Ford Motor?s Chairman Bill Ford Jr. has recently called for a national energy policy saying that the auto industry together with the energy companies, government and other industries should cooperate in developing a comprehensive plan.

Chairman Ford Jr., addressing the Detroit Regional Chamber said that the auto industry is not looking for handouts nor it is trying to evade its responsibilities. On the other hand he said that he would like to move beyond the ?patchwork? of current fuel-economy rules and ?arbitrarily set standards.?

The executive said that all of the stakeholders should help to create a more comprehensive plan for cutting carbon emissions. He also stressed that Ford is continuing to invest in cleaner, more fuel-efficient technology in spite of its restructuring program.

Chairman Ford Jr. said, “Environmental sustainability is a critical issue for our future growth and prosperity.”

He further added that although the company has been able to develop the first hybrid SUV which is the Ford Escape and redeveloped its Rouge plant in Dearborn, Mich., in what he termed as ?environmentally friendly way?, the Chairman wishes that the company would have done more.

Chairman Ford Jr., also said during a question-and-answer session that the company ?didn?t stretch far enough in the past few years? on design but the new vehicles such as the Edge crossover utility and the Ford Flex are ?really indicative of the kind of design we want to have in the end.?

Despite the fact that Ford did well at truck and SUV design, Chairman Ford said, “I think as we started getting back to the car business, we weren’t perhaps bold enough.” He also said that he was ?Very disappointed? by the comments made by Presidential candidate Sen. Barack Obama, D-III., at his recent speech in Detroit wherein Obama has criticized the US automakers and calling them to do more to build furl-efficient vehicles.

Chairman Ford Jr., added that he would like to invite Obama to Ford?s plant in Chicago “where we make a vehicle that’s more fuel efficient than the one he’s currently driving.” He further stated that it is not only the stressed on the production of more fuel-efficient vehicles that?s weighing on the US automakers but also the rising cost of health care that leaves US manufacturers at a disadvantage. “Unless, nationally, we get our arms around this, it’s going to be very hard to be a manufacturer in this country of anything,” he said during a question-and-answer session.

However Chairman Ford has also made it clear that he is not at all endorsing a national universal health-care system but he did say that the present system is ?broken?. US automakers are facing a growing burden of providing heath care for thousands of retirees and active employees. But he didn?t mention just how Ford will deal with its health-care costs especially since its talks with the United Auto Workers union are getting near.

It can be remembered that Ford the producer of high quality car accessories such as Ford floor mats has taken a big step in changing its management stature when it hired Alan Mulally who is a former Boeing Co. (BA) executive as the new Chief Executive. And just recently, UAW President Ron Gettelfinger while speaking to the same conference has made a call for a national, single-payer health-care system. Gettelfinger said, “Our continued failure to enact serious health-care reform puts U.S. companies at an enormous competitive disadvantage. All of our major trading partners, every one, have national health-care systems which deliver quality care at an affordable price.”

Nextel Cup team Robert Yates Racing has confirmed that it will continue to work with Ford the maker of Ford Focus performance parts for the next few years after Ford Racing Technology has assured that it has signed another contract with the team for the next five years.

Yates has been the subject of much speculation this year as it had suggested that they were working on a deal to power the DEI cars next year. Other teams that were working on with the Dodge power were reported to have approached Yates to have their engines built by them.

However Yates despite the fact that they have gone through some difficult period recently has promised to remain loyal to Ford. The team has been working with the Blue Oval Company for the past 19 years, and was able to achieve 57 NASCAR Nextel Cup wins with one championship in 1999 with Dale Jarrett.

At present RYR is handling two Ford Fusions in the NASCAR Nextel Cup Series for David Gilliland and Ricky Rudd, while Stephen Leicht pilots the squad?s lone Busch Series entry.

Team founder Robert Yates said, “For Ford to come up and support us when we’re not having our best days is really a great feeling. They’re not turning their back on us. They’re offering us plenty of help to get this deal turned around, certainly with engineering support, so we appreciate everybody at Ford, everybody that works on them and everybody that buys them. I’m very appreciative of having this deal. We?re happy about this being done because there was speculation out there that we didn’t have anything or that we were looking elsewhere. It wasn’t true, but it’s hard to quiet your critics, especially when your competition is trying to shoot you down, so I want to thank Ford for being loyal to us.”

