Ford says UAW contract boosts U.S. labor costs less than 1.5%

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Ford said its new four-year contract with the UAW will increase its U.S. labor costs by less than 1.5 percent annually by letting the company hire more low-cost workers and move production to factories in other countries.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151130/OEM01/151139994/ford-says-uaw-contract-boosts-u-s-labor-costs-less-than-1-5

Bezos sets off rocket, Musk sets off squabble

Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk's passion is for rockets, and last week, he took to Twitter to argue with Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos over whose rocket was, well, not bigger but better. http://www.autonews.com/article/20151130/OEM02/311309974/bezos-sets-off-rocket-musk-sets-off-squabble http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Acrimony lingers as Ford, Toyota go solo in race for hybrid pickups

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Long after a Toyota-Ford hybrid pickup partnership unraveled, the rivals are racing to roll out their own products. It's a battle between two champions - one in hybrids, the other in pickups - for what will be a niche but growing segment.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151130/OEM06/311309971/acrimony-lingers-as-ford-toyota-go-solo-in-race-for-hybrid-pickups

Ford drops 'Friends and Neighbors' sale early, opts for traditional year-end discounts

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Ford is dropping its 'Friends and Neighbors' promotion five weeks earlier than planned, after the offers failed to resonate with consumers as much as more traditional year-end discounts offered by competitors.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151127/RETAIL/151129886/ford-drops-friends-neighbors-sale-early-opts-for-traditional-year

Ford touts 'backup trailer assist' function in new F-150 ads

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Comedian Denis Leary is crowing about something new in Ford F-150 ads: technology that is meant to make backing up a trailer easier.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151125/RETAIL03/151129915/ford-touts-backup-trailer-assist-function-in-new-f-150-ads

Ford latest automaker to stop using Takata airbag inflators

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Ford will become the fourth automaker to stop using certain Takata airbag inflators.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151123/OEM11/151129952/ford-latest-automaker-to-stop-using-takata-airbag-inflators

Ford recalls 451,865 Fusions, Mercury Milans for potential fuel tank problem

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Ford is recalling 451,865 Fusion and Mercury Milan sedans from the 2010 and 2011 model years to fix a potential fuel tank problem that could lead to a fire.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151123/OEM11/151129954/ford-recalls-451865-fusions-mercury-milans-for-potential-fuel-tank

Obituaries

This week's obituaries includes Bob Bryce, who worked in automotive retail for more than 40 years; Richard Newsted, chairman of automotive supplier Chassix Holdings, Inc.; and Gene Wittenberger, a longtime auto dealer. http://www.autonews.com/article/20151123/OEM02/311239950/obituaries http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Dahl takes FCA's safety post

Fiat Chrysler has named a longtime executive who most recently oversaw engine development as its new head of vehicle safety and regulatory compliance. http://www.autonews.com/article/20151123/OEM02/311239949/dahl-takes-fcas-safety-post http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Chronicler of VW slave labor dies

Hans Mommsen's name was not widely known in the English-speaking world, but the German historian exhaustively chronicled a sordid chapter in automotive history: Volkswagen's use of slave labor during Hitler's Third Reich. http://www.autonews.com/article/20151123/OEM/311239966/chronicler-of-vw-slave-labor-dies http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Ford workers approve UAW contract after late push by union leaders

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA A last-ditch push by UAW leaders to rally support for a proposed contract with Ford Motor Co. mustered just enough votes to overcome widespread opposition and bitterness among workers as the company generates record profits.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151120/OEM01/311209925/ford-workers-approve-uaw-contract-after-late-push-by-union-leaders

Ford CFO says 'Friends' promo not costly

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Ford's incentive spending declined slightly in the first few weeks of its year-end 'Friends and Neighbors' promotion, evidence that it's not a profit-damaging blowout sale, CFO Bob Shanks said today.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151119/RETAIL/151119784/ford-cfo-says-friends-promo-not-costly

Ford's Michigan F-150 plant holds key to passage of UAW deal

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA The UAW's proposed labor contract with Ford will fail unless workers at an F-150 assembly plant in Michigan approve it by a wide margin.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151119/OEM01/151119790/fords-michigan-f-150-plant-holds-key-to-passage-of-uaw-deal

UAW 'optimistic' Ford deal will gain approval despite setbacks

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA UAW Vice President Jimmy Settles today urged the union's members to vote for the tentative contract with Ford Motor Co.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151118/OEM01/151119827/uaw-optimistic-ford-deal-will-gain-approval-despite-setbacks

