Tag Archives: Flat Rock

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

The Future of Ford's Vehicle Lineup

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By Daniel Miller, The Motley Fool

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What Ford has done with its economies of scale in the last four years has been nothing short of impressive. It was the single most important reason that a mere one year after Detroit brethren General Motors and Chrysler claimed bankruptcy, Ford was posting its first profit since the recession. Ford went from $30 billion in losses between 2006-2008 – through a recession in which we saw vehicle sales tank mercilessly – to a profit in 2009. It’s also the single most important reason that its operating margins top the industry, and hit 11% – very strong for the auto industry – in North America in the first quarter.

By the end of this year the goal is to have 85% of global sales from nine core platforms, but what do they look like? Here’s the look of Ford’s future, and it aims to please the masses – and investor profits along with it.

Image source: Ford Motor Co. first-quarter earnings review

Here’s a rundown of what you can expect from two of the most important platforms for global revenue growth going forward. I’ll cover another two tomorrow.

Fusion growth
Ford’s stylish Fusion sedan is setting the accounting books on fire, posting over 80,000 in sales for the first quarter – a record for the model. It strikes a perfect mix between value and fuel efficiency. It’s received this year’s “Green Car of the Year” award recently in Los Angeles as well as U.S. News & World Report’s 2013 “Best Car for the Money”. Those two qualities will be absolutely critical for the Fusion to replicate its success here and overseas.

Ford recently unveiled the new Mondeo/Fusion at the 2013 Shanghai Auto Show. Ford is aiming to double its market share in China by mid-decade and for this to happen the Fusion needs to be a hit with the Chinese. So far it has been met with much fanfare and is expected to be very competitive – it stands out on the road in a stylish way.

Unfortunately even the 30,000 in U.S. sales we saw in March may not be sustainable at current plant capacity. Typically, automakers want to have 65 days’ supply of high-volume sellers, and WardsAuto estimated the Fusion to have as few as 40 days inventory before March sales took place. This is a good problem to have, and the company has plans for extra plant resources at Flat Rock, Mich., to produce more of the sedan as soon as this coming fall.

Mustang growth
For growth purposes, it would have been easy to discuss the Focus or Fiesta here, but I think the Mustang offers unique potential among Ford’s vehicles. In 2012 it ranked seventh in Ford’s vehicle lineup for sales in the U.S and has slightly trailed the Camaro in the last three years. Its value isn’t limited to its sales figures, as the iconic American muscle car will always be a

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Automobiles

Ford’s Flat Rock Facility Births Its Millionth Mustang [Mustang Mega Gallery]

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By Andrew Wendler

Exactly 49 years after being publicly introduced as the Mustang at the 1964 World’s Fair in New York, the one-millionth Mustang to be produced in Ford’s Flat Rock, Michigan, facility rolled off the assembly line. A ruby-red 2014 Mustang convertible observed the ceremonial honors, fittingly piloted by Ed Salna, 27-year plant veteran, and Raj Nair, Ford’s vice president for global product development. The event also marks the 50th year of continuous Mustang production, which moved to Ford’s Flat Rock facility in 2004. Ford has recently invested $555 million in the plant, and production of the Ford Fusion within its walls will commence this fall.

Originally produced at Ford’s legendary and imposing Rouge complex located a few miles to the north, the popularity of the first-generation Mustang grew so swiftly that Ford was forced to bring online additional plants in New Jersey and California to satiate public demand. Within two years, Mustang production would hit its first million-car milestone, essentially creating the pony-car segment in the process. To date, more than 8.5 million Stangs have been sold.

Although at the time, Ford refereed to it as “the working man’s Thunderbird,” the Mustang quickly developed an audience that crossed all social-economic and gender barriers, a trait that helped it sell more than 400,000 units in its first year of production. Ford played to this characteristic wisely over the next half a century, always making sure each generation of Mustang was available in varying levels of trim ranging from thrifty four-cylinders to V-8–endowed pavement pounding monsters.

The original Mustang’s launch still stands as one of the most effective product campaigns in modern history, and you can count on Ford squeezing every ounce of publicity from the Mustang’s 50th anniversary it can. In the meantime, why not peruse our gallery of Mustangs spanning its 49-year history?

From: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/caranddriver/blog/~3/m-9GNb8_mZE/

Automobiles

Official: Ford celebrates 1 millionth Mustang built at Flat Rock

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By Jeffrey N. Ross

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Yesterday, the Ford Mustang turned 49 years old, and Ford didn’t miss the opportunity to celebrate the one millionth version of the Mustang rolling off the assembly line at the Flat Rock Assembly plant. Production of the Mustang at Flat Rock coincided with the fifth-generation design launching in 2004, and the one millionth car was the car shown above, a 2014 GT convertible painted in Ruby Red.

