Autoblog

Ford and Canadian Auto Workers reportedly reach a deal

Dan Roth — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:09:00 EST

Filed under: Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, UAW/Unions, Canada

Ford Motor Company and the leadership of the Canadian Auto Workers union have reached a tentative agreement after a marathon four-day wrap-up to negotiations. Union membership needs to approve the deal, which will guarantee a Great White North presence for Ford until at least 2012. Voting is underway this weekend, and if approved, the CAW will be responsible for building 10 percent of Ford's North American production, down from the current 13 percent, which the union had been trying to hold on to.

Workers did agree to time off reductions, and pledged that new employees will have to pay into their pensions. Ford's given its word that the company will build as many vehicles in Canada as it sells there, and the union deemed the pledge good enough to grant GM- and Chrysler-style concessions to Ford.

The Panther platform has been given its last rites; the St. Thomas Assembly plant is the only Ford location currently building the body-on-frame biggies, and that plant will close in September 2011. The 1,600 people in Ontario who build Town Cars and Grand Marquis are understandably unhappy about word that Ford intends to shutter the plant, but the Panther has cheated death more than once. This time, it may stick.

Better news for CAW members is that Ford's Oakville assembly complex, also in Ontario, has the go-ahead to add a third shift when needed. Ford also says it will manufacture a new vehicle at Oakville, which currently builds the Edge, Flex, MKX, and MKT crossovers, but that will likely come after the current labor agreement expires.

[Source: CBC News, Photo: Ford/CC]

Ford and Canadian Auto Workers reportedly reach a deal originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 31 Oct 2009 16:09:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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VIDEO: Priceless 1989 Ford dealer training films offer timeless amusement

Jonny Lieberman — Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Etc., Videos, Ford, Humor

1989 Ford dealer training clip - click above image to watch the videos

Y'all remember Robocop? You know, the really excellent Eighties action masterpiece about a shot-to-hell cop that comes back as a bulletproof robot to rid Detroit of über baddies like the ruthless Clarence Boddiker and super villain Dick Jones? Well, what you may not remember about Paul Verhoeven's 1987 masterpiece is all the social satire. From the 6000 SUX (8 mpg!) to the slaps at very privatized health care (Jensen Sport model heart!) to the Nuke 'Em family home game, the satire was rich and sardonic.

But where did Verhoeven get the fodder for his gags? Dunno, but it's been said that 49% of the population doesn't get sarcasm. Which explains how these 1989 Ford dealer training ads got made. Someone at Ford saw Robocop and said, "Yes! That's the medium we've been looking for." Don't believe us? Make the jump and watch two of them (one on the Festiva and Escort, and another on the Crown Victoria) for yourself.

[Source: YouTube via Michael Banovsky]

Continue reading VIDEO: Priceless 1989 Ford dealer training films offer timeless amusement

VIDEO: Priceless 1989 Ford dealer training films offer timeless amusement originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 20 Aug 2009 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Ford Police Interceptor to go FWD or AWD?

Noah Joseph — Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:39:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Ford, Police/Emergency

It's hard to turn away as loyal customer base as Ford has for its Police Interceptors, but the writing is on the wall for the Ford Crown Victoria, and has been for some time. The full-size sedan is based on Jurassic-era technology, and as of last year, it was taken off the consumer market and is available essentially only by fleet purchase for police, taxis and such. But even those are reportedly slated to be discontinued by 2011 (as are the Mercury Grand Marquis and Lincoln Town Car). With the Crown Vic still worth 65,000 units annually, Ford isn't keen to leave the segment to the competition.

At the Detroit Auto Show two years ago, Ford showed the Interceptor concept, but sources suggest that it was never meant for production. And with the cancellation of the Blue Oval's rear-wheel-drive platform, Ford is reportedly looking at front- and all-wheel drive options over the long term. Could that include the new Taurus? Possibly, but so far Ford's not saying, and besides, that would conflict with the Blue Oval's new "flagship" messaging for the sedan.

For his part, Jim Farley, Ford's group vice president of marketing and communications, says that he envisions a move from "the legacy products" to all-wheel drive or front-wheel drive unibodies over the long haul, and perhaps unibody rear-drive crossovers as an interim solution.

