the right to strike while those companies were restructuring in bankruptcy. Only Ford workers can strike, that company having avoided bankruptcy and its restrictions, and they may do so if the deal is not approved by the majority.
As of this writing, the UAW Ford Department Facebook page reports that 3,256 workers (45.4%) have voted to ratify the contract and 3,915 (54.6%) have voted against. That's a far cry from Ford's 41,000-strong union workforce, and the union has until October 18th to finish voting.
UAW workers in Chicago reject Ford deal, strike possible originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsGM burned by cyber prankster at Chevy centennial event
Filed under: Etc., Chevrolet, Ford
We're not sure how we missed this while attending the centennial event for Chevrolet yesterday, but apparently a cyber prankster got the better of General Motors while we were busying reporting on a new Trailblazer, the Spark EV and the return of the Belle Isle Grand Prix to Detroit.
According to a report by the Wall Street Journal, visitors to the company's headquarters yesterday would see the word "sucks" on their computer screens after any mention of certain competitors when using a particular Wi-Fi network in the building. The targeted competitors were Chrysler, Ford, Toyota and Honda.
A GM spokesman confirmed that the automaker had nothing to do with the prank, which was quickly fixed. The prank's perpetrator? A subcontractor who had helped set up the network. When pressed on why he/she did it, the prankster reportedly said it was intended to be humorous. We're betting the subcontractor's employer won't find it funny when GM takes its business elsewhere next time, which will probably make life suck for the subcontractor.
GM burned by cyber prankster at Chevy centennial event originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 13 Oct 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsLast Ford Crown Victoria build documented by St. Thomas Assembly
Filed under: Sedan, Etc., Ford, Police/Emergency, Specialty
Pour a 40 out, dance a dervish or do whatever your people do to celebrate the dead, because yesterday, the final Ford Crown Victoria rolled off the assembly line at St. Thomas Assembly Plant in Ontario, Canada. Workers from the plant have been documenting the wind-down on a Facebook page, and you can check out some choice build pictures of the last-ever Vicky in our gallery. The final Crown Victoria was a white model with tan interior and optional rear-seat air conditioning for a customer in Saudi Arabia. With the long-serving Lincoln Town Car also ending production, only 250 of the plant's roughly 1,200 workers will be kept through December to help decommission the facility.
On sale for roughly 32 years, the Crown Victoria was a mainstay of the Ford lineup that refused to modernize. Aside from the Lincoln, it was the only rear-wheel-drive, body-on-frame sedan left on sale in America. You could get it with a column-mounted shifter. You could order two bench seats and seat six comfortably (front bench seats in passenger vehicles are now officially dead in America). It rode on the oldest continuously produced platform on sale in America, Ford's tough-as-nails Panther platform that was first used back in 1979. Lastly, it always offered a V8 no matter what gas was going for at the corner station. Click through the jump to continue reading...
Continue reading Last Ford Crown Victoria build documented by St. Thomas Assembly
Last Ford Crown Victoria build documented by St. Thomas Assembly originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 16 Sep 2011 12:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsUAW workers want end to two-tier wage structure
Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Chrysler, Ford, GM
Back in 2007-08, U.S. automakers and the United Auto Workers union signed landmark labor contracts that included many concessions on behalf of workers to keep the companies they work for competitive. Among them was an agreement to a two-tier wage structure that allowed automakers to start hiring replacements for retirees at a lower starting wage of $14-16/hour.
As one might expect, the people who got these lower paying jobs aren't too happy about the disparity in pay anymore. They've begun to organize with the hope of repealing the two-tier wage structure in negotiations leading up to the current four-year contracts' expiration on September 14. About 50 people showed up to a rally held at a church in Detroit over the weekend to express their opposition.
These opponents claim the pay disparity causes rifts on the factory floor, effectively turning union members against each other at a time when solidarity is most important. According to The Detroit News, they also argue that the two-tier structure erodes the middle class and could lead to pay cuts for the first-tier workers who start at $28/hour.
UAW President Bob King has reportedly said that the union would like the starting wage of second-tier workers increased in the next contract, but has not committed the organization to calling for its outright repeal. The other interesting wrinkle is that union workers for both General Motors and Chrysler gave up their right to strike by accepting government-funded bailouts. Only union workers for Ford may choose to exercise that right next month if things don't go their way at the bargaining table.
UAW workers want end to two-tier wage structure originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 15 Aug 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
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