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MAN Truck & Bus Press Release / June 27, 2019 We’ve got a solution for your challenges: Our MAN agricultural vehicles are perfectly tailored to the special needs of the agricultural industry and efficiently master operations between the field and the processing plant. .

Iveco Truck & Bus Press Release / July 2, 2019 The on-road IVECO S-WAY is the first vehicle in the new IVECO WAY heavy range, developed to deliver a complete package of features and services focused on the driver, on sustainability and on an advanced level of connectivity-enabling new customised services. The IVECO S-WAY was launched at a global event held in Madrid, involving global leader partners Amazon, Shell and Microsoft. IVECO presented today its new IVECO S-WAY heavy vehicle for on-road missions in a milestone Convention held at the IFEMA exhibition centre in Madrid, Spain, to its dealer network, its sales people, customers and the representatives of the international press. Hubertus Mühlhäuser, Chief Executive Officer of CNH Industrial, presented the strategic outlook and vision of CNH Industrial at the event, which was opened by Gerrit Marx, President Commercial and Specialty Vehicles. Also invited to speak were representatives of the brand’s global leader partners Amazon, Shell and Microsoft, companies known for generating ‘creative disruption’ through their innovations. At the event, Hubertus Mühlhäuser, CNH Industrial CEO, commented: “Within CNH Industrial, IVECO is part of something bigger and uses the synergies within the Group. This new flagship Heavy Duty Truck is not only an achievement for the IVECO brand, it is also an important milestone for CNH Industrial as a whole.” With this launch, the brand is introducing its new IVECO WAY heavy range that marks a strong shift towards providing customers with an integrated transport solution, economically and environmentally sustainable, in which the services around the product become more important than the product itself. In his speech, Gerrit Marx explained: “We want to become the Easiest-to-work-and-innovate-with Truck OEM for our suppliers and customers, while tailoring our vehicles around a Driver´s life, which today is more than just the route he travels. Sustainability also entails our responsibility to make this job, which is crucial for our society, a more attractive and enjoyable one… which goes beyond just adding leather and wood applications.” IVECO S-WAY: the IVECO heavy truck for the next decade The IVECO S-WAY carries over all the advances introduced in the previous generations and adds a new cab entirely redesigned around the driver’s and the owner’s needs. In the face of fierce competition, logistics operators need top-level uptime, efficiency and productivity from their fleets. The new IVECO S-WAY perfectly meets this requirement, providing a complete package of features and services without equal, developed with focus on driver centricity, sustainability and a new, extended level of connectivity aimed at reducing Total Cost of Ownership. It is more than a product: it offers a business model that covers the vehicle’s entire life cycle and helps IVECO’s customers to meet their own customers’ requirements. The driver-centric design of the new cab provides first-rate living and working conditions with a spacious environment, outstanding driving ergonomics, and a well-planned layout that combines functionality with comfort. The design also addresses driver safety with the reinforced structure (ECE R29.03 cab crash compliant) and much improved visibility all around and in all conditions. In redesigning the cab from the ground up, IVECO has taken every opportunity to deliver cost savings and productivity gains to the benefit of the owner’s profitability. The new design optimises