Just a few years ago it would have been hard to imagine, but with much of the country still struggling to pull itself from a recession the Ford Motor Company has just posted a record Q3 profit of $1.7 billion. The American automaker has said it will use the funds to being reducing debt in a move to further improve its economic standing, with debut payments totaling $10.8 billion for the year, resulting in a zero ‘net debut’ situation (the same amount of debut as cash) by 2011.

Ford will also push ahead with plans to increase production by 20,000 vehicles as demand for the automaker’s products rise.

“Delivering world class products and aggressively restructuring our business has enabled us to profitably grow even at low industry volumes in key regions,” said CEO Alan Mulally in a statement. “The key drivers for improvement in 2011 will be our growing product strength, a gradually strengthening economy and an unrelenting focus on improving the competitiveness of all our operations.”

This latest news makes for six straight quarters of profit for Ford and is the result of numerous factors that include taking extraordinary measures to leverage the company’s assets (including their own logo); the roll-out of impressive new products and a plan to sell off the company’s other divisions (including Volvo, Land Rover, Jaguar and Aston Martin) that helped it avoid filing for bankruptcy.

[Source: Automotive News]

BMW has outlined a long list of new (and not so new) technologies that may be incorporated into future products. Included in the lineup is a new Autopark feature that would allow the car to park itself after the driver has left the vehicle. While automakers like Lexus and Ford have systems that allow the driver to line up a parallel parking spot and the vehicle will guide the driver in as he or she uses the gas and brakes, this new BMW feature would let the driver do the gas and brake operations via a new key fob for parking in a garage or pulling into our out of a parking space.

Other technologies being explored include ILENA navigation that uses 3D mapping to provide the most fuel efficient route, as well as a smart key that lets you also pay for purchases

Items that are set to debut on future BMW products include a new iDrive setup for the upcoming 3 Series and 6 Series with a touch-pad on the top of the iDrive controller. Plus, we’ll see a transmission “sail” mode that puts the transmission in Neutral if the driver lets off the gas but doesn’t apply the brakes.

BMW will also work to bring a Collision avoidance system to market that will use the on-board sensors to allow the driver to drive down narrow lanes without clipping other cars, actually adjusting the steering slightly in order to do so..

BMW is even working on a communication system with the traffic system that would let you know how long red lights will last.

Each year the Texas Auto Writers Association holds its annual Texas Truck Rodeo, where journalists test the latest offerings from the automakers and decide what vehicles, in a list of classes, get top honors. And the results are in.

For 2011, the new Jeep Grand Cherokee has been announced as the SUV of Texas. The first all-new vehicle from the new Chrysler, the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee is a bold step forward for the struggling American automaker with an impressive new look and much-improved interior quality. It retains all its off-road credentials and makes big strides in fuel economy with a base V6 that even gets a bump in horsepower.

In the truck category, the 2011 ‘Truck of Texas’ title was awarded to the Ram Laramie Longhorn, while Ford took away top honors as the Truck Line of Texas.

Hit the jump for a breakdown of the rest of the winners, and read our review of the 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee by hitting the link below:

Read AutoGuide’s 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee Review by Clicking Here

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Mazda execs are forecasting a bright future for the brand that will see sales volumes double by 2015.

The plan to achieve this goal is multifaceted and includes much more than impressive new designs – as previewed in the Shinari concept (above). Mazda will also look to take the brand up-market with higher-grade materials and design. Currently Mazda interiors are already some of the best in the segments it competes in.

Mazda will also put the focus on its SkyActiv technologies including new vehicle platforms, new engines and new transmissions. The first use of these technologies will be in the Mazda2, which the automaker says will help deliver 70-mpg – the highest of any non-electrified vehicle.

Company CEO Takashi Yamanouchi says most of the automaker’s vehicles will use these technologies, and that in addition to a return to a pre-recessions auto market Mazda is poised to grow considerably over the next few years.

[Source: Automotive News via Autoblog]

With SEMA just a week away, cars are being teased and sneak previewed left and right. Back in August, we got sight of the Fortune Motorsports / Tjin Edition Tour Honda CR-Z under wraps, literally. Now the cover’s been blown off the rendering and put on the finished product.

The full rendering reveals what the Honda CR-Z is going to be all about, a very clean and functional build without going overboard with the actual cosmetic modifications. Carbon fiber accents come in the form of a hood and a front lip while sportier mirrors round off the exterior modifications.

The half-reveal of an actual photo of the car shows Baer brakes with a red caliper setup and the custom Track Spec ADV10 wheels from ADV.1 wheels are looking good on the finished project. The front lip sports a different design than the rendering while the finished project will sport a HKS Kansai Lips which is more of an add-on to the factory front bumper.

This is just the first of numerous Honda CR-Zs that will be on display and AutoGuide will be sure to bring you full photos of all of them with coverage of the 2010 SEMA Show starting November 2nd. Until then, check out our SEMA Preview here.

