Automotive News
DETROIT -- Even with gasoline prices stable and below $3 a gallon, pickup buyers want good fuel economy, Doug Scott says.
"Fuel economy is the No. 1 unmet need" for owners of full-sized pickups, said Scott, Ford Motor Co. truck group marketing manager, at a media event last week.
Citing Ford research, he said 70 percent want better fuel economy and about a third of those say they would change brands for a "significant improvement" in mpg.
Ford is replacing the F-150's entire engine lineup for the 2011 model year. A V-6 will be standard. Also available: two V-8s and an EcoBoost V-6 with turbocharging and direction injection.
Ford says the new lineup will be 20 percent more fuel efficient than the current lineup of three V-8s. Currently, the standard engine is a 4.6-liter V-8 that gets 19 mpg on the highway.
Ford has not released EPA mileage figures for the new engine lineup.
Fuel economy is more important to buyers now than it was before the 2008 price spike, Scott said. And Ford still believes gasoline will jump to $4 to $4.50 a gallon in 2013 or 2014, he said.
Gasoline peaked at a national average of $4.05 a gallon in July 2008. Last week, it was $2.74.
Dealers can order 2011 models in October. Sales of vehicles with three of the four engines begin in December. The EcoBoost engine will be available in the first quarter of 2011.
The F-150's new engine lineup• 3.7-liter V-6, standard
• 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6
• 5.0-liter V-8
• 6.2-liter V-8
Source: Ford Motor Co.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Tuesday, July 27, 2010
Roush and Shelby Mustang SR-71
Two automotive icons, legendary racer and manufacturer Carroll Shelby, and world-renowned racer, engineer and designer Jack Roush, have come together in their first vehicle collaboration project to join Ford in creating a one-off 2011 Mustang, the aviationthemed
SR-71 “Blackbird.” The one-of-a-kind vehicle will be sold at the Gathering of Eagles July 29 during the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) 2010 AirVenture Oshkosh, the world’s greatest aviation celebration. Ford is the exclusive automotive partner of EAA AirVenture Oshkosh and all of the proceeds from the sale will benefit the EAA Young Eagles organization. EAA AirVenture Oshkosh will be held from July 26 to Aug. 1 at Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh, Wis.
The “SR-71” designation holds a dual meaning for the one-of-a-kind, fully-customized Mustang. First, “SR-71” refers to the car’s design and performance-inspired connection with the SR-71 Blackbird, the aircraft that holds all official airspeed and altitude records and is widely regarded as one of the most spectacular planes ever produced. Second, “SR” represents the first collaborative project between Shelby and Roush. Mustang Chief Designer Darrell Behmer led design for the project and Mustang Chief Nameplate Engineer Dave Pericak led the engineering effort. Ford Racing Performance Parts were also added to further enhance the exclusivity of the car. The sale of the SR-71 “Blackbird” will highlight an evening of festivities at the EAA Gathering of Eagles July 29 during AirVenture.
The group that will directly benefit from the auction proceeds is EAA’s Young Eagles, which has provided free introductory flights to more than 1.5 million young people since 1992, while also teaching the value of hard work, personal responsibility and enhanced math and science skills. “Ford Motor Company’s historic tie to aviation is no better represented than by the company’s commitment as a continued partner of EAA and AirVenture, a celebration of flight here in Oshkosh that is unmatched anywhere else in the world,” said Tom Poberezny, EAA chairman and president. “Ford’s generosity in donating the Mustang SR-71 ‘Blackbird’ to the Gathering of Eagles further demonstrates a dedication to supporting aviation and inspiring aviation enthusiasts of all ages.”
In 2008, Ford’s inaugural vehicle specially-built in support of the Young Eagles, the one-of-a-kind Mustang AV8R, raised a record $500,000 for the charity. “The excitement around the 2008 AV8R, our first one-off Mustang ever produced, inspired us to push for another, first, the collaboration of Carroll Shelby and Jack Roush,” said Edsel B Ford II, a member of Ford’s Board of Directors. “This year’s SR-71 Blackbird is a special tribute to Ford’s lineage of performance vehicles, as well as to the promising innovators of EAA’s Young Eagles.”
Ford vehicles sold at auction during past EAA AirVenture events have collectively raised more than $1 million to support the Young Eagles. The Mustang SR-71 “Blackbird” is Build #1 of 1 and presents a truly unique opportunity for collectors. The vehicle is based on a 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 with the glass roof option. Ford Racing performance modifications (Supercharger, Handling Pack, tuned exhaust, and exhaust tips) generate 100 additional horsepower from the all-aluminum 5.0L 32-valve V8 engine. The special racing Handling Pack optimizes the performance experience and lowers the ride height by 1-inch.
From there, the car takes on a design personality similar to that of the original SR-71 Blackbird aircraft. The Mustang’s stunning design theme includes black and gray matte exterior paint with harmonious SR-71 themed graphic treatment, performance wheels, front and rear fascias and an integrated spoiler/wing to reflect the car’s connection with its namesake aircraft, which made its inaugural flight in 1964, the year the first Ford Mustang came off the line. The “Blackbird” nickname is reflected in the car’s exterior paint treatment, complete with markings from the liquids which leaked and streaked until the plane came up to speed. A unique screen print glass roof design and exterior artwork reflect the unbridled spirit of the Ford Design team.
The interior cockpit will seat only two and includes a roll-cage, racing seats and fire extinguisher, The signatures of Jack Roush and Carroll Shelby are embroidered into the seats, and special gauges and instrument cluster graphics have been added.
Enhancing the value and allure of the vehicle, the Mustang SR-71 “Blackbird” will feature an appliqué autograph area capturing Roush and Shelby’s signatures and badging to further reinforce the uniqueness of the car. The vehicle will be on display at the Ford Hangar at EAA AirVenture Oshkosh beginning July 26.
Additionally, Ford and EAA will give AirVenture attendees the chance to win a 2011 Mustang GT convertible and other cash prizes in a raffle, with proceeds benefiting the EAA Young Eagles program.
During EAA AirVenture, Ford also will offer attendees access to the latest advances in automobile technology, as well as many of the industry’s most revered classics at the popular “Ford Hangar” on the grounds of Wittman Regional Airport in Oshkosh. Ford activities will include top-tier entertainment and interactive components that will add excitement for the hundreds thousands of aviation fans in attendance.
Design Vision
· Modify a new 2011 Mustang GT glass roof coupe.
· Design led by Darrell Behmer, Mustang Chief Designer.
· Engineering led by Dave Pericak, Mustang Chief Nameplate Engineer.
· Exterior paint in unique non-production matte and silver treatment with SR-71 cues.
· Harmonious paint and graphic treatment could include: Blackbird accents, fluid discharge markings, abstract Air Force Star and Bar, LM Skunk Works elements, glass roof etching treatment, etc.
· Interior modifications planned include: performance gauges, modified nav screen & instrument clusters, racing seats & steering wheel, rear seat delete, roll cage, IP badging, unique sill plates & floor mats
· Performance modifications could include: Ford Racing Super Charger, Handling Pack, Tuned Exhaust, Exhaust Tips, and SVT Track Pack wheels in custom paint.
· Pursuing rear seat delete approach to accentuate cockpit environment.
· Lower a minimum of 1 inch.
· Autograph areas to capture Carroll Shelby and Jack Roush signatures and badging to reinforce the unique nature of this build.
Engine & Performance
· Provide a truly unique and highly valued vehicle to excite enthusiasts and collectors.
· Amplify the legendary connections associated with this project: Carroll Shelby, Jack Roush, Lockheed SR-71, and Ford Mustang.
· Go beyond the automotive connections – Shelby as USAF flight instructor, Roush P-51 pilot.
· Generate enthusiasm and bolster opinion among the 580,000 AirVenture attendees – car vs. plane races, Shelby GT350/500 vs. Roush Stage 3/427R.
· Expand impressions through integration in EAA website, PA announcements, auto and aviation industry publications, and on-site promotion.
· Showcase Ford/Roush/Shelby relationships and collaboration to support EAA Young Eagles.
· Further cement Ford Motor Company as the leading partner in AirVenture through our deep and unwavering support of EAA objective to provide funds for youth interested in aviation careers. Three FMC vehicles have raised $1 million for the Young Eagles – the Mustang AV8R raised $500,000 in 2008, the AV-X10 generated $250,000 in 2009, and the Mustang GTH raised $250,000 in 2006.
Monday, July 26, 2010
Ford Asks Buyers to Pay More for Smaller Engine in New Explorer
July 26 (Bloomberg) -- When Ford Motor Co. starts selling its re-engineered Explorer sport-utility vehicle, it will ask U.S. buyers to do something unusual: Pay more for less.
Bucking an automotive tradition of charging extra for more horsepower, Ford will ask buyers of its redesigned 2011 Explorer to pay a premium for a small, 4-cylinder engine when the vehicle goes on sale in December. The Explorer’s standard engine will be a 3.5-liter V-6 with 290 horsepower, 53 more ponies than the optional 4-cylinder.
Ford will start trying to convince consumers they should spend to save when it unveils the Explorer at events in New York, Chicago and other locations today. The smaller engine has technology Ford said will give the seven-passenger SUV the same fuel economy as Toyota Motor Corp.’s Camry sedan that gets 19 mpg in city driving and 26 mpg on the highway. That’s more than 30 percent better than the 2010 Explorer.
“We really want to make a statement that the old baggage on fuel economy with the Explorer is gone,” Jim Holland, the Explorer’s chief engineer, said in an interview. “To get great fuel economy it takes technology, and it’s our view that people will pay for that.”
The second-largest U.S. automaker will be challenged to command a premium for the more efficient engine because U.S. gasoline prices have fallen 34 percent from their peak of $4.11 per gallon two years ago, said Jim Hall, principal of automotive consulting firm 2953 Analytics in Birmingham, Michigan.
“Why would you want to pay more for fuel economy when gas prices are going down?” said Hall, who expects the Explorer to sell for a starting price of about $30,000 like the current model. “People have very short memories.”
Smallest Ever
Ford won’t say how much extra it will charge for the smallest engine ever to power an Explorer. Ford charges a $3,000 to $6,000 premium on its Flex model for V6 engines using the same direct-fuel-injection and turbo-charging technology as the 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder going into the Explorer, Hall said. The Explorer engine is likely to be less because it won’t be packaged with all-wheel-drive like on the Flex, he said.
“The market will determine which really is the base engine,” Hall said. “If the market says, ‘Forget it,’ they may have to lower the cost of this engine.”
The Explorer’s 4-cylinder engine won’t tow as much as the V6, Ford said. The front-wheel-drive, 4-cylinder version that is most fuel efficient will have the least off-road capabilities, traditionally a key characteristic of the model.