In total, Ford has sold more than 8.5 million Mustangs since the original car went on sale, but some of the key milestones over the car’s nine years at Flat Rock include the Shelby GT-H, Bullitt, Boss 302 and, of course, the 662-horsepower Shelby GT500. Scroll down for a press release celebrating Flat Rock‘s milestone Mustang.

Continue reading Ford celebrates 1 millionth Mustang built at Flat Rock

Ford celebrates 1 millionth Mustang built at Flat Rock originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:45:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Can Ford's New Fusion Knock off the Camry?

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By John Rosevear, The Motley Fool

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Photo credit: Ford Motor Company

Ford‘s new Fusion sedan has been turning heads since its launch late last year. It’s easy to see why: With its sleek flanks, Aston Martin-inspired grille, and luxury-car-like interior, it really stands out in a sea of blander-looking competitors.

And lately, it’s been drawing quite a few customers. For the year to date through March, sales were up 26% over the first three months of 2012, as the new Fusion continues to outshine its well-regarded predecessor.

But will the Fusion have what it takes to overcome America’s best-selling car, Toyota‘s ever-popular Camry?

Rapidly rising on the U.S. sales charts
Ford already has America’s best-selling vehicle, of course. Its F-Series pickup trucks have been the best-seller for decades, followed by the perennial runner-up, General Motors‘ Chevy Silverado pickup.

That’s unlikely to change, because pickups are big business here in America. But it’s after those two that the sales race gets interesting. So far in 2013, the next four biggest sellers are all midsized sedans: the Camry, Honda‘s Accord, Nissan‘s Altima – and Ford’s new Fusion.

The Fusion isn’t far behind the Altima, with 80,558 sales through March to the Nissan’s 86,952. But it has a ways to go to catch up to the Camry, which sold 100,830 through the first three months of the year.

Camry sales look strong, but they have been down 4% so far in 2013, thanks in part to the strength of the new Fusion. Does Ford‘s hot-looking sedan have a chance of catching up and dethroning the Camry?

Probably not, at least in the near term. Here’s why.

Why Ford can’t (yet) beat the Camry
Here’s the problem: Ford’s can’t (yet) make enough Fusions to outsell the Camry. The company cut its North American production facilities way back during its painful restructuring last decade. That was a good move, one that has led to strong profits now that many of its factories are working overtime.

But it has a downside. With plants already running around the clock, Ford can’t make many more Fusions than it is already making – at least, not easily. Ford U.S. sales chief Ken Czubay told reporters last week that strong sales and strong continuing demand for the Fusion in places like California and Florida could mean short supplies of the hot sedan in coming months.

Adding production means expensive investments in additional production lines, investments that Ford has been reluctant to make until it’s sure it can sell the extra cars (and until it’s sure that its suppliers will be able to keep up).

The good news is, with the Fusion, Ford is already preparing to step up production.

A $555 million investment to close the gap
Ford has already announced that it is adding a production line to build the Fusion at its Flat Rock, Mich., plant, where the Mustang is currently built. That isn’t a cheap move: Ford is spending $555 million to install …read more

Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Business, Finance, Occupation & Industry

Analysts: Strong Sales Continue for GM and Ford

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By John Rosevear, The Motley Fool

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Did U.S. auto sales hold strong in March?

We’ll know for sure when official numbers are reported on Tuesday, April 2, but if analysts are correct, March was indeed another solid month for car and truck sales in the U.S.

Analysts polled by Bloomberg expect an average 4.2% year-over-year increase in U.S. sales of “light vehicles” (cars, pickups, and SUVs). At least one high-profile analyst, Edmunds’ Jessica Caldwell, thinks March was likely the best month for U.S. light-vehicle sales since May of 2007.

While Ford will likely come in with an increase above the average, analysts say, the year-over-year growth winner looks set to be General Motors .

A good month as the General gathers strength
GM is expected to post a 12% year-over-year sales gain for March, according to the Bloomberg consensus analyst estimate. GM’s full-sized pickups are likely to have been a big driver of any sales increase – Kelley Blue Book analyst Alec Gutierrez estimates that overall full-sized pickup sales were up 14.9% in March, and GM is known to be aggressively clearing out pickup inventories ahead of the arrival of redesigned models later this spring.

GM’s increasing strength in cars is likely beginning to pay off as well. The Cadillac ATS and XTS sedans, both introduced last year, are set to benefit as GM’s efforts to revive its old luxury brand gather steam. And GM has more new vehicles on the way: The company is introducing 13 new Chevrolets in 2013, as well as another Cadillac, the mid-sized CTS, due at dealers this fall.

