Thursday, March 31, 2011

Ford Hybrids Top List for Value

•Ford hybrid vehicles rank at the top of the list for payback and fuel cost savings, giving consumers more value and return on investment, compared to competitors
•Ford’s hybrid vehicle lineup – the Fusion Hybrid and Escape Hybrid – is industry leading for overall investment among competing midsize, luxury and SUV hybrids

•Hybrid vehicles are part of Ford’s overall electrification strategy, which includes a suite of five new electrified models spanning hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and all-electric vehicles

Edmunds.com lists the Ford Escape Hybrid and Ford Fusion Hybrid as class leaders for best monthly fuel cost in the publication’s annual best and worst monthly fuel cost estimates analysis. The hybrid versions of both vehicles led the pack for best monthly fuel costs, with consumers paying over $100 less for fuel per month, compared to competing vehicles.

Further building Ford’s reputation as a leader in hybrid vehicles, CarGurus.com recently named Escape Hybrid one of the best vehicles for hybrid investment. According to the site, the Escape Hybrid is one of the few hybrid vehicles consumers can justify paying a premium for, compared to the gas-only version, as the Escape Hybrid pays for its own premium once gas prices and savings are factored in.

“In less than 10 years, Ford has become a leader in hybrid technologies that are both advanced and innovative for the market,” said Sherif Marakby, Ford’s director of Electrification Programs and Engineering. “True to our electrification strategy, we continue to invest in hybrids and improve on technologies every year.”

Read entire article here.

Stop by Lakewood Fordland to learn more about Ford's Hybrid vehicles.

Monday, March 28, 2011

Ford Offers Truck Line With Fuel Economy and Power

The Ford pickup truck line offers a variety of vehicles with fuel economy, power and value:

•2011 Ford F-150 and Ranger cited by the EPA as most fuel-efficient trucks


•From small to extra large, Ford pickups – Ranger, F-150 and Super Duty – each deliver an unbeatable combination of outstanding value, capability and now fuel economy

•Ford’s two new V6 truck engines are a hit with customers, going from zero percent of sales mix to more than 35 percent of total sales in just four months. 2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost™ is the fastest-turning truck in the entire Ford F-Series lineup

Buyers looking for the unbeatable combination of fuel economy, capability, power and value in pickups can find it all in Ford’s comprehensive truck range – Ranger, F-150 and Super Duty.

The Environmental Protection Agency’s 2011 list of Most and Least Fuel Efficient Trucks cited two Ford pickups, Ranger and F-150 with the 3.7-liter V6, as the most fuel efficient in their segments. That gives Ford a clean sweep of best pickup truck fuel economy numbers from smallest to largest.

The 2011 Super Duty’s new 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V8 turbocharged diesel, though not rated by the EPA, is the class leader in fuel economy, based on independent testing against General Motors and Ram diesel pickups.
The 2011 Power Stroke engine and its six-speed automatic transmission deliver a 20 percent fuel economy gain over the 2010 model, along with best-in-class horsepower and torque. No other diesel pickup engine delivers 400 horsepower and 800 lb.-ft. of torque.

According to the EPA, the 2011 F-150 with the all-new 3.7-liter V6 engine is the most fuel-efficient non-hybrid full-size pickup with a combined city and highway rating of 19 mpg, while Ranger leads the compact segment with 24 mpg.

“The No. 1 unmet need for full-size pickup truck owners has been fuel economy. With the recent hike in gas prices, this need is even stronger,” said Doug Scott, Truck Group marketing manager. “The good news is the 2011 Ford F-150 has best-in-class fuel economy, best-in-class capability and power, and more powertrain choices to suit customers’ different needs.”

Read entire article here.

Learn more about the Ford truck line at Lakewood Fordland.

Thursday, March 24, 2011

2012 Ford Focus Offers Colorful Customization Options


The 2012 Ford Focus will offer a colorful variety of customization options:

•Ford Fiesta continues to deliver personalization options for customers, with the debut of three new packages for 2012. The offerings include two interior packages and one exterior package


•Forty percent of buyers purchase at least one accessory for their Fiestas, with more than 26,000 Ford Custom Accessories items already sold

•The new interior package delivers a custom look with two-tone seating surfaces, door trim inserts, steering wheel and interior components, and is available in both Race Red and Oxford White

•Inspired by the European Ford Focus RS, the premium sport appearance package offers customers several blacked-out components, along with a performance improvement when ordered with a manual transmission

Read entire article here.
Learn more about the Ford Focus at Lakewood Fordland.

Monday, March 21, 2011

Lincoln Durability Highest in 2011 Dependability Study

Lincoln received the highest score in the recent 2011 J.D. Power and Associates' Vehicle Dependability Study:

•Lincoln received the highest score for durability in annual industry study of three-year-old vehicles
•Ford Motor Company has four award recipients in their respective model segments

•Lincoln MKZ is the second-highest performing vehicle in the study

Ford Motor Company vehicles received awards in four segments:

•Lincoln MKZ, Entry Premium Car

•Ford Fusion, Midsize Car

•Ford Mustang, Midsize Sporty

•Lincoln Navigator, Large Premium Crossover/SUV

In total, Ford had nine vehicles ranking in the top three of their respective segments. They include Ford Edge, Ford Explorer Sport Trac, Ford Taurus, Ford F-150 and Ford Ranger.