Buyers of the Explorer will be willing to make those trade- offs for better fuel economy, Holland said. Ford says poor gas mileage is the No. 1 reason shoppers reject the Explorer, which saw sales fall 88 percent during the past decade, from 445,157 in 2000 to 52,190 last year.
‘More Responsible’
“The impact of rising gas prices has really stuck with people,” Holland said. “People now buy more expensive light bulbs to be more efficient. We’re moving to a point where people make the choice to be more responsible.”
The Explorer’s improved fuel economy will be central to a marketing campaign that will reach more than 50 million people through social media such as Facebook, said Jim Farley, Ford’s global sales and marketing chief.
“Fuel economy is the core truth we have to get at,” Farley said at a media briefing on the Explorer July 20. Many of the 140,000 Explorer owners who trade in their SUV annually are “disappointed and want more on fuel economy.”
Wind Tunnel
To improve the Explorer’s mileage, Ford cut its weight by about 100 pounds by switching the SUV from a heavy pickup-truck frame to the same chassis as the Taurus sedan. Designers also sculpted the shape in a wind tunnel to lower wind resistance.
The Explorer with the 4-cylinder engine will be the most fuel-efficient mid-sized SUV on the market, according to Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s product-development chief.
In the 1990s, the Explorer was the top-selling utility vehicle in the U.S. and earned as much as $10,000 per vehicle for the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker.
“As goes the Explorer, to some extent, so goes Ford,” Farley said. “It’s the backbone of the brand.”
Ford expects to sell more of the new model, especially with optional equipment such as the 4-cylinder engine, Farley said, while declining to reveal a sales goal. Analysts estimate annual sales for the new Explorer may top 100,000 units.
“What’s more important than the number we sell is that people see the value and that they’re willing to buy the better, more highly equipped versions,” Farley said. “That’s the key for us.”
Bucking an automotive tradition of charging extra for more horsepower, Ford will ask buyers of its redesigned 2011 Explorer to pay a premium for a small, 4-cylinder engine when the vehicle goes on sale in December. The Explorer’s standard engine will be a 3.5-liter V-6 with 290 horsepower, 53 more ponies than the optional 4-cylinder.
Ford will start trying to convince consumers they should spend to save when it unveils the Explorer at events in New York, Chicago and other locations today. The smaller engine has technology Ford said will give the seven-passenger SUV the same fuel economy as Toyota Motor Corp.’s Camry sedan that gets 19 mpg in city driving and 26 mpg on the highway. That’s more than 30 percent better than the 2010 Explorer.
“We really want to make a statement that the old baggage on fuel economy with the Explorer is gone,” Jim Holland, the Explorer’s chief engineer, said in an interview. “To get great fuel economy it takes technology, and it’s our view that people will pay for that.”
The second-largest U.S. automaker will be challenged to command a premium for the more efficient engine because U.S. gasoline prices have fallen 34 percent from their peak of $4.11 per gallon two years ago, said Jim Hall, principal of automotive consulting firm 2953 Analytics in Birmingham, Michigan.
“Why would you want to pay more for fuel economy when gas prices are going down?” said Hall, who expects the Explorer to sell for a starting price of about $30,000 like the current model. “People have very short memories.”
Smallest Ever
Ford won’t say how much extra it will charge for the smallest engine ever to power an Explorer. Ford charges a $3,000 to $6,000 premium on its Flex model for V6 engines using the same direct-fuel-injection and turbo-charging technology as the 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder going into the Explorer, Hall said. The Explorer engine is likely to be less because it won’t be packaged with all-wheel-drive like on the Flex, he said.
“The market will determine which really is the base engine,” Hall said. “If the market says, ‘Forget it,’ they may have to lower the cost of this engine.”
The Explorer’s 4-cylinder engine won’t tow as much as the V6, Ford said. The front-wheel-drive, 4-cylinder version that is most fuel efficient will have the least off-road capabilities, traditionally a key characteristic of the model.
Buyers of the Explorer will be willing to make those trade- offs for better fuel economy, Holland said. Ford says poor gas mileage is the No. 1 reason shoppers reject the Explorer, which saw sales fall 88 percent during the past decade, from 445,157 in 2000 to 52,190 last year.
‘More Responsible’
“The impact of rising gas prices has really stuck with people,” Holland said. “People now buy more expensive light bulbs to be more efficient. We’re moving to a point where people make the choice to be more responsible.”
The Explorer’s improved fuel economy will be central to a marketing campaign that will reach more than 50 million people through social media such as Facebook, said Jim Farley, Ford’s global sales and marketing chief.
“Fuel economy is the core truth we have to get at,” Farley said at a media briefing on the Explorer July 20. Many of the 140,000 Explorer owners who trade in their SUV annually are “disappointed and want more on fuel economy.”
Wind Tunnel
To improve the Explorer’s mileage, Ford cut its weight by about 100 pounds by switching the SUV from a heavy pickup-truck frame to the same chassis as the Taurus sedan. Designers also sculpted the shape in a wind tunnel to lower wind resistance.
The Explorer with the 4-cylinder engine will be the most fuel-efficient mid-sized SUV on the market, according to Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s product-development chief.
In the 1990s, the Explorer was the top-selling utility vehicle in the U.S. and earned as much as $10,000 per vehicle for the Dearborn, Michigan-based automaker.
“As goes the Explorer, to some extent, so goes Ford,” Farley said. “It’s the backbone of the brand.”
Ford expects to sell more of the new model, especially with optional equipment such as the 4-cylinder engine, Farley said, while declining to reveal a sales goal. Analysts estimate annual sales for the new Explorer may top 100,000 units.
“What’s more important than the number we sell is that people see the value and that they’re willing to buy the better, more highly equipped versions,” Farley said. “That’s the key for us.”
With Explorer, Ford hopes to redefine SUV
New 2011 Explorer completely redesigned; key vehicle for Ford
by DEE-ANN DURBIN
DEARBORN, Mich. — The Ford Explorer, the hulking family-hauler that helped launch the SUV boom in the early 1990s, is back. And it hopes to define a new generation of more streamlined, fuel-efficient sport utility vehicles.
Ford begins a marketing campaign Monday for the 2011 Ford Explorer, which will be in dealerships this winter. It's an important vehicle for the automaker. Ford says the Explorer is its best-known product after the Mustang.
"Explorer is really still the backbone of the brand," Ford's marketing chief Jim Farley said recently at a gathering to introduce the Explorer to the media.
The new Explorer has been completely redesigned. The most obvious difference: It's built on a car platform, not a truck one, so it sits lower to the ground and has a smoother, more fuel-efficient ride.
Ford is taking a risk with customers who expect a truck-like SUV. The new Explorer will have less towing capacity than the outgoing model — 5,000 pounds, versus 7,115 pounds — and it won't offer a V-8 engine.
"Ford's challenge is to match the idea of the Explorer to this product," said Aaron Bragman, an analyst with IHS Automotive. "It's a good test for Ford to determine what an SUV is these days."
Trends in the market suggest most buyers aren't looking for the power of traditional SUVs and would prefer a more fuel-efficient vehicle. Ford's top U.S. sales analyst George Pipas said that a decade ago, 85 percent of all SUVs sold were truck-based; last year, just 23 percent were.
Ford hopes ride on new Explorer
Ford Motor Co. today unveils its 2011 Explorer, banking that consumers will embrace the reincarnation of its iconic sport utility vehicle as a car-based crossover.
Ford wants this Explorer to redefine SUVs the way the original defined them and sparked the SUV craze two decades ago. If it's a hit, the automaker stands to win financially and make the Explorer king of the segment again.
The 2011 Explorer, whose launch will be trumpeted on Facebook and in nine cities, marries the attributes that people love in SUVs -- roominess, capability and safety -- while fixing what they hate: poor fuel economy and a rough ride.
For weeks, the automaker has built anticipation by playing peekaboo -- releasing photos revealing part of a quarter panel here, a bit of the front end there. But today marks the first day consumers get a complete image and information.
With celebrities, executives and dealers in a coordinated attempt to seize attention from mainstream and social media, the multicity debut is a departure from the usual practice of launching an important vehicle at an auto show.
It's the start of a major media buy designed to reach 50 million people, said Jim Farley, head of global marketing.
Some 1,000 people are expected at the launch this morning in Ford's hometown, Dearborn. Other launch cities include Washington, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Miami.
"This is a really big car for our company," Farley said.
Mark Fields, Ford president of the Americas, calls the 2011 Explorer "the SUV for the 21st century, to break down the barriers and the stereotypes." The result is a car-based crossover that looks like an SUV, crawls out of mud and can tow 5,000 pounds, but with the fuel economy of a Toyota Camry.
It could prove game-changing.
"Ford is really tearing down the whole SUV segment, redefining it and taking what people love and amping it up," said analyst Erich Merkle of Autoconomy in Grand Rapids.
Overriding the past
While Ford has a lot riding on its new Explorer, no one expects a return to the glory days. Explorer sales in the United States peaked at 445,000 in 2000, each one netting a healthy profit.
Its popularity was so consuming that Ford ignored cars such as its Taurus, which was relegated to rental car status and then discontinued as a midsize car.
But when higher gasoline prices torpedoed the SUV segment, the Explorer became a casualty. By 2009, Explorer sales had fallen to 52,000, and fewer than 32,000 were sold in the first half of this year.
As Ford worked to rebuild its car lineup in recent years, the bold decision was made to remake the Explorer using the underpinnings of its new Taurus, which was making a comeback as a full-size sedan.
Car-based crossovers have proliferated, including Ford's own Flex and Edge. And utility vehicles account for a third of the market, Farley said.
He said the Explorer's name recognition, at nearly 100 percent, works in its favor.
"Our job is to myth-bust," Farley said of the prevailing attitude that SUVs are not fuel-efficient.
Ford originally thought that meant a radical design change.
Three design concepts were created. One, the Explorer America, was shown at the 2008 North American International Auto Show.
But it didn't go over well with consumers, said Moray Callum, North American head of design. "It was not as recognizable as an SUV as people wanted it to be."
"It seems the public that had stopped buying SUVs was not turning its back on the look or the capability of SUVs," Callum said, but rather their fuel economy and teeth-jarring ride. Ford execs realized they needed a modern interpretation of a look, still recognizable as an Explorer.
The concept chosen for production was closer to the Explorer's SUV roots.
"It taps into the traditional Explorer, yet is completely new," said Merkle.
Rebecca Lindland of IHS Automotive in Lexington, Mass., likes the design but doesn't see a family resemblance to its predecessors.
"It is a very modern and progressive interpretation," she said. "The biggest hurdle is it is not immediately associated with an Explorer."
But both analysts agree the interior and features make it a strong competitor.