The last race where the team has won a race was at Talladega in the year 2005 with Dale Jarrett and continued to show that their powerful engines by sweeping the front row at the Daytona 500 this year and by putting David Gilliland on the front row at Talladega last April.

About Ford Motors

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation and currently the world?s third largest automaker after Toyota and General Motors based on the worldwide vehicle sales. Last 2006, Ford was the second-ranked automaker in the US with 17.5 percent market share, lagging behind General Motors with 24.6 percent but ahead of Toyota with only 15.4 percent and DaimlerChrysler with 14.4 percent. Ford was also the seventh-ranked American-based company in the 2007 Fortune 500 list based on global revenues of $160.1 billion.

It was also last year that Ford was able to produce about 6.6 million automobiles and employed about 280,000 employees for its 100 plants and facilities worldwide. Ford is based in Dearborn, Michigan, which is a suburb of Detroit; the automaker was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated in June 16, 1903. Ford now includes many global brands that include Lincoln and Mercury of the US, Jaguar and Land Rover of the UK, and Volvo of Sweden. Ford also owns a one-third controlling interest in Mazda.

Ford Motor Company Executive Chairman Bill Ford said last Thursday that the local auto industry is suffering from the result of its responding dully to foreign competitors and the continuously increasing demand for clean-environment vehicles.

In a speech during the Detroit Regional Chamber’s yearly Mackinac Policy Conference, Ford said that the industry is undergoing reorganization that results to the closure of the plants, layoffs, rising unemployment and a falling tax base. The conference was a gathering of 1,700 leaders in the field of business, politics and civic organizations.

In his speech, he said that legal concerns about global warming, energy security and the cost of gasoline have made a rush and pressure that lead to poorly formed solutions. He recalled four years ago when addressing the Detroit chamber, he had warned about the endless attack of foreign-made cars and other problems that pressure U.S. automakers.

In the conference he said that much of what he warned about then is happening now. Good thing is that the industry along with the others who are relying on it is doing their part.

For years of associating with environmental groups and tackling about green issues, many in auto manufacturing considered him as a “crazy radical”. Fortunately, people now understand that maintaining a fine environment is the critical issue for the country?s future evolution and prosperity.

His company’s projects such as the Ford Rouge Center, a brown field reclamation project, and the development of the Escape Hybrid SUV, according to Ford, please him. One thing he regretted was that they did not move further and faster.

To reduce carbon dioxide emissions, local automakers are investing billions in technology. However, according to Ford, the industry produces only 20 percent of U.S. end products. In lieu of this, he suggested that a national energy policy be implemented as well as a forum for bringing together other carbon emitters. He firmly adhered to these in order to come up with sound solutions.

He said that huge economic opportunities for Michigan are research and development of solutions to climate change.

Ford said that his company has the assets to transform themselves into a leading research and development center. And this includes the intellectual capital, a skilled workforce and a best quality of higher education system. He believed utilizing these assets will contribute a lot in the preservation of conventional jobs and creation of next-generation high technology jobs.

When the audience asked about health care, Ford responded that its reformation was critical for automakers and other manufacturers. He added that it is a broken system that if not solved immediately will pave way for the country?s difficulty in producing anything.

Rep. John Dingell, a Dearborn Democrat and the chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said that auto mobile makers have been too unconcerned when it comes to health care and trade issues. He said that as if they are too hesitant in seeking action from the government. According to him, instead of simply complaining about their problems, the companies should tandem with specific solutions and obligate progress.

Dingell also said that the companies are doing nothing to help themselves. They just think the problem, but do not care to solve them. He gave the American auto industry a challenge to stand up for the benefit of many.

Sen. Debbie Stabenow said that the Senate Democratic Steering Committee would tackle automakers, other manufacturers and labor unions. Their meeting regarding this will be held in Washington, D.C. next Wednesday.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company is an American multinational corporation. Based on the world wide vehicle sales, it is the third largest automaker all over the world after leaders Toyota and General Motors.

