Ford has announced that the new 2011 Lincoln MKX has been officially rated at 19 mpg city and 26 mpg on the highway, with a combined fuel economy of 21 mpg by the EPA. Those numbers put the 2011 MKX at the top of its class.

The 2011 MKX is powered by a 305-hp 3.7L V6.

"The Lincoln MKX doesn't sacrifice power to receive its great fuel economy," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president, Global Product Development. "Our engineers were able to deliver an increase in power and torque in a fashion that reflects the luxurious driving experience that Lincoln is known for."

Lincoln has announced a new promo for the summer that will offer free scheduled maintenance for three years or 45K miles on all new vehicles that are purchased by September 7th.

The promotion comes on the heels of Ford's announcement to officially kill the Mercury brand and to expand the Lincoln lineup.

"Our commitment is to further grow the Lincoln brand and offer our luxury customers the premium experience they deserve and expect," said Ken Czubay, Ford Motor Company's vice president of U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. "Our free scheduled maintenance offer marks only the first step in our plans to further upgrade the Lincoln experience."

As was predicted, Ford has officially killed the Mercury brand. Ford released a press release earlier today in which the automaker has announced the demise of the Mercury brand and the further expansion of the Lincoln lineup.

Ford is going to end production of the Mercury brand in the fourth quarter of this year. With sales dropping significantly over the past ten years and a lack of new models it was only expected that Ford was going to kill off the brand.

Although Mercury is now officially dead, the news isn't all that bad since Ford has announced plans to expand the Lincoln lineup with seven all-new or significantly refreshed models within the next four years.

"We have made tremendous progress on profitably growing the Ford brand during the past few years. Now, it is time to do the same for Lincoln," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. "The new Lincoln vehicles will transform luxury for North American premium customers through an unexpected blend of responsive driving enjoyment and warm, inviting comfort. We will also offer our customers a world-class retail experience through a vibrant retail network."

Ford is going to expand the Lincoln lineup with its first ever C-segment vehicle as well as the 2011 MKZ Hybrid and 2011 MKX.

According to the Detroit News, Ford is going to hold a press conference at 3 PM EST in which the automaker is going to announce the official death of the Mercury brand.

Stay tuned....

After years of promising new products for its Mercury line, it looks like Ford is finally going to kill Mercury.

Mercury sales have dropped 74 percent since 2000 and without any new product, the sales will only continue to fall. According to sources, Ford's top executives are preparing a proposal to kill Mercury.

Mercury has long been a forgotten brand and the fact that it keeps losing models, only makes it worse. Ford CEO, Alan Mulally originally promised that the brand would survive, but it looks like Mercury is set to follow the same route as Pontiac, Saturn and Oldsmobile and Plymouth.

According to sources, Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford and other members of the founding family all support killing Mercury.

Mercury was originally launched by Edsel Ford, son of Henry Ford in 1939.

Lincoln is debuting the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, which is set to become the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in the US.

"Lincoln's hallmarks are design, technology and comfort. Now, Lincoln also delivers the best fuel efficiency of any luxury sedan in America," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas.

Like it's Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrid siblings, the Lincoln MKZ hybrid is powered by a 2.5L Atkinson-cycle four-cylinder mated to an electric powertrain. The setup puts out 191 horsepower and yields at least 41 mpg on the highway, which tops its nearest competitor the Lexus HS 250h. The MKZ can also travel up to 47 mph in electric mode compared to only 25 mph in the Lexus.

The 2011 MKZ Hybrid will go on sale later this year.

J.D. Power and Associates has released the results of its 2010 long-term dependability study. The study measures problems with vehicles that are three-years old (2007 models). Overall dependability is determined by the level of problems experienced per 100 vehicles (PP100), with a lower score reflecting higher quality.

This year Porsche leads the overall nameplate rankings, followed by Lincoln, which improved by six rank positions from 2009. The rest of the top five nameplates are Buick, Lexus and Mercury.

