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Report: CAR projects Michigan will net up to 23,000 new auto jobs in 2011

Filed under: Chrysler, Ford, GM

Ford Explorer assembly line

The fourth quarter of 2010 showed strengthening auto sales, and analysts believe 2011 will reveal further sales growth. That will likely lead to more profit for automakers, and The Detroit News reports that Michigan jobs could follow. The report cites findings by the Center for Automotive Research (CAR) that show up to 23,000 new Michigan jobs in 2011 alone.

That’s a huge number of high wage jobs in a region still burdened with unemployment levels over 10 percent, and a big reason the Mitten State is projected to be a jobs winner is a shift in the competitive landscape. Ford and General Motors are making money in a down auto market and Chrysler was breaking even even before refreshing most of its vehicle lineup. CAR points out that the Detroit Three are also competitive on labor and legacy costs, quality and manufacturing efficiency, which frees up more money for product development.

CAR has reportedly been able to track at least $5.6 billion in announced projects in Michigan over the past 24 months, and the industry continues to recover from the Great Recession; a number that stands a good chance of increasing.

[Source: Detroit News | Image: M. Spencer Green/AFP/Getty]

Report: CAR projects Michigan will net up to 23,000 new auto jobs in 2011 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 17 Jan 2011 08:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford recalling nearly 15,000 F-Series and Edge/Lincoln MKX crossovers

Filed under: SUV, Truck, Recalls, Safety, Ford

If you thought 2010 was going to wrap up with an all quiet on the recall front, think again. Ford and the National Highway Transportation Safety Administration have announced the recall of 14,737 vehicles for a faulty body control module that may short out and cause a fire.

The recall covers certain 2011 models that were built in a six-day period, including some 2011 Edge, F-150, F-250, F-350, F-450, F-550 and Lincoln MKX vehicles. NHTSA says that if the body control module shorts out, it could overheat and cause a fire.

Dealers are expected to inspect the module and, if necessary, replace it free of charge. NHTSA says that Ford plans to start the work on or before January 10, 2011, and that owners may contact Ford directly with questions at 1-866-436-7332. Hit the jump for a look at the full recall notice.

[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]

Continue reading Ford recalling nearly 15,000 F-Series and Edge/Lincoln MKX crossovers

Ford recalling nearly 15,000 F-Series and Edge/Lincoln MKX crossovers originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 30 Dec 2010 09:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford Fusion will be brand’s first 200,000-unit car since 2004

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Ford, Earnings/Financials

2010 Ford Fusion Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery

According to Ward’s Auto, Ford is about to stride past a production figure that it hasn’t hit since 2004. The 2011 Fusion is on the cusp of motoring past 200,000 sales this year – an annual number that a FoMoCo passenger sedan hasn’t managed to exceed since both the Focus sedan and Taurus did the deed back in ’04. In 2010, Fusion sales were up 21.5 percent through November compared to 2009 – hitting 196,590 units. Given that the Blue Oval has been easily knocking off more than 10,000 Fusion sales per month, Ward’s is betting that Ford will easily manage to overtake the 200k mark.

Should that happen, the Fusion will find itself in heady company. Only a handful of other sedans have managed to topple the 200,000-unit barrier this year, and all of those are from Asia. Not surprisingly, the Toyota Camry is expected to walk away from 2010 with the sales crown, with 296,581 deliveries through November, while the Honda Accord has already notched 253,073 sales under its belt. Following up in third place is the Toyota Corolla with 244,024 units sold. Also through November, the venerable Honda Civic has tallied 231,955 units, the Nissan Altima found 206,247 garages, and just last week, Hyundai announced that its redesigned Sonata had eclipsed 200,000 sales for the first time ever – a massive 90,000 unit improvement year-over-year.

Gallery: Review: 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid

2010fordfusionhybrid_review000 2010fordfusionhybrid_review001 2010fordfusionhybrid_review002 2010fordfusionhybrid_review003 2010fordfusionhybrid_review004

[Source: Ward’s Auto]

Ford Fusion will be brand’s first 200,000-unit car since 2004 originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Dec 2010 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Cadillac recalling over 95,000 previous-gen CTS sedans

Filed under: Sedan, Recalls, Safety, Cadillac, GM

2006 Cadillac CTS

2006 Cadillac CTS – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors is recalling 95,927 Cadillac CTS sedans from the 2005 to 2007 model year over faulty passenger sensing systems in the front passenger seat.

