Wednesday, September 2, 2015
Mercedes-ის ახალი სისტემა "Car-to-x"
პირველი "ჯოჯოხეთის კატა"
Ford-ის "აპოლო მთვარე"
Ford-მა 7 ივლისს წარადგინა ახალი მუსტანგი სახელწოდებით "აპოლო მთვარე" რაკეტა-შთაგონება, რომელიც მხარს უჭერს ახალი თაობის სწავლას პილოტებისადმი.
Saturn V-სებრი Mustang-ი შეწირული იქნა EAA-სთვის (ექპერიმენტარული ავიაციის ასოციაცია).
ზემოთხსენებული მუსტანგი 23 ივლისს აუქციონზე წარსდგება ვინსკონსინში და მიღებულ თანხას "ფორდი" გადასცემს კომპანიას.
Ford-ი 2007 წლიდან ეხმარება კომპანიას და გაყავს Mustang-ები აუქციონებზე.
იმავე წელს მან წარადგინა Lockheed Martin SR-71-ის "ანალოგი" Mustang-ი, რომელიც 375.000$ად გაიყიდა აუქციონზე.
შარშან იმავე მიზეზით კი F-35 Lightning II-ი, რომლის ფასიც 200.000$ იყო.
UBB RS 1000
ერთ-ერთმა ტუნინგ ატელიე UBB Super Cars-მა, რომელიც 2007 წელს დაარსდა და მის შემდგომ მოჰყვება მანქანების ტუნინგს, (ძირითადად Mustang-ებს) შექმნა ახალი მონსტრი Mustangის სახით. ასევე ცნობილია რომ მისი პირველი პროექტი 2007 წლის Mustang-ი იყო, რომელიც აღჭურვილი იყო Ford GT-ის სუპერ დამჭირხნიანი ძრავით და ერქვა UBB 1000. ახლა კი წარმგვიდგენს მის ახალ პროექტს, 2015 წლის Mustang-ს (კოდური სახელით S550) რომელსაც UBB 900-ის სახელით მოიხსენიებენ.
ძრავა დარჩა იგივე, ბაზირებული Coyote 5.0 ლიტრი მოცულობით, რომელიც დაჭირხნული იქნება ჰელიონის სისტემით, გამომგდები ტყუპი ტურბოთი და ბურთულიანი საკისარი ტურბოთი. მაბრუნი მომენტით 8.000. ჩაბერვის შემდეგ კუბატურობა ისევ 5.0 ლიტრი იქნება. საერთო ჯამში 1.000 ცხენის ძალით. ეს ყველაფერი შეწყვილებული 6 სიჩქარიან სექვენტალურ გადაცემათა კოლოფთან, 60/40 ძალით. ასევე იქნება ორი ვარიანტი UBB 900 და RS 1000. განსხვავება კი ექსტერიერი იქნება კერძოთ ბამპერები. (RS 1000 იქნება განიერი ბამპერებით) დაემატა სრული ამძრაობა. როგორც ამბობენ, რეჟიმების გადართვის უნიკალური სისტემით იქნება აღჭურვილი, რაც "ქუჩის" და "ტრეკის" სახელით იქნება ცნობილი, რომელსაც 5 წუთი სჭირდება გადასაწყობად. რაც ყველაზე მთავარია, განსაზღვრული იქნება ყველანაირი გემოვნებისთვის. აქედან გამომდინარე ზემოთხსენებულს დაემატება არჩევანი მარცხენა და მარჯვენა საჭის არჩევანთან დაკავშირებით, რაც ძირითადად გაერთიაებულ სამეფოში, სამხრეთ აფრიკაში და ავსტრალიაში იქნება ხელმისაწვდომი. საწყისი ფასი: 115.000$ (UBB 900)
ასევე კომპანია აპირებს Focus RS-ის დატუნინგებას. მისი 2.3 ეკობუსტი ძრავიდან 500 ცხენის ამოღებას RS-ის გადაცემათა კოლოფით, რაც საკმაოდ კარგია.
