Steve Parker, Motoring Journalist

DETAILS ON 'EDGE' FROM FORD, LINCOLN'S 'MKX'

STOP THE PRESSES! FoMoCo wants us all to know that these two vehicles, Ford's Edge and Lincoln's MKX, are the saviors of their company! All we can say is: We hope so. Ford has made their new Edge official by pricing the two-wheel drive Edge SE at $25,995 and the four-wheel drive model at $27,645. There's also the Edge SEL, which is available with some exclusive options like a panoramic VistaRoof and 18-inch aluminum sport wheels, that starts at $27,990 for the two-wheel drive model and $29,640 for the four-wheel drive model (Photo: Ford Edge). Lincoln's Edge version, MKX is the Lincoln variant of the Edge. Here's some of the MKX facts and figures: Starting at $34,705 (and almost $2K more for AWD -- see way below), and aimed directly at luxury crossovers like the Lexus RX 330 and Cadillac SRX, the Mark X uses Ford's newest 3.5-liter V6 which produces 250 horsepower and 240 pound-feet of torque. Coupled to a six-speed automatic transmission, Lincoln expects the Mark to accelerate as fast as anything in the class. Both front- and all-wheel drive will be offered. In order to keep up with the class leaders when it came to interior luxury, Lincoln gave the Mark X a traditional cabin design and upscale trim. Satin nickel accents contrast with walnut trim on the dash and door panels. Square gauges similar to Lincolns of the past add a nice retro touch. All the latest technological features are offered in the Mark X, including heated and cooled seats, a DVD-based navigation system, and side curtain airbags with rollover protection. Rear-seat passengers not only get plenty of space thanks to its long wheelbase, there's also an optional panoramic sunroof, 14-speaker THX-certified DVD entertainment system and console-mounted MP3 jacks.  Oh, and also, a "CUV" is a "Crossover Utility Vehicle" (we think).

<Photo: Lincoln MKX.

Here's what we've culled from FoMoCo PR releases and other sources (so far --- there will be plenty or more news on these two):

Ford Motor Company will launch its all-new and highly anticipated 2007 Ford Edge crossover with a sticker price below $26,000, Cisco Codina, group vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, announced today at a meeting of the Midwest Automotive Media Association.

At the meeting Codina reaffirmed that between now and the end of 2008, 70 percent of the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury lineup by volume will be all-new or significantly freshened. That includes strong new vehicles in new segments like the Ford Edge, which goes on sale in November, as well as a new 2008 Ford Super Duty pickup, which will be revealed next week at the State Fair of Texas and will go on sale in January.

The five-passenger 2007 Ford Edge has a bold design with a stylish, functional and clever interior. It  features a fuel-saving powertrain, with Ford's all-new 3.5-liter V-6 engine with best-in-class 265 horsepower mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Its highway fuel economy is anticipated to be in the mid-20s. Edge (Photo: 2007 Ford Edge). also features standard side curtain air bags and standard AdvanceTrac with RSC (Roll Stability Control). A laptop-friendly center console and standard MP3-player input jack also are included. In addition to optional all-wheel drive, the Edge is available with innovative features including a class-exclusive, all-glass available panoramic VistaRoof which gives a grand view of the sky and can open for a sense of freedom that front and rear passengers can enjoy.

The new Edge already is generating excitement among consumers. Since the vehicle was unveiled in January at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, more than 930,000 consumers have visited the Edge Web site at www.fordvehicles.com/edge Traffic on the Edge Web pages has jumped more than 125 percent since June, after Ford added a "crossover" tab on the fordvehicles.com home page. Driven by the Web, auto shows and other marketing activities, more than 45,000 consumers have asked for more information about the Edge and 3,200 have shared information from the Edge Web site with a friend.

Two distinct trends have helped spur crossover growth: car buyers seeking more spacious and flexible interiors along with the confidence of AWD, and traditional SUV buyers looking for more fuel-efficient and maneuverable vehicles. (Photo: Edge interior). This year, crossovers are expected to outsell the traditional SUV segment for the first time ever. Through August, industry crossover sales are up 8 percent at 1.62 million units. Already the fastest-growing vehicle segment in the United States, crossovers are expected to be the largest segment in the industry with sales of about 3 million units by the end of the decade. By 2009, the segment is expected to include more than 70 CUV models.

Ford Motor Company outpaced the competition in CUV growth in 2005 and will stake an even stronger claim over the CUV market with the introduction of the new Edge, along with the new Lincoln MKX. As vehicle segments continue to shift in the marketplace, Edge will play a critical role in retaining existing Ford customers as well as drawing new customers into Ford dealerships. (Photo: Edge interior). Ford expects that approximately 45 percent of Edge buyers will be customers who are new to Ford Motor Company.

