Motor Racing

KatieJones asked:




In 1993, the Ford Motor Company bought the European luxury car brand Aston Martin. The popularity of the brand has been boosted by the appearance of some of their vehicles in James Bond films. While the popularity of the marque increases when James Bond made it the vehicle of his choice, the brand failed to generate adequate income for the Detroit based car maker.

In the midst of the financial woes being faced by the Ford Motor Company, they have announced in August of last year that they will sell either a part of or the entirety of the Aston Martin. The company hopes that the sale of the luxury car brand will give them enough financial leverage to invest on their other brands.

There have been a lot of speculations as to who would be the next owner of the famed luxury brand. In fact, it was reported a few weeks ago that the French luxury goods conglomerate LVMH is interested on purchasing the luxury car brand. But the rumors were found out to be unfounded.

Last week though, Reuters reported that Ford will announce the sale of the Aston Martin as early as this week. And today, the largest news provider announced that Ford is selling the British luxury car brand to a group led by former F1 racing boss from Benetton and BAR David Richards. Richards is currently the chairman of Prodrive - a Formula One racing team. Reuters reported that the group will purchase a major part of the luxury car brand for 479 million pounds or $925 million. Ford, meanwhile, will still retain some part in the brand with an investment of $77 million.

Aside from the Formula One team Prodrive, Kuwait’s Investment Dar and Adeem Investment are also part of the group which raised the $925 million to purchase a major part of the brand. Aston Martin collector and racing backer John Sinders is also a part of the group that will soon own the majority of Aston Martin.

The Aston Martin brand is based at Gaydon, Warwickshire, England. Its name came from the Aston Clinton hill climb, and from the name of one of its founder, Lionel Martin. For the most part of the 1990’s, it has been a part of the Premiere Automotive Group - the division of Ford Motor Company which combines the business operations of Ford’s five European car manufacturers. Aston Martin was the sixth brand in the group which consists of Jaguar, Land Rover, Volvo Cars, Daimler, and Rover.

Since Aston Martin’s founding after the First World War, it has been beset by financial problems. One of the things they have to contend with is how to keep up with the rest of the automotive industry in terms of production. It is known that Aston Martin produces only a limited number of hand-crafted cars while the rest of the automobile producing community employs mass production techniques.

In 1947 though, the savior of the brand came in the form of Sir David Brown. The David Brown Limited bought Aston Martin, and then with the combined resources of the two companies, Aston Martin specialized in producing grand touring models. These famous models from Aston Martin were named using Sir David Brown’s initials.

After the David Brown era, the marque was sold and resold so many times until Ford bought 75 percent of the brand in 1987, and then in 1993, the Ford Motor Company added another band decal on their Ford fender by purchasing the entirety of the car brand.

Ford’s financial problems led them to the choice of selling a part of their Premiere Automotive Group. The company first considered selling Jaguar, Volvo, or Land Rover until finally announcing that they will be selling in part or whole of the Aston Martin brand.

Martin Van Zyl asked:


Our Need For Recognition I recently read a psychology report where it said that a person’s biggest need is that for recognition. Build your Recognition Why do we have such a need to be recognized? It goes hand in hand with our need to be defined. Who are we and where do we fit in? This need for definition is very powerful and rarely discussed, but it is nonetheless universal, and an ability to tap into it is often the genesis of a very compelling ad campaign. Our need for definition influences the cars we drive, the clothes we wear, the beer we drink (or wine) and the houses we live in. As we know effective advertising speaks to a person’s specific need. I have come to realize that our need for definition is perhaps the most compelling need felt by individuals in our society today. Most of our purchases are a form of self-expression, and we tend to buy things we identify with. Let me give you an example. I remember deciding to buy my first proper dress watch. When I walked into the watch store I browsed over the range they had and looked up to find a big poster for Seiko watches reading, “Now is the time to act.” My bond with Seiko was immediate. Any watch brand that understands the value of taking action and therefore control of your own life is my kind of watch. I have noticed Seiko in stores before but never thought of getting one. Care to guess what my last three watches have been? Yep, Seiko. In a small way I feel connected with Seiko. Even though it’s small, it’s still a lot more than I have with other watch brands. Seiko was bold enough to “tell” people to act, and they gained a customer. I know there are tons of watches that are equally as good, but I’ll probably always be a Seiko man. Like me, all people have the need for definition, and the companies that help customers best define themselves are the most powerful. Do you think I’m crazy? Believe me, every customer you have is crazy. Tap into the lunacy and watch your sales skyrocket. - Martin Your recognition starts now!

