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Ford celebrates Mustang 50th anniversary with spectacles, special editions

The iconic Mustang muscle car isn’t exactly subtle, and neither have been Ford’s celebrations of that vehicle hitting 50 years of continuous production. Stunts celebrating the car’s anniversary have included assembling a car on the observation deck of the Empire State Building in New York, launching a scale model Mustang into space, and holding a multi-city party for more than 100,000 enthusiasts.

The Empire State Building spectacle repeats the stunt Ford pulled off nearly 50 years ago. In both cases, the cars had to be disassembled, cut apart, and shipped up elevators because the narrow spaces on the building’s observation deck did not allow helicopter access.

“Like all good craftsmen, our team is measuring twice and cutting once to make sure we can get this Mustang up in the elevators,” says Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer. “Like the team that did this in 1965, the current crew visited the Empire State Building before starting and took careful measurements of its new elevators and doors before cutting up the car.”

In California, Ford dealers and sales managers attached a model of a Mustang to high-altitude helium balloons, sending it 21 miles into space, high enough for pictures from the event to show the curvature of the Earth.

Through the first five months of the year, Ford sold 36,600 Mustangs, up 8.1% from a year ago. Company executives said the 50th anniversary edition has been very popular with enthusiasts. The car gets a major makeover for the 2015 model year, going on sale in late 2014.

www.ford.com/mustang

IMTS conference sessions offer insight into manufacturing technology

The International Manufacturing Technology Show’s (IMTS) conference schedule has been released, offering details on 69 information sessions to be held from Sept. 8-13, 2014, at McCormick Place in Chicago. Topics range from discussions of new 3D printing techniques to managing business growth.

Concurrent with the IMTS sessions will be several educational seminars held by the co-located Motion, Drive, & Automation North America (MDA NA) show. Topics for the MDA NA show include discussions of machine-to-machine communication strategies, advanced robotic controls, and systems integration topics.

imts.com/education/conference.html imts.com/education/conference_MDA.html

General Motors issues more recalls

Through June, General Motors had recalled 25.7 million cars in the United States this year; 29.0 million when numbers from Canada and Mexico are added. Included are more than 500,000 Camaro models, effectively all of those cars built since 2010 when GM reintroduced the Chevy muscle car.

The Camaro recall brings the number of cars recalled for ignition switch problems to 15.3 million. GM’s recall surge this year began in March with the announcement of problems with 1.3 million Chevy Cobalt compact cars and similar models. With those small cars, the key could slip out of the run position, causing the engine to stall while driving, shutting off power steering, power brakes, and airbags. GM has associated 13 deaths from accidents in those vehicles in which airbags did not deploy.

With the Camaro, GM said drivers who sit especially close to the steering column may nudge the car’s key fob with their knees, possibly switching the key into the accessory or off position, causing the car to stall. The company says that unlike the Cobalt, which had an ignition switch that failed company standards, the Camaro switch passed tests. The company found the knee-bump problem when going over accident data and customer complaints. GM says it will change the key and fob assembly for the Camaros.

www.gmignitionupdate.com

Detroit automakers support city’s art museum, donate $26 million

General Motors Co., Ford Motor Co., and Chrysler Group LLC have pledged to donate $26 million to the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA), helping raise the $100 million needed to keep the museum from selling part of its collection as part of the city’s ongoing bankruptcy reorganization.

“We are extremely pleased and appreciative of this remarkable financial commitment by the leadership of our corporate community,” says Eugene A. Gargaro Jr., DIA board chairman.

The $26 million consists of $10 million from Ford Motor Co. Fund, $5 million from General Motors, $5 million from General Motors Foundation, and $6 million from Chrysler Group LLC.

“While it is our duty to focus on the revival of this city, it is equally crucial to cherish the treasures the city already offers – not just for ourselves, but for the generations,” says Sergio Marchionne, chairman and CEO of Chrysler and Fiat.

The bankruptcy reorganization plan will provide Detroit’s pensioners more than $800 million from local donors, local and national foundations, and the state of Michigan over a 20-year period. The funds will be directed to a supporting organization of the Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan and then disbursed for city pension payments over the next 20 years.

www.dia.org