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Ford GT to be revived, Le Mans battle upcoming

Ford dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans from 1966 to 1969, scoring four consecutive wins. Wouldn't it be great if the Blue Oval could go back to France for the 50th anniversary of that performance and show it can still compete in international endurance racing? Actually, the latest rumors indicate that could be exactly the case, and the car taking that checkered flag could be another revival of the Ford GT.
As the rumblings go, Ford wants to use a new supercar to take another crack at Le Mans, after considering some other possible alternatives. Substantiating these musings are reports that a Blue Oval rep was reportedly on hand for a recent meeting about 2016 GTE-Class rules, according to Road and Track. That would put the new GT in the same racing class as the Corvette, Ferrari 458 Italia, Porsche 911 and others.
It's not all about racing, though. If you win on Sunday, you want something to be able to sell on Monday. The revived GT is reportedly still a mid-engine supercar, but the exact engine is unclear. It's possible that it could even be shown or announced at the Detroit auto show in January, according to Motor Trend.

Ford idling Michigan Assembly Plant to trim Focus, C-Max supply

Ford will be putting the brakes on production at its Michigan Assembly Plant in Wayne, MI, idling production during the weeks of October 28 and December 16. Ford is citing the first drop in US sales in 27 months, a 4.2-percent dip in September, as the impetus for trimming their supplies, according to Automotive News.
Ford's deft management of its supplies has been part of its success over the years, and seeing supplies of Focus and C-Max, the two vehicles built at MAP, rise from 58 and 108 days, respectively, to 71 and 122 days over the span of a month was apparently all that was need to justify the trimming. As AN points out, the rule of thumb for many automakers is to maintain a 60-day supply of vehicles.
"Ford has been focused on keeping their pricing in check. Their operating margin is in double digits. Nobody else is there and they're obviously very proud of that," Alan Baum, an auto analyst with Baum & Associates told AN. Keeping the supply chain operating smoothly and not increasing supplies too much is crucial to that healthy profit margin. After all, a large supply lowers prices ,which, in turn, cuts profit. So while this news might not be great for employees at MAP, who now have an extra two weeks of vacation time, it's far from a sign of problems in Dearborn. Quite the opposite, actually.

New York Mets outfielder turns spring training into his personal car show

New York Mets outfielder Yoenis Cespedes is known for his wide range of talents. He can hit for power, average, has good speed, and is solid in the field. His car collection is equally versatile and diverse, and it's been on display this week at spring training. Every day has brought a different car, and it has his teammates and the media atwitter. Cespedes rolled up Wednesday to the Mets facility in Port St. Lucie in a Lamborghini Aventador. It's black with blue trim. Anthony DiComo with MLB.com tweeted this: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. ESPN's Darren Rovell tweeted the Lambo has a custom exhaust that cost $80,000 and shoots out flames. Of course, that's already old news. His Alfa Romeo showed up today, too. Apparently Mets infielder Wilmer Flores has been driving it. That's an ultra-rare 8C Competizione, brought to you by Robert Brender of SNY.TV. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The Italian delights are stunning, but his Tuesday arrival was arguably the craziest: a Polaris Slingshot. DiComo captured this. It's customized with gaudy wire wheels, red accents, and Cespedes' No. 52 on the hood. Subtle. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Only in this fleet would Monday's ride appear pedestrian. It was 'only' an F-250. It was raised on huge wheels, had a custom grille, and towered over that Maserati behind it. Jon Santucci of Scripps newspapers observed it. This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. At this rate, we should probably skip Geneva and get credentialed for Mets spring training. Cespedes signed a three-year $75-million contract with the Mets in the off-season. He's also played for the Oakland Athletics, Boston Red Sox, and Detroit Tigers. Related Video: Image Credit: Getty Images Celebrities Design/Style Ford Lamborghini Performance baseball