Regarding specific models, Toyota took home the most awards with four segment awards, Honda took home three and Lincoln received two awards.

Mark Fields, Ford President of the Americas unveiled plans to launch a new small car for the Mercury brand in early 2011 during a meeting with U.S. dealers at the annual National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Orlando, Florida.

The new small Mercury will be built off the same platform that is also the basis for the new 2012 Ford Focus. The small Mercury is one of ten models that Ford is planning on building off its global small car architecture. It's been a question for years if Ford was going to eventually kill off the Mercury brand since Mercury hasn't had a completely new product in years. When the new small Mercury launches, Mercury will only consist of the Milan, Mariner and whatever the small car is named.

Ford has officially unveiled the refreshed 2011 Lincoln MKX. The 2011 MKX benefits from a refreshed exterior with a new front fascia that now includes Lincoln's new signature grille. Out back there are new taillights and exhaust tips.

The most noteworthy changes to the 2011 MKX lie beneath the hood and in the interior. First the new MKX gets new engine, a 3.7L V6 that puts out 305 horsepower and 280 lb-ft. of torque. Even though horsepower has been increased 15 percent over the 2010 model, the MKX gets 25 mpg on the highway and runs on regular fuel. To improve its handling the revised MKX gets retuned springs, shocks and stabilizer bars.

Inside the 2011 MKX gets Ford's recently announced MyLincoln Touch driver connect technology. MyLincoln comes standard on the 2011 Lincoln MKX.

"With its combination of style, performance and uncompromising luxury, the Lincoln MKX has brought new customers into the Lincoln showroom in a way that very few products have before," said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. "Lincoln customers tell us they care most about style and technology, and the new Lincoln MKX meets these needs perfectly. The new MyLincoln Touch technology will change the way customers interact with their vehicles while its new design language gives the vehicle a distinctive and stylish silhouette we know customers will love."

2010 is going to be a big year for Ford with the introduction of nine new engines and six new transmissions, which is part of a five year plan to overhaul its entire global powertrain portfolio, which totals 60 new powertrains.

Ford began working on the new engines and transmissions in 2008 and the push continues through 2013.

"Ford is delivering on our commitment to lower emissions, improve fuel economy and deliver the highest quality powertrains in the industry," said Barb Samardzich, Ford vice president, Powertrain Engineering. "We are making this happen with one of the most ambitious powertrain upgrades ever undertaken by Ford. By the end of 2010, nearly all of Ford's North American engines will have been upgraded or replaced since 2008."

In 2010 Ford is going to introduce new engines in the Fiesta, Mustang, F-150 and Super Duty. The all-new 2012 Focus will be powered by an all-new normally aspirated 2.0-liter direct fuel injection engine.

Ford as introduced a new smarter, safer, simpler system to connect drivers with in-car technologies, dubbed MyFord. Building on its successful SYNC system Ford has combined a variety of technologies into one powerful, intuitive connected driver experience.

"MyFord delivers a premium interior experience that will help consumers fall in love with their vehicles again," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. "It integrates all our signature features so customers will know exactly what they're going to get in any Ford vehicle they may find themselves driving, no matter where they are in the world."

The MyFord Touch system does away with the buttons and knobs that we've become accustomed to in today's car interiors. Instead they have been replaced by dual 4.2-inch LCD screens in front of the driver, five-way button steering wheel controls and an 8-inch touch screen all controlled by a simplified SYNC.

The MyFord system will initially launch this year in the 2011 Ford Edge and globally with the introduction of the 2012 Focus. The MyLincoln Touch system will will be standard equipment on new Lincolns beginning with 2011 Lincoln MKX.

Lincoln is poised to downsize its current lineup with the addition of new smaller vehicles that are a huge departure from its other vehicles like the Navigator SUV.