2016 Lamborghini Aventador LP750-4 SV (SuperVeloce)
2016 Lamborghini Aventador LP750-4 SV (SuperVeloce)
იტალიურმა კომპანიამ გადაწყვიტა ახალი Aventador-ის წარმოება, მაგრამ იმ ინფორმაციით შემოიფარგლებიან, რომ მხოლოდ 600 ცალს დაამზადებენ რომლებზეც შეკვეთების მიღება უკვე დასრულებულია.
მისი მონაცემები კი ასე გამოიყურება:
6.5-ლიტრიანი V12 ძრავით (რა თქმა უნდა, ატმოსფერულით) აღიჭურვება, რომელიც 739 ცხენის ძალას და 690 ნიუტონმეტრს გამოიმუშავებს.
ახალ "SV-ს“ 0-100km/h განვითარება 2.8 წამში შეუძლია, მისი მაქსიმალური სიჩქარე კი 350 კილომეტრია საათში.
წინამორბედთან შედარებით ახალ "ლამბოს" 49 ცხენის ძალით მეტი ექნება და 50 კილოთი უფრო მსუბუქი იქნება.
აღსანიშნავია ისიც, რომ იტალიურმა სუპერ ავტომობილმა 6 წუთსა და 59.73 წამში გაიარა ნურბურგრინგის "მწვანე ჯოჯოხეთის“ წრე და ღირსეულად დაიკავა ადგილი სერიული ავტომობილების რეკორდების სიაში რომელსაც porsche 918 spyder უდგას სათავეში 6 წუთსა და 57 წამით.
Dodge აპირებს შეცვალოს Challenger-ი ახალი მოდელით, რომელიც აღადგენს დავიწყებულ Barracuda-ს.
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•აქედან გამომდინარე Challenger-ი დარჩება მეორე გენერაციაში.
•ზემოთხსენებულ მანქანას ექნება გაძლიერებული შასი და უფრო მოჭიმული ამორტიზაცია.
•Challenger-ის მოდელი SRT8 დატოვებს R/T-ს, რომელსაც ჩაანაცვლებს Barracuda-ს ახალი მოდელი (ეს Hellcat Challenger-ს არ ეხება).
•ასე რომ ახალ Barracuda-ს ექნება უკეთესი და უფრო თანამედროვე მონაცემები ვიდრე ამჟამინდელ SRT8-ს.
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Dodge Ram 1500 "მეამბოხე"
Dodge-მ წარადგინა თავისი ახალი ყველგანმავალი Dodge Ram 1500, რომელსაც "მეამბოხე" უწოდა და ტრადიცია "სწორი ნაწილი, სწორ ადგილას" მიხედვით შექმნა.
მან "მეამბოხით" პასუხი გასცა Ford-ის F-150 FX4-ს და Chevrolet-ის Silverado Z27-ს.
მონაცემები:
მისთვის განკუთვნილია 2 ტიპის ძრავი:
•3,6 ლიტრის მოცულობის V6 ტიპი, 305 ცხენით და 269 ნიუმეტრი ტორქვეთი.
•5,7 ლიტრის მოცულობის V8 ტიპი, 395 ცხენით და 410 ნიუმეტრი ტორქვეთი.
•ორივე ძრავისთვის განკუთვნილია 8 საფეხურიანი ავტომატური კოლოფი.
•მაქსიმალური სიჩქარე: 170 km/h
•ამორტიზაციის სისტემა "air-ride" სტანდარტულია, და 1 ინჩით გაზრდილია.
•ინჟინრებმა შეანელეს მოხვევის სისტემა უკეთესი off-road კონტროლისთვის.
•ასევე აღჭურვილია 17 დიუმიანი Toyo Open Country A/T საბურავებით.
•წონა:2517 კილოგრამი
•ღირებულება: 44,000$
Mustang-ი კოდური სახელით "მელა"
ერთ-ერთი საუკეთესო Mustang-ი, კოდური სახელით "მელა". (მესამე თაობა) რომელიც დაიწუნეს, მაგრამ დროთა განმავლობაში მან მაინც მიაღწია იმას რომ გამხდარიყო საუკეთესო თავის რიგებში. მისი უნიკალური ძარის გამო შეიძლება ნებისმიერი დისციპლინის მორგება, დრაგი იქნება რბოლა თუ დრიფტი. (რატომღაც სულ დრიფტი ურჩევნიათ) ვინმე იტყვის რატომ "მელა" ? იმიტომ რომ მასსავით "ეშმაკი" და მოქნილი არის.
