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Ford sees bump in hybrid sales

Ford Motor's hybrid sales are up 67 percent this year, despite an overall industry slump of 11 percent, the company reported.

The carmaker sold 31,000 hybrid cars through November this year--which was higher than its previous sales record set in 2007. The company said Wednesday that it pinned part of the increase on the release of the Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid. Both vehicles get 41 mpg in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, Ford said. The Fusion Hybrid, which was released in March, represents 45 percent of all Ford hybrid sales for 2009. … Read more

CFL bulb with safety skin keeps mercury inside

Florida-based lighting company ClearLite is introducing a new CFL bulb with an unbreakable safety shell that prevents mercury from escaping, a feature that addresses some health concerns with CFLs.

The SX-4000 silicone skin remains intact even if the ArmorLite bulb inside shatters, according to ClearLite, which is rolling out its bulb in December and January.

Not everyone is aware of the danger of broken CFLs. Because of the small amount of mercury in them, current EPA guidelines call for evacuating people and pets from the area where a bulb has shattered.

They also call for the room to be aired … Read more

Which of these cars deserves to be called the 2010 Green Car of the Year?

Every year, for the past four years, Green Car Journal picks its Green Car of the Year at the LA Auto Show. Well, the LA Show will be here before you know it, so it's time to start thinking about this year's contestants, which have been narrowed down to five finalists.

The finalists include the Audi A3 TDI, the Honda Insight, the Mercury Milan Hybrid, the Toyota Prius, and the Volkswagen Golf TDI. That's two VW turbodiesels and a trio of hybrids; or four small hatchbacks and a small sedan. No matter how you look at it, … Read more

BorgWarner partners with 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan

BorgWarner will supply engine and drive-train technologies to the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan midsize sedans.

The new mechanics will include an industry-first Cam Torque Actuated (CTA) variable cam timing (VCT) technology for the upgraded Ford Duratec 3.0-liter V-6 engine.

Unlike traditional cam phasing methods that typically use engine oil pressure to rotate the camshaft, BorgWarner's CTA technology captures the existing torsional energy in the valve train to accomplish this event, similar to a hydraulic ratchet. CTA cam phasers operate more quickly and under a wider range of engine speeds and temperatures than traditional oil-pressure-actuated cam phasers, … Read more

Maximize your cash for clunkers money

The cash for clunkers program has proven so popular, Congress passed a bill to keep it funded. If you have a car built in the last 25 years that gets an EPA-certified combined fuel economy of 18 mpg or less, it qualifies for the credit. And to get the full $4,500 credit, the new car you buy has to get at least 10 mpg better than the clunker you scrap. We've picked out six cars we've reviewed this year that qualify for the maximum credit.

See which six cars maximize cash for clunker dollars.

Mercury Milan Hybrid takes Editors' Choice

We were expecting a lot from the Mercury Milan Hybrid. After having briefly driven the Ford Fusion Hybrid, we had an idea iof what to expect from the power train, and we've also seen Ford's killer combination of Sync and Sirius Travel Link in a few cars over the last year. But we didn't realize what a car tech dream the Mercury Milan Hybrid would be.

The first clue it gives comes from the high-tech instrument panel, with a variety of virtual gauges that you can configure. Then there's the phone and MP3 player connectivity offered … Read more

Coverity: A new Mercury Interactive in the making?

I normally don't care much for product announcements. When I saw that Coverity had released its new product suite, however, I took closer notice.

Coverity has been working with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security for years to analyze and help secure open-source code. That's important, because it puts open source in a position to leapfrog proprietary software, in terms of transparency and security.

Upon further review, Coverity's new offering may go a long way to changing the software development equation: more investment up front in developing software right the first time could save 10 times … Read more

Buick and Jaguar lead the pack

Probably the only race that Buick and Jaguar would finish in a tie is the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Vehicle Dependability StudySM (VDS), but both are on the top of the leader board this week. Each rank highest in vehicle dependability in a tie. Buick improves from a sixth-place ranking in 2008, while Jaguar improves from 10th place. Following in the top-five rankings this year are Lexus, Toyota and Mercury.

Toyota garners five segment awards for the Highlander, Prius, Sequoia, Solara, and Tundra. Lexus follows with four segment awards for the ES 330 (in a tie with the … Read more