Key standard features of the Ford Edge SE include:

• Bold exterior styling
• Best-in-class 3.5-liter V6 mated to 6-speed automatic transmission deliver 265 hp and 250 lb.-ft. of torque. (Fuel economy is expected to be in the mid-20s for highway driving.)
• Front-wheel drive
• Rear spoiler
• Dual exhaust
• Center console with class-leading flexibility
• Second-row 60/40 split fold-flat seats
• Class-exclusive MP3 audio input jack
• 17-inch painted aluminum wheels
• Class-leading standard safety features including: industry leading AdvanceTrac with RSC, ABS, Safety Canopy with rollover sensor, front- and front seat side-impact air bags, occupant classification system, adjustable head restraints and LATCH system

The Ford Edge SEL offers many additional appearance, comfort and convenience features, including chrome tipped dual exhaust, a 6-disc CD changer, Convenience Package, body color rear spoiler and fog lamps. It starts at $27,990 for front-wheel drive models and $29,640 for all-wheel drive models.

Option packages available on the Edge SEL include (Pohot: Edge at auto show):

• Premium Package - Dual electronic temperature control with particulate air filter; exterior puddle lamps; heated seats and heated exterior mirrors; leather trimmed front and second row seats; memory seats; memory exterior mirrors and steering wheel climate controls
• Seating Flexibility Package - 6-way power passenger seat, front-row passenger fold-flat seatback; second-row EasyFold remote release seatback; leather trimmed front- and second-row seats; memory seats.

Options exclusive to the Edge SEL include:

• 18-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels or 18-inch painted aluminum sport wheels
• Audiophile sound system with CDX6, nine speakers and steering wheel controls
• DVD-based Navigation system with Audiophile sound system
• Reverse sensing system
• Rear-seat DVD Entertainment System
• Class-exclusive two-panel panoramic VistaRoof with dual power shades

Options available on all Edge models include:

• All-wheel drive
• SIRIUS satellite radio with six-month subscription
• Class II Trailer Towing (for up to 3,500 lbs. maximum towing capability)

Way Forward Commitment: Deliver Outstanding Customer Value

Ford is accelerating the rollout of many of the technologies featured on the Ford Edge across the Ford and Lincoln Mercury product lineup.

• Stability control - By the end of 2009, all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury retail cars and trucks will feature standard electronic stability control. AdvanceTrac with RSC is now standard on traditional SUVs and will be standard on all CUVs by the end of 2008.
• Side air bag protection - All retail products will have side impact protection by the end of 2009. All SUVs and CUVs will be equipped with rollover-protecting side air curtains.
• 3.5L V6 engine - this engine will eventually power one out of every five Ford Motor Company vehicles in North America
• All-wheel drive - Ford Motor Company will have 28 vehicles with AWD technology this year
• 6-speed automatic transmission - Ford plans to produce about 1.3 million 6-speed transmissions annually by 2008
• DVD-based navigation system - For 2007, Ford is doubling the number of products with an available navigation system
• SIRIUS satellite radio - For 2007, Ford is quadrupling the number of products with available SIRIUS satellite radio
• Auxiliary audio jack - Ford is increasing the number of models with auxiliary audio jacks from zero to nearly half of its lineup

<Lincoln MKX interior.

                                          Lincoln MKX.>

And here's the LATEST (as of 9-23-06) on the MKX:

The all-new Lincoln MKX crossover will have a base price of $34,795, including shipping, when it reaches dealerships in November, Ford Motor Co. said today.

The first crossover for Ford's domestic luxury brand will be available with front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive. The vehicle is available in one series with two option packages.

The awd model will start at $36,445, including the $675 shipping charge.

The MKX is powered by Ford's new 3.5-liter V-6 engine rated at 265 hp. It will come with a six-speed automatic transmission.

Standard equipment for the vehicle includes front and front-seat side-impact airbags, tire-pressure monitoring system, rollover sensors and electronic automatic temperature control.

The Ultimate option package includes adaptive headlights, power lumbar support, heated and cooled front seats, power liftgate, reverse sensing system and a second-row remote seat release. The package adds $1,995 to the sticker price.

The Elite option package includes a navigation system, audio system with 14 speakers, a Sirius satellite radio with a six-month subscription, and a sunroof. The package adds $4,795 to the sticker price.

Additional standalone options include a rear-seat DVD entertainment system, a trailer tow package and heated rear seats.

The MKX will be built at Ford Motor's plant in Oakville, Ontario, alongside the Ford Edge crossover.

HERE'S WHAT'S WRONG WITH FORD (AND AMERICAN CAR-MAKERS IN GENERAL)

When I saw this headline ("Ford Names John Bond Consultant") in AUTOMOTIVE NEWS, I thought the John Bond they were talking about might have been some relation to the 'real' John Bond (now many years deceased), the man who, along with his wife, Elaine, founded 'ROAD & TRACK' and 'CYCLE WORLD' magazines (and probably others I've forgotten) lo these many years ago. But, no, further reading reveals that this particular John Bond is some bean-counter, from the UK at that. Though we don't automatically hold that against him (or anyone else, for that matter). So, what's in this story which represents what's so wrong with the US auto industry? Check out paragraph number 3, the one which details Bond's payment structure. Yep, $25,000 A DAY, my friends. This only days after Alan Mulally, Ford's new leader, and late of Boeing Aircraft, deposited more than $20 million in his bank account (see story on that travesty and embarrassment farther down the BLOG). Wasn't there something in the news about US industry moving towards "merit-based" salaries? Or was that just for blue-collar assembly-line workers and checkers at Wal-Mart? Remember, Mulally and this guy Bond have not even really started their jobs at FoMoCo yet! In Europe and Asia, you'd be hard put to find ANY exec in the auto industry taking home more than a $250,000 annual salary.

