2014 Ford Escape Se on 2040-cars

Auto blog

China's woes sandbag Detroit automakers

Through the first six months of this year, China's auto market is actually up 8.4 percent from the same period in 2014. Still, automakers aren't optimistic after June's 3.2 percent dip in year-over-year sales. Last month marked the first drop in China since February 2013, and the decline could extend through the coming months, which is a concern according to a number of analysts. In Detroit, General Motors might take the brunt of the damage, but Ford could feel some heat too. The China Association of Automobile Manufacturers is already responding to the June dip by predicting annual sales to grow only three percent this year, rather than seven percent that had been predicted earlier in the year, according to The Detroit News. Ford and GM will both release their second quarter earnings before the end of July, and those figures will give the industry a much better idea about the automakers' performance in China. Due to China's massive growth, both Ford and GM have made significant investments there. In 2014, GM announced $14 billion to make the country a focal point, including a goal of 5 million annual sales. Ford, for its part, opened 88 new Chinese dealers in one day alone last year. It has also been working to grow Lincoln since the brand's launch in 2014.The Detroit News took a much deeper look into Detroit's exposure in China, with the overall gist being that we're all uncertain about how things are going to shake out. Some industry analysts feel this is just a temporary blip, while other are much more worried. If you have any interest in the auto market there or its affect on the Big Three, the piece is well worth a read. News Source: The Detroit NewsImage Credit: Greg Baker / AP Photo Earnings/Financials Read This Ford GM

Fallon picks Ford F-150 King Ranch, launches dealership contest

New truck! Jimmy Fallon of The Tonight Show has been searching for the perfect new truck for a few weeks now, soliciting help from all corners in the process. Last night, Fallon made the announcement that the Ford F-150 King Ranch - in all of its cowboy glory - had been picked as his big winner.
To add some more spice to a storyline that now dips deeply into the realm of the advertorial, Fallon also announced a contest to see which Ford dealership would get the privilege of selling him the King Ranch. Dubbed "Fingers on a 4x4" The Tonight Show has invited 10 dealer reps from around the country to keep their hands on Jimmy's F-150 for as long as possible. Last salesperson standing wins.
Watch Fallon make his pick and introduce the dealer reps below, and be sure to click on the second video for a live-streaming feed of Fingers on a 4x4 in action (the contest seems to be going strong).

Driving the 2021 Genesis G80 and Toyota Sienna | Autoblog Podcast #652

In this week's Autoblog Podcast, Editor-in-Chief Greg Migliore is joined by Senior Editor, Green, John Beltz Snyder. They kick things off by talking about driving the all-new, 2021 Toyota Sienna hybrid minivan and Genesis G80 luxury sedan. Next, they talk about what of GM vehicles Autoblog staff members would like to restomod with the new Connect and Cruise eCrate motor and battery package. They also discuss the pros and cons of Ford CEO Jim Farley's decision to continue racing. Finally, they reach into the mailbag and help a listener pick a new car to replace a 2016 Mazda Miata. Autoblog Podcast #652 Get The Podcast iTunes – Subscribe to the Autoblog Podcast in iTunes RSS – Add the Autoblog Podcast feed to your RSS aggregator MP3 – Download the MP3 directly Rundown Cars we're driving 2021 Toyota Sienna 2021 Genesis G80 We really want to use an eCrate to restomod an old GM car. Here's what we'd build Jim Farley allowed to continue racing his 1966 GT40 even as Ford CEO Spend My Money Feedback Email – Podcast@Autoblog.com Review the show on iTunes Related Video: