Ford's Paris List: Mondeo, Ranger, Galaxy

Ford's showing at next week'sParis auto expo will be filled with new product-European product, at least, not destined for the U.S. The highlight of the display likely will be the Mondeo, the mid-size sedan that now shares much of its architecture with the new Ford S-Max MPV and another Paris attendee, the company's new Galaxy minivan. The Mondeo will be shown as a wagon, in near-production form, with heavily evident influences from the Iosis concept shown at the Frankfurt auto show. The new Mondeo will spawn other body styles, Ford promises. Powertrains will range from a 2.0-liter turbodiesel to a 2.5-liter turbocharged gas engine.

Also on Ford's list is the new Galaxy minivan, which no longer shares anything with the VW Sharan; the production version of the left-drive Focus Coupe-Cabriolet; and a new Ranger pickup for Europe, unrelated to the U.S. truck, outfitted with a new 2.5-liter diesel engine with about 140 hp.

TheCarConnection previews the Paris show

VW Touareg Reskin Coming for Paris

Volkswagen's lightly reskinned Touareg will have its first public viewing at the Paris auto show. The updates include slight changes to the headlamps and taillamps, an updated interior with a new navigation system, and revisions to the mirrors. Beneath the metal, the Touareg has a revised anti-lock/stability control system with new anti-roll programming as well as an uprated range of engines. A 3.6-liter V-6 with about 260 hp will come to the U.S., while three diesel engines will for now be limited to other markets. A six-speed automatic is now standard.

Check out Volkswagen's rocking IROC concept coupe

S&P Calls GM-Renault/Nissan Alliance Unlikely

That big Detroit-Paris-Tokyo dalliance won't lead to an alliance, predicts the financial analysts at Standard & Poor's. S&P says that the "execution risk" over a potential deal linking General Motors to Renault/Nissan was too high and thus, any three-way hookup between the companies was unlikely. Talks on the potential get-together have been stalled, though a status report on the talks is due by mid-October. S&P also said that GM could be downgraded again if it fails to execute its plan to sell a stake in its finance arm, GMAC.

Lexus Sales Inching Higher

Toyota Motor Co.'s luxury Lexus Division expects to deliver about 30,000 units of the LS460 luxury sedan next year, according to Bob Carter, general manager of Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. 

Carter said during a briefing in Dearborn, Mich., that Lexus sales will probably total 315,000 to 320,000 units this year and should grow to between 325,000 to 329,000 units in 2007. Toyota now sells the Lexus brand in 33 different countries and recently started sales in China and Japan, but the U.S. market accounts for 80 percent of all Lexus Division sales worldwide.

Earlier this week, Toyota executives said they want to boost Lexus' total sales worldwide into the 500,000 range over the next couple of years, Carter noted.

Carter also said Lexus hopes to use the long-wheel-base version of the LS 460 to move into the prestige luxury segment where cars now sell for more than $70,000 and where the dominant brands are European makes such as Mercedes-Benz, Maserati, Bentley and Porsche.

"The air in the premium segment is pretty rare," said Carter. However, Lexus believes it has to move into the segment to protect to satisfy its customers and to win new ones, said Carter, who added that sales in the prestige segment have doubled in the past five years. 

"Let's face it, we haven't been on those buyers' shopping lists," Carter said.

Carter also said Lexus plans to market its Lexus LS600h hybrid as a prestige vehicle even though it will account for a relatively small share of the sales from the LS family.

Sales of luxury consumer goods, including automobiles, are expected to grow by 15 percent annually in America to $1 trillion in 2010, Carter added. "The luxury market is just on fire right now," he said.-Joseph Szczesny

FROM THE SOURCE headlines from the latest press releases

Camp Jeep Offers Auto Show Visitors an Adventure

Name	Symbol	Last	Change
Autobytel, Inc.	ABTL	3.07	0.00 (0.00%)
Autoliv Inc.	ALV	53.77	-0.40 (-0.74%)
AutoNation Inc.	AN	20.14	-0.36 (-1.76%)
ArvinMeritor Inc.	ARM	13.89	-0.16 (-1.14%)
American Axle & Mfr. Holdings Inc.	AXL	16.06	-1.41 (-8.07%)
Ballard Power Systems Inc.	BLDP	5.21	-0.11 (-2.07%)
BorgWarner Inc.	BWA	54.49	-2.12 (-3.74%)
Cummins Inc.	CMI	112.67	-1.18 (-1.04%)
DaimlerChrysler AG (ADR)	DCX	50.00	+0.01 (+0.02%)
Dura Automotive Systems	DRRA	0.27	-0.07 (-20.59%)
Eaton Corporation	ETN	67.99	-1.65 (-2.37%)
Ford Motor Company	F	7.76	+0.01 (+0.13%)
General Motors Corporation	GM	30.96	-0.84 (-2.64%)
Gentex Corporation	GNTX	14.14	-0.22 (-1.53%)
Goodyear Tire & Rubber	GT	14.22	-0.47 (-3.20%)
Honda Motor Co. Ltd. (ADR)	HMC	33.07	+0.16 (+0.49%)
Johnson Controls Inc.	JCI	69.19	-2.12 (-2.97%)
Lear Corporation	LEA	18.61	-1.77 (-8.68%)
Magna International Inc.	MGA	71.36	-1.88 (-2.57%)
Motorola Inc.	MOT	25.13	-0.12 (-0.48%)
Nissan Motor Co. Ltd. (ADR)	NSANY	22.63	+0.05 (+0.22%)
Sonic Automotive Inc.	SAH	22.60	-0.33 (-1.44%)
Siemens AG	SI	85.73	+0.04 (+0.05%)
Sirius Satellite Radio	SIRI	3.95	-0.01 (-0.25%)
Toyota Motor Corporation (ADR)	TM	108.03	+0.74 (+0.69%)
TRW Automotive Holdings	TRW	23.92	-0.50 (-2.05%)
Tower Automotive Inc.	TWRAQ.PK	0.078	+0.018 (+30.00%)
United Auto Group Inc.	UAG	22.60	0.00 (0.00%)
Visteon Corporation	VC	9.05	-0.55 (-5.73%)
XM Satellite Radio Hold.	XMSR	13.51	-0.02 (-0.15%)