Ford Motor Co. has hired one of its directors as a part-time consultant. John R. H. Bond, 64, will act as consultant and senior adviser to Chairman Bill Ford, specializing in financial matters. The appointment was disclosed late Monday, Sept. 18, in a filing to the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Bond, a director since 2000, will maintain his seat on Ford's board. But he has resigned from the board's compensation committee and the nominating and governance committee.

Under a Wednesday, Sept. 13, agreement, Ford Motor will pay Bond $25,000 per day for actual days worked. Bond is expected to work as a consultant for about one-and-a-half days adjacent to each of the company's seven regularly scheduled board meetings per year. Total payment to Bond will not exceed $262,500 for any 12-month period, unless agreed to by Bond and Ford Motor, the filing says. Either party may terminate the agreement at any time.

Bond retired earlier this year as group chairman of HSBC Holdings plc in London. He also is nonexecutive chairman of Vodafone Group Plc. So good for him!

FORD'S GT OFFICIALLY ENDS PRODUCTION

When Ford Motor Company ends production of their 505-hp GT on September 21, the total production figure of the $150,000 two-seater will be 4,038 units. The Shelby Mustang GT 500 takes over as Ford's performance flagship.

Following several recalls, Ford's GT has hit its stride. As is the all-too-common normalcy in Detroit, once they get everything right, they kill it. It's happened before: Corvair, Allante (with the Northstar drivetrain), Fiero and many, many more (most of them GM products, come to think of it). (Photo: Ford GT, Ford's 100th anniversary celebratory automobile).

This Ford GT started out life with a name Ford didn't even own.

Ford naturally wanted to call their 100th anniversary car the GT40, the name of the car which won the LeMans races which put Ford on top of Ferrari, Porsche, and all the others, at least for a few memorable years in the '60s. With drivers such as  AJ Foyt and Dan Gurney (who supposedly created the racing tradition of "spraying champagne" on the winner's podium), Chris Amon and more ... And Carroll Shelby running the show for Henry Ford II (Henry The Deuce in the biz), who had determined to beat Enzo Ferrari at LeMans, the GT40 was Ford's first true "supercar". Heck, "Ford" and "supercar" in the same breath ... no way!

This all came about because Ford had actually visited Ferrari in his office in Modena, Italy and made  him an offer on the company. Enzo listened intently and seemed to be going along with the idea, until it came to the topic of running the future Ford/Ferrari race team. Henry couldn't promise Enzo he'd be allowed to personally run the team in the future, as Ferrari would be a mere division of gigantic, worldwide Ford, etc etc etc. The story says that at that point in the conversation, Enzo ordered Henry and his entourage out of his office, with a four-letter epithet that sounds like something to do with hockey following them out the door. (Photo: Ford GT40 race car).

Interestingly, with Ferrari now a part of gigantic, worldwide Fiat, they seem to have little trouble keeping the team small and efficient and successful ... and the man in charge of Fiat, Luca De Montezemello, used to run Ferrari, so no one expects any 'outsiders' to be running the race team anytime soon.

Incidentally, there's quite a move for Montezemello to be the next Prime Minister of Italy. As they change governments about every 20 minutes there, it's altogether possible. And having dined with Montezemello several times, I can tell you he is the classiest head of a car company any one will ever meet. Smooth, well-dressed in the $4,000 Armani suits (from the factory, no doubt), beauties on each arm, Luca is the epitome of the modern-day head of a great Italian racing car company.

Back to our story: GT40 was named so because its overall height was 40 inches. Simple, right? But when Ford announced that the name of their new supercar for the 21st century, celebrating the 100th birthday of the FoMoCo, was to be "GT40", there were some objections. Especially from one particular supplier to the original Ford team at LeMans, who had somehow wound up owning the name "GT40". No one knows exactly how this came to be, but the courts evidently agreed with its present owner. (Photo: GT40 at Daytona).

The story says that as much as Ford tried to coax the name's owner, he'd have none of it. He wanted, so they say, somewhere between $10 and $40 million for the use of the name (this is not the only case like this --- believe it or not, some guy who somehow currently owns the name "Dusenberg" wants $30 million from whoever will stand up with the cash). The 'GT40' gentleman was not very smart, because Ford would probably have gladly paid him from $1 to $5 million for the name. But he got greedy, so they say, and got aced out completely.

FoMoCo thought about it for about ten minutes, said "Screw you," and simply called it "GT".

After the car was produced and hit the roads, problems showed up with the GT. This was not the PR which FoMoCo wanted for their "100th anniversary" car, for the only car they'd be making which would harken back to the glory days of the 1960s and LeMans victories which would probably never happen again. (Photo: GT40 racing).

While Ford did their best  to make these recalls go down easy with buyers (you don't just send a mass-mailing letter to "Jay Leno, 3000 W. Alameda, Burbank, CA" and tell him to bring his new Ford to the shop for a fix and donuts will be available), the problems cost Ford a lot of jokes on late-night TV and especially among car enthusiasts and collectors. Ford did all the right things --- Picked up the cars on flatbeds from the owners, took them to GT-authorized dealers for the fixes, returned the cars with a full tank of gas --- Heck, everything Saturn did for their recalls (but Saturn held BBQs for their customers; Ford didn't go quite that far for their GT buyers).

