“Ford Motor Co.’s planned sale of its auto service contract unit received antitrust approval from the U.S. Federal Trade Commission.Ford, seeking to raise cash after a $12.7-billion loss last year, agreed earlier this month to sell Atlanta-based Automobile Protection Corp. to Trident IV LP, a fund managed by Stone Point Capital LLC.The U.S. agency granted approval this week, according to the commission’s Web site. Ford said March 2 it expected the sale to be completed in the second quarter.

Automobile Protection sells extended warranties and service contracts to vehicle buyers.

Ford hasn’t disclosed the terms of the Automobile Protection sale. Spokeswoman Becky Sanch declined to comment beyond confirming the U.S. agency action.”
(Source)

In other Ford news, Mazda renewed it’s partnership with Ford, announcing a target goal of 1.6 million units sold globally by 2010 and, a judge tossed a 15 million judgenment against Ford in a roll-over trial, because “Ford showed in post-trial motions the jury had been prejudiced by the conduct of Clark Brewster, the attorney for the Moodys. Eagan said that considering the size of the verdict, the proper thing to do is to order a new trial.”