სურათზე კი არის Speedhunters-ის ერთ-ერთი წარმატებული დრიფთ პროექტი რომელსაც ბადალი არ ჰყავს.
მოგვიანებით შეიქმნა მისი კობრა ვერსია, რომელიც 90იანი წლების დრაგის მეფე ხშირად იყო.
•მწარმოებელი - Ford Motor Company
•პროდუქცია 1978–1993
•მოდელის წლები 1979-1993
•დიზაინის შექმნა 1976
ძრავთა შემადგენლობა
•2.3 L (140 cu in) 86 hp I4
•2.3 L (140 cu in) turbocharged I4
•3.3 L (201 cu in) I6 85 hp
•2.8 L (171 cu in) V6
•3.8 L (232 cu in) Essex V6
•4.2 L (256 cu in) V8
•4.9 L (302 cu in) Windsor
გადაცემათა კოლოფი
•4/5-speed მექანიკური
•3/4-speed ავტომატური
ძარის ტიპები
•2-კარიანი ე.წ "კაბრიოლეტი
•2-კარიანი კუპე
•3-კარიანი "ჰეჩბექი"
ვიღაც იტყვის 86 ცხენი რა არისო. მაშასადამე პასუხია საწვავის კრიზისი რომელიც ამერიკას 79ში ქონდა. შესაბამისად ძრავიც დაბალი მოცულობის იყო და დაბალი "საჯინიბო" ჰყავდა.
ხალხის უმეტესობა თვლის რომ ეს "ნაგავია", არადა ასეთი პერსპექტიული მანქანები იშვიათობაა.
This Is a Preview of the 1,480 HP Bugatti Veyron Replacement
Meet the Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo
One of the more unique aspects of Gran Turismo is the Vision GT series of concept cars that manufacturers are creating just for the game. Some of them are total fiction, while others are serving as prototypes or teasers for upcoming production cars.
The Bugatti Vision Gran Turismo is distinctly more production car teaser than shot in the dark fantasy.
Bugatti's Vision Gran Turismo concept has no virtual specs yet since it seems Bugatti will be saving that for the car's official debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show. And that's because they've built a full-size version of the car to display on their show stand.
So what do we know? This shares some of its appearance with the Veyron as well as the old Chiron concept. The interior appears to use Audi's virtual cockpit and is devoid of most other buttons or controls. It's powered by a 16 cylinder, quad turbo engine, just like the Veyron.
Look for a lot of these elements to appears on the upcoming Chiron super ultra hyper duper car when it's released.
Source: Road and Track
Meet the Fast, Tough War Machine That's Replacing the Humvee
Oshkosh's L-ATV will be the Pentagon's next rugged truck.
For three decades, Army and Marine HMMWVs or "Humvees" have been the symbol of American military power everywhere U.S. forces have put boots and tires on the ground. First produced in 1985 by AM General, the Humvee has not only carried hundreds of thousands of Americans to and from combat, it has become a cultural icon. Like the legendary Willys Jeep, the Humvee is part of the language and even spawned a consumer product the Hummer.
Replacing it is a big a deal.
The Pentagon's Joint Light Tactical Vehicle program was tasked to deliver "a flexible vehicle that balances the payload, performance, and protection critical in the operating environments of today and tomorrow," says Sean Stackley, the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Research, Development, and Acquisition). This week, the program made its choice: Oshkosh Defense's Light Combat All-Terrain Vehicle (L-ATV)
Why go with Oshkosh? Think back to 2006-7 and you'll remember that American Army soldiers and Marines were getting clobbered by improvised explosive devices in Iraq. In fact, IEDs accounted for 60 percent of American casualties. The situation was so dire that units were bolting steel plates to their Humvees for protection. That led to the development of heavy Mine Resistant Ambush Protected (MRAP) vehicles, which worked well in Iraq but not in the mountainous terrain of Afghanistan. There, the Pentagon's solution was the lighter M -ATV or MRAP All-Terrain Vehicle built by Oshkosh Defense.
