ice-capades

With Ford building new plants for BEV vehicle production such as Blue Oval City, at some point Ford is going to find itself with excess production capacity. With BEV production plans being delayed, it'll be years probably before Ford can identify and commit to future production commitments at existing plants. Why Ford includes plant production commitments as part of its UAW contract is beyond me. The Flat Rock Assembly Plant has been the subject of speculation for years including the plant limitations regarding vehicle height. It's been the home for Mustang production for years, and for Fusion and Continental for limited years, but its history is focused on Mustang production. Potential plans to remodel Flat Rock will have to consider Mustang production interruptions unless Mustang production is moved to another facility which is doubtful.

Commentary: New EVs Go for Used Prices at Vegas Auction https://www.reviewjournal.com/opinion/opinion-columns/victor-joecks/victor-joecks-new-evs-go-for-used-prices-at-las-vegas-auction-3029019/?utm_campaign=widget&utm_medium=topnews&utm_source=opinion&utm_term=VICTOR JOECKS%3A New EVs go for used prices at Las Vegas auction Las Vegas Review-Journal_2024-04-05_Opinion_New EVs Go For Used Prices At Vegas Auction.pdf

REPORT: Ford Edge Production Continuation Wasn't Possible https://fordauthority.com/2024/04/ford-edge-production-continuation-wasnt-possible-report/ Back in the fall of 2020, Ford and the Canadian union Unifor reached a new contract agreement containing terms that went far beyond the typical pay raises and improvements to benefits. In fact, this new deal set in motion some major changes for the automaker’s Oakville Assembly plant, which at the time produced two vehicles – the Ford Edge and Lincoln Nautilus. This new deal laid out plans to retool the plant for the production of all-electric vehicles in the future, and since then, production of the redesigned 2024 Nautilus has moved to China, while Edge production is slated to end later this month. Given the fact that The Blue Oval just announced that it’s delaying the start of Ford Explorer EV production at Oakville from 2025 to 2027, many wondered why Ford Edge production wasn’t extended, but it seems as if such a move just isn’t possible, according to a new report from Automotive News. According to this report, Unifor workers at the Oakville plant received a memo informing them that FoMoCo “did extensive study into the possibility of extending” Ford Edge production at the facility following its decision to delay production of the forthcoming North American Explorer EV. However, it ultimately came to the conclusion that – due to “supply case constraints and emissions requirements” – that it was best served to continue its plans to begin retooling the plant in Q2 of 2024. According to the memo, this delay “allows us to improve vehicle quality and benefit our customers by leveraging emerging battery and other technologies.” In the meantime, it’s unclear what workers at Oakville will be tasked with doing for the next couple of years, though Ford did note that it “will work with Unifor to mitigate the impact the launch delay will have on its workforce at Oakville.” “We value our Canadian teammates and appreciate that this delay will have an impact on this excellent team,” Ford CEO Jim Farley added. “We are fully committed to manufacturing in Canada and believe this decision will help us build a profitably growing business for the long term.” Regardless, Unifor wasn’t exactly pleased with this delay, as Ford Authority reported yesterday. “Unifor is extremely disappointed by the company’s decision. Our members have done nothing but build best-in-class vehicles for Ford Motor Company and they deserve certainty in the company’s future production plans,” said Unifor National President Lana Payne. “I want to be very clear here. Our members can be assured that we will push the company to explore every single possible opportunity to lessen the impact of this decision on them and their families.”

It's never a good sign when a customer's e-mail to the sales manager generates no reply. All orders submitted to the USOB (Unscheduled Order Bank) will show "Unscheduled/Clean" status as long as there are no errors in the order. Dealerships that have a Fleet Manager are usually large enough to justify the position and do not usually get involved with retail orders. Sales Representatives are not usually experienced enough with the retail order process to provide accurate information. As such, you should deal directly with management and go as high as you need to in order to get the proper level of attention and action. If the Fleet Manger is now managing your order and refuses to contact the Ford Zone Manager regarding reprioritizing your order, you need to talk to the General Manager or Dealer Principal regarding the mismanagement of your order. A reply of "That's just the way it is" is not acceptable. Your order is recent enough that I'd seriously recommend considering placing your order with another dealership.

