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Blue Oval Teen

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  1. BACK SEAT DRIVING—Ford has brought back every single Mustang worth reviving—the GT, the GT/CS, Steve McQueen’s Bullitt Mustang, the Mach 1, the GT500, the GT350, even a revival of the rent-a-racer in the form of the Shelby GT-H. Next year, it will be the Boss 302. They’ve done ‘em all—but one. Come on, Ford, it’s time to bring back the Boss 429... http://www.lacar.com/?p=7786
  2. BACK TO ITS ROOTS Ford Re-Introduces The Model T 04/01/09––The gusher of surprising news out of Detroit continues today. Ford Motor Company announced it is resurrecting one of the most venerated nameplates in automotive history: the Model T. “Ford is going back to its roots,” said Alan Mulally, Ford Motor Company president and CEO, at a news conference at Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, MI. “Henry Ford’s 1908 Model T was simple, affordable and reliable,” said Mulally. “Today, a century of innovation later, we are proud to say the founding principles of the company have again become our guiding light, and the new Model T will be priced under $6,000.” As Mulally uttered those words, the audience of journalists gasped and then applauded. The company said it has developed new engineering and manufacturing processes as revolutionary as with the original Model T. Like the original, the new Model T will feature a 2.9-liter, four-cylinder engine and ride on narrow, 30-inch wheels. “The large wheels and high ground clearance are exactly what America needs in this time of crumbling roads and highways,” said Elena Ford, great granddaughter of Henry Ford and the company’s Global Marketing Director... http://lacar.com/modules.php?name=News&amp...p;sid=1055#bsd1
  3. Note the comment by "Ford's only marginally better off" in the "Comments" section at the bottom of the article. Anyone care to respond to him? Thanks. - BOT http://lacar.com/modules.php?name=News&amp...p;sid=1034#bsd1
  4. 7 REASONS Why Ford Has The Best Chance of Surviving The Crisis With all the talk about the credit crisis and bailouts for the auto makers, there has been this tendency to paint The Big Three with a single brush. In fact, the domestic car companies are not all in the same fiscal boat. Ford Motor Company has indicated that it sees no need for a loan from the Federal government at this time. It has, however, asked for a line of credit. The distinction may have gone largely unnoticed, but it's a reflection of the cautious optimism Ford has for several new products scheduled to come to market. These new products, along with changes already in place are why Ford Motor Company has the best chance among the domestic car companies of surviving this crisis: 1. Alan Mulally Ford recognized early on that it needed to make a fundamental change in the way it did business, or risk death. That's why in September of 2006, William Clay Ford, Jr. stepped aside and named Alan Mulally the new President and CEO of Ford. Mulally had been credited with the resurgence of Boeing Commercial Airlines in the mid-2000s. At Ford, Mulally's cost-cutting led to the company's first profitable quarter in two years. He is credited with playing major role in stabilizing Ford's financial position to the point where it is outside the threat of bankruptcy. 2. Ford F-150 It took a hit in mid-2008, when $4 per gallon gasoline sank sales from first place to fourth. By the end of the year, however, the F-150 was back on top as the number one selling vehicle in the USA. With an all-new F-150 at the showrooms and gas prices hovering below $2, Ford should do well with this bread-and-butter offering. These times of economic uncertainty have brought out some jingoistic sentiments. Whatever detriments it may carry, it should bode well for traditional American brands, and domestic truck manufacturers stand to benefit the most. 3. Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan The first-generation Fusion/Milan, introduced for the 2006 model year, earned universal accolades. Everyone from Consumer Reports to LA Car's Back Seat Driver liked the car. The Ford of yesteryear would have been content to drag the the same vehicle into the 2010s without any changes. The new Ford, however, chooses not to rest on its laurels. The second-generation Fusion/Milan not only offers a significant boost in power on its premium motor, it also boasts the best gas mileage of any non-hybrid midsize sedan in its base engine - 34 mpg on the highway. That's right up there with the subcompact Honda Fit! 4. Ford's Third-Generation Hybrids The big news with the new-generation Fusion/Milan is the new hybrid model. Ford's first and second-generation Escape Hybrids have been exemplary in gas mileage, reliability and customer satisfaction. Ford's third-generation full hybrid system surpasses even Toyota's counterpart. This midsized hybrid sedan can travel in pure electric mode up to 47 mph! This translates to an EPA rating of 41 mpg in the city and 36 on the highway - far surpassing the mileage figures for the excellent Toyota Camry Hybrid. The LA Times' Dan Neil did even better, with a real-world city mileage of 61 mpg, taking advantage of the car's full electric mode ability. 5. The New Taurus After ignoring the sedan market for so long, Ford is following up the new Fusion/Milan with another all-new sedan: The next-generation Taurus. The current Taurus is a very good car, but its sales have been disappointing. The new one is significantly more attractive, and Ford plans on unveiling a halo model: The return of the Taurus SHO, which will feature Ford's new Eco-Boost engine. 6. Eco-Boost Eco-Boost is the name given to Ford's new turbocharging and direct-fuel-injection technology, allowing smaller engines to perform like bigger ones, but with better fuel economy. One of the first applications will be to a twin-turbo 3.5-liter V6 that will make around 350 horses. Fuel economy is expected to improve by 15-20 percent over Ford's similarly powered V8. Expect to see the Eco-Boost offered in Ford's new F-150 and Taurus. 7. The British Are Coming! Ford has some very attractive small vehicles in Europe, including the handsome new Fiesta, C-MAX and S-MAX. The carmaker knows this and is working at break-neck speed to tool up the first of possibly several small European vehicles for manufacture in the USA. The subcompact Fiesta is expected to arrive in 2010, boasting great fuel economy and refinement heretofore unheard of in a small American car. Of course, nothing is for certain. And these are not the only reasons to bet that Ford will survive the current crisis. They are, however, the ones that stand out. My money is on Ford to make it through the night. http://lacar.com/modules.php?name=News&amp...p;sid=1034#bsd1
  5. WHAT ARE THEY THINKING AT CHRYSLER? Another auto industry outsider is brought to Detroit, this time courtesy of Cerberus Last year the auto industry was stunned when Alan Mulally was hired as Ford’s CEO because he had no automotive experience, having spent his entire career at Boeing. We got a dose of déjà vu as Chrysler announced its new CEO is Bob Nardelli, who was ousted earlier this year as CEO of Home Depot. Nardelli also has zero auto experience. What are they thinking at Chrysler? Or perhaps we should ask, what are they thinking at Cerberus Capital Management, Chrysler’s new owner as of Friday? On the surface, Nardelli looks like tarnished goods. During his five years at Home Depot, he alienated employees, suppliers and stockholders. Arguably, he also alienated customers since the company’s sales declined for the first time in its 20-year history. The company’s stock fell 8 percent, while competitor Lowe’s stock more than doubled. The board of directors finally showed Nardelli the door, though to soften the blow he received a $210 million severance package. News reports say Nardelli was brought to Chrysler because of his experience at General Electric, where he spent most of his career before being passed over to replace Jack Welch as chairman. But one wonders how Nardelli’s GE experience has prepared him to lead an auto company. Nardelli is accused of being arrogant, abrasive and a bean-counter who fails to see the big picture. For example, one of his initiatives to increase sales at Home Depot was to boost sales per employee by cutting staff, reducing incentives and using more part-timers in place of full-time employees. The effort demoralized staff and severely hurt customer service. Another criticism is he flips between management fads. At a news conference yesterday to celebrate the company’s new ownership as well as introduce Nardelli to Chrysler employees and the media, Nardelli said one of his goals is to "monetize some assets" of Chrysler that may not be fully valued. Monetize assets? That’s not a comment that will inspire employees, customers and dealers. Nardelli would have made a better first impression by talking about vehicle design, product development, manufacturing, customer satisfaction, quality, marketing or any