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Next-gen Ford Taurus spotted in China

We're getting our first look at the next-generation Ford Taurus thanks to some spy shooters in China. While the camouflage and angle of the photo keep changes to the body a secret, there's no hiding the massive hexagonal, chrome grille up front. It lends a look very similar to the Fusion. Beyond the eye-grabbing grille, the headlights are reshaped, but are still quite squinty. There's also a new lower air dam that runs the width of the front with LEDs at the top corners. The hexagonal grille fits the design of the Fusion well, but this single image makes it look a little too big and disproportionate for the fullsize Ford sedan. Maybe the integration works better from a different angle, though. The next-gen Taurus is rumored debut for the 2016 model year and reportedly rides on a stretched and widened version of the Fusion's platform. Ford's big goal for the new model is allegedly to shed as many pounds from the scales as possible. The sedan also may get a nine-speed automatic to boost fuel economy. The engine range is still a mystery, but EcoBoost options are practically a sure thing, possibly even making up the whole model lineup.

Xcar flogs the 2015 Ford Focus ST

There's an inevitable dilemma that practically every auto fan eventually faces, at least other than Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld, and that's the tradeoff of performance, practicality and perhaps most importantly, money. Parking the fabled supercar in the garage might be the wish, but for most folks bigger responsibilities – like a family – just don't allow that dream to be a reality. In the view of XCar Films, this intersection of needs and wants is where vehicles like the latest Ford Focus ST provide a fantastic compromise between exciting driving and everyday practicality. Xcar hops into Ford's recently refreshed European hot hatch to illustrate its abilities as both a hauler for the small family on the move and for the driver who just wants to go. The Blue Oval left the powertrain alone for the ST's update, but sharpened the exterior styling, revised the interior and retuned the front suspension and steering. Being realistic, no one is ever going to get behind the wheel of the Focus ST and mistake it for a Porsche, but that's not really the point. Instead, buyers get to put a smile on their face from time to time and still maintain life's other responsibilities. Related Gallery 2015 Ford Focus ST (Euro-spec) View 14 Photos News Source: Xcar Films via YouTubeImage Credit: Related images copyright Ford Ford Hatchback Performance Videos ford focus st xcar xcar films

Suppliers love Toyota and Honda: Why that matters to you

You might think that a survey of automotive suppliers and their relationship with OEMs is the automotive equivalent of nerd prom. In some ways that's what the North American Automotive OEM-Supplier Working Relations Index (WRI) is. The study, the 17th annual conducted by Planning Perspectives Inc., is based on input from 652 salespeople from 108 Tier One suppliers, or, PPI points out, 40 of the top 50 automotive suppliers in North America. Suppliers to General Motors, Ford, FCA, Toyota, Honda, and Nissan. But the results have consequences in terms of tens of millions of dollars for OEMs - and in the quality, technology, and cost of the next vehicle you buy. There are a couple of ways to look at the results of the WRI. One is, "So what else is new?" And the other is, "Damn! How did that happen?" The study looks at five relationship areas — OEM Supplier Relationship; OEM Communication; OEM Help; OEM Hindrance; Supplier Profit Opportunity — within six purchasing areas — Body-in-White; Chassis; Electrical/Electronics; Exterior; Interior; Powertrain. In the overall rankings, Toyota is on top for the 15 th time in 17 years, with a score of 328. Honda, the only company to best Toyota (in 2009 and 2010), comes in second, at 319. Those two companies, explains John Henke, president of PPI, have collaborative working arrangements with colleagues and suppliers alike built into the very fabric of their cultures. This, however, is not a situation where one can readily conclude it is about "Japanese companies," because the third company with headquarters on the island of Honshu, Nissan, came in dead last. This is the "How did that happen?" portion. The Nissan score of 203 puts it 125 points behind Toyota. There hasn't been a number that low since the then-Chrysler Corp. scored 187 in 2010, when the company was clawing its way out of the recession. Clearly, the suppliers don't feel particularly engaged by the buyers at Nissan. Henke explains that whether a company does well or not on the WRI is rather simple. All people do things based on what they're measured on. "If you're measured on taking 10% out of your annual buy, you immediately know how to do it. But if you're also measured on improving relations, suddenly there is a new dynamic as to what you can do to achieve both.