For most people, losing $2.7 billion over the course of a year would be considered slightly less than stellar. For Ford, on the other hand, that's actually a pretty good year. We're not being sarcastic. In 2006, the company lost $12.6 billion. To fully understand what really happened you have to embrace the mixture of complicated transactions, production cuts, PAG sales and Mark Fields not using the company jet to get home (he also cut back on using the company barber, thus reaping untold savings). But it may be easier to point out that Ford has made steps to get on the path to profitability, and they're moving in the right direction (or at least not moving in the wrong direction as fast as they were). Also, Ford is banking profits in every region of the world that isn't North America, including a pre-tax bump of $1.2 billion in Brazil. For the Fourth Quarter of 2007, Ford only lost $429 million after taxes, an improvement over a nearly $2.0 billion loss the year before. The full story from Ford below the jump.  read more »

You know who we don't spend enough time talking about? Max Hoffman. Max Hoffman? Yeah buddy, Max Hoffman. Those of you with steel trap memories will remember that Hoffman was the guy who convinced Mercedes-Benz to build and import the 300 SL, a car we all agree is six degrees of triple-rad. Hoffman also had Frank Lloyd Wright design him both a home and a Jaguar dealership in Manhattan and he's responsible for bringing the Porsche 356 Speedster to American soil. The BMW 507, too. What a guy.  read more »

Ford Motor Co. has announced that it is moving its Volvo Cars North America out of its Irvine, CA Premier Auto Group offices where it has shared digs with Jaguar, Land Rover and Aston Martin. At one time, even Fords Lincoln brand was located in Irvine. Locating Fords luxury brands in Irvine was a move instigated by Wolfgang Reitzle when he was head of PAG under Ford CEO Jac Nasser. Lincoln long ago moved back to Dearborn, MI. Aston Martin was sold last year. Land Rover and Jaguar are about to be sold to Indian automaker TaTa. That left Volvo somewhat orphaned. So, Ford is moving the U.S. unit back to Northern, N.J. where it was long located prior too Fords purchase. It is, in fact, moving back to the same campus where it has one remaining building used for field sales and finance operations an the like. There are some 90 people in Irvine dedicated to Volvo. But it isnt likely that even 80 will move to N.J. because Ford is not offering as generous a relocation package as it offered for people moving from New Jersey to California. As part of the shift, Volvo chief Anne Belec is moving back to Dearborn to work for Fords global chief marketer Jim Farley. She is replaced by her number-two Doug Speck. Volvo sales have been soft despite overall strength in the premium auto segments. That is leading Ford to reduce the number of Volvo dealers, especially in metro urban markets, to make dealers more profitable. It is also concentrating its marketing and future product development on higher-margin products (like the XC90 SUV pictured above), according to an internal Ford document. For now, all Volvos are built in Europe, which makes the weak dollar a huge factor in profitability of sales in the U.S. That, plus a refocus of Volvos safety engineering message executed with greater creativity than has been the case in recent past, is the recipe for making Volvo a solid contributor to Fords overall comeback, according to Ford executives. Ford floated Volvo for sale last year, as well. But none of the interest that surfaced was going to bring in enough cash to justify the sale. Ford and Volvo have intertwined several aspects of engineering and product development, and unwinding them would be somewhat difficult. The move to NJ solves at least one problem for Volvo execs in the U.S.--the hideous time difference between the west coast and Sweden. In the end, I suspect that Ford will be glad it did not sell Volvo. Having Lincoln as its only premium/luxury option makes a lot of Fordies nervous. And for good reason. There is a recipe for making Volvo more profitable and successful. 1. Focus the marketing on a fusion of extraordinary safety technology and prestige. And stick to it. 2. Start building vehicles in the U.S. so you aren't victim to the weak dollar, and can compete more aggressively on price. Let the Swedish government know that if Ford doesn't get some relief on the ability to cut some jobs, the automaker is going to just up and leave one of these days or sell it to the Chinese. 3. Give Volvo a two-mode hybrid vehicle and a clean diesel for the U.S., and start pushing the brand as a premium green, and safe, buy.  read more »

