William Maley

A fire at a supplier's plant last week is causing some headaches for Ford. The company has halted production of the F-150 at Kansas City Assembly Plant, and F-Series Super Duty at Kentucky Truck and Ohio Assembly due to a parts shortage. F-150 production at Ford's Dearborn plant is expected to be idled either today or tomorrow. The supplier, Meridian Lightweight Technologies makes instrument panel components for the F-Series trucks. Last Wednesday, the company's factory in Eaton Rapids, Michigan caught fire. The cause is still being investigated, but the Lansing State Journal reports the fire started in an area known as the "tunnel," a place where workers put magnesium scraps on a conveyor belt to be melted down. The fire caused a number of explosions to take place in the factory. Two people were injured and 150 workers were evacuated. The situation at the moment is ok according to Ford and analysts if the shutdown only lasts a week. There is an 84-day supply of trucks and Ford is working with Meridan to figure out the “next steps.” But as AutoPacific analyst Dave Sullivan points out, this could cause some serious problems for Ford if it lasts more than a week. "They should be able to weather a short-term shutdown. But if this goes longer than a week, it could really hurt second-quarter performance," Sullivan tells the Free Press. Ford isn't the only automaker that is being affected by this. General Motors has halted production of the Chevrolet Express and GMC Savana at their Wentizville assembly plant in Missouri. FCA told Automotive News that the fire has affected the output of the Chrysler Pacifica, built at their Windsor, Ontario plant. They are "adjusting production schedules as needed to minimize plant downtime (and) will make up any lost production." Mercedes-Benz in a statement said, "we have cancelled production shifts in certain areas and adjusted production hours for our team members this week," at their Vance, Alabama plant - home to C-Class, GLE-Class, GLE-Coupe, and GLS-Class production. BMW told Automotive News that production of the X5 at their South Carolina plant will be affected somewhat, but their current supply of parts should keep them running for the time being. Source: Automotive News (Subscription Required), Detroit Free Press, Lansing State Journal View full article

I'm not surprised by this news... Its more the fact of that we finally got confirmation and can move on to something else, like complaining about the upcoming XT6 or whatever it will be called. Yes. CT5 will take the place of ATS, CTS, and XTS.

BMW is making the M5 just a slightly bit more aggressive with the debut of the M5 Competition. Following in the footsteps of the M2 Competition, the M5 version tweaks the powertrain, chassis, and exterior. Beginning under the hood, the twin-turbo 4.4L V8 sees a slight boost in horsepower from 600 to 617. Torque remains at 553 pound-feet, although BMW has broadened the peak torque range. 0-60 mph sees a slight improvement of 0.3 seconds - 3.1 vs. 3.4. For the chassis, BMW has added stiffer engine mounts, M-specific Variable Damper Control system, revised mounting points for the front anti-roll bar, lowered ride height, and a stiffer rear anti-roll bar. To have the Competition stand out from other M5s, BMW has blacked out a number trim pieces, along with the door handles and fender vents. A set of forged 20-inch alloy wheels are standard. Pricing for the M5 Competition begins at $110,995, which includes a $995 destination charge. That's about $7,000 more than the standard M5. Production begins in July. Source: BMW Press Release Highlights The M5 Competition marks the creation of a new standalone Competition segment within BMW M's lineup. Previously, Competition was offered as an optional package — roughly 40 percent of all previous-generation M5s sold worldwide were equipped with it. Now it's its own model. Powertrain The 4.4-liter twin-turbo V8 produces 617 hp at 6,000 rpm and 553 lb-ft of torque between 1,800 and 5,860 rpm — a 160-rpm wider band than the standard M5. The result is a 0-60 mph time of 3.1 seconds and 0-124 mph in 10.8 seconds, both 0.3 seconds quicker. A model-specific M Sport exhaust system produces a sportier tone, especially at high revs. Top speed is electronically limited to 155 mph, or 189 mph with the optional M Driver's Package. Chassis and Handling Stiffer engine mounts reduce powertrain movement, sharpening throttle response and turn-in. The M-specific Variable Damper Control system gets firmer tuning across all modes, ride height drops by 7mm, and both front and rear anti-roll bars are stiffer. The M xDrive all-wheel-drive system and Active M Differential carry over, and a rear-wheel-drive-only mode remains available via the DSC-off setting. Exterior High-gloss black finishes cover the door handles, mirror caps, kidney grille surrounds, fender vents, rear spoiler, and tailpipes (black chrome). The "M5" badge gains "Competition" lettering. Forged 20-inch alloy wheels with star-spoke design (789 M) are standard, wearing 275/35 front and 285/35 rear tires. Key Specifications Engine | 4.4L M TwinPower Turbo V8 Horsepower | 617 hp @ 6,000 RPM Torque | 553 lb-ft @ 1,800-5,860 RPM Transmission | 8-speed M Steptronic Drivetrain | M xDrive All-Wheel Drive 0-60 MPH | 3.1 seconds Top Speed | 155 mph (189 mph with M Driver's Package) Wheelbase | 117.4 inches Overall Length | 195.5 inches Curb Weight | 4,345 lbs MSRP | $110,995 (includes destination) Full press release available from BMW Group PressClub. View full article