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Report: Ford making Fusion production moves to challenge Camry on volume

Filed under: Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Ford

2013 Ford Fusion

The Ford Fusion may already beat the Toyota Camry in terms of models offered, transaction price and sales increase so far this year, but if the Fusion wants to make a run at the title of best-selling car in the US, Bloomberg reminds us that volume is key. Opening a second production line at the Flat Rock, MI assembly plant will reportedly allow Ford to produce around 350,000 Fusions annually, which compares Toyota’s ability to crank out 475,000 Camrys and Honda’s capacity to build around 450,000 Accords.

For the Fusion, that’s an extra 100,000 units compared to the car’s current pace, and the article adds that the Fusion is “Ford’s best shot” to regain the passenger car sales crown – a title it (or any other US automaker, for that matter) hasn’t held since the mid-1990s. Despite hiccups with recalls and fuel economy numbers, the Ford Fusion is still red hot when it comes to sales. Fusion sales are up 13 percent so far this year (compared to a 0.6 percent decrease for Camry), and its average transaction price of $26,343 is about $2,300 more than its rival from Toyota.

The Fusion’s popularity has helped Ford improve its sales in California; the Dearborn-based automaker has a market share of 18 percent in the state, which is just a fraction of a percentage behind Honda. And this popularity should continue as Ford ups Fusion production and expands the model lineup even further for 2014 with a new 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine soon to become an option.

Ford making Fusion production moves to challenge Camry on volume originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Aug 2013 18:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Next Subaru WRX and STI to go sedan only; reveal headed for LA

Filed under: LA Auto Show, New York Auto Show, Spy Photos, Sedan, Performance, Subaru, Rumormill, Off-Road

Subaru WRX Sedan Spy Shots

After a serious bit of teasing at the 2013 New York Auto Show, Subaru might be finally preparing to pull the sheets off of the production versions of the new WRX and STI. The venue, according to Automotive News, will be the 2013 Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Besides that tasty bit of info, AN has a number of other interesting ideas about the 2015 WRX.

If you’ve been a fan of the five-door bodystyle, don’t read this – the next WRX and STI will reportedly go four-door only. We’ve already seen the latter’s whopping great wing, a tradition we’re happy to see soldering on for next-gen car. According to the AN report, power figures to be around 265 horsepower from a 2.5-liter, turbocharged, flat-four engine.

Los Angeles is still quite far off, so expect to hear more rumblings about a production WRX or STI in the coming weeks. Take a look above for our most recent batch of spy photos, and then hop down below for some images of the stunning WRX Concept that was shown at New York.

Next Subaru WRX and STI to go sedan only; reveal headed for LA originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Aug 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: EPA says fuel economy test for hybrids is accurate

Filed under: Hybrid, Government/Legal, Hatchback, Ford

EPA claims its hybrid vehicle tests remain accurate, but says Ford C-Max Hybrid exploited a loophole.

The EPA says it stands behind its fuel economy test for hybrid vehicles following controversy about the testing process after Ford C-Max Hybrid customers and automotive journalists alike struggled to achieve 47 miles per gallon, the advertised mpg number, Automotive News reports. Ford responded to the issue almost two weeks ago by claiming that a 1970s-era EPA general label rule was responsible for the inaccurate mileage numbers, rerating the C-Max Hybrid’s mpg numbers and offering customers rebates. Ford later said it didn’t overstate the C-Max Hybrid’s fuel economy and that it was surprised by the low numbers.

Ford technically didn’t do anything wrong because it was following the general label rule, but agency regulator Christopher Grundler says the automaker was exploiting a loophole when it came up with the hybrid C-Max numbers, and that the testing process remains accurate. The general label rule allows vehicles that use the same engine and transmission and are in the same weight class to share fuel economy numbers, but it doesn’t take into account other factors such as aerodynamic efficiency, which affects hybrids more drastically than non-hybrid vehicles. Ford originally used the Fusion Hybrid economy figures for the C-Max Hybrid and claimed the engineers didn’t realize that its aerodynamic efficiency would affect fuel economy as much as it did.

To address the increasingly commonplace practice of using the same powertrain in multiple applications, Grundler says, the EPA rules need to be changed so more car buyers are not mislead.

