What people find appealing about cars and trucks is pretty subjective, but a recent independent study shows that one brand has more vehicles that appeal to customers to any other.

Ford received five segment awards, more than any other brand, in J.D. Power and Associates’ 2010 Automotive Performance, Execution and Layout (APEAL) Study. The closely watched survey measures customer satisfaction in design, content, and vehicle performance.

In June, the Ford brand achieved the highest initial quality among all non-luxury brands in J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Initial Quality Study (IQS). For the second consecutive year Ford was the only non-premium brand to achieve above industry average scores in both J.D. Power’s IQS and APEAL studies.

In this year’s APEAL survey, owners of the 2010 Ford Fusion, Taurus, Flex, Expedition and Explorer Sport Trac, rated these vehicles highest in their respective segments for vehicle appeal, which is comprised of style, comfort, performance and other vehicle attributes.

APEAL surveys customers on what they like about the performance, execution and layout of their new vehicle after the first three months it is in service. Customers rate their level of “gratification” on a variety of vehicle attributes, including safety, fuel economy, cargo space, roominess and exterior styling.

Learn more about the Ford’s performances in the APEAL study.


www.sherwoodford.ca

by Jonathon Ramsey (RSS feed) on Jul 14th 2010 at 5:32PM



Automotive News has put together its list of 2010 auto industry all-stars, and taking first place in American, European and Asian CEO categories are Ford CEO Alan Mulally, Volkswagen CEO Dr. Martin Winterkorn, and Hyundai-Kia CEO Chung Mong-koo. Hard to fault the choices, and it shouldn't come as a surprise at all that the same three gentlemen took slots two through four of Motor Trend's list of top 50 auto execs for 2009.

Mulally was cited because his "steadfast plan to turn Ford around is bearing fruit in impressive fashion" and Chung was lauded for having " turned the Hyundai brand into a superpower." Winterkorn, who could have been awarded based on VW's Hulk-like growth, was actually noted for his "Strategy 2018," by which time he plans for the VW group to be selling ten million cars per year. Check this spot in eight years to see if he's still an all-star. For now, though, congrats to all.

www.sherwoodford.ca

Press Release Source: Ford Motor Company On Wednesday June 9, 2010, 10:00 am
DEARBORN, Mich., June 9 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ --
• The 2010 Ford Flex and Fusion, Lincoln MKZ and MKT, and Mercury Milan have earned Top Safety Pick ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS)

• Ford now has 11 Top Safety Pick ratings for 2010 model vehicles – more than any other automaker

• High-strength steel and composite reinforcements in the body structures of Ford's newest vehicles helped these and other models earn the best possible rating in IIHS testing

Five more 2010 Ford Motor Company (NYSE:F - News) vehicles – Ford Flex, Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKZ, Lincoln MKT and Mercury Milan – have earned Top Safety Picks from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). The rating also applies to the Fusion Hybrid and Milan Hybrid.
Ford has 11 IIHS Top Safety Pick ratings for 2010 model vehicles – the most of any automaker – as well as the leading number of five-star safety ratings from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
Flex, Fusion, MKZ, MKT and Milan previously earned top possible scores for occupant protection in IIHS's front, side and rear tests, but had to pass IIHS's new roof strength test to maintain the rating. Vehicles also must offer electronic stability control to be eligible for a Top Safety Pick.
"Leading the industry in both Top Safety Pick ratings and government five-star crash test ratings is very significant because customers increasingly consider IIHS and NHTSA ratings when choosing a new vehicle," said Sue Cischke, Ford's group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. "These latest test results further demonstrate Ford's commitment to continuous improvement on the safety front."
Strong by design
Ford's use of high-strength steels, including low-alloy, dual-phase and boron steel in the A- and B-pillars, roof headers and bows, rocker panels and rocker baffles of its newest vehicles helped the company perform well in IIHS testing. In addition, composite reinforcements were used to augment and stabilize the key pillar sections against collision forces.
Many new Ford vehicles are built with the company's Trinity Front Crash Body Architecture. The energy-absorbing body structure is optimized for strength and stiffness, and designed to absorb and redirect crash forces away from the passenger compartment.
In addition, Ford's Side Protection And Cabin Enhancement (SPACE®) Architecture is used to optimize side-impact occupant protection. The SPACE system integrates a high-strength steel structure in the floor that runs the width of the vehicle, and reinforcements along the rocker panels to help protect passengers in side-impact incidents.
"Ford's use of high- and ultra-high-strength steels in our vehicles complements our development of advanced crash protection and crash avoidance technologies," Cischke said. "With each new model year, we're raising the bar on vehicle safety."