Daniel Millions asked:




Left hand drive cars or lhd for short are cars where the steering wheel is located on the right side if you are sitting inside or the left side if you are facing the front of the vehicle. Throughout this article I will be using lhd for left hand drive and rhd for right hand drive cars.

Depending on what country you are in and the side of the road they drive on, you may have never heard of left hand drive cars before Why can’t you drive both lhd and rhd cars in all places? This is due to strict laws that countries have for driving on their roads. Even though left hand drive and right hand drive cars drive the same, driving a left hand drive in a right hand drive area is probably illegal. Signs, toll booths and traffic lights are all tailored for one side or the other, not both. There just isn’t a way that both left and right hand drives can be accommodated.

In addition to that, some countries are requiring that all cars twenty years or older be converted to left hand drive if the are right hand drive and vice versa. The reason for this is because it simply isn’t safe to have a left hand drive car on the road in right hand drive country.

The process of changing a cars primary driving parts from one side to another requires a conversion kit and someone knowledgeable enough about conversions to implement them. Another option is to contact a specialist dealer to acquire a left hand drive car. It is more expensive to purchase cars that drive on the opposite side of the traffic flow no matter where you go. One reason is because it is harder to sell over the correct driving side models. Wouldn’t it be great if cars were made with the steering wheel in the middle of the car opposed to the left or right hand side?

Left hand drive car manufactures:

Aston Martin DB9/ Ferrari Enzo/ Ferrari 360 Challenge Stradale/ Mercedes Benz SLR McLaren/ Porsche Carrera GT/ Porsche 997/ Ford GT40/ Lamborghini Gallardo/ Murcielago

There are few things to consider with left hand drive cars outside of the left hand drive areas. Insurance cost, laws and auto repairs are the biggest issues with them. Even finding a driving school with left hand drive cars can be tricky. Before investing in an lhd whether it be to drive or just to add to your car collection, these concerns should be evaluated before you decide to buy. It doesn’t make much sense to buy a lhd if it’s; illegal to drive, impossible to find parts and a mechanic that does repairs or can’t be insured.

Popular Left Hand Drive Car Models

Aston Martin DB5 left hand drive

Lincoln Navigator left hand drive

Mazda MX-5 Roadster

Mitsubishi Pajero GDI V6 3500 left hand drive

Toyota MR2 Spyder left hand drive

Finding a Left Hand Car

Interested buyers of left hand cars should check online for the best deals. Places such as Ebay often have them for sale. You may want to check with local car dealers but don’t be too surprised if they don’t have a clue as to what a left hand drive car is. This isn’t uncommon at all.

Martin asked:




America has always had a love affair with automobiles, and in the early 1900s, trucks were an afterthought and were being assembled using surplus car parts.  John Mack changed this.

In 1893, John and his brother Augustus purchased a small carriage and wagon-building firm in Brooklyn.  In 1900, the brothers opened their first bus manufacturing plant.  

The prototype “Old Number 1″ was so successful that orders soon followed.  The Mack’s three other brothers joined in the formation of the Mack Brothers Company in the State of New York.

Mack was one of the first manufacturers to mount a cab directly over the engine, which increased the drivers visibility and manoeuvrability, which was particularly useful on crowded city streets, this saw the introduction of the ‘Manhattan’ cab over engine model.

John did not intend to build motor cars.  He pioneered the design and manufacture of custom-built trucks using durable Mack built components, not discarded car parts.  He devised the seat over engine trucks, which were the forerunners of modern cabs. The trucks could haul a capacity of 7½ tons, the company also produced fire engines, railroad cars, and buses.

By 1911, the company was the premier manufacturer of heavy-duty trucks, making 600 units a year.   

In 1916, the famous AC model was introduced.  

Over the years, there had been few Mack models as famous as the AC model. The Mack BJ and BB models, the first of the early B Series introduced in 1927, represented the company’s first trucks developed in response to the demand for larger capacity, higher speed haulage.  

