From Ford.com:
•High school group wins $25,000 in savings bonds as first place winners in a Ford Driving Skills for Life nationwide song contest about the dangers of distracted driving
•Teens also win free trip to Usher's New Look Foundation World Leadership Conference to speak in workshop with Usher and John Rich, country music star and Celebrity Apprentice
•The national contest engages teen musicians in educational campaign about the dangers of distracted driving; more than a half million online votes were cast
Five lucky teens have won a national Ford song contest that involved 520,000 public votes and final judging from Shawn Wilson, president of Usher's New Look Foundation. The public selected the five finalists on www.drivingskillsforlife.com from among videos by teen musicians performing original songs, and Wilson chose the first, second and third-place winners. Distracted driving is the theme for the 2011 Ford Driving Skills for Life “Belt It Out” contest.
The winning musical group -- from Germantown High School in the Memphis area -- has five members: Nathan Waters, Eric Rulerman, Elijah Berry, all 18, and Jared Dover and Sophia Frantz, both 17. Each won a $5,000 U.S. savings bonds and a free trip to Usher's New Look Foundation World Leadership Conference. They also are invited to join Usher and John Rich, country music star and Celebrity Apprentice, in a conference workshop on July 20 on how music can create awareness and inspire social change.
Read entire article here.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
Ford Continues Commitment to Environment
From Ford.com:
•Ford and Recycled Polymeric Materials (RPM) have teamed up to deliver environmentally friendly gaskets and seals made from recycled tires and bio-renewable content such as soy
•More than 2.2 million pounds of rubber from recycled tires has been made into seals and gaskets and more than 210,000 used tires have been recycled. 150,000 pounds of soy has been used to create the materials
•The gaskets and seals are featured on 11 2011-model-year Ford Motor Company vehicles, including F-150, Escape, Mustang, Focus and Fiesta
Ford and Recycled Polymeric Materials (RPM) have found a way to put discarded tires to good use. By combining recycled tires with bio-renewable content, they are delivering environmentally friendly seals and gaskets for Ford Motor Company vehicles.
The gaskets and seals are derived from 25 percent post-consumer, recycled tire particulate and 17 percent bio-renewable content from soy.
In total, more than 2.2 million pounds of rubber from recycled tires has been made into RPM seals and gaskets and more than 210,000 used tires have been recycled. Additionally, 150,000 pounds of soy has been used to create the materials.
The seals also offer a weight savings, with more than 1,675 tons of weight removed from Ford vehicles on the road.
“When it comes to finding a way to use more renewable and recyclable content, Ford and our suppliers are looking at every part of a vehicle,” said Dr. Cynthia Flanigan, technical leader, Research and Innovation. “As long as an application meets our strict quality and performance standards, we’ll strive to get these sustainable materials on our vehicles."
Read entire article here.
•Ford and Recycled Polymeric Materials (RPM) have teamed up to deliver environmentally friendly gaskets and seals made from recycled tires and bio-renewable content such as soy
•More than 2.2 million pounds of rubber from recycled tires has been made into seals and gaskets and more than 210,000 used tires have been recycled. 150,000 pounds of soy has been used to create the materials
•The gaskets and seals are featured on 11 2011-model-year Ford Motor Company vehicles, including F-150, Escape, Mustang, Focus and Fiesta
Ford and Recycled Polymeric Materials (RPM) have found a way to put discarded tires to good use. By combining recycled tires with bio-renewable content, they are delivering environmentally friendly seals and gaskets for Ford Motor Company vehicles.
The gaskets and seals are derived from 25 percent post-consumer, recycled tire particulate and 17 percent bio-renewable content from soy.
In total, more than 2.2 million pounds of rubber from recycled tires has been made into RPM seals and gaskets and more than 210,000 used tires have been recycled. Additionally, 150,000 pounds of soy has been used to create the materials.
The seals also offer a weight savings, with more than 1,675 tons of weight removed from Ford vehicles on the road.
“When it comes to finding a way to use more renewable and recyclable content, Ford and our suppliers are looking at every part of a vehicle,” said Dr. Cynthia Flanigan, technical leader, Research and Innovation. “As long as an application meets our strict quality and performance standards, we’ll strive to get these sustainable materials on our vehicles."