•
By Sharon Silke Carty, USA TODAY
DEARBORN, Mich. — As Ford Motor attempts to make itself more relevant to the masses, it's taking a unique marketing approach for the all-new Ford Explorer: launching it on Facebook instead of at an auto show.
Makes sense, considering customers may more likely be found hanging out online at the social-networking site with nearly 500 million members.
"We live in a 140-character society," says Scott Monty, Ford's head of social media, referring to the Twitter character limit. "When we have people's attention, we want to make sure it sticks."
Next week, Ford will begin its launch campaign for Explorer with teasers saying the SUV will be revealed "soon" on Facebook. Ford has not announced the date, just that it will be in July.
Production begins at the end of this year for the 2011 version of the vehicle that more than any other popularized the SUV. The original rolled out in 1990 as a 1991 model.
The new Explorer will, for the first time, be a car-based crossover, not a body-on-frame truck. Ford says the new model will get 25% better fuel economy, will have more safety features (such as inflating rear seat belts) and have a terrain-management system that lets drivers select drivetrain and suspension settings to fit the road or landscape.
The current Ford Explorer is "an old-school SUV," says Jake Fisher, senior engineer at Consumer Reports. "The new Ford Explorer is the type of vehicle that people want. It should hit the market much better than the last generation."
The marketing message will stress that the new Explorer better matches drivers' lives. "You're not going to see Explorer parked at the top of a cliff" in ads, says Matt VanDyke, director of U.S. marketing communications for Ford.
Over two decades, Explorer's marketing themes never strayed far from the outdoorsy life. Ads often showed it splashing through mud, winding around mountain roads and, yes, parked on cliffs.
The rugged SUV image went from cool and exciting in the '90s to a politically incorrect gas hog in the 2000s. Only 52,000 of the aging Explorers sold in 2009, down from 480,000 in its 1998 peak. The new one will be "realistic, yet aspirational," says Ford marketing manager Eric Peterson. "People still want to go someplace new and different. ... It's just not something they'll take to the top of K2."
Linking the Explorer with Ford's social-marketing strategy could help the brand be more relevant. Monty says Ford is using the Internet to help customers see it not as a faceless monolith, but as an organization of people like them who can answer questions, and listen to ideas and complaints.
Still, the Explorer reveal on Facebook is chancy.
"The auto industry is so closely tied to reviews and news from traditional media outlets that I think it is a risky move to eliminate an auto show announcement," says Heidi Sullivan, vice president of media research for Cision. But, "The buzz created could far outweigh any negative reactions."

by Sam Abuelsamid on Jun 7th 2010 at 6:28PM




Imagine your disappointment when you find what looks like a great deal on a 1967 Ford Mustang on Craigslist, only to realize the body is 90 percent Bondo. You could head back to the listings, or you could hit the Ford Parts catalog for a brand new body shell. Ford is now offering up over 9,000 officially licensed parts for cars and trucks going back to 1909 Model Ts, and the catalog includes complete shells for 1967, 68, 69 and 1970 Mustang coupes as well as all manner of other parts to fix up old Fords, Mercurys and Lincolns.

Finding good parts for restorations is always a challenge. Restorers often have to go scrounging through scrap yards to find parts in decent condition or roll the dice with unauthorized reproductions that may or may not fit. Ford has sold some of the old tooling to specialty fabricators that continue to produce parts in small batches for those models that people want to keep on the road well past their expiration date. Of course, crate motors are old hat in the racing catalog, with classics like the "351 Cleveland V8", 302 cubic inch V8 and the more recent 5.0-liter "Cammer" readily available.