aerodynamic performance, further increasing the vehicle’s excellent fuel efficiency by up to 4%. Also contributing to the low Total Cost of Ownership are design features such as the multi-piece bumper that dramatically reduces repair costs, as only the affected part needs to be replaced in the event of damage. IVECO S-WAY: the 100% connected truck The new, advanced Connectivity Box in the IVECO S-WAY is a powerful connectivity enabler and true game-changer. It collects, processes and exchanges data in real time. It works off a service platform developed in partnership with Microsoft that provides safe data storage and management, and many value-added services. Owners and drivers are constantly connected with the vehicle on their mobile device or PC through the user-friendly MyIVECO portal and app. The IVECO S-WAY uses connectivity to enhance the driver’s life on board, providing a superior driving experience with advanced driver assistance and driving style features combined with services developed to help them operate effortlessly and efficiently, accessed through the user-friendly MyIVECO EASY Way App. The IVECO S-WAY’s advanced connectivity has also been developed to help logistics operators to ensure their businesses’ profitability by maximising the vehicle’s uptime, providing a consistent and predictive service with My IVECO Way Solutions, and delivering low Total Cost of Ownership. It also unlocks a new modular offer of premium personalised services, including professional fuel advising, fleet management and maintenance, to optimise the fleet’s performance and efficiency. IVECO S-WAY: the sustainable truck The new IVECO S-WAY builds on the outstanding sustainable performance of the brand’s heavy line, achieving further reductions in PM, NOx and CO2 emissions. True to its heritage, it combines low TCO with low emissions. This is achieved with the exclusive HI-SCR after-treatment system and through the exceptional fuel efficiency resulting from the advanced engine technology and Hi-Tronix transmission, and the multiple fuel-saving solutions such as the Smart EGR. For logistics operators wishing to run a ‘green’ fleet, the IVECO S-WAY Natural Power remains the only LNG truck offering a range of up to 1,600 km for long haul missions with 460 hp. With this vehicle, they will benefit from all the advantages of natural gas, the only immediately available low-emission alternative to diesel in the heavy segment, which delivers Particulate Matter emissions 99% lower than diesel, 90% less NO2 and, with biomethane, CO2 is 95% lower, near zero. IVECO WAY Range: the “customer-centric” way The IVECO WAY range, with its new name, signals the brand’s approach that fully exploits the possibilities offered by connectivity – a new way of being ‘customer centric’ by creating a set of solutions to support the customers every step of the way in their vehicle’s lifecycle and beyond. Its focus on the customer extends to the driver, by raising the bar on the quality of life on board. It introduces a new way of operating, where connectivity puts the driver, owner and IVECO on board the truck, working together to build the vehicle’s business case and ensure its profitability – as expressed by the range’s pay-off: IVECO. DRIVE THE NEW WAY. The new IVECO WAY range is the culmination of a product innovation cycle that saw the introduction of the IVECO S-WAY’s predecessor with its 11% fuel efficiency reduction, the first true natural gas long-haul solution in the industry, and the X-WAY family for light off-road missions. It addresses the key trends driving the transport industry: a blurring of the lines separating the vehicle and the services around it, the advanced connectivity, the need to attract and keep highly skilled professional drivers, and increasingly demanding requirements in sustainability. .

