FORD EUROPE has reported a pre-tax profit of $138 million (€96 million), compared with $582 million (€407 million) a year ago. Ford says that the decline could be explained by lower industry volume, dealer stock reductions, higher material cost and unfavourable mix, partly offset by structural cost reductions, favourable net pricing and market share improvement.
European pre-tax result improved by about $700 million (€490 million) in the second quarter as compared to the first quarter of 2009.
According to a Ford statement, “this improvement primarily reflects higher industrial volumes, a smaller decrease in dealer stocks, lower costs and favourable net pricing”. Second quarter revenue was down $7.2 billion (€5 billion), from $11.5 billion (€8 billion) a year ago.
UK police receive IS-F
CAR THIEVES in the UK’s Humberside will face a tougher task evading the police following the delivery to the local police force of a Lexus IS-F.
The IS-F, which features a 5.0-litre V8, putting out 416bhp, can reach 100km/h in 4.8 seconds and has been bought to replace Subaru Imprezas which were previously used in the roads crime section to target organised criminals in the area.
The car will carry more than €34,000 worth of police equipment and was chosen after it proved it could remain stable in high-speed operational policing environments.
August debut for Fisker plug-in
THE FISKER Karma Plug-in Hybrid will make its public driving debut on August 15th during the Rolex Monterey Historic Automobile Races In the US.
It will also be on display at the Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance on August 16th.
The Fisker Karma is a full-sized luxury saloon that has a range of 80km on a full charge of its lithium-ion battery and a total range of 482km, thanks to an on-board generator, turned by a 260bhp Ecotec engine.
Two 201.5bhp electric motors send traction to a single-speed differential adding up to acceleration of six seconds to 100km/h and a top speed of 201km/h.
This Q-Drive powertrain, according to Fisker, can average more than 2.8l/100km and has a lower carbon output than current hybrids.