But Saturns don't cost $150K a pop and are not made (yet) to be the symbol of the 100 year anniversary of one of the world's greatest automobile companies, certainly the first one with a mass-producing production line. By paying his workers $5 a day, Henry Ford made it possible for his employees to actually afford the product they were making ($800), and in a decade changed the face of the US and world economy forever.

Suddenly borders were just lines on a map; It was possible for the average man in the new and growing middle-class of the USA to afford the conveyance which would make it possible to drive the entire length and breadth of the US, without once being stopped for "papers" (remember those days?). This was big stuff, and the anniversary car problems sort of blew the celebration for FoMoCo overall. After all, you didn't see Honda getting hit with recalls for their S2000, their 50th anniversary car, did you? (Photo: GT engine).

Now the GT is officially gone; its prices will skyrocket at auction and in quiet, private sales. Too many of these wonderful (and now fixed) cars will spend the rest of their days on trailers and in garages, under wraps.

Let's hope that for every one of the 4,038 buyers of the Ford GT, the majority of them will keep their cars streetable, in running condition, and out on America's roadways for the next 100 years, to thrill another generation or more of car-lovers. (Photo: GT interior).

THE END OF THE WORLD AS WE KNOW IT...

Does anyone out there still think celebrities are treated anything like we more-normal folks? Those naive few of you just need to read the following post to understand that while freedom, liberty and the Bill of Rights are all great things to have and flash-around when bragging to (or threatening) other countries, simple CELEBRITY and/or MONEY are the best things to have in-hand for certain situations, like when you switch jobs, when you need to rent an apartment or when you get popped for DUI (and we're not talking about you-know-who, his own anti-Semitic self).

First, the hiring of Alan Mulally at FoMoCo as their new chief executive decision-maker. We think in the long run this could be a good thing for Ford and all their employees and for we as consumers, too. But did you read about the compensation package Bill Ford arranged for his buddy Alan? The package which went into effect September 1, 2006, a full week before his hiring was even announced (and Ford's stepping down revealed).  Ford was working free-of-charge; his family's stock ownership in the company (and scores of others, certainly) had already made him a millionaire hundreds of times over the second he was born. His great-great-grandfather Henry founded the company, after all. Handy Trivia Factoid: FoMoCo lost $7.32 million EVERY DAY Bill Ford was chairman.

Here's Mulally's package, evidently approved quickly (and quietly) by FoMoCo's Board of Directors from the NY TIMES: As Ford Motor Co.'s new chief executive, Alan Mulally is staring down a long road as he seeks to turn around the ailing auto giant. But two weeks into the job, he'll be able to bank the lion's share of the $20.5 million he will receive in the first year.

That amounts to $56,164.38 for each day of the year. Mulally, who spent 36 years at Boeing Co., will draw a base pay of $2 million a year in his new job. In the first year, he will receive a $7.5-million signing bonus and a lump sum of $11 million to offset bonuses and stock options he forfeited by quitting his job as head of Boeing's commercial aircraft division.

The 61-year-old executive's pay was disclosed Friday, September 8, 2006,  in a Securities and Exchange Commission filing by Ford.

World at an end yet?

OK, try this one on for size:

Rupert Murdoch, the Australian who was granted US citizenship by, literally, an Act of Congress (it's good to have friends) and the man behind News Corp, which means all the FOX networks and much of the delivery systems for NASCAR, had to find a living space while his $44 million apartment/palace in Manhattan was being upgraded. Never one to shortchange the boss, the company has been paying $50,000 A MONTH for Murdoch's make-do domicile, also in NYC.  Murdoch, in a briefing filed with the USA's Security and Exchange Commission, the $50K/month comes on top of other compensation worth $25.7 million --- $4.5 million in salary and another $21.2 million in bonuses.

And Murdoch doesn't live just 'anywhere', no, he is temporarily ensconced in a penthouse in a Trump Park Avenue building on Manhattan's Upper East Side (near to Lincoln Center, the Time Warner building, etc.). Incidentally, Roger Ailes, who runs FOX NEWS and FOX TV Stations for Murdoch, gets $8.3 million annually in salary, $77,243 for personal security and $124,020 for a car and personal driver.

Crazy yet? Imagine --- Mulally at Ford makes over $56,000 a day! Does anyone have any right at all to make THAT MUCH MONEY? I guess so, but you'd have to prove it pretty strongly to me, when plenty of homeless and hungry in NYC and Los Angeles (where our next crime takes place) make their residences a cardboard box, if they are lucky. Food and health care? Fuhggedabuttit!

Last, and certainly least, but not if you're under 25 years old and are into our Culture of Celebrity, Paris Hilton gets arrested for Driving Under the Influence in Los Angeles. Her press flack, Elliot Mintz, who worked for decades for John Lennon and Yoko Ono (my how he has fallen ... this George Hamilton-wannabe --- check his tan and '50s clothing and affectations --- tells the breathless media outside the LAPD station (Hollywood Division, natch) that Paris had not eaten all day and was weak from hunger. Puuu-ll-ease! Unless you are diabetic, I can not imagine losing control because of being hungry! In a tough, in-depth, hard-hitting interview the next morning with Ryan Seacrest (another no-talent celeb) on KIIS-FM radio, Paris was sobered up, evidently, and told Ryan she WAS NOT ARRESTED! I guess a misdemeanor dopes not count to Ryan and his audience of 15-year-old squealing teeny-boppers, because she certainly was arrested, booked and released on 'her own recognizance.

