Filed under: Hybrids/Alternative, Sedans/Saloons, Tech, Ford

Ford and SYNC have combined to be the peanut butter and jelly of automotive tech combo deals. 80% of the vehicles Ford sells now has the infotainment system, helping the Blue Oval and Microsoft reach 1 million sales of the infotainment system in less than two years.

Since Microsoft created the SYNC software, it has just as much reason to celebrate its success as Ford. Microsoft CEO and Detroit native Steve Ballmer decided the best way to celebrate was to get his hands on SYNC vehicle number 1 million; a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. The 41 mpg sedan was delivered by none other than Ford CEO Alan Mulally.

Mulally reiterated his support of SYNC, saying that Ford would “continue to innovate and expand the capability of SYNC by integrating even more new technologies that fit our customers’ lifestyles.” SYNC already interfaces with navigation and entertainment systems, and 911 Assist helps call emergency services in the event of an accident. SYNC will receive further updates this summer when it gains the ability to deliver traffic, directions and information services. Hit the jump to view the Ford press release, and check out the gallery below to see Mulally deliver a 2010 Fusion Hybrid to the Microsoft CEO.

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading Microsoft CEO gets 1,000,000th Ford with SYNC

Microsoft CEO gets 1,000,000th Ford with SYNC originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 May 2009 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Trends, Government/Legal, Plants/Manufacturing, Ford, Earnings/Financials

According to Automotive News, Visteon Corp. has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection. The Michigan-based tier-1 supplier was spun off from the Ford Motor Company back in 2000, and it has struggled ever since. The filing took place in a Delaware courtroom, where the company has listed total assets of $4.58 billion and total debt of $5.3 million.

Visteon’s struggles have been well documented, with its ballooning debt, falling sales (down by more than 50% in the first quarter of 2009 alone) resulting in a $681 million dollar loss last year. In fact, back in 2005, Visteon had to ask Ford to step in as part of an agreement that saw the Blue Oval agree to take ownership of all of the supplier’s hourly employees who were United Auto Workers members, as well as most of the company’s North American facilities.

Despite no longer technically being part of Ford, the Blue Oval is still Visteon’s largest customer (accounting for around 31% of its sales last quarter), and according to AN, Visteon says that Ford is still committed to help the company with debtor-in-possession financing and future parts orders while the supplier undergoes restructuring.

[Source: Automotive News (subs. req.)| Image: Jonathan Ferrey/Getty]

BREAKING: Visteon reportedly files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 28 May 2009 09:28:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Aftermarket, Coupes, Sports/GTs, Contests, Ford, Celebrities

2010 Foose Ford Mustang GT – click above for a high-res gallery

If you’ve ever seen Chip Foose at work, it’s hard not to admire the guy. He’s got more natural talent in his pinky finger than most of us car guys can dream of, and each of the vehicles he builds ends up being a work of art. He recently got his hands on a brand new 2010 Ford Mustang GT, which was Foosified on an episode of Spike TV’s MuscleCar.

The best part? You can enter to win the car on PowerBlockTV.com. This customized pony car features an Edelbrock supercharger system, Roush body kit, Magnaflow exhaust, Foose wheels and Pirelli tires, Baer brakes, Eibach springs, Bilstein shocks, and a unique paint scheme designed by Foose himself. You can submit an entry to win once a week until October 12, so get going!

[Source: PowerBlockTV.com via The Mustang Source]

Chip Foose builds a custom 2010 Ford Mustang that you can win originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 May 2009 17:57:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Filed under: Sports/GTs, Hatchbacks, Ford, UK, Special/Limited Editions

UPDATE: Ford just wrote us to clarify that while the all-new Focus RS just introduced in Europe won’t be for sale in the U.S., “Ford intends to bring some new RS’ to the US (as we’ve already seen in the spy photos of the white car) to use as marketing assets for feedback from enthusiasts” and media.

In an interview with Jost Capito, head of Ford’s global performance, it came out that – yet again – the picture of the Focus RS above is the closest Americans will get to the Blue Oval’s hottest hatch. As quoted in UK’s Autocar magazine, Capito’s exact words are: “Sadly, no. We’d like to, but the base car isn’t homologated for North America, and that’s too costly a job to carry out just for a niche vehicle like the RS.”

Note that this doesn’t contradict what was said last time – that the next-generation RS might come to the U.S. since the coming Focus is being developed as a global platform with North American federalization in mind. So let’s put this one to bed so we can all get on with our lives and cease pining for the current Focus RS, shall we? We need to turn our attention now to pining for the next Focus RS…

[Source: Autocar]

REPORT: Ford passes on bringing current Focus RS to America originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 May 2009 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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