Off-road junkies will also be pleased to learn that the next addition to the body shell lineup will be the first generation Bronco. Complete bodies for the little Broncos will be available in the fall.



Gallery:
Ford Restoration Parts.

[Source: Ford]
Show full PR textHELP DAD KEEP HIS FAVORITE RIDE ON THE ROAD THIS FATHER'S DAY WITH FORD LICENSED RESTORATION PARTS
Ford restoration parts licensing program offers a portfolio of more than 9,000 parts for vehicles from 1909 to the early 2000s
Enthusiasts can now build nearly a complete 1967 Mustang from the ground up using brand-new reproduction components. About 98 percent of the Mustang's parts are being reproduced.
Many parts are manufactured on original Ford tooling, then carefully checked against original blueprints to ensure quality and aesthetics before being offered for sale

DEARBORN, Mich., June 7, 2010 – As Father's Day approaches, Ford is proud to support the millions of enthusiasts nationwide who keep antique and classic Ford-built vehicles on the road. And nowhere is that support more evident than through the official Ford licensed restoration parts program.

With a growing parts portfolio containing more than 9,000 part numbers, the program licenses parts for Ford-built vehicles from the Model T to those made as recently as the early 2000s. Every component is produced by one of the officially licensed suppliers, made to Ford Motor Company standards using original factory tooling. No longer do enthusiasts have to spend hours online looking for rare new old stock parts, nor do they have to wander through scrap yards looking for used parts for their classics. Chances are the part is available new and just a mouse click away.
The program is so comprehensive that an enthusiast can actually construct a "new" vintage Ford using reproduction parts.

"You can literally build a 1967 Mustang using officially licensed Ford restoration parts right from your computer, without ever visiting a wrecking yard," says Dennis Mondrach, Restoration Licensing manager, Ford Component Sales (FCS). "Complete steel bodyshells are available, Ford Racing can supply crate motors, and specialty manufacturers make all the hardware, drivetrain, interior parts and even instruments with classic or customized faces. You can build your car as a classic or upgrade the components you choose."

Ford currently offers four complete Mustang bodies covering 1967 to 1970. Later this fall, Ford will introduce its first truck-based body for restorers of the classic 1960s Bronco.

The strict licensing process helps ensure any parts bearing the company's official trademarks meet the quality standards and authenticity that classic Ford enthusiasts demand. Each approved part comes with a blue-and-white sticker with the Ford logo stating it is an officially licensed restoration part. That means the fit, function and appearance is as authentic as the original.

"When Ford stops making a part and retires the tooling, that tooling is offered to FCS," explains Mondrach. "Based on the type of component and whether we think it would be of interest to the vintage vehicle market, we then offer it to one of our 75 licensed manufacturers and they put the tooling back into service.

"The end result," Mondrach says, "is that owners of vintage Ford vehicles get a source of factory-correct parts made on Ford tooling."

Restoring a classic Ford-built vehicle in the family garage has been an American tradition for decades. Tens of thousands of fathers have shown their sons and daughters how to restore a car using a Model A, Model T, Thunderbird, Mustang or F-Series. According to Hagerty Collector Car Insurance of Traverse City, Mich., the worldwide leader in collector car insurance, four Ford-built vehicles are among the top 10 most popular cars it insures. Mustang, for example, is No. 2 on this year's list, according to Hagerty.

Accurate reproduction parts make the restoration process easier, and for those enthusiasts who decide to show the finished product, they can make the difference between a trophy and an empty-handed trip home. The Ford licensing program has been singled out for special recognition from both the Mustang Club of America and the Thunderbird Club of America for supplying components identical to original Ford parts.

"Before a supplier can sell a licensed part – even one produced on Ford tooling – they are required to submit a sample for approval," said Mondrach. "We compare the sample to original blueprints and engineering specifications and ensure the part meets or exceeds the original piece in quality, aesthetics and functionality."