But the Army and Marines needed a lighter vehicle still—something that could go where a Humvee could go, but with the kind of protection offered by an MRAP or M-ATV. Those were the requirements of the JLTV program, which this week selected Oshkosh's L-ATV over offerings from AM General and defense titan Lockheed Martin. Oshkosh's win sees it walk away with a $6.7 billion contract in low rate initial production for a program estimated to be worth $30 billion through 2024.
The L-ATV differs from a Humvee in a few key ways. Oshkosh's new vehicle is bigger and will come in two variations, four-passenger combat vehicles and two-seat combat support vehicles. It carries a maximum weight of 15,639 pounds. That relatively light sum is one-third less than an M-ATV and allows the L-ATV to be transported by helicopter. It also gives the new vehicle the off-road mobility and speed of a Baja racer. In fact, an early development version of the L-ATV became the first military-class vehicle to complete the Baja 1000 desert race in 2010. L-ATV can travel over rugged terrain 70 percent faster than the M-ATV, even to speed over 100 mph.
Oshkosh's new offering does all this while offering the ballistic protection of a light tank, according to Oshkosh senior vice president of defense programs John Bryant. The L-ATV has as much body armor on the outside as an MRAP. Bryant likens its armor and Core 1080 crew protection system to that of a race car, which allows its driver to walk away from a horrific wreck.
The L-ATV's speed and mobility is courtesy of its GM Duramax 6.6-liter V8 turbo-diesel engine and TAK-4i independent suspension. An optional ProPulse hybrid diesel-electric drive train is also offered and provides 70kW of on-board and export power. The independent suspension is an unequal-length control-arm setup with coil springs. Completely modular, it bolts up easily and offers 20 inches of independent wheel travel. (Compare that with Ford's F-150 SVT Raptor R Baja-type production-based racer, which offers 15 inches of travel.) Reportedly, the L-ATV just drives like a big pickup.
The first Army unit should be equipped with the vehicles in around 2018, and its acquisition would be complete in 2040. The Marine Corps is set to begin its buy at the start of production and finish in fiscal 2022.
By then, maybe it will have a catchy name.
Source: Road and Track
Tuesday, September 1, 2015
Proportionally, England Buys More V8 Mustangs Than the United States
Ford says 80 percent of U.K. Mustang buyers choose the V8, compared with just 52 percent in the U.S. And they pay $7 a gallon for gas!
After 50 years of standing by while Ford churned out Mustang after Mustang for the States, U.K. buyers can finally buy one of the iconic pony cars all official-like at their friendly neighborhood Ford dealer. And while we get three engine choices here—a turbo four, a V6, and the mighty 5.0-liter V8—our friends across the pond are only being offered the EcoBoost four and the V-8. So which engine are they choosing?
Ford has released preliminary stats on what versions U.K. buyers are snapping up, and it turns out the Brits are opting for the all-American V-8 in droves. Droves proportionally larger, it must be pointed out, than those of Americans buying V8–powered Mustangs. Fully 70 percent of the initial 2000 orders for Mustangs in the U.K. were for the 5.0-liter V8, and 55 percent of all Mustang buyers are going with the six-speed manual.
Shortly after the Mustang when on sale last year, Ford reported that a mere 52 percent of U.S. buyers ponied up for the V8, while the rest were split pretty much equally between the EcoBoost and the V6. Even today, those take rates haven't budged much.
Do you hear that, America? Britain is doing it better than us. And that's with average gasoline prices of £1.16 per liter—nearly $7 a gallon!—not to mention their cramped little roads and that constant talk about CO2 emissions and the like.
Now, the Brits' V8 love could be representative of pent-up demand for the Mustang—hey, if we had to wait 50 years for this car, we'd skip right past the weak engine and go right for the right motor. Or maybe it's the mix of cheap horsepower and a robust exhaust note that's proving compelling to the good people of the U.K. (In England, the EcoBoost starts at £29,995 and the V-8 is just a few quid more, at £33,995.)