She also told Seacrest (can you imagine the IQ level with these two in a room? They wouldn't be able to find the door knob between the two of them!) that she had just left a dinner meeting with her sister when she got pulled-over by the cops. DINNER APPOINTMENT?!?! Wasn't she and her flack telling the world she had NOT EATEN all day?

And what did Paris tell Ryan's listening audience she was doing that car? She was "looking for an 'In-N-Out'", the legendary (and rightfully so) hamburger drive-throughs located in So Cal, Arizona and Nevada ONLY. Paris forgot, we guess, that she spent more than a year recently pimping "Carl's Jr" hamburgers!

Ryan needs to learn to ask a question or two, and now that his teenaged listeners figure it is COOL to drive around LA drunk, he needs to apologize to the public, too.

End of world, soon.

COOL AIR FORCE 1 PHOTO TAKEN AT DAYTONA 500

This photo was taken at the 2005 DAYTONA 500 by Associated Press. President George W. Bush had visited the race (it's always an election year somewhere!). Many people, especially those of you who have never been to the track, might not know that there is an airport smack next door to the race track. Normally the airport handles the business jets and turbo-props of race teams there for major events or for tire and engine testing. Makes it easy for teams to fly-in and fly-out of Daytona for a day or just a few hours of track testing. Without further ado, here it is --- And if you don't think the picture impressive in at least some way, well, you have a problem:

Pretty damn cool, huh? Hint: Click on the photo and get the L-A-R-G-E version ...

DEADLY SERIOUS BUT ULTRA-COOL: PRESIDENTIAL AND 'VIP' LIMOUSINES

Take a gander...check it out. YOU paid for both of them (if you pay taxes to Uncle Sam!). In our last post (just scroll down a bit) we took a good, long look at a Mercury Mariner Hybrid SUV which is being presented to President Bill Clinton by the Ford Motor Company ... And using our knowledge of Presidential vehicles and the requirements of the Secret Service, we stated our opinion of whether or not Our Main Man Bill will be as comfortable or as safe as he needs to be in a gussied-up and way-overweight All-Wheel Drive Ford Escape with a throbbing 145 horsepower. Now, in this posting, let's concentrate on the Cadillac DTS limousine with which we're all somewhat familiar. Looking more like a tank than a car, the new DeVille limo has drawn some criticism for its "militaristic" look. Used by President Bush for the first time in his Inaugural Parade, the ominous-looking Caddy conversion looks very capable and frightening at the same time. All we know is that every time the car appears in the press anywhere in the world, the Caddy execs get a BIG kick out of it!

"Functional" is probably an understatement! The car is the first in a series to fill the White House fleet, though the actual number of cars ordered is a secret.

Parade cars of all kinds have unique needs. They must be able to idle for very long times and drive at very low speeds for long periods of time without overheating, not an easy thing in a vehicle this size and weight. The powerful V8 engine is probably based on the General Motors 502 cubic inch marine engine block. It's the largest Presidential limo ever built, both inside and out.

President Clinton did say that the work space in the rear of this limo was huge and much more comfortable than the previous model. This limo was delivered to the White House fleet about a week before President Bush took office, so President Clinton got to road test it for a few days (at least he didn't take it with him when he left Washington!). And whether he took any White House interns out for some late-night joy-riding is not known. But we would not bet against it ... that dog!

The last limos were delivered for White House use by Cadillac in 1993. Those three vehicles delivered are estimated to have cost a total of near $10 million. We can guess some of the defensive and offensive items on-board. Run-flat, bullet-proof tires. Bullet-proof and shatter-proof glass all around. Layers of kevlar and other high-strength, blast- and bullet-proof materials under all of the car's sheetmetal from roof to under-carriage. Gun ports. Tear gas cannons. Redundant state-of-the-art communications systems. We do know there are TVs, VCRs and CD players in the rear for the passengers' enjoyment. (Photo: Pres. Clinton washing the limousine ... really!).

The "retired" cars from the White House fleet are sent to US government stations around the nation and the world for use by ambassadors and other VIP's and dignitaries as they are replaced by new models. Cars from the 1960s are still in use by the US government around the world. We can guess there are two of these new limos in the White House motor pool. One is kept in DC, and another is flown ahead to wherever the President is traveling in a military C5A transport plane, arriving just before Air Force One.

Some of the conversion work is completed by O'Gara, Hess and Eisenhardt, a company which in various forms has been building VIP transportation for various governments and VIPs for almost 100 years. All the work is overseen by the Secret Service and no one without proper credentials gets too close to any of the cars.

When Clint Eastwood directed and starred in "IN THE LINE OF FIRE", a movie about a Secret Service agent, he tried to get the government to loan his production company one of the real limos for use in the film. The agency declined that request, though they did give much technical assistance to the production...but no one spends any time near the car other than officials. The agency does not want anyone getting too good a look at the vehicle's armoring, weapons and other systems.