"The telematics is years beyond what anyone else is offering, even luxury brands, and has been a real differentiator for Ford," said Aaron Bragman of IHS Automotive in Troy.
Based on the Taurus, as opposed to its original body-on-frame construction, the new Explorer drives like a car.
And then there's fuel economy.
By swapping the old 4-liter V-6 with a new 3.5-liter V-6, fuel economy is improved by 20 percent.
An optional 2-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine is 30 percent more fuel-efficient. That equates to 18 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. Official figures will be released once the government completes its testing.
"It will likely be close to hitting the 30-mpg mark, a monumental achievement for a Ford Explorer with three-row seating," said Merkle.
Derrick Kuzak, head of Ford's global product development, said improving fuel efficiency by a few miles per gallon "was not good enough to meet our targets.
"It will be on par with a Toyota Camry with a V-6," he said.
Sales to start in 5 months
Ford will not reveal volume estimates for the new Explorer, which will be built in Chicago alongside the Taurus and Lincoln MKS. A second shift is being added in November.
Two shifts can produce about 220,000 units a year, said analyst Joe Phillippi of AutoTrends Consulting in Short Hills, N.J.
The Explorer -- the sticker price hasn't yet been announced -- will go on sale about five months after the new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, on sale now.
"People will cross-shop Grand Cherokee and look at fuel economy numbers and balk," said Bragman. The Grand Cherokee with a V-6 gets 16 mpg city/23 mpg highway.
The Explorer won't follow the Jeep across the Rubicon, but will tackle snow, mud and sand with its terrain management system that shifts into four-wheel drive and adjusts torque with the turn of a knob.
And the final attribute: the blue oval.
"If people like your company, they're more likely to shop your product," said Farley.
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100726/AUTO01/7260347/1148/rss25#ixzz0uppO06uQ
Ford wants this Explorer to redefine SUVs the way the original defined them and sparked the SUV craze two decades ago. If it's a hit, the automaker stands to win financially and make the Explorer king of the segment again.
The 2011 Explorer, whose launch will be trumpeted on Facebook and in nine cities, marries the attributes that people love in SUVs -- roominess, capability and safety -- while fixing what they hate: poor fuel economy and a rough ride.
For weeks, the automaker has built anticipation by playing peekaboo -- releasing photos revealing part of a quarter panel here, a bit of the front end there. But today marks the first day consumers get a complete image and information.
With celebrities, executives and dealers in a coordinated attempt to seize attention from mainstream and social media, the multicity debut is a departure from the usual practice of launching an important vehicle at an auto show.
It's the start of a major media buy designed to reach 50 million people, said Jim Farley, head of global marketing.
Some 1,000 people are expected at the launch this morning in Ford's hometown, Dearborn. Other launch cities include Washington, Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles and Miami.
"This is a really big car for our company," Farley said.
Mark Fields, Ford president of the Americas, calls the 2011 Explorer "the SUV for the 21st century, to break down the barriers and the stereotypes." The result is a car-based crossover that looks like an SUV, crawls out of mud and can tow 5,000 pounds, but with the fuel economy of a Toyota Camry.
It could prove game-changing.
"Ford is really tearing down the whole SUV segment, redefining it and taking what people love and amping it up," said analyst Erich Merkle of Autoconomy in Grand Rapids.
Overriding the past
While Ford has a lot riding on its new Explorer, no one expects a return to the glory days. Explorer sales in the United States peaked at 445,000 in 2000, each one netting a healthy profit.
Its popularity was so consuming that Ford ignored cars such as its Taurus, which was relegated to rental car status and then discontinued as a midsize car.
But when higher gasoline prices torpedoed the SUV segment, the Explorer became a casualty. By 2009, Explorer sales had fallen to 52,000, and fewer than 32,000 were sold in the first half of this year.
As Ford worked to rebuild its car lineup in recent years, the bold decision was made to remake the Explorer using the underpinnings of its new Taurus, which was making a comeback as a full-size sedan.
Car-based crossovers have proliferated, including Ford's own Flex and Edge. And utility vehicles account for a third of the market, Farley said.
He said the Explorer's name recognition, at nearly 100 percent, works in its favor.
"Our job is to myth-bust," Farley said of the prevailing attitude that SUVs are not fuel-efficient.
Ford originally thought that meant a radical design change.
Three design concepts were created. One, the Explorer America, was shown at the 2008 North American International Auto Show.
But it didn't go over well with consumers, said Moray Callum, North American head of design. "It was not as recognizable as an SUV as people wanted it to be."
"It seems the public that had stopped buying SUVs was not turning its back on the look or the capability of SUVs," Callum said, but rather their fuel economy and teeth-jarring ride. Ford execs realized they needed a modern interpretation of a look, still recognizable as an Explorer.
The concept chosen for production was closer to the Explorer's SUV roots.
"It taps into the traditional Explorer, yet is completely new," said Merkle.
Rebecca Lindland of IHS Automotive in Lexington, Mass., likes the design but doesn't see a family resemblance to its predecessors.
"It is a very modern and progressive interpretation," she said. "The biggest hurdle is it is not immediately associated with an Explorer."
But both analysts agree the interior and features make it a strong competitor.
"The telematics is years beyond what anyone else is offering, even luxury brands, and has been a real differentiator for Ford," said Aaron Bragman of IHS Automotive in Troy.
Based on the Taurus, as opposed to its original body-on-frame construction, the new Explorer drives like a car.
And then there's fuel economy.
By swapping the old 4-liter V-6 with a new 3.5-liter V-6, fuel economy is improved by 20 percent.
An optional 2-liter turbocharged EcoBoost four-cylinder engine is 30 percent more fuel-efficient. That equates to 18 miles per gallon in the city and 26 mpg on the highway. Official figures will be released once the government completes its testing.
"It will likely be close to hitting the 30-mpg mark, a monumental achievement for a Ford Explorer with three-row seating," said Merkle.
Derrick Kuzak, head of Ford's global product development, said improving fuel efficiency by a few miles per gallon "was not good enough to meet our targets.
"It will be on par with a Toyota Camry with a V-6," he said.
Sales to start in 5 months
Ford will not reveal volume estimates for the new Explorer, which will be built in Chicago alongside the Taurus and Lincoln MKS. A second shift is being added in November.
Two shifts can produce about 220,000 units a year, said analyst Joe Phillippi of AutoTrends Consulting in Short Hills, N.J.
The Explorer -- the sticker price hasn't yet been announced -- will go on sale about five months after the new 2011 Jeep Grand Cherokee, on sale now.
"People will cross-shop Grand Cherokee and look at fuel economy numbers and balk," said Bragman. The Grand Cherokee with a V-6 gets 16 mpg city/23 mpg highway.
The Explorer won't follow the Jeep across the Rubicon, but will tackle snow, mud and sand with its terrain management system that shifts into four-wheel drive and adjusts torque with the turn of a knob.
And the final attribute: the blue oval.
"If people like your company, they're more likely to shop your product," said Farley.
From The Detroit News: http://detnews.com/article/20100726/AUTO01/7260347/1148/rss25#ixzz0uppO06uQ
Monday, July 19, 2010
Ford Confirms Electric Focus for 2011
In an announcement Tuesday about Ford selecting a supplier for the vital lithium-ion battery pack that will be used in the Focus Electric, the automaker confirmed that the car will go on sale in 2011.
The redesigned Focus sedan and hatchback were shown at this year’s Detroit auto show, but the electric powertrain was only mocked up in the previous-generation Focus on sale today. The redesigned Focus with a gasoline engine goes on sale early in 2011 as a 2012 model.
Ford says the Focus Electric, as it’s being called, will go on sale sometime in 2011, but we don’t expect it in the first quarter. It is expected to have a range of 100 miles per full charge.
The lithium-ion battery will be built by LG Chem in Korea first, then at a new plant in Michigan. Ford says it will build two new hybrids with the same lithium-battery pack in 2012 on the company’s new C-car platform, the same platform as the Focus.
The redesigned Focus sedan and hatchback were shown at this year’s Detroit auto show, but the electric powertrain was only mocked up in the previous-generation Focus on sale today. The redesigned Focus with a gasoline engine goes on sale early in 2011 as a 2012 model.
Ford says the Focus Electric, as it’s being called, will go on sale sometime in 2011, but we don’t expect it in the first quarter. It is expected to have a range of 100 miles per full charge.
The lithium-ion battery will be built by LG Chem in Korea first, then at a new plant in Michigan. Ford says it will build two new hybrids with the same lithium-battery pack in 2012 on the company’s new C-car platform, the same platform as the Focus.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Drivers (won't) flip over Ford's Curve Control
We’ve all done it – swung too fast onto a freeway ramp and then suddenly had to yank on the steering wheel for control of the vehicle. It’s not fun, and reportedly loosing control on a bend accounts for about 50,000 crashes every year in the U.S. alone. That’s why Ford is introducing Curve Control on its 2011 Explorer and on 90 percent of its crossovers, SUVs, trucks and vans by 2015. The system senses when you’re entering a curve too quickly, and automatically slows your speed by up to 10mph in approximately one second.
An extension of roll stability control (RSC), the Curve Control system uses sensors to measure the vehicle’s roll, yaw, lateral acceleration, wheel speed and steering wheel angle. It runs calculations based on those sensors’ input 100 times a second, and is thus able to detect when the vehicle is not turning as much as the driver is steering. When this situation arises, the system reduces engine torque and applies precisely-controlled four-wheel braking, to help the driver regain control of the situation.
“Too many accidents stem from drivers misjudging their speed going into curves and freeway off- and on-ramps,” said Sue Cischke, Ford’s VP of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “Ford’s Curve Control technology senses a potentially dangerous situation and reduces power and applies brakes more quickly than most drivers can react on their own.”
An extension of roll stability control (RSC), the Curve Control system uses sensors to measure the vehicle’s roll, yaw, lateral acceleration, wheel speed and steering wheel angle. It runs calculations based on those sensors’ input 100 times a second, and is thus able to detect when the vehicle is not turning as much as the driver is steering. When this situation arises, the system reduces engine torque and applies precisely-controlled four-wheel braking, to help the driver regain control of the situation.
“Too many accidents stem from drivers misjudging their speed going into curves and freeway off- and on-ramps,” said Sue Cischke, Ford’s VP of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “Ford’s Curve Control technology senses a potentially dangerous situation and reduces power and applies brakes more quickly than most drivers can react on their own.”
Monday, July 5, 2010
High-Tech Car Lets the Blind Drive
Researchers at Virginia Tech and have partnered with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) for an upcoming demonstration of a prototype vehicle equipped with new technology that allows a blind person to independently drive a car.
