1998 Lincoln Mark Viii Base Sedan 2-door 4.6l on 2040-cars

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Ford extends shutdown, Stellantis confirms layoffs due to chip shortage

Ford and Stellantis this week announced new production cuts due to the global semiconductor shortage, with popular models including the Ford F-150 and Jeep Grand Cherokee facing cuts. Stellantis plans to temporarily lay off workers at one facility as production is curtailed.  According to Automotive News, Ford is extending shutdowns at some of its North American facilities into May. The Blue Oval has been forced to reduce or idle production of both its redesigned F-150 pickup and the popular Explorer due to the chip shortage. The Mustang, Transit, Edge, Lincoln Nautilus and Aviator will also continue to be affected. Stellantis is planning to temporarily lay off workers at a Jeep plant in Detroit during April and May due to a shortage of semiconductor chips. The company will cut two work crews at its Jefferson North plant in Detroit for three weeks starting April 26, then call them back and lay off a third crew from May 17 through the week of May 31, according to a schedule obtained by Bloomberg News. The plant on Detroit’s east side normally operates two shifts with three work crews six days a week to keep it running 20 hours a day. “Stellantis continues to work closely with our suppliers to mitigate the manufacturing impacts caused by the various supply chain issues facing our industry,” company spokeswoman Jodi Tinson said in a statement. “Due to the unprecedented global microchip shortage, Jefferson North will adjust its production schedule through the end of May.” Jefferson North employs about 4,800 hourly workers and makes the Jeep Grand Cherokee, the top-selling Jeep model last year, and the Dodge Durango SUV. A redesigned version of the Grand Cherokee is scheduled to start production in August, according to researcher AutoForecast Solutions. This article contains reporting from Bloomberg. Plants/Manufacturing Ford Jeep Lincoln Technology chip shortage

2023 Lincoln Corsair First Drive Review: Gimme back my buttons!

While 2023 brings only a refresh to the Lincoln Corsair, it’s a fairly robust one. It loses an engine, gains BlueCruise and receives an interior overhaul featuring a new infotainment screen running the latest version of Sync 4. Corsair may be LincolnÂ’s best-seller, but it competes against a variety of big-sellers in terms of both size and price. Take your pick from the likes of the Cadillac XT4, Audi Q3, Lexus NX or the BMW X1, just to name a select few; and soon they will be joined by Alfa RomeoÂ’s new Tonale, which lines up surprisingly well with the baby Lincoln. Like virtually everything in its class, the 2023 Lincoln CorsairÂ’s standard engine is a 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder, which in this case produces 250 horsepower and 275 pound-feet of torque.  Gone is the previously available 2.3-liter upgrade that apparently wasnÂ’t popular. For 2023, the only other option is therefore the returning plug-in hybrid model, which produces a reasonable (and carry-over) 266 horses. Unlike the Escape PHEV on which itÂ’s based, the plug-in Corsair comes standard with all-wheel drive. With just 16 more horsepower compared to the 2.0T and more than 560 additional pounds to motivate, it relies on the instant torque of its electric motors to get off the line with authority. Lincoln gave us the choice of sampling either the standard turbo-four or PHEV for our quick outing in the Corsair; we opted for the plug-in for symmetry with our 2021 outing. As with virtually all midcycle updates, some exterior styling elements were updated or deleted. The grille is taller (and consequently larger) and is framed on the bottom by a new horizontal protrusion. PHEV models get a metallic foiling effect on the grille mesh. In the rear, itÂ’s business as usual. Inside, the dash is redesigned around a new 13.2-inch touchscreen running Sync 4.0. Besides an updated user interface (more on that later), the screen now houses virtually all of the media and climate controls that were previously located as buttons and knobs on the LincolnÂ’s center stack. All that remains on the consequently shrunken stack is a single volume knob and various vehicle controls like max defrost, auto stop/start and the hazard lights. The start/stop button has also been relocated next to the piano-key transmission controls. Through all of that, Lincoln managed to make access to the enlarged media storage bin easier. Yay?

Ford recalls over 680,000 Ford Fusions, Mondeos, and Lincoln MKZs for seat belt pretensioners

Update: We spoke with a Ford representative who said that owners will be notified by mail during the week of January 16 . Dealers will also have the fix available at the same time. Owners can bring in their vehicles to dealers for an evaluation in the mean time. The main text has been updated to reflect this. The Basics: Ford is recalling 680,872 2013-2016 Ford Fusions, 2015-2016 Ford Mondeos, and 2013-2015 Lincoln MKZ s for an issue with front driver-side and passenger-side seat belt pretensioners. The Problem: The seat-belt pretensioners did not have sufficient insulation applied. When the pretensioners are activated, the heat generated can cause the cables connected to the belts to separate, which in turn can prevent the seat belts from effectively restraining the occupant. This can lead to injuries. Injuries/Deaths: Ford reports two accidents and two injuries have occurred that are related to this recall. The fix: A dealer technician will inject an insulation coating around the pretensioner. This should effectively keep the heat away from the cables, ensuring the seat belt will properly restrain the user in a collision. If you own one: Affected owners will be notified by mail on the week of January 16. Dealers will have the fix available that week, and owners will be able to bring in their vehicles for the fix to be implemented free of charge. Related Video: