Gary Jones, president UAW International, (left) and Bill Ford, executive chairman, Ford Motor Company, shake hands today at Ford World Headquarters to begin negotiations for the 2019 contract.Sam Varnhagen / Ford Ford has relatively quickly reached a tentative agreement with the United Auto Workers Union (UAW) in the United States, drawing a sharp contrast to the unions six-week strike at General Motors over contract bargaining there.In a statement, Ford said it has put together a proposed tentative agreement on a four-year contract with the union, but would not release any details. The UAW has 55,000 union members at Ford that must vote and ratify the deal before it takes effect.Ford and the union had been in preliminary talks prior to and during the GM strike, which ended last Saturday and is estimated to have cost that automaker about US$2.9 billion. Like other automakers, Ford faces an overall decline in U.S. and Canadian sales, as well as pressure to invest in autonomous technologies for cars that are still well in the future. In discussing its third-quarter 2019 earnings, Ford said it is also facing fourth-quarter headwinds of higher warranty costs, North American incentives that will be more generous than expected, and a drop in sales volumes in China. Uncertainties over commodities, tariffs and currency exchange could also affect its bottom line.In Canada, Ford will cut some 450 workers at its plant in Oakville, Ontario, its second round of layoffs at the facility this year. The latest cutbacks are blamed on the decision to end production of the Ford Flex and Lincoln MKT, which are built at the Oakville plant. The workers are expected to be laid off early next year.Ford previously announced it will concentrate on trucks and SUVs rather than cars, and will soon be unveiling a new F-150, Super Duty and Bronco. It will keep the Mustang, of course, and is promising an innovative, Mustang-inspired battery-electric vehicle as well.Once the UAW votes on the Ford contract, it will move on to talks with Fiat Chrysler (FCA), although the automaker’s recent plan to merge with Europe’s PSA Group could disrupt what might otherwise have been equally-smooth
Origin: Ford comes to quick agreement with U.S. workers’ union
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2017 Acura NSX bought new by Seinfeld comes up for auction
In the final episode of season nine of Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee, host Jerry Seinfeld and his guest caffeinate themselves in between drives in a then-new 2017 Acura NSX. The car, chassis number 0004, was ordered with over US$40,000 of extras by the 65-year-old comedian and then gifted to his friend, late comedian – and the guest in that episode – Bob Einstein. (Seinfeld still has one of the most impressive celebrity car collections in the world, even without the NSX.)Sadly, Einstein passed away in January, and the car is currently up for auction on Bring A Trailer as part of his estate.The 2017 NSX shows 2,556 miles (4,113 km) on the odometer and is finished in Nord Gray Metallic with a saddle leather interior. It’s been optioned with carbon-ceramic brakes, exclusive wheels, a new audio system and a bunch of carbon fibre inside and out. Acura’s twin-turbo 3.5-litre V6 works alongside a trio of electric motors making a combined power output of 573 horsepower and 476 lb.-ft. of torque, which moves the NSX to 96 km/h in 2.9 seconds and pushes on up to a top speed of 307 km/h. The car comes with its original sticker, which show a 2017 price of $200,500. As of the time of writing, the auction price was at
Origin: 2017 Acura NSX bought new by Seinfeld comes up for auction
New Ford Focus RS comes with free vape because stereotypes
In what could possibly be the ultimate example of a stereotype coming to life, a Ford dealership is offering buyers of a Focus RS on its lot a free vape with their purchase.Prestman Auto of Salt Lake City is offering this used Ford Focus RS for US$25,900, and along with the car, is tossing in, too, the opportunity to try vaping and the culture that surrounds it.Jalopnik got in touch with the dealership to confirm the promotion was, indeed real, and not a joke like we assumed.Yes, there is a vape included in the purchase of the RS. We have a vape store next to our dealership that the buyer can go to and pick out a vape, a rep from the dealership said. We did that because most of the potential buyers for that car come with vape in hand.The Ford Focus RS garners the attention of mostly men in their mid-20s who enjoy something called hooning, saying things like hashtag-save-the-manuals, and then under-steering into a tree in a giant cloud of vape smoke (at least, if the rest of the stereotype is also true).This dealership hopes to offer all of that in one concise buying transaction. In all fairness, the car seems to be in pretty good shape, with only 34,576 miles on the odometer, which means the head gasket probably hasnt exploded yet (but maybe check before purchase). It does feature a six-speed manual transmission; and “Drift Mode,” for extra
Origin: New Ford Focus RS comes with free vape because stereotypes
Watch: The first American Honda comes back to life in this restoration documentary
The first Honda N600 sold in AmericaHonda Honda has been doing business in America for 60 years this year, and to celebrate the milestone the brand has already – and this is true – restored a classic Chevrolet pickup.(I guess when you reach a certain age, you just do whatever you want.) Now it’s also released a video highlighting another special restoration it commissioned years back, that of the very first Honda to arrive in America, the 1967 Honda N600, serial number one. And there was just one person truly suitable for the job. That person is Tim Mings, the only full-time Honda 600 mechanic in the world. Ming had the N600 in his possession for a few years before he noticed the number. The car was one of just fifty 1967 N600s that made their way over to the U.S. from Japan to test the market.Ming brought Serial One to the So-Cal Japanese Classic Car Show (SCJCCS) in its unrestored state and vowed to return the next year with the vehicle fully redone. The video not only chronicles the specialty mechanic’s work, but also details the history of the N600 and of Honda in general, going back to when Mr. Honda himself first took generator motors and put them on bicycles using hot water bottles as gas tanks. The N600 was the brand’s first attempt at a four-wheeled vehicle and, as a result, it shares a fair bit in common with motorcycles of the time. When the gas crisis struck the U.S. in the ’70s, Honda was there with its small and frugal N600 (and later Civic) to fill the hole left by North American manufacturers.Serial One was disassembled, block-sanded by a body shop, its engine machined, repainted its original Ceramic White, and every little piece “lovingly massaged” by Ming and his team.It came down to the wire, with Ming pulling 12-hour days for seven days a week for the last while, but he made his deadline and delivered Serial One for its world premiere at the SCJCCS.Despite offers to rebuild it on behalf of private collectors, Ming allowed Honda to commission the build and produce the video.