Read entire article here.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Hatchback Popularity Rises
From Ford.com:
•Rise in hatchback popularity in the U.S. may signal lasting market acceptance shift
•Approximately 50 percent of 2011 Ford Fiesta vehicles now being sold in the U.S. are hatchback models; 41 percent of the all-new 2012 Ford Focus sales are hatchbacks
•Ford is the only full-line vehicle manufacturer to offer both sedan and hatchback versions of its small B- and C-car lineup in America
•In addition to more cargo space, both vehicles offer impressive fuel economy and deliver unto 40 mpg
Customers seeking more versatile vehicles with better fuel economy are finding what they’re looking for in hatchbacks and U.S. sales of these popular five-door cars continues to skyrocket.
It’s a trend reflected in sales of two of Ford’s hottest-selling cars. Approximately 50 percent of retail sales of the 2011 Fiesta have been for hatchbacks. On the market for just a few months, 41 percent of retail sales for the all-new 2012 Focus have been for the hatchback – a number Ford expects to continue rising.
“The hatchback is hitting an unmet need for versatility as people continue to downsize their vehicles,” said Paul Russell, Focus brand manager. “No other competitor in the top-five of total market share offers a hatchback option in the small car segment.”
The total number of hatchbacks available in the U.S. market increased 63 percent between model years 2006 and 2010, going from 291,853 to 475,048, according to Ward’s Auto World data.
“American car buyers have become appreciative of the convenience and flexibility that hatchback bodystyles offer after years of owning SUVs and crossovers,” said George Pipas, Ford sales analyst. “Combined with the generation of younger drivers who have been exposed to popular high-performance hatchback offerings in Europe and Asia, we may be seeing the beginning of a shift in buyer acceptance of hatchbacks.”
Unsure of how the market would react to new hatchback offerings, Ford prepared itself by investing in flexible plant capacity. This flexibility ensures Ford is able to react quickly to changing tastes, providing a vehicle mix – hatchback or sedan, base model or fully loaded Titanium – to serve varied customer demands.
Read entire article here.
Check out all of Ford's hatchback options at Lakewood Fordland.
Monday, July 11, 2011
Ford Research Team Tackles Tire Technology
From Ford.com:
Ford Motor Company has established a unique cross-functional team whose mission is to develop innovative new tires that improve safety, boost fuel economy and enhance vehicle handling.
Located at Ford's Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, the dedicated tire team works closely with Ford's Chassis Engineering and Vehicle Engineering functions, as well as leading tire companies, to test new compounds, new tread designs and other innovations.
Most automakers don't influence significantly the development of the tires they use. But tires -- the only component that touches the road while you drive -- are one of the most important components of any vehicle.
Because tire tread is the main contributor to rolling resistance, which is simply the measure of force needed to roll the wheel forward, the team has focused its immediate attention on this part of the tire.
The three key attributes to any road tire tread are traction or grip, wear and rolling resistance. The challenge to building a better tire is that often improving one attribute may compromise another. A tire with better grip, for example, may have a higher rolling resistance and therefore, energy consumption.
“Traditionally, the challenge of improving tire treads is to expand all facets of the ‘magic triangle’ – grip, wear and rolling resistance. We want to improve all attributes without compromising others,” said Dan Haakenson, technical expert, Vehicle Dynamics. “Our goal is to anticipate, innovate and incorporate technologies to make Ford a leader in fuel economy and to help deliver superior low-rolling-resistance tires to customers faster than anyone else.”
Driving toward a no-compromise solution
A no-compromise attitude to fuel efficiency has been a key benefit for Ford customers. The 2011 Ford Mustang coupe, for example, is the first car to achieve the combination of 305 horsepower and 31 mpg highway. The all-new 2011 Ford Fiesta and 2012 Ford Focus usher in a new era of what a small car can achieve in terms of in-vehicle technology and a fun-to-drive experience as well as fuel economy.
Producing no-compromise vehicles has its roots in an exhaustive, focused examination of each component – like tires – to optimize design, systems and materials.
“While Ford doesn’t manufacture tires, we do want to become smart buyers for our customers,” said David Rohweder, global chief engineer for Tire and Wheel Engineering.
Read entire article here.
Learn more about Ford's commitment to vehicle safety and fuel economy at Lakewood Fordland.
Ford Motor Company has established a unique cross-functional team whose mission is to develop innovative new tires that improve safety, boost fuel economy and enhance vehicle handling.
Located at Ford's Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, the dedicated tire team works closely with Ford's Chassis Engineering and Vehicle Engineering functions, as well as leading tire companies, to test new compounds, new tread designs and other innovations.
Most automakers don't influence significantly the development of the tires they use. But tires -- the only component that touches the road while you drive -- are one of the most important components of any vehicle.
Because tire tread is the main contributor to rolling resistance, which is simply the measure of force needed to roll the wheel forward, the team has focused its immediate attention on this part of the tire.