Maker of quality Ford Probe performance parts, Ford was the second-ranked automaker in the US with a 17.5 percent market share, after General Motors with 24.6 percent but ahead of Toyota with 15.4 percent and DaimlerChrysler with 14.4 percent. This was according to the 2006 records. In 2007, Ford was the seventh placer among different American-based companies in the Fortune 500 list. This was based on global revenues that amounted to $160.1 billion.

Headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan, a suburb of Detroit, the auto company was founded by Henry Ford and incorporated in June 16, 1903. Its global brands include Lincoln and Mercury of the US, Jaguar and Land Rover of the UK, and Volvo of Sweden. Ford also owns a Mazda controlling interest amounting to one-third controlling.

Aside from producing quality products, Ford has been one of the ten largest corporations around the world in terms of revenue.

We have all seen then the bumper stickers that say I would rather push a Ford than drive a Chevy. For many people, it is the truth. There is a great deal of consumer loyalty when it comes to Ford and Chevy. In fact, there is even a Playstation 2 game called Ford vs. Chevy. It may have to do with owning a particular vehicle that excelled so they stayed with that manufacturer. Maybe their family owned Ford’s or Chevy’s and they went with what was familiar.

Ford and Chevy continue to be stiff competitors out there. Ford does seem to excel though in many areas. If you want speed the Ford Mustang will out do the Chevy Corvette hands down. Chevy is in the process of making a come back with the Chevy Camaro but fans of the Camaro aren’t taking to the new design very well.

Ford Pickups are available in a variety of sizes from small trucks to large work trucks. The Ford F-150 is their basic full size truck, but they have smaller models, such as the Ranger, and larger models like the F-850 for super heavy duty hauling. Chevy has several of them as well. The safety ratings for Ford are slightly better though when several of the same style of pickups were compared to each other.

Mini vans are very popular these days as they look sporty and they offer plenty of room. The Ford Windstar and the Chevy Venture both offer plenty of room. Yet the Ford Windstar is more stylish and offers more features.

Ford also has the Ford Escape, which Chevy does not really have a good answer to. The Escape has good mpg, at about 24, but it still has the power to tow 3,500 pounds with the towing package. It’s a great vehicle for anyone who does need the extra room and towing power larger SUVs offer, because the Escape is great on gas, easy and fun to drive, and affordable.

Price is always a big concern when purchasing a new or used vehicle. The cost of used vehicles really depends on the quality of the vehicle and the amount of miles on it. New vehicles are pricey, but Ford and Chevy often compete to get business. I can almost guarantee that if you tell the Ford dealer how much Chevy quoted you for a similar vehicle of theirs, they would meet or match the price. If they won’t, you can go to another dealer, or ask for concessions to make the deal more attractive to you.

In many areas such as price, speed, and safety, Chevy appears to have some catching up to do. One problem they have is they always seem to be following in the footsteps of Ford rather than introducing something new to attract new customers. While the age old debate between Ford and Chevy owners will continue on, it is important to base that decision on some solid facts. Just because your grand-daddy said that Ford was the best doesn’t mean that they still are. And it certainly doesn’t mean that Ford is better for the particular type of vehicle you are buying.

You can find excellent information on Ford and Chevy comparisons in Consumer Reports, safety ratings, and various online resources. Make sure you look for unbiased information though or you will end up with nothing more than the opinion of the reader.

As you can well guess, most reviewers are biased in a review like this. Safety ratings, MPG ratings and other figures are good things to look at when comparing. Don’t forget though, that there can be a good deal of variation from model to model and from year to year. So it’s very important to compare apples to apples. Don’t try to compare a 2007 Ford Explorer to a 2003 Chevy Blazer.

We?ve all sat in traffic jams, and through the haze of frustration and traffic reports on the radio, have had our eyes wander over the surrounding metal stretching back for miles. The blue oval of a used Ford, or box fresh one, invariably stares back at you ? and with good reason. For years Ford has outsold its rivals, with a new or used Ford delivering everything a car buyer could want, with cutting edge design, reliability, practicality and crucially; value for money all included. Take the Ford Ka for instance. This car is more popular among women than a small dog in a sparkly handbag and despite being 12 years old, it remains so futuristic looking, an extraterrestrial should be supplied as standard.

