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Archives for February 2016

Ford Joins IBM To Jump To The Future

February 1, 2016 By Matthew Hritz Leave a Comment

Ford Motor Co. CEO Mark Fields is joining IBM as a board of director as the No. 2 U.S. automaker explores alternative mobility options beyond selling cars and trucks.

“Mark led the highly successful transformation of his company in a competitive industry where technology has driven innovation. He is leading Ford into a future where cars are not only vehicles, but increasingly becoming mobile technology platforms,” said Ginni Rometty, IBM’s chairman, president, and CEO.

Under Fields, Ford has looked at alternatives to traditional car ownership, including mergers and acquisitions and partnerships.

Ford and other automakers are increasingly focused on self-driving cars and the potentially disruptive influence autonomous cars may have on future car ownership. They face potential threats from new competitors from Silicon Valley. Ford is exploring alternatives like car-sharing and other options to meet future transportation needs.

Fields told Reuters earlier this month the automaker is exploring various options to boost its move into car-sharing, self-driving technology, and services built on staying connected with customers during the 900 or so hours a year they are behind the wheel.

The company has repeatedly declined to comment on reports that Ford is pursuing an alliance with Internet leader Alphabet Inc.’s Google to collaborate on the development of self-driving cars. Reuters reported in December that the companies have held talks and Fields met with Google co-founder Sergey Brin that same month to discuss the status of the talks.

Ford is pursuing its own efforts to develop autonomous driving technology and said earlier this month it would triple the size of its self-driving car test fleet to 30 vehicles.

Ford spokesman Mike Moran said “IBM is a global company with a rich history of innovation and disrupting its business model to deliver results – which is very complementary to what we are doing at Ford. Mark will bring unique insights to IBM, and his experience and new relationships serving on the IBM board will bring equal benefits back to Ford.”

If you are looking for a new, used, or certified pre-owned Ford vehicle, contact Lamarque Ford today!

Filed Under: Lamarque Ford Tagged With: car-sharing, Ford, future, IBM, innovation, self driving car, technology

Ford Crossover-Dodges and Chryslers?

February 1, 2016 By Matthew Hritz Leave a Comment

FCA is selling a lot of SUVs and pickups in the U.S. and not so many compact and midsize cars.

On the one hand, U.S. demand for white-hot FCA products like the Jeep Wrangler and Cherokee exceeds supply. The company is running several of its North American factories around the clock — and still, its dealers are clamoring for more of the popular vehicles.

But at the same time, sales of its compact and midsize sedans, the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200, are slumping. FCA’s Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, the high-tech factory that makes the 200, will be closed for the entire month of February because of weak demand.

Marchionne thinks the shift in demand away from sedans and toward car-based “crossover” SUVs is a permanent shift in the market — or at least permanent enough to make plans for the next several years around. That’s why he said last week that FCA would look to a partner to manufacture the successors to the Dart and 200, while it put those cars’ factories to use making SUVs and trucks instead.

So where does Ford come in?
Fields said that Ford won’t be getting out of the small-car business anytime soon. “We believe very strongly that it’s important to have a balanced portfolio, to anticipate changes in customer demand, changes in the economic environment, or in the regulatory environment,” he said. So could a “crossover” brand or business deal become possible?

That makes a lot of sense. Fields and the rest of Ford’s senior executive team are determined not to forget the hard lessons learned last decade, after Detroit’s overreliance on SUVs (and neglect of fuel-efficient small sedan models) cost the U.S. automakers big when gas prices jumped and the economy soured. Today, Ford has strong, competitive, and profitable small and midsize car models in its lineups around the world — and Fields isn’t about to neglect their ongoing development.

But Fields pointedly didn’t rule out the idea of building small cars with a partner. “We’re always open to talking with others,” he said. “We’re always going to look at different opportunities to improve the profitability of all of our vehicles including our small cars.”

“[When] we identify a need in the marketplace, we look within ourselves and we say, what are our core competencies? In some cases, we convince ourselves that we can fulfill that need on our own. In other cases, we can say, listen, there are other great companies out there that we can approach and partner with,” he said.

If you are looking for new, used or certified pre-owned Ford vehicles, contact Lamarque Ford today!

Filed Under: Lamarque Ford Tagged With: chryslers, crossover, dodges, Ford, midsize, minivan, SUV

Ford Freedom Unsung Takes To National Level

February 1, 2016 By Matthew Hritz Leave a Comment

Ford Motor Company is taking its Ford Freedom Unsung program to a national level by collaborating with Tom Joyner Foundation. The Ford Freedom Unsung award honors the outstanding achievements of ordinary people performing extraordinary work in the African American community.

Prior to the program’s national kickoff, Ford Freedom Unsung celebrations have taken place over the past four years in Atlanta; Southern California; Anchorage, Alaska; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Missouri; and San Francisco Bay Area.

Individuals are invited to nominate their favorite living unsung hero in the African American community. Nominees must reside in the United States and be 21 years of age or older.

“Ford has a legacy of honoring African American achievement,” said Pamela Alexander, director, community development, Ford Motor Company Fund. “We are excited to launch this national contest and reward an unsung hero who uplifts our community.”

Judges will narrow the nominees to the top 10 finalists, then the public will have the opportunity to vote for the grand prize winner. Online voters will represent 25 percent of the vote for the winner. The winner will be announced no later than March 16, and will receive a trip for two aboard the 2016 Fantastic Voyage. Nominations are due no later than Feb. 14, and may be submitted to http://www.blackamericaweb.com

Filed Under: Lamarque Ford Tagged With: achievements, african american community, Ford, ford freedom unsung, honoring, tom joyner foundation

Ford Makes a Showing at Daytona

February 1, 2016 By Matthew Hritz Leave a Comment

Billy Johnson and Scott Maxwell drove the Ford Shelby GT350R-C to its first win at Daytona International Speedway on Friday in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race.

Johnson hunted the lead, trading spots for p1 several times in the closing stint. It’s the duo’s second win and third podium in the Shelby GT350R-C since the car debuted at Watkins Glen in 2015. They first won at Lime Rock last season. It was the Shelby GT350R-C’s third overall win in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge.

After primary challenger Matt Plumb suffered a fuel pump failure in his Porsche, the battle was between two Shelbys – Johnson in the No. 15 Multimatic entry, and Pierre Kleinubing in the brand new No. 76 AERO Advanced Paint Technology/Children’s Tumor Foundation Shelby GT350R-C fielded by Compass360 Racing, the first customer team for the Shelby GT350R-C.

Kleinubing and co-driver Paul Holton finished p2 in their first race together in the Shelby GT350R-C.

“It was great to see two Ford Performance Shelby GT350R-Cs on the podium after all the hard work everyone’s done getting the car to where it’s at,” Johnson said. “It’s the first time the car’s competed at Daytona and we’re really happy to be in victory lane with the car and a 1-2 finish for the GT350R-C. Scott did a fantastic job on the first stint and I just can’t thank him and the team enough for all the hard work and good job they do.”

Maxwell qualified the No. 15 Multimatic entry p3, while Holton put the No. 76 AERO Advanced Paint Technology Shelby p4 on the grid.

There were also 2 Ford GTs in the competition mix, but their showings were a bit less successful.

Both Ford GTs suffered gearbox issues that quickly set them too far behind to catch up. The news was better for the two-car EcoBoost-powered Prototype team until the No. 02 Target/Claritin Riley was sidelined twice with brake problems in the overnight hours.

Filed Under: Lamarque Ford Tagged With: 2015 mustang shelby, daytona, Ford, ford gt, races

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