But still. When Lee Iacocca invented the pony car, it had a V8, not some fuel-sipping turbo four. We are the ones who live in the land of cheap gas, excessive horsepower, and mindless burnouts. The Brits have their roundabouts, their afternoon tea, and their intelligent-sounding accents. It's all well and good for us to send them our red-blooded Mustang, but how can it be that they're proving to be better Mustang buyers than we are? Come on, America!
Source: Road and Track
Monday, August 31, 2015
Did Ford Accidentally Confirm the 2016 Focus RS Will Cost $35,730?
The 345 hp super hatch might ring in at $1035 more than a base Subaru WRX STI, before destination fees.
A sharp-eyed Jalopnik commenter sniffed out what appears to be a new version of the Ford website undergoing QA testing, and it reveals the base MSRP of the 2016 Ford Focus RS: $35,730. The page also reveals some of the options and their pricing, although the site functionality at that level is a little wonky and it's hard to navigate. You can check out the site right here, although it's unlikely to remain live for long.
Ford hasn't officially released pricing yet, so take this with a grain of salt. On the other hand, this alleged MSRP is well-aligned with our ballpark estimates. And a slight premium over the Subaru WRX STI is perhaps warranted given that the Focus RS will make 40 more horsepower and 35 more lb-ft of torque than the Subie—and that doesn't even touch the overboost figures. That also bests the $36,595Volkswagen Golf R, still an excellent car.
The real understanding of the Focus RS's value will come with an official price from Ford, and then (inevitably) some dueling between the RS and its rivals. I can't wait. And I'll say it again, at the risk of sounding like a broken record: with these cars on the loose in America, it's a good time to be an AWD hatchback lover.
Source: Road and Track
Sunday, August 30, 2015
The New 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor Prototype Tested To Extremes
The 2017 Ford F-150 Raptor just went through an extensive testing all over the most difficult terrains you could imagine. The amazing truck was so powerful in the wilderness, its engine and four wheel drive were tested to the max. It walked over obstacles such as logs, mud, water, sand and everything else imaginable. This is a machine whose off-road credentials are tested in the roughest terrains imaginable and it is monstrous enough to conquer everything.
Source: Legendary Speed
7 Fake Exhaust Pipes That Make Expensive Cars Look Cheap
In the name of style, manufacturers are sticking all manner of fancily-shaped exhaust tips to hide much smaller, conventional exhaust pipes. And guess what, they look naff!
These days, a huge variety of funky exhaust tip shapes have been appearing on cars. Thin rectangles, ovals, trapezoids…you name it, and it’s been done, particularly at the expensive end of the car scale. The thing is, these weird and wonderful shapes often aren’t practical for mounting onto the end of an exhaust system, so what you’re actually seeing is nothing more than a fake bit of trim stuffed into the bumper, hiding a smaller, conventional circular pipe behind.
Sure, there are reasons other than styling for fitting these - some are designed to shield bumpers from heat and soot - but the fakery is at times so obvious, that the whole setup looks naff and cheap. Here are some of the worst offenders:
1. Audi RS6
Oval pipes are something of an RS tradition, but look closely at any of the modern RS Audis and you’ll see that the ovals are nothing but heat shields hiding four smaller pipes. It’s very obvious, and looks poor.
2. Audi R8
What you’re looking at is a pre-facelift, first-generation V10 R8. These had oval exhaust pipes to differentiate them from the V8 models and their quad setups, but as you can see here, the ‘pipes’ are just trim pieces in the bumper. Post-facelift models all have the same round trims regardless of engines, still with a set of regular pipes quite clearly sitting behind.
3. Lexus IS-F
This one’s pretty upsetting, but we’ll forgive Lexus for the transgression. While the new RC-F features the same diagonally stacked exhaust arrangement, this time the pipes you see sticking out the back are actually connected to the back box.
4. Skoda Octavia vRS
Not an expensive car per-se, but it is the range-topping Octavia, and the naff fake trims bugged me on our old long-term test car to such an extent that I feel I have to mention them. It’s so blatant, you wonder why they bothered. It’s even worse on the diesel model, where only one side actually has a back box hiding behind the trim.
The previous generation Octavia featured a simple, single back-box with two exits, and looked all the better for it.
