Milan

Ford recalls about 129,000 Fusion and Milan sedans

Ford Motor today announced the recall of about 129,000 Mercury Milan and Ford Fusion sedans that may suffer wheel stud fractures, causing the vehicles' 17-inch steel wheels to fall off.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, the recall affects 2010 and 2011 models built from April 1 through April 30, 2009, and from December 1, 2009, through November 13, 2010. (To see the recall notice, click here and search on NHTSA campaign ID number 11V574000. No permalink, unfortunately.)

The recall announcement states that while the car is in use, "multiple stud fractures could occur at the … Read more

Chevy Orlando makes art car for Quinze & Milan

Belgian design company Quinze & Milan will show a "creative reinterpretation of the new seven-seater" Chevy Orlando at the Superbrands London exhibition occurring September 22 to 25.

The seven-seater Orlando is no longer made for the U.S. market, but it was chosen be in the designers' showcase for the 100th anniversary of Chevrolet.

Making it look a bit like the Volkswagen Polo Harlequin, Quinze & Milan used its QM Foam product on the interior and exterior of the Chevy crossover. The design company said in a press release that the modded car demonstrates QM Foam's versatility … Read more

Europe by Eurail is the best way to travel

PARADISO, Italy--I'm sitting in a comfortable seat, looking out at the foothills of the Italian Alps. High on the hilltops the houses are grand, and below them, small terraced vineyards offer the promise of a leisurely glass of wine and some terrific linguine al vongole.

Not long before, Lake Como had sparkled out the window, and though George Clooney is said to have sold his villa there, it's hard not to go by and imagine him and his Hollywood friends getting the best out of life amid one waterside mansion after another and more glamor than most people … Read more

OLED gets arty with Mimosa installation

Named for a rapidly moving plant, and not the sweet cocktail, Jason Bruges' Mimosa art installation explores the artistic possibilities of small OLED displays.

Unveiled for the 2010 Milan furniture fair, Mimosa makes use of Philips Lumiblade OLED panels, networked together in a series of flowerlike modules that open and close in the presence of visitors.

Is it art? Sure. But it's also the most mesmerizing coffee table we've ever seen.

(Via Dezeen)

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

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

Report: Italy charges Google officials over taunting video

Italian prosecutors reportedly filed defamation and breach of privacy charges against four former and current Google officials and set a February 3 hearing date, according to a Reuters report.

The case centers on allegations Google did not take steps to prevent a third party from posting video on its site that shows a teenager with Down syndrome being taunted by other teens.

Italian authorities were set to charge the individuals back in July. Prosecutors have since filed the charges and a hearing date for February has been set, Reuters said.

According to reports back in July, those to be charged … Read more

2010 Ford Fusion still looks like a multiblade razor

The new Ford Fusion has been revealed and guess what, it still looks like a multiblade razor.

The three-bar grill has expanded beyond the frame of the headlamps and now dominates the front end of the vehicle. While the headlamps themselves shrink in size and become more aggressive and horizontal in orientation. The lower grill loses its horizontal bars to become a gaping maw.

Under the hood, the Fusion (and by association, the Mercury Milan) receives three powerplant options. The first is a 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that features fuel saving feature called Aggressive Deceleration Fuel Shut-off. Essentially, the system … Read more