Ford F-150 4wd Longbed With Topper on 2040-cars

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Weekly Recap: GM posts solid profits, not looking for partners

General Motors is not looking for partners. It's big enough already. So says CEO Mary Barra, who shot down overtures from outspoken Fiat-Chrysler chief Sergio Marchionne this week. Barra said GM will look to find scale within its operations, rather than through outside partners. "We think there's tremendous opportunity for us within the business as we look at efficiency measures, as we look at truly achieving the scale that we should have, because we're already in that top tier of the auto industry among the largest OEMs," she said. Barra added: "We have a very well-articulated plan. We're in the middle of executing that, and we're not going to entertain anything that might distract us from accomplishing that." Her remarks came in the wake of Marchionne's provocative comments in March. He expects a wave of industry consolidation and said he's open to teaming with Ford or GM, calling it "technically feasible." Because of its smaller size, FCA would likely stand to gain more from a partnership than GM or Ford. The Blue Oval isn't interested in teaming with Fiat-Chrysler, either. "We have no other plan or interest then to continue to accelerate our One Ford plan, deliver product excellence and drive innovation in every part of our business," a spokesperson said. GM, the largest US automaker, announced a $945-million first-quarter profit on Thursday and posted its best earnings performance in North America since 2009. Earlier in the week, GM confirmed it had sold 2.4 million vehicles around the world in the quarter, ranking behind Toyota (2.52 million) and Volkswagen (2.49 million). Other News & Notes SUVs, EVs shine at Shanghai Motor Show SUVs and electric vehicles grabbed the spotlight at the Shanghai Motor Show this week as companies vied for attention in the world's largest car market. Notably, Honda's Concept D previewed the company's future flagship SUV that's being developed for China, Mercedes rolled out a BMW X4-fighting GLC Coupe concept and Chinese company Qoros debuted its 2 plug-in SUV concept. Nissan, Volvo and several others also showcased utility vehicles in Shanghai. Automakers are rushing to take advantage of the crossover craze in China. The market for locally-produced SUVs grew 50 percent in the first quarter, according to IHS Automotive research, which called the show a "launch pad" for new utility vehicles. Even though SUVs are popular, IHS predicts their growth rate will slow, and sedans account for more sales volume in China.

Daimler consulting with Ford about 3-cylinder engines

Soon enough, Ford will offer its 1.0-liter EcoBoost three-cylinder engine under the hood of the Fiesta here in the United States, building on the success of the small powerplant overseas. In fact, this success has caused other automakers to take notice, and according to Automotive News Europe, Daimler is now talking to Ford about this engine for use in its own products.
In other markets, Ford offers the 1.0-liter mill under the hood of the Focus (we had the chance to sample this package on our home turf), as well as the B-Max MPV. For this new collaboration, Daimler would use the turbo-three in the next-generation Smart ForTwo, as well as the Renault Twingo, which the German automaker will be collaborating on as part of its alliance with Renault-Nissan. Speaking to AN, a Mercedes-Benz engineer called the 1.0-liter mill an "interesting and impressive engine."
In exchange for details about the EcoBoost inline-three, Daimler will supply Ford with information regarding its Euro6 stratified lean-burn gasoline engine, which is found in the new E-Class sedan.

Ford and Lincoln recall roundup: Explorer, F-350 Super Duty, Aviator

Ford and Lincoln released information on a flurry of recalls this morning. There are three in total, and they span different models and separate issues. Those models include the 2013-17 Ford Explorer, 2020-21 Lincoln Aviator and 2020-21 Ford F-350 Super Duty. We’ll organize these three in order of most cars recalled. 2013-17 Ford Explorer This recall includes a substantial 774,696 vehicles, of which 676,152 are in North America. Why? Ford says these vehicles “may experience a seized cross-axis ball joint that may cause a fractured rear suspension toe link.” The diminished steering control that would follow could increase the likelihood of a crash, Ford states. Only vehicles that spent time in high corrosion states should be affected, Ford says. That means places that lay salt down, experience cold weather and high humidity. Owners of these vehicles will need to take their car into the dealership, where it will be inspected to determine if it needs work. If so, Ford will replace the cross-axis ball joint/knuckle, then replace the toe links with a newly-designed part. Notifications to owners of these vehicles are scheduled to be sent out the week of August 23.  WeÂ’ll note that Ford is reporting six “allegations of injury” related to this issue. For those who donÂ’t live in the high-corrosion states/their car was never registered in those states, Ford is offering a customer satisfaction program in case you were interested in having the work done anyway. 2020-21 Lincoln Aviator Lincoln is pulling back 40,995 new Aviators due to an improperly secured battery cable wire harness. This recall applies to gasoline-only versions of the Aviator, so Grand Touring PHEV buyers neednÂ’t worry. The wire harness may contact the AC compressor pulley due to it being secured improperly. Ford says that over time, the pulley could rub through the wire harnessÂ’ insulation, resulting in a short circuit and ultimately a fire. However, Ford is not currently aware of any injuries or fires related to this concern as of now. When you bring your car in, the dealer will inspect all the parts to determine what needs to be done. Fixes range from a basic tie strap to keep the harness away from the pulley (if it hasnÂ’t made contact yet), to replacement of the wire harness and AC belt if the contact has caused damage. Owners should expect to be notified the week of July 30 if their Aviator is involved in the recall.