Porsche and Lincoln climb to top of J.D. Power 2010 Vehicle Dependability Study
Filed under: Etc., Marketing/Advertising, Buick, Cadillac, Ford, Hyundai, Jaguar, Lincoln, Porsche
This year's VDS found that several brands that perform well in the firm's dependability study are avoided due to public misperception about reliability. These brands include Cadillac, Ford, Hyundai, Lincoln and Mercury - all having the greatest lags between dependability performance and consumer perception. "Producing vehicles with world-class quality is just part of the battle for automakers; convincing consumers to believe in their quality is equally as important," says a J.D. Power and Associates spokesperson.
The Vehicle Dependability Study is designed to accurately measure problems experienced by original owners of three-year-old (2007 model year) vehicles. This year's study was based on responses from more than 52,000 vehicle owners surveys between October and December of 2009. Scores are based on the number of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with lower scores reflecting higher vehicle quality. The complete J.D. Power press release and charts can be found after the jump and in the gallery below.
[Source: J.D. Power.com]
Continue reading Porsche and Lincoln climb to top of J.D. Power 2010 Vehicle Dependability Study
Porsche and Lincoln climb to top of J.D. Power 2010 Vehicle Dependability Study originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Mar 2010 07:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsAmerican Idol finalists team with Ford designers to create their own Fiestas
Filed under: Marketing/Advertising, Hatchback, Ford, Celebrities, Design/Style
In case you hadn't noticed, Fox's hit show American Idol is back in full swing, and this is the first week that the competition has been narrowed down to the top 12 finalists. As you might expect, then, it's high time that the annual Ford sponsorship of AI goes into high gear as well.
Each of the Top 12 Idolists teamed up with four of Ford's brightest up-and-coming designers to come up with their own unique take on the Blue Oval's well-regarded Fiesta hatchback. Fans of the show (or fans of the car, we suppose) can enter the Ford Music Video Challenge once per week from March 17 through May 21, 2010, for a chance to win one of the vehicles you see here and a trip to the set of a Ford Music Video shoot. The grand prize winner gets a package that includes a Fiesta with their choice of one of the Top 12 designs and tickets to the AI finale.
We've gallerized a front-three-quarter shot of each contestant's Ford Fiesta design below. You know, each one of them is just so.... unique... that we can't quite goad ourselves into picking a winner. Therefore, we've just placed them in alphabetical order by the Idolists' first names. Feel free to rank them yourselves in the Comments. Full details on the Ford Music Video Challenge can be found here, and you can find the official press release after the jump.
[Source: Ford]
Continue reading American Idol finalists team with Ford designers to create their own Fiestas
American Idol finalists team with Ford designers to create their own Fiestas originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: Detroit automakers head to Congress to talk Japanese, Korean currency manipulation
Filed under: Government/Legal, Japan, Chrysler, Ford, GM, Earnings/Financials, South Korea
We can't even pretend to know the first thing about currency manipulation, so we won't bother trying to explain how artificially depreciated currency can help imports into the U.S. market. But American manufacturing groups have long accused the governments of China, Japan and South Korea of manipulating their currency to gain an bigger foothold in the U.S. market, and domestic automakers say Japan and South Korea in particular have been artificially depreciating their currency for years. Earlier this month, The American Automotive Policy Council, which represents General Motors, Ford and Chrysler, met with Obama Administration auto task force head Ron Bloom about the manipulation of the Japanese yen and Korean won, and now the AAPC is talking with members of Congress.
A report from The Detroit News shows that Japan added $56 billion to a "currency interventions fund" last week - a fund that apparently has a substantial cash reserve. Further, Japanese Finance Minister Naoto Kan told the Japanese Diet that his government is ready to manipulate currency by depreciating the yen. The AAPC claims that the actions of the Japanese and Korean governments put American manufacturing jobs at risk, adding:
"American auto companies will consider intervention in foreign exchange rate markets by the Japanese government that weakens the yen as unfair competition directed at the American automotive market and American workers as the industry begins to recover from the economic recession."
The DetNews claims representatives from the Japanese government were not available to comment on the group's claims. For its part, AAPC says that the goal of meeting with Congress is action:
"we urge you to make clear to the governments of Japan and Korea that the U.S. Congress considers such interventions unacceptable and that any decision to proceed with or continue such interventionist policies will be strongly and directly challenged by the United States in defense of fairness and American jobs."
