Ford
Geely secures financing worth US$ 2.1 billion for Volvo deal
Geely, the Chinese company which is set to take over struggling Volvo from Ford has secured financing for the purchase. The financing is said to be worth US$ 2.1 billion but the source of the sum was not disclosed. With this Geely is likely to seal the acquisition by end of this month.
Reports are also suggesting the Geely will maintain Volvo’s production hub in Sweden however some are saying the the Chinese company will shift production to China. If this happens about 16,000 workers in Sweden may lose their jobs. As for setting up production in China, a 300,000-unit production is expected annually. This number is almost double Volvo’s current output worldwide.
Mercury Tracer based on new Ford Focus to arrive in 2011
Ford will rebadge the all new Focus as a Mercury – that is what certain online publications are saying. Apparently Ford said so during a dealers-only meeting recently and some are also saying that the rebadged vehicle will be called the Tracer and that it will be launched sometime in 2011. The Focus is expected to be slightly tweaked in terms of its design and this should be a good way to put the Mercury brand back on the map. It has been a little quiet for a while now.
Ford Switzerland reveals the Focus RS WRC Edition
What you see above is a special Ford Focus RS that is being rolled out to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Ford’s RS division, which started with the 1970 Ford Escort RS1600. What makes this model different is the fact that it was “co-designed” by Swiss fans via an online channel.
The end result is an RS that is finished in “Frozen White” along with contrasting black and green liveries. It sits on 19-inch OZ Superturismo GT alloys that are treated to a black finish. To help make it more unique, the RS WRC Edition also has a special plaque that carries signatures of Mikko Hirvonen and Jarmo Lehtinen, Ford’s WRC drivers.
The upgrades are aesthetics only hence it retains the 300hp force inducted 2.5 liter 5-cylinder that enables the hot hatch to hit 100 km/h under 6 seconds and a top speed of 263 km/h. Only 50 units are planned for the Swiss market and each costs 55,900 francs. Look for an image gallery after the jump which also includes some designs that nearly made the cut. Read the rest of this entry.
Brand new Ford Focus global car launched in Detroit!
Ford has officially unveiled the brand new Focus at this year’s Detroit Motor Show. This third generation Focus is a global car meaning all the markets in the world including the US will be getting the same Focus. The C-Segment vehicle that is available in both hatchback and sedan forms looks more edgier and aggressive where it has been treated with Ford’s Kinetic design language, even more than the facelifted second generation Focus.
The front end has a very prominent bumper with a three-intake design. Some may think of this as going a little too far but in my honest opinion, it looks fine. At least modders won’t need to do much in this area.
The taillights on hatchback looks a little overcooked with them making their way further into the rear quarter. But the design for the sedan looks really good. The car is slightly longer than the model it replaces but the wheelbase is retained meaning that the interior space should be similar with the second generation’s. The design of the interior is now more modern than ever. The instrument panel has a four-gauge design with an LCD screen fitted in the middle. From the images, the cabin definitely looks more premium.
Suspension wise Ford has changed the way the suspension subframes are mounted. The auto maker also revealed that the Global C platform that underpins the new Focus shares only one third of similarities with the new Mazda 3. The Focus has always been a well balanced vehicle with sharp handling characteristics while offering a high level of comfort. I can’t wait to get my hands on the new model to find out if this still the case with the new Focus, but something tells me it would be.
The car that was featured on the stand in Detroit has a new 2.0 liter DI Ti-VCT powerplant with direct injection and dual variable valve timing on both the exhaust and intake manifolds. Ford did not reveal exact horsepower figures but said that the engine has up to 20hp more than the 2.0 liter Duratec with fuel efficiency increased by a good 10%. There will definitely be an array of engine options when the car goes on sale. The powerplant is linked to a 6-speed Powershift dual-clutch transmission. The new Focus also has an electric power steering which is a good thing for normal city driving but usually not so good for spirited driving.
However Ford assured that this will not be the case with the Focus. The company has tuned the system to enable it to offer a good feel overall. The company also added a Dynamic Cornering Control that counteracts slip on the inner wheel during a corner to improve cornering and turn in performance.
