Unsurprising News of the Day: Ford Explorer Sport Trac is toast
Filed under: SUV, Truck, Crossover, Ford
Ford Explorer Sport Trac Adrenalin - Click above for high-res image gallery
When it comes to a new Explorer Sport Trac for 2011, the only real surprise would have been if Ford had actually opted to build one. With the standard Explorer moving to a unit-body architecture, there are no plans for a new pickup truck version, a vehicle that probably would have been something akin to the Honda Ridgeline.
Since the Ridgeline hasn’t exactly been flying off dealer’s lots, Ford has wisely decided to focus on its full-bodied version, the Explorer. The Blue Oval hasn’t made a habit of breaking out Sport Trac sales from its SUV kin, but the Explorer only totaled 52,190 in 2009, so the pickup’s volume probably wasn’t a huge seller. According to Automotive News’ sources, Sport Trac sales usually totaled about 20 to 25 percent of Explorer sales over the last decade, but that number strikes us as curiously high. Over its entire life, we never saw a ton of them - even on the roads around Michigan where domestic pickups are commonplace.
Gallery: 2008 Ford Sport Trac Adrenalin
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]
Unsurprising News of the Day: Ford Explorer Sport Trac is toast originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:32:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: 2011 ford explorer, 2011fordexplorer, a-has-found, a-huge-seller-, a-new-pickup, driving simulator, explorersporttrac, ford, ford explorer sport trac, ford sport trac, fordexplorer2011, news, sport-trac, sporttracadrenalin
X Games 16 Preview: Autoblog rides shotgun with the stars of Rally Car [w/video]
Filed under: Motorsports, Performance, Hatchback, Ford, Mitsubishi, Subaru, Celebrities, Racing
X Games 16 Subaru Practice Session - Click above for high-res image gallery
It was just a short time ago - five years, to be exact - that rallying was introduced as a competition in the X Games. The first event started out in spectacular fashion, with Travis Pastrana beating out the late Colin McRae after the former World Rally Championship winner rolled his car with just a few turns to go.
Since then, the competition has become stronger and car manufacturers have increased their involvement as interest in the sport has increased thanks to ESPN’s mainstream audience. This year looks to be one of the most exciting events yet with a host of new cars, new drivers, new rules and even a new event. Follow the jump to learn about what to expect for this year’s X Games 16 and what it’s like to ride shotgun in a 500-horsepower rally car.
Gallery: X Games 16 Rally Preview - Subaru
Photos copyright (C)2010 Drew Phillips / AOL
Continue reading X Games 16 Preview: Autoblog rides shotgun with the stars of Rally Car [w/video]
X Games 16 Preview: Autoblog rides shotgun with the stars of Rally Car [w/video] originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: follow-the-jump, l.a. coliseum, l.a.coliseum, news, rallycarracing, subaru-practice, tanner-foust, video, xgames, xgames16superrally
GM will increase Volt production by 50% - to 45,000 units - in 2012
President Obama toured the General Motors‘ Detroit-Hamtramck facility where the automaker will build (can we say “is building” yet?) the Chevrolet Volt today, and as any good PR person will surely agree, you can’t let an opportunity like that go by without making an announcement of some sort. So, GM has something to say and it’s big news, too: GM will increase Volt production capacity by 50 percent in 2012.
Details are as follows: Instead of making 30,000 Volts in the U.S. in 2012, GM will now make 45,000. These numbers are lower than production numbers we heard rumors of in years past, but they’re good news for fans of plug-in vehicles. Is the increase a response to positive reaction to the Volt’s $33,500 after-tax-rebate price tag? Maybe, GM said in a statement that, “In the past few weeks, more than 25,000 people have joined the Chevrolet Volt enthusiast list.”
The news is good for the President, too, since the White House is pushing The American Auto Industry: A Comeback Story message this week. Part of that is an interactive version of the White House map showing places where the government has supported automakers, which you can find here.
Gallery: 2011 Chevrolet Volt
[Sources: General Motors, WhiteHouse.gov]
Continue reading GM will increase Volt production by 50% - to 45,000 units - in 2012
GM will increase Volt production by 50% - to 45,000 units - in 2012 originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: autobailouts, automaker-will, e-rev, erev, gmbailout, hamtramck volt, news, president, since-the-white, subaru-practice, tanner-foust, volthybrid, white-house
Newsweek Shows Beggars Can Be Choosers
The Washington Post Co. probably isn’t going to get much more than a token $1 when it sells Newsweek. But it’s being awfully choosy about where that dollar comes from.
Continue reading Newsweek Shows Beggars Can Be Choosers
Newsweek Shows Beggars Can Be Choosers originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 13:05:00.
