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Ferrari SUV and Aston Martin in Formula E? | Autoblog Podcast #529

This week, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Green Editor John Beltz Snyder. They discuss Ferrari's SUV plans as well as Aston Martin's Formula E consideration. They also talk about cars we've driven including the Chevy Colorado ZR2, a Nissan Rogue ProPilot prototype and a Ford Shelby GT350. This week's podcast also features a car you don't need a license to drive. Autoblog Podcast #529 Your browser does not support the audio element. Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Ferrari SUV FCA keeping Jeep Aston Martin mulls Formula E Cars in the office: Ford Shelby GT350, Chevrolet Colorado ZR2, Nissan Rogue with ProPilot Assist The List: Drive a car that requires no license 3 Big Questions: Ferrari SUV or Lamborghini SUV? Chevy Colorado ZR2 or Toyota Tacoma TRD Pro? Ford Shelby GT350 with or without Performance Package? Spend my money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Green Podcasts Aston Martin Chevrolet Ferrari Ford Jeep Lamborghini Nissan SUV Electric Performance Videos Formula E shelby nissan propilot

Rising aluminum costs cut into Ford's profit

When Ford reports fourth-quarter results on Wednesday afternoon, it is expected to fret that rising metals costs have cut into profits, even as rivals say they have the problem under control. Aluminum prices have risen 20 percent in the last year and nearly 11 percent since Dec. 11. Steel prices have risen just over 9 percent in the last year. Ford uses more aluminum in its vehicles than its rivals. Aluminum is lighter but far more expensive than steel, closing at $2,229 per tonne on Tuesday. U.S. steel futures closed at $677 per ton (0.91 metric tonnes). Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is weighing whether to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, which could push prices even higher. Ford gave a disappointing earnings estimate for 2017 and 2018 last week, saying the higher costs for steel, aluminum and other metals, as well as currency volatility, could cost the company $1.6 billion in 2018. Ford shares took a dive after the announcement. Ford Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks told analysts at a conference in Detroit last week that while the company benefited from low commodity prices in 2016, rising steel prices were now the main cause of higher costs, followed by aluminum. Shanks said the automaker at times relies on foreign currencies as a "natural hedge" for some commodities but those are now going in the opposite direction, so they are not working. A Ford spokesman added that the automaker also uses a mix of contracts, hedges and indexed buying. Industry analysts point to the spike in aluminum versus steel prices as a plausible reason for Ford's problems, especially since it uses far more of the expensive metal than other major automakers. "When you look at Ford in the context of the other automakers, aluminum drives a lot of their volume and I think that is the cause" of their rising costs, said Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting at auto consultancy LMC Automotive. Other major automakers say rising commodity costs are not much of a problem. At last week's Detroit auto show, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV's Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne reiterated its earnings guidance for 2018 and held forth on a number of topics, but did not mention metals prices. General Motors Co gave a well-received profit outlook last week and did not mention the subject. "We view changes in raw material costs as something that is manageable," a GM spokesman said in an email.

Ford gives S-Max the Vignale treatment in Milan

Ford has a bit of a history in reviving the names of old coachbuilders it has long since gobbled up and using them to distinguish its top-of-the-line models in Europe. That's what it did for years with Ghia, and after having replaced it several years ago with the Titanium trim level, now it's doing it again with Vignale.
At the Frankfurt Motor Show last year, Ford revealed the Mondeo Vignale concept in both sedan and wagon body-styles, which are set to reach production next year. But before they do, the Blue Oval automaker is at it again, applying similar upgrades to the S-Max minivan and unveiling it in concept form in Milan this week.
Setting the Vignale concept apart from any other S-Max is its Milano Grigio rose-hued silver pearlescent paint, 21-inch alloys, chrome trim and hexagonal-pattern grille. Inside it's all ultra-soft quilted leather and aluminum trim, with tablet docking stations in the back and thinner, more flexible seats than the existing production version.