All Ford restoration parts licensees must successfully complete a quality assurance survey and meet all federal and state safety regulations. To assist in the monitoring of ongoing production quality, master samples of each restoration part are retained after approval and used as quality benchmarks for future production runs.

FCS tries to ensure a supply of frequently needed components is available to the restoration community, particularly interior parts and delicate trim pieces.

"We really try to provide the common parts that might be damaged or lost in an accident," explained Mondrach. "Many of those plastic and metal parts look exactly like the originals and are made on original tooling, but benefit from improved plastics and metallurgy, resulting in a higher-quality component than what was originally supplied on the vehicle."

On the other hand, Ford licensed restoration suppliers also reproduce very specialized components – in specialized original materials – for some of the first Ford products to hit the road.

"We license original Model A and T parts like the famous ah-ooga horn and many unique brass parts," said Mondrach. "Model T enthusiasts can even get licensed replacement handmade brass radiators.

"Whether you're rebuilding a classic Ford, Lincoln, Edsel or Mercury from scratch, or simply prepping your vintage vehicle for its next show," he adds, "Ford Restoration probably has many of the parts you need."

For more information
Visit the Ford restoration parts website at HYPERLINK "http://www.fordrestorationparts.com" www.fordrestorationparts.com. Select the vehicle make and model in which you're interested to load a list of suppliers with contact information.
Filed under: Ford

Tags: Bronco, bronco body shell, BroncoBodyShell, broncos, ford, ford bronco body shell, ford bronco centurion, ford component sales, ford licensed reproduction parts, Ford Motor Company, ford mustang, FordBroncoBodyShell, FordBroncoCenturion, FordComponentSales, FordLicensedReproductionParts, FordMotorCompany, FordMustang, mustang body shells, mustang body-in-white, MustangBody-in-white, MustangBodyShells, reproduction parts, ReproductionParts, restoration

A new website is making it easy, cost-effective and fun for Ford owners to turn their car or truck into a unique personalized ride with vinyl graphics that offer the look of a custom paint job at half the price.

The website – www.fordcustomgraphics.com – launched in November with vinyl wrap designs for the new Ford Fiesta is now expanding to include graphics for two of the most customized cars in the country – the Ford Mustang and F-150 – and later will offer customization options for all Ford vehicles.

Approximately 50 designs were created specifically for each vehicle. All are available in a variety of colors and sizes and were designed with the target customer in mind.

People interested in the hip, new Ford Fiesta, for example, can choose from cool, fun designs like bubbles, arrows, dots and flowers. Mustang and F-150 customers will have an entirely different portfolio to choose from.

Ford Custom Graphics offers customers the look of custom-painted designs, but without the expensive price tag. In addition, all of the custom graphics feature 3M Scotchprint® On-Demand quality vinyl. They are professionally installed at Ford dealerships and include alimited warranty.

Learn more about Ford Custom Graphics.

DEARBORN -- Ford is making its vehicles more eco-friendly through increased use of renewable and recyclable materials such as the soy and bio-based seat cushions and seatbacks on the 2010 Ford Taurus.

Ford vehicles are now 85 percent recyclable by weight. In 2009, Ford saved approximately $4.5 million by using recycled materials, and diverted between 25 and 30 million pounds of plastic from landfills in North America alone.

“By increasing the use of recycled or renewable content and reducing the use of undesirable materials whenever possible, we’re helping to reduce waste to landfills by millions of pounds – and we’re doing it around the world,” said John Viera, Ford’s director of Sustainability and Environmental Policy. “More than ever before, the spirit of ONE Ford that drives our global product strategy also drives our commitment to sustainability.”

The 2010 Ford Taurus is the eleventh Ford vehicle to feature earth-friendly bio-based seat cushions and seatbacks. Ford has more vehicle models with seats that use soy and other bio-based foams than any other automaker. Ford Mustang, F-150, Focus, Flex, Escape, Expedition and Econoline as well as Mercury Mariner, Lincoln MKS and Navigator also use the sustainable material.