Toyota is standing with the EPA on this one after spurring a revision of test methods in 2006 after overstating Prius mileage numbers. Toyota said in a statement that it believes “the current labeling methodology established since 2006 provides appropriate fuel economy label values for customers, when automakers apply these rules with good common sense and engineering judgement.” And yes, that sounds like a well-aimed but somewhat ill-timed shot from Toyota to Ford to us, too…

EPA says fuel economy test for hybrids is accurate originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Aug 2013 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Volvo dealers pushing for V40 in America [w/poll]

Filed under: Car Buying, Wagon, Volvo

Volvo V40

Not too long ago, Volvo effectively replaced three models with one. Those were the C30, S40 and V50, and their replacement came in the form of the V40. While its predecessors were available (at some point, anyway) in North America, the V40 isn’t. And that’s something that Volvo’s players in the US would like to change.

According to Automotive News, both Volvo Cars of North America and its dealers are pressing the factory to reverse its decision and prepare the V40 for an American assault on the likes of the Volkswagen Golf and Audi A3. It’s a game they won before with the current V60, which hasn’t been available here, but is set to make the transatlantic voyage come the start of the new year.

This time, though, Volvo Cars of North America may have a bigger fight on its hands, because the V40 wasn’t designed to meet US regulations. Getting it up to spec, then, may be a bigger challenge than it’s worth. But if the American importer and dealer network makes its voice heard, the V40’s replacement could be designed with US regulations in mind.

What do you think? Does the V40 have a place in America? Cast your vote in our poll below.

View Poll

Volvo dealers pushing for V40 in America [w/poll] originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 26 Aug 2013 14:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Nissan to add Rogue, Murano hybrid around 2015

Filed under: Hybrid, Crossover, Nissan

2014 Nissan Rogue Spy Shots

Except for the limited-production, Toyota-assisted Altima Hybrid, Nissan has pretty much shied away from hybrid vehicles, but that is all about to change. As a part of a plan to launch a total of 15 electrified vehicles by 2016, Nissan is launching the Pathfinder Hybrid, which goes on sale this fall, and we’ve heard in the past that the Altima will get another hybrid variant, as well. Now, Green Car Reports is confirming that the Murano and the smaller Rogue (seen above in next-gen prototype phase) will both receive hybrid powertrains.

Though riding on different platforms, both hybrid crossovers could share the system being introduced in the Pathfinder, consisting of a 2.5-liter supercharged four-cylinder engine, a 22-horsepower electric motor and a lithium-ion battery pack. There is still no word on when the next-gen Murano will arrive, but the 2014 Nissan Rogue will be introduced on September 10.

Nissan to add Rogue, Murano hybrid around 2015 originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Aug 2013 17:59:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Judge to approve settlement of Mini CVT lawsuits

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Hatchback, Mini

BMW has agreed to settle a number of class-action lawsuits out of court. The suits stem from drivetrain issues on the 2001 to 2006 R50 Mini Cooper – in particular, its continuously variable transmission. The transmission was known to fail, often without warning on otherwise healthy and well-maintained vehicles. This wasn’t the only major issue to afflict the original BMW-era Mini models.

According to legal site Topclassactions.com, the suits alleged that BMW knowingly hid the defects in the CVT from customers while informing dealers of the issue. The first suit was filed in 2011, while four additional suits have followed. Now, BMW has reportedly settled, offering to reimburse 1,200 owners that needed repairs within eight years or 150,000 miles of their purchase. Repair prices for the transmission range from $6,000 to $9,000.

Under the agreement, BMW will also offer up to $4,100 to members of the suit that had fixes performed at a third-party shop, while owners who sold their cars at a loss due to the issues are slated to receive up to $2,000. Finally, owners who are part of the suit will be warrantied for a further eight years and 150,000 miles.

Judge to approve settlement of Mini CVT lawsuits originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Aug 2013 16:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: A. Kahn owner turns down $9M offer for his Veyron’s ‘F1’ license plate

Filed under: Etc., Earnings/Financials, UK, Humor

Bugatti Veyron EB 16.4

Afzal Khan has a lot of money. This is, after all, the guy that spent $870,000 for the United Kingdom vanity plate F1. Now, as further proof of the high-end tuner’s wealth, he’s turned down a 6-million quid offer for the rare license plate. Who offers $9.3 million for a pair of rectangular pieces of metal? And… more importantly, who turns it down?

According to The Daily Mail, Khan rejected the offer, with a spokesman explaining that, “Mr. Kahn has no interest in selling F1, which is his favorite plate.” As The Mail points out, Khan’s move to snap up F1 when it went on the market in 2008 was a prudent financial move if he’s getting multi-million-pound offers for it.

F1, which spends most of its time on Khan’s Bugatti Veyron, isn’t the only rare plate in Khan’s garage – he also counts 4HRH and NO1 as part of his collection, although it doesn’t sound like either one is quite as valuable.