5. Mercedes C-Class
All C-Classes have ‘floating’ exhaust trim bits, but - as you can see above - they don’t even have any gasses flowing through them on some diesels. Yep, they’re entirely blocked off and are there for nothing but show.
6. Mercedes-AMG GT
Merc’s performance models don’t escape, either, as those neat little trapezoid trims on the back of the AMG GT are quite obviously fake.
7. Ferrari California
Sadly, even Ferrari is guilty of exhaust fakery, as shown by the older, pre-turbocharged California.
Source: Carthrottle
Saturday, August 29, 2015
Falcon F7 – A $225,000 Hand Built Supercar
The F7’s exterior design drew its general inspiration from the 1980s-era supercars, while it rides on a unique tig-welded aluminum chassis with an integrated carbon fibre structural tunnel, as well as carbon fibre reinforced floor pan, firewall and body panels.
The mid-mounted V8 engine and most parts of the suspension are sourced from the Corvette. The naturally aspirated 7.0-litre V8 LS7 is rated at 620 horsepower and 585 lb ft of torque.
Depending on the configuration, Falcon says that the F7 can go from zero to 60 mph in 3.3 to 3.6 seconds, and reach a top speed of 190 to 200 mph.
Production of the F7 Series 1 is limited to ten units.
Koenigsegg "Might" Do a Manual-Transmission Hypercar
But it's probably not very likely.
Christian von Koenigsegg, the mad-scientist founder of the Swedish hypercar company that bears his name, sat down to do another Q&A on his company's blog. Just like the last time, it was chock-full of great tidbits about the company, the philosophy, and the founder himself.
But most interesting to us was this tidbit, buried at the very bottom of the Q&A. Commenter "Will L" asked, rather bluntly, "will there ever be another manual Koenigsegg?" The founder's answer:
CvK: [Long pause] I don't know. I really enjoy driving our manual cars. We had a great manual gearbox. The clutch was progressive rather than being heavy. The shift was very direct. It's nice and it's a lot of fun. If we get enough demand for it, we might do it.
It's not as efficient. It's not as fast around a racetrack. But it's very engaging and it's fun.
We've said "no" to customers who wanted a manual gearbox in their Agera RS. The biggest headache is that the gearbox would only be six-speed and it would have to be reinforced for the power levels we are at now.
It's not a firm yes—in fact, it's about as close to a definitive "no" as possible. But there seems to be a crack in the door, one that with the right amount of cash (lots and lots, probably) could perhaps be wrenched open. We yearn for the thought of a three-pedal One:1 hypercar, even if it is a little slower.
Elsewhere in the Q&A, Christian explained why Koenigsegg prefers V8s when so many traditional supercars use V12s:
A V12 makes the engine much heavier and more complex than what we need in terms of performance and function. We still haven't seen the limits of what our V8 engine package can do. Our lightweight V8 engine package is an essential part that makes our cars what they are. We have better power than anyone else, regardless of the number of cylinders. We have better low-end torque. And, I would say, better drivability.
So if you ignore the 'exclusivity' perspective and just look at the goal of being the best, the answer is "No". If we were looking for 2500hp from a combustion engine, then it might make sense...
And he explained that concerns over weight, size, and handling have prevented an all-wheel-drive Koenigsegg, though perhaps there's a future in a hybrid AWD drivetrain:
Of course, nowadays you can have electric front-wheel-drive, such as in the Porsche 918. That's a different thing. If we were to do this on our cars, it would have to be via hub motors. We have a very compact front-end and we still have to get the roof stowed away in the front. The motors would therefore have to be super-small, super-light (to minimise the extra un-sprung mass) but still effective. I don't think we're there just yet but I know it will happen and when the right hub motors do become available, then we can look at electric four-wheel-drive.
For more insights into the Swedish hypercar company, including a look at Koenigsegg's patented FreeValve cylinder head design that does away with camshafts entirely, check out the full Q&A on Koenigsegg's website.
Source: Road and Track
Thursday, August 27, 2015
The Ford Bronco Might Buckin’ Return!
It’s UAW contract negotiation time in Detroit, and when you get that many people involved, there’s bound to be leaks and rumors. In order for there to be future jobs, there needs to be future vehicles. In addition to the Ford Ranger possibly being slated for a return to production, there’s a possibility that the Bronco is also finally coming back.
Earlier this year, Ford trademarked the name Bronco and that caused a resurgence of rumors relating to the SUV’s return. Now, according to Automotive News, the Bronco might be back on the table as well.
We suspect a modern-day Bronco would look a lot different from the Broncos of old, but with the Jeep line being such a hot segment right now, it’d make a certain amount of good business sense for Ford to try to get a piece of the action. The Wrangler is virtually unchallenged in the automotive landscape, and the upcoming Raptor isn’t really that close of a competitor (except maybe at Mall Crawling).
Automotive News believes it could be based on the recently redesigned Ford Everest, which is surprisingly built on the Ranger platform. If the Ranger is to return, it wouldn’t be too difficult to imagine that the Bronco could follow suit.
Source: Ford-Trucks
Wednesday, August 26, 2015
Ford plans to build Ranger at Michigan Assembly
Ford Motor Co. wants to resurrect its once-popular Ranger truck in North America and build the midsize pickup at the Michigan Assembly Plant, according to sources with knowledge of Ford’s plans.
The Dearborn automaker has entered contract negotiations with the United Auto Workers with plans to bring the Ranger to the plant in Wayne in 2018, said the sources, who couldn’t speak publicly because of the sensitive nature of the talks. They said the final decision is up for discussion in the talks now underway, and must be agreed to with the union and then Ford’s board of directors.
The Ranger — which would replace the Focus and C-Max after production of those cars likely heads to Mexico — represents the kind of potentially high-profit, high-volume vehicle the union desires and likely would demand before members would ratify any contract proposal. The two sides must agree that the Ranger would be a good fit for the plant and its nearly 4,500 workers. For Ford, the pickup would mark the return to a small — but growing — midsize truck segment that would help it meet stricter fleet-wide fuel economy standards demanded by the federal government.
“There’s a real hunger for midsize trucks right now,” said Karl Brauer, senior analyst for Kelley Blue Book. “Once upon a time, there were a lot of midsize trucks in this market. The ones that are available are cashing in on the demand.”
New offerings like General Motors Co.’s Chevrolet Colorado and GMC Canyon helped midsize truck sales rise recently after a long decline. But through the first seven months of 2015, the segment represented just 2.1 percent of the overall market, according to Edmunds.com.
It’s unclear if the Ranger will be the only product brought into the 5 million-square-foot Wayne plant. Five vehicles currently are built there — the Ford Focus, Focus Electric, Focus ST, C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi — and workers made about 265,000 vehicles last year.
Ford in July said it was pulling production of all its vehicles out of Michigan Assembly in 2018, but both the union and automaker have said repeatedly that they expect to avoid shuttering the plant and hope to introduce a new product there.
“We actively are pursuing future vehicle alternatives to produce at Michigan Assembly and will discuss this issue with UAW leadership as part of the upcoming negotiations,” spokeswoman Kristina Adamski said in an emailed statement. Ford does not comment on future products.
Ford now builds the Ranger in South Africa, Argentina, Thailand and Nigeria for 180 overseas markets. Ford hasn’t imported the small trucks to the U.S. in part because of a 25-percent tariff on foreign-built pickups, known as the “chicken tax.” The tax got its name because it was imposed in the 1960s as payback for a German tariff on chicken.
The last North America-built Ranger was part of a fleet order for Orkin Pest Control and rolled off the assembly line in December 2011 at Ford’s now-shuttered Twin Cities Assembly Plant in Minnesota.
“It was a huge seller for them for a while,” Brauer said.
Revival forecast for segment
The midsize pickup market has shrunk considerably over the past three decades, from a peak of about 1.4 million sold in the U.S. in 1986 to a low of about 227,000 in 2013, according to Edmunds.com. Industry analysts expect the segment will grow to around 300,000 in the coming years.
Through the first seven months of the 2015, Toyota’s Tacoma holds 50.1 percent of the market share, according to Edmunds. It’s followed by the Colorado at 23.1 percent, the Nissan Frontier at 18.5 percent and the Canyon at 8.4 percent.