Volvo Trucks Press Release / July 2, 2019 Volvo Trucks is upgrading its D13 diesel engines for Euro 3, Euro 4, Euro 5 and EEV markets, with new software and hardware updates. The changes mean enhanced driver support and combined they can enable fuel savings of up to three per cent in long-haul operations. .

I had another lunch today, this time with that Chevrolet heavy truck dealer principal himself. What I was told is all true, except the trucks were two C65 mediums instead of Titan 90s, and they had 5.9-litre John Deere "6359" engines. .

The creation of the Series 60 was as important in American truck engine history as the high-torque rise Mack Maxidyne powerplant.

What I see is Virginia is giving the Swedish foreign aggressor 222 acres of land, and US$500,000. The Virginia taxpayer had no say in the matter (how's that for democracy in the country with a "government of the people, by the people, for the people"?). I say, if you want to come profit in our country, you need to pay for it ("If you want to play, you have to pay").

Saw this comment on Yahoo Finance: "Interesting, if you pay to get your brat into college you go to prison. if you break into the country and bring a bunch of brats with you you all get free college , welfare and an EBT card along with healthcare and a smart phone plus anything else you ask for."

Why new Volvo jobs will 'transform' Pulaski County Tommy Lopez, WSIS 10 / July 1, 2019 Plus, the 5 reasons why one expert believes Volvo chose Dublin PULASKI, Va. - Pulaski County will be “transformed.” That’s what local leaders are saying after Volvo announced on Friday that it’s bringing 777 more jobs to its Dublin plant, investing $400 million. Economic impact Local leaders said the county is going grow immensely as a result of the investment. County administrator Jonathan Sweet said the new Volvo employees will earn a combined $40 million and the new jobs at Volvo will create 2,000 other jobs that will support the plant. “It's so impactful and, quite frankly, it's transformative,” Sweet said. Local leaders say this kind of advanced manufacturing has the highest multiplier effect compared to other industries, meaning its impact is even greater on other industries, infrastructure, housing and much more. Leaders know they need everything from more housing to new shopping centers and are making plans to expand. The county is using this big win to try to attract investments in other sectors, like technology, and it’s taking advantage of the prepared graduates from Virginia Tech, Radford and the community college system. “It's exciting to see the access Pulaski County has into talent,” Sweet said. Earlier this month, the county passed a program so every high school graduate can go to New River Community College for free. Why Virginia won Economic development expert John Boyd, who owns a consulting firm, said Virginia is creating the playbook for how states win over companies for investment. He said the commonwealth has five key factors that it emphasizes that allow it to stand out: -Right-to-work status -Low cost of doing business -Incentives -Tax structure -Workforce training “It really cements this as a center of gravity for the trucking industry. Very exciting news,” Boyd said. He believes the investment fits into Volvo’s plan to cater to the needs of companies like Amazon, FedEx and UPS, which rely on last-mile truck deliveries. He also thinks this paves the way for a focus on emerging technology, like self-driving capabilities. “Because of that, truck production is a growth sector. It's a highly-coveted sector within the context of advanced manufacturing,” Boyd said. He said locations in Pennsylvania's Lehigh Valley and in Greensboro, North Carolina, made strong cases to beat out Dublin for the Volvo expansion. .

This country has gotten too "thin skinned", too politically correct. In this case, what in the world??? If one "cherry picks" facts for the sake of argument, one can now successfully argue for or against anything. Whatever happened to telling those in the minority........."no". It's impossible for everyone to get their way.

The Wall Street Journal / July 1, 2019 Nike Inc. is yanking a U.S.A.-themed sneaker featuring an early American flag after former NFL star-turned-activist Colin Kaepernick told the company it shouldn’t sell a shoe with a symbol that he and others consider offensive. The sneaker giant created the Air Max 1 USA in celebration of the July Fourth holiday, and it was slated to go on sale this week. The heel of the shoe featured a U.S. flag with 13 white stars in a circle, a design created during the American Revolution and commonly referred to as the Betsy Ross flag. After shipping the shoes to retailers, Nike asked for them to be returned without explaining why. “Nike has chosen not to release the Air Max 1 Quick Strike Fourth of July as it featured the old version of the American flag,” a Nike spokeswoman said. After images of the shoe were posted online, Kaepernick, a Nike endorser, called Nike officials saying that he and others felt the Betsy Ross flag is an offensive symbol because of its connection to an era of slavery. Kaepernick refused to comment. .

Truck News / June 28, 2019 CLIFFORD, Ont. — Canada’s biggest antique and classic truck show is underway in Clifford, Ont., about 170 kilometers west of Toronto. The show has attracted 200 trucks on the event’s 10th anniversary, said organizer Chris Hall. “Although we are a show, it’s important to know that Clifford has become a reunion to so many veteran drivers who make the trek annually to catch up with old trucking friends.” The event, organized by the Great Lakes Truck Club, is being held at the Rotary Park, and will feature three days of activities including a food booth, beer garden and barbecue. The 2019 Theme Truck is the Western Star, a brand which began production in Kelowna, B.C., in 1967. The truck is known for its ruggedness and classy lines. All models of Western Star are on display at the show. Historian Dale Bridge will also be at the show, displaying his trucking patch collection. Bridge, from Oswego, Ill., has the largest collection in North America of U.S. and Canadian trucking company logos. The show began in 2009 as an added attraction to the long-running Clifford Rotaryfest. “An integral part of the show is dedicated to the owners of newer rigs with traditional styling who appreciate the classics,” the club said. It said many drivers have purchased antique trucks “only to be part of Clifford.” The show closes at 4 p.m. on Sunday.