We'll be watching - engines running and sirens blaring - to see what Dearborn has up their sleeves.

[Source:Automotive News, sub. req'd]

REPORT: Ford Police Interceptor to go FWD or AWD? originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 20 Jan 2009 10:39:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Crown Vic prepares to give up its scepter

Jonathon Ramsey — Thu, 01 Nov 2007 08:01:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, Ford, Mercury, Police/Emergency

click above image to view more pics of the Ford Crown Victoria

According to Ford sources who gossiped to Ward's Auto, the Ford Crown Victoria won't be available on retail lots after 2008. From 2009, the only folks who can buy one are police and taxi drivers. Even that frontier is being threatened, with police departments snapping up Dodge Chargers and Chevy Impalas. New York's taxi fleet has to go hybrid by 2012, and Ford is pushing the Escape Hybrid to replace 2,500 Vics on Big Apple streets.

If you've got to have a full-sized rear-driver from the Blue Oval, the Mercury Grand Marquis will still be available. The Marquis is apparently much more popular with the public than the Vic, with nearly 38,280 Marquis' sold by dealers in the first nine months of this year. Compare that to the Crown Victoria, which moved 3,000 Vics to retail buyers in all of 2006. I guess this means we'll have to start looking out for Charger headlights in our rearview mirrors at night...

[Source: Wards Auto]

Gallery: Ford Crown Victoria

Crown Vic prepares to give up its scepter originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 01 Nov 2007 08:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Ford's RWD offerings are focused on fleets

Frank Filipponio — Mon, 27 Aug 2007 18:29:00 EST

Filed under: Car Buying, Sedan, Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, Lincoln, Mercury

While most of us haven't even thought about the big rear-drive Ford sedans much lately (unless one was wearing taxi or limo livery), those cars have received a lot of attention internally at Ford. The Lincoln Town Car, Mercury Grand Marquis and Ford Crown Victoria have moved from active duty to scheduled for deletion to back into semi-production over the past year or so. The antiquated Panther platform was actually in production throughout 2007, but most people probably hadn't noticed. For 2008, that trend will continue.

Fleet sales will continue to take up a bigger portion of production, with dealers no longer ordering Crown Vics for customers. Town Car production was shifted from Ford's Wixom, Mich. assembly plant to its St. Thomas, Ontario, plant, but dealers will have a very limited set of option packages available, with the vast majority of production going to limo duty. The Mercury Grand Marquis, on the other hand, will continue to sell 45/55 private/fleet. Although Ford moved nearly 160,000 of these vehicles in 2006, production should be down to about 100,000 by '09.

[Source: Automotive News, sub. req.]

Ford's RWD offerings are focused on fleets originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 27 Aug 2007 18:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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IIHS side crash ratings for FJ Cruiser, Ford Freestyle, Fusion, Crown Vic

Damon Lavrinc — Thu, 14 Sep 2006 09:02:00 EST

Filed under: Sedan, SUV, Safety, Ford, Mercury, Toyota

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has wrapped up its latest round of clinical crashing and, as is customary, improvements were seen on newer models, while older vehicles didn't fare quite as well.

Toyota's FJ Cruiser scored a 'good' rating due to its optional side-curtain airbags, with minimal intrusion into the passenger compartment. Joining the FJ Cruiser in the mid-size SUV category was the Ford Freestyle, which also received a 'good' score due to side-curtain airbags, but the IIHS noted that the Freestyle's structure didn't hold up as well as expected.

The Ford Fusion and Crown Victoria had the opportunity to redeem themselves after earlier evaluations ranked both vehicles as 'poor' when struck with the IIHS' movable barrier. The Fusion added side-curtain airbags and brought its score up to 'acceptable', while the Crown Vic, also equipped with side-curtain airbags, increased its score to 'marginal.'

The full report can be viewed after the jump.

Continue reading IIHS side crash ratings for FJ Cruiser, Ford Freestyle, Fusion, Crown Vic

IIHS side crash ratings for FJ Cruiser, Ford Freestyle, Fusion, Crown Vic originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 14 Sep 2006 09:02:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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