Another area of concern for the AAPC is what they allege is the inherently closed nature of Asian auto markets. The Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development claims that the two countries are currently the most closed out of the 30 markets with auto industries. The ECOD also notes that domestic automakers in those countries account for 95.5 percent of all auto sales.
[Source: The Detroit News]
Report: Detroit automakers head to Congress to talk Japanese, Korean currency manipulation originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 18:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | CommentsYou’ll never guess which midsize sedan wins MT’s latest comparo…
Filed under: Sedan, Chevrolet, Ford, Honda, Hyundai, Mazda, Nissan, Subaru, Toyota
Ah yes, the good ol' midsize sedan. Bastion of the American family car set and holder of most automaker's sales crowns, as well as that of the best-selling automobile in the United States. As pointed out by Motor Trend, only three car nameplates have held the top sales spot in America in the last 20 years: the Ford Taurus, Honda Accord and Toyota Camry.
Of course, the current midsize sedan sales leader is none other than the aforementioned Camry. Unless you've been living under a rock for the last few months, you're certainly aware that Toyota has found itself in the hot seat with numerous claims of unintended acceleration and two separate recalls that are meant to deal with such safety defects.
Besides its recent safety woes, Toyota has had to deal with constant pressure from every other automaker seeking to dethrone the Camry as the midsize sales leader. So, the natural question is whether or not the segment stalwart can maintain its edge in the face of such stiff competition and a newly sullied reputation. MT sought the answer in its latest comparo.
These days, Ford's numero-uno midsize sedan is the Fusion, which was significantly redesigned this year, and that car won the coveted Motor Trend Car of the Year Award for 2010. Also new-for-2010 (as a 2011 model) are the Hyundai Sonata, which features swoopy new duds and a high-tech four-cylinder powertrain, and the Subaru Legacy, which is the only model in the segment to come standard with all-wheel drive.
Though not all-new for '10, the Chevrolet Malibu and Nissan Altima are certainly perennial power players in the midsize sedan segment, and as such were included in MT's comparison test. With introductions out of the way, who do you think could have grabbed the top spot in Motor Trend's comparison test of these seven leading midsize sedans? Hint: See the photo above. Suffice it to say... we were a bit surprised. Click here to see for yourself.
In related news, the boys from Inside Line have gone a slightly different route with a much smaller midsize sedan comparison, pitting the 2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2010 Mazda6 and 2010 Honda Accord together in a winner-takes-all fight. Click here for the results.
Do you agree with either MT or IL, or would you rank them totally differently? Have your say in 'Comments.'
[Sources: Motor Trend, Inside Line]
You'll never guess which midsize sedan wins MT's latest comparo... originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 16:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments2011 Ford Mustang V6 to pace NASCAR race at Bristol
Filed under: Motorsports, Coupe, Performance, Ford
Historically, pace cars have been limited to the highest performing models of each brand. That's about to change this weekend when the new 2011 Ford Mustang V6 will serve as the pace car for NASCAR's Food Land 500 at Bristol International Speedway. This will be the second time a Mustang has paced a NASCAR race this year after the new 5.0-liter Mustang GT led the pack at the Daytona 500 in February.
Despite being the least powerful Mustang available for 2011, the V6 model will be more than capable of carrying out its duties thank to its new 3.7-liter engine and six-speed transmission. With 305 horsepower and 280 pound-feet of torque, it should have no trouble setting the pace on Bristol's half mile oval. The budget pony car will undoubtedly be one of the most efficient pace cars in history as well, with the V6 officially rated at a record 31 mpg on the highway. You can see the new 2011 Mustang V6 pace car in action by tuning into Fox this Sunday at 1:00 pm EST.
[Source: Automobile Magazine]
2011 Ford Mustang V6 to pace NASCAR race at Bristol originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsReport: Congressmen spending thousands of dollars a month to lease ordinary vehicles
Filed under: Car Buying, Government/Legal, Ford, GM, Mercury
Remember when Congress got all up in the grilles of Detroit automaker chief executives for traveling to Washington in luxury courtesy of the companies private jets? It appears our lawmakers are less than perfect when it comes to sourcing their own cost-effective transportation, as Politico is reporting that at least 10 members of the House of Representatives have monthly vehicle leases that exceed $1,000 per month in taxpayer money.
But those leases, they're for specialized, bulletproof SUVs to keep our elected officials safe, right? Well, not so much. A little digging from Politico shows that members of Congress just don't know how to shop around. Of the top five lease prices listed, the most exorbitant monthly outlay at least appears to come with the best excuse. Missouri Democrat Emanuel Cleaver pays a reported $2,900 a month for a mobile office equipped with wifi and a wheelchair lift. Representative Cleaver justifies the hefty price tag by arguing that he uses the vehicle as his mobile office, foregoing the off-site office many other representatives have. Oh, and the mobile office runs on used cooking oil.