“We already have bio-based foam on more than 2 million vehicles and we’re looking to convert 100 percent of our fleet to it in the future,” said Jerry Brown, Ford chief engineer of seat and restraint engineering. “This is just one way that Ford is advancing the use of eco-friendly materials in the industry.”

Ford’s “reduce, reuse and recycle” commitments are part of the company’s broader global sustainability strategy to reduce its environmental footprint while accelerating the development of advanced fuel-efficient vehicle technologies around the world.

Building in green materials
For the past several years, Ford has concentrated on increasing the use of non-metal recycled and bio-based materials, including:

Bio-based (such as soy) polyurethane foams on the seat cushions, seatbacks and headliners on 11 vehicle models. The 2 million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles on the road today with bio-foam seats equates to a reduction in petroleum oil usage of approximately 1.5 million pounds
Post-consumer recycled resins such as detergent bottles, tires and battery casings used to make underbody systems, such as aerodynamic shields, splash shields and radiator air deflector shields. The latest example is the engine cam cover on the 3.0-liter V-6 2010 Ford Escape. As a result, Ford has diverted between 25 and 30 million pounds of plastic from landfills
Post-industrial recycled yarns for seat fabrics on vehicles such as the Ford Escape and Escape Hybrid. A 100 percent usage of recycled yarns can mean a 64 percent reduction in energy consumption and a 60 percent reduction in CO2 emissions compared to the use of new yarns
Repurposed nylon carpeting made into nylon resin and molded into cylinder head covers for Ford’s 3.0-liter Duratec® engine. The industry’s first eco-friendly cylinder head cover is used in the 2010 Ford Fusion and Escape
The automotive industry’s first application of wheat straw-reinforced plastic for the third-row storage bins of the 2010 Ford Flex. The natural fiber replaces energy-inefficient glass fibers commonly used to reinforce plastic parts


In support of Ford’s global product development strategy, material engineers are developing standardized specifications for sustainable materials while working with parts purchasers and suppliers to use eco-friendly components in different markets.

For example, the European Ford Focus uses recycled polymer in such components as the battery tray, wheel arch liners, seat fabric and carpets. Materials engineers are in the process of determining if recycled polymer can be used for similar components in the global Focus coming to North America and Europe in 2011.

“Sustainable materials need to meet the same high standards for quality, durability and performance as virgin material; there can be no compromise on product quality,” said Valentina Cerato, Ford materials engineer in Europe.

What the future holds
Materials researchers continue to explore sustainable material applications, such as an eco-friendly replacement for the fiberglass used between the headliner and roof sheet metal that will be bio-based, lighter weight, and will deliver improved acoustics and neutralize odor.

In addition, Ford researchers are developing natural-fiber composites as a potential substitute for the glass fibers traditionally used in plastic car parts to make them stronger while reducing vehicle weight, which helps improve fuel economy and reduces emissions. Natural fiber composites also are more eco-friendly, because their production and end-of-life incineration are less energy intensive than glass fibers, which also results in lower emissions.

Ford researchers also are investigating ways to use plastics made entirely from sustainable resources such as corn, sugar beets, sweet potatoes and other vegetables. These renewable materials will help reduce dependency on petroleum, reduce CO2 emissions and allow the composting of the material at the end of a vehicle’s life.

“Natural fiber-reinforced plastics and plant-based polymer resins help reduce CO2 emissions by being entirely compostable, and in some cases reduce weight, which helps improve fuel economy,” said Debbie Mielewski, technical leader, Ford Plastics Research. “We have to entertain the thought of bio-replacement in baby steps, looking at every aspect of a car that could be green. One day I hope to see the world of automotive plastics go totally compostable, removing petroleum by 100 percent.”

What comes out
Automobiles are among the most recycled consumer products in the world. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, more than 95 percent of all end-of-life vehicles in the U.S. are processed for recycling – compared to 52 percent of all paper and 31 percent of all plastic soft drink bottles.