I was very fortunate to have, because of my position as Advertising Manager and managing the new vehicle inventory for nearly 35 years, the ability to drive whatever vehicle I chose as a company "Demo" with few exceptions. I drove Thunderbirds for years, since we were one of the top 10 Thunderbird dealerships known as "Birdland". I then drove a Probe GT and then a few Taurus models until going back to a Mustang for about 20 years until I left the dealership. During that time, I drove mostly Mustang GT's but also drove every Mustang model available based on what was available in stock. At our dealership, Demo's were driven until they were sold. Since I managed the new vehicle inventory, it wasn't difficult to make sure that there was a potential "back up" Demo in stock. Even so, there were times when we'd sell my Demo and other Mustangs in stock in a short period of time and my choices for a new Demo were limited. As such, over the years I drove every Mustang model including coupe/fastback, convertibles, automatics, manuals, all powertrains, base and premium, etc. No doubt, driving a Mustang GT was very enjoyable, but there was a point that my GT Demo was sold, and I had no choice but to drive a Mustang EcoBoost which was equipped with the #101A Equipment Group, 10-Speed Automatic, Enhanced Security Package, Safe & Smart Package and Navigation System. I ended up going back and forth between EcoBoost and GT models for a few years but just couldn't help but be impressed with the Mustang EcoBoost models overall. The EcoBoost performance was better than that of GT's from years ago and the GT pricing by comparison made it harder to justify driving a GT. Simply put, the Mustang EcoBoost models are a great value at a much more reasonable price compared to a GT. The Mustang GT pricing keeps rising a lot, and will go a lot higher, limiting its potential customer base in the North American market. And going forward, Ford will price the Mustang GT's as high as they can... for all the market will bear.

I don't remember the exact details or timing right now, but at some point, Ford issues a "Final Pay" flat rate payment to Dealers which is the last incentive paid to Dealers directly. As it is at all times that a vehicle is in the Dealer's inventory, it's the Dealer's responsibility to negotiate a price in order to sell the vehicle whether at a profit or loss. The "Final Pay" incentive paid to Dealers is made well after the vehicle is out of production.

In the nearly 35 years I was involved with managing new vehicle inventory, I'd never seen Ford sell vehicles at a discount to dealerships. Dealers make the decision to buy vehicles from Ford and every Dealer pays the same prices. There are no volume or other discounts. There were times when Ford would do some horse trading though by offering allocation for a model in short supply in return for taking some allocation for a less desirable vehicle. However, none of this affected the prices that dealerships paid. The dealership owns the vehicle when they accept delivery from the factory. At that point, the dealership either pays Ford the Dealer Invoice price or the vehicle expense goes on the dealership's floorplan financing account and they pay floorplan interest until the vehicle is reported sold or traded to another dealership. Once the dealership takes delivery it becomes their responsibility to sell it.

