2012 Best Resale Value Awards: Full-Size Pickup - Kelley Blue Book

2012 Best Resale Value Awards: Full-Size Pickup - Kelley Blue Book:
Best Full-Size Pickup: 2012 Ford F-Series (Super Duty)

Accounting for nearly half of Ford’s F-Series sales, the Ford Super Duty pickup hauls more than money into dealerships. Capable of towing 12,000 pounds or hauling nearly 3,000 pounds of payload, the Ford Super Duty comes with two powerful engine choices, plenty of options, and interior choices that range from basic and easy-to-clean, to limousine-like decadence -- making it what many consider the best full-size heavy duty pickup, and the best full-size pickup overall when it comes to resale value.

A veritable workhorse, the Ford Super Duty comes with a 6.2-liter V8 capable of producing 385 horsepower and 405 lb-ft of torque. Opting for the 6.7-liter V8 Turbo Diesel will get you 390 horsepower and a whopping 735 lb-ft of torque. Both engines are paired with a TorqShift 6-speed automatic with manual shift controls and can be combined with either 2WD or 4WD.

The Ford F-Series SD has received a number of interior upgrades to bring it in line with its smaller sibling, the Ford F-150. Like the F-150, the Ford Super Duty has an incredibly spacious interior and with packages like the LT, Lariat, Cabela's Special Edition, King Ranch and Harley-Davidson, it quickly moves from practical to plush. In addition, the interior has been updated for the needs of the working driver – like a laptop-sized center console and USB inputs. Add in its fantastic retail value and it is no wonder the Ford Super Duty takes the best fullsize pickup resale value award for the third year in a row.

Ford's 2010 net is best in a decade; Q4 drops on actions to cut debt

Ford's 2010 net is best in a decade; Q4 drops on actions to cut debt

DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. today posted a $6.56 billion profit for 2010, its highest annual net income in more than a decade, fueled by improved products and pricing.But its fourth-quarter profit plunged, due to actions to pay down debt that Ford took on before the financial crisis hit.

The automaker also confronted rising costs for launching new vehicles and suffered an unexpected loss in Europe.

“We're in transition mode now,” Ford CFO Lewis Booth said during a media briefing today, predicting that 2011 will be more profitable than 2010. “We've fixed the fundamentals of the business. I think the thing that pleases us immensely is the improvement in the balance sheet.”

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110128/OEM01/110129842/1424#ixzz1CLOXAGmI

Ford 'money machine' may report most profitable year since 2000

Ford 'money machine' may report most profitable year since 2000

DETROIT (Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co. may report its most profitable year since 2000 tomorrow, boosted by new models and a better reputation. The annual profit would be the second straight for CEO Alan Mulally, who has improved quality and expanded the model lineup.

Ford, according to an analyst survey conducted by Thomson Reuters, is expected to generate a fourth-quarter pretax profit of about 48 cents a share on revenue of $30.57 billion. On that basis, the company would post profits of about $1.7 billion for the fourth quarter and $8 billion for all of 2010.

Ford posted $6.37 billion in net income during the first nine months of the year -- the most since 1998 and more than any other automaker. In 2009, Ford posted annual net income of $2.72 billion on revenue of $118.31 billion.

“Ford is building better cars, they're more fuel-efficient and they've really focused on quality since Alan Mulally came in,” said Gary Bradshaw, a fund manager at Dallas-based Hodges Capital Management, which owns 100,000 Ford common shares and 100,000 preferred shares. “He's just making this company a money machine.”

The estimates for quarterly and 2010 profit exclude items such as a $960 million charge Ford planned to take in the fourth quarter because of a plan to pay investors in its convertible debt to swap their notes for shares. Profit excluding items was 9 cents a share in 2009.

Ford shares rose 68 percent in 2010 and have gained 9.4 percent this year on the New York Stock Exchange. Ford, battered by $30 billion in losses over three years, fell to a close of $1.26 on Nov. 19, 2008, as rising fuel prices and the financial crisis led to a collapse in auto sales. The shares rose 48 cents, or 2.7 percent, to $18.37 yesterday.

Read more: http://www.autonews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20110127/OEM01/110129870/1254#ixzz1CFWnlSrG

Ford, Honda lead latest J.D. Power owner loyalty survey — Autoblog

Ford (F) and Honda (HMC) owners, more than those of any others, are opting to get another vehicle of the same brand.

