Report: Is the Ford Mustang plant in jeopardy now that Mazda is pulling out of Flat Rock?

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ford mustang assembly line at flat rock, michigan plant

Once the current Mazda6 reaches the end of its life cycle, Mazda will begin production on the next-generation car. The automaker won't be building the midsize sedan in the U.S. anymore. Currently, the Mazda6 is built in Flat Rock, Michigan, at the AutoAlliance International assembly facility that the Japanese automaker shares with Ford. The Blue Oval brand churns out the Mustang in Flat Rock, and with Mazda moving on, there could be trouble ahead for the pony car.

According to analysts polled by Bloomberg, the current pace of Mustang production is not enough on its own to sustain the Flat Rock plant. The AAI has a capacity of 240,000 vehicles in a year, yet the Mustang sold 73,716 units in 2010. Ford is reportedly working with Mazda to find other uses for the site, which would be a better alternative to having Mazda simply walk away.

The flipside of Mazda ending U.S. production of its Mazda6 is that Ford will have increased options as to what it can do with the Mustang. Still, unless the Blue Oval starts churning out a hybrid, wagon, crossover and pickup truck version, Ford will need something else to keep Flat Rock in the business of building cars, especially until the 'Stan's next scheduled redesign for 2014.

Is the Ford Mustang plant in jeopardy now that Mazda is pulling out of Flat Rock? originally appeared on Autoblog on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://www.autoblog.com/2011/06/16/is-the-ford-mustang-plant-in-jeopardy-now-that-mazda-is-pulling/

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2010 Acura ZDX Test Drive: Sporty Hatchback Crossover Packs Style and Utility

But as the crossover segment has evolved, the genre has splintered into even more variations. The Acura ZDX takes an ambitious stab at a decidedly niche market.

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ClipperCreek introduces $995 LCS-25 residential charging station

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ClipperCreek LCS-25

ClipperCreek has announced a killer plug-in vehicle-related deal with the unveiling and introduction of its LCS-25 - a compact, residential charging station priced at just $995. ClipperCreek says that the LCS-25 sets the standard for "small size" chargers and drives down installation costs. Jason France, ClipperCreek's chief executive officer, states:

We have made great strides in reducing the footprint and the burden on the customer's pocket book. The LCS-25 should install in just an hour or two and eliminates the overly complicated installations we have been seeing in the market.
To simplify the installation process, the LCS-25 will be delivered with a flexible conduit that is easily wired into an existing junction box and the charger mounts with just four screws. The LCS-25 meets the SAE J1772 standard and can be purchased directly from ClipperCreek by clicking here.

[Source: ClipperCreek]

Continue reading ClipperCreek introduces $995 LCS-25 residential charging station

ClipperCreek introduces $995 LCS-25 residential charging station originally appeared on Autoblog Green on Thu, 16 Jun 2011 10:56:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Source: http://green.autoblog.com/2011/06/16/clippercreek-introduces-995-lcs-25-residential-charging-station/

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Test drive: 2011 Volvo XC90

2011 Volvo XC90You'll recall a couple of weeks ago that I took a fantastic road trip through Utah to Colorado to test drive Volvo's latest crop of crossovers for our SUVs and Minivans site. I wanted to share my XC90 review because I think it's a rather interesting vehicle -- particularly because it's nearly 10 years old and, from outside appearances, looks to be aging rather well.  But the SUV/CUV market has seen boom, bust and boom and a lot of changes since the XC90 came to market in 2002 -- so aside from looking vibrant, how does the old Swede stand up to modern-day competition? Check out my 2011 Volvo XC90 test drive and see. -- Aaron Gold

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Source: http://cars.about.com/b/2011/06/02/test-drive-2011-volvo-xc90m.htm

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550-HP Chevrolet Camaro ZL1 To Offer Automatic Transmission

At an owners’ event in Oshawa, Ontario, this past weekend, a spokesperson for General Motors confirmed that the über-Camaro, the ZL1, will be available with either a manual or an automatic transmission. When the car was revealed at the Chicago auto show this past February, it was shown with a manual. The automatic will be [...]

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Next-gen MAZDA6 to be built in Japan

Resolving ongoing rumors about the future home of its mid-size sedan, Mazda has officially announced that it will transfer production of the MAZDA6 from Flat Rock, Michigan, to its domestic plant in Hofu, Japan, when the current model cycle ends.

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LA?s Main Artery, Interstate 405, to Close for 53 Hours in July?Yet William Mulholland Still Sleeps

Oh, William Mulholland. You brought water to the LA basin, thus allowing a sprawling megalopolis to flourish. Your Saint Francis Dam?s failure washed away?among others?the picturesque little towns of Fillmore and Santa Paula; the torrent didn?t stop until it reached the sea. Yet the City of Los Angeles, she honored your rise from ditchdigger to [...]

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700-hp Lingenfelter CTS-V Coupe Tested: A Study in Physics and ?Holy Crap!?

Lingenfelter?s 700-hp Cadillac CTS-V is a study in physics and ?holy crap!? Like Red Bull?quaffing preteens laying waste to digital innocents by the dozen in Grand Theft Auto, we?re being desensitized. It isn?t graphic violence we?re being hardened against, though; it?s gratuitous horsepower. Outputs that once stopped us in our tracks and slackened our jaws [...]

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