Meanwhile, Ford will likely bask in a strong result for its midsized Fusion sedan, introduced late last year. Kelley Blue Book estimates that Fusion sales will be up 24% over year-ago totals for the last-generation model, itself a strong seller.

Tight supply and strong demand at Ford
Ford is probably selling all the Fusions it can make at the moment, as its factories are at full capacity – and in some cases, beyond. The company is adding 1,200 workers at its plant in Flat Rock, Mich., to build additional Fusions starting later this year.

Ford’s production capacity challenges extend well beyond the hot new Fusion. While the impressive utilization of its factories has meant big profits in North America, the company is likely to be facing tight supplies for a few more months as it works to squeeze more production out of its existing North American factories.

That will likely keep the Blue Oval’s sales increases relatively subdued, at least for a few more months, even as new models bring nice gains to GM. But Ford shareholders can take comfort: Those busy factories should continue to drive strong North American profits for the Blue Oval.

Worried about Ford?
If you’re concerned that Ford’s turnaround has run its course, relax — there’s good reason to think that the Blue Oval still has big growth opportunities ahead. We’ve outlined those opportunities in detail, in the Fool’s …read more
Source: FULL ARTICLE at DailyFinance

Automobiles

Lincoln MKZ Inventory Levels To Soon Hit Normal

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By Kurt Ernst

2013 Lincoln MKZ

2013 Lincoln MKZ

When you’re counting on a single model to sustain the life of your brand before other new products hit the pipeline, getting the launch right is absolutely essential. Supplier delays can kill momentum, and nothing can cool demand for a luxury sedan quicker than quality issues (real or perceived) with the initial batches delivered.

It’s no secret that Ford’s Lincoln brand is struggling to find an identity, if not struggling to even survive. Its Town Car was once the darling of livery fleets from coast to coast, but that’s been put out to pasture and the MKT really hasn’t caught on with car services. Its Mercury equivalent, the Grand Marquis, was the poster car of the AARP set, but Lincoln hasn’t managed to convert these buyers into MKS sedans, either.

When the MKZ was first shown in 2012, it was clear that Lincoln intended to draw in a whole new demographic with its stylish midsize sedan. Everyone, journalists included, wondered when they could get behind the wheel of one. Lincoln even blew the bank on advertising, going long with a wasted Super Bowl spot that left viewers scratching their collective heads. Perhaps it was a good thing that dealers didn’t have MKZ models to drive, since the ad was hardly a call to action to test drive an MKZ.

Last month, Ford admitted that final inspection backlogs at its plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, were partly responsible for MKZ delivery delays. In an effort to speed up delivery, Ford shipped completed MKZ sedans from Mexico to its plant in Flat Rock, Michigan, for the final quality inspection. Inventory was then trucked to dealers rather than shipped via rail, which would have taken longer but cost less. Put another way, Ford has spent a great deal of money on each MKZ, ensuring that quality is up to par and delivery to dealerships is prompt.

Last week, Automotive News (subscription required) reported that Ford has worked through the backlog of final inspections, and that inventory of MKZ sedans at Lincoln dealers should reach normal levels by month end. While that’s a good thing for customers patiently awaiting delivery, we can’t help but wonder if it’s too little, too late. Lincoln’s costly Super Bowl ad blitz is now a distant memory, and we wonder how much more the brand will need to spend to attract customers into Lincoln showrooms.

There are other new products in the Lincoln pipeline, but none are scheduled to appear in 2013. If buyers decide the MKZ isn’t right for them, what are the odds that Lincoln can up-sell them into an MKS or MKT? (Hint: we wouldn’t take those odds.)

Getting the MKZ in the hands of dealers (and ultimately, customers) is an important first step for Lincoln. As to whether or not it’s too little, too late, only time will tell.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Automotive Addicts

Automobiles

Report: North America's automakers ran at 97% of their production capacity last year

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By Jonathon Ramsey

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Wards Auto began tracking North American light-vehicle production capacity utilization in 2005, and last year produced the highest amount on record: 97.8 percent of available production was utilized, an improvement of 9.3 percent versus the year before. The number represents straight-time capacity plus things like the addition of a third shift or a third crew and worker overtime due to less vacations. Production with straight-time capacity utilizing two shifts still came out to 97.1 percent in 2012, an improvement of 13.7 percent versus 2011.