Filed Under: Media
Original post:
Newsweek Shows Beggars Can Be Choosers
Tags: avenue capital group, being-awfully, choosers, choosy-about, filed-under, get-much, marc lasry, media, news, newsweek, probably-isn, shows, sidney harman, wpo
Consumer Sentiment Crept Higher in July, but It’s Still Depressed
Jul 30, 2010 Object
Even with the slight rise, there’s little to celebrate because the reading remained at a near-six-month low. Still, like the second quarter’s slender 2.4% growth rate, July’s sentiment measure could have been worse.
Continue reading Consumer Sentiment Crept Higher in July, but It’s Still Depressed
Consumer Sentiment Crept Higher in July, but It’s Still Depressed originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 12:45:00.
Filed Under: Economy, Investing, Retail
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Consumer Sentiment Crept Higher in July, but It’s Still Depressed
Tags: been-worse, consumer sentiment, get-much, like-the-second, news, newsweek, reading, second-quarter, slight, slight-rise, still-depressed
Order a Nissan Leaf from September
Jul 30, 2010 news
Motorists in the UK will be able to order the Nissan Leaf from September 1, securing a spot on the waiting list for the world’s first mass-produced electric car.
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Order a Nissan Leaf from September
Tags: electric-car, first-mass-produced, list-for, motorists, news, nissan-leaf, order-the-nissan, september, spot-on-the, the-waiting, the-world
BMW 3 Series (1998 - 2005) used car guide
Jul 30, 2010 news
The 1998-2008 BMW 3 Series saloon is one of the UK’s best selling cars.
Excerpt from:
BMW 3 Series (1998 - 2005) used car guide
Tags: best selling, bmw, news, series, used-car
Chevron Earnings Triple on Higher Oil Prices
Chevron’s second-quarter earnings easily topped forecasts, but revenue came in lower than analysts expected. It recorded net income of $5.41 billion, or $2.70 a share, up from $1.75 billion, or 87 cents, in last year’s second quarter.
Continue reading Chevron Earnings Triple on Higher Oil Prices
Chevron Earnings Triple on Higher Oil Prices originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 09:35:00.
Filed Under: Energy, Company News, Investing, Earnings, Stocks in the News, Chevron
Continued here:
Chevron Earnings Triple on Higher Oil Prices
Tags: but-revenue, chevron, chevron earnings, cvx, cvx, xom, energy, exxon-mobil, filed-under, higher, img-width, news, oil, oil prices, originally-appeared, second-quarter
Report: NHTSA expands Ford Windstar corrosion probe to front subframes
Filed under: Minivan/Van, Government/Legal, Recalls, Safety, Ford
The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration has opened a second investigation into 1999-2003 Ford Windstar minivans. The new probe has arisen amidst reports of front subframe corrosion that can cause the vehicle to lose steering. Apparently, a number of owners in salt-belt states have complained of front steering components rusting to the point of failure, causing a total loss of steering in the process. NHTSA will be looking into a total 900,000 potentially affected vehicles as part of the first stage of a process that could ultimately lead to recall.
As we first reported in May, Windstar minivans of the same vintage are currently under investigation for a similar corrosion concern in the rear of the vehicle. The government agency launched an investigation after receiving 234 complaints of the vehicles’ rear axles fracturing. Owners claim that the design allows for road salt and grime to collect in certain places, accelerating corrosion in the process.
Ford says that it is doing everything it can to cooperate with the investigation and address any design issue, should one exist. According to Automotive News, the Windstar, which was built between 1994 and 2003, has been the subject of a total of 10 recalls so far.
[Source: Automotive News - sub. req.]
Report: NHTSA expands Ford Windstar corrosion probe to front subframes originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.
Tags: corrosion-probe, crown vic, currently-under, entry, ford windstar steering, have-complained, news, recalls-tsbs, taxis, vehicle, vehicles, windstarsteering
Geron to Test Embryonic Stem-Cell Therapy After FDA Lifts Clinical Hold; Shares Soar
Pharmaceutical company Geron announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has lifted the clinical hold it had placed on the company’s new drug application, allowing it to proceed with a clinical trial of GRNOPC1 in patients suffering from acute spinal cord injury.
Geron to Test Embryonic Stem-Cell Therapy After FDA Lifts Clinical Hold; Shares Soar originally appeared on DailyFinance on Fri, 30 Jul 2010 08:30:00.
Filed Under: Investing, Health Care, Stocks in the News
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Geron to Test Embryonic Stem-Cell Therapy After FDA Lifts Clinical Hold; Shares Soar
Tags: clinical, economy, embryonic, filed-under, gern, hold-it-had, insider trading, investing, news, stem cell research, therapy, world