Lincoln has shown off the possibility of small Lincolns with its recent concept cars and It's rumored that Lincoln could be working on a new compact car that would share its platform with the new global Focus. But it's not certain if Lincoln is ready to take a risk that its other luxury rivals have shied away from, fearing that the US market isn't ready for smaller cars.

But in the meantime a new compact crossover based on the European Ford Kuga is expected to be offered in late 2011. Redesigned versions of the Kuga will be released by Lincoln and Mercury. The Kuga is also expected to replace the Ford Escape.

Ford has reported a third quarter profit of $997 million compared to the $161 million net loss for the same period last year. The announcement represents Ford's first operating profit in nearly two years.

"Our third-quarter results clearly show that Ford is making tremendous progress despite the prolonged slump in the global economy," Ford CEO Alan Mulally stated. "Our solid product lineup is leading the way in all markets. While we still face a challenging road ahead, our One Ford transformation plan is working and our underlying business continues to grow stronger."

Ford expects its positive cash flow to continue into the fourth quarter.

Motor Trend has announced the list of SUV contenders for its "SUV of the Year" award.

Of course this award is great to whomever wins, due to all of the bragging rights that come along with it. It's usually heavily used in every ad campaign. Last year the Subaru Forester took home the award.

Which SUV do you think should win this year's award?

Green Car Journal has announced the five finalists for its Green Car of the Year award.

And the finalists are:

-Audi A3 TDI
-Honda Insight
-Mercury Milan Hybrid
-Toyota Prius
-Volkswagen Golf TDI

The winner of the 2010 Green Car of the Year award will be announced at the 2009 LA Auto Show on December 3.

Which car do you think should win?

Ford has announced the introduction of the new EcoBoost 4-cylinder engines, which will join the existing 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine. The new turbocharged 4-cyl engines will be available as a 1.6L and 2.0L.

Ford has yet to announce official performance numbers, but the 1.6L is expected to put out around 180 horsepower and 175-180 lb-ft. of torque. The first application of the 1.6L will be in the Ford C-Max in late 2010. The 2.0L will be launched in larger European models and in North America in 2010.

A new study by Consumer Reports claims that 81 percent of respondents who stated that they are looking to buy a new car, would consider a domestic brand. This compares to only 47% for an Asian vehicle and 46% for a European brand.

Of course not every domestic automaker is equal. Ford has benefited the most with a 17 percent increase compared to a year ago. GM interest is only up 6 percent, while Chrysler is down 25 percent among new car buyers.

"The Detroit 3 have been in the spotlight all year," said Rik Paul, automotive editor, Consumer Reports. "Ford was the only one of the Detroit 3 that did not seek federal assistance, and this has likely helped bolster its reputation among car buyers."

Out of those surveyed only 9 percent are likely to buy a car in the next year compared to 19 percent a year ago.

Just as Chrysler's sales improved last month and is now running out of vehicles, Ford's sales also improved due to the Cash for Clunkers gov't program.

Ford has announced that its retail sales improved 9 percent in July thanks to the Cars Allowance Rebate System (Cash for Clunkers).

The Ford Fusion saw a 66 percent increase with the Milan up 60 percent. Ford Escape sales were up 94 percent and the Mercury Mariner saw an increase of 71 percent. Focus sales were up 44 percent as well. Ford's hybrid sales were up by 323 percent, which can largely be attributed to the new Fusion hybrid.

"We had another strong month in progress before the 'Cash for Clunkers' program started," said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service.

"Our products, our dealers and our advance preparation enabled us to leverage the program and drive traffic and sales to another level," he added. "In addition, we achieved a sales increase even though we decreased incentive spending in an increasingly competitive environment."

Ford's Lincoln and Mercury brands are expected to get an array of fresh new vehicles to keep Ford's ball rolling. Ford has been focusing much of its energy on small vehicles and the same is going to happen over at Lincoln and Mercury. Sales of the Navigator SUV have dropped significantly and now Ford is looking at developing new Lincoln models built off the same platforms as the Focus and Escape.