According to NHTSA, repeated flexing of this sensor mat can cause it to kink, bend or fold, which can sever the connections of the mat’s sensors to safety devices within the car. Most specifically, a damaged sensor may not be able to detect the presence of a front seat passenger and could disable the air bag, increasing the risk of injury in a crash.

GM has not yet notified NHTSA of when the recall is expected to ramp up, but owners may contact the automaker with any questions prior to receiving the official notice. Dealerships will replace the passenger sensing system free of charge. For the full details, follow the jump to read NHTSA’s statement.

Gallery: 2006 Cadillac CTS

2006 Cadillac CTS

[Source: NHTSA]

Continue reading Cadillac recalling over 95,000 previous-gen CTS sedans

Cadillac recalling over 95,000 previous-gen CTS sedans originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 23 Dec 2010 16:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Video: Fast Lane Daily celebrates 1,000 episodes, heads to the ‘Ring for $1,000

Filed under: Etc., Videos, Citroën

Fast Lane Daily 1000th Episode

Fast Lane Daily hits 1,000 episodes and goes to the ‘Ring – Click above to watch video after the jump

Fast Lane Daily has been running for some time now. The Next New Networks show first hit the internet back in 2007, and over the course of the last few years have produced quite a bit of content. In fact, the newest episode marks number 1,000 for the FLD crew. To celebrate the occasion, Fast Lane Daily creator Emil Rensing has sent host Derek DeAngelis to Germany so he can drive the Nürburgring. Sounds pretty amazing, until Derek D. realizes his entire trip has a budget of $1,000.

Regardless of the lack of funds, DeAngelis is still able to get to the Green Hell and spend time on the track. It may be behind the wheel of a Citroën C4 but the entire trip clearly has a strong effect on the host. Though the 24-minute clip is longer than the typical Fast Lane Daily segment, we think it’s worth it to watch this one all the way through.

Hop the jump to watch FLD’s 1,000th episode.

[Source: YouTube]

Continue reading Video: Fast Lane Daily celebrates 1,000 episodes, heads to the ‘Ring for $1,000

Video: Fast Lane Daily celebrates 1,000 episodes, heads to the ‘Ring for $1,000 originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 20 Dec 2010 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Tesla SEC filing reveals Model S has 3,000 deposits

Filed under: Sedan, Government/Legal, Hatchback, Earnings/Financials, Tesla, Electric

Tesla Model S SEC filing page

In an 8-K filing posted with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission yesterday, Tesla Motors revealed that, by the end of the third quarter, it had already lined up 3,000 buyers, each of whom has coughed up $5,000 required to reserve the automaker’s long-promised Model S. Additional information mentioned in the report suggests that the Model S will eventually obtain a five-star safety rating, feature more cargo room than any other sedan on the market and be designed to accommodate battery-swap technology.

The SEC filing details Tesla’s numerous deals with other automakers, which are briefly outlined below:

Tesla received an initial order for 1,500 lithium-ion battery packs for the Smart ForTwo ED
Tesla anticipates selling 500 lithium-ion battery packs to Daimler for use in the Mercedes-Benz A-Class electric.
The automaker’s cumulative sales to Daimler topped the $12-million mark earlier this year.
Tesla expects revenue of $60 million for its part in developing components for the Toyota RAV4 EV.

To read Tesla’s 8-K SEC filing, which is jam-packed with graphics that detail the automaker’s intentions, click here.

Gallery: Tesla Model S

[Source: Securities and Exchange Commission via Tesla Motors]

Tesla SEC filing reveals Model S has 3,000 deposits originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 18 Dec 2010 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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GM recalling nearly 100,000 new crossovers due to seatbelt buckle fractures

Filed under: Recalls, Safety, Crossover, Cadillac, Chevrolet, GM, GMC

2011 Chevrolet Equinox

2011 Chevrolet Equinox – Click above for high-res image gallery

General Motors has issued a recall on its Theta crossover triplets, the Chevrolet Equinox, GMC Terrain and Cadillac SRX over safety belt buckle anchors that may fracture and separate in the event of a crash. A total of 97,843 vehicles are affected, all from the 2011 model year.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued an official statement, saying that a fractured seatbelt buckle may not properly restrain the vehicle’s occupants during an accident, thus increasing the risk of injuries sustained during a crash. In all three of the affected crossovers, both the driver and front passenger seatbelts are apparently subject to this sort of breaking.