number of other issues related to improving Chrysler’s products and operations. Saying he wants to "monetize some assets" will prompt observers, especially employees, to suspect Cerberus plans a short-term ownership of Chrysler, during which it will strip assets and then sell the company. This is a scenario many people feared financier Kirk Kerkorian had planned for General Motors last year when he acquired 9.9 percent of the world’s largest automaker. Cerberus repeatedly has said its investment in Chrysler is for the long run. The track record of industry outsiders coming to the auto industry is poor. Until last year, no outsider had ever been hired as the CEO of an auto company. Now it’s happened twice. Over at Ford, it’s too early to evaluate Mulally’s performance after 11 months on the job, but he’s has proven a quick study, endeared himself to his many stakeholders, and brought a sense of stability to the blue oval. Cerberus doesn’t want stability at Chrysler. Nardelli was brought in to shake things up. One hopes he quickly overcomes his initial bad press and succeeds in bringing fresh perspectives and new energy to the pentastar. If he does, the pundits will change their tune. Rather than ask, “What were they thinking?” we’ll hear, “What took them so long?” - BT Justice, Back Seat Driving http://www.lacar.com/modules.php?name=News...cle&sid=848
  6. Anyone else notice that the "bad guy" car in Transformers is a Saleen Mustang? Oh Well TRANSFORMED By John Grafman All I can say is thank God for ILM, Digital Domain, and computer-generated imaging. A few years ago, this movie would be inconceivable. Well, perhaps not inconceivable, let’s just say far less effective at recreating the director's vision. In this film, it takes a whole lot of vision. Just how one takes a small toy and creates a cinematic epic between good and evil does require more than a little imagination. Yes, this needs a creative mind, oh, and about $150 million. One question: Does the audience see that hundred and 50 mil up on there on the big screen? Perhaps a prelude to that question is “who is in the audience?” Depending on who watches this movie, it makes all the difference. Those who grew up with Transformers from 1984 onward can't help but be mesmerized. Anyone else (if there is anyone else) needs to roll with the punches. Either way, there's enough in automotive adventure to keep everyone entertained. General Motors couldn't have conceived of a better commercial, no matter how hard they tried. When the star of the movie happens to be a Camaro, let alone the all-new yet-to-be-released Camaro, how can you do any better than that? But that's not all - no, no, no. GM cars and trucks, including the Pontiac Solstice, the Hummer H3, a GMC Topkick 6500 pick-up truck, and even a less-than-shiny 70s Camaro dominate this movie. However, there always has to be an anomaly. In this action packed adventure they left the bad guy to be played by a Saleen S281 Mustang. A Chevy and a Ford showdown, what can be better than that? For those who aren’t familiar with this fantasy, the basic gist of this movie revolves around two factions of aliens known as Transformers, namely the Autobots and the Decepticons. The Decepticons are looking at the destruction of the earth (as we know it), unless the Autobots have something to say about it. The struggle between good and evil is no better dramatized than the conflicting characters of Optimus Prime and Megatron. These two mega machines tower at 40 feet dwarfing everything in their path. Highly detailed with some 10,108 moving parts in just Optimus alone, these come across as far more than just a little complex compared to the cars and trucks they morph in-and-out of. As much as the crew might have loved playing with Transformers as kids, even they realized a movie with nothing but two, three and four-story tall robots’ battling it out just isn’t going to fly. So, intertwined among all of the action is a teen-age love story. Shia LaBeouf as Sam Witwicky, and his love interest Mikaela Banes played by the enticing Megan Fox plays the lead. Both of the relatively young actors hold their own in this sci-fi tale and add a human touch to the storyline. Added support in this movie are Josh Duhamel playing Captain Lennox, Tyrese Gibson as Technical Sergeant Epps, John Turturro as Agent Simmons, and Jon Voight in the role of Secretary of Defense John Keller. Turturro comes across as being as animated as the robots, but he’s known for his over-the-top antics…and it works. The biggest support to