The custom Ford Escape prototype, which uses non-visual interface technology, is scheduled for a public demonstration as part of the pre-race activities at the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 29, 2011. A blind person, who has yet to be selected, will drive the prototype on a course near the famed Daytona International Speedway, and will attempt to simulate a typical driving experience.
“Three years ago we accepted the NFB Blind Driver Challenge to develop a vehicle that can be driven by a blind person. The challenge was not the development of an autonomous vehicle that could drive a blind person around, but rather the creation of non-visual interfaces that would allow a blind person to actually make driving decisions,” said Dr. Dennis Hong, Director of the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory at Virginia Tech.
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the Baltimore-based NFB, praised the development, saying the demonstration would “break down the wall of stereotypes and misconceptions that prevent our full integration into society by showing the public that the blind have the same capacities as everyone else.”
“Virginia Tech has accepted our challenge to apply non-visual interfaces to the task of driving, which has always been wrongly considered impossible for blind people,” Dr. Maurer said.
The vehicle’s non-visual interfaces use sensors that allow a blind driver to maneuver the car based on information transmitted to the driver about his or her surroundings. These include factors such as whether or not another car or object is nearby, out in front or in an adjacent lane.
“We are not trying to build a technology alone. We are trying to build a technology that can be combined with an intellect to do things that neither could do alone,” Dr. Maurer said.
Many blind people consider the idea of ever driving a car impossible, but scientists hope the initiative could help challenge such long-held assumptions.
"We're exploring areas that have previously been regarded as unexplorable," Dr. Maurer told the Associated Press.
"We're moving away from the theory that blindness ends the capacity of human beings to make contributions to society."
The NFB announced its plans for the vehicle demonstration during a news conference on Friday in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Dr. Maurer began thinking about building such a vehicle about ten years ago when he founded the NFB’s research institute.
"Some people thought I was crazy and they thought, 'Why do you want us to raise money for something that can't be done?' Others thought it was a great idea," he said.
"Some people were incredulous. Others thought the idea was incredible."
The new vehicle originated, in part, from Virginia Tech's 2007 entry into the DARPA Grand Challenge, a contest funded by the U.S. Department of Defense to develop driverless vehicles.
Virginia Tech took third place in the competition, having built a self-driving car that used sensors to detect traffic and avoid hitting other vehicles and objects.
On the heels of their success, the team responded to an NFB challenge to help build a car that could be driven by a blind person.
The researchers began by conducting a feasibility study using a dune buggy equipped with sensor lasers and cameras that acted as the “eyes” of the vehicle. A vibrating vest directed the driver to accelerate, slow down or turn.
Impressed by the results, the NFB urged the team to continue their work, which will be demonstrated next January in Daytona.
One of the non-visual interfaces on the new custom Ford Escape is called DriveGrip, which uses gloves with vibrating motors on areas that cover the driver’s knuckles. The vibrations let the driver know when and where to make turns.
Another interface, known as AirPix, is a tablet about 4 inches by 5 inches in size with multiple air holes. Compressed air flowing out of the device informs the driver of his or her surroundings, effectively creating a map of objects in the vicinity of the vehicle. It also tells the driver whether another vehicle is in a neighboring lane, or whether there is an obstruction on the road.
Dr. Hong, a Virginia Tech mechanical engineering professor who led the research, said the interface technology could not only someday help blind drivers operate a vehicle, but could also help make conventional cars safer.
He said the researchers hope to someday turn the new technology into a consumer product.
However, "this is not going to be a product until its proven 100 percent safe,” he said.
Advocates for the blind say it will likely be a while before the idea of blind drivers is widely accepted, and years of testing will be needed to prove the new technology is safe and effective.
The latest prototype is part of a more comprehensive mission to change the way people perceive the blind.
Mark Riccobono, executive director of the NFB's Jernigan Institute, said when people see him out with his 3-year-old son, they think his son is guiding him.
"The idea that a 3-year-old takes care of me stems from what they think about blindness," Riccobono told The Associated Press.
"That will change when people see that we can do something that they thought was impossible."
The custom Ford Escape prototype, which uses non-visual interface technology, is scheduled for a public demonstration as part of the pre-race activities at the 2011 Rolex 24 At Daytona on January 29, 2011. A blind person, who has yet to be selected, will drive the prototype on a course near the famed Daytona International Speedway, and will attempt to simulate a typical driving experience.
“Three years ago we accepted the NFB Blind Driver Challenge to develop a vehicle that can be driven by a blind person. The challenge was not the development of an autonomous vehicle that could drive a blind person around, but rather the creation of non-visual interfaces that would allow a blind person to actually make driving decisions,” said Dr. Dennis Hong, Director of the Robotics and Mechanisms Laboratory at Virginia Tech.
Dr. Marc Maurer, President of the Baltimore-based NFB, praised the development, saying the demonstration would “break down the wall of stereotypes and misconceptions that prevent our full integration into society by showing the public that the blind have the same capacities as everyone else.”
“Virginia Tech has accepted our challenge to apply non-visual interfaces to the task of driving, which has always been wrongly considered impossible for blind people,” Dr. Maurer said.
The vehicle’s non-visual interfaces use sensors that allow a blind driver to maneuver the car based on information transmitted to the driver about his or her surroundings. These include factors such as whether or not another car or object is nearby, out in front or in an adjacent lane.
“We are not trying to build a technology alone. We are trying to build a technology that can be combined with an intellect to do things that neither could do alone,” Dr. Maurer said.
Many blind people consider the idea of ever driving a car impossible, but scientists hope the initiative could help challenge such long-held assumptions.
"We're exploring areas that have previously been regarded as unexplorable," Dr. Maurer told the Associated Press.
"We're moving away from the theory that blindness ends the capacity of human beings to make contributions to society."
The NFB announced its plans for the vehicle demonstration during a news conference on Friday in Daytona Beach, Florida.
Dr. Maurer began thinking about building such a vehicle about ten years ago when he founded the NFB’s research institute.
"Some people thought I was crazy and they thought, 'Why do you want us to raise money for something that can't be done?' Others thought it was a great idea," he said.
"Some people were incredulous. Others thought the idea was incredible."
The new vehicle originated, in part, from Virginia Tech's 2007 entry into the DARPA Grand Challenge, a contest funded by the U.S. Department of Defense to develop driverless vehicles.
Virginia Tech took third place in the competition, having built a self-driving car that used sensors to detect traffic and avoid hitting other vehicles and objects.
On the heels of their success, the team responded to an NFB challenge to help build a car that could be driven by a blind person.
The researchers began by conducting a feasibility study using a dune buggy equipped with sensor lasers and cameras that acted as the “eyes” of the vehicle. A vibrating vest directed the driver to accelerate, slow down or turn.
Impressed by the results, the NFB urged the team to continue their work, which will be demonstrated next January in Daytona.
One of the non-visual interfaces on the new custom Ford Escape is called DriveGrip, which uses gloves with vibrating motors on areas that cover the driver’s knuckles. The vibrations let the driver know when and where to make turns.
Another interface, known as AirPix, is a tablet about 4 inches by 5 inches in size with multiple air holes. Compressed air flowing out of the device informs the driver of his or her surroundings, effectively creating a map of objects in the vicinity of the vehicle. It also tells the driver whether another vehicle is in a neighboring lane, or whether there is an obstruction on the road.
Dr. Hong, a Virginia Tech mechanical engineering professor who led the research, said the interface technology could not only someday help blind drivers operate a vehicle, but could also help make conventional cars safer.
He said the researchers hope to someday turn the new technology into a consumer product.
However, "this is not going to be a product until its proven 100 percent safe,” he said.
Advocates for the blind say it will likely be a while before the idea of blind drivers is widely accepted, and years of testing will be needed to prove the new technology is safe and effective.
The latest prototype is part of a more comprehensive mission to change the way people perceive the blind.
Mark Riccobono, executive director of the NFB's Jernigan Institute, said when people see him out with his 3-year-old son, they think his son is guiding him.
"The idea that a 3-year-old takes care of me stems from what they think about blindness," Riccobono told The Associated Press.
"That will change when people see that we can do something that they thought was impossible."
New 2011 Ford Edge Named Official Vehicle of 2010 U.S. Ironman Series
The Ford Edge was extensively reworked and retweaked for 2011 and it is now the official vehicle of the 2010 United States Ironman event series.
Identified as a favorable segment to expand its brand, Ford sought additional exposure in the Ironman series with its all-new Edge. A title sponsor since 2005, Ford will place the Edge in Ironman series ads, Web videos, and on-site displays.You can also expect to see the Edge in action at and around various Ironman venues.
"This audience represents a huge opportunity for us in the crossover segment," said Jim Peters, Ford's manager for brand content and alliances. "They will help us spread the word about our revolutionary MyFord Touch driver connect technology and the styling and features that define the new Ford Edge and all the new vehicles in the Ford lineup."
Identified as a favorable segment to expand its brand, Ford sought additional exposure in the Ironman series with its all-new Edge. A title sponsor since 2005, Ford will place the Edge in Ironman series ads, Web videos, and on-site displays.You can also expect to see the Edge in action at and around various Ironman venues.
"This audience represents a huge opportunity for us in the crossover segment," said Jim Peters, Ford's manager for brand content and alliances. "They will help us spread the word about our revolutionary MyFord Touch driver connect technology and the styling and features that define the new Ford Edge and all the new vehicles in the Ford lineup."
Thursday, June 24, 2010
Ford's next challenge: Rev up Lincoln
DETROIT--Ford Motor Co. must do with Lincoln what it has done with the Ford brand--infuse it with new energy and sparkling product--if it is to offset the loss of Mercury sales when that 71-year-old brand dies.
Though Lincoln has a freshened lineup and stronger styling than in the past, it is still an also-ran among luxury brands in the United States. Ford clearly will need more volume from Lincoln to appease Mercury dealers--especially those who currently have Lincoln-Mercury stores.
"We have to make a very compelling case to our dealers very quickly," says Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, in an interview.
Ford's decision last week to kill Mercury allows the automaker to focus its resources on the Ford and Lincoln brands. But, initially, at least, closing Mercury means Ford Motor has to give up the 92,299 sales Mercury reported last year. And the challenge to take Lincoln upscale requires consistency and discipline in product and marketing.
Mercury sales represent about 50 percent of most Lincoln-Mercury stores' volume. Ford leaders know filling that gap will be a challenge.
Ford likely will retain two-thirds of its Mercury customers through the Ford brand, predicts Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of Edmunds.com in Santa Monica, Calif. That's because of the heavy cross-shopping Mercury customers already do with Ford products. Likewise, Anwyl says, Ford could be poised for great success with Lincoln if it treats it as it has the Ford brand.