Ford Updates EV, Hybrid Plans, Readies Manufacturing Plants https://media.ford.com/content/fordmedia/fna/us/en/news/2024/04/04/ford-updates-timing-for-next-gen-evs--readies-manufacturing-plan.html Ford continues to invest in a broad set of EV programs as it works to build a full EV line-up. In parallel, Ford is expanding its hybrid electric vehicle offerings. By the end of the decade, the company expects to offer hybrid powertrains across its entire Ford Blue lineup in North America Equipment installation is underway at the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center assembly plant at BlueOval City, which aims to begin customer deliveries of Ford’s next-generation electric truck in 2026 Expansion progresses at Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake, to produce an all-new electric commercial vehicle for Ford Pro customers beginning mid-decade; construction progressing at BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, and BlueOval SK joint venture battery plants in Tennessee and Kentucky Ford reiterates commitment to its Oakville, Ontario, assembly plant as the company retimes the launch of its all-new three-row electric vehicles to 2027 Design work continues on future EVs, including a flexible small and affordable EV platform by a skunkworks team in California DEARBORN, Mich., April 4, 2024 – Ford Motor Company said today it is retiming the launch of upcoming electric vehicles at its Oakville, Ontario, assembly plant while continuing to build out an advanced industrial system to produce its next-generation electric vehicles, including greenfield construction and conversion of existing assembly plants. The company continues to invest in a broad set of EV programs as it works to build a full EV line-up. These initiatives support the development of a differentiated and profitably growing EV business over time while Ford serves customers with the right mix of gas, hybrid and electric vehicles based on demand today. In parallel, Ford is expanding its hybrid electric vehicle offerings. By the end of the decade, the company expects to offer hybrid powertrains across its entire Ford Blue lineup in North America. In the first quarter of 2024, Ford’s electric vehicle sales increased by 86% and hybrid sales rose 42% versus a year ago. “As the No. 2 EV brand in the U.S. for the past two years, we are committed to scaling a profitable EV business, using capital wisely and bringing to market the right gas, hybrid and fully electric vehicles at the right time,” said Jim Farley, Ford president and CEO. “Our breakthrough, next-generation EVs will be new from the ground up and fully software enabled, with ever-improving digital experiences and a multitude of potential services.” Assembly plant in Oakville, Ontario The transformation of Oakville Assembly Plant – a comprehensive overhaul of the plant from a gas vehicle assembly plant into an EV manufacturing complex – is set to begin in the second quarter, as planned. Preparations continue for the market launch of Ford’s all-new three-row electric vehicles at the assembly complex in Oakville, Ontario, which the company said it will re-time to 2027 from 2025. The additional time will allow for the consumer market for three-row EVs to further develop and enable Ford to take advantage of emerging battery technology, with the goal to provide customers increased durability and better value. “We value our Canadian teammates and appreciate that this delay will have an impact on this excellent team,” Farley said. “We are fully committed to manufacturing in Canada and believe this decision will help us build a profitably growing business for the long term.” The company will work with Unifor to mitigate the impact the launch delay will have on its workforce at Oakville. “We are committed to taking care of our valued Oakville employees through this transition,” said Bev Goodman, president and CEO, Ford Canada. “While this change requires a revision to the timeline, it will support a viable and growing future for our company, employees and dealers.” BlueOval City The creation of the BlueOval City campus – Ford’s new advanced auto production complex that includes the Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center assembly plant – is progressing on track. In addition to paint shop and vehicle assembly equipment, installation is also underway for nearly 4,000 tons of stamping equipment that will produce the sheet metal stampings for Ford’s next all-new electric truck. Ford plans to begin customer deliveries of the new truck in 2026 and gradually ramp up production to help assure quality. The Tennessee Electric Vehicle Center will be Ford’s first Industry 4.0 plant, combining automation and connectivity to help elevate quality and efficiency. Prospective employees can meet with Ford representatives at the new Ford Tennessee Discovery Center in Brownsville, Tenn., once it opens. The plant’s management team brings together strong leaders from around the world, including Ford veterans and talent from Tesla, Amazon, Meta, Toyota, FedEx and more. Community members also will be welcome to experience advanced manufacturing through virtual reality simulations at the Discovery Center. Ohio Assembly Plant Additionally, Ford continues its expansion of Ohio Assembly Plant in Avon Lake to produce an all-new electric commercial vehicle for Ford Pro customers beginning mid-decade. Half of the structural steel is erected on the site, interior slabs are being poured, concrete walls are going up and masonry is beginning on interior walls. Ford expects to begin tool installation at Ohio Assembly Plant in spring 2025. Employees at the plant, like at other Ford manufacturing facilities, will use wearable technology to support high-quality and efficient manufacturing. Future EVs Design work continues on Ford’s future-generation EVs. A skunkworks team in California is developing a smaller, low-cost, profitable, flexible EV platform capable of underpinning multiple vehicles at high volumes. Alan Clarke leads the growing team, which includes personnel from Auto Motive Power (AMP) following Ford’s acquisition of the EV energy management startup in late 2023. In the meantime, construction is progressing at BlueOval Battery Park Michigan, in Marshall, Mich., and at the BlueOval SK joint venture battery plants in Tennessee and Kentucky.

