Unlike General Motors and Chrysler which have chose not to hold press conferences at this year’s L.A. Auto Show, Ford is using the show as an opportunity to roll out several new models including the Ford Mustang, Lincoln MKZ, Mercury Milan and the Ford Fusion. The centerpiece of the automaker’s next generation Fusion and Milan is hybrid technology, a first for Ford’s popular mid-size sedans.

The hybrid model is the biggest newsmaker as the 2.5L engine (paired with a six-speed automatic transmission) gets class leading city fuel economy, what Ford says will be 6 mpg better than the comparable sized Toyota Camry Hybrid. If that assertion holds up, then the Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan Hybrid will return 39 mpg in the city based on the 2009 Toyota Camry Hybrid’s EPA certified fuel economy of 33 mpg. In other words, the Ford twins will have the best city fuel economy of any car on the road, even beating out the Smart ForTwo and any diesel or other hybrid model.

For the driver who prefers something besides a gas-electric hybrid, the Ford twins offer three engine choices when the new models go on sale in Spring 2009: a 2.5L I4, 3.0L Flexfuel V6, and a 3.5L V6. Across the entire model line, six speed automatic transmissions are standard, helping to maximize fuel economy with these five passenger sedans. Ford says that this new combination will increase fuel economy by 17% with the base engine and 10% for the other engines, a trend in the right direction for an automaker scrambling to provide a much more fuel efficient fleet of passenger vehicles.

Will the Fusion Hybrid be the death of the Toyota Camry? Not hardly. The Camry remains the best selling car in America with approximately 500,000 units sold in good years.  However, Ford is making a strong case for buyers to consider the Fusion given that the Camry offers just a five-speed automatic transmission and its own hybrid now trails the Fusion in city fuel economy.

For Ford, which is reeling under stiff financial pressure, the new models cannot come soon enough. Perhaps consumers will sit up and take notice that Ford is in the fuel savings game to win.

By: Toyota USA Blog

Toyotausablog.com

The drive to reduce the dependency on non-renewable sources of energy has been the focus of most government agencies and private sectors in the global community. In the forefront of the battle to reduce the harmful emission of greenhouse gases is the automotive industry. Different car manufacturers are taking it upon themselves to develop new ways to decrease the emission of harmful gases by vehicles out in the roads of the world. There have been partnerships between car makers and companies in the alternative fuel industry too. And more recently, there are talks that Ford and Toyota will be joining forces to do battle against the global warming issue via the use of hybrid technology which will make their vehicles cleaner and safer for the environment.

Recently Kyodo News, a non-profit cooperative news agency based in Tokyo reported that the Chief Executive Officer of Ford Motor Company has shown strong interest in making their company’s alliance with Toyota stronger. The news cited that the partnership might be in order to further develop the existing hybrid technology used by both car makers in their vehicles.

In connection with this, Ford CEO Allan Mulally said that a working agreement between the two companies in the development of alternative fuel powered vehicles will be beneficial to both parties. “I anticipate that the automobile manufacturers will increase their collaboration and their partnership on developing the enabling technology for even more fuel-efficient vehicles going forward. It is a kind of natural thing for us to do, to accelerate the development of the enabling technologies”, Mulally said.

It can be remembered that Toyota has already hinted that they are open to the idea of working with other car manufacturers in the development of technologies that can be used on vehicles to decrease or even eliminate the greenhouse gases being emitted by these automobiles. In 2004, Toyota has already shown that they are looking for ways so as to help the environment more than competing with other car manufacturers. This is evident in the agreement between Ford and Toyota that allowed Ford to use Toyota’s hybrid system technology patents. Instead of keeping it for themselves, they shared the technology that they were able to develop with Ford and this now helps in the popularity of environment friendly hybrid electric cars.

Both parties know that the development of technologies that will help reduce the dependency of vehicles on fossil fuel will cost them heavily. But both of them also knew that such is the price for the development of current technology especially if the result is beneficial to the entire human race. Toyota is currently working with another US based car maker, General Motors, but the working agreement does not include the development of fuel cell as alternative source of energy for vehicles. This is the direction that Ford wants to go since they have already proven themselves in the production of hybrid electric vehicles just like Nissan Altima Parts proved to be reliable in the long run.

It can also be remembered that last December, Toyota Chairman Fujio Cho had talks with Mulally. The move was seen to be the start of something new in the automotive industry. While Mulally had talks with the chairman of Toyota, he said that he has yet to meet with Cho but he has no specific plan yet. He added however that he is interested in having further talks with Toyota’s leadership team.

While Ford is interested in working together with Toyota in the development of technologies that will make cleaner vehicles, they are not as interested in an alliance with Chrysler. When asked about that, Mulally was quoted to say, “I don’t think so.”

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At the beginning of the season, few people expected that Chevrolet teams will completely dominate team running Ford, Dodge and Toyota cars. But the early goings of the season saw Chevrolet almost sweeping the top ten in every race. In fact, from the first points race of the season until the Pocono 500, the fourteenth race of the season, only one non-Chevy team has won a race.

That win came at the Auto Club 500, the second points race of the season which was held at the California Speedway. Matt Kenseth driving his Number 17 Ford Fusion won the race for Roush Fenway Racing. After that win though, it was all Chevrolet and it seems that Ford as well as Dodge and Toyota are being totally dominated by Chevrolet teams.

During the past four races though it seems that Ford’s luck is changing as they have won two out of the four races. Dodge has one win and Chevrolet has one. Jamie McMurray recorded Ford’s third win of the season at the Pepsi 400. Aside from winning the race, five Ford drivers made it to the top twelve which means that Ford is slowly gaining on Chevrolet teams.

All three Ford wins are from teams owned by Roush Fenway Racing. Team owner Jack Roush says that the team has underperformed at the start of the season since they have misjudged the amount of time that their competitors are going to spend on testing their vehicles. NASCAR is currently studying whether their testing policies are still being observed and ensures fairness among teams.

The next race of the season will be the USG Sheetrock 400 which will be held at the Chicagoland Speedway. Going into the nineteenth race of the season slated for Sunday, Ford is finally looking as a tough competitor to the Chevrolets fielded by competing teams. Although sharing the same body structure to ensure fairness, the performance of Ford and Chevrolet NASCAR cars vary due to their setup and whatnot. The revitalized Ford teams are now fielding cars which can outrun a Ford hubcap-equipped road bound Ford Fusion.

“The big thing that has helped us with the Car of Tomorrow is we now have a test team,” said Roush explaining their recent resurgence. “We are doing the things I thought we weren’t going to be allowed to do when NASCAR told us we couldn’t take tires from the racetrack because they didn’t want us to test. I thought they would put teeth in that, but they didn’t.”

“We got behind. But five weeks ago I hired six people and dedicated a tractor-trailer (for testing). We’ve been to Iowa, Milwaukee four times in the last month, and Road Atlanta and VIR (Virginia International Raceway).”

The three wins posted by Roush Fenway Racing came at races where the current template for cars is used. But in order for them to be a real threat to Chevrolet teams, they have to perform well at Car of Tomorrow (CoT) races. The CoT template will be the only template that will be used for the next season and Ford is still working on improving their CoT.

“We’re not caught up yet,” said Roush pertaining to the CoT. “But we’re certainly on the path, and we’ll be heard from more before the year is over.”

Toyotausablog.com