"Where Lincoln is today is where Ford was a few years ago," he says. "The staff that is working on Mercury will now shift to Lincoln. To me, that gets to the heart of the matter."
Ford Motor CEO Alan Mulally has gotten "a distracted organization to focus with intensity on Ford as a brand," Anwyl says. "Now he's saying, 'Let's see if we can do the same for Lincoln.'"
Ford has work to do. According to Edmunds.com data, the percentage of U.S. consumers who would consider buying a Lincoln fell over the past year, from 1.3 percent in May 2009 to 0.9 percent last month. Through May, Lexus sold 90,098 vehicles in the United States, and Cadillac sold 52,997. But Lincoln sold just 37,444. Ford says Lincoln's retail share of the U.S. luxury market has grown from 4.5 percent in 2005 to 6.3 percent through the first quarter. It also says favorable opinion of the brand and purchase consideration are at their highest level in five years; it did not provide numbers.
Product improvement
Money invested in a single brand--both for product and marketing--is more likely to yield "game changers" than spreading that same money across two brands, says Lincoln Merrihew, managing director of automotive at Compete Inc., a consumer research firm in Boston.
"Game changers have the best chance of driving sales for the company and the dealers," he says.
Merrihew advocates that Ford do a "Lincoln-only product" that grabs attention and serves as a halo, as the Lexus LFA sports coupe did.
"It doesn't have to be a money maker," Merrihew says. "Just be something very distinctive."
Ford's Fields says future Lincolns will stand out with advanced technology such as active noise cancellation, unique power trains, adaptive suspensions, and glass retractable roofs that Ford products do not get. Ford will spread the EcoBoost engine, a turbocharged direct-inject engine, across the entire Lincoln lineup, including the Navigator SUV.
Ford plans on expanding the Lincoln lineup with seven all-new or "significantly refreshed" vehicles in the next four years. Those include a product on the same size platform as the Ford Focus compact car. That might mean a small crossover based on the European Kuga for Lincoln. Ford declined to specify the vehicle. Lincoln could also get a U.S. version of the Mondeo sedan currently sold overseas.
Sticking to the plan
Lincoln's product lineup needs improvement, says Jim Hall, principal of 2953 Analytics Inc. in suburban Detroit.
"If they want to be a serious competitor with Lexus and Cadillac, they cannot do it successfully with mildly reworked Fords," he says.
Ford management should form a 10- to 15-year product strategy and marketing plan for Lincoln and stick to it, Hall says.
"They are surrounded by insurmountable challenges: get the product better; improve the marketing; be consistent," he says. "They can't be changing Lincoln's tag line each year."
Hall adds: "That'll be difficult for the traditional Ford organization to do, and it'll take Mulally and [global marketing chief] Jim Farley to hold their feet to the fire and say don't change the plan."
Though Lincoln has a freshened lineup and stronger styling than in the past, it is still an also-ran among luxury brands in the United States. Ford clearly will need more volume from Lincoln to appease Mercury dealers--especially those who currently have Lincoln-Mercury stores.
"We have to make a very compelling case to our dealers very quickly," says Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, in an interview.
Ford's decision last week to kill Mercury allows the automaker to focus its resources on the Ford and Lincoln brands. But, initially, at least, closing Mercury means Ford Motor has to give up the 92,299 sales Mercury reported last year. And the challenge to take Lincoln upscale requires consistency and discipline in product and marketing.
Mercury sales represent about 50 percent of most Lincoln-Mercury stores' volume. Ford leaders know filling that gap will be a challenge.
Ford likely will retain two-thirds of its Mercury customers through the Ford brand, predicts Jeremy Anwyl, CEO of Edmunds.com in Santa Monica, Calif. That's because of the heavy cross-shopping Mercury customers already do with Ford products. Likewise, Anwyl says, Ford could be poised for great success with Lincoln if it treats it as it has the Ford brand.
"Where Lincoln is today is where Ford was a few years ago," he says. "The staff that is working on Mercury will now shift to Lincoln. To me, that gets to the heart of the matter."
Ford Motor CEO Alan Mulally has gotten "a distracted organization to focus with intensity on Ford as a brand," Anwyl says. "Now he's saying, 'Let's see if we can do the same for Lincoln.'"
Ford has work to do. According to Edmunds.com data, the percentage of U.S. consumers who would consider buying a Lincoln fell over the past year, from 1.3 percent in May 2009 to 0.9 percent last month. Through May, Lexus sold 90,098 vehicles in the United States, and Cadillac sold 52,997. But Lincoln sold just 37,444. Ford says Lincoln's retail share of the U.S. luxury market has grown from 4.5 percent in 2005 to 6.3 percent through the first quarter. It also says favorable opinion of the brand and purchase consideration are at their highest level in five years; it did not provide numbers.
Product improvement
Money invested in a single brand--both for product and marketing--is more likely to yield "game changers" than spreading that same money across two brands, says Lincoln Merrihew, managing director of automotive at Compete Inc., a consumer research firm in Boston.
"Game changers have the best chance of driving sales for the company and the dealers," he says.
Merrihew advocates that Ford do a "Lincoln-only product" that grabs attention and serves as a halo, as the Lexus LFA sports coupe did.
"It doesn't have to be a money maker," Merrihew says. "Just be something very distinctive."
Ford's Fields says future Lincolns will stand out with advanced technology such as active noise cancellation, unique power trains, adaptive suspensions, and glass retractable roofs that Ford products do not get. Ford will spread the EcoBoost engine, a turbocharged direct-inject engine, across the entire Lincoln lineup, including the Navigator SUV.
Ford plans on expanding the Lincoln lineup with seven all-new or "significantly refreshed" vehicles in the next four years. Those include a product on the same size platform as the Ford Focus compact car. That might mean a small crossover based on the European Kuga for Lincoln. Ford declined to specify the vehicle. Lincoln could also get a U.S. version of the Mondeo sedan currently sold overseas.
Sticking to the plan
Lincoln's product lineup needs improvement, says Jim Hall, principal of 2953 Analytics Inc. in suburban Detroit.
"If they want to be a serious competitor with Lexus and Cadillac, they cannot do it successfully with mildly reworked Fords," he says.
Ford management should form a 10- to 15-year product strategy and marketing plan for Lincoln and stick to it, Hall says.
"They are surrounded by insurmountable challenges: get the product better; improve the marketing; be consistent," he says. "They can't be changing Lincoln's tag line each year."
Hall adds: "That'll be difficult for the traditional Ford organization to do, and it'll take Mulally and [global marketing chief] Jim Farley to hold their feet to the fire and say don't change the plan."
Mustang To Make Nascar Nationwide Series Debut Next Week
Next week, on Friday July 2nd, the Ford Mustang will begin a new era when it makes its official racing debut during the Nascar Nationwide Series race on the high banks of the legendary Daytona International Speedway. Since its public unveiling last October in Concord, NC there has been great anticipation from Mustang clubs and enthusiasts about the new car and its four race schedule for this year and full Nationwide rollout in 2011. In anticipation of the debut Ford Racing chatted with two of the individuals responsible for helping get the new Mustang into Nascar.
Pat Dimarco - Ford Racing Nascar Program Manager
Q: What was the thought process behind bringing the Mustang to Nationwide versus some of the other cars like the Fusion or Taurus?
A: "NASCAR came to us and wanted to differentiate the Nationwide Series from the Cup Series. Initially, we did look at the Fusion to keep the branding the same across both series, but when they really wanted to differentiate it, the natural choice was Mustang from a company standpoint. Plain and simple, the Mustang's heritage is racing. It just made a good fit to differentiate the Nationwide Series from the Cup Series."
Q: What's the major difference between the Mustang Nationwide car versus the Fusion Cup car? What differences will the fans see in the grandstands?
A: "The Nationwide Mustang has a lot of brand identity built into it. Working with NASCAR and our aero team, they really put a lot of emphasis on putting more of identity into the nose and the tail. It does not have the typical Cup [Car of Tomorrow] splitter. It has a splitter, but the nose looks more like a production nose of a Mustang."
Q: Do you think the Mustang Nationwide car is a good replication of the production car?
A: "I think it's a better replication than where the Fusion is in Cup currently. My wife is on the Mustang team at Ford and she likes it, and the Mustang Brand Team likes it. I'm sure there will be people out there who will not like it, but I think it is definitely different and it brings the Mustang brand into NASCAR."
Q: After months of development, can you talk about the anticipation of seeing it on the track?
A: "It's going to be a great race at Daytona with the next generation Nationwide car, especially with Mustang on the race track for the first time. There is a lot of hype within the company, and the Brand Team is excited to see it on the race track, as are we here at Ford Racing."
Bernie Marcus - Ford Racing Nascar Aerodynamics Engineer
Q: When you received the task of developing a Mustang Nationwide Series car, what was your philosophy behind it?
A: "First of all, it was a lot more difficult to do the Mustang and turn it into a NASCAR-type vehicle because the nose of the Mustang is a lot more bulky and squarer than that of a Fusion or the Taurus, and those were the sort of cars that we have done in the past. The key to make the Mustang work is that NASCAR opened up the rules in the hood height area and that enabled us to get the character lines of the Mustang into the nose without compromising performance."
Q: With the heritage the Mustang has within Ford and throughout the racing world, was there additional pressure on you to get it right?
A: "Yes, obviously the Mustang is a huge icon in the U.S.A. as far as a car goes. To turn it into a representative NASCAR vehicle within the constraints of the rules, and then obviously to get the performance out of it, there was quite a bit of pressure added on. I think we did the best job we could under the constraints. We got the performance right and we also got the looks right."
Q: Do you feel like an expecting father with this car because its been like your baby?
A: "A little bit. The July Daytona race is a big race. It's probably the second biggest race besides the Daytona 500. It's a big event to roll the car out for the first time. I think it's a good event to do it at. We can't wait."
Source: Ford Racing
Pat Dimarco - Ford Racing Nascar Program Manager
Q: What was the thought process behind bringing the Mustang to Nationwide versus some of the other cars like the Fusion or Taurus?
A: "NASCAR came to us and wanted to differentiate the Nationwide Series from the Cup Series. Initially, we did look at the Fusion to keep the branding the same across both series, but when they really wanted to differentiate it, the natural choice was Mustang from a company standpoint. Plain and simple, the Mustang's heritage is racing. It just made a good fit to differentiate the Nationwide Series from the Cup Series."
Q: What's the major difference between the Mustang Nationwide car versus the Fusion Cup car? What differences will the fans see in the grandstands?
A: "The Nationwide Mustang has a lot of brand identity built into it. Working with NASCAR and our aero team, they really put a lot of emphasis on putting more of identity into the nose and the tail. It does not have the typical Cup [Car of Tomorrow] splitter. It has a splitter, but the nose looks more like a production nose of a Mustang."