In Europe, automakers are required to take back the vehicles they’ve produced at the end of the vehicles’ useful lives. Ford has end-of-life recycling networks for its vehicles in 16 European markets and participates in industry collective systems in another 10. In 2007, Ford became one of the first automakers in Europe to be certified in compliance with end-of-life requirements, including:

Design and produce vehicles that facilitate the dismantling, reuse, recovery and recycling of them at end-of-life
Reduce the use of hazardous substances when designing vehicles
Increase the use of recycled materials in vehicle manufacture
Ensure that parts do not contain mercury, hexavalent chromium, cadmium or lead


Reuse is a big part of the recycling story. Auto recyclers supply more than one third of all ferrous scrap to the U.S. scrap processing industry. When manufacturers use scrap iron and steel instead of newly produced ore, they reduce air and water pollution by more than half during the manufacturing process.

“In theory, end-of-life vehicles are nearly 100 percent recoverable. In practice, however, the cost in energy and labor to recover all vehicle material often exceeds the value of the materials and offers insignificant value to the environment,” Viera said. “We remain focused on achieving the highest economically viable and environmentally sound recovery percentage possible.”

Canwest News Service April 23, 2010



It is astonishing how many facts about the Ford Motor Company remain either hidden or barely known. Did you know, for example that Henry Ford was born on a farm?

Or, for much of the last century, the Ford Motor Company River Rouge complex in Detroit was the only place to see the entire automaking process in one day?

It was the largest manufacturing centre ever owned by a single company after construction was completed in 1928.

Located a few miles south of Detroit, at the confluence of the Rouge River and the Detroit River, the original Rouge complex was 2.5 kilometres wide and 1.6 km long. The multiplex of 93 buildings totalled almost 16 million square feet of floor area crisscrossed by 193 km of conveyors.

The Rouge was a city without residents. At its peak, more than 100,000 people worked at the complex and to accommodate them required a multi-station fire department, a modern police force, a fully staffed hospital and a maintenance crew of 5,000.

One new car rolled off the line at Rouge every 49 seconds. Each day, workers smelted more than 6,000 tons of iron and made 500 tons of glass, and every month, 3,500 mop heads had to be replaced to keep the complex clean in anticipation of unannounced visits.

Henry Ford's thinking behind the plant was to be completely self-sufficient by owning, operating and co-

ordinating all the resources needed to produce automobiles. Because of this, Ford owned 283,000 hectares of forest, iron mines and limestone quarries. Ford even purchased and operated a rubber plantation in Brazil.

The highly repetitive work on the assembly line caused a high turnover of workers, which reduced productivity. In 1914, Ford responded to the situation by offering to pay his workers $5 for eight hours of work, which was double the going rate at the time.

Ford added a large powerhouse in 1920 that provided power to both the Rouge and the Highland Park Plant. There was so much electricity to spare that Ford provided the city of Detroit a million kilowatts of excess power every day.

By the beginning of the Second World War, Ford had production facilities in 35 states and in nearly 23 countries on five continents.

In 1947, at the pinnacle of the Rouge's success, Henry Ford died. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1967.

Henry Ford's son Edsel is credited with guiding the company into world-wide expansion. He also introduced the Ford Model A to the world because consumers wanted more variety in colour, style and trim than the Model T offered. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1968.

Edsel Ford's son, Henry Ford II, resurrected the company after the Second World War and transformed the company from family owned to a publicly owned corporation. He was inducted into the Automotive Hall of Fame in 1983.

The original Ford Mustang debuted on April 17, 1964 at a price of $2,368 and dealers were inundated with requests for the car. In Garland, Tex., 15 customers bid on the same Mustang and the winner insisted on sleeping in the car overnight to guarantee it wouldn't get sold from under him before his cheque cleared the next day.

Not much more than a month after its introduction, Ford's new Mustang was on the race track as the Pace Car for the 1964 Indianapolis 500 race. That year, Mustang-crazed parents bought 93,000 pedal-powered children's Mustangs during the 1964 Christmas season.