The three key attributes to any road tire tread are traction or grip, wear and rolling resistance. The challenge to building a better tire is that often improving one attribute may compromise another. A tire with better grip, for example, may have a higher rolling resistance and therefore, energy consumption.
“Traditionally, the challenge of improving tire treads is to expand all facets of the ‘magic triangle’ – grip, wear and rolling resistance. We want to improve all attributes without compromising others,” said Dan Haakenson, technical expert, Vehicle Dynamics. “Our goal is to anticipate, innovate and incorporate technologies to make Ford a leader in fuel economy and to help deliver superior low-rolling-resistance tires to customers faster than anyone else.”
Driving toward a no-compromise solution
A no-compromise attitude to fuel efficiency has been a key benefit for Ford customers. The 2011 Ford Mustang coupe, for example, is the first car to achieve the combination of 305 horsepower and 31 mpg highway. The all-new 2011 Ford Fiesta and 2012 Ford Focus usher in a new era of what a small car can achieve in terms of in-vehicle technology and a fun-to-drive experience as well as fuel economy.
Producing no-compromise vehicles has its roots in an exhaustive, focused examination of each component – like tires – to optimize design, systems and materials.
“While Ford doesn’t manufacture tires, we do want to become smart buyers for our customers,” said David Rohweder, global chief engineer for Tire and Wheel Engineering.
Read entire article here.
Learn more about Ford's commitment to vehicle safety and fuel economy at Lakewood Fordland.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
Holiday Travel Safety Tips From Ford
From Ford.com:
Top safety tips from Ford:
•Buckle up and do it right: The seat belt remains the most important piece of safety equipment. Ensure that it tightly encircles your hips, not your waist. Never place the shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm
•Keep small children belted in safety or booster seats: Children under four-feet-four-inches tall who weigh less than 79 pounds should by regulation be fitted in child safety seats or booster seats and properly belted. The safety seats need to be securely fitted to the rear seat – and the latest Ford cars are now designed with ISOFIX fittings, which provide a rigid and robust connection between the vehicle and the seats
•Ensure that the tilt and height of all head rests are correctly adjusted
•Avoid placing objects over the airbag cover: Do not place any object between an occupant and an airbag or near any other airbag covering. The airbag may not inflate properly and might force an object into that person, causing severe injury or death. The instrument panel grab handle should never be used for storage. The path of an inflating airbag must be kept clear at all times
•Do your homework. Know your car’s condition and its safety features: Check for basic maintenance and items in your car before heading off for a trip. Items to check include tire tread depth, tire pressures, and ensuring oil and water levels are correct
•Be responsible and know the speed limits: If you’re traveling across the country, be aware of the speed limits and road laws of the states you will travel through. Always carry your driver’s license with you
•Give yourself enough time to complete the journey: Plan for stops along the way. Drive at an appropriate speed for the road conditions and leave sufficient space between the vehicles around you
•Pack heavier items in lower areas of the vehicle: When filling up the cargo areas of the vehicle, always place the heaviest items close to the vehicle floor or truck bed so that in the event of a quick stop, those items remain in place and do not move forward in the vehicle where they can collide with passengers or other materials
•Use a voice-activated, hands-free connectivity system like Ford SYNC® to control your mobile phone or navigation system: Ensure the system is ready to go before you set off
• Don’t drink and drive
•Don’t drive when you’re tired: It is recommended that you take regular breaks on a long journey
Technology that can help
Ford offers a variety of technologies in its vehicles that can support the driver on long journeys – and hopefully make such trips more enjoyable and less stressful:
•SYNC:SYNC is a fully integrated, voice-activated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system for Bluetooth®-enabled mobile phones that allows hands-free calling among its many available features
•MyFord Touch™: MyFord Touch driver connect technology provides an intuitive way for drivers to connect in-car technologies and their digital lives
•Active park assist: An advanced new system that automatically guides the vehicle into parallel parking spaces. The system uses two ultrasonic sensors to scan for a suitable space between parked cars. Once a space has been identified, which can be as little as 1.2 times the length of the vehicle, the driver is informed and clear instructions are shown in the center display. The driver controls the accelerator and brake pedal, and selects a forward or reverse gear, while the steering system is automatically controlled by the vehicle
•Auto high beams: This feature is designed to detect light sources ahead and automatically switch the headlamps between main and low beam to avoid glare and help maximize visibility when driving at night
•Adaptive cruise control: A radar-based cruise control system that helps to maintain a preset cruising speed as well as a preset distance from vehicles ahead. If the system detects the vehicle in front is slowing down or is too close, it decelerates automatically. Once the road is clear again, it will accelerate back to the chosen cruising speed
And a few things you might not know…
•Bothered by bugs? Going on a long trip and don’t want to face a windshield and/or bumper full of dead insects by the time you arrive? Wipe down your windshield with a tumble dryer sheet; bugs won’t stick to the glass as easily. Also, give your bumpers the once-over with cooking spray
•Sheets: If your trunk looks like a linen closet before you leave, then you’re prepared. Pack bed sheets – you can drape them over car seats that have become baking hot in the sun
•Tennis, anyone? Slice open a tennis ball and use it to cover your tow bar when you’re not using it. It will protect it from scratches, and will keep the moisture out
•Don’t forget your shades: Troubled by sun glare? Add a few pairs of sunglasses (in case you lose one) to your travel bag before you leave
•Don’t scratch it; smear it: Can’t get that sticker from the amusement park or beach parking lot off your window? Saturate it with cooking oil before you start scrubbing
Read entire article here.
