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UAW strike decision day comes as bargaining heats up

DETROIT — United Auto Workers President Shawn Fain is scheduled to say later on Friday whether recent intensified bargaining with the Detroit Three automakers has produced enough progress to forestall more walkouts. A video address by Fain is scheduled for 2 p.m. EDT and will cover substantive bargaining updates, people familiar with the UAW's plans said. That timing is a departure from the previous two Fridays in which Fain addressed union members at about 10 a.m. Detroit time, and ordered walkouts at additional Detroit Three factories to start at noon. Fain kept automakers guessing with a social media post on Thursday afternoon that showed an image of three men in suits, their faces obscured by the logos of the Detroit automakers, standing in front of a table with roses on it. "Tune into @UAW's Facebook page at 2pm on Friday, October 6th to see who gets the rose!" Fain tweeted, a reference to the television reality show "The Bachelorette," in which the week's winners get a rose. In the UAW version, the winner offers richer contract terms, and gets a week without a new strike. People familiar with the bargaining among the UAW and Detroit automakers General Motors, Ford Motor and Chrysler parent Stellantis said talks have heated up this week after days of little movement. Ford, GM and Stellantis have made new proposals in an effort to end the escalating cycle of walkouts that threaten to undercut profits and cripple smaller suppliers already strained from months of production cuts forced by semiconductor shortages. The pressure is rising on the three automakers as EV market leader Tesla cut U.S. prices of its Model 3 sedan and Model Y SUV, ratcheting up its price war and further pressuring profits on all EV models that are forced to match CEO Elon Musk's aggressiveness. Ford said its latest wage offer would provide raises in excess of 20% over the life of a contract. Combined with proposed cost-of-living-adjustments, workers could see close to 30% increases in pay, people familiar with the proposal said. Fain's Friday video addresses have become must-see events since he launched coordinated strikes at GM, Ford and Stellantis plants shortly after midnight on Sept. 15. Each Friday since, Fain has kept the automakers in suspense as to whether he would order additional plants shut down, or give an automaker a pass because they had offered new concessions.

Ken Block proves the new Ford Focus RS can handle that Gymkhana thing

Oh Ford, you've already done a lot for us today, introducing the bound-for-America Focus RS and all. But then you go ahead and add onto this day of good news by handing a prototype of the new all-wheel-drive rocket to drift maestro Ken Block and capture it all on video. Block does his usual, slipping and sliding and drifting the over-315-horsepower hot hatchback through Ford's Cologne, Germany factory, before making a final and surprising appearance at the unveiling of the new RS to European media. It's all as entertaining as it sounds, and gives us plenty of chances to hear the 2.3-liter EcoBoost at full bellow. Related Video:

Detroit Three's lucrative pickup war intensifies as Ram makes big gains

DETROIT — The battle for profits from sales of large pickup trucks is intensifying among the Detroit Three automakers as sales of small cars in the United States shrivel. For decades Ford has had the single best-selling truck brand in its F-Series trucks. General Motors' Chevrolet brand was a solid No. 2, and Fiat Chrysler Automobiles' Ram was a distant third. Now, that hierarchy may be in flux. Sales figures for December and the fourth quarter released on Thursday show Ram tied with GM's Chevy for the No. 2 spot, as sales of the redesigned Ram pickup surged, fueled in part by demand for an optional 12-inch (30.48 cm) dashboard screen. Chevy not long ago held second place to Ford by a wide margin. GM executives said on Thursday they are bullish on their new GMC and Chevy trucks for 2019.Related: How the Detroit Three's pickups compare on paper 2019 Ram 1500 Laramie review 2019 Chevy Silverado 2.7L four-cylinder review 2019 Ford F-150 2.7L EcoBoost review "There's no doubt this segment (pickup trucks) is one of the epicenters of the auto wars," said Sandor Piszar, director of marketing for Chevrolet at GM. "It's been that way forever, and we wouldn't have it any other way." On Wall Street, investors give electric car leader Tesla a higher valuation than any of the Detroit automakers. But in the nation's heartland, big pickups remain far more popular and profitable than any electric car — and most other consumer vehicles of any kind. Large pickups generate at least $17,000 a vehicle in pretax profit for GM, the company has indicated in disclosures to investors. By contrast, many Detroit Three sedans are so unprofitable, their manufacturers have decided not to build them anymore. 'Hotly contested' Sustaining sales and pricing in the large-pickup segment will be critical in a year when most forecasters expect overall U.S. car and light truck sales to fall. Ford's U.S. sales chief, Mark LaNeve, on Thursday called the F Series "the backbone of our franchise" during a conference call, and added the "segment will continue to be strong, but hotly contested" in 2019. Automakers are banking on pickup truck sales to stay strong even if U.S. interest rates continue to rise. Rising interest rates translate into higher monthly car payments and are expected to deter some buyers in 2019. GM has said 27 percent of Chevrolet and GMC trucks — which can haul trailers by day and substitute for a luxury sedan by night — sell for more than $55,000.