Tag Archives: Ford

Toyota victim of computer chip shortage

The shortage of computer chips has led to a decline in vehicle production worldwide. This has mostly affected large manufacturers such as VW, Ford and GM, which will significantly reduce production and even suspend it in some plants. One of the victims of the chip shortage is Toyota.

Thanks to large stocks and a lesson learned from 2011, Toyota has successfully dealt with the shortage of computer chips. However, a long-running shortage of chips has forced the Japanese company to reduce vehicle production by almost 50 percent.

In an official statement, Toyota announced that only 1 of the 28 production lines in Toyota’s 14 factories will operate in September, while the remaining will be shut down. In the United States, production will be reduced by almost 100k vehicles, which should not lead to layoffs. Completely unexpected, because this is the biggest production stoppage in the automotive industry in recent history.

Due to this situation, Toyota said: “Due to Covid-19 and unexpected events with our supply chain, Toyota is experiencing additional shortages that will affect production at most of our North American plants. While the situation remains fluid and complex, our manufacturing and supply chain teams have worked diligently to develop countermeasures to minimize the impact on production. ”

How long this situation will last is not known. Many producers expect production to return to normal by the end of the year. Toyota is not so optimistic. They believe that the problem could continue in 2022.

Source: Toyota

Ford Focus ST with m365 Mountune kit

Officially, the fourth-generation Ford Focus RS is not coming this year. So, the British company Mountune upgraded the Ford Focus ST with the M365 kit.

Thanks to the M365 kit, the ST’s 2.3-liter four-cylinder engine delivers 365 hp and 413 lb-ft (560 Nm) of torque. The ST M365 has a six-speed manual transmission and front-wheel drive. The Focus ST offers two driving modes: Sport and Track.

The increase in power of 82 hp and 102 lb-ft (140 Nm) of torque, compared to the standard ST, was achieved thanks to hardware upgrades, improved exhaust system, remapping of the ECU. Remapping is done via the SMARTflash app, and all you need is a smartphone and a Bluetooth OBD interface. This power boost will cost you $ 800 (€ 700).

With all the upgrades, the engine produces enough juice for the ST to reach a top speed of 155 mph (250 km / h). The car underwent long tests that included tens of thousands of kilometers, endurance test and collection of various data.

With a weight of 3325 pounds (1508 kg) and improved performance, the ST has reached the Focus RS level.

Source: Mountune

Ford Mustang Mach-E

Ford has produced a special Mustang Mach-E model for the AirVenture Show in Oshkosh, Wisconsin. It is a special model dedicated to Women Airforce Service Pilots of the Second World War.

The exterior of the car is made in a combination of silver and black with contrasting yellow details. The stars of the US Air Force are also on the car. The interior of the car is the same as the previous one, with the addition of a specially designed armrest with yellow contrasting stripes and the number “38”, which represents the number of female pilots who died in the air force. Yellow stripes can also be seen on the steering wheel, door panels and dashboard.

The electric Mustang Mach-E is powered by two electric motors with 346 hp and 428 lb-ft (580 Nm) of torque. With all-wheel drive, the Mustang Mach-E reaches 62 mph in 4.8 seconds. The car is based on the Mustang Mach-E Premium, and the full battery provides a range of 270 miles (435 km).

Female pilots did not take part in air battles. As volunteers, they transported planes to air bases thus making their significant contribution in World War II.