 |
| |
February 2, 2009
2010 Fusion and Milan Hybrids
Buyers of a new 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid or Mercury Milan Hybrid this year will qualify for a $3,400 tax credit, the highest credit amount ever offered for hybrids purchased or placed in service after Dec. 31, 2005. The Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner Hybrid, the most fuel-efficient SUVs in America, continue to qualify for a $3,000 tax credit, the highest available tax credit of all hybrids on the road today.
Fusion Hybrid’s class-leading 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, which tops the Toyota Camry Hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway, helped Fusion garner the significant credit amount, which is based on a vehicle’s potential fuel efficiency. Stacked together, Fusion’s fuel savings and tax incentive can help significantly offset the premium to the customer for hybrid-electric technology over a conventional gasoline-powered vehicle.
To deliver 700-plus miles on a single tank of gas, Fusion Hybrid travels up to 47 miles per hour in pure electric mode, faster than the Camry and all other hybrids currently on the road. In addition, the system’s Intake Variable Cam Timing (i-VCT) allows the hybrid to more seamlessly transition from gas to electric mode and vice-versa, delivering a near imperceptible hybrid driving experience to the customer.
Other advanced hybrid systems that contribute to Fusion’s fuel-economy leadership include:
• A smaller, lighter nickel-metal hydride battery, which produces 28 percent more cell power than Ford’s previous hybrid system.
• An enhanced electronic throttle control, which reduces airflow on shutdowns, reducing fueling needs on restarts.
• A regenerative brake system that recovers and stores nearly 94 percent of energy normally lost through friction in braking.
The 2010 Fusion Hybrid also debuts Ford’s SmartGauge with EcoGuide, a unique instrument cluster that helps coach drivers on how to optimize the fuel efficiency of their vehicles.
Assembly Plant Closings
In order to assist you in tracking delivery times for the various car and truck lines, the following are the announced February plant closings.
Chrysler LLC
| Plant | Vehicle | 2-Feb | 9-Feb | 16-Feb | 23-Feb |
| Belvidere | Caliber, Compass and Patriot | | DOWN | | |
| Brampton | 300, Challenger and Charger | | DOWN | DOWN | |
| Sterling Heights | Avenger, Sebring Sedan and Convertible | | DOWN | | |
| Toluca | PT Cruiser and Journey | | DOWN | | DOWN |
| Warren Truck | Ram and Dakota | | DOWN | | |
| Jefferson North | Cherokee and Commander | | DOWN | | |
| Saltillo | Ram | | | | |
| St. Louis North | Ram | | | | |
| Toledo South | Wrangler | | DOWN | | |
| Toledo North | Liberty and Nitro | | | | |
| Windsor | Minivan | | | | |
Ford Motor Company
General Motors Corporation
Fleeting Tidbits
On January 26th General Motors announced that production of the Cadillac XLR and XLR-V will cease at the end of the 2009 MY.
Adaptive speed control (NHP) is now available for ordering for the 2009 Chrysler 300C RWD and 300C AWD.
We have received several questions regarding ordering, scheduling, production and delivery time for the Transit Connect. Listed below is the latest information.
• The order bank opened in mid-January.
• Final pricing should be available by mid-February.
• Job # 1 is the week of April 1.
Want more on the Transit Connect? Check out Bob Barr's Truck Talk.
We have updated our 2009 MY Final Fleet Order Date page with the latest dates from the manufacturers. For some manufacturers this has been a moving target with changes made almost weekly. We will do our best to keep it up-to-date with the latest info.
Our 2010 Start of Production page lists the initial date you may place orders for a specific 2010 model and the Job #1 date for that mod
Taillights
A motorist was mailed a picture of his car speeding thru a red-light camera. A $40 speeding ticket was included. Being cute, he sent the police department a picture of a $40 bill. The police responded with another photo – of handcuffs.
2/2/09 | |
|
|