the military theme actually isn’t coming from the actors, but from the US Department of Defense, providing its own toys in the form of CV-22s, F-117s, C-130 cargo planes, and the C-17 outfitted as the spooky gun ship. The involvement of the military is instrumental to this picture having some sort of realism keeping this grounded as Transformers wreck havoc everywhere. The credibility provided by the cast, and the incredible locations and effects doled out by the talented crew have the producers and director to thank. Michael Bay’s (the Director) ability to foresee what this move is, and the support provided by Executive Producers Steven Spielberg, Brian Goldner, and Mark Vahradian made Michael’s dream come true. This Paramount release really has all the bases covered: Cars, giant robots, a couple of the hottest, newest names in Hollywood alongside some tried and true talent, epic battle scenes, and romance. Is it all there? Yes it is, if you don’t blink. Not a single person going to this movie won't be blown away with all the action and visual details provided by this. But at the same time, everything whizzes by at the speed of sound. But perhaps that's the effect the director wanted. After all, anyone wanting to catch every last ounce of action and nuance of the transformers is more than encouraged to see the movie again and again. And while this might be a summer blockbuster, just wait until the DVD goes on sale. Those numbers will undoubtedly be out of this world. As for myself, I might pass on buying the re-release of Transformer action figures from Hasbro, but on the other hand, the new Camaro will look mighty nice in my driveway! Article with pics: Transformed (LA Car) Movie link: transformersmovie.com
  7. Hilarious, but for the thought that this might hold true one day. :unsure: BREAKING NEWS Posted on Sunday, April 01 @ 06:33:20 PDT NEW CONTRACT BETWEEN BIG 3 AND UAW STUNS AUTOMOTIVE WORLD Innovative agreement cinched by Wal-Mart inclusion By BT Justice The winds of change blew like a hurricane though Detroit this morning. Just after midnight, a surprise announcement was made that a new three-year labor agreement had been hammered out between the United Auto Workers Union and the Big Three automakers. The new contract with General Motors, Ford Motor Company and Chrysler Group contains unprecedented elements, including an alliance with Wal-Mart that gives UAW members a 50 percent discount on all purchases at the giant retailer. The current contract expires September 14, so announcement of a new labor agreement five and a half months early was a surprise. Before going into effect, the contract must be approved by the union’s members, but Ron Gettelfinger, UAW President, predicted, “Ratification is a slam dunk.” The announcement was made at Solidarity House, the international headquarters of the UAW, in Detroit, with senior management of the three companies sharing the stage with the leadership of the UAW. “From the beginning we focused on cooperation with the union,” said a joint statement issued by the CEOs of the Big Three. “Both we and the UAW leadership took a long-term view of actions that could save union jobs and save our companies.” The statement was signed by G. Richard Wagoner, GM’s Chairman and Chief Executive Officer; Alan R. Mulally, Ford’s President and Chief Executive Officer; and Thomas W. LaSorda, Chrysler Group’s Chief Executive Officer. In reaching agreement on a new contract, the automakers and the UAW made unprecedented concessions to each other. Wages of UAW members will be cut more than 40%, to approximately $27 per hour including benefits, which is the average paid to hourly employees at U.S. plants of Asian and European automakers. To compensate for the pay reduction, UAW members will receive a half-off discount for all purchases at Wal-Mart, though purchases must be made through self-check cashier stations. “I’m not happy about the pay cut,” said Jon-Jon Baumer, a 16-year employee at Ford’s Ohio Assembly Plant, in Avon Lake, Ohio and a member of UAW Local 2000. “But I’ll be able to buy a gallon of top-quality pickles for $1.49. You can’t beat that.” A major concern of the UAW has been declining membership, which has fallen from 1.5 million members in 1979 to 540,000 members today. GM, Ford and DaimlerChrysler, the parent of Chrysler Group, have agreed to assist the union in increasing membership by calling for federal legislation requiring all jobs at all automotive plants in the U.S. be unionized, and the contract will not be ratified until the