Q: Do you think the Mustang Nationwide car is a good replication of the production car?
A: "I think it's a better replication than where the Fusion is in Cup currently. My wife is on the Mustang team at Ford and she likes it, and the Mustang Brand Team likes it. I'm sure there will be people out there who will not like it, but I think it is definitely different and it brings the Mustang brand into NASCAR."
Q: After months of development, can you talk about the anticipation of seeing it on the track?
A: "It's going to be a great race at Daytona with the next generation Nationwide car, especially with Mustang on the race track for the first time. There is a lot of hype within the company, and the Brand Team is excited to see it on the race track, as are we here at Ford Racing."
Bernie Marcus - Ford Racing Nascar Aerodynamics Engineer
Q: When you received the task of developing a Mustang Nationwide Series car, what was your philosophy behind it?
A: "First of all, it was a lot more difficult to do the Mustang and turn it into a NASCAR-type vehicle because the nose of the Mustang is a lot more bulky and squarer than that of a Fusion or the Taurus, and those were the sort of cars that we have done in the past. The key to make the Mustang work is that NASCAR opened up the rules in the hood height area and that enabled us to get the character lines of the Mustang into the nose without compromising performance."
Q: With the heritage the Mustang has within Ford and throughout the racing world, was there additional pressure on you to get it right?
A: "Yes, obviously the Mustang is a huge icon in the U.S.A. as far as a car goes. To turn it into a representative NASCAR vehicle within the constraints of the rules, and then obviously to get the performance out of it, there was quite a bit of pressure added on. I think we did the best job we could under the constraints. We got the performance right and we also got the looks right."
Q: Do you feel like an expecting father with this car because its been like your baby?
A: "A little bit. The July Daytona race is a big race. It's probably the second biggest race besides the Daytona 500. It's a big event to roll the car out for the first time. I think it's a good event to do it at. We can't wait."
Source: Ford Racing
A quarter of Ford's cars could feature alternative power by 2020
Ford, one of the first companies on the market with a hybrid vehicle is all geared up to initiate the alternative power revolution. The company aims to push 25 percent of new car sales for a hybrid, plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle in just ten years. In just less than a year’s time, the company will be launching its first all-electric model.
Nancy Gioia, Ford’s global chief of vehicle electrification believes that due to rapidly changing technology, falling battery prices and other uncertainties it is difficult to predict the exact figures, but it is expected that the final figures could lie anywhere between 10 and 25 percent by 2020.
In the next three years, Ford will introduce at least five new vehicles with lithium ion batteries and plans to spend about $1 billion on manufacturing, research and other areas to produce electrified vehicles through 2013.
Nancy Gioia, Ford’s global chief of vehicle electrification believes that due to rapidly changing technology, falling battery prices and other uncertainties it is difficult to predict the exact figures, but it is expected that the final figures could lie anywhere between 10 and 25 percent by 2020.
In the next three years, Ford will introduce at least five new vehicles with lithium ion batteries and plans to spend about $1 billion on manufacturing, research and other areas to produce electrified vehicles through 2013.
Ford to use soy-based plastic in nearly all of its vehicles
DEARBORN, MICH. (June 23, 3:25 p.m. ET) -- Ford Motor Co. will use a soybean urethane foam blend in the seats for the next generation of its Explorer sport utility vehicle, which hits the roads later this year, and claims it will use soy in “nearly 100 percent” of its vehicle fleet by the end of 2010.
The Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker was the first major carmaker to begin using soy urethane blends beginning with the Mustang in 2007. It now uses blends with at least 5 percent soybean oil in seats, seat backs, headliners and other interior parts, estimating that the blend helps it cut its annual petroleum use by 3 million pounds.
Lear Corp., based in Southfield, Mich., is making the seats. It has worked with Ford to improve soy foam and develop commercial applications since 2004.
Ford has also used natural fibers in structural plastics, including a wheat straw in storage bins that made its first appearance in 2009, and has discussed its experiments into using corn-based polylactic acid resin and other bio-based materials.
“Soy foam is just the tip of the iceberg in the development of vehicle materials from natural resources,” said Debbie Mielewski, Ford polymer technical leader, in a June 23 press release. “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 automotive world go totally compostable, removing the use of petroleum-based parts 100 percent.”
The Dearborn, Mich.-based automaker was the first major carmaker to begin using soy urethane blends beginning with the Mustang in 2007. It now uses blends with at least 5 percent soybean oil in seats, seat backs, headliners and other interior parts, estimating that the blend helps it cut its annual petroleum use by 3 million pounds.
Lear Corp., based in Southfield, Mich., is making the seats. It has worked with Ford to improve soy foam and develop commercial applications since 2004.
Ford has also used natural fibers in structural plastics, including a wheat straw in storage bins that made its first appearance in 2009, and has discussed its experiments into using corn-based polylactic acid resin and other bio-based materials.
“Soy foam is just the tip of the iceberg in the development of vehicle materials from natural resources,” said Debbie Mielewski, Ford polymer technical leader, in a June 23 press release. “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 automotive world go totally compostable, removing the use of petroleum-based parts 100 percent.”
Mustang Gets 48.5 MPG Goin’ the Distance
A Ford Mustang with a V-6 under the hood and a NASCAR driver at the wheel averaged 48.5 mpg as it completed more than 1,000 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway.
Ford’s been making a big deal out of the V-6 Mustang, because it’s the first car to deliver more than 300 horsepower and more than 30 mpg. Eager to show off its fuel economy — 19 city, 31 highway and 23 combined — Ford sent a bone stock pony car, NASCAR driver David Ragan and four engineers to Bristol, Tennessee, on Wednesday. The goal was to run 1,000 laps (533 miles) on a single tank.
They did that and more.
By the time the tank ran dry, the team had finished 1,457 laps (776.5 miles) of the half-mile circuit in 17 hours and 40 minutes. That came to 48.5 mpg. Ragan passed the 1,000 lap mark at 7:26 p.m. Eastern, 12 hours and 26 minutes into the run.
“We still had a quarter of a tank of gas left,” Ragan, who typically spends his time lapping tracks in the No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing, said. “The last driving stint before I passed 1,000 laps I was averaging 43.7 miles a gallon and that is unbelievable.”
Mustang engineer Seong Park was at the wheel when the car finally rolled to a stop on the back straight at 12:41 a.m. Eastern.
The drivers, who did one hour stints, didn’t reach very far into the hypermiling bag of tricks. They minimized the use of air conditioning (yes, they used the AC). Have you been to Tennessee in the summer? — maintained a steady pace, kept the RPMs low and avoided sudden starts and stops. Sounds like they got the car up to speed and kept it there.
“This is beyond our wildest dreams,” said Tom Barnes, lead engineer for the challenge. “It was great when we went past the 1,000-lap mark with David, but nobody could ever imagine that we still had five hours ahead of us. This is a fantastic feeling.”
Ford’s been making a big deal out of the V-6 Mustang, because it’s the first car to deliver more than 300 horsepower and more than 30 mpg. Eager to show off its fuel economy — 19 city, 31 highway and 23 combined — Ford sent a bone stock pony car, NASCAR driver David Ragan and four engineers to Bristol, Tennessee, on Wednesday. The goal was to run 1,000 laps (533 miles) on a single tank.
They did that and more.
By the time the tank ran dry, the team had finished 1,457 laps (776.5 miles) of the half-mile circuit in 17 hours and 40 minutes. That came to 48.5 mpg. Ragan passed the 1,000 lap mark at 7:26 p.m. Eastern, 12 hours and 26 minutes into the run.
“We still had a quarter of a tank of gas left,” Ragan, who typically spends his time lapping tracks in the No. 6 UPS Ford Fusion for Roush Fenway Racing, said. “The last driving stint before I passed 1,000 laps I was averaging 43.7 miles a gallon and that is unbelievable.”
Mustang engineer Seong Park was at the wheel when the car finally rolled to a stop on the back straight at 12:41 a.m. Eastern.
The drivers, who did one hour stints, didn’t reach very far into the hypermiling bag of tricks. They minimized the use of air conditioning (yes, they used the AC). Have you been to Tennessee in the summer? — maintained a steady pace, kept the RPMs low and avoided sudden starts and stops. Sounds like they got the car up to speed and kept it there.
“This is beyond our wildest dreams,” said Tom Barnes, lead engineer for the challenge. “It was great when we went past the 1,000-lap mark with David, but nobody could ever imagine that we still had five hours ahead of us. This is a fantastic feeling.”
Tuesday, June 22, 2010
2011 Mustang V-6 Ready for 1,000-Lap Challenge
With just two days left before the big event, the 2011 Mustang V-6 preparations have entered the final stages. For those who missed our last report, Ford’s most economical muscle car will be driven for more than 500 miles on a single tank of fuel... or at least that is what a team of four Ford Mustang engineers, along with NASCAR star David Ragan will attempt to do.
According to the American manufacturer, the new 3.7-liter V-6 engine is capable of developing 305 hp and deliver a fuel economy of 31 mpg (7.59 l/100km). Specifically, the challenge will take place this June 23 and will account for 1,000 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway.
“We all know how much fun it is to drive Mustang, but in today’s market customers also care about fuel economy,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford North America Motorsports. “By going at least 1,000 laps on one of NASCAR’s most popular tracks, we expect to show that when it comes to Mustang, you can have both performance and fuel economy.”
While the 2011 Mustang V-6 is flexing its muscles during final preparations, fans can enter a sweepstakes that gives them the chance to take home a 2011 Mustang V-6 coupe. All they have to do is register their guess for the total number of complete laps that Mustang will complete during the Challenge. Entries can be submitted here until 10:00 on June 23.
What is really interesting is that the Mustang used at the Challenge will have no special modifications for the event and is the same Mustang V-6 that is available to consumers on the showroom floor.
“This car we will be driving at Bristol is exactly the same Mustang that consumers can purchase at their local Ford dealership,” said Tom Barnes, vehicle engineering manager, Mustang. “We’re not doing any tricks or making any modifications. The base car delivers 31 mpg and this is what you can buy. It has standard tire pressure, standard ride height, standard octane fuel. We’re just going to be driving it.”
According to the American manufacturer, the new 3.7-liter V-6 engine is capable of developing 305 hp and deliver a fuel economy of 31 mpg (7.59 l/100km). Specifically, the challenge will take place this June 23 and will account for 1,000 laps at Bristol Motor Speedway.
“We all know how much fun it is to drive Mustang, but in today’s market customers also care about fuel economy,” said Jamie Allison, director, Ford North America Motorsports. “By going at least 1,000 laps on one of NASCAR’s most popular tracks, we expect to show that when it comes to Mustang, you can have both performance and fuel economy.”