Top safety tips from Ford:
•Buckle up and do it right: The seat belt remains the most important piece of safety equipment. Ensure that it tightly encircles your hips, not your waist. Never place the shoulder belt behind your back or under your arm
•Keep small children belted in safety or booster seats: Children under four-feet-four-inches tall who weigh less than 79 pounds should by regulation be fitted in child safety seats or booster seats and properly belted. The safety seats need to be securely fitted to the rear seat – and the latest Ford cars are now designed with ISOFIX fittings, which provide a rigid and robust connection between the vehicle and the seats
•Ensure that the tilt and height of all head rests are correctly adjusted
•Avoid placing objects over the airbag cover: Do not place any object between an occupant and an airbag or near any other airbag covering. The airbag may not inflate properly and might force an object into that person, causing severe injury or death. The instrument panel grab handle should never be used for storage. The path of an inflating airbag must be kept clear at all times
•Do your homework. Know your car’s condition and its safety features: Check for basic maintenance and items in your car before heading off for a trip. Items to check include tire tread depth, tire pressures, and ensuring oil and water levels are correct
•Be responsible and know the speed limits: If you’re traveling across the country, be aware of the speed limits and road laws of the states you will travel through. Always carry your driver’s license with you
•Give yourself enough time to complete the journey: Plan for stops along the way. Drive at an appropriate speed for the road conditions and leave sufficient space between the vehicles around you
•Pack heavier items in lower areas of the vehicle: When filling up the cargo areas of the vehicle, always place the heaviest items close to the vehicle floor or truck bed so that in the event of a quick stop, those items remain in place and do not move forward in the vehicle where they can collide with passengers or other materials
•Use a voice-activated, hands-free connectivity system like Ford SYNC® to control your mobile phone or navigation system: Ensure the system is ready to go before you set off
• Don’t drink and drive
•Don’t drive when you’re tired: It is recommended that you take regular breaks on a long journey
Technology that can help
Ford offers a variety of technologies in its vehicles that can support the driver on long journeys – and hopefully make such trips more enjoyable and less stressful:
•SYNC:SYNC is a fully integrated, voice-activated in-vehicle communications and entertainment system for Bluetooth®-enabled mobile phones that allows hands-free calling among its many available features
•MyFord Touch™: MyFord Touch driver connect technology provides an intuitive way for drivers to connect in-car technologies and their digital lives
•Active park assist: An advanced new system that automatically guides the vehicle into parallel parking spaces. The system uses two ultrasonic sensors to scan for a suitable space between parked cars. Once a space has been identified, which can be as little as 1.2 times the length of the vehicle, the driver is informed and clear instructions are shown in the center display. The driver controls the accelerator and brake pedal, and selects a forward or reverse gear, while the steering system is automatically controlled by the vehicle
•Auto high beams: This feature is designed to detect light sources ahead and automatically switch the headlamps between main and low beam to avoid glare and help maximize visibility when driving at night
•Adaptive cruise control: A radar-based cruise control system that helps to maintain a preset cruising speed as well as a preset distance from vehicles ahead. If the system detects the vehicle in front is slowing down or is too close, it decelerates automatically. Once the road is clear again, it will accelerate back to the chosen cruising speed
And a few things you might not know…
•Bothered by bugs? Going on a long trip and don’t want to face a windshield and/or bumper full of dead insects by the time you arrive? Wipe down your windshield with a tumble dryer sheet; bugs won’t stick to the glass as easily. Also, give your bumpers the once-over with cooking spray
•Sheets: If your trunk looks like a linen closet before you leave, then you’re prepared. Pack bed sheets – you can drape them over car seats that have become baking hot in the sun
•Tennis, anyone? Slice open a tennis ball and use it to cover your tow bar when you’re not using it. It will protect it from scratches, and will keep the moisture out
•Don’t forget your shades: Troubled by sun glare? Add a few pairs of sunglasses (in case you lose one) to your travel bag before you leave
•Don’t scratch it; smear it: Can’t get that sticker from the amusement park or beach parking lot off your window? Saturate it with cooking oil before you start scrubbing
Read entire article here.
