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Final 2015 Ford Edge performance and fuel economy data released

Ford unveiled the brawny look and heap of new tech of the all-new 2015 Edge last summer, and confirmed some of the pricing in November. However, until now buyers couldn't be entirely sure what they are getting for that money in terms of power and fuel economy, but the Blue Oval is finally spilling all the beans. For customers looking for performance, the Edge Sport is the place to be with its stiffer suspension and plusher interior. The trim level uses a version of the 2.7-liter EcoBoost V6 found in the latest F-150, but in this case the engine is tuned to 315 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque. That's a 10 percent jump in power and 25 percent improvement in torque compared to the naturally aspirated 3.7-liter V6 in the last-gen model, according to Ford. The mill should be a bit more useable too with peak twist coming on at 2,750 rpm, rather than 4,000 rpm in the previous Edge, and the Active Noise Cancellation system should keep it quiet inside, too. Front-wheel-drive versions of the Sport get EPA-estimated economy of 18 miles per gallon city, 27 mpg highway and 21 mpg combined. Opting for all-wheel drive reduces the figures to 17/24/20, respectively. Of course, not everyone is looking for the power of the Sport trim. In a first for Ford, the standard engine for the Edge is a 2.0-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder with 245 hp and 275 lb-ft. In front-wheel-drive form, it's rated at 20/30/24 mpg or with all-wheel drive at 20/28/23. For something in the middle the naturally aspirated 3.5-liter V6 brings 280 hp and 250 lb-ft of torque and carries EPA estimates of 18/26/21 with front-wheel drive or 17/25/20 when powering all four wheels. Every powertrain gets a six-speed automatic. Sales for the latest Edge begin this spring starting at $28,100, plus $895 destination on all models. Upgrading to the Sport pushes the price up to $38,100. Performance and Power: 2015 Ford Edge Sport Certified as Highest-Performing Edge Yet • 2015 Ford Edge Sport is the most powerful Edge yet, thanks to a 2.7-liter EcoBoost® V6 making 315 horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque • All-new Edge Sport, re-engineered from the ground up, features special sport-tuned suspension, specific Sport styling for exterior and interior, and a long list of available driver-assist technologies • Scheduled to go on sale this spring, pricing for 2015 Ford Edge starts at $28,100; Edge Sport starts at $38,100 – only a $500 increase from 2014 DEARBORN, Mich., Feb.

Second-tier UAW workers promoted for first time after Ford hits quota

The United Auto Workers put out a statement on Friday that 55 Ford workers chosen by seniority would be moved from the Tier 2, entry-level pay rate of around $19 per hour to the Tier 1, non-entry-level rate of about $28 per hour. One of the stipulations in the 2011 UAW-Ford agreement was that only 20-percent of the total hourly workforce could be paid the Tier 2 wages agreed upon in 2007; after that, those workers had to be moved to Tier 1. Even so, the new Tier 1 status makes them less expensive to Ford than veteran Tier 1 workers because they receive fewer benefits. However, Automotive News had reported that same day that Ford was 69 workers shy of the limit, and when AN asked Ford about the situation Ford said it had "some room" on the entry-level roster. If workers do move to the higher pay grade, it will be the first time that's happened since the two-tier system was agreed. But it sounds like there's going to be some haggling between the UAW and Ford before that happens. Ford is the only one of the Detroit 3 automakers to have to work with a cap, since it didn't go through bankruptcy proceedings during The Great Recession; General Motors and Chrysler jettisoned the cap in 2009. GM is said to have 16 percent of its hourly workers at Tier 2 while Chrysler has 42 percent, but Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne has long been opposed to the two-wage system. The UAW is preparing for its 2015 negotiations with the US automakers. It wants to eliminate the difference in pay by going to the higher scale, if there is a consensus among automakers it seems to be that they also want a single wage, but less than the higher scale, with the addition of profit-based bonuses. The recent statement from the labor union is below. UAW President Dennis Williams and UAW-Ford Vice President Jimmy Settles announced today that the union is delivering on its promise to convert workers DETROIT, Jan. 30, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- UAW President Dennis Williams and UAW-Ford Vice President Jimmy Settles announced today that the union is delivering on its promise to convert workers making entry-level wages to traditional employees. "The 2011 UAW-Ford agreement allows for a contractual limit of entry-level employees. Once that threshold is surpassed, entry-level employees convert by seniority to 'regular, non-entry level employment.' At this time, fifty-five UAW-Ford workers will receive the wage increases, which put them in the category of non entry-level employment.

Child cobalt miners: Automakers pledge ethical minerals sourcing for EVs

BERLIN - Leading carmakers including Volkswagen and Toyota pledged on Wednesday to uphold ethical and socially responsible standards in their purchases of minerals for an expected boom in electric vehicle production. Demand for minerals such as cobalt, graphite and lithium is forecast to soar in the coming years as governments crack down on vehicle pollution and carmakers step up their investments in electric models. To cover its plans for more than 80 new models by 2025, Volkswagen alone is looking for partners in China, Europe and North America to provide battery cells and related technology worth more than 50 billion euros ($59 billion). Talks with major cobalt producers, including Glencore, at VW's Wolfsburg headquarters last week ended without a deal. More than half of the world's cobalt comes from the Democratic Republic of Congo, a country racked by political instability and legal opacity, and where child labor is used in mines. On Wednesday, a group of 10 leading passenger-car and truck manufacturers announced an initiative to jointly identify and address ethical, environmental, human and labor rights issues in raw materials sourcing. The partnership dubbed "Drive Sustainability" consists of VW, Toyota Motor Europe, Ford, Daimler, BMW, Honda, Jaguar Land Rover, Volvo Cars and truckmakers Scania and Volvo. The alliance "will assess the risks posed by the top raw materials (such as mica, cobalt, rubber and leather) in the automotive sector," said Stefan Crets of the CSR Europe business network. "This will allow Drive Sustainability to identify the most impactful activities to pursue" to address issues within the supply chain.Reporting by Andreas Cremer.Related Video: Image Credit: Michael Robinson Chavez/The Washington Post via Getty Images Green BMW Ford Honda Jaguar Land Rover Mercedes-Benz Automakers Toyota Volkswagen Volvo Green Automakers Green Culture Electric Scania ethics mining