Both brands topped J.D. Power's latest Customer Retention Study, which was based on 123,601 responses from new-car buyers. In 81,350 of those cases, the car being replaced had also been purchased new by that owner.

Sixty-two percent of Ford and Honda owners remained with those brands, while Kia (KIMTF.PK) was the most improved overall in retention. According to the survey, this year 58 percent purchased another Kia but last year, just 37 percent were repeat buyers of the brand. Mercedes-Benz (DAI) fell by five points, to 59 percent.

The Ford F-Series pickup, Ford Edge crossover, and Ford Fusion sedan drive strong customer retention for Ford, says Power, while the Accord, CR-V, and Pilot are among the strongest Honda models with strong retention.

Ford owners are even more likely than Honda owners to perceive their vehicle as fun to drive or as having good styling, which J.D. Power says has become increasingly important.

Since it's Election Day....Why is It Important to Vote?

Elections seldom provide perfect choices between good and evil. The first step toward informed voting lies in determining your own personal preferences as the to public problems you are most concerned with and the solutions you prefer. What solutions to current societal problems do you prefer? Should we be spending more money on schools or for national defense? Would it be better if government limited pornography or hate speech on the Internet, or is one's right to free expression more important? Is abortion a mortal sin or a right some women might choose in desperate situations? There are not "right" answers to these questions on which everyone agrees, so the informed voter looks for candidates who share their preferences on the issues of most importance to them. Above and beyond shared preferences, informed voters look at the personal characteristics of candidates to help determine how they will perform in office. We usually prefer candidates who are hard working, honest, moral and skillful since we are entrusting them with decisions that affect our futures.

Sorting out the information about candidates from their speeches, campaign ads, media coverage and Web sites is one of the real challenges to citizens in a democracy. Many voters use short cut aids, such as relying on a candidate's political party label. Over the years, political parties have taken relatively consistent packages of policy stands (see below). Candidates for more important offices have usually served in previous positions, making it possible to assess their policy preferences and capabilities. A number of nonpartisan Web sites (see below) provide useful information for voters. Talking with friends and relatives about politics helps define one's own outlooks and understand the available options.

Microsoft shows it's still keen on cars

Microsoft Corp. is angling for more automotive customers with a new version of Windows for the car, a move seen as reaffirming its commitment to the auto industry.

Last week the technology giant released Windows Embedded Automotive 7, which it says is about three generations ahead of the Microsoft software found in the original 2007 version of Ford Motor Co.'s Sync entertainment and information service.

The company says the latest software provides improved speech recognition; more options for sending text messages by voice; and more features to help car engineers get new technologies to market faster. "All that's left for the carmaker, or their supplier, is the work of adapting it for a particular vehicle or a particular device in the vehicle," Walter Sullivan, a senior program manager for Microsoft, told Automotive News.

Also included is a version of Microsoft Silverlight for creating richer graphics. Silverlight, a competitor of Adobe System Inc.'s Flash software, is used to add animation and multimedia functions to Web sites. Sullivan said Microsoft's aim is to speed up the pace of automotive technology introductions.

"Automotive systems traditionally take quite a while to develop -- anywhere from 18 months to three years," he said. "The complexity of the systems is substantial, and the amount of testing ... that they go through with these systems requires a significant engineering cycle."

Slightly older versions of Microsoft's software are in Ford's Sync, Kia Motors Corp.'s Uvo voice-activated technology and in a similar system for Fiat S.p.A. called Blue&Me. Nissan also uses Windows in the touch screen "information hub" on the Leaf electric sedan.

"Microsoft continues to invest in an automotive-specific platform," said Gartner Inc. analyst Thilo Koslowski. "There was some concern over the last probably six months that the company was somewhat de-emphasizing the automotive commitment because there has been some personnel change and also some organizational changes."

SEMA: Ford's Mustangs will run wild

Ford will fill its stable with 11 Mustangs at this year's SEMA show in Las Vegas.