Truck News / June 28, 2019 GREENSBORO, North Carolina — Volvo Group will invest $400 million over six years to upgrade the New River Valley (NRV), Virginia, plant that produces all Volvo trucks sold in North America, the Swedish company announced on Friday. The plan includes expansion of the industrial footprint and installation of a variety of state-of-the-art equipment that will improve plant efficiency and deliver even higher product quality for customers, it said. The investment will create 777 new jobs. “The outstanding product line currently produced at NRV has strongly positioned Volvo Trucks for the future,” said Peter Voorhoeve, president of Volvo Trucks North America (VTNA). “This investment is another sign of our confidence in that future, and will help us prepare for even more exciting products – powered by both diesel and electric drivetrains – in the coming years.” The expansion will be eligible for a Virginia Major Employment and Investment grant of up to $16.5 million and other incentives, the company said. Virginia’s Pulaski County will support the project by giving Volvo 222 acres of adjacent property to expand the truckmaker's plant, and also donating $500,000 toward site improvements. .

Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / June 28, 2019 Cummins announced Friday it has agreed to acquire Hydrogenics Corporation, a developer and manufacturer of hydrogen fuel cell modules and hydrogen generation equipment. As a part of the transaction, The Hydrogen Company, a wholly-owned subsidiary of L’Air Liquide, S.A., and Hydrogenics’ largest equity shareholder, will maintain ownership in the company. Cummins Chairman and CEO Tom Linebarger called Hydrogenics “one of the world’s leading fuel cell and hydrogen generation equipment providers,” and said Cummins looked forward to formally closing the deal, at which time “we will share more details about the acquisition and our strategy to offer a broad portfolio of power solutions to meet our customers’ needs.” Following the unanimous recommendation of the special committee of Hydrogenics Board of Directors, all non-interested directors of Hydrogenics have already approved the transaction and have recommended that Hydrogenics shareholders vote in favor of the transaction that offered $15 per share in cash. “It takes vision and an innovative spirit to take on next generation technologies and provide the environment for them to grow,” Hydrogenics President and CEO Daryl Wilson said. “Hydrogenics has worked for 24 years to emerge as a global leader in fuel cell and hydrogen solutions in the power industry. We are deeply honored to now join with Cummins on the transformative journey of next generation clean power solutions.”

Senate bill would require DOT to finalize speed limiter mandate Commercial Carrier Journal (CCJ) / July 1, 2019 A bill introduced late last week in the U.S. Senate would require the U.S. Department of Transportation to resume work on a rule to require heavy-duty trucks to be equipped with speed limiters and require a limited speed of 65 mph. Sen. Johnny Isakson, a Georgia Republican, filed the legislation June 27 into the Senate’s Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee. It would require all new trucks to be equipped with speed limiters set at 65 mph, as well as existing trucks with speed limiting capabilities to have the same cap. Due to Executive Orders signed by President Trump in his first days in office, DOT’s Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration tabled a rulemaking that sought to institute a speed limiter mandate. The agency was scheduled to publish a proposed rule in September 2017, but has since moved the rulemaking to a long-term agenda item. Isakson’s bill likely won’t gain the traction it needs to prevail in Congress, though he could try to attach it to a larger transportation bill, such as an annual DOT appropriations bill or a highway authorization bill.

2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 to start at $73,995 Michael Martinez, Automotive News / July 1, 2019 Ford Motor Co.'s most powerful street-legal vehicle will come with a hefty price tag. The automaker last week confirmed the 2020 Mustang Shelby GT500 will start at $73,995. That includes a $1,095 shipping fee and a $2,600 gas guzzler tax. But the car can easily stretch past $90,000 with add-ons. The carbon fiber track package will cost an additional $18,500, Ford said. A handling package costs $1,500, and a technology package will set buyers back $3,000. Various paint options, such as a black roof or over-the-top stripes, cost $695 each. An optional carbon fiber instrument panel is $1,000. The vehicle will go on sale this fall. The supercharged 5.2-liter V-8 engine boasts 760 hp and 625 pound-feet of torque, and Ford says it will achieve a 0-to-60-mph time in the mid-3-second range. .