But Eastwood did finally fool the government...turns out the company which built the actual Presidential limo keeps a look-alike model on-hand for their own use, trade shows and the like...and that's the car Eastwood used in the move, visually a double of the real thing! When the Secret Service agents helping with the filming saw the car on the set for the first time, they couldn't believe their eyes! They thought Eastwood had indeed gotten the actual Presidential limo for his film! It wasn't the real McCoy...but Eastwood fooled the Secret Service...and the rest of us, too! (Photo: Agent Clint).

Years ago, while working as a volunteer in election campaigns (I was about the only Democrat in Orange County, CA), I had the chance to ride in Secret Service motorcades twice. The Secret Service cars were, as they say, literally bristling with every kind of offensive weapon you can imagine which would fit into the trunk. I'll never forget being in the back seat of one of the cars and seeing an M16 rifle stuffed into the space between the front seat and the door! And realizing...it was loaded, and the guy sitting in front of me would use it in an instant!

And that's not even to mention the full-size four-wheel drive van with US government plates which contains an array of communications equipment that would make a TV station proud, which is part of every Presidential motorcade. And of course at the rear of any Presidential motorcade is a paramedic-equipped ambulance. (Photo: Canopies are often used to cover the area around VIPs as they enter or exit vehicles. Here W's limo heads for cover!).

And if you think this car is interesting as far as weaponry and other cool stuff, if you ever get a chance to see a Presidential motorcade, check out one of the Chevy Suburbans directly behind the President's car. Inside you'll see a group of very scary-looking guys dressed in scary-looking SWAT-like costumes, carrying a bunch of scary-looking weapons. One can only image the arsenal in those vehicles!

  Also on the C5 plane…the PRESIDENTIAL HELICOPTERS! Yep, they fly them in right in the belly of those planes! Always at least TWO, one for real use, one as a decoy. One are known as “Marine 1” when the President is on-board. That’s the answer to the 747 airplane’s coding of “Air Force 1” whenever the Prez is on-board…there is a lot of jealousy between the military services in this country. Everyone wants (and gets) a piece of the pie! Recently it appears that has been a third helicopter added when the President is in flight using "Marine 1". It's a larger ship, one of those "Jolly Green Giants", and it probably is used as a weapons platform as well as probably loaded with electronic countermeasures for the possibility of Stinger missiles, etc. (Photo: Air Force 1 used by the Presidential detail which visited Palm Springs, CA in 2006; Palm Springs AF1 and C5 photos by Carey Parker).

On a personal note, I always found the Secret Service agents to  be very friendly, surprisingly normal people with very difficult, VERY tiring jobs.

There are many, many dangers outside of possible assassins. On August 17, 1996, President Clinton  was vacationing in Jackson, WY. Just before 11pm, eight members of the Air Force and one Secret Service agent left the Jackson Hole airport in a C-130 plane carrying a variety of equipment that most of those close to the event described as "classified" or "items for national security." The airplance might have experienced engine problems and it appeared that it tried to return to the airport, turning east instead of south, which was the usual route out of the area. It creashed into a mountain peak and all abord were killed. The plane was headed to JFK Airport in NYC, which was the Presdient's next stop on that trip. (Photo: C5 cargo plane used by Presidential detail in Palm Springs, CA, 2006).

That plane included vehicles - Suburbans - designed for a President's motorcade, and was said to house sensitive military equipment for protection. One of the vehicles was ID'd as a large four-wheel drive van with "communications" equipment aboard. All the flights, with all the dangers that are very real, and accidents are unfortunately bound to happen.

1970 Presidential Limousine

                                          1989 Presidential Limousine

PRESIDENT CLINTON PUTS HIS MOUTH WHERE HIS CAR IS!

Who would have thought that Bill Clinton, who was once roundly booed by a huge NASCAR crowd a few years ago when he drove his own vintage Mustang around the track before a race (though NASCAR fans, recent surveys show, are no longer slavishly following George W. Bush --- They, too, are getting tired of their kids and themselves getting killed in wars all over the world) would be a MOTORING PERSONALITY?! Well, he has done a good, green deed and ordered-up a gas-electric hybrid Mercury Mariner SUV to be his "personal" vehicle! But is THIS the "right" vehicle for him? Come on! A gussied-up Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute! (Photo: Bill rocks out on the "Arsenio Hall Show" ... Remember HIM?).

President Clinton, say our friends at AUTOBLOG, will be the first U.S. President ever to use a hybrid outfitted for Presidential service thanks to Ford (not Gerald, but FoMoCo), which will be presenting our 42nd President with a Mercury Mariner Hybrid "Presidential Edition" at the Clinton Global Initiative conference later this month in New York City. The Mariner Hybrid has been modified to include LED interior lighting, a 110-volt outlet and a writing table. Everything else on the vehicle, including the hybrid powertrain that delivers 32 mpg in the city, is supposedly stock. (Photo: Mercury Mariner Hybrid, above, courtesy FoMoCo).

