USA - Recall #5 - Lexus GS350, possible brake switch failure.

SUMMARY:

Toyota Motor Engineering & Manufacturing (Toyota) is recalling certain model year 2013 Lexus GS 350 vehicles manufactured June 8, 2012, through December 26, 2012. In the affected vehicles, the switch that senses the amount of pressure that the driver is applying to the brake pedal may fail.

CONSEQUENCE:

If the switch fails, the vehicle may begin braking without the driver's input, and without illuminating the brake lights, increasing the risk of a crash.

REMEDY:

Toyota will notify owners, and dealers will replace the brake pedal support assembly which includes the brake pedal load sensing switch, free of charge. Parts for the remedy are not currently available. Toyota will send owners an interim notification letter in late June 2014 to advise owners of the recall, and will mail owners a second letter when remedy parts are available. Owners may contact Toyota customer service at 1-800-331-4331.

NOTES:

Owners may also contact the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Vehicle Safety Hotline at 1-888-327-4236 (TTY 1-800-424-9153), or go to www.safercar.gov.

USA - Ford has best October in 9 years

• Ford Motor company October total sales up 14 percent – retail sales up 15 percent; best October retail since 2004
• Ford Fusion up 71 percent and Fiesta up 9 percent – both report record-setting October sales
• F-Series tops 60,000 trucks for sixth-straight month
• All-new Lincoln MKZ total sales up 80 percent including best-ever October retail sales – total Lincoln brand up 38 percent

Ford Motor Company’s October U.S. total sales of 191,985 vehicles rose 14 percent over a year ago. Retail sales are up 15 percent, at 142,487 vehicles. It is the company’s best October retail sales performance since 2004.

Gains were broad-based, with passenger cars up 19 percent, utilities up 9 percent, and trucks up 14 percent. Ford Fusion and Fiesta posted best-ever October sales, and F-Series again topped 60,000 sales.

“October was simply an outstanding retail performance, as consumers continued to choose Ford for great fuel efficiency, styling and value at all levels of the market,” said John Felice, vice president, U.S. marketing, sales and service. “The combination of great new products, such as Fusion and Escape, along with the strength of our dealers helped us achieve our best October retail sales month since 2004.”

Fusion sales of 21,740 vehicles jumped 71 percent year-over-year, making it the car’s best-ever sales performance for October. The strongest growth for Fusion is in the west region of the U.S., with retail sales up 77 percent. In the eastern region of the country, Fusion retail sales are up 65 percent.

Escape sales of 22,253 vehicles increased 12 percent, while Fiesta sales of 4,337 vehicles increased 9 percent – setting a new record for October. F-Series sales of 63,803 trucks are up 13 percent, making October the sixth-straight month above the 60,000-vehicle mark for F-Series. The last time Ford sold more than 60,000 trucks for six consecutive months was 2006.

Lincoln MKZ sales of 2,909 vehicles increased 80 percent over a year ago, leading the Lincoln brand to an overall increase of 38 percent. MKZ has now reported record sales for six of the last seven months, attracting significant conquest buyers to the Lincoln brand.

Beaulieu welcomes third BlueBird into the museums collection.

Sir Malcolm Campbell set a land speed record of 276.82mph in the Blue Bird V at Daytona Beach, Florida, USA, in February 1935 and then went on to become the first person to exceed 300mph when he achieved a record 301.129mph in it at Bonneville salt flats, Utah, in September of the same year.

This is only the second time in the vehicle’s history that Blue Bird V has crossed the Atlantic from its home at the Daytona International Speedway to the UK, giving visitors to Beaulieu an incredibly rare opportunity to see this magnificent motoring icon on display alongside other members of the Blue Bird family in the museum.

It joins the Bluebird CN7, driven by Sir Malcom Campbell’s son, Donald, to a land speed record of 403.10mph at Lake Eyre, Australia in 1964, and another of Sir Malcolm Campbell’s Land Speed Record Breakers, the Sunbeam 350hp – which he renamed Blue Bird and drove to two record speeds at Pendine Sands; 146.16mph in 1924, and 150.766mph in 1925.

Beaulieu Commercial Director, Stephen Munn, said: “Beaulieu has been home to Donald Campbell’s Bluebird CN7 since the 1960s, so it is wonderful to finally see his father’s most famous Land Speed Record Breaker, the Blue Bird V, displayed alongside it in the museum. To see these legendary vehicles together is an unforgettable experience, and we hope that by having them on display, they will inspire a whole new young generation and reignite the interest in land speed record breaking.”

Visitors to Beaulieu can also see Major Henry Segrave’s Sunbeam 1000hp which he drove to a record-breaking speed of 203.793mph at Daytona Beach in 1927.

This incredible Blue Bird display will only be on show for a few months, as the Blue Bird V will be making its return journey across the Atlantic at the end of November, so do not miss this amazing opportunity to view these three Blue Birds together.

The Blue Birds can be seen as part of a visit to the whole Beaulieu attraction, which includes the National Motor Museum, BOND IN MOTION, World of Top Gear, Beaulieu Abbey, Palace House and gardens.