Other congressmen have less credible excuses, but it apparently isn't stopping them from giving it the old college try. House Intelligence Committee Chairman Silvestre Reyes (D-Texas) $1,628 to lease a GMC Yukon. Reyes blames short lease terms and fuel efficiency regulations on the high lease prices. Meanwhile, we suspect that every other American with decent credit can choose from dozens of CUVs or SUVs with 24-month leases for less than $600 per month.
Rep. Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick (D-Mich.) rolls in a $1,230 per month Chevrolet Tahoe. A spokesperson for Cheeks Kilpatrick claims the 13th District rep. leases the vehicle because General Motors headquarters resides within her district. Ironically, Cheeks Kilpatrick's son, Kwame Kilpatrick, the former Detroit mayor who left office in disgrace after being found guilty of perjury, caught plenty of flack a few years back for spending $1,000 per month for a taxpayer-funded Lincoln Navigator.
Rep. Harry Teague (D-N.M.), reportedly worth more than $36 million dollars, pays $1,266 per month for a Chevrolet Malibu. That's right, folks, a Malibu. Not a bad vehicle by any stretch, but $1,266 per month? Really? Other high lease offenders include Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. (D-Ill.), who rides in a $1,259 per month hybrid Toyota Highlander, Rep. Lacy Clay (D-Mo.), who trolls the St. Louis streets in $1,059 a month Ford Escape hybrid and Rep. Paul Kanjorski (D-Pa.) with his $1,026 per month Mercury Mariner hybrid. Not to be left out, Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) apparently also spends $1,143 every month for an unspecified leased vehicle, and multimillionaire Rep. Gary Miller (R-Calif.) leases a Lexus RX400h for $843 taxpayer-funded dollars a month, reportedly arguing that he needs the vehicle's bigger accomodations because he's over six-feet tall and has to make an hourlong commute twice a week.
Head over to Politico to read more about congress and the expensive vehicles they lease on your dime. We're thinking there are thousands of Autoblog readers who can help their congressmen procure a more cost effective lease vehicle than some of the ridiculous prices you just read about. Any volunteers?
[Source: Politico]
Report: Congressmen spending thousands of dollars a month to lease ordinary vehicles originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 13:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Read | Permalink | Email this | CommentsHow Will You Celebrate National Biodiesel Day?
As diesel fans around the world anticipate National Biodiesel Day on March 18, the birthday of the famed engine inventor, Rudolf Diesel, Ford readies for customers the new 2011 Super Duty and its all-new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine with unsurpassed biodiesel compatibility. The new diesel engine, available in [...]Exclusive First Ride: 2011 Ford Edge Sport
Filed under: Performance, Crossover, Ford, Quick Spin
Manufacturers used to roll out all-new cars every five-to-eight years. Somewhere around the halfway point - usually year three - much hoopla would be made about new front and rear fascias, the addition of some standard features and some new option packages. (*Yawn*). These changes were designed to give shoppers a reason to look at a car that was getting long-in-the-tooth.
Ford Motor Company sung by this songbook for decades, but it's not any longer. As we've seen with the Escape, Fusion and Mustang, the Ford brand is rolling out significant product changes any time they darn well please. For example, the 2010 Fusion could have been a standard refresh, but instead included three all-new powertrains, a significantly upgraded interior, and the expected front and rear fascias.
Introduced as a 2007 model at the close of 2006, the Edge was Ford's second attempt at a more car-like crossover. (Anybody remember the Freestyle/Taurus X ... uhh, not so much.) Heading into its fifth year of production, the Edge needed some serious attention. It just got it: We reported so on the eve of February's Chicago Auto Show.
Following the new model's public debut, Ford offered Autoblog an exclusive opportunity to ride in a 2011 Edge Sport with some development engineers so we could have an early, behind-the-scenes look at their handiwork. The new Edge doesn't go on sale until later this Summer, but you can read all about our experience at the Dearborn Development Center right now after the jump.
Photos by Rex Roy / Copyright (C)2010 Weblogs, Inc.
Continue reading Exclusive First Ride: 2011 Ford Edge Sport
Exclusive First Ride: 2011 Ford Edge Sport originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 17 Mar 2010 11:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Permalink | Email this | Comments