A. Kahn owner turns down $9M offer for his Veyron’s ‘F1’ license plate originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Aug 2013 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Tesla Model S vulnerable to hackers?

Filed under: Sedan, Safety, Technology, Tesla, Electric, Luxury

Tesla Model S could be vulnerable to hackers.

Next time you walk by a parked Tesla and its sunroof is opening and closing with nobody sitting inside or around it, you could be witnessing a hacker moment. For all of its strengths as a car, the Model S reportedly has a weak spot: the security of its API (application programming interface) authentication, according to an article in the O’Reilly Community by George Reese, executive director of cloud management at Dell. Tesla develops and uses its own API authentication protocols, which have made access to certain Model S functions too easy for hackers, Reese says – himself a Model S owner.

At question is the Tesla REST API, which is accessed via a web-based portal, usually by Model S owners with their iPhone or Android-based smartphone, to perform a variety of menial tasks and check the status of the car. The Tesla-registered e-mail and password of the car owner is used to access the API through a web portal, which creates a “token” that lasts for three months. During that period, owners access the Tesla REST API via the token without the use of their log-in information. Unfortunately, the tokens and their respective cars are stored on website databases that are all too easy to hack, Reese explains, and if a hacker gains access, “it has free access to all of that site’s cars for up to three months with no ability for the owners to do anything about it.” On top of that, there is no way to revoke access of a compromised application.

Reese says that “there’s nothing in the API that (can? should?) result in an accident if someone malicious were to gain access.” The API can check the car’s battery charge, operate climate control, operate the sunroof, identify car location, honk the horn, open the charge port, and perform other similar operations. But, he cautions, “Perhaps the scariest bit is that the API could be used to track your every move.”

At least it’s not a major hack-attack like that experienced by a Forbes reporter in a Prius. Now that’s scary!

Tesla Model S vulnerable to hackers? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sun, 25 Aug 2013 10:33:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Detroit Electric SP:01 production plans delayed again

Filed under: Convertible, Coupe, Performance, Plants/Manufacturing, Electric

Detroit Electric SP:01 delayed again.

The revival of Detroit Electric and the imminent arrival of its first vehicle, the SP:01 sports car, have us hooked, not because the EV is the most innovative design around (based on the Lotus Exige, it’s strikingly similar to Tesla’s discontinued Lotus-based Roadster), but because it promises to be yet another American-built high-performance EV with some unique twists. We like the fact that customers can opt for a four- or five-speed manual transmission (particularly unusual in an EV), or use the car to power a building in the case of a power outage. Unfortunately, we’ll have to wait a bit longer before the SP:01 hits the road, because Detroit Electric has yet to finalize a lease or purchase agreement of its chosen production facility in Plymouth, Michigan, The Detroit News reports.

Detroit Electric has been trying to hammer out an agreement, but the negotiations for the Plymouth facility are producing enough uncertainty that Detroit Electric’s North American President Don Graundstadt says the automaker-to-be is negotiating with other parties.

Previous plans for SP:01 production called for its manufacture to begin by this month, but plans change, and production will be pushed back. There is no mention of when the electric sports car will become a 2,500-unit-per-year reality, but rather ominously, The Detroit News notes that “the immediate fate of the automaker should be known in the next couple of weeks.”

Detroit Electric SP:01 production plans delayed again originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Aug 2013 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Are birds really aware of speed limits on roads?

Filed under: Etc.

Birds fly across a road on a blustery fall day in Akron, N.Y., Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2010. (AP Photo/David Duprey)

A pair of French-Canadian scientists are claiming that birds understand speed limits. As ludicrous as it sounds, it begins to make sense once you dive a bit deeper into it. See, the two professors, one from the University of Quebec at Rimouski and one from McGill University in Montreal, began studying birds in France back in 2006.

The two noticed that based on the speed limit of the road they were traveling on, the birds took off at differing distances. For example, on a 50-kilometer-per-hour road, birds took off later than on a 110-kph road. This happened independently of a vehicle’s actual speed. There was also a differentiation based on whether it was spring or fall. The birds took off later in the spring, but earlier in the fall.

New Scientist reports that the researchers’ conclusions are based on cars as a sort of predator. Birds know where the predators are at, and as higher speeds generally make for a more danger, our winged friends learn what places are more dangerous. As for the seasonal change, the scientists argued that birds in the spring are both more active, while younger birds are just starting to leave the nest and are still learning about the dangers of cars. In the fall, this isn’t the case.

Head over to New Scientist for a full look. It’s an interesting read on how our cars change the world around us in not so visible ways.

Are birds really aware of speed limits on roads? originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 24 Aug 2013 08:55:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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