The Ford stand will include nine customized 2011 Mustangs along with the 2012 Mustang Boss 302 and the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca. The 2012 Mustang Boss 302 and Boss 302 Laguna Seca are both powered by a 440-hp, 5.0-liter V8 rated at 380 lb-ft of torque. The Laguna Seca is a stripped-down, reinforced version of the Boss 302 with improved handling. The rear seats have been replaced by an X-bar support to stiffen the chassis. Ford also upgraded the springs and the rear stabilizer bar.

Other Mustangs at SEMA include:

2011 Ford Mustang GT by Ford Vehicle Personalization: This Mustang GT was designed using accessories made by Ford. The exterior includes a pedestal spoiler, side scoops and a billet grille. The Mustang GT rides on 18-inch wheels.
The white-and-black interior includes inserts that resemble carbon fiber and coral accents on the steering wheel, gauge cluster and shifter knob. Ford also included coral accent lights and white material to highlight the seats, door inserts and steering wheel.

2011 Ford Mustang by Team Baurtwell: Funkmaster Flex and Team Baurtwell designed a Mustang that includes smoked taillights, a 3dCarbon body kit and NC Forged three-piece billet wheels.
The chassis includes a Steeda lowering kit, sway bars and springs. Team Baurtwell also installed Baer brakes.

2011 Ford Mustang by MRT: The MRT-designed Mustang GT has carbon effects in the engine compartment and interior. It also has an upgraded performance-handling package, Baer brakes and an MRT stainless-steel exhaust.

2011 Ford Mustang by Creations n' Chrome: Creations n' Chrome teamed up with the American Cancer Society to design a Mustang GT and raise awareness for breast cancer. The pink chrome GT includes a Vortech supercharger, HRE performance wheels, Wilwood brakes and 3dCarbon styling kit.

2011 Ford Mustang by Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords: The Muscle Mustangs and Fast Fords-customized Mustang includes a Ford Racing Performance Parts supercharger kit and Kooks Custom headers exhaust system. It also has a custom paint job, Roush fascia, Cervini's Auto Designs hood and brakes, seats and suspension by American Muscle parts.

2011 Ford Mustang by Mobsteel: The V6 Mustang by Mobsteel includes an STS Turbo patented remote-mount turbo system, Air Runner suspension and Magnaflow cat-back exhaust. It also has 15-inch Baer brakes, Savini forged wheels and Pirelli tires.

2011 Ford Mustang by Raceskinz: The interior of the Raceskinz-designed Mustang includes Raceskinz bucket seats and carbon-fiber accessories throughout. Performance upgrades include a ProCharger intercooled supercharger, Magnaflow cat-back exhaust and Baer brakes.

2011 Ford Mustang by Street Scene Equipment: The Mustang customized by Street Scene Equipment includes a Street Scene chin spoiler, grille and rear wing. The car rides on 20-inch Mint wheels. The interior includes Katzkin leather and a Polk audio system.

2011 Ford Mustang by Tjin Edition: The exterior of the Tjin Edition Mustang GT includes a custom DuPont paint job, a Webasto sunroof, a Unique Fabrication metal wing, Ignited LED headlights and StreetGlow lighting. It also has an Air Lift air suspension kit, an Eibach antiroll kit and trailer arms.Read more:

http://www.autoweek.com/article/20101028/SEMA/101029887#ixzz13h61XiSJ

Ford races toward best year since '98

Mulally: Next phase is growing business

With one more profitable quarter under its belt, 2010 is increasingly looking like Ford's big comeback year. The Dearborn automaker, which launched its turnaround plan in 2006, posted a $1.7-billion third-quarter profit Tuesday and said it is hiring workers and aggressively paying down its debt.

"We are moving from fixing the fundamentals of our business and weathering the downturn to growing the business," Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally said Tuesday.

Ford's year-to-date profit now stands at $6.4 billion -- putting Ford on track for its biggest annual profit since 1998. "The company is better off than it was then," said Shelly Lombard, a credit analyst with Gimme Credit. "It can make money even with industry volume that's much lower ... and with a sales mix that is much less reliant on trucks."

That's especially true in Ford's long-troubled North American division, which has now posted its fifth consecutive profit. U.S. consumers have been willing to pay more for Ford cars because of their exclusive technology and improved quality, now on par with top Asian rivals.

Last year, Ford eked out a small profit of $2.7 billion, which resulted in bonuses for all Ford workers. With this year's profit expected to top $7 billion, they are likely to get annual bonuses next year, which would give metro Detroit's economy a boost.