Origin: Watch: The first American Honda comes back to life in this restoration documentary
James Ruppert: when it comes to second-hand EVs, buy mainstream
If you read this column often, you will probably have gathered by now that I am EV-sceptic. Used EVs are a thing and I concede that, for some, they can make some sort of practical sense, if you’re a milkman. However, if you start doing the CO2 calculations, it all becomes rather harder to justify batteries as a method of environmentally responsible propulsion. As we all know, Bangernomics is the only way to drive with a jolly green conscience. But, hey, I like to do my bit for the home-grown car industry, so I was pleased to read that there was a Me (micro electric) car apparently being built in north London that costs a substantial £12,000. It looked like a Jeep that had been shrunk in the wash. These days, however, there is something called the interweb and, pretty quickly, you find that you could have bought one of these in China for three grand a few years back. So that didn’t go very well. This brings us to the electrification of classic cars, which seems to be breaking out all over the place. If it is your car and you want to do that, knock yourself out. Have fun. I don’t care. When it comes to commercial operations, I’m not quite so sure. Aston Martin DB6s converted by Aston Martin to EVs (and fully reversible) is presumably a pricey PR exercise. Even if someone buys them. A colossal amount of money is being pumped into one company that specialises in converting classics to battery-fy Fiat 500s and Ferrari 308s. What a colossal waste of finite resources that is. It is a pointless virtue-signalling exercise. So I asked to speak to the founder, who suddenly became unwell, and then someone else important, who went very quiet. I thought journalists were supposed to ask questions? Silly old sceptical me. The toy-town battery cars are promoted on the basis that they are Ultra Low Emission Zone-compliant, but so is a historic vehicle, making the whole convert-a-classic thing redundant. Never mind: don’t buy a brand-new Chinese battery pseudo toy car when you can buy a Nissan Leaf with airbags and everything: £5995 gets you a 100,000-mile 2012 example, which at least proves they will do some solid service. Dealer ones are £6995 and I am sure that there are plenty of years left in them yet. Much cuter Renault Zoes seem to have lower mileages and broadly similar prices. A 2014 one with 40k miles is around £6750. If you love EVs, great. There are more to choose from and it’s best to buy major-manufacturer examples. Meanwhile, the rest of us still have plenty of fossil options. As long as that continues, we have a credible rather than artificial marketplace. What we almost bought this week Citroen ZX 1.4 3-door And still the 1990s producesgems, such as this one-owner,1995 M-reg ZX 1.4 with 85,000miles for just £395. With thatkick in the window line, thethree-door is a pretty thing,and because ZXs are light, ithas a decent turn of speed. Themodel handles and rides well,too. Still holding out for a 2.0Volcane, though. Tales from Ruppert’s garage Porsche Cayenne, mileage – 101,500 There was definitely a coolant leak. I got right underneath butcould not see exactly where it was coming from. The curse ofthe engine cover. Anyway, I asked my local garage to take alook, which they did. They burrowed as far as they could andlocated the leak to somewhere at the back of the engine anddribbling down the gearbox. The leak is not colossal. So we have decided to live with it and,later in the year when we have more time, will ask a specialist toget stuck in – unless they suggest it will cost a million pounds. Bangerpedia A-Z: P is for Patrol The Nissan Patrol has always been one of the biggest andcrudest 4x4s you can buy. This revised version from1998 onwards was much friendlier than before,though. There’s acres of space inside that huge bodyand five-door models even provide seven seats.Luggage space is more than adequate, too. Buildquality is good and overall the ride is acceptable.Arguably, this is an alternative Toyota Land Cruiser,but cheaper and duller. A seven-seat 2004 3.0Di SVEwith 120k miles is £4450. Readers’ questions Question: I’m a shy and retiring21-year-old aboutto buy my first car.Everyone tells me I shouldhaggle but how, and what ifthe salesman just says ‘no’?What then? Damon Cliffe, via email Answer: First, go online to get a feel forprices. Now you can negotiateintelligently, but only when you’vechecked the car, test driven itand believe it’s the one you want.Confidently state your offer. A good salespersonwill try to talk you round to a number they believeis fair to you both. Keep giving those signals thattell them you’ll deal today if the number’s a bitfairer to you. At all times, be friendly but firm –and lose the shyness. John Evans Question: I’m torn betweena one-year-oldHyundai Tucson S1.6 GDi with 15,000 miles for£13,995 and a new DaciaDuster Comfort 1.6 SCe115 for £13,400. Which oneshould I buy? Angus Crawford, Fife Answer: The Duster is a great alternative tomore
Origin: James Ruppert: when it comes to second-hand EVs, buy mainstream
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