Zero Ford Mustang Mach-E EVs Were Produced in March 2024 https://fordauthority.com/2024/04/zero-ford-mustang-mach-e-evs-were-produced-in-march-2024/ Following a flurry of demand surrounding all-electric vehicles in general, interest in those types of vehicles began to taper off toward the end of 2023, though sales continue to increase. Regardless, this has left models like the Ford Mustang Mach-E in a bit of a flux, as The Blue Oval has been working to ramp up production for years, only to now face mounting inventory instead. As such, it doesn’t come as a huge surprise to learn that the automaker built a grand total of zero Ford Mustang Mach-E crossovers at the Cuautitlan Assembly plant in Mexico last month, according to Ford’s March sales report. After churning out 3,454 Ford Mustang Mach-E models in January and 2,315 in February, the Cuautitlan plant built none last month, which is an interesting development indeed. Of course, it’s unclear if the current glut of inventory played a role in this decision, but it is certainly possible that Ford opted to dial things back as it works to move carryover 2023 models off dealer lots. As Ford Authority reported in January, December 2023 marked the first month of last year when Ford Mustang Mach-E inventory levels declined, but with sales averaging around 5,000 units per month, there was still a pretty large backlog of inventory sitting on dealer lots to close out the year – one of the highest levels of any EV on the market, in fact. This is at least part of the reason why Ford opted to slash 2023 Mach-E prices the following month, as it’s working to make way for newer 2024 models. To a degree, that strategy worked as well, as Mach-E sales skyrocketed in the ensuring weeks, going from around 300 units per week up to 1,000 and even as high as 1,800, in fact. Over the following 30 days, Ford Mustang Mach-E share in the EV segment nearly tripled as well, going from 5.2 percent all the way up to 13.3 percent.

Capitalization is the biggest factor for the upstart BEV manufacturers. Rivian has the best chance for long term growth from what we've seen so far. Even Tesla is under pressure from recent results but has the benefit of a growing and loyal owner body. Chinese manufacturer BYD now poses the biggest threat with their lower cost vehicles.

Ford Mustang Mach-E Buyers Should Consider Going Used https://fordauthority.com/2024/04/ford-mustang-mach-e-buyers-should-consider-going-used/ After debuting to much fanfare, the Ford Mustang Mach-E was in short supply and high demand for some time. This meant that many new examples were selling for more than MSRP, and even in the used vehicle market, it wasn’t uncommon to see the EV crossover selling for more than new as well. However, now that early adopters have moved on and inventory has grown – coupled with a decline in EV demand in general – the Ford Mustang Mach-E has become a more affordable option, and it even ranked among the top 20 used models with the biggest savings over new in research conducted by iSeeCars last spring. Now, that position has only become more solidified, according to new data from the same organization. The Ford Mustang Mach-E has once again ranked as one of the top 20 vehicles to buy used rather than new by iSeeCars, as it offers tremendous value in that regard when compared to the overall market. After analyzing 1.6 million new and used car listings between January and March 2024, iSeeCars found that the average used Mach-E was listed for $38,543, which is $16,364 or 29.8 percent less than the average new version of the same model. This is notable given the fact that on average, iSeeCars found that used vehicles are selling for $5,778, or 12.8 percent, less than their new equivalents. “Car buyers seeking the best value often shop used models instead of new,” said Karl Brauer, iSeeCars executive analyst. “While a used car almost always costs less than it did new, some models lose more than 25 percent of their value after just one year, giving buyers a near-new ownership experience at a substantial savings.” Much of this sharp decline in used Ford Mustang Mach-E pricing can be attributed to declining demand for EVs in general, though the Mach-E still remained one of the most popular used EV targets for shoppers in that segment last year. However, this phenomenon clearly has a lot to do with pricing as well – in fact, as Ford Authority recently reported, new Mach-E sales skyrocketed following Ford’s decision to slash prices on leftover 2023 models earlier this year.