BYD launches electric bus output at 2nd North American plant Automotive News China / July 1, 2019 BYD Co., China’s largest electrified vehicle maker, opened its second North American electric bus assembly plant, in Newmarket, Ontario. The 45,000-square-foot factory will first focus on assembling buses for the Toronto Transit Commission, Canada’s largest transit operator, BYD said last week. Last year, BYD landed an order from the Toronto agency for 10 40-foot-long electric buses with an option for 30 more. Prior to the opening of the plant in Ontario, BYD shipped electric buses from China to transit operators in other areas of Canada. They include St. Albert Transit, Grande Prairie Transit and two other transit operators in Alberta. BYD opened its first electric bus assembly plant Lancaster, Calif., in 2013. The factory now employs about 1,000 people. The Ontario plant is BYD’s sixth electric bus plant outside China. The company also assembles electric buses in Scotland, Brazil, Hungary and France. BYD, based in Shenzhen, is listed in Hong Kong and Shanghai. It is partly owned by U.S. billionaire Warren Buffett. For the first five months of this year, it delivered 119,082 electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles globally, more than doubling the tally a year earlier. The number includes 1,467 electric buses. .

Detroit chips in with an overhead camshaft six Commercial Motor / March 14, 1987 Over the past decade Detroit Diesel Allison — General Motors' diesel engine and automatic transmission-manufacturing subsidiary — has seen its share of the North American Class Eight (top weight on-road truck category) engine market dwindle away almost to nothing. Of the 130,000 or so Class Eight vehicles which were sold in North America last year, only 5% had Detroit Diesel engines. Once DDA would have been disappointed if its market share had dropped below 30%. DDA's vee-eight and vee-six twostroke engines never found favour with European operators, mainly because of their poor fuel consumption. Now they have suffered a dramatic decline in popularity among American operators too, primarily because of reliability problems associated with water leaking into the lubricating oil. GM has now restructured its diesel engine division, merging it with the diesel engine business of agricultural equipment manufacturer John Deere to form a 50/50 joint venture company which is to be called Dedec (Detroit Deere Corporation). It has also introduced an all new truck engine which has taken seven years to develop and is designed to leapfrog its competitors, chiefly Cummins and Caterpillar, in technical innovation, performance and market share. Donovan Downham, Dedec's vicepresident of sales and marketing, is confident that the new engine, designated Series 60, will capture "at least 22% of the US heavy duty diesel market in the next five years." Dedec's plans for selling the Series 60 engine in Europe are less clear, but there is no doubt that it will become available here. Floor, the Dutch specialist vehicle builder, has one of two Series 60 prototypes which have been shipped to Europe. Foremost among the other European vehicle manufacturers who are at least potential customers for the Series 60 engines are ERF, Foden, Seddon Atkinson, Kassbohrer and Perlini, the Italian manufacturer of on/off-road trucks. Another surprising name on the list of possible customers for the new engine is Dal (and Leyland Oaf). The Dutch manufacturer needs an engine to take it into the 300kW-plus onroad truck sector which is becoming increasingly important in Europe, and its own 11.6 litre engine, with a maximum power rating of 270kW (360hp) would probably be unduly stretched at much higher ratings. The Series 60 engine could provide Daf with a more costeffective option than a new engine development programme. In the USA truck manufacturers who are already fitting Series 60 engines in their Class Eight models include Freightliner (owned by Daimler-Benz), Kenworth