Mack produced a series of trucks under the ‘Mack Jr’ name.  The vehicle was produced by the Reo Truck Company in Lansing, Michigan, and built according to Mack specifications and were sold through the Mack sales organisation.  In total, 4974 chassis were built during 1936 - 1938.

The Mack E series, introduced in 1936, was a streamlined, medium-duty truck with a gross vehicle weight rating ranging up to 23000lbs.  

The Mack L series were heavy-duty trucks produced from 1940 to 1956, exhibited clean, timeless styling and proved extremely popular.  Some 35000 Mack L models graced the highways in their day.

The B series, introduced in 1953, was possibly one of Mack’s most successful and popular products.  Its pleasing, rounded appearance set a new styling standard for trucks, as did the wide range of model variations offered.  

1962 saw the F Model all steel sleeper and non-sleeper, cab over engine (COE) trucks introduced.  

In 1969, Mack pioneered and patented cab air suspension as a major truck ride and cab durability improvement. 

Renault and Mack forged a working partnership with the successful introduction of the Mack Mid Liner series in 1979, studying many of the key issues facing both companies on a global basis.

In 1991, Mack developed the High Swirl/Moderately High Injection Pressure Combustion System to optimise the mixing of diesel fuel and air in its E7 and E9 engines.  The system increased combustion efficiency, and in the process, improved fuel economy, lowers emissions, maintains oil viscosity, and lengthened oil change intervals.

2001 saw AB Volvo acquire the company.

Jerry Work asked:




Anyone who has seen the Lamborghini Reventon or the Aston Martin DBS knows that unmistakable feeling. It’s the thrill & the allure of the exotic sports car, overhauled & updated for the 21st century. Since their inception, sports cars have continually pushed the boundaries of both engineering & art. These are the cars that exemplify speed, power and beauty.

Alfa Romeo: The Grandfather of Exotic Sports Cars

Alfa Romeo first began producing race cars in Milan, Italy in 1910. Their first endeavor, the HP 24, turned some heads with its superior speed and handling. Chief Designer Giuseppe Merosi worked on all Alfa Romeo models from 1910 to 1923. When Merosi retired, race car driver Enzo Ferrari persuaded Vittorio Jano to leave Fiat and take over Merosi’s work.

In 1925, Alfa Romeo unveiled the P2 Grand Prix Car, Jano’s first car with Romeo and widely considered the first “supercar.” The P2 was powered by a straight-8 cylinder supercharged engine, and placed first in 14 Grand Pix races between 1924 and 1930. Today, the P2 Grand Prix is considered one of the most rarified of the collectible antique cars, with less than a dozen still intact.

Ferrari: High Performance, Luxury Cars

After racing Alfa Romeos in the 1920’s & 30’s, Enzo Ferrari decided that he wanted to build his own racecars. He prototyped a few models in the 1940’s, but it wasn’t until after World War II that he found success. Notably, Ferrari’s exotic sports cars took first place in the Formula 1 World Championships, 24 Hours of Le Mans and the World Sportscar Championships throughout the 1950’s.

Ferrari’s Gran Turismo series remains its most successful lines, with the 2007 599 GTB Fiorano bringing even more luxury and innovation to the table. Patrons of the Ferrari Club of America cite performance as the primary reason for purchasing a Ferrari over other collectible cars.

Lamborghini : Exotic Sports Cars for a New Generation

Ferruccio Lamborghini had a successful business building tractors in Italy before his eyes turned to the exotic sports car. And it wasn’t a love for performance that stirred his fire, but a disdain for Enzo Ferrari.

According to Lamborghini’s family, Ferruccio purchased a Ferrari 250 GT in the early 1960’s and was unhappy with the handling & response of the clutch. He brought it into Ferrari’s factory and met with Enzo Ferrari to voice his concerns. Ferrari was immediately upset with Lamborghini’s complaints so he mocked Lamborghini and sent him away. Lamborghini went home, dismantled the car and discovered that the clutches installed in Ferraris were from the same manufacturers he used for his tractors. He installed a new clutch and vowed to create a higher-quality, luxury sports car than Ferrari.