The 1966 Mustang was the first -- and perhaps the only -- car to park on the 86th floor observation deck of New York's Empire State Building. Ford engineers disassembled a 1966 Mustang convertible and took it up in four sections using the building's passenger elevators.

In 2004, Ford produced its 300-millionth car -- a Mustang GT convertible 40th anniversary edition. The 2004 models were the last cars built at Ford's Dearborn Assembly Plant, which built Mustangs since the car's 1964 introduction.

The nine-millionth Mustang -- a GT convertible -- was built in 2008 and sold to an Iowa farmer.

© Copyright (c) The Ottawa Citizen

April 2010

which was presented at the New York International Auto Show.

"Ford's image has improved by leaps and bounds in the past year because the company has supported good new products with deft marketing," said Edmunds.com CEO Jeremy Anwyl.



Edmunds.com selected Ford for its award because of a number of key image-enhancing moves:

- Ford put its new cars into the driveways of consumers and let them build buzz about their driving experiences.

- Ford distanced itself from the other Detroit-based automakers when it realized that the general public was turned off by the image of domestic automakers begging for bailout money.

The Edmunds.com Marketing Breakthrough Award is provided annually to a vehicle, company or activity that created significant buzz, displayed out-of-the-box thinking, enhanced the positive perception of a brand and/or increased consumers' consideration of a brand.

by Chris Shunk (RSS feed)
Ford has been making some real progress here in North America, with sales up 37 percent in the first quarter. That's good news to be sure, and new reports indicate that Blue Oval may be experiencing as much success across The Pond. The Detroit Free Press reports that Ford is now the number-one selling brand in the ultra-competitive Europe market after March sales in the top 19 Euro countries outpaced the industry with a 11.5 percent sales gain. Ford's sales boost during March boosted the company's overall market share to 10.4 percent, up .4 percent versus the year ago period.

The big reason for Ford's sales dominance in Europe is the new Fiesta. The Fiesta accounted for 68,000 of the company's 192,500 sales for the month, up 28.6 percent versus last March. The Fiesta appears to be picking up sales momentum in Europe, even after finishing 2009 as the second highest-selling vehicle in Europe behind the Volkswagen Golf. The Fiesta, which was launched late in 2008 in Europe, arrives in U.S. dealerships this summer.

by Dan Roth (RSS feed) on Apr 2nd 2010 at 5:29PM


2011 Ford Edge

When is a dog a 2,700 pound projectile? When little Muffy is riding shotgun, big old fuzzy head stuck out the window, tongue lolling in the breeze and all of a sudden master crashes the darn thing into some unforseen obstacle. In the interest of keeping pets safe, Bark Buckle UP, a pet travel safety organization, has some recommendations. Among endorsement of the Doggie Seat Belt and exhortations to take steps toward pet safety in the car, are some vehicular mentions. While pet safety is a laudable goal, this announcement leaves us feeling a little dirty, like it's mostly a thinly-veiled ploy to sell stuff.

In any case, Bark Buckle UP gave its Top Dog awards away at the New York Auto Show, and the Ford Edge has trotted away with the Pet Safe Vehicle of Choice Top Dog award. "The Ford Edge is perfect for those traveling with pets," says Ford Edge marketing manager Brett Burin upon the Edge's crowning. Bark Buckle UP agrees, citing the vehicle's combination of space, ease of ingress and egress for Fifi and Fido, rear ventilation and adaptability to pet gear as reasons for the win. Ford vehicles took four of the award's 'choice' slots for 2010, with the Transit Connect, Flex, and Lincoln MKT also making the list. The other alternative is to avoid either having a dog altogether (they're smelly, and they lick their butts) or don't chauffeur your pooch around if you have opened your home to canis domesticus. If you're a dog lover, though, you might want to check out the official press release after the jump.

Ford Motor Co. has been named part of Fast Company’s Top 10 list of "Most Innovative" companies in Mobile technology –the only automaker to ever be recognized in the category. Sharing in the ranks are global brands like Google, Apple, and Amazon.

