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FCA close to paying off debt, outperforming Ford in earnings

FCA boosting output of SUVs, trucks in U.S. Marchionne says the company no longer needs a merger partner FCA expects to pay off all debt this year "There's a very strong likelihood that we will outperform Ford" MILAN/DETROIT — Fiat Chrysler's shift to sell more trucks and SUVs boosted margins yet again in its North American profit center, making Chief Executive Sergio Marchionne confident he can hit most of the final targets of his five-year turnaround plan. FCA has been retooling some U.S. factories to boost output of lucrative sport-utility vehicles and trucks while ending production of some unprofitable sedans. This put the world's seventh-largest carmaker on track to become debt-free by the end of the year, and allowed Marchionne to make good on his promise to close the gap on larger U.S. rivals General Motors (GM) and Ford. "There's a very strong likelihood that we will outperform Ford in terms of operating earnings in 2018," Marchionne told analysts on an earnings call Thursday. "That's something that if I told any of us in the room here that would've been doable five years ago, nobody would have believed it." As the 65-year-old executive prepares to hand over the reins to an internal successor next year, he said the improvements mean the company no longer needed a partner to survive. The carmaker has often been the subject of merger speculation, especially after its unsuccessful 2015 attempt to tie up with GM. "The necessity to find a partner, to try and guarantee our survival, going forward, is put to bed. I mean we're done," Marchionne told analysts on a post-results conference call. North America accounted for 71 percent of earnings last quarter, and profit margins in the region rose to 8 percent from 7.1 percent a year earlier, even as shipments fell 3 percent. Meanwhile Ford's automotive margin for North America slipped to 6.8 percent, down from 8.5 percent a year earlier.FCA trimmed its expectations for 2018 revenues and forecast adjusted operating profit of at least 8.7 billion euros, at the lower end of a previously given range. Analysts said FCA's margin improvement was impressive, and it could be on the cusp of a big boost from its new Jeep Wrangler and Jeep Cherokee models and its Ram 1500 truck. FCA ready to pay off its debt But the Italian-American carmaker expects to cancel all debt during 2018 — possibly by the end of June — and generate around 4 billion euros in net cash by the end of the year.

New upscale Ford Taurus revealed in Shanghai

As much as the Ford Taurus may have going for it, we wouldn't classify it as a luxury sedan as much as a mass-market one. The story is different in China, however, where Ford has introduced an altogether more upscale version of the Taurus. Shown this weekend at the Shanghai Motor Show, the Chinese-market Taurus is longer and more luxurious than the sedan we know on these shores. For starters, its wheelbase has been stretched from 113 inches to 116. That means more legroom for the rear seat; useful in a market where the vehicle's owner is often chauffeured. Those rear seats can power-recline as well, with adjustable lumbar support and massage function. A fold-down armrest holds with controls for the seats, air-con and audio system. And panoramic sunroof tops the whole affair. That commodious cabin is wrapped in revised sheet metal that's designed to look decidedly more upscale as well. Power is provided by a 2.7-liter twin-turbo EcoBoost V6 of unspecified output but which produces 315 horsepower in the Ford Edge, 325 in the F-150 and 335 in the Lincoln MKX. This version of the Taurus is earmarked specifically for the Chinese market for the time being, and set to be produced locally at the Changan Ford plant in Hangzhou. Scope out the images in the slideshow above and the details in the press release below for a closer look at Ford's new Chinese flagship. Related Video: 2015-4-18 | Shanghai, China New Ford Taurus Sets a New Benchmark for Large Sedans in China - Ford Taurus, a new premium business sedan for China, combines expressive design, exceptional craftsmanship and advanced technology - Taurus is the latest vehicle delivered as part of Ford's commitment to bring 15 new world-class vehicles to China by 2015 - Powerful, confident and inviting exterior design is matched by a spacious and elegant interior with carefully chosen materials for a sense of prestige - New high-output twin-turbo 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 engine offers effortless power with high efficiency - Taurus will be manufactured at new $760 million Changan Ford Hangzhou plant Introducing a new premium sedan for discerning Chinese business customers, Ford today unveiled the new Ford Taurus at a special event in Shanghai. Designed especially to meet the needs of the Chinese market, the vehicle brings the historic Taurus nameplate to China for the first time.

Can an actual Ford F-150 ride on 4 Power Wheels F-150s?

A lot of kids are rough on their toys, especially when it comes to those made to be used outside, like a four-wheeled kid-size Power Wheels. Whether it's cruising through the sand box, carrying piles of rocks in the driveway or crashing around trees in the backyard, these motorized vehicles often take punishment from the moment the giftwrap comes off. The folks at Fisher-Price decided to give their latest F-150 Power Wheels a true torture test worse than any kid could have ever managed by setting a real 2015 Ford F-150 on top of four of them. Would the little toy trucks explode in a shower of plastic shards in a massive collapse, and if not, could they drive away afterwards? The latest F-150 might be 700 pounds lighter thanks to the switch to aluminum, but it's still a fullsize pickup. According to this clip, the truck weighs in at 4,120 pounds, which puts an average of 1,030 pounds on each of the toys. Check out the video above to see how the stunt goes, and click on the gallery below for some behind-the-scenes looks at the setup.