Ford makes big dents in debt

Ford's ability to pay off big chunks of its debt has the company well on its way toward eliminating the biggest remaining challenge to its turnaround that it can control.

On Tuesday, the Dearborn automaker said it plans to eliminate its remaining debt to a UAW retiree health care trust with a $3.6-billion cash payment Friday. It also said it used $2 billion in cash in September to pay off some of its bank debt.

Honda, Toyota lead reliability survey; Ford tops domestics

DETROIT -- Honda Motor Co. and Toyota Motor Corp. dominate the list of most reliable 2011 models based on an annual survey by Consumer Reports magazine, with Ford Motor Co. tops among domestic automakers and General Motors Co. posting notable gains.

Chrysler and many European automakers lag the overall industry as many of their models scored below average in reliability, the magazine said.    Read more

Ford profit: Ford reports $1.7 third-quarter profit - latimes.com

Ford Motor Co. demonstrated the growing strength of the U.S. auto industry Tuesday by posting a third-quarter profit of $1.7 billion, a 69% jump over the same period a year ago and surpassing a previous record set in 1997.

The automaker — which unlike General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group avoided bankruptcy reorganization last year — benefitted from both cost cutting and top-line performance, gaining U.S. market share and selling vehicles for higher prices.

"Overall, we are doing better than we expected through the first nine months of the year," said Alan Mulally, Ford's chief executive, "and we expect to deliver solid profits in the fourth quarter and for the full year."

Ford has reduced its level of sales-incentive spending at the same time buyers are adding options to their cars and spending more, according to Edmunds.com, the auto information company. Edmunds.com estimated that buyers paid an average of $30,636 for a Ford in September, slightly higher than a year ago and up 10% from five years ago.

"For a long time, they weren't really in the car market very strongly, depending mostly on trucks and SUVs. Now they have good cars, and the car market is where the action has been in recent years," said Jessica Caldwell, an analyst with Edmunds.com.

Ford's profit equaled 43 cents a share and compared with earnings of $1 billion, or 29 cents a share, in the same period a year earlier. It was the automaker's sixth consecutive profitable quarter. Revenue fell to $29 billion from $30.3 billion a year earlier, before the company sold off Volvo, the Swedish automaker, to focus on its core Ford and Lincoln brands. Year to date, the company has earned $6.4 billion.

In early trading, Ford shares rose 7 cents to $14.22. "This was another strong quarter," said Mulally. "The key drivers for improvement in 2011 will be our growing product strength, a gradually strengthening economy and an unrelenting focus on improving the competitiveness of all our operations."

On Friday, Ford plans to use some of the cash it is generating to pay off the remaining $3.6 million it owes to the United Auto Workers union retiree healthcare trust, which will save it about $330 million in annual interest expenses. The automaker borrowed heavily to stay afloat during the recession and is working to pay back those loans.
The payment will reduce the company's total debt to $22.8 billion, a net reduction of $10.8 billion from the end of 2009. Ford said it expected its cash holdings to be equal to its total debt by the year's end, earlier than it previously anticipated. Ford also plans a stock offering that would convert $3.5 billion in debt to common stock during the fourth quarter.
"We are clearly ahead of where we thought we would be on improving our balance sheet and repaying our loans," Mulally said. "This allows us to reduce our annualized interest payments by over $800 million."

Ford's American operations had an operating profit of $1.6 billion, compared with $300 million in the same period a year earlier. The company was profitable in South America and in Asia, driven by gains in China and India, but lost money in Europe. The company said it expected its European operations to become profitable in this year's fourth quarter.
Much of the automaker's success is coming from a string of successful new products, such as the Fusion sedan and the Edge SUV. Truck sales, especially government and business fleet sales of the F-150 pickup also added to the quarterly profit, Caldwell said.
Ford's latest vehicles have been well received by consumers.

"It's much better than the Ford of five years ago," Caldwell said. Ford sales have risen 21% to 1.4 million vehicles through the first nine months of this year. That's more than double the overall industry gain. Its share of the U.S. market has grown to 16.7% from 15.2% — the largest jump of any automaker this year, according to Autodata Corp.

