Ford produces one millionth 1.0 litre EcoBoost Focus

• Ford recently produced the one-millionth current generation Focus in Europe; Ford builds a new Focus every 90 seconds on average in Europe
• The one millionth Focus – a Candy Red five-door equipped with the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine – rolled off the production line in Saarlouis, Germany.
• Since the first generation Focus was introduced in 1998, Ford has sold 1.63 million of the popular family cars in the UK, 6.9 million in Europe and more than 12 million worldwide.

Ford has recently produced the one-millionth current generation Ford Focus – the popular family-size car that has become the world’s best-selling vehicle – for the European market. The one-millionth Focus, a 1.0-litre EcoBoost hatchback, was manufactured in Saarlouis, Germany.

Ford has sold 1,632,700 Focus models in Britain since the first generation was introduced in 1998. It was the best-selling vehicle in the UK from 1999 to 2008, when it was superseded by the new Ford Fiesta, which has been the best-selling car since, with Focus in second place.

“The Focus is a great-to-drive family car with the versatility to suit the needs of a huge range of customers,” said Barb Samardzich, chief operating officer, Ford of Europe. “Last year, we launched the zero-emission Focus Electric to complete a full line-up that includes the 250PS Focus ST.”

Launched in Europe in 2010, the new Ford Focus is the best-selling nameplate globally, based on a Ford analysis of the latest Polk global vehicle registration data for the first half of 2013.

Ford is set to introduce a new version of the Focus this month, powered by the 2012 and 2013 International Engine of the Year, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine. This new Ford Focus model will be the first petrol-powered family car in Europe to offer just 99g/km CO2 emissions.*

The Focus is available with technologies including Active Park Assist that uses ultra-sonic sensors to identify suitable parking spots and automatically steers the vehicle while the driver controls the gears, throttle and clutch; and Active City Stop, which scans the road ahead 50 times per second to help prevent collisions at speeds up to 15km/h, and helps reduce the severity of impacts at speeds at speeds of up to 30km/h.

If the vehicle is involved in an accident, Ford SYNC with Emergency Assistance will directly connect the occupants to local emergency services. “Focus customers tell us they really value Ford’s smart technologies and appreciate the car’s safety, sportiness, styling, and comfort,” Samardzich said.

Ford introduced the Focus in 1998, since when the company has in total sold almost 6.9 million cars in Europe and 12 million worldwide.

Brauchi's Bikes - part 4

Great peak into the German classic and custom scene
Check Brauchi's blog here

Brauchi's Bikes - part 3

Great peak into the German classic and custom scene
Check Brauchi's blog here

Brauchi's Bikes - part 2

Great peak into the German classic and custom scene
Check Brauchi's blog here

Brauchi's bikes - part 1

It's been a long time since I featured pictures from Brauchi's blog. This man has a great eye for nice bikes and an obsession with yellow filters :)

Great peak into the German classic and custom scene
Check his blog here

Volkswagen increases worldwide sales for nine months to end of September.

Europe’s largest automaker delivered 4.36 (January-September 2012: 4.21; +3.6 per cent) million vehicles from January to September. The passenger cars brand handed over 526,300 (September 2012: 492,800; +6.8 per cent) vehicles to customers in the month of September. “Volkswagen Passenger Cars has held its own well on world markets despite the challenging situation and continued to grow in China in particular,” Christian Klingler, Board Member for Sales and Marketing for the Volkswagen Group and the Volkswagen Passenger Cars brand, commented.

The brand recorded a 16.5 per cent rise from January to September in the Asia-Pacific region, handing over 1.95 (1.68) million units there, of which 1.79 (1.51; +18.2 per cent) million vehicles were delivered in China (excluding Hong Kong), the region’s largest single market. In contrast, deliveries in India declined to 45,900 (51,000; -10.0 per cent) units.

In the North America region, Volkswagen Passenger Cars grew deliveries by 2.1 per cent to 466,000 (456,500) vehicles, of which 314,800 (323,100; -2.6 per cent) models were handed over to customers in the United States. In the South America region, deliveries from January to September declined by 13.4 per cent to 542,500 (626,500) units, of which 407,400 (486,800; -16.3 per cent) vehicles were handed over in Brazil.

Volkswagen Passenger Cars delivered 1.23 (1.30; -5.7 per cent) million vehicles on the overall European market in the first three quarters, of which 616,400 (653,300; -5.6 per cent) units were handed over in Western Europe (excluding Germany). In the home market of Germany, delivery delays due to the bad weather in Wolfsburg which caused hailstorm damage to several thousand vehicles continued. As a result, deliveries to customers from January to September were down 8.2 per cent to 410,300 (447,000) units. Volkswagen Passenger Cars handed over 198,900 (199,800; -0.5 per cent) vehicles to customers in Central and Eastern Europe in the period to September, of which 117,200 (123,000; -4.7 per cent) units were delivered in Russia.

Opel to reduce production of ADAM and Corsa.

Opel will reduce production of the Adam minicar and Corsa subcompact at its plant in Eisenach, Germany, for several days this month.

The company said media reports that suggested Adam output will be cut because of falling demand were "speculation."

Opel said the cuts were due to reduced demand for cars in the winter months and the continuing economic problems facing all automakers in southern Europe.

"We are having some down days in October, mainly because of the Corsa production, a model which is in the later stages of its life cycle," an Opel spokesman told Automotive News Europe on Wednesday.

Adam sales are "fine," the spokesman said.

Opel began Adam production in January and has built 41,000 units in the first seven months, the automaker said. In the same period, Opel sold 27,214 Adams in Europe, according to market researcher JATO Dynamics.

Key model

The Adam is a part of Opel's plans to reverse its declining sales through fresh products in growth segments. Opel recently introduced the Mokka small SUV and Cascada mid-sized convertible to help win back customers.

GM's European operations, consisting mainly of Opel and its UK sister brand Vauxhall, have lost more than $18 billion since 1999.

Sales of both brands in EU and EFTA markets fell 5 percent to 546,367 in the first eight months, according to industry organization ACEA, matching the market's overall decline during the period.

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Spyshots BMW R1200R Custom

Interesting!
Found here and here

What do you think?