While the 2011 Mustang V-6 is flexing its muscles during final preparations, fans can enter a sweepstakes that gives them the chance to take home a 2011 Mustang V-6 coupe. All they have to do is register their guess for the total number of complete laps that Mustang will complete during the Challenge. Entries can be submitted here until 10:00 on June 23.
What is really interesting is that the Mustang used at the Challenge will have no special modifications for the event and is the same Mustang V-6 that is available to consumers on the showroom floor.
“This car we will be driving at Bristol is exactly the same Mustang that consumers can purchase at their local Ford dealership,” said Tom Barnes, vehicle engineering manager, Mustang. “We’re not doing any tricks or making any modifications. The base car delivers 31 mpg and this is what you can buy. It has standard tire pressure, standard ride height, standard octane fuel. We’re just going to be driving it.”
Monday, June 21, 2010
2011 Roush 5.0 Mustangs At Dealers Now!
If you’re like us and have been wondering what Roush was going to do with the new 2011Mustang 5.0, our answers are here. The new 2011 Mustang’s 412 hp DOHC V8 powerhouse has given Roush a new standard baseline for their model lineup. Now starting with more horsepower than the legendary first generation supercharged Stage 3 Mustangs of the 2000’s, the base Roush Sport, Stage 1, and Stage 2 will offer more tire smoking performance than ever before.
In what might be heartbreak for someone who just dropped $50k on a 2010 supercharged Roush 427R, the new 2011 Roush Sport, Stage 1 and Stage 2 come stock off the lot with almost the same performance at a much lower price.
For 2011 Roush ran into a little bit of a challenge in the styling department however. Traditionally, they replace the “GT” fender emblem with their trademark square “R” badge. But now that Ford emblazons the Mustang GT with the celebrated 5.0 badge, even Roush couldn’t take that baby off. They solved the problem by redesigning their striping packages to carry the ROUSH name in the lower rocker stripe, leaving everyone’s beloved 5.0 chrome moniker safely in place.
To create some visual separation between the models, Roush has given each model a slightly different stripe design. The Roush Mustang Sport has a double side rocker stripe design and a tripple over the roof design with a wide center cut. When you step up to the Stage 1 Roush Mustang, the striping theme changes to a tripple over the top design with a narrow middle cut, like a long number 1 spanning your car. The side rocker stripes mirror the theme too in a very classy look. And finally the Roush Stage 2 Mustang stripes take on a more solid and muscular look with just one thick wide stripe on the top and the sides. All three models have side accents on the hood scoop with the model designation cut in with strong block lettering.
As a rule, Roush Performance begins with the Mustang GT Premium model ordered with 3.73:1 axle ratio. Some are ordered with NAV package and others with HID. You can also order or purchase a car through your dealer and they can have the conversion done prior to title if a certain level of factory options are on your list such as a glass roof for instance.
And where are the 2011 427R and Stage3 top dog supercharged models? With the introduction of the all new 5.0 liter DOHC engine, Roush is working feverishly to develop an all new ROUSHcharger system to take the performance of the 2011 Mustang’s engine to the next level. But with the time honored OEM level engineering and design process that Roush Performance is known for, these things don’t’ happen as fast as we might want them to. As of this writing Roush has not committed to the arrival timeframe of a supercharged 2011 model year Mustang. In fact the news on the street is that they are really working on something special and that it may very well come along as a 2012 model. But don’t despair, with 412hp, the new Roush Mustang model line is plenty wicked today. Enjoy.
In what might be heartbreak for someone who just dropped $50k on a 2010 supercharged Roush 427R, the new 2011 Roush Sport, Stage 1 and Stage 2 come stock off the lot with almost the same performance at a much lower price.
For 2011 Roush ran into a little bit of a challenge in the styling department however. Traditionally, they replace the “GT” fender emblem with their trademark square “R” badge. But now that Ford emblazons the Mustang GT with the celebrated 5.0 badge, even Roush couldn’t take that baby off. They solved the problem by redesigning their striping packages to carry the ROUSH name in the lower rocker stripe, leaving everyone’s beloved 5.0 chrome moniker safely in place.
To create some visual separation between the models, Roush has given each model a slightly different stripe design. The Roush Mustang Sport has a double side rocker stripe design and a tripple over the roof design with a wide center cut. When you step up to the Stage 1 Roush Mustang, the striping theme changes to a tripple over the top design with a narrow middle cut, like a long number 1 spanning your car. The side rocker stripes mirror the theme too in a very classy look. And finally the Roush Stage 2 Mustang stripes take on a more solid and muscular look with just one thick wide stripe on the top and the sides. All three models have side accents on the hood scoop with the model designation cut in with strong block lettering.
As a rule, Roush Performance begins with the Mustang GT Premium model ordered with 3.73:1 axle ratio. Some are ordered with NAV package and others with HID. You can also order or purchase a car through your dealer and they can have the conversion done prior to title if a certain level of factory options are on your list such as a glass roof for instance.
And where are the 2011 427R and Stage3 top dog supercharged models? With the introduction of the all new 5.0 liter DOHC engine, Roush is working feverishly to develop an all new ROUSHcharger system to take the performance of the 2011 Mustang’s engine to the next level. But with the time honored OEM level engineering and design process that Roush Performance is known for, these things don’t’ happen as fast as we might want them to. As of this writing Roush has not committed to the arrival timeframe of a supercharged 2011 model year Mustang. In fact the news on the street is that they are really working on something special and that it may very well come along as a 2012 model. But don’t despair, with 412hp, the new Roush Mustang model line is plenty wicked today. Enjoy.
Wednesday, June 16, 2010
Ford steering Google Maps into its cars
by Lance Whitney
Ford owners with Sync-equipped vehicles will be able tap into Google Maps to download directions to their cars before month's end.
The free Send to Sync feature, announced Tuesday by Ford, will let drivers send Google Maps data from their Bluetooth-enabled computers or mobile phones to their in-car Sync systems. The electronic directions are downloaded directly into Sync and converted into audible turn-by-turn steps. The route is then calculated on the spot using the latest traffic information.
Ford is touting the service as a way for drivers to keep their eyes on the road by eliminating the need to juggle maps and printouts.
"Printing paper directions from a Web site is a relic in our digital age," Doug VanDagens, director of Ford Connected Services Solutions Organization, said in a statement. "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."
Launched in 2007, Ford Sync provides car owners with a variety of voice-activated, cloud-based services, including directions, traffic reports, news, weather, movie listings, and search capabilities. Drivers can also connect cell phones, MP3 players, and other Bluetooth-enabled gadgets to communicate and transfer data with their in-car systems. Sync is powered by Microsoft software.
Send to Sync will be available for existing 2010 and 2011 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles outfitted with Sync. No extra hardware, software updates, or additional fees will be required, according to the company. Ford said it is the only automaker to offer this feature without the need for a paid subscription.
Ford owners with Sync-equipped vehicles will be able tap into Google Maps to download directions to their cars before month's end.
The free Send to Sync feature, announced Tuesday by Ford, will let drivers send Google Maps data from their Bluetooth-enabled computers or mobile phones to their in-car Sync systems. The electronic directions are downloaded directly into Sync and converted into audible turn-by-turn steps. The route is then calculated on the spot using the latest traffic information.
Ford is touting the service as a way for drivers to keep their eyes on the road by eliminating the need to juggle maps and printouts.
"Printing paper directions from a Web site is a relic in our digital age," Doug VanDagens, director of Ford Connected Services Solutions Organization, said in a statement. "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."
Launched in 2007, Ford Sync provides car owners with a variety of voice-activated, cloud-based services, including directions, traffic reports, news, weather, movie listings, and search capabilities. Drivers can also connect cell phones, MP3 players, and other Bluetooth-enabled gadgets to communicate and transfer data with their in-car systems. Sync is powered by Microsoft software.
Send to Sync will be available for existing 2010 and 2011 Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles outfitted with Sync. No extra hardware, software updates, or additional fees will be required, according to the company. Ford said it is the only automaker to offer this feature without the need for a paid subscription.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Ford Motor Company Recognized as One of the World's Most Ethical Companies by Ethisphere
DEARBORN, Mich., March 22 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Ford Motor Company F has been recognized as one of the world's most ethical companies by the Ethisphere Institute, a leading business ethics think tank.
Ford is among 100 global companies chosen for the designation from a field of thousands of companies in more than 100 countries and 36 industries. Ford is the only automaker to receive the honor in 2010. The results are based on an extensive review of companies' social responsibility efforts, corporate governance and business practices.
"Ford Motor Company is honored and pleased to receive this recognition," said Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford. "At Ford, we're not only committed to making great products and building a strong business, we believe in contributing to a better world and doing business in an ethical way."
This is the fourth year Ethisphere has published its list of the world's most ethical companies. The firm is dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability.
"Ford's promotion of a sound ethical environment shines within its industry and shows a clear understanding that operating under the highest standards for business behavior goes beyond goodwill and lip service and is intimately linked to performance and profitability," said Alex Brigham, executive director of the Ethisphere Institute. "This year's award was more competitive than ever, because companies realize that making ethics a priority is critical in a tough and unprecedented economic environment."
The criteria researchers and analysts followed included:
* A review of each company's codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories
* An evaluation of investment in innovation and sustainable business practices
* A look into activities designed to improve corporate citizenship
* Input through nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers.
Information was provided to the Institute through formal questionnaires and through additional independent research.
"This honor underscores the efforts by the men and women at Ford Motor Company who diligently and consistently work every day to do the right thing on behalf of all of our stakeholders," Bill Ford said.
The complete list of the 2010 World's Most Ethical Companies can be found at http://ethisphere.com/wme-2010.
Ford is among 100 global companies chosen for the designation from a field of thousands of companies in more than 100 countries and 36 industries. Ford is the only automaker to receive the honor in 2010. The results are based on an extensive review of companies' social responsibility efforts, corporate governance and business practices.
"Ford Motor Company is honored and pleased to receive this recognition," said Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford. "At Ford, we're not only committed to making great products and building a strong business, we believe in contributing to a better world and doing business in an ethical way."
This is the fourth year Ethisphere has published its list of the world's most ethical companies. The firm is dedicated to the creation, advancement and sharing of best practices in business ethics, social responsibility, anti-corruption and sustainability.
"Ford's promotion of a sound ethical environment shines within its industry and shows a clear understanding that operating under the highest standards for business behavior goes beyond goodwill and lip service and is intimately linked to performance and profitability," said Alex Brigham, executive director of the Ethisphere Institute. "This year's award was more competitive than ever, because companies realize that making ethics a priority is critical in a tough and unprecedented economic environment."