Who knows when or if the Navigator will be replaced, but Lincoln could add a third crossover to its lineup that would be smaller than the current MKX and MKT models and based off the next-gen Ford Escape for the 2012 model year. Lincoln is also working on a small compact car that is built on the same platform as the next Focus, but it has yet to receive the green light. Mercury is also expected to get a version of the Focus for 2012.

In 2013 the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln MKZ are scheduled to move to a new front-wheel-drive platform that is shared with the European Ford Mondeo.

The body-on-frame Mercury Grand Marquis, Mountaineer and Lincoln Town Car are all getting ready to be six feet under...

Sales of the Ford Explorer have dropped significantly to just 78,439 units in 2008, down from over 400K at its peak. Next year Ford is going to release a new Explorer which ditches the current body-on-frame design for a new unibody platform that is shared with the new Taurus. When the new Explorer is released the slow selling Sport Trac version and Mercury Mountaineer will be dead according to the Automotive News. Sales of the Explorer are even worse this year and the Sport Trac and Mountaineer are even lower, which means that Ford can't justify their existence.

Fans of the Sport Trak or Mountaineer better go buy one now before they are gone forever...

The last Mercury Sable is expected to roll off the production line this Thursday. Even though Ford is releasing an all-new Taurus, Ford decided to not spend the money on a Mercury variant...so we're saying bye bye to the Sable once again.

"The last Sable will roll down the line on Thursday," said Ford spokeswoman Angie Kozleski.

The death of the Sable leaves Mercury with only four models, the Mariner, Mountaineer, Milan and Grand Marquis. Both the Mountaineer and Grand Marquis are expected to be dead within the next few years. Mercury is supposed to be getting a new small car, even though nothing has been officially confirmed yet.

Ford chose to not develop a new Sable so that they could invest more money in the Taurus.

"They had to make a choice, and their choice is to polish the Blue Oval," Analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics said.

Ford has officially announced the debut of the 2010 Lincoln MKS with the new 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine.

The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 puts out 355 horsepower and 350 lb-ft. of torque thanks to direct-injection and twin turbochargers. The EcoBoost V6 gives the Lincoln MKS the power of a normally aspirated 4.6L V8, but without sacrificing fuel economy. The MKS with EcoBoost will get at least 17 mpg in the city and 24 mpg on the highway.

The 2010 MKS with EcoBoost has standard 19-inch wheels, steering-wheel paddle shifters, all-wheel-drive and adaptive HID headlights. Also included are rain-sensing wipers and a rear-window power shade.

For even more distinction there is the Appearance Package which includes, luxury seats in Sienna with Charcoal Black Tuxedo Seam, illuminated MKS sill plates and upgraded floormats. Outide the package gives you a distinctive grille, front lip spoiler rear fascia lower, side rockers and door cladding, decklid lip spoiler with chrome insert and modified MKS decklid badge ("S" in red).

Just like Hyundai a few months ago and GM will start next month, Ford has also launched a new plan to improve consumer confidence and hopefully spark sales.

The Ford Advantage Plan will cover a buyer's vehicle payments for up to 12 months if there is a job loss (up to $700 a month). In addition Ford is also offering zero percent interest on many of its vehicles. Lastly Ford is also working with dealers throughout the country to assist local charities impacted by the economic downturn.

The Ford Advantage Plan starts today and runs until June 1, 2009.

Ford has announced the pricing for the redesigned 2010 Lincoln MKZ.

The 2010 Lincoln MKZ now features more standard features and starts at $34,965. The MKZ now comes standard with Bridge Weir leather seats, genuine wood trim, heated and cooled front seats, the popular SYNC entertainment and connectivity system, a reverse sensing system and driver multi-adjustable power seat.

The MKZ is also available with the Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert.

