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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.

Ford profits soar as problems mount

Ford is doing well. It can't make enough examples of its new Fusion, it can barely make enough of the aging F-150, it's getting good brand rankings, people like its turnaround story, it's selling oodles of product and its quarterly profit numbers end in the word "billion." As other high-flying examples have demonstrated over the past few years, though, big numbers can come with problems that aren't exactly small.
Automotive News has published a good "nutshell" report of Ford's progress and problems. The Dearborn automaker's optimistic "general label rule" determination of gas mileage for the C-Max Hybrid has led to lawsuits, hybrid software updates, a downward revision of C-Max fuel economy and millions in rebates. AN notes the C-Max was the "worst-scoring model in this year's J.D. Power Initial Quality Study," but Ford will probably be happy that it managed not to be mentioned further in the study's results after last year's mediocre showing. Its MyTouch and SYNC systems, the bugbears sabotaging Ford's J.D. Power results, have also led to lawsuits, software updates, more software updates and a center console rethink. On top of that, the 1.6-liter EcoBoost in the 2013 Ford Escape that Ford called a "hero" was soon catching fire for three different reasons. And let's not even get into the troubled launch of the Lincoln MKZ.
The Automotive News piece notes that industry observers have been surprised at Ford's stumbles because everything has been looking so good. Nevertheless, there is still the issue of those billions in profits - the company is doing plenty of things, plural, right. Ford says it is tackling its problems, hiring engineers and instituting new quality control processes as part of its effort to find solutions. The test will be to see if in a year from now we begin the discussion of these issues with "Remember when Ford...", or "Problems continue at The Blue Oval."

Win a sports car 2022 | The best giveaways this week

Autoblog may receive a share from purchases made via links on this page. Pricing and availability is subject to change. No donation or payment necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes. See official rules on Omaze. The feeling of getting a new car is wonderful. Winning that new car, or even better, your dream car, feels even better, or so we would imagine. And Omaze is here with a chance to experience that feeling. You’re probably asking yourself, what does it take to win? First of all, according to Omaze, "no donation or payment is necessary to enter or win this sweepstakes." $10 will get you 100 entries in this sweepstakes, while $50 will get you 1,000 entries and $100 will get you 2,000 entries. The best part? Each paid entry raises money for a worthy cause. See more about these causes at Omaze. Here are our favorite vehicle giveaways weÂ’ve found online this week. 2021 Ford Mustang Mach-E GT Performance Edition - Enter at Omaze Regardless of what you think about Ford using the name Mustang for an electric crossover, one thing is for certain, the Mustang Mach-E GT is an impressive piece of machinery. Here are some numbers for you: 480 horsepower, 634 lb-ft of torque, 0-60 in 3.5 seconds and 260 miles of range. Price? Well, thatÂ’s really up to you, because if you enter to win this Mach-E GT. it can be as low as $0. Here are the specs of the Mach-E in question, according to Omaze: Maximum Seating: 5 Engine: fully electric motors Drivetrain: eAWD Exterior Color: Rapid Red Metallic   Interior Color: Black Maximum Horsepower: 480 hp  Maximum Torque: 634 lb-ft Acceleration: 0-60 in 3.5 seconds Range: 235 miles Approximate Retail Value: $75,500 Cash Alt: $56,625 Special Features: GT Performance Edition; panoramic fixed-glass roof; Ford Co-Pilot360™ Active 2.0 and 360-degree camera; Brembo brakes; RTR Design Package including 20” RTR Aero 5 wheels, Nitto NT555 G2 tires and RTR Speed Block graphics Win a Restored 1969 Pontiac GTO - Enter at Omaze Joel Stocksdale, News Editor: There are an awful lot of ways to build a restomod. And a lot of those ways can be boring or tasteless. This one is neither. This is a seriously classy Pontiac GTO. Under the hood is a 461 cu. in. V8 from Butler Performance that's based on an actual Pontiac V8, not just another Chevy engine. The whole thing is subtle with a low-key metallic green and clean gray wheels. There isn't any overly flashy chrome or decals.