USA - FCA take home a handful of prizes at the Ruedas ESPN Awards ceremony.

• FCA US LLC is named “Manufacturer of the Year” at the 2016 Ruedas ESPN Awards as part of the 46th Miami International Auto Show
• Chrysler Pacifica earns top honor, winning “Vehicle of the Year” Award
• Fiat 124 Spider, Ram 1500 Rebel and Chrysler Pacifica win “Best Vehicles” in their respective segments

"Ruedas ESPN" has named FCA US LLC the “Manufacturer of the Year” and selected the Chrysler Pacifica as the “Vehicle of the Year” at the 2016 Ruedas ESPN Awards as part of the 46^th Miami International Auto Show.

The Chrysler Pacifica, Fiat 124 Spider and Ram 1500 Rebel were also honored, winning “Best Minivan,” “Best Convertible” and “Best Pickup Truck,” respectively.

"Winning the prestigious ‘Manufacturer of the Year’ award shows that FCA US is listening to consumers by building vehicles that fit a wide variety of needs in today’s competitive market," said Jaime Florez, "Ruedas ESPN" director and host. "In addition to the three FCA US vehicles winning in each of their segments, the Chrysler Pacifica takes home ‘Vehicle of the Year,’ impressing the judges with its innovative technology, versatility and bold styling.”

The 2017 Chrysler Pacifica reinvents the minivan segment with an unprecedented level of functionality, versatility, technology and bold styling. Re-engineered from the ground up on an all-new platform, the Pacifica delivers class-leading gasoline and hybrid powertrains to the minivan segment. With more than 100 standard and available safety and security features, the all-new Uconnect Theater rear seat entertainment system, and a full array of comfort and convenience technologies, the Chrysler Pacifica is a no-compromises minivan ideally suited for today's families.

Awarded “Best Convertible,” the all-new 2017 Fiat 124 Spider revives the storied nameplate, bringing its classic Italian styling and performance to a new generation. Paying homage to the original 124 Spider nearly 50 years after its introduction, the 2017 Fiat 124 Spider delivers the ultimate fun-to-drive Italian roadster experience with technology, safety and iconic Italian design.

The Ram 1500 Rebel, winning “Best Pickup Truck,” brings one-of-a-kind, off-road design to the full-size truck segment with unique design cues and can-do attitude backed by Ram Truck engineering. Equipped with a factory lift, 33-inch tires, standard air suspension, Bilstein shocks, skid plates, tow hooks and other off-road-ready features, the Ram 1500 Rebel appeals to the truck owner looking for a less beaten path.

For almost a decade and a half, "Ruedas ESPN" has carefully established the criteria to choose the nominees in every category. The vehicles must have been – or are scheduled to be in the market – before the last day of the current year, must have proven standards of quality, high levels of popularity among Hispanics, all while providing value.

The "Ruedas ESPN" executive committee was responsible for generating the nominations. Industry experts group of jurors selected the winners of the 12 basic categories in addition to the top prize, Ruedas ESPN Vehicle of the Year.

There is a new book all about Lotus and Colin Chapman and his production of his first Formula One Car.

Colin Chapman’s previous attempts at producing a Formula 1 car had been a complete disappointment. Despite being technically advanced, extreme lightness led to numerous structural failures.

In 1960, Chapman decided to start with a clean sheet of paper, assessing the basic requirements for a contemporary Formula 1 car, and identifying how to achieve them in the most straightforward, uncomplicated way. 

The result was one of Chapman’s greatest creations – the Lotus 18 – a trendsetting, rear-engined car  that was to set new performance standards from the outset.

Driven by some of the top drivers of the era – including Innes Ireland, Jim Clark, and John Surtees – it was Stirling Moss who made the car’s name, winning four Grands Prix, including his sensational victories over Ferrari, against all odds, at Monaco and the Nürburgring in 1961.

This book describes the history of the Lotus 18 throughout its seven-year competition career, via season by season summaries, and provides detailed appendices charting the individual histories of all 28 chassis that were built. Full race results are also presented, along with driver achievements.

Lotus 18 by Mark J P Whitelock

ISBN: 9781845845209

UPC: 6-36847-04520-3

AVAILABLE NOW!

£50 UK, $85 US, $110 CAN

BULLET POINTS

• The full history of the Lotus 18 Formula 1 car
• The reveals chassis design and construction
• The development of the Coventry Climax FPF engine
• Seasons reviews of the 1960 to 1966 Formula 1 seasons
• Season review of the 1961 Formula 2
• 1961 inter-continental season review
• Analysis and statistcs of the 1960-66 seasons
• Full chassis-by-chassis history and race record
• Driver and team data
• Includes 150 rarely seen illustrations

CHINA - Ford tips 1.1 million sales in china with a large range of products and dealers, this will increase this year.

• Ford China sold a record 1.1 million vehicles in 2015; December sales set a record, up 27 percent
• Changan Ford sold 836,425 vehicles in 2015; December sales set a record, up 49 percent
•  Jiangling Motor Corporation sold 253,359 vehicles in 2015

Ford Motor Company set a record for sales in China in 2015 as annual sales of Ford vehicles reached 1,115,124, up three percent compared to 2014. December also saw record monthly sales with 124,768 vehicles sold, up 27 percent from December 2014.

“2015 was another strong year for Ford in China with growth in sales and our product portfolio,” said John Lawler, chairman and CEO of Ford Motor China. 