and Peterbilt (part of Paccar) and Volvo White, in addition to GM's own truck-building division, GMC. There are two displacements in the Series 60 family: 11.1 and 12.7 litres. The larger engine has a 15% longer stroke than the 11.1 litre unit, sharing its 130mm bore and all but eight of its component parts. Unlike earlier Detroit Diesel engines this one is built to metric dimensions and, unlike the 71 and 92 Series Detroit two-strokes — which will remain in production — its designation bears no relation to its swept volume in cubic inches. All Series 60 engines are in-line, six cylinder, turbocharged and air-to-air charge-cooled four-strokes. Uniquely, for an engine of this size and type, the Series 60 has a gear driven overhead camshaft, and it is the first diesel engine of any type to go into full production with a fully electronic control system for its fuel injection equipment as standard. The DDEC (Detroit Diesel Electronic Control) system became an option on vee-six and vee-eight 92 Series twostroke engines in 1985 (CM August 24). NEW STANDARDS The engineers who designed and developed this engine say their objective was to set new standards in fuel economy, reliability, durability, noise level, and exhaust emissions. It is in the first and last of these areas that the electronic control of both fuel metering and injection timing plays a crucial role. For all twelve US variants of the new engine, with maximum power ratings from 186kW (250hp) to 298kW (400hp) at speeds of 1,800 and 2,000 rpm, Dedec's performance curves show that in terms of full load minimum specific fuel consumption the Series 60 matches, or in some cases is slightly ahead of the most fuel-efficient truck engines which are currently on the market, Like some versions of the Cummins 10 litre engine, Gardner's 12.7 litre 6LXDT and the latest Perkins Eagle 12.17 litre, the Series 60's SFC dips as low as 189 g/kW-h (0.311b/hp-h). Significantly, it does so while comfortably meeting the current US Federal and even the more stringent Californian limits on diesel engine exhaust emissions. "This is a 50-state engine," says David Merrion, Dedec's vice-president of product engineering. He is also confident that by 1991, when even tougher emissions limits come into force in the USA, including a new limit on particulates emission, the Series 60 will be able to meet them without the bulky exhaust systemmounted particulate traps which all diesel engine manufacturers are currently experimenting with. Some Dedec engineers believe that without such severe exhaust emission limits the Series 60 could break the 183g/1W-h (0.30Ib/hp-h) barrier, which would certainly put it ahead of all other production truck diesel engines. As it stands, the Series 60 is claimed to give on-the-road fuel economy ranging from two to 15% better than any of its current US competitors. When development work started on the Series 60, in 1980, it was intended that it would only be made in 11.1 Litres capacity. As the demand for power outputs above 261kW (550hp) steadily increased during the early eighties, however, DDA's engineers reached the conclusion that they would need a larger capacity to satisfy this demand without compromising durability — all Series 60 engines are intended to cover 800,000km (500,000 miles) before requiring a major overhaul. Merrion says the reason for not simply derating the 12.7 litre unit for power outputs below 261kW is that the penalty in fuel consumption caused by the parasitic losses of the bigger engine would be about 3% worse than with the 11.1 litre unit. Increasing the swept volume of the 12.7 litre engine for still higher power outputs has already been considered. There is enough space between the engine's wet cylinder liners for a larger bore version to give a swept volume of around 13.7 litres, and it is this engine in which DAF has shown particular interest. http://archive.commercialmotor.com/article/14th-march-1987/24/detroit-chips-in-with-an-overhead-camshaft-six

