Ford Motors has entered a joint venture with Changan Ford Mazda Automobile (CFMA) which resulted in a new plant that will be put up in Chongqing China. The plant is scheduled to be completed by 2012 and is Ford’s ticket towards expanding in the Asian Pacific and African regions.

The new plant is said to be capable of producing 150,000 units a year which jacks up the total annual production capacity of the CFMA to 600,000 to cover the growing demands for Ford brands in China. The investment was said to be valued at $490 million.

The new, highly flexible facility will be equipped with state-of-the-art automation and utilize Ford’s global manufacturing processes and systems. Capable of producing a diversified range of products in the future, the plant will begin manufacturing Ford’s next-generation Ford Focus in 2012.

(Source) Press

Tags: african regions, art automation, asian pacific, cfma, changan ford, chongqing china, diversified range, flexible facility, ford focus, ford motors, joint venture, manufacturing processes, Mazda, mazda automobile, next generation, state of the art

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If you have been watching The Jay Leno Show, the guest appearances are sure to be one of the most anticipated segments you would want. Guests are normally celebrities or famous personalities. But a car? Apparently there is a new twist on the next show via NBC. This time it is not a human celebrity but a car celebrity. And that car celebrity is the electric Ford Focus.

The appearance of the electric Ford Focus is actually part of the “Green Car Challenge”. Jay Leno will make use of the electric Ford Focus as the official vehicle that will be driven by the rich and famous and find out who can lap a track at the quickest time. With the Ford Focus scheduled to be unveiled by 2011, this may be a good teaser and publicity gimmick to build on the fortunes of Ford Motors.

The prototype vehicle that will be used on The Jay Leno Show was developed by Ford in partnership with Magna. Tune in to NBC and watch the Jay Leno Show at 10 p.m./ 9p.m. central and see which personality can drive the electric Ford Focus the fastest!

(Source) Automobile Mag

Tags: car challenge, celebrities, famous personalities, ford focus, ford motors, fortunes, gimmick, green car, guest appearances, Jay Leno, jay leno show, m central, magna, NBC, new twist, prototype vehicle, publicity, segments

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Cash for Clunkers has been on a rocky road as of late but has generally been a success thus far. In fact, the NHSTA reports that over 80,000 vehicles have been traded in through the program.

What’s better, they NHSTA also reports that consumers have most frequently bought the Ford Focus using Cash for Clunkers credit.

This is great news because not only is the Cash for Clunkers program giving those with non fuel efficent cars the chance to upgrade but also because consumers using the program are largely buying domestic vehicles. Perhaps the Detroit 3 will live on, after all.

Read (DetNews)

Tags: Cash for Clunkers, detroit 3, ford focus, nhsta

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Ford continues to rank in the safety pick awards for its car product line. The latest vehicle to garner the IIHS( International Institute of Highway Safety) is the Ford Focus. The Ford Focus features a load of safety features including six advanced air bags, stability control and lightweight high-strength materials.

Additionally, they are launching a MyKey teen-safety technology this Summer, the icing on the cake that makes Ford one of the reliable brands that emphasizes on vehicle safety.

And lastly, there is the SYNC technology which comes exclusive from Ford. The SYNC is a fully integrated, voice-activated communications and entertainment system allowing customers to operate their Bluetooth-enabled cell phones and digital media players with voice commands.

(Source) Press

Tags: air bags, bluetooth enabled cell phones, digital media players, entertainment system, focus features, Ford, ford focus, highway safety, icing on the cake, IIHS, safety features, safety technology, stability control, strength materials, sync technology, teen safety, vehicle safety, voice commands

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Sending your kids off to college would normally point towards getting them the right vehicles to drive around campus. But before giving them the car that they want, you can be assured that they will have preferences and a guide to which car they have in mind will surely be something useful.

AutoWeek Magazine enumerates the possible cars for teens heading off to campus. And admittedly, they are cars that will surely give you problems since all of them are dream cars that teens would surely love.

The recommended cars:

• 2009 Hyundai Elantra Sedan
• 2009 Honda Civic
• 2009 Mitsubishi Lancer
• 2009 Ford Escape
• 2010 Toyota Prius Hybrid
• 2010 Kia Soul
• 2009 Dodge Caliber SE
• 2009 Ford Focus
• 2009 Chevrolet Cobalt Sedan

(Source) Press

Tags: autoweek, autoweek magazine, best cars, Chevrolet, chevrolet cobalt, Dodge, dodge caliber, dream cars, ford escape, ford focus, honda civic, Hyundai, hyundai elantra, Mitsubishi, mitsubishi lancer, sending your kids, toyota prius

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Due to slumping demand, Ford Motors has halted operations for its plant in Russia. For now, it seems that workers will have to make do with the one-third pay from their normal wages for the duration of the shutdown phase. Operations are said to continue in June although this will only be for a four-day work week until October.

