Ford PowerShift now available on Focus and C-MAX cars

Ford Motor Company has added a new, high-tech automatic transmission to its line-up, which the company claims achieves the fuel economy of a manual gearbox, with the comfort and convenience of a ‘normal’ automatic.

Called ‘PowerShift,’ the new transmission uses electronically-controlled twin-clutch technology to change gear, and therefore does not need the complex and weighty sub-systems such as a torque converter or planetary gears, which regular automatics need.

The six-speed PowerShift is simple to use and executes upshifts and downshifts faster than conventional automatic and manual gearboxes. For now, PowerShift is available on the Ford Focus and C-MAX cars, but over the next few months, Ford will certainly start fitting the new transmission to other cars in its lineup.

Kirk Kerkorian now owns 6.49% of Ford

Kirk Kerkorian now owns a 6.49% stake in Ford Motor Co.

Back in April this year, Kirk Kerkorian had claimed he wanted to buy an extra 20 million shares of Ford Motor Co., which would have given him a total of 120 million shares and a 5.6% stake in the Dearborn, US-based carmaker.

The way things have turned out, however, is that Kerkorian has actually bought more than 40 million Ford shares, at $8.50 per share. Tracinda Corp., Kerkorian's investment company, now owns 140.8 million shares of Ford, which represents a 6.49% stake in the company.

Kerkorian now has a full $1 billion invested in Ford, which could finally make him an ‘activist investor,’ where he has a say in how Ford operates. In fact, Ford CEO Alan Mulally, Executive Chairman Bill Ford and Kerkorian met a couple of days ago to discuss Ford's turnaround plan.

Kerkorian now owns more of Ford than the Ford family itself, which owns just 3 percent. However, there’s no debate over who’s in control – the Ford family’s minor stake is comprised of a special class of stock that gives them 40 percent of the voting power.

Ford wants volumes, will launch its small car in India by 2010

Ford Motor Co. will be setting up a new manufacturing facility in India, where it will make a new small car for the country. The small Ford will hit the Indian market by 2010.

‘The small car segment makes up 75 percent of the Indian car market, and when we launch a small car, that's when the real volumes will come in,’ said Michael Boneham, MD, Ford India.

Boneham also said Ford's new engine manufacturing facility in India will be set up in 2009-10 and will have an initial capacity of 250,000 units per annum. The plant will supply engines to Ford India as well as other Ford operations in the Asia Pacific region.

Ford India witnessed a 19 percent drop in sales during 2007-08, which the company attributes to the overall sluggish phase that the Indian auto industry has been going through recently.

All-new Ford Ka for India by end-2009?

The brand-new Ford Ka. Will Ford bring a four-door version of this car to India by late-2009 or early 2010? We hope they do!
Pics: Auto Express

While Ford wants to significantly increase its market share in India, the one thing it doesn’t have in its lineup is a small car. And in the Indian market, small, fuel-efficient cars is where the volumes are. But now, Ford could have an answer to that problem, if it chooses to launch the all-new Ka in India.

The first pics of the all-new Ka have recently been revealed, and the car looks suitably smart and contemporary – a four-door version of this car could be the perfect small Ford for India. Developed in cooperation with Fiat, the new Ka shares its underpinnings and engines with the Fiat 500, and is actually being built at Fiat’s plant in Tychy, in Poland.

When the Ka goes on sale in Europe by the end of this year, Ford engineers say it will offer a combination of space, refinement, fuel economy, power and handling. In Western markets, the Ka will come with a choice of petrol and diesel engines, and we think a 1.2-litre petrol and a 1.3-litre Multijet diesel should be the ideal options for India.

The new Ford Ka will make its world debut at the Paris Motor Show in September this year, by which time Ford India might, perhaps, make up its mind to bring the car to India by end-2009 or early 2010. For now, all we can do is wait and watch…

Ford’s new engine plant in Chennai is now operational, will make 60,000 engines per annum

The new Ford facility in Chennai will initially make 1.4-litre diesel engines for the Fusion and the Fiesta

Ford India has started operations at its engine assembly plant near Chennai. The new plant will initially make 60,000 engines per annum, for the Ford Fiesta and Fusion models. Production will start with the Ford 1.4-litre Duratorq diesel engine.

‘This facility will help position Ford India as a strategic manufacturing hub for low displacement powertrain engines within our Asia Pacific and Africa region. The domestic assembly of these engines will facilitate quicker time-to-market response, and greatly enhance the efficiencies of our operations,’ said Michael Boneham, president and managing director of Ford India.

Ford makes no secret of the fact that it wants a much larger share of the Indian car market than it currently has. The new engine assembly plant will allow Ford to increase the local content in its diesel engines to nearly 50 percent, as a result of which the company will be able to compete more effectively in the fast growing diesel car market in India.

Ford, which started its India operations back in 1995, will invest US$500 million towards doubling its manufacturing capacity to 200,000 units by 2010, and also launch a small car to compete with Indian, Japanese, Italian and Korean car manufacturers.

Ford plans to make India its APA hub for engines

Ford India will start making engines for export to Asia-Pacific and Africa regions, within the next two years

Ford India plans to make India its strategic manufacturing hub for engines in the Asia Pacific and Africa (APA) region. Ford will export petrol and diesel engines from India to South Africa and other countries in the APA region in the next two years. From the current 60,000 engines per annum, Ford India wants to increase its engine production capacity in Chennai to 250,000 engines per annum. This is part of Ford’s strategy to invest Rs 2,000 crore, to increase the production of engines and vehicles in India by the year 2010.

Michael Boneham, the new president and MD at Ford India, says that Ford wants to source engines from India for adjoining markets. He said that while locally-produced engines are already meeting all of Ford India’s domestic requirements, the company wants to start exporting engines in the next phase of expansion. The company wants to take advantage of India’s low-cost operations, and produce engines that are price competitive around the world.

With it market share in India having fallen to 19% in FY08, Ford India also wants to introduce new cars in the Indian market, and implement new marketing strategy to improve its position in the Indian market. For this, the company may look at introducing the brand-new Fiesta and its other global cars in India, to take on the likes of Toyota, Honda, Skoda and Hyundai.

Michael Boneham takes over as head of Ford India

With a new man at its helm, expect Ford India to also launch new cars shortly. Starting with this new and very good looking Fiesta, perhaps?

With effect from the 1st of May, Michael Boneham will be president and managing director of Ford India Private Limited. The earlier MD, Arvind Mathew, has been transferred to a new position in the US.

Currently, Boneham is the executive director – operations, at Ford India, and he is responsible for product engineering, purchasing, manufacturing and quality. In his new role of president and MD, Boneham will spearhead Ford India's expansion plans.

According to the new Ford India boss, the company will increase capacity from the current 100,000 units to 250,000 units by 2010, and will roll out new cars and new engine options for the local as well as overseas markets. Ford will be investing US$500 million towards expanding its operations in India.