"Customers universally are surprised when they get into a competing vehicle and find out that they have to pay more for luxury features, such as premium leather seats," said Jonathan Richards, Lincoln MKZ Marketing manager. "That's what sets the MKZ apart from the competition. It comes standard with all the features you would expect from a world class entry-level luxury sedan."

The front-wheel-drive MKZ starts at $34,965 and the all-wheel-drive version starts at $36,855.

Ford has announced the pricing for the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan at $19,995 and $21,205, respectively.

The front-wheel-drive Fusion S features a 2.5L four-cylinder engine and starts at $19,995. The top Fusion Sport with its 263 HP 3.5L V6 starts at $25,825 for the FWD models and $27,675 for the AWD model.

The new Fusion Hybrid starts at $27,995 and gets 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway.

Ford has announced that the new 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids are now eligible for a $3,400 tax credit.

The $3,400 tax credit is the highest credit amount offered for a hybrid since the end of 2005.

The Fusion and Milan Hybrids have been rated at 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, which is better than its closest competitor, the Toyota Camry Hybrid.

If you are planning on buying one of Ford's newest hybrids you better do it before March 31, 2009 because after that the tax credit will be cut in half.

Ford has announced the pricing for the 2010 Lincoln MKT, which was officially unveiled a few days ago at the Detroit Auto Show.

The 2010 Lincoln MKT starts at $44,995 for the base V6 with front-wheel-drive. Add $5k to the base MKT for the EcoBoost V6 and all-wheel-drive. If you don't want the EcoBoost engine, but all-wheel-drive and the base 3.7L V6 it will cost you $46,990.

If you want even more from your MKT there is the Elite Package for an extra $5k, which includes: Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC), Collision Warning with Brake Support, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS™), Cross Traffic Alert, Voice-activated Navigation, Power-opening Panoramic Vista Roof.

A fully optioned MKT with the 355 horsepower EcoBoost engine and all-wheel-drive will cost around $55,000.

The 2010 Lincoln MKT will be in dealer showrooms in late summer 2009.

Ford has announced the 2010 Lincoln MKS with the much anticipated 3.5L EcoBoost V6 engine.

The 3.5L EcoBoost V6 officially puts out 355 horsepower and 350 lb-ft of torque. Even with those numbers it is estimated to get 16 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway. With the EcoBoost engine, the MKS has more power and better fuel economy than the Lexus GS460 and Infiniti M45.

Ford has officially announced that plans for rear wheel drive Ford and Lincoln sedans have been shelved.

Ford design chief J Mays told Automotive News on Sunday, "It's out of the cycle plan."

"We've got other priorities at the moment," Mays said. "We're going down a path right now that is all about fuel efficiency, and we've got a lot to do about that. So we're not talking about rear-wheel drive."

A year ago Ford announced plans to work with Ford's Australian arm to develop a new, large RWD platform that would yield sedans in the US. The first sedans were expected by 2013.

Ford has debuted the 2010 Lincoln MKT, which is Lincoln's version of the Ford Flex.

The three-row MKT is available with either a 268 horsepower 3.7-liter V-6 or Ford's new 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine that puts out 355 horsepower and 350 lb-ft. of torque. Both engines are mated to six-speed automatic transmission. AWD is available on the 3.7L and standard with the EcoBoost engine.

The MKT can fit either six or seven passengers with two different seating configurations.

The 2010 Lincoln MKT will be available this summer.

Ford has announced its new "active park assist" system that is optional on the 2010 Lincoln MKS sedan and the new Lincoln MKT crossover.

With the touch of a button the Active Park Assist system uses an ultrasonic-based sensing system and Electric Power Assisted Steering (EPAS) to parallel park the vehicle without any assistance from the driver. There are sensors on the front and rear of the vehicle to help the system guide the vehicle into the driver's desired parking spot. Ford claims that its system is better than what is offered by Lexus since it requires less driver interface.

