1930 Ford Model A Barn Find on 2040-cars

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Foreign automakers pay from $38 to $65 per hour to non-union workers

As leaders for the United Auto Workers gather in Detroit for their Special Convention on Collective Bargaining to work out the negotiating stance for this year's new labor agreements with the Detroit 3 automakers, what they most want to do is figure out how to eliminate the two-tier wage scale. However, the lower Tier 2 wage has allowed the domestic automakers to reduce their labor costs, hire more workers, and compete better with their import competition. As it stands, per-hour labor rates including benefits are $58 at General Motors, $57 at Ford, and $48 at Fiat-Chrysler – a reflection of FCA's much greater number of Tier 2 workers. The Center for Automotive Research released a study of labor rates (including benefits) that put numbers to what the imports pay: Mercedes-Benz pays the most, at an average of $65 per hour, Volkswagen pays the least, at $38 per hour, and BMW is just a hair above that at $39 per hour. Among the Detroit competitors, Honda workers earn an average of $49 per hour, at Toyota it's $48 per hour, Nissan is $42 per hour, and Hyundai-Kia pays $41 per hour. The lower import wages are aided by their greater use of temporary workers compared to the domestics. Automotive News says the ten-dollar gap between those foreign camakers and the domestics turns out to about an extra $250 per car in labor, which adds up quickly when you're pumping out many millions of cars. That $250-per-car number is one that, come negotiating time, the Detroit 3 will want to reduce, as the UAW is trying to raise both Tier 1 and Tier 2 wages. Another wrinkle is that the domestic carmakers are considering the wide adoption of a third wage level lower than Tier 2. Some workers who do minor tasks like assembling parts trays kits and battery packs already make less than Tier 2, but the UAW will be quite wary about cementing yet another wage scale at the bottom of the system while it's trying to fight a bigger battle at the top. News Source: Automotive News - sub. req., BloombergImage Credit: AP Photo/Erik Schelzig Earnings/Financials UAW/Unions BMW Chevrolet Fiat Ford GM Honda Hyundai Kia Mercedes-Benz Nissan Toyota Volkswagen labor wages collective bargaining labor costs

Ford unveils next-gen S-Max in Europe

Let's get this unfortunate though important tidbit out of the way right off the bat: The Ford S-Max isn't sold in the United States, and it's not coming here, at least not anytime soon. And so it's with our European friends in mind that we share this information about the next-gen S-Max (previewed about a year ago in concept form) that is set to debut all across Europe next year and will be shown off at the upcoming Paris Motor Show. Now, moving on...
As with the first-gen S-Max, the new model will boast seating for seven passengers, along with a decent amount of storage space, all packed into a relatively reasonably sized package. Powering the front wheels (or optionally all four) will be the buyer's choice of EcoBoost gasoline-turbocharged or turbo-diesel four-cylinder engines along with automatic and manual transmission options. Included in the mix is a new 1.5-liter EcoBoost with 160 horsepower, though the 240-horse 2.0 is likely to be seen as the headliner.
There are all kinds of new technologies on offer, ranging from Adaptive Steering to Dynamic LED Headlamps with Glare-Free Highbeams, and it's all housed inside new, more sleekly designed bodywork riding atop a chassis with new suspension architecture designed to make the S-Max a people-hauler that's still fun to drive. For all the details, we suggest you scroll down below to read through Ford's official press release.

Porsche 911 tops a list of must-have classics, but No. 2 is more of a surprise

No surprise here: In Europe, the Porsche 911 is the most sought-after classic car. Surprise here: Slip-streaming the 911 in the most sought-after chart compiled by the Car & Classic marketplace is the Ford Mustang. Using the Google search engine as a means to pick the winners, as well as the average prices achieved on the “Car and Classic” website, the venerable 911 was tagged 1.45 million times per month according to data stretching back 15 years. The number of 911Â’s sold though the C&C marketplace was 21,141, at an average price of 58,409 pounds, or $74,300. FordÂ’s pony car, still a popular choice for buyers in Europe, placed second on the list with 1.2 million monthly searches. The average sales price over 15 years was 31,107 pounds ($39,570), and the number of older Mustangs sold reached a total of 8,332. Models that also finished among the charted top 10 include the Land Rover Range Rover, the Corvette, the ultra-classic British favorite Jaguar E-Type and the BMW 3 Series. “Whilst a 1973 Porsche 911 Carrera 2.7 RS could set you back the best part of GBP500,000 ($636,000), there are many more affordable models, which bring the average sale price of a 911 on Car & Classic to GBP58,000 ($73,800) – the third highest average selling price of any make and model on the site,” explained Dale Vinten of Car & Classic. According to the site, the Jaguar fetched the highest average selling price: a whopping 89,000 pounds, or $113,000. But thatÂ’s peanuts compared to a Series 1 Roadster in excellent condition, said Vinten. For that, “you can expect to spend up to GBP250,000 ($318,000), A Series 2 or 3 will cost less, as they are not as desirable, but in decent condition you can expect to pay around GBP40,000-GBP50,000. Even a barn find 1969 E-Type Series 2 Roadster can set you back to the tune of GBP33,000 ($42,000)." Launched in 2005, Car & Classic is among EuropeÂ’s most popular classic car clearinghouses. It also runs a stand-alone auction site.