"In the early 1980s Detroit Diesel, then still a division of General Motors had a 3.2 % market share and was hemorrhaging money. The two stroke engines they were then building which were technologically similar to the engines Deere used in the 435 and 8020 tractors were unlikely to ever meet the new emissions standards that were coming. So Detroit Diesel approached John Deere who was having its own struggles due to the 1980s farm economy, about merging engine building operations. Plans and negotiations soon began. 4000 to 5000 GM workers would be assigned to the new company along with another 2000 from Deere. Company headquarters would be in Detroit and the Redford Township engine plant and Romulus parts distribution and engineering center would also be used. All of the other Detroit Diesel operations such as those building engines and Allison transmissions for light trucks as well as locomotive engine operations would not be affected. Deere plants affected would be the engine facilities in Waterloo, Dubuque and Saran, France. Things progressed to enough of a degree that in March of 1987, a few brochures and ads were printed that included the new company’s name, Detroit Deere Corporation. However being a deal was finalized, Roger Penske who a few years earlier had purchased Hertz Truck Leasing and was Detroit Diesel’s largest customer sent a team who along with GM’s John Farmer put together a 700 million dollar deal in a matter of weeks with General Motors holding 20% of the note for 10 to 15 years. The Romulus site was sold off and Allison Transmission was kept by GM, at least for awhile. Penske’s group also hammered out a new contract with the UAW that markedly decreased absenteeism and grievances. The new Detroit Diesel then went full speed ahead with production of the Tech 80 engine developed by Arn Vanderbock. That engine was later named the 60 series and market share soon climbed from 3% to 35%." --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Detroit series 60 was developed by Mr. Arn Vanderbock who was an engineer at Cummins. He proposed it to Cummins. They declined. He came over to Detroit Diesel. https://talk.newagtalk.com/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=685481&DisplayType=flat&setCookie=1

Dual-clutch gearbox complaints haunt Ford Michael Martinez, Automotive News / July 1, 2019 The Ford Focus and Fiesta are fading away in the U.S., but the headaches caused by the small cars' PowerShift dual-clutch transmissions live on. Ford Motor Co. never conquered the long-term reliability problems on the gearboxes that thousands of customers complained would shudder, jerk and hesitate. Although engineers helped solve some early glitches with software updates and redesigned parts, Ford issued more than 20 technical service bulletins related to the transmissions, which were code-named DPS6. In 2014, Ford extended the transmissions' warranty by two years and 40,000 miles. Litigation over the transmissions remains unresolved. Ford reached a settlement in 2017 for a class-action lawsuit covering 1.9 million owners, but the settlement is being challenged in a federal court in California on the grounds that not enough owners would be compensated. A separate mass-tort case involving thousands of customers is pending in Michigan. Former Ford CEO Mark Fields has been ordered to testify by July 31 in a series of cases involving customers who opted out of the class-action suit. A Florida judge last month denied Fields' motion to avoid testifying. Ford also has been forced to pay up around the world; last year it lost a class-action lawsuit in Thailand and separately was fined $10 million by a court in Australia. "They have a major PR and customer-satisfaction nightmare on their hands," Gabe Shenhar, associate director of the auto test program at Consumer Reports, told Automotive News. "It's still not well sorted out." Customer complaints Ford introduced the six-speed PowerShift transmission in 2010, playing up the gearbox's fuel-economy benefits. But customers soon began complaining about jerkiness and a lack of power, and the transmission — along with the troublesome MyFord Touch infotainment system — contributed to Ford's plunge to No. 20 in Consumer Reports' 2011 reliability survey from 10th the previous year. Many customers weren't used to the dual-clutch gearbox, incorrectly assuming it would behave like a regular hydraulic automatic transmission. The PowerShift used two dry clutch packs in place of a normal automatic torque converter, which tended to make buyers think the car wasn't properly accelerating. On the reliability front, the clutches would overheat and often showed signs of premature wear. Ford made some changes in 2012 that it believed would solve most of the problems, but complaints continued. The company also directed dealers to make fixes that often included replacing clutches and updating the transmission control module. "They made it marginally more palatable, but each update came with some loss of fuel efficiency and power," Shenhar said. "Customers weren't happy." The warranty extension Ford eventually offered was a "pretty clear conclusion" it didn't have a permanent fix, Shenhar said. Angry customers have turned to the courts, arguing that Ford knew about the defects but sold the vehicles anyway and then blamed owners for not driving them properly. Although Ford reached a settlement in 2017 that would give customers $2,325 if they opt in and meet certain qualifications, that settlement is being challenged by groups that argue the deal would let Ford off the financial hook. The automaker's lawyers argued to keep the settlement in front of three appeals judges in April. An answer is expected by December. The automaker, in a statement, said it does not comment on pending litigation but is committed to providing top-quality vehicles for its customers. "We continue to deny the allegations in this lawsuit, but rather than continuing with the litigation, Ford entered into a settlement agreement with lawyers representing these plaintiffs," the statement said. "That settlement is fair and appropriate and we look forward to final court approval." Fields testimony A number of customers opted out of the class-action lawsuit, and their suits have been combined into a federal case in California. That's where Fields comes in. The former CEO was Ford's president of the Americas when the cars with the dual-clutch transmissions were launched. "The deposition is critical to investigating and confirming that Ford's executives at the highest level knew of the problems with the transmissions and intentionally concealed that information and sold the Focus and Fiesta to the public anyway," Russell Higgins, an associate attorney at Knight Law Group, which represents a number of individuals in the case, told Automotive News. Fields, who was replaced by Jim Hackett in May 2017, is a senior adviser at TPG Capital, a global asset management firm. "Mr. Fields is sort of where the buck stopped in terms of corporate knowledge," Higgins said. "It's important to have him be able to talk about his actions and what he knew."

