Ford Motor Company is headquartered in Dearborn, Michigan. It is one of world's largest automakers, with approximately 318,000 employees in 200 markets on six continents. Its automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include Ford Credit, Quality Care and Hertz. Ford Motor Company observed its 100th anniversary on June 16, 2003.

Ford Motor Company has announced that they shall be investing $300,000 in a 240,000-square-foot, flexible body shop expansion at Michigan Truck Plant in Wayne, Michigan.

"This has been a tough, but gratifying year in manufacturing for Ford. We've transformed our plants to bring more products, faster to our customers," said Matt DeMars, Ford vice president, Vehicle Operations. "Our goal is to build stability and standardization into our North American assembly and stamping plants, which is what flexible and lean manufacturing is all about."

Ford has had a wonderful year in terms of sales and productions. Plus, they have launched a record number of vehicles previous year and would like to sustain rhythm for 2005. They are now doing well in trying to meet their previously stated commitment of infusing flexible manufacturing into 75% of its body manufacturing shops, trim and final assembly operations by end of this decade. Flexibility in body shops is most crucial component of flexible manufacturing due to complexity and cost of operation involved. Ford’s innovative flexible body shop system requires less expenditure than both time-honored methods of traditional body shops and other devised flexible manufacturing systems.

With lasts year’s successful sales and production, Ford is hard pressed to surpass impressive numbers they have previously posted. At start of 2004 Ford launched an onslaught with production of F-150 at Dearborn Truck Plant; Ford GT at Wixom Assembly Plant; Escape Hybrid at Kansas City Assembly Plant; Ford Five Hundred, Freestyle and Mercury Montego in Chicago; Mercury Mariner at Ohio Assembly Plant; and Ford Mustang at AutoAlliance International. Ford plans to be just as aggressive to maintain if not surpass same numbers as preceding sales year.

DeMars credits their highly successful launches to Ford Company’s focus on quality; their well planned processes and to their manpower. The people behind manufacturing of their vehicles are heart of whole operation. "We are committed to getting our launches right. We know that a strong launch is critical to a vehicle's success," he said. "The Ford Production System, our Launch Quality Operating Systems and our Safety Leadership Initiative are important tools in our manufacturing system."

This Hot Selling Vehicle from Lexus is given a Special Edition to entice more buyers.

Early January this year Lexus sprung a pleasant surprise on its followers by announcing and unveiling a Special Edition of 2005 Lexus RX 330. They did this last January 9, 2005 at North American International Auto Show in Detroit, Michigan. Lexus is calling this special edition of Lexus RX 330 “Thundercloud” Edition.

Here only in its second season, it reinstates its foothold as best selling luxury SUV from last year. The Lexus RX 330 was redesigned and introduced as an all-new model for 2004. Sleeker, more stylish and more powerful than best-selling model it replaced, RX 330 glides into its second season with added luxury.

Lexus just won’t rest on its laurels, even with league leading sales of Lexus RX 330, 2005 special edition is expected to add new depth and dimension to lineup and with supplements of several enhancements designed to give future clients a very desirable new choice.

When it was launched last year, Lexus RX set a higher bar of standard for modern luxury utility vehicle. The innovative RX 300 pioneered crossover style of SUV based on a uni-body car platform rather than a heavy-duty truck frame. Crossovers provide improved ride and handling. They offer more cargo room than a car. They also give driver a better view over traffic and a sense of security from an elevated driving position. Overall, it’s a car that mutated to a truck.

The original did all of those things, but this new, second-generation RX does them much better. Swift and silent, it rides more quietly than most cars, not to mention other SUVs. It glides over bumpy roads and its airy cabin is luxurious and captivating. While crossover vehicles offer neither big towing capacity nor off-road capability of a true truck, RX 330 handles gravel roads just fine and can tow up to 3500 pounds with optional trailer package.

Every one of 2005 Thundercloud Edition RX 330s are obtainable with performance, luxury and convenience features found in standard RX 330, including Adaptive Front lighting System (AFS), Mark Levinson audio, rear seat DVD entertainment system and more.