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How and why Ford is rolling out Vignale in Europe

We know that Ford is positioning the new, upscale Vignale brand in Europe to fill a niche market of customers who want a bit more luxury, a lot more service and the same reliability and dependability that a non-Vignale Ford offers. But so far, we've been in the dark regarding how the Blue Oval will sell Vignale vehicles, how many of them will be created, and what the new sub-brand has in store for the future.
Gaetano Thorel, Ford's European marketing head, recently was interviewed by Automotive News and shared details about Ford Vignale. Thorel says, "The Vignale trim line will be priced like an ST model but attract a completely different type of customer." Specifically, he says it will attract customers in the upper 15 percent of the price band who don't want a performance-oriented ST model. He adds that Vignale cars will be about 10 percent more expensive than Titanium-trim cars. About 500 of Ford's European dealers will sell Vignale Fords, Thorel says, "in areas that make sense." The automaker expects 10 percent of its European sales to be Vignale cars, which equates to about 5 percent of its global sales. When asked if there are any other Vignale models planned beyond the Mondeo, Thorel said, "There is nothing written in stone yet."

Submit your questions for Autoblog Podcast #310 LIVE!

We record Autoblog Podcast #310 tonight, and you can drop us your questions and comments regarding the rest of the week's news via our Q&A module below. Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes if you haven't already done so, and if you want to take it all in live, tune in to our UStream (audio only) channel at 10:00 PM Eastern tonight.
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15 vehicles most likely to surpass 200,000 miles

Americans drive a lot. Collectively, we put, on average, more than 13,000 miles on our cars each year according to the U.S. Department of Transportation. Because of this, a vehicle's ability to travel long distances without major problems is a huge consideration when it comes time to purchase a new one. It's also worth remembering that keeping an older car on the road instead of trashing it and buying new can be considered an eco-friendly decision. After all, it takes a lot of resources to build a car. iSeeCars.com, a website that aggregates used car listings from all around the country, recently ran through the numbers on millions of vehicles that are currently on the road to determine which last the longest. Alternatively, you could choose to look at this list as vehicles likely to be driven by owners who travel long distances. Either way, we've laid out the top 15 vehicles most likely to hit or even surpass the 200,000-mile mark. It's important to note that while these are the vehicles that have stood the test of time up until today, we can't guarantee future results if you decide to opt for one of these from a current model year. That said, unless we specifically say so in the text below, we've used pictures of current models for illustrative purposes. Now, with all of that out of the way, scroll on down for the top 15 vehicles most likely to crest 200,000 miles. 15: Toyota Sienna 14: Honda Odyssey The 15th spot and 14th spot on the list of the top 15 vehicles most likely to surpass 200,000 miles are both minivans. Spoiler alert: They will be the only two minivans on the list. According to iSeeCars, 3.2% of both of these family haulers crest the 200,000-mile mark, making them the best bets for families looking to put a ton of miles on their machines. 13: Honda Ridgeline 12: GMC Yukon The next spot on the list is occupied by the Honda Ridgeline pickup truck with 3.7% lasting past 200,000 miles. Unlike any of the other midsize trucks it competes with, the Ridgeline is based on a unibody chassis. Opting for this more car-like structure — as opposed to a traditional body-on-frame layout — allows Honda's hauler to ride and drive more like a car. Up next is the GMC Yukon, also with 3.7% past the 200K mark, and the first, but very much not the last, big traditional SUV you'll see on the list. In fact, get ready to see a whole bunch of 'em, including several from GMC parent General Motors.