"This honor represents Ford’s commitment to innovation and development of technology that enhances the driving experience and adds real value to the consumer," said Mark Fields, Ford President, The Americas.

"We’re very proud of this recognition from Fast Company, and it is truly an accomplishment to be named amongst some of the leading technology innovators and mobile application developers."

Fast Company ranked Ford fifth in the mobile technology category for the introduction and evolution of SYNC, the industry-leading connectivity system co-developed with Microsoft, as well as the recent reveal of MyFord Touch, an innovative user interface that promises to redefine the in-car experience.

Ford SYNC was first introduced here in the Philippine market via the 2009 Ford Expedition Eddie Bauer EL which hit Ford showrooms nationwide around this time last year.

Ford developed SYNC in response to the explosive growth potential of the mobile device and embarked on a strategy to build a software-based connectivity platform that could leverage the increasing power of the phone and improving data networks.

Click on the link below I think you will like it!

http://www.at.ford.com/news/multimedia/ ... amp;id=327

There are also additional videos there to review if you like.

by Drew Phillips on Jan 23rd, 2010 at 9:13PM


2011 Ford Mustang Daytona 500 Pace Car

The 2011 Mustang was just introduced a few weeks ago in Detroit, and already one lucky buyer will be able to get his hands on the very first modern 5.0 Mustang available for sale. That particular Mustang also happens to be the pace car for the upcoming Daytona 500 next month, making it all the more special. It's the first time a Ford has set the pace for the Great American Racing in forty years. Yes, Ford announced that they will be 50 replicas of the car, but this is the real deal.

There are quite a few other benefits that come with this particular car. Both Mark Fields and Carl Edwards were on stage with the car, and between the two of them they threw in a trip to the Daytona 500, VIP access to the Ford hospitality center, a tour of the pits, and a lap of the track in the passenger seat with Edwards. Not bad at all. Did we mention that proceeds from the sale will benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation? With all those incentives, the final price of $330,000 made it the most expensive car of the auction so far.

.By
Rosemarie Pao


MONTREAL -- It was the enormous, floating, illuminating 2011 Ford Fiesta "car boutique" that stole the spotlight – literally, at the 42nd annual Montreal Auto Show at the Palais de Congres Montreal.

The car boutique, a 7,500 sq ft. display, was a uniquely designed exhibit dedicated to cars. The entire display housed the top half of a Ford Fiesta - made of light-weight, fire-retardant fabric, which illuminated the various colours of the vehicle.


Fiesta's 7-ft. wheels represented each of Ford's four pillars: Safety, Smart, Green and Quality – which displayed LCD screens that played videos attributed to those pillars. The music in the boutique created a vibrant, energetic atmosphere for those in it.

More than 100 journalists were in attendance at the Ford display to see the 2011 North American Ford Fiesta, shown for the first time in Canada.


The vehicles inside the "car boutique" included: the award-winning Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid; the Taurus, which won the category of "Best new Family car over $30,000" by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC); the Mustang with its all-new available V6 and V8 engines; and of course, a 4-door and 5-door Ford Fiesta.

"For a long time, Ford has been known as a truck company but we want to show you that our strength is also in our cars," said Bertrand Lessard, Ford of Canada General Manager for Quebec Region, as he addressed the media during the Ford press conference. "We want you to see the passion and commitment we have in the car market with our new display – this is Ford today."

The all-new Ford Fiesta is a key part of Ford's plan for growing its car business and the "car boutique" shows that Ford is serious about its cars.

"We took the opportunity to unveil the all-new Fiesta and our car boutique in Montreal because Quebec is a very important market for sub-compact cars," said Lessard. "You can see the real difference in our great products, stronger business and the better world we are helping to build by leading in quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart technologies and value.

As Mathieu St-Pierre, from Auto123.com said, "I've said it before and I'll say it again but Ford is on FIRE! With tons of new models on the way, the Fiesta is the one that … takes centre-stage in Montreal."