“We have suspended production at the Vsevolozhsk factory because of the market situation and forecasts for falling sales in the automobile industry,” spokeswoman Yekaterina Kulinenko

Ford’s assembly line in Vsevolozhsk, near Russia’s second city, has produced the Focus and Mondeo models for sale on the Russian market since 2002 and employs about 200,000 people.

The highest selling vehicle of Ford in Russia is the Ford Focus. However, due to the spreading economic turmoil, Ford is also experiencing a sales slump thus the need to make the necessary preventive measures to avoid adding more loses for the embattled U.S. car making giant.

(Source) AFP

Tags: assembly line, automobile industry, duration, economic turmoil, Ford, ford focus, ford motors, ford plant, giant source, market situation, models, mondeo, phase operations, preventive measures, Russia, russian market, second city, spokeswoman, wages

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With Earth Day just around the corner, focus shifts on the top vehicles in the market today. NADAguides.com announces its Top Five Cleanest Conventional Cars of 2009, simply suggesting that hybrids aren’t the only choice for those who wish to minimize the environmental impact of their driving.

NADAguides.com is a huge proponent of hybrid and alternative fuel technology, but given that the industry will be highlighting hybrids for Earth Day the company wanted to show that there are conventional vehicles that can help cut down on air pollution.

To provide consumers with an alternative to alternative fuel vehicles, the NADAguides.com Market Data Analysts evaluated fuel economy and emissions data and determined that the Chevrolet Cobalt, Ford Focus, MINI Cooper, Pontiac G5 and Hyundai Elantra are the Top Five Cleanest Conventional Cars of 2009.

“It is no surprise that on Earth Day the automotive world will be focused on the latest and greatest hybrid vehicles, but the fact remains that consumers are still overwhelmingly buying and driving conventional gasoline cars,” said Michael Caudill, spokesperson for NADAguides.com. “The Top Five Cleanest Conventional Cars show that consumers have options for vehicles that are easy on the environment without the higher price point of emerging hybrid technology.”

(Source) Press

Tags: air pollution, alternative fuel vehicles, chevrolet cobalt, conventional cars, conventional gasoline, conventional vehicles, earth day, emissions data, ford focus, fuel economy, fuel technology, gasoline cars, hybrid technology, hybrid vehicles, hyundai elantra, nadaguides, pontiac g5, technology source

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Chalk up another award headed Hyundai’s way as the Hyundai i30 was voted as the best car in New Zealand. The Automobile Association of New Zealand announced on Friday that of the 53 cars nominated, Hyundai’s i30 has won this year’s AA Supreme Motoring Excellence award, having already topped the compact car category.

Judges evaluated the Hyundai as “excellent in all areas, especially road safety and vale for money.” “This car can be the answer for those who are looking for an economical, but reliable vehicle. The Hyundai i30 Diesel Elite closes the gap with Europe’s best,” they added.

Judges considered the design, performance, dynamics, practicality, execution, value for money, and safety of the cars nominated, to pick winners for 13 categories. The winners included the Ford Focus XR5 Turbo in the performance category, Volkswagen’s Polo BlueMotion Diesel in the environment category, and the Peugeot 308 XSP in the safety category. The large car award went to the Holden Sportwagon SV6.

(Source) English Chosun

Tags: automobile association of new zealand, best car, compact car, ford focus, hyundai i30, performance dynamics, peugeot 308, polo bluemotion diesel, road safety, sportwagon, sv6

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Ford Motors will start manufacturing the Ford Fiesta in China this week with the hopes of timely introducing it to the market this year. Touted as the first global car, is expected to go on sale at local car dealers by the first quarter of 2010.

The Ford Fiesta originally debuted at the North American International Auto Show in 2007 under the name “The Verve”. Ford has sold more than 61,000 Fiestas in its 19 European markets during its two months in showrooms. It is the auto maker’s second-best selling vehicle behind the Ford Focus.

Ford, like its U.S. competitors, is attempting to develop vehicles that it can build quickly to match changing dynamics in the automobile market. U.S. auto makers were caught off guard last year when rising gas prices caused consumers to abandon pickups and sport-utility vehicles in favor of more fuel-efficient products.

(Source) CNN Money

Tags: automobile market, european markets, focus ford, ford fiesta, ford focus, ford motors, global car, north american international auto, north american international auto show, sport utility vehicles

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