A perusal through a selection of the remaining Ford range has the population well catered for too. From said Ka, we have the lovable Fiesta hatchback, the mid-size Focus, the motorway stallion Mondeo and the kid transporter – the Galaxy to name but a few. Throw a few ?ST? badges onto the Fiesta or Focus and you?ll also have enough whiplash inducing acceleration for the performance purist. After all, Ford know a bit about racing too ? they supplied the engines for many Formula One cars from the ?60?s right up to 2004, many carrying the much worshipped ?Cosworth? badge. Not only that, they power the entire field in the USA?s Champ Car series which includes the famous Indianapolis 500 and have scored points in every World Rally meeting since 2002 (92 consecutive races!) clinching two championships as a result. Ford boring then, well not quite?

So, enough setting the scene ? why buy a used Ford? The best recommendation has to be commuters. No seriously, because those that pile on the pounds at corporate dinners, also pile on the motorway miles, relentlessly, year on year with their Fords happily on cruise control. This means simply that companies happily add Fords to their annual line-ups due to their near bullet proof reliability and cost effectiveness. Ok, so when the cruise control is switched off whilst sitting in a 25 mile jam and the motorway looks like the world?s largest used Ford showroom, you may want exclusivity. However, follow this logic and you?ll stick with a walkman rather than an iPod, an Atari computer rather than a Nintendo Wii and a clothes mangle rather than washing machine. The best inventions are always the most popular ? so what if everyone wants a Ford with an iPod adapter?

Ok, time for the science bit. In 2006, Ford produced 6.6 million vehicles and as of 2007, has more quality awards from JD Power (only the biggest customer satisfaction survey wizards) than any other car maker. So even though we?re only halfway through, let?s recap ? great sporting heritage, most customer satisfaction awards, trendy design, reliable and reasonable. Just in case you need more reasons, let?s see how a typical used Ford, in this case a Focus, stacks up against its competitors.

Featuring more pyramids in its design than an Egyptian desert, this family hatchback is Britain?s best selling car since its birth in 1998, overtaking the Escort, which was, of course also a Ford. You can pick up a newer face-lifted 2006 model for less than

“The Ford Company purchases a variety of raw materials for use in the production of its vehicles from numerous suppliers around the world. Years have passed, the company represents a leader of corporate strength making it the world?s second finest automaker. Often referred to as Ford and at times, called as Ford?s or FoMoCo, the automotive behemoth embarked its humble beginnings through the passion and vision of Henry Ford in 1903 inside tha shabby assembly lines in Detroit, Michigan.Although the company had been through rough patches before, Ford Company managed to sell cars and trucks throughout the world. It recovered in the 1950s from the negligence of its founder?s later years and struggled in the 1970s and early 1980 to repel the influence of Japanese imports. Shortly, Ford was the producer of almost half of all the cars in the United States. And in 2005, the company sold approximately 6,818,000 vehicles all over the world. They have stretched their long lines of brand names, which also include, Mercury, Lincoln, Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar and Aston Martin.Ford Motor Company offers a good variety of cars for almost every condition. Every model is manufactured with premium quality materials, leaving approval ratings among other automakers. Only best-in-class parts are fit to these prestigious models. The selection goes from the small and inexpensive ZX2, and goes all the way up to the seven passengers Windstar. Security and strength remains undoubted. And when it comes to fuel economy, one could get full mileage out of these four-wheeled beasts. Standard parts that come with Ford models are made of premium quality materials. Even original, reproduction and restoration parts for antique, classic, street rod, and obsolete Ford models can be purchased to supply the genuine function in which ford parts

are intended for. When Ford makes vehicles along with its parts, its main concern is to make every merchandise coming out of its stables well-scrutinized with great care. Ford is a company whose concern lies not only on consumer demands, but constantly provides excellent products and services for the sake of the name it holds, as well.Once the vehicle is made by Ford, it is trusted that it would include everything that one possibly expects for in a vehicle. This should be applied particularly to the parts that come with it. These raw materials include non-ferrous metals, precious metals, ferrous metals and other material resources. Ford Company ultimately offers to the general looks and achievement a Ford model can get making Fords to give out great performances at all times.