As if the pair of victorious Aston Martin DBR9 race cars aren't delicious enough, this year they're rocking Gulf Oil livery.  read more »

Last week saw a heated debate over the entry of the 1925 Rolls-Royce Phantom 1 Jonckheere Coupe. Was it beautiful or a mockery, art or excess, folly or fantastic? According to the votes, 80.3% of you believed it a worthy entrant, so those questions have an answer. Now we switch gears entirely, from a tribute to form to a celebration of unquestionable function. In modern history, Land Rover has been nothing if not there to see things happen. It is said that a Land Rover is the only vehicle some people will ever see. Beginning in post-war Britain in 1946, an unbroken chain of workhorse machines has performed the duties set forth by their owners, never rusting, rarely failing. That progression has left us with a paragon of uncomplaining, uncomplicated virtue: the Land Rover Defender.  read more »

I believe there are certain things you can never have too many of. Good pairs of jeans and shoes. Pocket knives. Friends with pickup trucks. Real Mexican joints. Books. And of course, sports cars from the early 60s that competed at LeMans in your Fantasy Garage. We've already got the two best (the Shelby Cobra Daytona Coupe and the Ferrari 250 GTO, respectively) so let us now induct the most beautiful; the British/Italian hybrid Aston Martin DB4 GT Zagato.  read more »

Perhaps now you understand the troubles we go through to select the lineup of the first 50 cars to fill the stalls of the Jalopnik Fantasy Garage. We presented to you theCaparo T1, warts and all, for consideration of the garage without the benefit of flowery prose or over the top hyperbole — the car itself is hyperbole enough. We wanted to see how a game-changing supercar would stand up to the harsh scrutiny of an unsoftened voting block because frankly, we're tired of everything getting in so easily. This is about whittling things down to a sharpened point, debating the merits and pitfalls of some of the greatest mechanical symphonies ever built, this should be a knock down drag out fight to get into the garage — that is unless we're talking about the Morgan Aero 8.  read more »

Though there was much gnashing of teeth over the Land Rover Defender last week, the British stalwart marched triumphant into the Jalopnik Fantasy Garage, with a convincing 82.8%. We now have 43 slots down and a mere seven left to fill. Things are beginning to get tight, so let's move on to something better able to fit in the tiny and uncomfortable spaces we've got left. With a wind-sculpted shape and dominating track record, purity of concept and unwavering devotion to engineering, this week's long-awaited entry proves that might does not always make right. Indeed, sometimes the victor is he who carries the lightest burden.  read more »

First production Porsche to top 300 kilometers per hour. On its own, a rather impressive standard to bear, but coupled to the tectonic shift in technology necessary to reach that milestone, the Porsche 959 stands as a true engineering masterpiece. The mythic beast that dominated many a boyhood bedroom poster wall came into being during a strange time in Zuffenhausen. Things were bleak for Porsche's traditional rear engine layout--the 924 and 944 were chipping away at the paradigm--and many wondered quietly how much longer the 911 would remain relevant.  read more »

Aston Martin Works Service has hosted its ninth and most successful Bonhams' Auction, with one lot going for over 1million. A 1961 Aston Martin DB4 GT coup sold for 1,079,500 - a new record at auction for this model. This eye-wateringly expensive car went under the hammer in the same week as TV and radio personality Chris Evans bought a 5million Ferrari at auction. The sale of Aston Martin motor cars and related automobilia generated a record 4.7 million, with bids taken from enthusiasts from around the world including Latvia, Japan, Australia and the United States. Since the first auction in 2000, the specialist auctioneer Bonhams has sold more than 14m worth of Aston Martins, often at record-breaking levels. Lot 345, the DB4 GT, is one of only 75 built, and arguably the most sought after of the David Brown Aston Martin road cars. "The record prices achieved at this year's auction are testament to Aston Martin's illustrious heritage, the iconic status of the cars and the growing international interest in the Aston Martin brand," said Kingsley Riding-Felce, Aston Martin's Director of Works Service and Customer Care.  read more »