Aston Martin: Unforgettable Collectible Cars

Britain’s Aston Martin was founded by Lionel Martin & Robert Bamford in 1914. They designed exotic sports cars and drove in competitions, but it wasn’t until David Brown became managing director of the company in 1947 that they were able to establish themselves as a maker of high-quality, high-performance sports cars. They introduced the DB line (DB standing for David Brown) in 1950, and many of their models have become synonymous with antique and collectible cars.

John Roberts asked:




Lear Jet or Dodo Plane

If you go down to the Los Santos international airport there will be a gate. Right next to it will be a hut like building with a man inside. He will say only people with flying liscences can get in. If you park a car of any size parallel to the gate you can jump over the gate and once you are over you can fly a dodo plane or a lear jet.

Find the AT-400

Go to Las Venturas airport, then go to the biggest hanger of the runway, stand next to the garage and it should open, and the is the AT-400. Note: You must have a pilot’s license to be valid to get in the plane.

Helicopter - Los Santos Beach

Hint helicopter on the beach in los santos go to the beach where you have to do the mission for og loc and somewhere around that area there will be a fire department helicopter you can only drive it if you did all of the missions and unlocked Las venturas.

Helicopter - Los Santos Beach

Police heilcopter go to los santos and let the police catch then you will end up by the police station and put in the jetpack cheat and fly on the building and sometimes a police helicopter will be there to turn on the spotlight press L3 at night.

Dating missions Finding Barbara

You can find Barbara at the El Quebrados Sheriff parking lot between 16:00 and 06:00.

Dating missions Finding Helena

You can find Helena in the Blueberry area of Red County, taking shooting practice on top of the Ammu-Nation store from 08:00 to 12:00 and 14:00 to 02:00.

Easy Missions

When doing a mission where you have to chase someone in a car or boat, use the blow up all cars cheat and the mission will be complete.

Pass your Driving Test

When doing your driving school test do the health cheat while doing the test you will have 0% on your damage penalty

Find Vice City and Liberty City

This cheat has been reported inaccurate. Take a plane and fly east or south-east and you will find vice city and liberty city

Fly Faster

When you’re in a plane move up and down and you will go fast.

Leatherface

Go to Blueberry In Red County. Keep going and you will find sheds and chopped wood. Go to the tree that’s cut in the middle at 0:00-2:00. There you will find Leatherface. Be warned, he can’t be killed!

Sniper Rifle Pickup

Go to the Los Santos hospital, then jetpack to the top of it. There will be a sniper rifle with 20 bullets.

Sam Carson asked:




The Aston Martin DBR9 is manufactured by its racing division and has had significant success since its inception in 2005. The car is a GT1 racing class, and it got its name “DBR9″ from it predecessor the “DBR1″, which was the first winning car in the family that won the illustrious 1959 “24 Hours of LeMans” race and in that same year the “World Sportscar” title as well. The “DBR1″ derived its name from then-owner David Brown, which heralded the British back into the racing world once more. The Aston Martin DBR9 was first shown to a very select few of people back on 4th November 2004, at Aston Martin’s headquarters in Gaydon, UK, and its debut race was the “12 Hours of Sebring” in March 2005.

The body of the car is designed in the conventional 2 door coupe style, and has its foundations rooted from the Aston Martin DB9 road car. And the DBR9 maintains some major attributes from DB9 road car, for example the heads of the V12 engine, the cylinder block, and the chassis, whereas everything else was made from scratch, and re-mastered for a superb enhancement of the car’s performance under tough competition scenarios. The structure of the DBR9 is made up of an aluminum roof, racing developed aluminum under-frame, which is derived from the DB9, a high strength steel roll cage, and every other body panel is made from a “carbon fibre composite”.

Aston Martin DBR9’s bodywork is a complete blending of maximum aerodynamic performance, and the ease of use of a typical road car, making movement on the track second nature to the car and driver, resulting in a comfort and normalcy to everything that the car is, also adding to the aerodynamics of the car. The designer’s aim was to make the entire bottom, from the rear diffuser to the front, of the DBR9 flat as possible, with a carbon wing attached to the backend in order to stimulate the rear down-force, allowing the car to accelerate from 0-60mph in just 3.4 seconds.

