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Petrolicious pays visit to tuning sensation the Ringbrothers

We caught up with a few projects from Ringbrothers at SEMA this year: a classic Ford Mustang body rendered in carbon fiber, and a De Tomaso Pantera-based concept that made us swoon.
It's with good timing then, that our friends at Petrolicious have uploaded their newest, well-crafted mini-documentary to the expansive airwaves of the Internet. Here, we meet the brothers Ring in person - Mike and Jim - and see how they've lent they're passion for craftsmanship to their business, along with their surname. A 1964 Ford Fairlane dubbed "Afterburner" and a 1965 Mustang called "Producer" star in this show.

Ford Fusion demand outstripping supply

The attractive new 2013 Ford Fusion has done wonders for the brand in the highly competitive midsize sedan segment - the vehicle is up nearly 22 percent compared to last year. But that sales momentum may soon hold steady due to low inventory levels of the new Fusion across the United States.
According to a report in The Detroit News, citing automotive data and Ward's Auto, Ford currently has a 39-day supply of the Fusion. That might sound fine, but a normally healthy average is about a 60-day supply. If Ford were to stop production on the Fusion today, there would only be enough vehicles available to get through another five weeks of sales, according to the News.
Currently, Ford produces the Fusion at its three-shift assembly plant in Hermosillo, Mexico, and will add production at its facility in Flat Rock, MI later this year. A Ford spokesperson told The Detroit News that when Flat Rock production comes online, the automaker will need to rush new stock out to the regions with the most demand for the Fusion. Ford has doubled its coastal retail market share, with huge amounts of growth in areas like Los Angeles, San Francisco and Miami, the News reports.

Ford workers vote to ratify new four-year UAW contract

DETROIT — The United Auto Workers union said on Friday that rank-and-file members at Ford have voted in favor of a new four-year labor contract with the No. 2 U.S. automaker. The UAW will now focus on Fiat Chrysler Automobiles (FCA), the sole remaining Detroit automaker without a new labor contract. Talks with FCA are expected to begin on Monday, a UAW spokesman said. The union said 56.3% of Ford's hourly workers voted to approve the deal, which allowed the company to avoid a strike like the one that cost its larger rival General Motors about $3 billion (GBP2.3 billion). UAW leaders said earlier this month that Ford under the deal agreed to invest more than $6 billion in its U.S. plants, and to create or retain more than 8,500 UAW jobs. The deal also includes pay raises and lump-sum payments over the life of the contract, a pathway to full-time employment for temporary employees and unchanged healthcare coverage. Workers at GM approved a deal in late October that ended a contentious 40-day U.S. strike, the longest automotive labor stoppage since 1970. Detailed terms of the Ford deal — released just a week after GM workers approved their new contract — echoed those agreed to with GM, as the union typically uses the first deal as a template for those that follow. UAW leaders managed contract negotiations with Ford and GM, including the lengthy strike, while struggling with an ongoing federal corruption probe. To date, 10 people have pleaded guilty in connection with the criminal investigation into illegal payoffs. Just last week former UAW vice president and former GM board member Joseph Ashton was charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering and wire fraud. Earlier this month the UAW said that its president, Gary Jones, who had been linked to the ongoing corruption probe, was taking a leave of absence. Rory Gamble, the union's acting head, said last week he will examine every department of the union in response to the spreading federal corruption probe to prevent future misuse of members' dues.