Other features include a MyFord system with voice command function that is an interactive driver-vehicle system like BMW’s iDrive. This system has a 5-way button on the steering wheel for controlling purposes and the system runs on a Microsoft Windows Auto platform. Ford is expected to start manufacturing the new Focus in late 2010, starting in Europe and in North America.
Productions for other markets will start later. Both models are scheduled to go on sale in 2011. Ford is also expected to offer a full battery-electric vehicle (BEV) based on the Focus where a North American debut is also expected in 2011. Continue reading to view four videos and an image gallery. Read the rest of this entry.
Nothing will change in Volvo – Geely chairman assures
Here is some good news for Volvo enthusiasts out there. According to the Xinhua news agency, Geely’s founder and chairman Li Shufu assured that nothing will change in Volvo if the Chinese company successfully takes over the Swedish brand from Ford.
The big boss revealed that both Geely and Volvo will be independently managed and insisted that nothing will change in regards to Volvo’s production, research and development facilities.
He also said that Geely could help Volvo reduce its production costs, indicating a possible production switch to China. Lets hope that Shufu keeps his word as we don’t need to see a butchered brand. What Volkswagen is doing with other brands under its umbrella should be used as an example.
Ford recently confirmed that it will sell the Volvo brand to China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and that it plans for the deal to be signed in the first quarter of 2010 and a full completion is expected to occur by the second quarter of the year. The deal is rumored to be worth US$1.8 billion, much lower compared to the US$6.45 billion price tag Ford paid for in 1999.
2011 Ford Mustang GT with 412hp V8 officially revealed!
Ford has officially unveiled the 2011 Ford Mustang GT that is now offered with a 5.0 liter V8, good for 412hp and 530Nm of pulling power. The engine replaces the 4.6 liter 8-pot that was only capable of pumping out 315hp. The GT’s fuel economy is rated at 17 mpg (city) and 25 mpg (highway) when the engine is paired with a 6-speed automatic transmission.
With a 6-speed manual, the pony car returns 16 mpg (city) and 24 mpg (highway). The new engine features dual overhead cams, four valves per cylinder and has Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) that improves power and reduces fuel consumption and emissions by advancing and retarding intake and exhaust cam timing independently of each other.
The 2011 Mustang GT also comes with EPS, beefier brakes as well as an improved lower control arm and stiffened stabiliser bushings for the car’s rear live axle. It also features among others, a revised instrument cluster as well as an improved standard equipment list. Continue reading to enjoy two videos as well as to view high-res images of the 2011 Ford Mustang GT. Read the rest of this entry.
Images of the 2011 Ford Mustang GT leaked ahead of reveal
The 2010 Detroit Motor Show will see Ford reveal the 2011 Ford Mustang GT with a new 5.0 liter V8 powerplant but thanks to the wonderful world of the Internet, we now have two leaked images of the new Mustang GT to show you. The Mustang in the image above has the 5.0 badge on its fenders and the other image which can be found after the jump shows us the 5.0 liter engine under the hood.
This new V8 is said to produce 412hp at 6,500 revs and 528Nm of torque. The outgoing 4.6 liter V8 outputs a mundane 315hp (for its engine size) and 440Nm of torque. There should be two transmission options including a 6-speed manual as well as a 6-speed automatic. The engine is also rumored to deliver about 25 mpg, believed to be based on highway calculation. That figure translates to about 9.4 liters per 100 kilometers.
Source. Read the rest of this entry.
Volvo to be sold to Geely, deal to be signed in early 2010
Ford has announced that it will sell the Volvo brand to China’s Zhejiang Geely Holding Group and that it expects the deal to be signed in the first quarter of 2010 and a full completion is expected to occur by the second quarter of the year.
Ford revealed that all of the deal’s key commercial terms have been resolved but work still needs to be done before the sale can be completed.
Such work include securing funds, from Geely’s end. The company reiterated that it will continue to focus on its core brand and it will still cooperate with the Swedish brand after the sale but maintained that it is not interested in taking up a stake in Volvo.