The automaker has been able to restructure so it can operate profitably with what are considered historically low auto sales numbers.
There are some signs of a more robust rebound in the U.S. auto market, which was up about 10% through the first nine months of the year.

Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, said Monday that U.S. auto sales hit an annualized pace of about 12 million vehicles in October, its best rate so far this year. Automakers will report their October sales results next week.

Ford May See Record Third-Quarter Earnings - DailyFinance

Ford May See Record Third-Quarter Earnings - DailyFinance

Ford Motor (F) is set to report record earnings for the three months ending September when the automaker releases its third-quarter profits before U.S. stock markets open Tuesday. Riding high on improved demand for its vehicles, analysts expect Ford to post a record third-quarter profit of $1.37 billion compared to $997 million in the year-ago period, according to analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg News. The automaker's current third-quarter earnings record is $1.13 billion, set in 1997.On a per-share basis, Ford is expected to report earnings of 37 cents, according to a consensus estimate of 13 analysts polled by Zacks.com. In the third quarter last year, the automaker earned 26 cents a share. Under the leadership of Alan Mulally, Ford has piloted a so-far successful turnaround of the 107-year-old company. Last year marked Ford's first full-year profit since 2005, and the Dearborn, Mich.-based company is on target for a profitable 2010.See full article from DailyFinance: http://srph.it/9xMGys

Ford E-News - May 12, 2010

Fiesta debuts as technology platform

A car that tweets its thoughts while driving? Yeah, Ford has one of those: @AJtheFiesta will tweet updates as part of a team of Ford engineers and University of Michigan students embarking on the first social media-connected road trip from Ann Arbor, Mich., to Maker Faire in San Mateo, Calif. The trip marks the conclusion of the American Journey 2.0 research project engaging students and Ford's Research & Advanced Engineering group to create auto-centric cloud-based apps. Stops at three major universities will help build buzz about Ford vehicles while showing the company is a leader in bringing together the automobile and the Internet. more...

Alan Hall | ahall32@ford.com | 313.594.3744

Ford leads industry in collision insurance cost ratings

Ford is working to reduce insurance costs for consumers to both lower repair costs when needed and help drive down premiums. The result: NHTSA reports the company had 10 vehicles that led their segments in lowest costs during the 2007 to 2009 model years. They include the Ford Focus, Taurus and F-150. To boot, nearly one third of Ford vehicles finished in the top three in their segment - better than any other automaker. more...

Wes Sherwood | wsherwoo@ford.com | 313.390.5660

Ford drives green with sustainable printing

In the past year alone Ford has reduced its use of paper made exclusively from virgin sources by 6,000 tons - the equivalent of a loaded freight train with two locomotives and 100 cars. Ford has done this by increasingly using paper from recycled content for all high-volume, consumer and employee printing projects including the annual report and proxy statements. Starting this year, approximately 2.2 million owner's manuals are being printed on paper containing at least 10 percent post-consumer recycled fiber and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. more...

Dan Pierce | dpierc41@ford.com | 313.390.0949

Ford families know their vehicles - by name

Ford owners know their cars and trucks are more than transportation - they're family, and they deserve names that honor them as such. Good, solid names, like Marilyn, Myrtle and Big Bertha. Even memorable ones, like Oscar, Grover and Mr. T. A recent Ford Facebook fan page poll garnered 700 responses from Ford owners showing just what names they've bestowed on their vehicles over the years. The complete list can be found at http://bit.ly/FordNames. more...

Scott Monty | smonty@ford.com | 313.337.5466

Ford Freedom Awards honor John H. Johnson, Usher

Carrying on a tradition of 12 years, the Ford Freedom Awards are honoring two of the nation's most influential African American entrepreneurs - John H. Johnson and Usher. Johnson, founder and publisher of Johnson Publishing, which publishes "Jet" and "Ebony" magazines, is receiving the Ford Freedom Award posthumously; Usher, chairman and founder of Usher's New Look Foundation, has been named Ford Freedom Award Scholar. more...

Della Dipietro | ddipietr@ford.com | 313.755.2432

Ford Spain plant to build hybrid electric models for Europe

When the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) versions of the all-new Ford C-MAX launch in Europe in 2013, they'll be coming from the Valencia plant in Spain. As the first hybrid vehicles for European customers, the HEV and PHEV are key to Ford's commitment to delivering alternative powertrain vehicles globally. Valencia is also building the all-new gasoline version of the five-seat C-MAX and seven-seat Grand C-MAX, which launch later this year. A version of the Grand C-MAX will be exported to North America beginning in 2011. more...

