Ford Adds Eco-Friendly Soy Foam to Seat Cushions

Ford has expanded its use of eco-friendly products by adding soy foam to 2011 Ford Explorer seat cushions:

• The new 2011 Ford Explorer will offer more eco-friendly features including soy foam in seat cushions and seatbacks as well as at least a 25 percent increase in fuel economy over the current model
• Ford is expanding its use of bio-based soy foam through nearly all of its vehicle lineup this year as part of an ongoing effort to use more renewable and recyclable materials
• There are more than 2 million Ford Motor Company vehicles on the road today with bio foam content; Ford’s use of bio foam has helped the company reduce its petroleum oil usage by more than 3 million pounds annually and carbon dioxide emissions by 11 million pounds

The 2011 Ford Explorer will feature soy foam in seat cushions and seatbacks. The bio-based polyurethane foam will be one of the new, eco-friendly features in the Ford Explorer which goes in to production later this year.


“The new Explorer will deliver fuel economy at least 25 percent better than the current model as well as include sustainable materials like soy foam seat cushions and other eco-friendly features we will detail soon,” said Amy Marentic, group marketing manager, Ford cars and CUVs. “Consumers will be pleasantly surprised they can get all these new features without having to sacrifice the capability, utility and safety they want for their families and adventures.”

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Find out more about the 2011 Ford Explorer by contacting Lakewood Fordland. 

Ford Introduces New Curve Control Technology

Ford has again used its commitment to safety to help pioneer a new technology:

• Ford is pioneering the next frontier of safety with crash-avoidance innovations such as Curve Control, which launches on the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer and rolls out to 90 percent of Ford’s North American crossovers, sport utilities, trucks and vans by 2015
• Curve Control is designed to help drivers maintain control of their vehicle when taking a curve too quickly, a situation found to contribute to approximately 50,000 crashes on curves each year in the U.S. alone
• Curve Control senses when a vehicle is entering a curve too quickly, and can apply four-wheel smart braking to reduce vehicle speed by up to 10 mph in approximately one second and help drivers follow their intended path
• The system will come standard on the all-new 2011 Ford Explorer, part of a suite of safety technologies on the reinvented SUV, including the first inflatable rear seat belt on the market

Read entire article here.

Find out more about the 2011 Ford Explorer and the Curve Control technology by contacting Lakewood Fordland.

Ford SYNC Adds 911 Assist Application

Ford's SYNC is adding yet another application--  911 Assist.  This application provides a vehicle's GPS location coordinates to emergency responders to assist in an emergency. 

• Ford SYNC® emergency response app, 911 Assist™, can now provide operators with the ability to receive a vehicle’s exact GPS coordinates in the event of an accident
• Ford 911 Assist with GPS location remains a subscription-free, no-additional-cost feature to customers for the life of their vehicle; launches on all 2011 MyFord and MyLincoln Touch™-equipped vehicles and select SYNC-equipped models
• Ford will have a presence at the National Emergency Number Association (NENA) 2010 conference in Indianapolis June 5-10, and continues to work with NENA and the Association of Public-Safety Communications Officials (APCO) International as it develops future enhancements for 911 Assist

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Get more information on the Ford SYNC system by visiting Lakewood Fordland.

Ford Has Highest Initial Quality of Non-luxury Brands

According to the J.D. Power 2010 Initial Quality Study, Ford has the highest Initial Quality of the non-luxury brands in the industry:

• Ford brand now has the highest initial quality among all non-luxury brands, according to J.D. Power’s closely watched Initial Quality Study
• Ford rose to fifth place from last year’s eighth place. This is the highest rank position Ford has achieved in the IQS since ranking 23rd in 2004
• Three Ford models rank highest within their respective segments: Ford Focus, Mustang and Taurus
• Lincoln saw an improvement in its ranking over last year and is now among the top 10 brands in the industry

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Stop by Lakewood Fordland to learn more about Ford's commitment to quality.

2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is Most Fuel-Efficient Luxury Sedan in US

The 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in America:

Lincoln’s first-ever hybrid – the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid – is now officially the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in America with an EPA-certified 41 mpg rating in city driving and 36 mpg on the highway.

“The 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid provides a real choice in the marketplace for customers looking for a vehicle that not only makes a statement about who they are but also reflects their ideals,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president, Global Product Development. “It offers the best fuel economy in its segment, a host of advanced safety features, and all the amenities and modern design of a true luxury sedan.”

The 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid’s final fuel economy certification was completed this week, and the vehicle will carry an EPA label of 41 mpg for city driving and 36 mpg on the highway when it goes on sale this fall. It tops its nearest competitor – the 2010 Lexus HS 250h – by 6 mpg. It also trumps the Lexus HS 250h with room for one more passenger and more standard luxury and segment-exclusive safety features.

Read entire article here.

Find out more about Lincoln's first Hybrid, the 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, at Lakewood Fordland.

Ford Earns 11 Top Safety Picks

Ford has earned 11 Top Safety Picks by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).  That is more than any other automaker:

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.

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Visit Lakewood Fordland to learn more about Ford's committment to vehicle safety!

Ford's SYNC Adds Google Maps 'Send to SYNC' Capability

Ford's SYNC with Traffic, Directions, and Information (TDI) will soon be able to send a destination from Google Maps to their vehicle:

‘Send to SYNC’ is a new capability added to the Ford Service Delivery Network, the company’s cloud-based architecture, which provides a suite of voice-activated services accessible through a customer’s mobile phone.

“Printing paper directions from a website is a relic in our digital age,” said Doug VanDagens, director of Ford Connected Services Solutions Organization. “With Send to SYNC, you can map a destination at home, at work – wherever you have connectivity – and when you get to your car, it already knows where you want to go. It’s convenient and it eliminates the waste and distraction of paper maps, conserving resources while helping drivers keep their eyes on the road.”

The SYNC TDI application leverages a customer’s mobile phone voice plan and the vehicle’s integrated GPS receiver to deliver location-based services, such as driving directions or business searches, and on-demand information such as horoscopes, news, movie listings and stock quotes.

Read entire article here.

For more information on vehicles with the SYNC system, contact Lakewood Fordland.