2014 Ford Flex Limited W/ecoboost on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Detroit 3 and UAW could create healthcare pool

Healthcare costs continue to multiply in the US with no clear end in sight, but the United Auto Workers and the Big Three are negotiating a way to rapid growth under control. As part of the latest contract talks, the union has an idea to create a healthcare pool across all of its members at Ford, General Motors, and FCA US. If accepted, the company-wide integration would spread out the expenses and create a massive member base for bargaining with insurance companies. Both Ford and GM are at least considering the proposal, according to The Detroit News, and FCA US might be on board, as well. The idea is the work of current UAW president Dennis Williams and is based on the similar pool for the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association for retirees. "I've walked through this several ways; I just don't have any other answer," Williams said to The Detroit News. "I do believe this will work. It's worked with the VEBA." Williams was elected UAW president last year and won by an overwhelming margin. He vowed no more concessions to automakers. In addition to healthcare, the two-tier wage system is another major talking point in the contract negotiation because it gives fewer benefits to entry-level workers. Higher wages are also a request. Healthcare costs are a massive expense for automakers and are expected to reach over $2 billion this year, according to The Detroit News. The payments are up nearly 50 percent or more in just the last four years.

Experts wonder if aluminum F-150 gives Ford a real advantage

There's no doubt that Ford is taking a risk in producing the body of its upcoming new F-150 pickup truck in aluminum. What is up for debate, however, is whether aluminum was a wise risk to take in the first place. Wards Auto took the opportunity to poll some experts on the subject of aluminum versus steel in the automotive sector, with somewhat unsurprising results.
Richard Schultz, a project consultant at Ducker Worldwide, which bills itself as "a leading aluminum industry consultant (though they also deal in steels), suggests that the potential drawbacks to aluminum - higher costs, lower supply - aren't really impediments to the auto industry's increased acceptance of the lightweight metal.
Similarly, Randall Scheps, global automotive marketing director for Alcoa, a massive aluminum producer, counters claims that aluminum is less safe for vehicle occupants, suggesting that the use of aluminum can actually increase safety as it could potentially allow for larger vehicles with more crush space than steel.

2014 Ford Fiesta Titanium

You might not be interested in owning a subcompact (B-segment) hatchback for $20,000. Let's be clear from the get go here: there are any number of reasonable arguments for staying away from the highest-content versions of these small cars. Ford's player in the B-segment arena is the newly updated 2014 Fiesta, and the Titanium trim represents the most luxurious instantiation of the model. We recently were loaned a Fiesta Titanium for a week, whose final sticker price hit $20,390, with navigation being the only standalone option added to the bottom line. By way of comparison, the most basic version of the all new, one-segment-up Mazda3 hatchback costs $19,740 with delivery and destination accounted for, and no options added on.
Hold on to that thought for a moment, we'll get back to it.