Chronicling the Ever-Changing Automotive Industry
Ford debuted a new safety technology dubbed Curve Control, which works to help the driver control their vehicle in curves. Curve Control helps drivers when they enter a curve too fast, slowing the vehicle up to 10 mph in 1 second, by reducing engine power and using “smart braking” to apply brakes to any or all of the 4 wheels on the vehicle.
Continue reading ‘New Tech: Ford Curve Control’
Well, despite a lot of automakers learning from Toyota’s previous recall mistakes, it seems the automaker’s luxury segment didn’t learn a lesson from Ford’s mistake in the 1970′s, the Pinto fires. According to Jalopnik, Lexus is recalling their 2010 HS250h luxury hybrid sedan, due to excessive fuel leakage resulting from a rear-end collision.
Continue reading ‘Lexus HS250h Gets Pinto-Like Recall’
Today, Honda has announced the pricing for its upcoming 2011 CR-Z. The new hybrid from Honda is supposed to bridge the gap between hybrid fuel economy and sportiness. From the performance figures I’ve seen, it’s leaning more towards fuel economy, but the inclusion of a manual transmission bodes well for the CR-Z. Standard features include automatic climate control and USB input for the stereo, with the upmarket EX trim level including things like a leather-wrapped steering wheel and a beefed-up stereo. GPS navigation will be an optional feature as well. Click past the jump for pricing, EPA mileages, and a gallery of high-resolution pictures of the CR-Z.
Continue reading ‘Pricing for 2011 Honda CR-Z Announced!’
I’ve written about the upcoming 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid before, and even speculated on its gas mileage. Now it’s official! The EPA has run the new luxury hybrid through its paces, and certified it at 41/36 mpg city/highway. Those numbers match the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, its Ford-branded sister car.
Continue reading ‘Certified: 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Gas Mileage’
In a press conference this afternoon with Ford’s president of the Americas, Mark Fields, it was announced that the Mercury brand, in existence for the past 71 years, will be shuttered at the end of this calendar year. According to Ford, this allows them to enhance the Lincoln brand, with Lincoln-specific powertrains and vehicles, without straining the resources of the Ford brand itself, which has seen major growth in sales, customer satisfaction, and reliability over the past few years. Read on for more details.
Continue reading ‘Breaking News: Ford confirms rumors of Mercury shutdown’
Since it’s sales are down 74% since 2000, it’s no surprise that Ford would want to shut down its Mercury brand. Bloomberg has reported that 2 inside sources close to the plan have told them about the probable closing. For some years now, the impression consumers have of Mercury is that its vehicles merely represent another trim level for Fords. In the same vein as what got GM into a lot of trouble, most Mercurys are badge-engineered Fords, with slightly better interiors and some different exterior colors and parts. It’ll be a shame to see such a long-running marque disappear. If it’s shut down, Mercury would join Pontiac, Hummer, Oldsmobile and Saturn in the annals of history, and sales would wind down over the next 4 years or so. Keep your browser tuned here for updates to this story.
by John Suit
Source: Bloomberg