“The reintroduction of the Colorado and Canyon ended the precipitous market-share slide that the compact truck segment was on,” said Jeremy Acevedo, an Edmunds.com analyst.
Ford sold more than 6.6 million Rangers in the U.S. over its 29-year history. Sales peaked in 1999 at around 350,000 but dropped steadily until its final year in 2011, when Ford sold 70,832.
“It was the same basic truck from the mid-’90s; it was markedly smaller than other midsize trucks, less powerful, less comfortable and less refined,” Brauer said. “It just never evolved. Basically, it became obsolete.”
Ford at the time was coming out of the recession and looking to streamline its product lineup, and it already had committed to a number of new designs for other vehicles for both its Ford and Lincoln brands.
“There were more important vehicles for them to launch that were more important for their money,” said Autotrader.com senior analyst Michelle Krebs.
The biggest concern in resurrecting the Ranger would be that it would cut into sales of the full-size Ford F-150, analysts say. But some argue the two segments are distinct enough to draw two separate shoppers. The F-150 is the best-selling vehicle in the U.S.
“It’s a very different customer,” Brauer said. “There’s a lot of people who like the idea of having an easy-to-drive, easy-to-park truck that’s less expensive.”
Average selling prices for midsize trucks though the first seven months of this year is about $13,500 less than full-size trucks, Edmunds.com says.
The introduction of a more fuel-efficient truck — the Colorado can get about three more miles a gallon than Chevy’s most fuel-efficient full-size Silverado — would also be beneficial to Ford as it and other automakers try to achieve a federally mandated lineup average of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025.
Although Ford is introducing an updated 2016 Ranger overseas, analysts say a North American Ranger would likely need an upgrade by 2018 to include more safety and technology features.
Plant has built myriad autos
The UAW and Ford in the coming weeks are expected to discuss whether the Michigan Assembly Plant is the best fit for a midsize truck. Since it opened in 1957, the plant has produced everything from trucks and SUVs like the F-Series, Ford Bronco, Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator, to small cars like the Focus and C-Max.
The plant got new life after the industry meltdown in 2008-09. Former Ford CEO Alan Mulally pledged to the UAW to bring new production to Wayne in exchange for a competitive labor agreement.
Under terms of a $5.9 billion loan from the U.S. Energy Department, Michigan Assembly received a $550 million overhaul to make it a flexible plant capable of producing a number of green, fuel-efficient cars.
Despite the overhaul, the plant has struggled recently as demand for small, hybrid and electric vehicles has nosedived.
In January, President Barack Obama came to the plant to tout the resurgent American automotive industry, even as the plant was closed that week. In April, the automaker said it would cut a shift there, indefinitely laying off 673 hourly employees and 27 salaried employees on the “C Crew.”
Potentially converting the plant to build midsize trucks “would really be making a statement about where the market is,” Brauer said.
“I don’t think you’d see someone like Ford jump into midsize trucks and be regretting it in a few short years.”
Source: Detroit news
Tuesday, August 25, 2015
Holden Might Make Its Own Corvette ZR1-Powered Hellcat Fighter
Rumors suggest Holden is working on a ZR1-powered Commodore. What if it comes to America?
The Holden Commodore isn't long for this world, with production set to end by 2017. That means that we'll also be an end to the Commodore's American counterpart, the Chevy SS, one of our personal favorite muscle sedans.
But a rumor from Australia's Drive suggests suggests that HSV, Holden's internal tuning arm, is working on a Commodore with power from the LS9 V8 that was in the last Corvette ZR1. That means 638 horsepower and 604 lb. ft. of torque.
It does make some sense, since there are some LS9 engines still around and they aren't being used in anything, much like how the Camaro Z/28 was the lucky recipient of the LS7 once the last Z06 went away.
If HSV does build a car, the price would be near $100,000 and production would be very limited. What's the likelihood of such a car coming to America? We won't hold our breath, but, then again, we didn't think the SS would get a manual gearbox or magnetic ride suspension, so there is a chance.
Source: Road and Track
Source: Road and Track