The Active Park Assist system will be available in mid-2009 on the Lincoln MKT and MKS. Ford hasn't stated what vehicles are next in line for the technology. Instead only mentioning that the system will be on 90 percent of Ford, Mercury and Lincoln vehicles by 2012.

Just like the Ford Fusion, the Fusion's sister the Mercury Milan also gets a long list of changes for the 2010 model year. This includes new styling inside and out, upgraded engines and a new hybrid model.

The Milan makes due with only two gasoline engines, the 2.5L and 3.0L, unfortunately the 263hp 3.5L V6 is only available in the Fusion Sport. The Milan Hybrid is identical to the Fusion Hybrid and will be able to go up to 47 mph on electricity alone. Ford also predicts that the Fusion and Milan Hybrids will get better gas mileage than the Camry Hybrid.

The 2010 Mercury Milan will hit showrooms in spring 2009.

Today Congress is meeting to discuss the details of the $25 billion bailout plan for U.S. automakers. Debates are going back and forth from both sides on how to solve this problem. Some senators are now even saying that the CEO's of the Big 3 should consider stepping down from their positions if that is what it will take for Congress to approve the plan.

During an interview yesterday on NBC’S “Meet the Press”, Michigan Sen. Carl Levin stated I’d be happy to tell (GM CEO) Rick Wagoner that he ought to consider resigning if that is the difference between getting this kind of support and not. If it was the difference between getting this kind of support or not, obviously the management should consider resigning."

GM has put together an informational video of what it predicts will happen if the Big Three automakers all fail next year.

Some highlights:
-If all three fail next year it will result in 3 million U.S. jobs lost in the first year
-Total governement tax loss over three years = $156.4 billion
-The U.S. GDP would drop 4 percent, compare that to the fact that the current economic downturn was caused by a .3 percent drop
-One out of every ten jobs in the U.S. relies on the U.S. auto industry

Here's a quick video that Ford has created to show how its voice-activated SYNC system works.

Yesterday Ford officially unveiled the new 2010 Ford Fusion with a new face and new engines. Today we have more information about the hybrid versions of the Fusion and Mercury Milan.

The biggest news about the new hybrids is that they will have the ability to reach speeds up to 47 mph on the electric motor alone. The hybrids will also be able to travel up to 8 miles before the gas motor kicks in. Ford calls the two hybrids their most technologically advanced production vehicles ever made.

Ford has announced the MyKey system that helps parents ensure that teens drive safer.

Ford's new MyKey system allows parents to limit the speed and audio volume of their teen's car to make them drive safer. The system will debut as standard equipment on the 2010 Ford Focus and will eventually be added to other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models.

Ford has announced the changes to the 2009 Lincoln Navigator SUV.

First Ford has improved the Navigator's fuel economy to 14 mpg city and 20 mpg highway for 4x2 models. Ford achieved these results by using software to shut off the fuel supply to the engine during deceleration, similar to the 2009 F-150 SFE. The Navigator is powered by a 300 horsepower 5.4L V8 that is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission.

Lincoln has already confirmed that the Ford Flex based MKT has received the green light for production. Well the production version of the MKT concept is set for a debut next January at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show.

Ford's product development chief Derrick Kuzak recently sat down with the Automotive News and revealed that Ford may add a new smaller vehicle to the Lincoln lineup.

Lincoln has confirmed the production of the MKT crossover for 2010.

According to The Detroit News, Ford is planning on reducing the production of the Taurus X and Mercury Sable by half starting next year.

Ford has announced plans to temporarily shut down the Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne that currently produces the Ford Expedition and Lincoln Navigator SUVs.

The 2009 Lincoln MKS was officially unveiled earlier this year and isn't going on sale until later this month, but that hasn't stopped Lincoln from selling 8,600 of the new sedans.

Yesterday Jerry York made some statements about the fact that Ford should sell its Volvo and Mercury brands. Well today Ford has released an official statement that Volvo is not for sale and that the automaker continues to invest in Mercury.