legislation becomes law. In addition, the three companies have agreed to UAW representation at all of their plants worldwide that are currently not represented by a union. “This means we no longer oppose jobs going to Mexico, China and other countries because work will be done by UAW members,” said Gettelfinger, who predicts UAW membership will more triple this year because of the new contract. Another concession made by the automakers is to transfer overseas any UAW member whose job in the U.S. is eliminated, along with up to five family members. “Many of our rank-and-file are excited about the prospect of moving out of rust-belt cities to areas with better weather and better food,” said Gettelfinger. “Who wouldn’t jump at the chance to live in China or India?” Other notable factors of the contract: • A requirement that all salaried employees work five days per quarter in a manufacturing plant and earn UAW wages, rather than salary, during that time • All salaried employees will become honorary UAW members and pay UAW dues • Bonuses will be paid to salaried employees only in years in which their company’s market share increases. “It’ll be fun to watch the white-collar guys find out what real work is like,” said Bonnie Le Casque, a member of UAW Local 909, who works at GM’s powertrain plant in Warren, Mich. “To be honest, I think I’ll enjoy going over to the Gear Jammer and having a beer with them at the end of a shift,” added Le Casque. “But I’m not looking forward to the re-work we’ll end up doing because of them.” The deal also allows Wal-Mart to purchase cars and trucks at a significant discount. The terms have not been announced, but some analysts predict Wal-Mart will begin selling vehicles as well as parts at its 1,075 Wal-Mart Discount Stores, 2,256 Wal-Mart Supercenters and 579 Sam's Clubs in the U.S. “The new contract is win-win-win-win-win,” said Jason Vines, Chrysler’s vice president of communications. “That’s five wins if you weren’t counting. The Big Three reduce costs, consumers buy our products for less, the union increases membership, Wal-Mart increases sales and profits by retailing vehicles, and UAW members receive unprecedented purchasing power at Wal-Mart,” said Vines. “As everyone knows, if Wal-Mart doesn’t have it, you don’t need it.” Not only is the new labor agreement unique, but the process that led to it was equally extraordinary. Formal contract negotiations were not anticipated to begin until June, but each of the automakers has been holding preliminary discussions with the UAW for about a month. On the evening of March 15, a Wal-Mart manager in Auburn Hills, Mich. noted a large purchase of pizza, potato chips and soda made by a DaimlerChrysler employee, who explained the food was for the contract negotiation team at Chrysler’s nearby headquarters. “The next day, a plane load of managers from Bentonville showed up with food, coolers and a couple propane grills,” according to Vines. “Discussions took a sharp turn for the better, and we had so much food we decided to invite over the negotiating teams from GM and Ford,” said Vines. “The rest, as they say, is history.” Because the announcement of the new contract took place in the early hours Sunday, many news organizations did not have representatives in attendance. Further details of the new agreement will be released tomorrow. http://lacar.com/modules.php?name=News&amp...cle&sid=788
  8. CULTURAL LEARNINGS OF AMERICA As Toyota approaches the prospect of becoming the number one automotive manufacturer, they have been careful not to gloat over its success. One family member of the Toyota family has even stated that being number one is not important. To Toyota's dismay, its foray into NASCAR seems to have triggered a new wave of anti-Japanese and specifically anti-Toyota sentiment. "Just think about how our troops will be demoralized if something Japanese makes a good showing. It would be like finding 'Honda' in huge neon lights on the Washington monument or finding sushi on the menu at Denny's, writes Capt. Fogg on his Human Voices blog. "References to Pearl Harbor intermingled with 'Jap' are scattered throughout several anti-Toyota blogs and Websites, reports Caroline Aoyagi-Stom of the Pacific Citizen: "I mean first, Pearl Harbor, then baseball, and now this! ...they don't belong in NASCAR"; "I ain't gonna sit back and see them Japs taking this place over, they bombed us let's bomb them." One General Motors employee has posted a Website to serve as a forum for anti-Toyota NASCAR fans: Fans Against Racing