Ford Tackles Fuel Theft Issue Resolution
•Ford-exclusive Easy Fuel® (capless fuel filler) system deters fuel thieves from siphoning gas with a unique mis-fueling inhibitor
•Inlet check valve reduces the chances of fuel theft by automatically closing after the fueling process
•Reports of gasoline theft have been rising across the United States; some cities warning residents about the thefts attributed to the increase in fuel prices
The only thing worse than paying more for gasoline is paying more for gasoline and having it stolen out of your gas tank. As reports of fuel theft continue to rise, Ford owners can feel a little more secure knowing their vehicles have fuel system innovations such as the Easy Fuel® (capless fuel filler) feature.
The Ford Easy Fuel feature is designed to easily let fuel in and make it difficult to get fuel out.
That’s important as gas prices hover at the $4 per gallon mark, and demand remains high with drivers in the United States consuming about 400 million gallons of gas daily.
“Our first goal is to make the refueling process as easy and trouble-free for the customer as possible,” said Brian Aitken, supervisor, Fuel Systems. “But if it also slows down would-be thieves. Ford customers benefit that way as well.”
Reports of gasoline theft have been rising across the United States, from New Jersey to California. The West Sacramento, Calif., Police Department, for example, issued a warning to residents about a rise in fuel theft that it attributed to the increase in fuel prices.
One report from Atlanta centered on a man who was caught running a garden hose from his house to a nearby car he didn’t own.
“It’s not a shock that illegal siphoning is rising with the sharp increase in the price at the pump,” said Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com, an independent website that monitors the fuel industry. “Criminals will do anything for money, and that includes trying to take liquid gold out of your gas tank.”
Ford’s capless full filler deters gas theft two different ways. With Easy Fuel, a spring-loaded flapper door is held closed by latches that can only be released by a standard-size fuel nozzle. This eliminates the need for a fuel tank screw cap. When the proper nozzle is inserted into the filler neck of the system, the latches release, and the nozzle pushes the spring-loaded flapper door to the open position. When the nozzle is removed, the flapper door automatically is forced closed by the spring.
Read entire article here.
Learn more at Lakewood Fordland.
•Inlet check valve reduces the chances of fuel theft by automatically closing after the fueling process
•Reports of gasoline theft have been rising across the United States; some cities warning residents about the thefts attributed to the increase in fuel prices
The only thing worse than paying more for gasoline is paying more for gasoline and having it stolen out of your gas tank. As reports of fuel theft continue to rise, Ford owners can feel a little more secure knowing their vehicles have fuel system innovations such as the Easy Fuel® (capless fuel filler) feature.
The Ford Easy Fuel feature is designed to easily let fuel in and make it difficult to get fuel out.
That’s important as gas prices hover at the $4 per gallon mark, and demand remains high with drivers in the United States consuming about 400 million gallons of gas daily.
“Our first goal is to make the refueling process as easy and trouble-free for the customer as possible,” said Brian Aitken, supervisor, Fuel Systems. “But if it also slows down would-be thieves. Ford customers benefit that way as well.”
Reports of gasoline theft have been rising across the United States, from New Jersey to California. The West Sacramento, Calif., Police Department, for example, issued a warning to residents about a rise in fuel theft that it attributed to the increase in fuel prices.
One report from Atlanta centered on a man who was caught running a garden hose from his house to a nearby car he didn’t own.
“It’s not a shock that illegal siphoning is rising with the sharp increase in the price at the pump,” said Patrick DeHaan, a senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy.com, an independent website that monitors the fuel industry. “Criminals will do anything for money, and that includes trying to take liquid gold out of your gas tank.”
Ford’s capless full filler deters gas theft two different ways. With Easy Fuel, a spring-loaded flapper door is held closed by latches that can only be released by a standard-size fuel nozzle. This eliminates the need for a fuel tank screw cap. When the proper nozzle is inserted into the filler neck of the system, the latches release, and the nozzle pushes the spring-loaded flapper door to the open position. When the nozzle is removed, the flapper door automatically is forced closed by the spring.
Read entire article here.
Learn more at Lakewood Fordland.
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