(The Associated Press)
New Explorer tour coming to Seattle
Ford's revealed its new Explorer for the first time last week, promising a SUV with seating for seven that has similar fuel economy to a Toyota Camry sedan. The completely redesigned 2011 model will go on a U.S. tour before hitting dealerships this winter. It will stop in Seattle, with an exact date expected later this month. The new Explorer, built on a car platform, is expected to get around 19 mpg in the city and 28 on the highway. It will have less towing capacity than the outgoing model -- 5,000 pounds, versus 7,115 pounds -- and it won't offer a V-8 engine. However, its 3.7-liter V-6 gets 290 horsepower, the same as the current V-8 with 20 percent better fuel economy.
--The Associated Press
(Volkswagen)
VW head wants more local parts in cars
Volkswagen says it's seeking to use more locally acquired parts in its auto production in North America. CEO Martin Winterkorn recently said that it's not enough to produce cars in North America, but "we also need to get parts and components from there." He says the company now buys 70 to 80 percent of such parts in the area. VW's new plant in Chattanooga, Tenn., will begin building the new Jetta mid-sized sedan (shown above) starting in 2011.
--The Associated Press
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