Here's what CONSUMER GUIDE has to say about the Mariner: Mariner is a luxury-trimmed version of the Ford Escape and Mazda Tribute. It comes in gasoline and gas/electric-hybrid models. Conventional gas-engine models are the 153-hp 4-cyl "Convenience" and the upscale "Luxury" and "Premier", which have a 200-hp V6. These come with a 4-speed automatic transmissions and front-wheel drive or all-wheel drive that lacks low-range gearing. The Hybrid model has AWD and teams a 4-cyl gas engine with a battery-powered electric motor for 155 hp (see photo, above right). It requires no plug-in charging and uses a continuously variable automatic transmission (CVT). Mariner's hybrid system automatically runs on one or both power sources to balance acceleration and fuel economy. All Mariners include ABS; Hybrids and AWD V6s have 4-wheel disc brakes. Rear obstacle detection, front side airbags, and curtain side airbags with rollover deployment are standard on Premier, optional otherwise. Exclusive to the Hybrid is an optional navigation system with screen displays for power flow and fuel economy. Mariner's performance and accommodations mirror those of comparably equipped Escapes and Tributes.

And at 3,435 pounds, even with the extra get-up-and-go-torque which the electric motor in a gas-electric hybrid provides, Mariner is not exactly race-track fast or stable. Remember: We're talking only 145 horsepower here, and All-Wheel Drive! Add another 2,500 pounds (conservatively) for body and glass armoring, run-flat bulletproof tires on all four corners and who-knows-what-other-secret-stuff-they-put-on-it, if Clinton does find himself in any sort of serious trouble while in the Mariner, he'll probably find himself being transferred (quickly) to the Suburban SUV Battle Wagon which will be following him, and leave the Mariner to whatever may happen. (Photo: Mariner hybrid interior, above left).

The answer? We bet there might be a supercharger found on top of that hybrid engine in this particular Mariner. We just can't imagine the Secret Service SERIOUSLY allowing this former President (and quite possible future-First-Hubbie) being driven around town in such an overweight beast with little or no ability at the 'Stop Light Grand Prix'! Another problem is the CVT tranny in the Mariner Hybrid --- If you have driven any vehicle with one of these new-fangled gizmos, you know from experience that "acceleration" does not benefit at all from this fuel-saving feature.

The Suburban Battle Wagons, we would guess, might quite probably have the 505 horsepower, 7.0 liter (427 cubic inches) V8 which is found in the Corvette Z06. While GM says they don't have an automatic transmission which can handle the horsepower and torque of that monster race car engine (470 foot pounds, and the Z06 comes only with a six-speed slushbox) which would fit into the Corvette, they can probably come up with something "off the shelf" at GM's "Skunk Works" in Warren, MI, which would do okay in a 7.0 liter-equipped Suburban (plenty of room to shove that possible powertrain in there). (Photo: Mariner rear interior, above right).

And apart from the weight/horsepower/speed issue, what about roominess? We thoroughly tested a Ford Escape, and the back seat is small, not small-ish, but downright small. Bill Clinton is easily 6'4", if not more, and probably tips the scales at a good 225 or so ... He is not going to be traveling comfort in that Mariner, hybrid or not!

Our guess: President Clinton will use the Mariner between his home in Chappaqua, Westchester County, NY and his office in Harlem, a one-way trip of 35 miles or so. When he goes out-of-town, we're sure the Secret Service will be able to dig up one of their Suburbans for him, wherever he may roam.

(Photo, left: Mariner Hybrid on the assembly line).

Most Presidential vehicles are heavily modified with armor and other technologies to thwart assassination attempts of any possible kind. The LED interior lighting installed in Clinton's Mariner Hybrid suggests the window glass is either heavily tinted for privacy or has been replaced with a transparent armor similar to the kind used on President Bush's armored Cadillac DTS limo that's so thick it blocks natural sunlight. We'd guess the Mariner's glass can now stop a pretty heavy caliber projectile. (Photo: W's bad, bad ride, courtesy Cadillac, right).

THREE GREAT THINGS HAPPENED THIS WEEK IN THE US AUTO INDUSTRY!

Bill Ford steps down. GM increases powertrain warranties. DCX drops Dr. Z in favor of 0% financing. It's been a good week so far for the US auto industry, with all the major players (though DCX is hardly an American company, but we like to sort-of think so) making positive moves which show the confidence some of the top execs still have in their companies.

First, Bill Ford gives up the CEO job at his own company in favor of a guy who has sold airplanes for the past 17 years against just ONE competitor (AirBus). Bill Ford knew that no one could fire him. So he gave it up all on his own. VERY BRAVE, VERY COMMENDABLE. Knowing when to "get out" is something most high-power people have no idea how to do properly. Ford shows that while he may have the big ego which comes with big money, he's also smart and isn't living for titles and pensions. He wants to help save his company, though he's been stopped at almost every turn. His initial promises to make FoMoCo the "greenest" of all the car companies has fallen through to the point where most people don't even remember him saying it ... Now he admits that while he's been doing THREE jobs for the past several years, at least two of them could be given to someone who might know a bit about process, manufacturing and sales. Not an easy person to find. They've settled on Boeing's Allen Mulally. Mulally takes the CEO and "President" positions; Ford remains Chairman. (Photos: Above, Bill Ford, below, Alan Mulally).