Toyotas, or F.A.R.T. Founder Bill Bagwell asserts, however, that he is falsely accused of being racist. "I'm not against the Japanese or Asian people. It's about the deep pockets of Toyota and the loyalty of people," says Bagwell. The Pacific Citizen's Storm says, "Much of the arguments behind the anti-Toyota movement stems from the concept of foreigners being unwelcome... Yet, when Dodge recently made its way back to NASCAR after a 16 year absence, the company was welcomed with open arms, even though Dodge is owned by DaimlerChrysler, a German car company. Certainly, not all NASCAR fans share this sentiment. Even Bagwell has posted opposing viewpoints on his blog. Most recently, Fans Against Racing Toyotas has posted the comments of USMC Rob Knoll, who states: "A Miami Herald article said that Toyota was underhanded because it lured drivers from other teams. What do you expect them to do? Companies have been doing that for ages. ...The Camry is the only NASCAR Cup car built in the United States. The Ford Fusion is built in Mexico, and the Dodge Charger and Chevrolet Monte Carlo are built in Canada." I think Toyota is doing a little more for the country and sport than you've given them credited for." "In short, the world is now a global market place. With ever shrinking paychecks, people are trying to get the most for their dollar. I know I am," says Knoll. "I am a proud American who has deployed to Iraq twice for our country so I think my support speaks for itself. I worked at Ground Zero two days after the attack and banded together with other Americans as we all mourned the tragedy. That is the true fabric of America, not what brand of car we drive. When it comes to expanding the sport I love, and it involves the inclusion of a company that supports Americans like Toyota, I'm all for it." Back Seat Driving
  9. Well, it looks like the other shoe has dropped: Ford has script for salaried buyouts Staffers to be told one of six reasons why they're getting offers, which start going out Monday Bryce G. Hoffman / The Detroit News Ford Motor Co. will begin offering buyouts to the bulk of its white-collar work force Monday as part of the automaker's ongoing effort to cut its U.S. payroll and return its struggling North American automobile business to profitability. In most departments, Ford is expected to offer buyouts to 85 percent of salaried employees. Ford said in September it plans to cut 10,000 of its 38,500 U.S. salaried positions by 2008. The company hopes to meet that goal through voluntary buyouts, but has said it will resort to involuntary layoffs if necessary. The move comes on the heels of an unprecedented effort by Ford to convince hourly workers to take buyout or early retirement packages. Some 38,000 signed up for those offers, which were more generous than the packages for salaried employees. Ford began offering early retirement packages to eligible salaried personnel in October and the first buyout offers went to senior managers later that month. Now, Ford is extending buyout packages to lower level managers and non-management workers. "We're doing these in waves," said Ford spokesman Tom Hoyt. He confirmed the offers will start going out Monday. Employees will have until Jan. 5 to decide. Ford has been conducting training sessions with managers throughout the company to prepare them to meet with employees selected for buyout offers. "These are difficult, tough communications to have with people," Hoyt said. "We want to be responsible here. We want to be sensitive." As part of that training, Ford gave managers manuals that include detailed scripts for supervisors to read to employees when they are handed their buyout offers. Those familiar with the 69-page, spiral-bound document say it instructs managers to choose one of six reasons to explain why the employee is getting a buyout offer: "You are part of a group that was selected for reductions based on business reasons." "Your position may be eliminated or downgraded." "Your skills are not in line with future business plans." "You are unlikely to have your career ambitions met." "You are presently on a protected grade and there is not a strong likelihood of being able to return to your prior level." "You meet the service requirements and we have a salaried cost target to meet." Some managers told The Detroit News they were also given unwritten instruction about how to present packages to employees they hope to keep. Several salaried employees told The News that morale is low in their departments. People are on edge as they