The study asks owners about problems they have experienced in the past 12 months with their three-year-old vehicles, (i.e., for the 2011 study, 2008 model-year cars and trucks were surveyed). Survey respondents were asked to indicate any problems they experienced with their vehicle in the past 12 months, choosing from a list of more than 200 issues in eight diverse categories.

Read entire article here.

Learn more about Lincoln and Ford vehicles at Lakewood Fordland.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Ford Opens Transformed Assembly Plant in Michigan

•Transformed Michigan Assembly Plant (MAP), which will produce the fuel-efficient new global Ford Focus for North American customers, features flexible manufacturing, environmentally friendly practices and a highly trained work force


•A $550 million investment transformed the plant, creating new benchmarks for flexible manufacturing. Multiple models to run down the same production line, making Michigan Assembly the world’s first plant to build gasoline-powered, battery electric, hybrid electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles on the same line

•MAP also features one of Michigan’s largest solar-powered generation systems and electric vehicle charging stations

Ford Motor Company is celebrating production of its all-new global Ford Focus, built for North American customers in its completely transformed Michigan Assembly Plant (MAP). Following a $550 million transformation, the plant features an environmentally friendly workplace with flexible manufacturing capability and a motivated, specially trained work force ready to deliver a fuel-efficient new car to the marketplace.
“MAP epitomizes the best of what Ford stands for – fuel efficiency, quality, smart technology,” said Mark Fields, president of The Americas. “Focus delivers even more of what customers truly want and value – and this new car could not arrive in the market at a better time.”
The new Focus sets a new standard in the small car segment in North America, offering more technology and features than more expensive European cars, such as SYNC® with Traffic, Directions and Information, MyFord Touch™, active park assist and Wi-Fi access, while delivering up to an unsurpassed 40 mpg with an automatic transmission.

Read entire article here.

Learn more about the new Ford Focus at Lakewood Fordland.

Monday, March 14, 2011

Ford SYNC 911 Assist Available on Variety of Vehicles

The Ford SYNC 911 Assist brings peace of mind to drivers of 2 million Ford vehicles:

•SYNC® 911 Assist™ quickly connects accident victims directly with 911 operators and is now equipped on 2 million vehicles


•With SYNC 911 Assist, there is no need to worry about renewing or paying for any kind of subscription

•There is no middleman or call center between vehicle occupants and those trying to help the victims, unlike competitive systems that start the emergency response process by calling a third-party center instead of actual 911 operators

Read more here.
 
Learn more about the SYNC system at Lakewood Fordland.

Thursday, March 10, 2011

Ford Offers Truck App Software

An all-new Truck App in Ford F-Series features an industry-first in truck technology – a software application for safe and easy towing and off-roading.

With more than 50 percent of F-Series owners regularly towing a trailer, Ford developed the first application to walk drivers through the proper trailer connection process, among many other features.

The Truck App is available on F-Series’ class-exclusive LCD instrument cluster screen, a beefier version of the driver information display where traditional stats on fuel economy, vehicle settings and trip tracking also live.

“The 4.2-inch LCD productivity screen presents detailed information in an engaging, easy-to-use manner so customers get the most out of their Ford trucks for work and for play,” said Joseph Fodera, cluster applications engineer.

Read entire article here.

Learn more about Ford trucks at Lakewood Fordland.

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Ford Motor Company Contributes Funds to High School

Ford has reached the $5 million mark in contributions to local high schools:

•Ford Motor Company has contributed more than $5 million to support high school extracurricular activities nationwide through its successful test-drive program of the company's fuel-efficient products


•Since the start of the program, more than 1,500 events have been hosted in 49 states, generating more than 255,000 test drives by participants

•Ford developed the Drive One 4 UR School program in 2007 to assist cash-strapped communities in raising up to $6,000 for local high schools in a single day test-drive event

Read entire article here.

Learn more about Ford at Lakewood Fordland.

Friday, March 4, 2011

Cold Weather Not a Problem for Ford Focus Electric's Battery

Cold weather is not a problem for the Ford Focus Electric with its liquid-heated battery:

•Ford’s use of an advanced active liquid-cooling and heating system to regulate the temperature of its lithium-ion battery packs in Focus Electric will provide customers in cold and snowy climates an advantage over the competition


•The liquid-heated battery operates under a range of ambient temperatures, providing additional power, longer battery range and a preconditioned battery after charging

•The all-new Focus Electric – the company’s first-ever all-electric passenger car – is a zero-emissions, gasoline-free version of Ford’s popular global Focus model

Learn more about the Ford Focus  Electric at Lakewood Fordland.

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