GM will begin notifying owners in the next few weeks, as the recall is expected to ramp up on or before January 18, 2011. Cadillac, Chevrolet and GMC dealerships will modify one or both of the safety belt anchors as necessary, and of course, all maintenance will be performed free of charge. NHTSA’s official release is available after the break.

Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Equinox

2011 Chevrolet Equinox

[Source: National Highway Traffic Safety Administration]

Continue reading GM recalling nearly 100,000 new crossovers due to seatbelt buckle fractures

GM recalling nearly 100,000 new crossovers due to seatbelt buckle fractures originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 17 Dec 2010 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: BMW’s next supercar coming in 2013 for $200,000

Filed under: Coupe, Hybrid, Performance, BMW

BMW Efficient Dynamics prototype

BMW Vision EfficientDynamics prototype – Click above for high-res image gallery

BMW is set to change the way we think about supercars with its Vision EfficientDynamics concept. This swoopy economical machine is estimated to produce around 328 horsepower from its three-cylinder diesel hybrid powertrain, and fuel economy is claimed to be a lofty 62.5 miles per gallon.

While speaking to Inside Line recently, the automaker’s sales and marketing director, Ian Robertson, announced that the car will cost roughly €150,000, or about $200,000 USD when it goes on sale. That’s indeed a pretty penny, but it’s put into perspective when you consider that Mercedes-Benz’s upcoming efficient supercar, the SLS E-Cell, is rumored to cost around $250,000.

No official timeframe has been given as to when we’ll see the debut of the production-ready EfficientDynamics supercar, but Inside Line states that BMW is sponsoring the 2012 London Olympics, so we should look for the car to debut at that time. It’s indeed a vast change from the eight-, ten- and twelve-cylinder hotties that currently make up the supercar segment, but with the changing times putting a larger emphasis on efficiency, BMW’s end result should still be pretty sweet.

Gallery: BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Prototype

BMW Vision EfficientDynamics Prototype

[Source: Inside Line]

Report: BMW’s next supercar coming in 2013 for $200,000 originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Dec 2010 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Motorist gets pulled over by the same cop twice in two years. 12,000 miles apart.

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Humor

Getting pulled over by the police for speeding is among the more unpleasant feelings a driver can experience. But while a ticket can most certainly ruin someone’s day, for some reason, most ticketed motorists feel compelled to tell everyone they know the backstory that led to the dastardly fine. The stories are rarely overly interesting, but every once in a while a real Pulitzer-eligible tale unfolds.

A New Zealand driver has just such a yarn to spin after he was pulled over twice in two years by the same cop. In two different countries. 12,000 miles apart. The Daily Mail reports that the unnamed driver was pulled over by officer Andy Flitton in the UK two years ago and again recently in New Zealand. The unlucky driver, who island-hopped to New Zealand after 12 years in the UK, recognized the ticket-giver as the same man who caught him breaking the law on the A5 near London. The officer had recently relocated south after 26 years on the force in England.

Even though the driver was out a good chunk of change for the two infractions, at least the driver can lay claim to the most interesting ticket officer Flitton has ever written.

[Source: Daily Mail | Image: Marty Melville/AFP/Getty]

Motorist gets pulled over by the same cop twice in two years. 12,000 miles apart. originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 17:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Chrysler recalling nearly 370,000 minivans over potential airbag flaw

Filed under: Minivan/Van, Recalls, Safety, Chrysler, Dodge

2008 Chrysler Town and Country – Click above for high-res image gallery

Chrysler has put out a notice that it will be recalling 367,350 minivans in both Town and Country and Dodge Grand Caravan flavors. The reason? The airbags might go off when you don’t want them to. Water leaks in 2008 model year minivans may accidentally trigger a warning light and/or accidental airbag deployment.

The culprit is an HVAC hose grommet that was improperly installed. Moisture can then collect in the minivan’s carpet and drip into the airbag deployment module. Chrysler will begin notifying owners of the recall in February, and as always, the fix will come at no cost.

Gallery: 2008 Chrysler Town and Country

[Sources: BusinessWeek, Reuters]

Chrysler recalling nearly 370,000 minivans over potential airbag flaw originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 15 Dec 2010 14:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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