GALLERY: Fortune Motorsports / Tjin Edition Tour SEMA Honda CR-Z

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Given that it’s October and the annual Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) expo is just days away, vehicle builders and parts manufacturers are gearing up to display their latest wares.

Ford‘s current F-150 pickup is hot and perhaps not surprisingly, at least seven customized versions of this and the bigger Super Duty will be taking center stage.

Among the highlights will be a 2011 F-150 by A.R.E accessories, a popular maker of toneau covers, caps and other truck aftermarket add-ons. The theme of the A.R.E. truck will be promoting the Pro Football Hall of Fame that serves to educate, honor and preserve the history of professional football. The truck will sport special ‘stadium sillhouette’ paint, with the box containing football memorabilia and the interior finished in pigskin leather.

Another cool truck is the Mickey Thompson TTC Baja F-150, which sports a Fabtech suspension with a 6-inch lift, 35-inch M/T TTC tires, Warn Industries recovery gear plenty of PIAA driving lights and a striking black/yellow/red finish.

In complete contrast, are a pair of slammed customized street F-150s powered by the new 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine. One, built by Godfather customs, features a 2.5 inch cowl hood, custom two-tone paint, halo taillights and custom front and rear bumper assemblies. The other, created by the Custom Shop will sport more of an ‘eco’ theme, with lightweight wheels, tires with reduced rolling resistance, lighweight tonneau cover and custom, low emissions DuPont paint.

Other than the Mickey Thompson truck, we’re most eager to see the Pit Boss F-130 build by Cars by Kris and Airhead Kustoms (shown above). Designed to be a race car hauler and serve as a pit truck, it features a tire cage and numerous swing-case toolboxes

We’ll be sure to bring you plenty of photos of all seven trucks with live coverage of the 2010 SEMA Show starting November 2nd. Until then, check out Ford’s SEMA Fiestas and the rest of the Ford lineup here. Plus, check out our SEMA Preview here.

GALLERY: Ford F-Series SEMA Vehicles

Official release after the jump:

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Chevrolet‘s next Aveo will see more bodystyles beyond the traditional hatchback, with a crossover and a sedan among them.

A sedan model will be essential for the U.S. market, where hatchbacks are slowly gaining acceptance, but have been a traditionally tough sell. The Aveo sedan will likely debut at the Detroit Auto Show in January, but details of the car still haven’t been fully fleshed out.

The crossover will likely be built on a stretched Aveo platform with available all wheel drive, and a premium interior with certain components taken from upmarket Opel models like the Insignia. GM Daewoo bosses, who were responsible for developing the Aveo, were quick to stress that the Aveo would not infringe on Opel or Vauxhall cars, which will retain their premium brand and get their own versions of the Aveo crossover.

[Source: Autocar]

Ford‘s Windstar minivan is undergoing a massive recall, with over 460,000 1998-2003 Windstars being recalled over a fault rear axle that may corrode and ultimately fail.

Ford has informed dealers that rather than fix the problem, they may buy back the vehicles instead. “At our discretion, the remedy we offer may involve repurchasing a customer’s vehicle at a price we believe either matches or exceeds market value,” Ford said in a prepared statement.

Not surprisingly, the recall affects cars in “rust belt” states like Michigan and locations in Canada where road salt is used. NHTSA said that 96 percent of complaints came from the following states; Connecticut, Delaware, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Ohio Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, West Virginia and Wisconsin, plus Washington, D.C.

[Source: Detroit News]

UPDATE: The Ford Windstar is now under investigation by NHTSA for rusting subframe issues. Click here to read the story.

If you’ve forgotten about the Cadillac STS, well, we won’t judge you. Quite honestly, we forgot about this snooze-tastic sedan, priced above its smaller CTS sibling while offering very little in the way of compelling reasons to buy it.

The Northstar V8 disappears and the 3.6L V6 is the sole engine option, making 302 horsepower and 272 lb-ft of torque. You can still get all-wheel drive, but the 469 horsepower STS-V will not appear since its death at the end of 2009. A Platinum trim will also be available, and feature 18″ wheels, an Alcantara headliner and an interior swathed in leather trim.

Pricing will start at $47,280, and can climb all the way up to $65,000. Good luck, Cadillac dealers!

While Ford is demanding that Lincoln dealers invest millions in renovating their showrooms, franchise holders are balking at Ford’s demands until they see the upcoming product that Ford claims is in the pipeline for its luxury brand.

Ford has asked dealers for the million dollar upgrades despite claims that all-new product won’t be available for another two years. Dealers are understandably reluctant to invest in their showrooms with limited knowledge of the upcoming product. Ford has threatened to withhold rebate money if dealers do not comply with the new upgrades.

Other profitable franchises are complaining about the platry buyout settlements Ford is offering, with many saying that the buyout packages are extremely undervalued relative to the revenue generated by the franchises.

[Source: Automotive News]