The company makes plenty of great Ford accessories like Ford car covers, Ford floor mats, and Ford cargo liners. It produces primary parts such as engines, transmissions, exhaust systems, brakes, wheels, hoods, seats, doors, windows and steering wheels that guarantee the vital performance of every Ford vehicles. There are many other parts like air intakes, clutch, door handles, cooling system, fuel injection, drive belts, electrical parts, mirrors, driveshaft, suspensions, hubcaps, radiators, spoilers, window regulators, lights, tailgates, etc. that help the vehicle perform flat out on the road while providing comfort to driver and passengers as well. It provides high-performance parts that will make your Ford function faster and work better.

“

[?Hot Stocks? is a new Money Morning feature that analyzes the investment outlook of global companies that are in the news. This is the eighth installment of this ongoing investment series.]

Money Morning Staff Reports

If you like the car, will you love the company?

When it comes to Ford Motor Co. (F), a Canadian car dealer bet a month?s sales on that premise.

Rose City Ford dealership owner John Chisholm offered 100 shares of Ford stock to anyone who bought a new or used vehicle from the dealership during the month of November, the Windsor Star newspaper reported. Chisholm, the president and general manager of Rose City, said he got the idea from a General Motors Co. (GM) dealership in Texas that offered GM shares for each vehicle sold. So Chisholm opted to try it in Windsor, the Ontario, Canada city where Ford has both a long history and deep community roots.

?What a great way to show our confidence in the company,? Chisholm, who employs 80 at a dealership that his father founded nearly 30 years ago, said in an interview late last week. ?We believe the company is going to be around for a long, long time.?

Chisholm was planning to actually buy the shares Monday for customers who bought a vehicle last month. He expects to extend the promotion, should its popularity continue.

?We want as many people with ownership in the company as we can,? said Chisholm, who owns Ford shares himself. ?They?ll be going up. This is an incentive that is going to grow.?

Just how big a payoff the incentive deal provides the dealership?s customers will depend on whether Ford is able to turn itself around in the coming months.

Thanks to the ongoing global financial crisis ? and stung by the worst sales slump in 25 years ? Ford lost $3 billion in the third quarter and now the Dearborn, Mich.-based company and its two other ?Big Three? cohorts are pressing both U.S. and Canadian lawmakers for emergency aid. All three are to submit turnaround plans to Congress this week ? a requirement if General Motors, Ford and Chrysler Corp., are to receive $25 billion in U.S. government bailout loans.

Some details began to emerge yesterday (Tuesday), according to a report that runs elsewhere in today?s (Wednesday?s) issue of Money Morning. Among other things, Ford is considering the sale of its stake in Volvo as it seeks to raise cash.

Anthony J. ?Tony? Faria, a marketing expert who is the co-director of the University of Windsor/DaimlerChrysler Canada Automotive Research and Development Center (ARDC), told the Windsor Star that the Ford promotion was ?interesting? and ?attention-getting,? even though the present value to customers was less than $300, a small inducement compared to other incentives and rebates.

?I presume Detroit Three dealers probably will be looking for a lot of creative things they can do to improve traffic through their dealerships,? Faria said.

Promotional flyers for what the dealership portrayed as ?confidence sale? exhorted local customers to ?be a part of history,? proclaiming that ?100 shares is the way forward.? Public interest has already been piqued by the inexpensive promotion, which customers say they like because of the potential for a big payoff, the newspaper reported.

?The 100 shares are an absolute bonus,? customer Tina Reed said, just before she drove away from the dealership in a brand-new charcoal-gray Ford Focus. ?I keep an eye on the stock market but now I?ll pay a little more attention.?

JP Morgan Chase & Co. (JPM) credit analysts had rated GM?s distressed debt as a ?Buy,? noting that the company ? known for such brands as Chevrolet and Buick ? was likely going to survive.

Interestingly, Ford has a market cap of $6.09 billion ? making the company known for bringing forth such innovations as mass production, the Model T and the assembly line more than twice as valuable as GM, the market-share leader (of the U.S. carmakers). Ford had $172.5 billion in sales last year, and $160.1 billion in 2006.

GM had $181.2 billion in sales last year and $205.6 billion in 2006, according to statistics provided by Google Finance. The company right now has a market value of only $2.8 billion.