wait to find out whether they'll get an offer to leave, and anxious to hear how it will be pitched. Charles Moore, managing director at turnaround specialist Conway, MacKenzie & Dunleavy in Birmingham, said Ford likely will have a harder time convincing salaried workers to take buyouts than it did factory workers because most of its white-collar jobs are in Michigan and there is little Ford can do to help them find other jobs. "This is a tough job market," Moore said. "Ford has generally done a good job of creating opportunities for people as it pursues its downsizing. But when it comes to the salaried work force, they are in a more difficult position." The company is not required to give buyouts to every worker who signs up. According to the manual, Ford has until Feb. 27 to decide whether it will accept an employee's decision to leave. Salaried buyouts Ford is offering three buyout packages: Select retirement plan: Company adds three years to employee's age and length of service for pension calculations. Salaried retirement window: Employees retire with regular pension benefits, plus a one-time payment equal to as much as 13 weeks of pay. Voluntary salaried separation program: Younger workers receive up to 13 weeks of pay to leave the company and still receive any vested pension benefits when eligible. Source: Ford Motor Co. http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/artic...612090349/1148/
  10. BACK SEAT DRIVING FORD FINALLY DOES SOME FIRST-RATE MARKETING December 6, 2006 As Ford's sales, share and profits have slid, the company has endured harsh criticism over its marketing. The current Bold Moves campaign has been bashed not only by industry pundits but also by the company's dealers. The ads vaguely feature personality traits of idealized customers but don't sell Ford cars and trucks. The corporate Innovation campaign, launched with fanfare barely a year ago, prompted ridicule. People asked, "What innovation at Ford?" They couldn't see how images of innovative Ford vehicles of the past, such as the Model T, made a case that Ford is developing innovative products of the future. The Ford on Ford campaign a few years ago, featuring Bill Ford, the company's chairman, and at the time CEO, was a dud. The days of slamming Ford's marketing are over. The company has hit a home run with its latest campaign: "You can achieve your dreams." The marketing was targeted at hourly employees, asking them to quit. No joke. Ford is encouraging its employees to go to school, travel, find a job at another company, start a business, retire or do anything they please as long as they get off the Ford payroll. To make sure its message was heard loud and clear, Ford brought in motivational speakers, handed out DVDs, coordinated efforts with the United Auto Worker’s Union, conducted unprecedented target audience research and dangled $100,000 checks to entice employees to accept buyout offers and walk away from future health care and pension benefits. Considering the company's financial predicament, a lot of employees decided to take the money and run. Ford says 38,000 of its 83,000 UAW employees (that's 46%) accepted voluntary separation packages. The final number who quit might be less because employees can back out. What a shame. If the company applied the same intelligence, creativity, passion and commitment to building and selling vehicles, maybe it could get out of the predicament it's in. - BT Justice Back Seat Driving, December 6, 2006
  11. IN SEARCH OF THE LAST TAURUS October 22, 2006 Truett Cathy says he owes a lot to the Atlanta-area Ford plant that produces the Taurus. He credits the success of his first restaurant to business from Ford workers across the street. That's why the Chik-fil-A founder is seeking the last Ford Taurus to roll off of the assembly line when production of the model ends Friday. Chick-fil-A spokesman Don Perry told Daniel Yee of the Associated Press that Cathy has "a commitment from the plant" to receive the last Taurus. "Ford spokeswoman Anne Marie Gattari said the details were not completely settled, although the company is 'working to make it happen,'" says Yee. "We want to sell him that last vehicle because we know how much it would mean to him," she said, adding that the deal was undecided because the last vehicles scheduled for production were meant to go into a rental fleet... In Search of the Last Taurus - LA Car
  12. Article and specs at http://lacar.com/modules.php?name=News&amp...cle&sid=676
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