Mark Schirmer | mschirme@ford.com | 313.390.8647

Fox News LIVE at Fox Valley Ford on Februaury 2, 2010

The Fox Business Network reports live from Fox Valley Ford in North Aurora, IL as the January 2010 sales numbers are released.

Part 1

Part 2


Part 3

New Sale Specials with Oil Change and Tire Rotation Discount Coupon

Our newest Sale specials with a coupon for an oil change and tire rotation only $29.95. Click here for the ad.

Ford's Fusion Hybrid and Transit Connect win car, truck of the year

Ford Motor swept the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards, which were announced early today at the Detroit auto show.

The Dearborn automaker's Transit Connect won North American Truck of the Year and the Ford Fusion Hybrid won Car of the Year, giving Ford a boost at the start of the media preview days for the 2010 North American International Auto Show.

The Transit Connect beat the Subaru Outback and the Chevy Equinox for the award. The Fusion beat out the Volkswagen Golf and theBuick Lacrosse.

The Transit Connect, aimed at small businesses, couldn’t have come at a better time. The vehicle starts at $20,780 and gets 22 m.p.g. in the city and 25 m.p.g. on the highway. It has a smooth ride, even while lugging cargo in its 135 cubic feet of space.

The Ford Fusion, already a strong Camry competitor, won drivers over with its 41 m.p.g. in city driving. This is the third time in the award's 17 years that a company has swept both awards.

A jury of 49 journalists from the U.S. and Canada votes on the awards.

Last year, the Hyundai Genesis took the award for North American Car of the year, beating out the Ford Flex and Volkswagen Jetta TDI. Jurors awarded the Ford F-150 North American Truck of the Year, over the Dodge Ram and Mercedes ML 320 BlueTec.

Read More:

Ford Unveiling Nine New Engines And Six Transmissions In Detroit

Ford will be introducing nine new or upgraded engines and six new transmissions in North America over the course of the year, the latest phase of a five-year effort to overhaul its entire global powertrain portfolio. The new powertrain pieces will be on show at this week’s 2010 Detroit Auto Show and will be making their way across model lines such as theFiesta, Mustang, Super Duty and F-150, as well as the all-new global Focus.

The powertrain push began in 2008 and continues through 2013 and includes the launch of 60 new or significantly upgraded engines, transmissions and transaxles globally over the five year period.

One of the most exciting is the 2012 Ford Focus’ all-new naturally aspirated 2.0-liter direct fuel injection four-cylinder engine, the first of its kind in a Ford vehicle in North America.

Read More:

Ford Seeks iPhone-Like Apps for Its Cars

Ford Motor Co. is working to offer drivers a way to upgrade the electronics in their vehicles, much the same way they can add applications to their iPhones and BlackBerrys.

The car maker hopes to persuade software developers to tap the Internet service, GPS location-finding capability and digital-music setup already found in its Sync entertainment-and-communications system, which it developed with Microsoft Corp.

Such applications, or "apps," might do such things as give directions to every espresso shop along a highway open after 9 p.m., or allow friends to follow one another to a location through a GPS process called "breadcrumbing."

The move is part of a broader revolution in automotive technology toward making cars as customizable and upgradeable as smart phones and laptop computers through applications.

Auto makers aim to persuade customers to continue to spend money on their cars after they buy them by upgrading the vehicles' technology, especially for small cars that often are unprofitable. Car makers also could gain revenue from application developers, much as AppleInc. collects fees from developers of apps for its iPhones and iPods.

Ford is in the process of allowing other companies and software developers to adapt smart-phone applications for use in its vehicles, as well as letting developers create car-specific apps. The car maker hopes the move will lure tech-savvy customers who will be more likely to pay for pricey features.

In one of the first steps, Ford is expected to announce Thursday that it will make available the basic computer coding needed to write software compatible with its Sync system.

Read More:

Long after 'Clunckers,' dealers see sales uptick :: Beacon News :: Local News

December 4, 2009 - By DAVID SHAROS AND ROWENA VERGARA Sun-Times Media

Reports about home sales recently showed that the market was up, giving analysts the first glimpse of positive economic news in months.
Is the auto industry following suit?