Shares in the embattled automaker hovered near $30 in 2001, but have nose-dived since that time. GM?s shares closed Monday at $4.59 each, a decline of 65 cents each, or 12.4%. They have traded as high as $29.95 in the past 12 months.

Ford shares closed Monday at $2.55 each, down 14 cents, or 5.2% per share. They?ve traded as high as $8.79 in the past year.

Whether the price will tank or skyrocket in these uncertain times is anybody?s guess but many, including Faria, the marketing expert, believe the stock is poised for a rebound ? especially if the U.S. and Canadian governments can agree on a multibillion-dollar bailout package.

I?ve seriously thought about buying a lot of Ford shares at this price because one of two things is going to happen,? Faria said. ?Either Ford is going to fail and you?re going to lose all of it or, if Ford doesn?t fail, the shares, at some point, are going to be worth a lot more.?

Faria said Ford was in better shape financially than GM and Chrysler, but conceded that the fates of all three are intertwined because they share suppliers dependent on business from all three ? and because of the need for government aid.

Not everyone sees a bright future for Ford. Indeed, one Web site wag wrote on the Windsor Star Web site that ?I have some Penn Central, WorldCom., Enron, Nortel (NT) and Citibank (C) shares if Mr. Chisholm would like to take them in trade for a new car. They are in certificate form, so he can use them to decorate the showroom. Cheaper than buying new wallpaper.?

To read more click here.

Investment News

Every car owner has the challenging means of parking his or her vehicle. Parallel parking is one of these means. In some garage cases, because of the presence of narrow space, car owner would even have troubles in backing in and out of the space. Not every driver or car owner is great at parking situations. Whether you are great or not in parking your car then avail your own car parking sensor at Parking Dynamics. Car parking sensor does not only help you solve your parking aid problems but also helps you get out from your troubled blind spots during parking situation. Most of the electromagnetic car parking sensors at Parking Dynamics would definitely work on any car brands including Ford because they are universal. As you read along, learn more about Ford parking sensor.

Ford parking sensor at Parking Dynamics gives protection to your car. Basically, a Ford parking sensor has three options from where car owner can choose. These options include the rear, front and the vision rear. Among these three options, the most beneficial one is the rear Ford parking sensor. The rear Ford parking sensor offers full protection on the rear bumper during reversing and parking situation. It can detect various types of objects such as bushes, fences, people and vehicles. When engaging a rear Ford parking sensor, you need to put your car in the reverse mode.

The vision rear Ford parking sensor is another option that any car owner can get at Parking Dynamics. It works in similar ways with the rear Ford parking sensor. However, there is one big difference between these two options. The vision rear Ford parking sensor has a built-in LED display that is mounted near the mirror. This LED display helps the car owner to identify the size of the object behind during parking situation.

The last option for Ford parking sensor is the front car parking sensor. This option provides the car owner an all-around bumper protection. Compared to the rear Ford parking sensor that has three audible zones, the front Ford parking sensor only has two audible zones.

For all the options above for Ford parking sensor at Parking Dynamics, all of which come with easy installation and offers no-hole & no-drilling design for your vehicle. You just have to attach the Ford parking sensor at the back side of your car?s bumper.

Here are other compatible features that you can get when buying Ford parking sensor at Parking Dynamics:

The Ford parking sensor is uniquely designed with superior alternative to the traditional ultrasonic technology of most car parking sensors. It comes with an antenna of optimum flexibility that can fit all shapes and sizes of bumpers.

The Ford parking sensor comes with new CAN Bus Systems of multiplex wiring technology. With this, any Ford vehicle will not require extra accessories or adjustments during installation. There is also no need to use any ultrasonic systems that might require extra components and wiring to fully integrate the CAN Bus Systems.

The Ford parking sensor can fit with a tow bar, which means performance is not affected. It is the only car parking sensor that can fit any vehicle with tow bar fitted.

The Ford parking sensor comes with spare wheel on the rear door of SUVs, MPV, and 4×4. It is the only car parking and reverse sensor that is compatible with vehicles having spare wheel installed on the rear door.

The Ford parking sensor comes with metal bumpers that can be adjusted accordingly.