2005 Ford Escape Xlt on 2040-cars

Auto blog

U.S. auto sales fall in July, as Detroit dials back on inventory, rental sales

DETROIT — U.S. carmakers said on Tuesday they continued to slash low-margin sales to daily rental fleets in July as General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles struggled to curb a slide in retail sales. July is on track to be the fifth straight month in which the annual pace of car and light truck sales declined from the same month a year ago, in part because of fewer fleet sales, analysts and industry executives said. July 2016 sales hit a strong 17.9-million-vehicle pace. GM said the seasonally adjusted annual sales rate fell to an estimated 16.9 million vehicles in July. At midmorning on Tuesday, GM shares were down 3.4 percent at $34.77, Ford was down 2.8 percent at $10.91, and Fiat Chrysler shares were down 0.3 percent at $12.05 in New York. GM sales dropped 15 percent from a year ago to 226,107 vehicles, as the company cut rental fleet sales more than 80 percent. The automaker said inventories of unsold vehicles at month's end were 104 days, down from 105 days at the end of June. GM has promised investors to reduce inventories to 70 days by year-end. Ford said its July sales dipped 7.5 percent to 200,212 vehicles, as it cut fleet sales more than 26 percent. Inventories fell to 77 days from 79 the previous month. Fiat Chrysler said sales dropped 10 percent to 161,477, as it also cut back sales to daily rental fleets. Among the top Japanese companies, only Toyota reported a year-to-year gain, with sales up 4 percent to 222,057 — just 4,000 units behind GM. Honda sales were down 1 percent to 150,980 — its first-quarter sales continuing to decline in North America but seeing a big increase in China. And Nissan sales fell 3 percent to 128,295. GM, Ford and Fiat Chrysler have cautioned that second-half financial results likely will be lower than first-half results, in part reflecting production cuts in North America and pricing pressures. The automakers this year have been deliberately dialing back sales to rental-car companies, which often generate little to no profit, while struggling to keep retail sales from sagging further, according to industry analysts. Industry consultant LMC cut its full-year forecast for new vehicle sales to 17 million vehicles. Automakers sold a record 17.55 million vehicles in the United States in 2016.

Here's your chance to vote for the best-looking state police cruiser

Across the country, state police generally drive the same types of vehicles. Right now, the most common cruisers are Ford Explorers, Chevrolet Tahoes, and Dodge Chargers, with some exceptions sprinkled in. The differentiation comes through in the livery, which can range from simplistic badging to busy stripes. Each year, the American Association of State Troopers (AAST) holds a fun contest to determine which state has the coolest-looking cars, and 2019 voting has just opened. We discovered the contest after Motor1 posted about the Florida Highway Patrol's newest addition to its fleet, a Dodge Challenger R/T. The musclemobile is, without question, the coolest car in the competition, and it might have the best livery too. But that doesn't mean it's going to win, as contests like this often turn into hotbeds for chest-beating homers.  The AAST is posting results on Facebook, and as of July 17, 2019, Kentucky and Nebraska are blowing the rest of the states out of the water. Florida is in ninth place with 4,653 votes compared to first-place Kentucky's 14,699. New Jersey is in last place with only 107 votes. As the internet goes, this will likely be determined by how many times the contest is shared across social media.  The Challenger isn't the only eye candy, either. Not every state participated, but those that did came correct with the photography, including Nebraska posing its car in front of a freakin' tornado. Others staged their cars with helicopters in the background, some set the car in front of the gorgeous landscapes their states have to offer, and others posed with dogs. Because who doesn't love dogs? No matter which car wins, it's cool to see the various designs all in one place. Check out the gallery above and vote for your favorite on the AAST's survey. The survey will close on July 30, 2019.  

The Stig drives Forza-liveried Ford Focus RS to Gamescom

Auto shows typically present the best opportunities for the public to check out the latest metal the industry has to showcase, but European enthusiasts won't need to wait until Frankfurt or Geneva to see Ford's new performance machinery up close. That's because they'll be able to check out the new Ford GT and Focus RS at the Gamesom expo that opens today in Cologne. But it won't be just any Focus RS, and it won't be driven there by just any old driver. To mark the European debut of Forza Motorsport 6 – whose cover is adorned by the new Ford GT – the Blue Oval automaker has had gamers help design a special livery for the new hot hatch. Wrapped in red, white, and blue with images of the new GT, the unique Focus will be driven by none other than The Stig himself from Top Gear. (Or at least someone in a similar white racing outfit, at any rate.) His Royal Stigness won't have far to go, as Ford's European headquarters are located right there in Cologne (or Koln as the locals call it), less than a half-hour drive down the Rhein river to the Koln Messe where the show will take place. There it'll be showcased alongside the new Ford GT as well, giving gaming fans the chance to check out some very fast Fords up close and personal. Related Video: Aug 4, 2015 | COLOGNE, Germany Ford GT and Gamer-Customised Forza Focus RS to Star During Gamescom; Top Gear's The Stig Helps Unveil One-Off Design - Customised new Focus RS with unique livery designed by players of Forza Motorsport for Xbox unveiled ahead of 2015 Gamescom exhibition in Cologne, Germany - The Stig from BBC's Top Gear drives Forza Focus RS to pre-show event - Visitors to Gamescom – Europe's largest interactive games trade fair – will also see all-new Ford GT supercar on show COLOGNE, Germany, Aug. 4, 2015 – A unique all-new Ford Focus RS featuring an exterior designed by players of Forza Motorsport for Xbox was unveiled today at a special Microsoft event, ahead of the international 2015 Gamescom event in Cologne. The special Forza Focus RS was driven to the event – and accompanied during the evening – by the Stig from BBC's Top Gear, who will feature in the new Forza Motorsport 6 game for the Microsoft Xbox One console. The all-new Focus RS is the third generation of Focus RS cars, following models launched in 2002 and 2009.