In the US, capacity use was 91 percent, a rise of 12.2 percent year-on-year; the only plants to show a decline were the Ford/Mazda facility in Flat Rock that ceased production of the Mazda6 last year and where the Ford Fusion is now built, and the Subaru plant in Indiana that produces the Toyota Camry alongside Subaru vehicles. In Canada, the capacity-use numbers jumped 19.4 percent to 99.6 percent, and in Mexico overutilization was the theme, their plants running at 124 percent. The Mexican situation isn’t new, that country exceeding 100 percent of capacity utilization in 2010 and 2011 as well. In total, 15.6 million vehicles were produced last year in North America, 842,000 more than in 2011.

North America’s automakers ran at 97% of their production capacity last year originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 16 Feb 2013 13:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Automobiles

Report: Lincoln dealers frustrated over slow MKZ production ramp-up

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By Chris Paukert

2013 Lincoln MKZ in deep red - front three-quarter view

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Lincoln has clearly been working hard to get the word out about its 2013 MKZ sedan. The Dearborn automaker has taken out lavish spreads to trumpet its boldly styled new model in magazines of every description, along with placing commercials for both the vehicle and the reborn brand behind it on all manner of television programs, including the super-costly Super Bowl earlier this month.

Pity, then, that Lincoln dealers don’t have enough MKZs to sell. According to The Detroit News, parent company Ford has spent a good portion of its time at this week’s National Automobile Dealers Association meeting in Florida attempting to pacify upset dealers who don’t have enough examples of the pivotal new vehicle in stock.

As the DetNews notes, Lincoln only sold 453 MKZs last month, a whopping 73-percent decrease over the same period last year when the sedan’s predecessor was on sale. In fact, the stunted supply had enough impact that Lincoln’s January figures worked out to a 32-year low for the brand, just as it’s trying to get back on its feet. This, despite the fact that the MKZ is said to have the biggest number of pre-orders in the marque’s history.

According to Bloomberg reports earlier this month, the slow distribution issue is because workers are taking pains to conduct quality checks on vehicles as they roll off the line at its Hermosillo, Mexico assembly plant. In fact, the company is shipping some of the vehicles to a factory in Flat Rock, Michigan for closer inspection. According to industry analysts, Ford is likely looking to avoid the quality and resultant recall issues that have dogged recent launches including its Escape crossover and Fusion sedan, a model with which the MKZ shares a great deal under the skin.

Ford expects dealers to have adequate supplies of the midsize luxury car by early April, at which point we hope the company’s marketing coffers will still be full enough to take advantage of having cars in showrooms.

Lincoln dealers frustrated over slow MKZ production ramp-up originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 12 Feb 2013 17:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: FULL ARTICLE at Autoblog

Science & Technology

Glowing Orbs That Form Triangles Over Detroit, Michigan Say Fox News, Jan 2013.

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By ScottCWaring

Date of sighting: January 2013
Location of sighting: Detroit, Michigan, USA

Fox News States:
SOUTHFIELD, Mich. (WJBK) — Thursday night the Fox 2 newsroom and our Facebook page got several reports of strange lights in the skies over metro Detroit. People were wondering what they were seeing?


“I’ve been watching the airplanes tonight and it wasn’t quite as high as them,” said David Levy. “You could actually see the triangle shape of the object.”

Levy was outside Thursday night around 9:30 p.m. with friends in Flat Rock.

“Up in the sky we saw a triangle-shaped object with about five lights flashing heading north.”

In fact, our Fox 2 Facebook page has been blowing up with hundreds of posts on the subject.

Lisa wrote, “I [saw] some in Southgate but thought it was fireworks and weird for [January]”

Nick wrote, “I assumed they were planes. They were flying in the same direction. I watched them for about 10 minutes and I counted four or five of them. I’m over in St. Clair Shores.”

Mario wrote, “I [saw] it in Eastpointe off Nine Mile. It was something crazy.”

Shaun wrote, “I was the one who called into the Fox 2 newsroom and first broke this story. They were black triangle-shaped objects making circles over West Bloomfield and Farmington Hills. There was no noise and they had bright lights. I’m not making this up and I know somebody else saw these things.”

William Konkolesky of the Michigan Mutual UFO Network has also been taking calls from people who have seen lights at night all across metro Detroit.

“It’s very possible that people are seeing military aircraft that they haven’t notified us about yet like the spy planes or also the stealth aircraft that have been flying in our skies now for a few years. It’s well known that they were testing these aircraft well before they notified people that they even existed. Now on top of all that, we have unmanned drones up in the sky and those things really look strange, especially for somebody that has no idea what they could even be,” said Konkolesky.

We did put some calls into Selfridge Air National Guard Base and the Federal Aviation Administration and didn’t get any reaction.

Source: http://www.myfoxdetroit.com/story/20568743/mysterious-lights-in-the-sky-spotted-by-several-in-metro-detroit

Source: FULL ARTICLE at UFO Sightings Daily