The specifications of the car are a width of 1978mm; a length of 4767mm; a weight of 1100kg; a wheelbase of 2741mm; and a height of 1195mm. The engine of the DBR9 consists of a “48 valve Aston Martin Racing 6.0 litre V12″ fabricated from all alloy and a quad overhead camshaft, also the engine includes a “dry sump lubrication system”, and “2 x 31.2mm air restrictors”. The 6.0 litre V12 max power peaks at 600 bhp, and with a torque of over 700 N m. The suspension of the car incorporates a double wishbone at the front end and at the backend, with adaptable Koni dampers equipped with Eibach springs. The braking system is consists of both front and backend “Brembo six pot calipers” with “330mm diameter carbon discs”, all labouring around a set of “OZ forged magnesium wheels”. The arrangement and configuration of the DBR9 comprises a “mid front mounted engine”, rear wheel drive, and a “mid rear mounted transmission”. The transmission, Xtrac, is built up of “six speed sequential” that is longitudinally situated at the rear axle, and is put to use by a “four plated carbon clutch”. The incorporated ECU/Data system encompasses a “Pi Data system” with a “Pectel engine ECU”.

Recently, there were changes in regulations to assist race car drivers while racing the 2007 24 Hours of Le Mans race, and Prodrive added these changes unto the car e.g. the installation of air conditioning in the cockpit, and a heat resistant white roof inside. Both to assist the driver by ensuring temperatures are kept at a minimum, so performance levels from the driver would go up. However, the items previously responsible for cooling, the two hood vents, were removed because they were no longer needed.

The racing history of the DBR9 is a prominent one, with its major rival being Corvette Racing, where there as been some tough rivalries over the past 3 years. DBR9 debuted by winning the 2005 “12 Hours of Sebring” LMGT1 category. It came second behind Corvette in 2006 in both the 12 Hours and the 24-hour races, but had victories at Lime Rock Park, Mosport, Laguna Seca, Miller Motorsports Park, and Petit Le Mans. They finish second overall that year earning automatic entry into the 2007 24 hours of Le Mans, which they eventually won their class.

Mabel Xie asked:




A powerful design inspired by cutting-edge engineering. The case and dial of the AMVOX2 DBS Transponder are highly detailed, featuring a suspended metallic grey DBS symbol, a discrete Aston Martin emblem on the movement operating indicator and ruthenium grey bridges, satin finish and a black dial that all evoke the DBS’s instrument panel. The outer dial ring also has an opening that reveals the internal mechanisms of the chronograph and transponder functions, an allusion to the exposed brake callipers visible behind the sporting wheel rims of the DBS car.

The AMVOX2 DBS Transponder watch is a landmark in chronograph design, a timepiece that works in true synergy with the most spectacular and elegant luxury sports car on the market. A true collaboration between engineers from two distinguished brands with a collective history of innovation and elegance, the AMVOX2 DBS Transponder is a modern timepiece that truly demonstrates Aston Martin’s core values and Jaeger-LeCoultre’s mastery of high watchmaking. Dr Ulrich Bez, Chief Executive Officer of Aston Martin said: “This is the definitive expression of the partnership between Aston Martin and Jaeger-LeCoultre, I’m delighted that we have been able to premiere this technology in such an elegant solution. It is the first time horology and automotive engineering have been combined in this way.”

Jerome Lambert, Chief Executive Officer of Jaeger-LeCoultre said: “This is one of the most exciting projects our team has developed in the area of functional innovation in watchmaking. The collaboration with all levels of the Aston Martin organisation has been deep and exhilarating, and no doubt this transpires in the breakthrough nature and design of the AMVOX2 DBS Transponder itself.”

The AMVOX2 DBS Transponder incorporates a miniature transmitter system serving to lock and unlock Aston Martin DBS sports car, while maintaining the functions of the now famous vertical-trigger mechanism - the pushpiece-free chronograph. As the driver nears the car, all he need do is press the OPEN position on the watch glass (between 8 and 9 o’clock) in order to activate the door opening system, whereas doing the same thing on the CLOSE position between 3 and 4 o’clock will close the vehicle. The miniaturisation of the transponder module, housed on the base, its wiring and its transmitter antenna have been completely redesigned from a watchmaking perspective, combining technical inventiveness with a subtle and elegant integration within the overall design. The research and development required over 18 months of dedicated work by Jaeger-LeCoultre’s engineers with intense collaboration from Aston Martin. While it is relatively easy to understand how to operate the AMVOX2 DBS Transponder, actually making it represents a daunting challenge in both technical and design terms. In a first phase, the engineers focused miniaturising each part of the transponder in order to reduce it to a size that could fit inside a watch case featuring a thickness and diameter ensuring optimal user-friendliness and comfort - while also meeting the technical and security specifications inherent to the car itself. The end result is a module weighing just a few grams and less than half the size of the same system inside the DBS key. Nonetheless, miniaturisation was just one of the stages in a global process that led researchers to entirely rethink the geometry and the wiring from a watchmaker’s perspective - a high-tech feat that called for 18 months of meticulous engineering work.