Over 40,000 Customers Reportedly Cancel Their Fisker Ocean Reservations https://www.autoblog.com/2024/04/02/over-40000-customers-reportedly-cancel-their-fisker-ocean-reservation/ Fisker's ongoing financial troubles have reportedly scared off a substantial number of the buyers who reserved the electric Ocean crossover with a refundable deposit. The company has lost more than 40,000 reservations that it will need to reimburse, according to a recent report. Citing leaked data and internal metrics, Business Insider wrote that Fisker received between 70 and 80 cancellations per day "in a recent seven-day average." The total number of canceled reservations stands at over 40,000, the report said, which represents a huge chunk of the reported 70,000-plus reservations the firm has collected since it opened the order book in November 2019. Fisker hasn't commented on the report. If this is accurate, the cancellations compound Fisker's problems in several ways. First, the brand's sales forecast has seemingly fallen by over 50%, meaning its revenue forecast has inevitably dropped by the same number. This comes at a time Fisker needs to generate more sales in order to stay afloat; it recently paused production of the Ocean to save money, and it's sitting on a massive inventory of unsold cars. Second, Fisker will need to refund the deposit it collected from every reservation holder who cancels, according to Business Insider and the brand's terms and conditions. It costs $250 to reserve one example of the Ocean and $100 for each additional reservation; both sums are refundable. Fisker keeps the $25 processing fee that's added to every reservation, however. The publication estimates Fisker owes its customer base about $9 million. It adds that "a few thousand" customers have separately canceled an order, though the $5,000 deposit on those isn't fully refundable. It's not far-fetched to assume some of the customers who reportedly canceled a reservation realized they can get a new Ocean right away for much cheaper than initially advertised — Fisker slashed the price of its leftover 2023 models by up to $24,000 in March 2024 to trim its inventory of unsold cars and generate cash. Other customers might have simply lost faith in a company teetering on the brink of bankruptcy. While the Ocean, which is built by Magna in Austria, is the only Fisker model that has reached production, the company has shown three other electric cars that it began taking reservations for and ostensibly planned to sooner or later build. There's a pickup called Alaska, a city car named PEAR, and a four-door convertible known as the Ronin. The company's website notes that buyers can reserve an Alaska or a PEAR for $250 or spend $2,000 reserving a Ronin. In February 2023, the brand claimed it had received about 5,600 reservations for the PEAR. Whether these still stand remains up in the air, but refunding them will further darken the company's financial outlook.

Demand for Cheap Cars Helps Automakers Beat Expectations Las Vegas Review-Journal_2024-04-03_Demand for Cheap Cars Helps Automakers Beat Expectations.pdf

Oil Thrown on Ford F-150 Lightning at NY Auto Show https://fordauthority.com/2024/04/oil-thrown-on-ford-f-150-lightning-at-ny-auto-show-video/ With interest – and participation – in auto shows waning as of late, it wasn’t terribly surprising to learn that Ford didn’t bother to reveal any new or refreshed models at the 2024 New York Auto Show, while Lincoln didn’t even participate at all. However, those that attended the prestigious, long-running event did wind up seeing a different sort of spectacle – one that wasn’t exactly on the official docket – as a group of climate protestors interrupted the proceedings, with one of them dumping oil on the all-electric Ford F-150 Lightning Switchgear EV demonstrator. The entire incident was caught on camera, and began when protestors from a group called the Extinction Rebellion walked in front of the Ford F-150 Lightning Switchgear as it was driving onto the stage. A man proceeded to apologize for the interruption, saying that “this is an emergency – a climate emergency. Our love of cars is killing us, it is killing the earth. Electric vehicles will not save us…there are no cars on a dead planet. We need to change…there’s another way.” At the same time, the protestor began to dump what appears to be oil on the ground in front of the Ford F-150 Lightning Switchgear, at least until officials pulled him away. However, shortly thereafter, another protestor appeared and poured oil directly onto the hood of the EV pickup, though he and his cohort were quickly removed from the scene as well. According to CBS News, this group – which just interrupted a Broadway play dubbed “An Enemy of the People” last week – are protesting the negative environmental impact caused by the mining of raw materials used in the construction of electric vehicles. It’s unclear what happened to the protestors following this incident, but none were arrested after they interrupted the aforementioned play a few days ago.

