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Ford will lay off 700 employees in Michigan

Lagging sales of compact and electric cars are starting to take their toll on automakers. Ford said Thursday it intends to lay off 700 employees who work at the Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, MI, over the next five months. The plant makes Ford Focus and C-Max vehicles. Sales of both have stalled in recent months. The layoffs affect 675 hourly and 25 salaries employees, and will begin in late June and continue through September, according to paperwork filed with state officials. The company expects to re-hire the affected employees elsewhere and use them on temporary basis throughout the summer. Ford spokesperson Kristina Adamski said the affected employees will be "first in line" for other jobs at nearby plants, and UAW vice president Jimmy Settles said he expected all would be re-hired at other southeast Michigan factories by "early 2016." Although industry sales have remained high overall, the growth has come from SUVs and pickup trucks. Conversely, compact cars and alternate-powered vehicles like the C-Max have struggled to find customers amid cheap gasoline prices. Focus monthly sales fell 14.5 percent year over year in March, and C-Max monthly sales dropped 22.9 percent over the same period. It was less than three years ago that Ford hailed the Michigan Assembly Plant as a model for its future, one that would quickly adapt to market conditions through a more flexible assembly process. The plant was retrofitted at a cost of $550 million so that the same assembly line could install electric, plug-in hybrid or gasoline powertrains. Ford produces the Focus, Focus ST, Focus Electric, C-Max Hybrid and C-Max Energi here. At the time, company officials said the flexible line was a way to "not be trapped with dedicated one-trick-pony plants where you have under-capacity or over-capacity situations," said Jim Tetreault, Ford's vice president of North American manufacturing, in November 2012. But that's exactly where Ford finds itself as consumers have turned away from both compact and gas-sipping hybrids and electrics as gas prices have fallen to a national average of $2.49 per gallon, according to Thursday's AAA Fuel Gauge Report. One year ago, gas prices averaged $3.70 per gallon. In perhaps a melancholy twist, the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator that were phased out at Michigan Assembly by the retrofit are once again the types of vehicles that are sought after by consumers.

2015 Ford Edge Sport [w/video]

The Edge is easy to overlook, especially in Ford's prolific stable of sport utility vehicles. But thanks to new engines, upscale sheet metal and fresh technologies, the Edge has renewed swagger for 2015. Outfitted in the Sport trim, which included the feisty 315-horsepower EcoBoost V6, a stiffer suspension, and unique fascias, my Edge was loaded, and it was priced accordingly. With options, including all-wheel drive, it cost $46,180, which is pretty lofty for a Ford Edge. But, you get a lot of stuff here – features like leather-accented seats, a lane-departure warning system, and active park assist – that make your life more comfortable and safer. It's been a while since I've driven an Edge. And unless you own one, it's probably been a while since you've even thought about an Edge. Now there's good reason to take another look. Driving Notes I really liked the interior. It was simple, clean, and done up in black. It served as a fitting backdrop for the colorful gauges and the Sync with MyFord Touch infotainment system. The interior designers added silver plastic trim and contrasting white stitching on the center console and door inserts to break up the darkness. Leather was used for the steering wheel wrap, door inserts, and console cover, and it conveyed a premium feel. The leather-trimmed seats with suede inserts were comfortable. They looked elegant and felt pleasing. The heating and cooling features were useful for springtime driving and its varied temperatures. The vista sunroof was spectacular. It let in plenty of sunlight and opened long and wide like a retractable stadium roof. Even closed, it still offered a panoramic view of the sky for my passengers, especially those in the second row. Another note on the interior: I had an excellent driving position and an elevated view of the road. When rain began to fall – which has a way of frazzling motorists – I turned up Cat Stevens and motored along blithely. My second-row passengers were also comfy. One remarked on the ample leg- and headroom, and everyone liked the ambient lighting. The cargo area, which offered 39.2 cubic feet of space behind the second row (7 cubic feet more than the previous version), was more than capable for a weekend grocery run. I'll admit, I'm a Luddite when it comes to infotainment systems, and Sync with MyFord Touch has a mixed reputation. Historically, it's been confusing and hasn't always worked as advertised.

BMW to follow Honda back into F1?

The economic downturn wrought devastating effects on motor racing. Formula One alone lost half its engine suppliers when Honda left at the end of the 2008 season, and both BMW and Toyota followed at the end of 2009. But things are looking up again. Cosworth may have dropped out this season, reducing the engine suppliers to three: Ferrari, Renault and Mercedes, the latter of which admits that it may have left had the engine formula not changed. But Mercedes has stayed and is dominating the championship. Honda is coming back next season. And word around the paddock is it may not be the only one.
According to Giancarlo Minardi - founder of the team now known as Scuderia Toro Rosso - BMW engineers have been conspicuously spotted lately at F1 test sessions and grands prix, lending to speculation that the new engine regulations may entice the Bavarian automaker back into the series. According to Minardi, BMW's marketing division is pushing for the automaker's return to F1, with the board slated to make a decision in May. BMW would be more likely to consider an engine-supply deal rather than taking a team over like it had with Sauber, but with which team or teams it might collaborate remains a big question mark at this point.
As if that's not enough, Ford is said to be considering taking over Cosworth's aborted V6 turbo engine program to take both outfits back into the sport as well. Cosworth supplied F1 engines under the Ford banner for years, but returned under its own name for four seasons from 2010 through 2013 before shuttering its program to develop an engine to meet the new regulations adopted this season.