Developers also had to take account of a major technical constraint. A mechanical watch acts like a Faraday’s cage that protects the movements from the influences of electrical fields that may adversely affect the rating precision. Therefore, in order to endow the timepiece with the proverbial reliability of Jaeger-LeCoultre movements and to enable the transponder to operate despite the neighbouring metal oscillating weight, an innovative antenna had to be created. The solution lay in placing the antenna as far as possible from the watch mechanism and the case, and lengthy research resulted in using the sapphire crystal as a medium. Measuring exactly 128 mm in length so as to guarantee an optimal range, the antenna is metallised on the inside of the sapphire crystal in a shape following the curve of the inner bezel ring and the hour-markers between 4 and 6 o’clock, and is connected at these strategic points to the locking control contact rectangles (OPEN and CLOSE).

The AMVOX 2 DBS Transponder builds on the AMVOX2 Chronograph, first introduced in 2006. The Chronograph was a revolution in watchmaking, with a start, stop and reset mechanism operated by pushing on the sapphire crystal face of the watch; there are no push-buttons. The mechanism within the AMVOX2 is extraordinarily sophisticated, using 0.1mm diameter bearings to give mechanical feedback to the stop-start action using the dial. With a 65-hour power reserve to ensure optimum accuracy, the chronograph is engineered to remain stable in all conditions.

Contrary to the chronograph vertical-trigger mechanism based on pivoting the entire case and bezel, activating and deactivating the AMVOX2 DBS Transponder locking system does not involve any displacement of any part of the watch, occurring instead merely by making contact with the OPEN and CLOSE zones. This connection is facilitated by capacitive technology, which has the property of reacting to touches on a given surface.

Luke Scott asked:




Ford is the world’s third largest carmaker when measured by vehicle sales. Other than Ford’s own-branded businesses, the company owns one other major brand - Volvo, though it also owns one-third interest in Mazda and a small holding share in the former subsidiary Aston Martin.

Its former UK subsidiaries (Land Rover and Jaguar) were bought by Tata Motors of India in March 2008. In 2007, Ford became the third-ranked car-maker in US sales (being beaten by General Motors and Toyota). It was Ford’s first decline from second position in 56 years.

FORD HISTORY

Ford was launched in 1903. Henry Ford, the company’s founder, revolutionized mass production by introducing methods for manufacturing cars on a large-scale using highly engineered manufacturing along travelling assembly lines.

In 1908, Ford introduced the legendary Model T and by 1920 production was over one million cars a year. In the 1950s, Ford introduced the legendary Thunderbird and in 1955 the disastrous Edsel. But Ford bounced back introducing its compact Ford Falcon in 1960 and the Mustang in 1964. By 1967, Ford of Europe was established, which builds some of the UK’s most popular cars.

FORD FACTS

 



Type: Public company

Founded: June 17, 1903

Headquarters: : Dearborn, Michigan, USA

Key People: : Henry Ford, Founder, Alan Mulally, President and CEO, William Clay Ford, Jr, Chairman

Industry: : Automotive

Products: : Mainstream/performance vehicles & automotive parts

Subsidiaries: : Automotive Components Holdings Volvo (cars only)



 

FEATURED MODELS



FORD ESCORT - a small family car made by Ford from 1967 to 2003, the top-selling Escort enjoyed seven different incarnations.

FORD FIESTA - a “supermini”, the Ford Fiesta is one of Ford’s most successful cars. More than ten million have been sold in seven different marks since 1976.

FORD FOCUS - The Ford Focus is a small family car launched in 1998, since which time it has become the UK’s best selling car, following in the steps of its predecessor, the Escort.