2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E Drops Nite Pony Package https://fordauthority.com/2024/04/2024-ford-mustang-mach-e-drops-nite-pony-package/ Back in August 2022, The Blue Oval revealed the new Nite Pony Package, an option that was available for both the 2023 Ford Mustang and Ford Mustang Mach-E. As one might have guessed by the name, the Nite Pony Package added a host of darkened elements to both models, which is all the rage in today’s world that tends to gravitate toward not only monochrome looks, but also, blacked-out appearance packages in general. However, sources familiar with the matter have now told Ford Authority that the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E is not available with the Nite Pony Package. The Nite Pony Package has been dropped from the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E lineup, making it a one-year-only offering, though it’s still available on the regular Mustang coupe. The package added an array of unique features to the EV crossover, including a set of high-gloss black-painted 19-inch wheels, a front grille pony badge with a painted black outline, painted black wheel center caps with a bright pony graphic, and a black outlined “Mach-E X” or “Mach-E 4X” badge, depending on the configuration. In addition to this deletion, the 2024 Ford Mustang Mach-E is also being treated to a host of notable updates for the new model year. For starters, the GT Performance Edition has been dropped from the lineup, leaving the GT as the range-topping variant. However, the GT is gaining most of the upgrades present in the GT Performance Edition – including its MagneRide suspension – but not the increased torque that model offered. Meanwhile, the Premium trim no longer comes with the Panoramic Fixed-Glass Roof as standard, since that feature is now an option. The EV crossover is getting bronze wheels and other features in that finish via the new Bronze Appearance Package, and is gaining the new Rally trim, though it’s also losing the California Route 1 model. All of these updates are being accompanied by price increases in some cases, too.

That must be when you follow the GPS instructions!

If your Dealer has a number of other retail orders in the USOB (Unscheduled Order Bank) at the same priority code, 10 or lower, your order could easily get overlooked. Multiple orders at the same priority code are treated equally and the order system will schedule the order that's the easiest to schedule. You need to stay on top of your Dealer to make sure they get the priority code changed, preferably with the regional office's assistance.

I'll believe it when I see it regarding inventory levels being disciplined. Time will tell!

Ford CFO Says Inventory Levels Will Remain Disciplined https://fordauthority.com/2024/04/ford-cfo-says-inventory-levels-will-remain-disciplined/ For several years following the pandemic, automakers struggled to build new vehicles amid numerous supply chain shortages and other macroeconomic issues. However, those same companies have since turned the proverbial corner, and inventory levels have quickly risen back to normal – and in some cases, higher-than-normal levels. This has prompted automakers like Ford to consider strategically scaling back production to keep inventory levels in check, and that’s a trend that CFO John Lawler said will continue while speaking at the 2024 Bank of America Automotive Summit. “I think that we’re still being disciplined with day supply. We know that when you get into a heavy push environment, then that erodes pricing really quickly,” Lawler said. “So I think we still have that in the industry. Everybody’s remained disciplined. I think the other thing, John, is there’s always that risk that it could become less disciplined, but so far we haven’t seen that this year. It’s going quite well. Last year a lot of people were predicting that we’d see a collapse in pricing and it didn’t happen. So I see market factors remaining relatively strong through the first quarter, and we’ll see how that goes through the rest of the year but I’m optimistic.” Ford has certainly dealt with its fair share of inventory issues as of late. In fact, last November, FoMoCo had the highest inventory levels of any mass market brand, and it remained above the industry average at the conclusion of 2023 as well. That didn’t change much as we kicked off the new year in January either, as new Ford inventory levels closed out the month at a 104 days’ supply, which was the eighth highest in the industry at the time, as well as far higher than the national average of 80 days’ supply. However, this situation did improve in February, as strong sales helped drive that down to a a 91 days’ supply. As for Ford’s luxury brand – Lincoln – it has been struggling with high inventory levels to an even higher degree, closing out Q3 2023 at levels that were more than double the national average before ending December at more than a 90 days’ supply – the eighth most of any brand – which was also more than double the overall average in the U.S. That trend continued in January before finally easing up somewhat in February, though Lincoln’s inventory levels still remained at an incredibly high 133 days’ supply versus the national average of just 76 days. On the bright side, these swelling inventory levels are expected to help reduce new vehicle pricing somewhat in 2024, as Lawler previously stated.