The Associated Press reported this week that Ford sales were steady throughout November. According to the AP, buyers snapped up fuel-efficient cars and crossovers, a sign that the market for new vehicles remains on a path to recovery. Some local dealers have noticed just that. They say there is indeed an upswing in car sales.

Fox Valley Ford experienced a slight dip in sales after the Cash for Clunkers program ended, but by October sales were back up again, according to Fox Valley Ford Vice President Tom Collins. On Black Friday, a day dedicated to bargain hunters, Fox Valley Ford's showroom was buzzing with such deal-seekers. "We had a lot of traffic and sold a lot of cars," Collins said.

Customers seem to be raving over the Fusion, Taurus and Escape vehicles the most, Collins said. Turnover for the Taurus is about one week. On Thursday, the dealership had one Taurus in stock when it typically receives about seven to eight of the model weekly, Collins said.

However, July and December tend to be high-selling months for dealerships anyway. Collins says shoppers right now are purchasing cars as Christmas presents for children and grandchildren.
In other cases, it may just be time for a replacement car.

The average vehicle on the road is about 11 years old, Dan Schwebke of Ron Westphal Chevrolet said. And because of that, some customers are in the market for a new car, he said. But used-car sales aren't slowing either. Collins says half of his dealership's sales are in used vehicles.

Other than Ford, a GM dealership is seeing an uptick, too. Gjovik Auto Group, which includes Chevy, Buick, Pontiac and GMC vehicles, has seen popularity rise for the Equinox, Camaro, redesigned LaCrosse and the GMC Terrain, Nick Oeser, sales manager said.

At Ron Westphal Chevrolet, the Chevy Equinox is the hottest seller. "We've had well into the 100-plus number (of Equinox cars) so far, but the turnaround time is literally a day or two. They hit the lot and they're gone," Schwebke said.
Dealerships are optimistic about the new year as well. Ron Westphal Chevrolet expects a 10 percent increase in sales volume in 2010, Schwebke said, adding that the business may add one or two more service technicians and two to three sales associates.

Fox Valley Ford also expects success in the new year. It's looking at a 4 to 5 percent increase in sales, a trickle-down effect from the Detroit-based automaker. Ford Motor Company has grown its market share of the auto industry in 13 of the last 14 months, Collins said.

Naperville Jeep/Dodge General Manager Sam Guzzino says "credit markets are beginning to open up a bit" which he believes will continue to bring more customers into the showroom. "Our sales are about equal to what they were a year ago, which is good in that you never want to slide backwards," he said. "We had to replenish our inventory of '09 models after the 'clunkers' rush, and once we did, we've actually sold out of our '09 stock already for the year."

Sneak peak of the new Fiesta

We got a sneak peak of the new Ford Fiesta today,

due out late spring of 2010 and availability to pre-order this December.

Thanks to Demetra and Derek Dow Fiesta Agent # 33 for bringing the Fiesta by for us to take a look at and drive!

Ford Fusion wins Motor Trend Car of the Year - Nov. 17, 2009

Redesigned mid-sized car takes prominent magazine award.

NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- Motor Trend magazine named the Ford Fusion mid-sized sedan as its 2010 Car of the Year on Tuesday. The award includes both the gas-only and hybrid versions of the Fusion.

This year's Car of the Year was selected from among a field of 22 different cars all of which were newly introduced or, like the Fusion, substantially redesigned for the 2010 model year. The Fusion was first introduced in 2006 but has been substantially upgraded and redesigned for the 2010 model year.

"It's a credit to the [Ford] team to deliver a car in the hottest selling segment in the market and to make it absolutely competitive with the benchmarks," said Motor Trend editor-in-chief Angus McKenzie at an award presentation ceremony.
The benchmark cars in the mid-sized segment are generally considered to be the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, which have been the two top-selling cars in America for years.

McKenzie praised the Fusion for the excellence of all versions of the car including the 4-cylinder, V6 and hybrid models. "Another thing that impressed us was the attention to detail," McKenzie said. While the 2010 Fusion shares much of its engineering with the previous version, the car looked and felt like a completely new car, McKenzie said.