Ford recently unloaded Land Rover and Jaguar and now there are speculations that Ford may be looking at selling Volvo.

Ford announced today that the automaker posted a $100 million profit for Q1 2008, which is a $382 million increase over the same period last year. Most of the profit can be attributed to strong sales in Europe and South America, which helped offset the declining US market.

Although the Detroit Auto Show may be over, Ford has decided to unveil new versions of its Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner SUVs for the 2009 model year.

Ford is going to unveil its newest engine technology at the Detroit Auto Show this month.

Lincoln has released the first official pictures of the upcoming 2009 MKS, which will be officially unveiled at the LA Auto Show this week.

Lincoln is going to officially unveil its newest sedan at the Los Angeles Auto Show in two weeks, but the car has been caught filming either for a commercial or for the next Batman movie.

Alan Mulally, Ford's CEO has recently told the Automotive News that Ford is working on simplifying its lineup to reduce costs and to make it easier for customers to decide which cars they want to buy.

According to Consumer Reports, Toyota's predicted reliability has slipped from the previous number one spot, while Ford has moved up.

According to Ford CEO Alan Mulally, Mercury is here to stay.

According to a new analyst report by Goldman Sachs the "Big 3" all had sales declines last month.

For years there has been speculation that Ford may eventually kill off Mercury due to weak sales. The current Mercury lineup is aging and there seems to be little new projects in the works. Could this mean that Ford is finally letting Mercury die a slow death?

It seems that the Lincoln Mark LT luxury pickup has failed to meet sales targets. The Lincoln version of the Ford F-150 was launched for the 2006 model year, but as failed to find a following. The latest reports state that the truck will be discontinued after the 2008 model year.

Lincoln has announced the changes to the Navigator SUV for the 2008 model year. Both the standard Navigator and the Navigator L get more standard features for the new year.

Ford has announced the pricing for it's new Sync system that was co-developed with Microsoft. Ford Sync offers the ability to connect digital media players such as the iPod and Bluetooth cell phones to your car, which then can be controlled using your voice and steering wheel mounted controls.

Last month will go down in the record books as the first month that Detroit's Big 3 (Ford, GM and Chrysler) sold less vehicles than their foreign competitors. Sales from Ford, GM and Chrysler only made up 48.1 percent of all vehicles sales in the U.S. last month, while foreign competitors made up 51.9 percent.

Forbes has put together a list of the top 20 most dangerous vehicles on the road. The Buick Rendevous SUV/ Minivan topped their list as possibly the worst car to buy right now in terms of safety. Compared to other minivans the Rendevous is up to three times more likely to cause a fatality.

Ford has surprised the industry by posting a net profit of $750 million for the second quarter of 2007. After seven straight quarters of being in the red, Ford has managed to come back. Well don't get excited because it wasn't from actual car sales in North America, sales dropped 9 percent last quarter.

Spy photos of Lincoln's upcoming MKS sedan have been circulating for months. Recently we got our first glimpse of the interior of the upcoming sedan. Now KGP spy photographers have caught some photos of a prototype with its engine exposed. Unfortunately from these photos it looks like the standard engine will be the 3.5L V6 that is in the Ford Taurus, Edge and Lincoln MKZ and not the new TwinForce V6.

Two weeks ago Ford announced that the automaker is going to develop engines with twin turbochargers that will improve power and fuel economy (TwinForce). The first car to feature the new technology will be the 2009 Lincoln MKS sedan.

According to Automotive News Ford is going to install two turbochargers on its 4-cylinder, V6 and V8 engines to increase fuel economy and power.

Ford plans on using the tagline "The Safest Car in America" for the recently introduced 2008 Ford Taurus. The Ford Taurus and the Mercury Sable received the highest possible crash test scores by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

J.D. Power and Associates has released the results of their 2007 Initial Quality Survey. Porsche held the top spot with only 91 problems per 100 vehicles for the second time in a row. But it was Ford that made the biggest headlines.