Your Dealer should have provided you with a copy of the vehicle specifications for your review which could have prevented this error. I'm not encouraged about your Dealer's performance from what you've written. The default priority code for retail orders is 19. Dealers have to manually assign a lower priority code. The lowest priority code for customer retail orders was 10, but the process was revised some time ago allowing Dealers to assign a retail order priority code as low as 03. In your case, the Dealer should be in contact with their Regional Scheduler, usually via the Ford Zone Manager, to have your order reprioritized for expedited scheduling.

For those that live in the 'Snow Belt" a Mustang is most often a vehicle that is stored for the winter due to the problem for many of dealing with winter driving conditions. As such, those customers skew to an older demographic and/or those that can afford to buy a Mustang and store it for a good part of the year. I drove a Mustang as my company car for many years, and although I could take a different (4WD/AWD) vehicle when conditions were bad, I drove the Mustang 99% of the time. From my experience, I found that it was more about knowing how to drive it in winter conditions. I wondered for years why Ford didn't develop a 4WD or AWD Mustang, but Ford product development is rarely innovative and primarily reactionary. Now with the eventual transition to a BEV Mustang in the next decade it'll be a lot easier for Ford to offer an 4WD/AWD Mustang. I doubt that there's much reason for Ford to develop a mid-engine Mustang with the necessary transition to a BEV model at some point. And I see even less need or desire to produce a Mustang in the price range of the C8 Corvette which is substantially more expensive than the average Mustang. That would only price the Mustang out of the market for the "average" Mustang customer. Ford and the other OEMs are making decisions, pricing and otherwise, that are pricing their vehicles out of the mainstream market and forcing a sizeable part of the market to buy used vehicles which will have a big impact in future years.

2024 Ford Mustang Cars & Coffee Edition Officially Debuts https://fordauthority.com/2024/04/2024-ford-mustang-cars-coffee-edition-officially-debuts/ The 2024 Ford Mustang is the modern interpretation of a long running formula that adds substantial horsepower to a reasonably priced vehicle. This built-in Mustang feature has caused a lot of agita over the decades, including a fair number of crashes and overall misuse of public roads. With the advent of social media and smart phones, documentation of vehicular stupidity (and lack of driving skills) can reach millions of eyeballs in record fast time, which is why notable collisions outside car shows and events involving Mustangs appear online regularly. Unfortunately, the Mustang has earned a reputation for being a vehicle show attendees probably want to steer clear of at their local Cars & Coffee-type events, with the pony car recently being banned from Cars & Coffee events. Fortunately, the 2024 Ford Mustang Cars & Coffee Edition is here to fix that – and to give these owners an outlet to drive wild without any real life consequences. Key to this special Mustang is the inclusion of cutting-edge projection technology and a special Sync 4 infotainment system with updated graphics. Together, the tech utilizes the windshield as a screen and is capable of producing astonishing scenes indistinguishable from real life. While this revolutionary tech could be used for many things, in this application, it will allow owners of the 2024 Ford Mustang Cars & Coffee Edition to recklessly leave the car show of their choice without consequences. Drivers can use the steering wheel, pedals, and gear selectors just as they would on an actual drive, and the Mustang will use its engine to mimic real-world conditions as well, so long as the vehicle is in Park and the park brake is activated. Additionally, the complimentary FordPass Connect modem and subscription service allows owners to share their mishaps in real time. “This will be the greatest vehicle vs. pedestrian virtual experience to exist until Grand Theft Auto 6 arrives next year,” said Ford CEO Tim Barley. “With this tech, people will continue to think that Mustang drivers are leaving their local car meets with impunity, when they’re really doing the right thing and keeping it stationary.” 2024 Ford Mustang Cars & Coffee Edition owners will also get rewarded for using the tech at an actual car meet. If the event lines up with information in Ford’s databases, owners will receive 100 FordPass Rewards for using the feature at a car show, which can be used toward a meal at a Ford Garage restaurant. And to make sure the coffee aspect of the special edition isn’t ignored, every example will offer Ford Pro Power Onboard with 1,000 kWh capability embedded into each trunk via 120-volt and 240-volt power outlets. “You’ll be able to whip up a latte or cappuccino in record time before virtually power sliding into a crowd full of onlookers” said Ford spokesperson, Spike Ravine. So far, the Ford Mustang Edition Cars & Coffee Edition will be available only for the 2024 model year, but Ford says it will consider extending production into 2025 based on demand. Happy 2024 April Fools’ Day dear readers!