FORD FOCUS C-MAX - a compact MPV made since 2003, the C-Max is based on the Focus Mk II platform and is the smallest multi-purpose vehicle in the Ford range.

FORD GALAXY - a 5-door MPV which entered production in 1995. The second generation Galaxy, launched in 2006 is one of the UK’s favourites.

FORD KA - produced from 1996 to the present, the Ka is a compact “city car” 3-door hatchback with a 1.3-litre engine. A 1.6-litre engine is available in the Sport Ka.



 



FORD MONDEO - a large family car made from 1993 to the present over three generations.

FORD MUSTANG – a legendary sports car first introduced in 1964, the Mustang is still in production in its fifth generation.

FORD PUMA - a small 3-door hatchback coupé with 2+2 seating, and a choice of three engines. The limited edition Racing Puma was hand built by Aston Martin coachbuilder, Tickford.



 

DID YOU KNOW?



The then recently-launched Ford Mustang made a debut film appearance in the James Bond film “Goldfinger” in September 1964.

Ford employs around 245,000 employees at 100 plants and facilities around the world.

The Ford Company reported the largest annual loss in company history in 2006 of $12.7 billion!

The famous Ford GT40 won the 24 Hours of Le Mans four times in the 1960s. It remains the only American car ever to win overall at Le Mans.

When launching the Pinto, Ford had a problem in Brazil as “Pinto” was Brazilian slang for “tiny male genitals”. Ford renamed the car Corcel, meaning “horse!”

Zeke Gervis asked:




Tongues are wagging nonstop over the latest breaking news to hit the auto industry.

The British government is reportedly negotiating with car giant Ford over the possible selling of the U.S. carmaker’s Jaguar and Land Rover brands. According to a report by BBC, the Dearborn automaker has briefed politicians that it is planning to sell its British luxury car marques, Jaguar and Land Rover.

“Ford Motor Co. is seeking buyers for its Volvo, Jaguar and Land Rover brands in Europe as the money- losing automaker tries to focus on North America”, two different sources familiar with the matter said.

A spokesman for Prime Minister Tony Blair said Tuesday: “We are in touch with the company. We still believe both Land Rover and Jaguar are highly successful companies and will have a highly successful future.”

In 1989 Ford spent £1.6 billion for buying Jaguar and £1.7 billion in 2000 for Land Rover. These two manufacturers’ employee number is equal 19,000 workers in the UK.

On Monday, different sources acquainted with the matter were quoted as saying that Ford had hired investment banks to explore options including the sale of the two luxury British brands.

Investment banks including Goldman Sachs, HSBC and Morgan Stanley are reportedly helping Ford to explore the sale of the two brands, the sources said Monday. Neither Ford, nor the banks has given any comment on the situation, saying that they would give more details next week.

Ford has been cutting costs in a bid to offset declining sales. The automaker is in the process of a massive restructuring, and the firm reported a loss of $282m for the first three months of 2007.

Analysts have wondered for some time what Ford might do with Land Rover and Jaguar, neither of which has performed well.

Both firms are part of the Premier Automotive Group (PAG), as was Aston Martin.

In March the troubled US automaker sold sports car firm Aston Martin for £479m ($924m) to a UK-led business consortium headed by Banbury-based Dave Richards, boss of motorsport firm Prodrive.

In a separate report in City AM, private equity firm Alchemy Partners was said to be lining up a £3bn offer for the two luxury brands.

Meanwhile, the news of Ford considering putting its British luxury car marques Jaguar and Land Rover up for sale has prompted Union leaders to voice out concerns.

National officer of the Unite union, Dave Osborne, said today: “We are very concerned to hear these reports and we are seeking an urgent meeting with Jaguar/Land Rover. We find it difficult to understand why Ford would want to sell a successful, growing and environmentally improving brand like Land Rover, and a marque like Jaguar, which is a significant player in the luxury market and one that Ford has invested heavily in. Our prime concern is the job security of our members.”

Jaguar, which makes top of the line Jaguar oxygen sensor, has about 10,000 staff at sites in Coventry, Birmingham, and Liverpool, while Land Rover employs about 9,000 in the West Midlands and Warwickshire.

Ford is expected to make an official announcement in the next few days.