THIS JUST IN: AT LEAST $10 MILLION FOR MULALLY! Detroit News reports: New Ford Motor Company CEO Alan Mulally will make sat least $10 million  in compensation. The high sticker comes as no surprise given the fact that Bill Ford has had such a hard time finding somebody to take over his job, including the likes of Carlos Ghosn and Dieter Zetsche. It also comes as no surprise since Mulally was Boeing's second-highest paid executive at a mere $9.9 million compensation package in 2005, and Ford had no choice but to offer him a better deal. Among his Boeing perks was a 104-percent pay increase for 2005 over 2004, $83,000 in personal use of the company jet, company cars and club memberships for business purposes. His base pay in 2005 was $825,000. THE COMPANY JET!??! Yep, we bet! Probably one of those Boeing "Executive Jets", re-done 767s...Wow, again!

Then, DaimlerChrysler (DCX) finally drops those horrible "Dr. Z" TV and print spots and goes back to the basics: 0% financing for 72 months (!), but only for buyers with pretty  perfect credit. Some analysts think DCX has not gone far enough, automatically keeping a lot of people who might want to buy DCX products from actually doing so. But wait a second: Since when were car and truck contracts 72 MONTHS LONG?!?! Didn't SIX YEAR payment books used to go only to motorhome buyers? In any event, the "Dr. Z" spots presented mixed messages (German-American high-quality with cheap prices?) and DCX salespeople will be happy to see people coming into the showroom excited about saving some money, without worrying about some guy with a German accent who seemingly scared children and was only missing a monocle and a leather raincoat to complete the picture. (Photo: Left, DCX's own Dr. Dieter Zetsche).

And, finally, The General rocks our world with extended powertrain warranties! That shows confidence! Remember when Hyundai was such a joke that the only models seen on the street were either wrecked or abandoned? What did Hyundai do? They came out with a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty and the company was, literally, saved from destruction in the USA. GM is hoping for just a little of the same thing. General Motors is increasing the powertrain warranty on all its 2007 model vehicles sold in the United States and Canada to 5 years or 100,000 miles, the automaker said today. The powertrain warranty is transferable and has no deductible, GM said. But, we say: WOW!, anyway. (Photo: right, GM's Rick Wagoner).

With VP Dick Cheney slated to speak to the National Automobile Dealers Association's annual legislative conference in Washington, D.C. on Sept. 19, and "W" his-own-self scheduled to meet with the heads of the US car companies soon after that, it appears all three domestic makers are making much-needed positive and very public moves.

Let's just hope (and pray) that they are all not too late. (Photos: You know who).

FINALLY! A BOOK FROM J.D. POWER EXPLAINS CUSTOMER SATISFACTION

"J.D. Power and Associates revolutionized the automotive industry by advocating a seemingly simple premise—listen to your customers. It then went on to do the same thing throughout the entire business world. In Satisfaction, J.D. Power explains what it's learned over the years, using compelling anecdotes and irrefutable data. It's a lesson any business leader would do well to take to heart."

—Bill Ford, chairman and CEO,
Ford Motor Company (Photo: JD Power)

Maybe Bill Ford should have read this new book from Dave Power BEFORE he took on the CEO job of his eponymous company (that means it was named for him; well, not exactly him, but his relatives).

But here's a book we'll recommend to all our BLOG readers. It will give readers a rare look at the "insides" of how the auto industry has based its existence for over a decade on the "Customer Satisfaction Index", a polling method developed by J. David Power (yes, he really exists) which, for the first time, quantified the differences in quality between different makes and models.

J. D. Power is the person single-most responsible for the ongoing increase in quality among the major car companies worldwide. Like your car? Thank Dave Power should you ever meet him. We definitely do not mind giving him a free plug for his book, either. Here are some tidbits on the book from the Power website (www.jdpower.com):

J.D. Power and Associates began measuring customer satisfaction nearly four decades ago. What began as a small family run business has grown into a global marketing information firm that is universally recognized as the leader in customer satisfaction research and consulting services. After surveying literally tens of millions of consumers, J.D. Power and Associates is opening the vault on its vast database of information in its first book. In SATISFACTION: How Every Great Company Listens to the Voice of the Customer, readers are shown how to:

	Quantify the elusive link between customer satisfaction and profits;
	Find the sweet spot between spending too little and too much on customer satisfaction;
	Understand exactly how the customer experience determines brand image, and more importantly, consumer behavior;
	Illustrate the key operational differences that separate the customer satisfaction leaders from the also-rans;
	Provide the key do’s and don’ts for generating great customers satisfaction, and
	Learn how to maximize profits by creating your own “voice of the customer" infrastructure.

In addition to sharing decades of research findings, we conducted in-depth investigations of some of the companies consistently recognized as customer satisfaction leaders. They found that companies such as Lexus, JetBlue Airlines, and Enterprise Rent-A-Car not only share many of the same operating philosophies with each other, but also share an uncanny resemblance to many small local companies that have built their reputations on quality and customer service.

Although J.D. Power and Associates employs hundreds of professional researchers and statisticians, SATISFACTION is written for the business professional, not the math major. We’ve kept the charts and graphs to a minimum, and there isn’t a single mathematical formula to be found. Instead, the book makes use of the real-world examples of our clients, along with numerous stories direct from consumers to bring the data to life. To see what we mean, just click on one of the links at the right of this page to read actual excerpts from the book.