Your Dealer has 24/7 access to the VINview reporting system that provides the latest status information including updated scheduling, production, shipping and dealership ETA. There are a lot of factors involved that can cause changes such as your vehicle's specifications, Ford's additional inspections after production, rail car availability, etc. Your Dealer can provide you with a copy of the latest VINview status information.

Not all vehicles ship immediately or at the same time as others that were built in the same timeframe. There are a lot of factors involved including additional inspections that Ford is conducting to address any potential quality issues and repairs prior to a vehicle being released for shipping. In addition, once a vehicle is released for shipping, Ford needs to be able to fill rail cars headed to the same final rail ramp destination. Other vehicles may be held at the plant for installation of components, repairs or updates. Your Dealer has 24/7 access to the VINview reporting system that provides the latest status information. For vehicles that have been released for shipping, the VINview system will provide the shipping information including rail car carrier, rail car number, vehicle location and the latest ETA for delivery to the dealership. Your dealership can provide you with a copy of the VINview report showing the information you require. There are many customers that track their vehicle's process using the tracking tolls available at the rail car carriers' websites. I would also suggest dealing directly with the dealership's sales manager as many or most sales representatives are either not aware, experienced or have access to the resources available such as VINview.

Wind Buffeting Is a Common Problem That Ford Is Tackling https://fordauthority.com/2024/03/wind-buffeting-is-a-common-problem-that-ford-is-tackling/ For some time, wind buffeting has been one of the more annoying aspects of owning a vehicle, but this phenomenon isn’t exactly something that’s relegated to one type of make or model. Rather, the issue is quite common and worse for cars that are more aerodynamic, and that includes quite a few models from Ford. As vehicles have become more and more aerodynamic over the years, the issue of wind buffeting has become more prevalent as well, which is likely why some people think that it’s a new phenomenon, or perhaps something that only affects certain makes or models. However, it’s also a problem that Ford has been working to correct for some time now. Wind buffering – or “Helmholtz resonance,” as it’s known in the scientific world – happens when the volume of air entering a vehicle isn’t proportional to the amount of air exiting the vehicle. Many experience this when rolling down a rear window but not a front window, but in reality, this tends to happen when any window is open on one side of the vehicle, but not the other. The result is an annoyingly loud noise that’s very much like what we hear when we blow into a bottle with an open top. The problem is worse with very aerodynamic vehicles as the air flow follows the shape of the vehicle, hitting the side windows as it comes up the windshield. Opening another window cancels this effect and eliminates the problem, but that isn’t exactly ideal for most. Thus, Ford has been exploring ways to eliminate wind buffeting for years now, filing a patent for a wind throb mitigation system back in late 2022. This system would be capable of detecting wind throb, determining if the seat adjacent to the vehicle’s occupant is occupied or not, then opening another window to mitigate the effect. The system could also close all the windows if needed, and activate the climate control system to compensate. Additionally, Blue Oval engineers equipped the all-new Ford Everest with specially-designed side mirrors that were developed in simulators and wind tunnels and are specifically designed to eliminate wind buffeting, or wind throb as it’s otherwise known – meaning that it’s quite likely we’ll see this same sort of technology on future Blue Oval models, too.