The new Ford Edge is one of Ford's most popular new vehicles. The new crossover is now the third best selling mid-size crossover behind the Nissan Murano and the Toyota Highlander. Because of this Ford has increased its sales forecast for the Edge from 100,000 to 120,000.

Ford has been pretty slow to respond to the growing need of more fuel-efficient models and with the styling advancement of their sedan range, which has disappointed Ford's senior management. One example is the Ford Five-Hundred aka. Ford Taurus. The styling of that sedan is not only boring, but it also looks like it could have been designed in the 80's or early 90's.

Forbes has gathered what they believe to be the safest new cars on the market. They searched through Consumer Reports, Department of Transportation, Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) and the Highway Loss Data Institute (HLDI) to compile the list of the top 20 safest cars of 2007.

Ford and US automakers as a whole have been hit pretty hard this year due to declining SUV sales. Rising gas prices have forced consumers to move away from large gas-guzzling SUVs into smaller more fuel-efficient models. Well Ford's emphasis on its crossover lineup is finally reaping its rewards.

For years everyone has suggested that Ford kill of its Mercury division. The division simply sells rebadged versions of Ford products, that don't usually have higher levels of performance or luxury. The brand has been seen as a waste of valuable resources and a severe drain on the parent company. Lately Mercury has had somewhat of a revitalization.

According to company insiders BMW will build the next generation X3 at the Spartanburg, South Carolina plant in the US. The new X3 will be built alongside the upcoming BMW X6 and the current X5 and Z4.

According to California Attorney General Jerry Brown, the federal government may need to bail out U.S. automakers in order to keep them in business. The bail out could amount to several billion dollars.

PC Magazine has listed what they feel are the vehicles with the best technology. For the second year the BMW X5 was listed as their top vehicle and took home the magazine's "Digital Drive Car of the Year" award. The X5 was picked because of its adaptive drive, spilt-screen navigation, real-time traffic reports and front and rear sonar.

Edmunds.com has posted a list of the most wanted cars in 2007 based on reader feedback. Out of the 32 categories you may be surprised which automaker took home the most awards....

April's auto sales numbers have just been posted and almost every major automaker had a sales decrease last month. Even the Asian automakers that have been making headlines for their sales gains, took a hit.

Ford has posted their Q1 2007 earnings. The net loss for Q1 was $282 million, which is a lot better than last year's loss of $1.4 billion for the same period. Cost-cutting and improved sales from their European and luxury brands helped to decrease the overall lose for the quarter.

According to a report by the Automotive News, between September 2006 and February 2007, 48.5% of Chrysler brand sales were to fleets. That is an increase of 10% from the same period a year ago. 44.9% of Pontiac sales go to fleets, which is slightly lower than the 46.2% from the year earlier.

Apparently Ford's quality is now on par with Toyota and Nissan, according to a new report released today. The RDA Group has released a report on the quality of 2007 model year vehicles. The group concluded that Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles have the same quality levels as Toyota and Nissan in the first-quarter 2007 model-year Global Quality Research System report.

Lincoln is finally working on new products for their aging line-up. This car is a prototype of the 2009 Lincoln MKS, which is bigger than the current MKZ. The MKS was first shown as a concept at the 2006 Detroit Auto Show. The production version looks like it is going to retain many of the main details of the concept version.

According to Reuters and Autoblog, Ford's new CEO Alan Mulally earned $28.18 million dollars last year while the company posted a $12.7 billion loss last year.

Toyota's sales increased 9% last month compared to March 2006. This was largely driven by sales of the new Camry, the RAV4 and the Prius.

Ford used the Chicago Auto Show to announce the return of two nameplates that were supposedly killed. (Taurus and Sable) The newly revised Five-Hundred, Montego and Freestyle have had their names swapped out at the last minute.