“Our record performance sets the stage for 2016, as we continue to expand our portfolio of high-quality, fuel-efficient and fun-to-drive vehicles that our customers want and need.”

Changan Ford Automobile (CAF), Ford's passenger car joint venture, broke both annual and December sales records. CAF sold 836,425 vehicles in 2015, up seven percent compared to 2014. December sales totaled 96,960 vehicles, an increase of 49 percent compared to December 2014.

Demand for the new Ford Mondeo helped drive annual and December sales performance for CAF. Annual sales of the sedan totaled 113,990, up eight percent compared to 2014, and December sales reached 13,995 vehicles, up 42 percent compared to December 2014.

Sport utility vehicle (SUV) sales also were strong in 2015. Annual sales of the Ford Ecosport, Kuga, Edge, Explorer and Everest surpassed the quarter million mark for the first time with 274,188 vehicles sold, up 13 percent compared to 2014. December was Ford’s strongest month to date for SUV sales with 32,290 vehicles sold, up 56 percent compared to December 2014.

Annual sales of vehicles equipped with Ford EcoBoost engines were up 31 percent and exceeded the 300,000 mark for the first time in China, meaning one in four Ford customers selected a vehicle equipped with the award-winning engine last year.

Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC), Ford's commercial vehicle investment in China sold 253,359 vehicles in 2015, down six percent compared to 2014. December sales totaled 26,391 vehicles, down 12 percent compared to December 2014 reflecting continued weakness in the overall commercial vehicle industry.

CHINA - Ford Motor Company sees a healthy 9% growth on the launch of a number new and revised models.

Ford Motor Co. said China sales in November rose 9 percent year on year to 106,283 light vehicles as demand remained strong for its crossovers. 

Ford's car joint venture, Changan Ford Automobile Co., performed well last month, with sales increasing 22 percent to 84,546 vehicles. Ford said the venture recorded strong sales of the Mondeo, Kuga and Edge.

But Ford's commercial truck partnership, Jiangling Motors Corp., continued to struggle, as sales were off 20 percent last month to 20,608.

Ford also imported a small number of vehicles, but did not detail sales.

For the first 11 months, Ford sold 990,356 vehicles in China, up 0.6 percent from a year earlier.

To boost sales, Ford is expanding its lineup. The company will introduce two "green" models: the C-Max Energi plug-in hybrid and a conventional hybrid version of the Mondeo sedan.

Ford also is positioning the Taurus sedan as its flagship model in China. With prices ranging from 248,800 to 348,800 yuan ($38,800 to $54,400), the Taurus is priced in the same range as luxury models such as the BMW 3 series, Audi A4L and Mercedes-Benz C class.

To position the Taurus as a high-end sedan worthy of its sticker price, Ford hired actor Chen Daoming to endorse it. Chen has played emperors in Chinese period dramas, including a popular 2001 epic on the reign of the 17th century Qing dynasty monarch Kangxi.

Ford, China celebrates improved sales with loads of new cars.

• Ford China May sales reach 93,323 wholesales, up 32%; year-to-date sales reach 461,473 vehicles, up 39%;
• CAF passenger car May sales reach 67,454 wholesales, up 32%; year-to-date sales reach 330,771 vehicles, up 43%;
• JMC May vehicle sales reach 21,342 wholesales, up 25%; year-to-date sales reach 113,926 vehicles, up 21%;

Ford China sales grew 32 percent in May with 93,323 wholesales sold compared to 70,449 wholesales in May 2013. Year-to-date sales were up 39 percent, with 461,473 wholesales sold compared to 332,308 wholesales sold in the first five months of 2013.

Passenger car sales for Ford China—which include imported cars—grew 35 percent in May with 71,981 vehicles sold compared to 53,392 in May 2013. Ford has sold 347,547 passenger cars so far in 2014, up 46 percent from 238,100 vehicles sold during the same period last year.

“Our sales are a direct reflection of our continued commitment to bring the best of Ford to China with a great lineup of Ford cars and utilities that offer high quality, great fuel efficiency, world class safety and smart technologies,” said John Lawler, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Ford Motor China. “We are honored that customers are increasingly deciding that Ford vehicles are the best choice to power their lives.”

Changan Ford Automobile (CAF), Ford's passenger car joint venture, sold 67,454 vehicles in May, up 32 percent from 51,008 sold during the same period last year. Year-to-date sales reached 330,771 vehicles, up 43 percent compared to the first five months of 2013.

Featuring great fuel-efficiency, safety, quality, and smart technologies, demand for both the Ford Mondeo and the Ford Focus continued to increase last month. Ford Mondeo nameplate sales were up 90 percent with 10,395 vehicles sold in May while Ford Focus nameplate sales reached 33,341 vehicles, up 22 percent compared to May 2013.

Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC), Ford's commercial vehicle investment in China, also continued to turn in steady growth, with sales rising 25 percent in May, selling 21,342 vehicles compared 17,057 sold in May 2013. JMC’s year-to-date sales were up 21 percent with 113,926 vehicles sold, up from 94,208 in the first five months of 2013.

Late last month, Ford China launched its flagship Conservation and Environmental Grants China (CEGC) program, and Level Up!, its capacity-building program for green NGOs.  This year, CEGC will be awarding RMB2 million in grants to better support domestic environmental efforts.