Ford contract rejected at 2 more plants; UAW leaders scramble to win approval

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA UAW leaders are scrambling to save a proposed contract with Ford after workers at two large assembly plants overwhelmingly voted against it Tuesday. Members of UAW Local 862 in Louisville rejected the tentative agreement by a 2-1 margin.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151118/OEM01/151119849/ford-contract-rejected-at-2-more-plants-uaw-leaders-scramble-to-win

Ford's Nigerian plant turns out first vehicle

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Ford's new Nigerian assembly plant has built its first model and will produce an initial 10 vehicles a day for the domestic market, the carmaker said today.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151117/OEM01/151119869/fords-nigerian-plant-turns-out-first-vehicle

Ford expects SUVs to become 40% of U.S. market by 2020

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Baby boomers emptying the nest and their adult offspring starting families are driving demand for sport utility vehicles, which will account for two in five new auto sales in the U.S. by 2020, according to Ford.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151117/RETAIL/151119890/ford-expects-suvs-to-become-40-of-u-s-market-by-2020

Ford reboots 2017 Escape with 2 new engines, stop-start, safety upgrades

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Ford is making substantial changes to the Escape crossover, giving the exterior a more rugged, upscale look, and adding safety technology from more expensive vehicles.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151117/OEM04/151119893/ford-reboots-2017-escape-with-2-new-engines-stop-start-safety

Ford workers in Kansas City reject UAW deal

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA UAW workers at one of the Ford plants that produces the F-150 pickup voted to reject the tentative labor deal between the automaker and the union.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151116/OEM01/151119910/ford-workers-in-kansas-city-reject-uaw-deal

Ford faces trial on mpg estimates as U.S. judge refuses to toss suit

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Ford will have to face trial over claims that it exaggerated fuel-efficiency estimates for its Fusion and C-Max hybrids after a federal judge denied the company's request to throw the case out.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151116/OEM11/151119909/ford-faces-trial-on-mpg-estimates-as-u-s-judge-refuses-to-toss-suit

EPA official Grundler will speak at World Congress

Christopher Grundler, the EPA official who will rule on Volkswagen's efforts to resume selling diesel-powered vehicles in the U.S., will speak at the Automotive News World Congress on Wednesday, Jan. 13. http://www.autonews.com/article/20151116/OEM09/311169964/epa-official-grundler-will-speak-at-world-congress http://ifttt.com/images/no_image_card.png

Detroit shifts car output to Mexico

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Ford and Fiat Chrysler are essentially giving up on trying to build mass-market cars profitably in the United States, instead shifting most production of those nameplates to Mexico so they can dedicate U.S. plants to higher-margin pickups and SUVs.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151116/OEM01/311169978/detroit-shifts-car-output-to-mexico

Enticing interiors start with the right ingredients

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Amko Leenarts, Ford's director of global interior design, sees himself as a sort of chef.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151114/OEM02/311169995/enticing-interiors-start-with-the-right-ingredients

Workers at key Ford plant in Michigan vote to ratify UAW pact

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Workers at a Ford assembly plant in Michigan that lost 700 jobs this year but is now in line to build a new pickup and SUV voted overwhelmingly in favor of the UAW's tentative contract with the automaker.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151113/OEM01/151119926/workers-at-key-ford-plant-in-michigan-vote-to-ratify-uaw-pact

Ford to test autonomous vehicles at Mcity

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Ford will begin testing autonomous vehicles at Mcity, a simulated facility at the University of Michigan, to speed up research of advanced sensing technologies.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151113/OEM06/151119935/ford-to-test-autonomous-vehicles-at-mcity

Ford's outgoing general counsel to join Bank of America

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA David Leitch, Ford's outgoing general counsel, has been named to the same management post at Bank of America, the giant lender with the highest legal bills after the 2008-09 financial crisis.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151112/OEM02/311129943/fords-outgoing-general-counsel-to-join-bank-of-america

Ford-UAW deal shifts most car output to outside U.S.

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA UAW leaders today approved a tentative labor contract with Ford that could lead to most car production leaving the U.S. by the end of the decade. Production of four U.S.

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151109/OEM01/151109820/ford-uaw-deal-shifts-most-car-output-to-outside-u-s

Auto industry shift to aluminum slower than expected, Novelis warns

http://feeds.feedburner.com/~ff/autonews/BreakingNews?d=yIl2AUoC8zA Novelis, the world's largest rolled aluminum producer, warned on Monday that plans to shift rolling mill capacity to automotive body sheet are progressing slower than anticipated as automakers prove slow to follow Ford's lead in widespread use of...

http://www.autonews.com/article/20151109/OEM10/151109819/auto-industry-shift-to-aluminum-slower-than-expected-novelis-warns