2002 Land Rover Discovery Series Ii Se Sport Utility 4-door 4.0l on 2040-cars

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Rising aluminum costs cut into Ford's profit

When Ford reports fourth-quarter results on Wednesday afternoon, it is expected to fret that rising metals costs have cut into profits, even as rivals say they have the problem under control. Aluminum prices have risen 20 percent in the last year and nearly 11 percent since Dec. 11. Steel prices have risen just over 9 percent in the last year. Ford uses more aluminum in its vehicles than its rivals. Aluminum is lighter but far more expensive than steel, closing at $2,229 per tonne on Tuesday. U.S. steel futures closed at $677 per ton (0.91 metric tonnes). Republican U.S. President Donald Trump's administration is weighing whether to impose tariffs on imported steel and aluminum, which could push prices even higher. Ford gave a disappointing earnings estimate for 2017 and 2018 last week, saying the higher costs for steel, aluminum and other metals, as well as currency volatility, could cost the company $1.6 billion in 2018. Ford shares took a dive after the announcement. Ford Chief Financial Officer Bob Shanks told analysts at a conference in Detroit last week that while the company benefited from low commodity prices in 2016, rising steel prices were now the main cause of higher costs, followed by aluminum. Shanks said the automaker at times relies on foreign currencies as a "natural hedge" for some commodities but those are now going in the opposite direction, so they are not working. A Ford spokesman added that the automaker also uses a mix of contracts, hedges and indexed buying. Industry analysts point to the spike in aluminum versus steel prices as a plausible reason for Ford's problems, especially since it uses far more of the expensive metal than other major automakers. "When you look at Ford in the context of the other automakers, aluminum drives a lot of their volume and I think that is the cause" of their rising costs, said Jeff Schuster, senior vice president of forecasting at auto consultancy LMC Automotive. Other major automakers say rising commodity costs are not much of a problem. At last week's Detroit auto show, Fiat Chrysler Automobiles NV's Chief Executive Officer Sergio Marchionne reiterated its earnings guidance for 2018 and held forth on a number of topics, but did not mention metals prices. General Motors Co gave a well-received profit outlook last week and did not mention the subject. "We view changes in raw material costs as something that is manageable," a GM spokesman said in an email.

Jaguar opens new engine plant in the UK

The heads of Jaguar Land Rover are having a busy couple of weeks opening factories. Just days after inaugurating the company's first overseas plant in China, the automaker's new Engine Manufacturing Center in the UK is being inaugurated, as well. The plant near Wolverhampton, England, marks the first time in decades that JLR is building its own powerplants in-house. Further signaling the importance of this launch for the business, Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip were on hand and even tweeted about it.
The factory's first major project is to build JLR's latest Ingenium four-cylinders, starting with the 2.0-liter diesel version. "Our new Engine Manufacturing Centre is an important step in advancing the competitiveness and capability of the UK automotive sector. The production of in-house engines will support the expansion of the UK supply chain providing critical mass for inward investment," said Trevor Leeks, plant operations director in the automaker's announcement.
Opening the doors to the Engine Manufacturing Center has been years in the making for JLR. The plant was first announced in September 2011 and broke ground in June 2012. Building it cost the company 500 million pounds ($800 million) and created 1,400 new jobs. Of course, being a state-of-the-art factory, considerations were made to make the place as energy efficient as possible. That meant installing the UK's largest solar array with 21,000 panels to produce about 30 percent of the site's electricity needs.

New Forza Horizon 2 pack features Chevy Monte Carlo SS, Audi RS6 Avant [w/video]

The latest car pack for Forza Horizon 2 is hitting Xbox Live today, giving Xbox One owners a shot at six new vehicles that date back to 1970. Leading the charge in the hearts and minds of the Autoblog staff is, of course, the 1988 Chevrolet Monte Carlo SS, one of the most 80s-tastic performance coupes of its time. Chevy's 80s-era NASCAR representative is joined by another General Motors performance two-door, in the form of the 1970 Buick GSX. Complete with a 455-cubic-inch V8, the GSX could best be thought of as the grandpappy to the iconic GNX of the late 1980s. Crossing the pond, we have a trio of offerings from the United Kingdom, with the 2002 Lotus Esprit V8, the redesigned, aluminum-intensive 2014 Land Rover Range Rover Supercharged and finally, the 2015 McLaren 650S. The mid-engined offerings should be a riot on the winding roads of Forza Horizon 2's European locales, while the Range Rover should make cross-country efforts an absolute breeze. Finally, virtual wagon lovers will be able to enjoy the 2015 Audi RS6 Avant and its combination of Quattro all-wheel drive and a twin-turbocharged V8. As per usual, this latest car pack will be available to gamers for $5 while season pass owners will score the sextet of vehicles for free. Scroll down for a video of the new offerings in action, as well as the official press release from Turn 10 Studios. "Forza Horizon 2" NAPA® Chassis Car Pack Now Available The roads and countryside of "Forza Horizon 2" beg for you to leave your mark on them. The NAPA® Chassis Car Pack for "Forza Horizon 2" on Xbox One has arrived, bringing five amazing new cars to blaze trails, break records, or just enjoy a casual cruise in. First off, the new McLaren 650S Coupe's uncanny acceleration and preposterous top speed will satisfy the elitist in you. If you want get away from it all, there's no better way than in the Supercharged Land Rover. Need muscle? Take the classic form of the Buick GSX or the later model Monte Carlo SS for a spin. We all need more wagon in our lives and the Audi RS6 is ready to run around town or serve up surprises at the track. The NAPA® Chassis Car Pack for "Forza Horizon 2" on Xbox One is available today for $5 in the Xbox Live store. Starting today, also available this month for free for all Xbox One players is the 2002 Lotus Esprit V8.