I’ve been saying for years that we need to connect with them. I’ve dealt with them......they’re no different from us.

Well now I didn’t know that. Very interesting.

Mr. Hancock pegged it. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- July 21, 1986 General Motors and Deere & Company have signed a memorandum of understanding to form a joint venture to design, manufacture and distribute diesel engines worldwide, the companies announced recently. The proposed corporation would be held equally by both parent companies. The agreement is subject to final negotiations and clearance by the federal antitrust authorities. The joint venture will include the diesel engine operations of Deere & Company and the Detroit Diesel Allison Division of General Motors (DDA). F. James McDonald, president of General Motors, and Robert A. Hanson, chairman and chief executive officer, Deere & Company, issued this joint statement: "General Motors and Deere & Company believe this proposed joint venture is a very positive step for the diesel engine operations of both companies. The new organization will allow us to provide a full line of products that will benefit from combined resources in both technology and economies of scale in manufacturing. These advantages, coupled with a strong distribution network and the considerable experience of management and production personnel from both companies, give us confidence that the new company will play a leadership role in the diesel industry." Officials predict annual sales of about $1.5 billion for the new company. The new company is yet to be named and will be headquartered in the Detroit area. Senior management will be drawn from both GM and Deere. It is expected that the new firm will be in operation under its new name and management by January 1,1987. The joint venture will utilize diesel engine facilities in the Detroit area presently operated by Detroit Diesel Allison Division of General Motors. These include the Redford heavy-duty diesel engine plant, the Romulus Parts Distribution Center and the Romulus Engineering Center. Also included will be the tools and machinery used to manufacture the Detroit Diesel 8.2L medium-duty engines now being built by GM's Chevrolet-Pontiac-GM of Canada (CPC) group which recently acquired DDA's Romulus diesel engine manufacturing facility. The 8.2L engine will be a part of the new joint venture's line. The Deere & Company facilities to be utilized include the Waterloo, Iowa, diesel engine plant and a diesel engine plant in Saran, France. Engines will also be provided from the Dubuque, Iowa, factory, which will continue to be part of Deere & Company. These three facilities supply engines for John Deere agricultural and industrial equipment as well as for use by other customers in marine and industrial applications and generator sets. All other DDA operations will remain with GM, and other operations of Deere & Company will be unaffected. The combined product line gives the new company a complete range of diesel engines from 50 hp to 2,000 hp, with a wide variety of configurations to meet virtually every application need. Detroit Diesel Allison has been marketing the John Deere line of diesel engines through its worldwide sales organization for the past year, under an earlier agreement. The two companies also have been cooperating under a technical agreement for joint engineering efforts on new products. These actions have provided continuity and direction while the joint venture has been under study.

Good on Trump. .