The criteria researchers and analysts followed included:
* A review of each company's codes of ethics, litigation and regulatory infraction histories
* An evaluation of investment in innovation and sustainable business practices
* A look into activities designed to improve corporate citizenship
* Input through nominations from senior executives, industry peers, suppliers and customers.
Information was provided to the Institute through formal questionnaires and through additional independent research.
"This honor underscores the efforts by the men and women at Ford Motor Company who diligently and consistently work every day to do the right thing on behalf of all of our stakeholders," Bill Ford said.
The complete list of the 2010 World's Most Ethical Companies can be found at http://ethisphere.com/wme-2010.
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Ford Mustang V-6 rated tops for mpg, horsepower
Ford's lucky number is 3. As in 30. And as in 300.
Today, Ford is announcing that its 2011 Ford Mustang has become the first car to produce both 300 horsepower and achieve more than 30 miles a gallon.
The Mustang's official EPA ratings for the new 305-hp 3.7-liter V-6 and available six-speed automatic transmission put it at 31 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg in the city. Subtract 1 mpg on the highway for the standard six-speed manual transmission.
"Advanced powertrains like our Ti-VCT V-6 and six-speed automatic really speak to the future of Mustang," says Barb Samardzich, Ford vice president of Global Powertrain Engineering. "We've proven that, using technology, Ford can deliver both power and fuel economy."
The lightweight, all-aluminum 3.7-liter dual-overhead-cam V-6 engine has twin independent variable camshaft timing to adjust valves in microseconds as the driver changes throttle speed to get greater efficiency. Also contributing to higher fuel economy:
* Electric power steering eliminates the drag of an engine-operated hydraulic power steering pump
* Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions allow lower cruising revs without sacrificing off-the-line performance.
* Better aerodynamics include improvements like a new front fascia, tire spats on the rear wheels, modified underbody shields, a taller air dam and an added rear deck lid seal
The new 2011 Mustang already has more than 11,000 orders. Half of all the nationwide orders are for the car's fuel-efficient 3.7-liter V-6 engine. The 2011 Mustangs are also being equipped with record levels of technology, giving customers the option of choosing navigation, high-intensity-discharge headlamps and rearview cameras.
Today, Ford is announcing that its 2011 Ford Mustang has become the first car to produce both 300 horsepower and achieve more than 30 miles a gallon.
The Mustang's official EPA ratings for the new 305-hp 3.7-liter V-6 and available six-speed automatic transmission put it at 31 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg in the city. Subtract 1 mpg on the highway for the standard six-speed manual transmission.
"Advanced powertrains like our Ti-VCT V-6 and six-speed automatic really speak to the future of Mustang," says Barb Samardzich, Ford vice president of Global Powertrain Engineering. "We've proven that, using technology, Ford can deliver both power and fuel economy."
The lightweight, all-aluminum 3.7-liter dual-overhead-cam V-6 engine has twin independent variable camshaft timing to adjust valves in microseconds as the driver changes throttle speed to get greater efficiency. Also contributing to higher fuel economy:
* Electric power steering eliminates the drag of an engine-operated hydraulic power steering pump
* Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions allow lower cruising revs without sacrificing off-the-line performance.
* Better aerodynamics include improvements like a new front fascia, tire spats on the rear wheels, modified underbody shields, a taller air dam and an added rear deck lid seal
The new 2011 Mustang already has more than 11,000 orders. Half of all the nationwide orders are for the car's fuel-efficient 3.7-liter V-6 engine. The 2011 Mustangs are also being equipped with record levels of technology, giving customers the option of choosing navigation, high-intensity-discharge headlamps and rearview cameras.
Ford rolls out all-electric van
Ford Motor Co.'s first all-electric vehicle made its Los Angeles debut this week at the Petersen Automotive Museum, a fitting locale for a manufacturer to take a successful product from its present lineup and push it into the future.
The electric version of a light-duty cargo van that has been available globally since 2003 and has sold more than 600,000 units, the Transit Connect Electric is the first of four electrified vehicles the Detroit manufacturer plans to bring to market by 2012. The Ford Focus Electric passenger car is due out next year; plug-in and next-generation hybrids should be available in two years.
The electric version of a light-duty cargo van that has been available globally since 2003 and has sold more than 600,000 units, the Transit Connect Electric is the first of four electrified vehicles the Detroit manufacturer plans to bring to market by 2012. The Ford Focus Electric passenger car is due out next year; plug-in and next-generation hybrids should be available in two years.
2011 Ford F-Series Power Stroke Diesel is cleanest ever
Dearborn, Mich., March 15, 2010—The Ford F-Series Super Duty, equipped with the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine, averages an 18 percent improvement for pickup models and up to 25 percent improvement for chassis cabs versus 2010 models. Trucks equipped with new base 6.2-liter V-8 gas engine average a 15 percent improvement versus 2010 models.
The new diesel engine is B20 biodiesel compatible and the new gas engine is E85 compatible, providing customers a wide range of fueling options.
Best-in-class fuel economy and class-leading capability—towing of 26,400 pounds and a 6,520-pound payload—is due largely to the all-new 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission, providing more than half the overall improved fuel economy.
The new diesel engine is B20 biodiesel compatible and the new gas engine is E85 compatible, providing customers a wide range of fueling options.
Best-in-class fuel economy and class-leading capability—towing of 26,400 pounds and a 6,520-pound payload—is due largely to the all-new 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed automatic transmission, providing more than half the overall improved fuel economy.
Monday, March 15, 2010
Ford introduces patrol car to replace Crown Victoria
Ford's new police car can endure a rear-end crash at 75 m.p.h., easily jump curbs and accelerate twice as fast as Ford's outgoing iconic Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.
"We hope that you will agree that Ford has succeeded in delivering the ultimate new police interceptor," Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, said as he introduced the new car to a group of law enforcement officials in Las Vegas on Friday.
The new car even comes with "stab plates" to protect the driver and front-seat passenger. Police departments can order optional ballistic door panels.
"So you can see this is not a civilian product by any means," Fields said.
The new Interceptor will be built on the same structure as the Ford Taurus sedan at the company's Chicago assembly plant after production of the Crown Victoria ends in late 2011 at Ford's St. Thomas, Ontario, plant, which is to close.
Ford also said it is developing a new SUV-based police vehicle. Ford said it will provide additional details about that vehicle by the end of September.
Ken Czubay, Ford's vice president of U.S. sales and marketing, said Ford expects to maintain its market share in the police vehicle business even though competition is increasing.
Introduced in 1983, the Crown Victoria has long dominated police car sales and accounts for about 75% of the police car market with annual sales of 40,000 to 50,000.
"We are very optimistic that with this vehicle ... we could even gain on that" level of market share, Czubay said.
General Motors, Chrysler and Connersville, Ind.-based Carbon Motors plan to increase their market share or launch new police cars.
Chrysler has set a goal of expanding its police car market share from 17% to 40% in the next 12 to 18 months with its rear-wheel drive Dodge Charger patrol car.
And, in October, GM announced plans to introduce the Chevrolet Caprice police car in 2011. GM said the new Caprice will offer V8 or V6 engines.
Ford also is offering two engine options: A 3.5-liter V6 engine with 263 horsepower and a 3.5-liter direct-injection turbocharged EcoBoost engine with 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque.
Ford's Crown Victoria Police Interceptor has been popular with police departments because of its rigid, full-frame construction and rear-wheel drive transmission, all for a relatively low price, said Jim Hall, managing director of 2953 Analytics in Birmingham.
"The bottom line is they have a police car that defines the American police car," Hall said. "Police departments love it for a million reasons, including its durability."
Ford executives said the new vehicle is more durable and performs better than the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.
"We routinely run over 8-inch curbs at 40 m.p.h. to validate suspension strength," said Scott Tobin, Ford's vehicle line director for product development.
Fields also said the new vehicle is the only police car on the market that can withstand a rear-end collision at 75 m.p.h. The seats have areas cut out to accommodate utility belts, and the interior has space for standard police equipment.
"We hope that you will agree that Ford has succeeded in delivering the ultimate new police interceptor," Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, said as he introduced the new car to a group of law enforcement officials in Las Vegas on Friday.
The new car even comes with "stab plates" to protect the driver and front-seat passenger. Police departments can order optional ballistic door panels.
"So you can see this is not a civilian product by any means," Fields said.
The new Interceptor will be built on the same structure as the Ford Taurus sedan at the company's Chicago assembly plant after production of the Crown Victoria ends in late 2011 at Ford's St. Thomas, Ontario, plant, which is to close.
Ford also said it is developing a new SUV-based police vehicle. Ford said it will provide additional details about that vehicle by the end of September.
Ken Czubay, Ford's vice president of U.S. sales and marketing, said Ford expects to maintain its market share in the police vehicle business even though competition is increasing.
Introduced in 1983, the Crown Victoria has long dominated police car sales and accounts for about 75% of the police car market with annual sales of 40,000 to 50,000.
"We are very optimistic that with this vehicle ... we could even gain on that" level of market share, Czubay said.
General Motors, Chrysler and Connersville, Ind.-based Carbon Motors plan to increase their market share or launch new police cars.
Chrysler has set a goal of expanding its police car market share from 17% to 40% in the next 12 to 18 months with its rear-wheel drive Dodge Charger patrol car.
And, in October, GM announced plans to introduce the Chevrolet Caprice police car in 2011. GM said the new Caprice will offer V8 or V6 engines.
Ford also is offering two engine options: A 3.5-liter V6 engine with 263 horsepower and a 3.5-liter direct-injection turbocharged EcoBoost engine with 365 horsepower and 350 pound-feet of torque.
Ford's Crown Victoria Police Interceptor has been popular with police departments because of its rigid, full-frame construction and rear-wheel drive transmission, all for a relatively low price, said Jim Hall, managing director of 2953 Analytics in Birmingham.
"The bottom line is they have a police car that defines the American police car," Hall said. "Police departments love it for a million reasons, including its durability."
Ford executives said the new vehicle is more durable and performs better than the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.
"We routinely run over 8-inch curbs at 40 m.p.h. to validate suspension strength," said Scott Tobin, Ford's vehicle line director for product development.
Fields also said the new vehicle is the only police car on the market that can withstand a rear-end collision at 75 m.p.h. The seats have areas cut out to accommodate utility belts, and the interior has space for standard police equipment.
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
2011 Ford Super Duty: Pickup has more pickup and more mpg
Ford will tout its redesigned 2011 Super Duty pickup as the “most capable, fuel-efficient” heavy-duty truck on the market in a national advertising campaign that launches in April.
The Super Duty, which goes on sale that same month, offers Ford's all-new, 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbocharged diesel engine. It will have 735 lb-ft of torque, 390 hp and “class-leading” fuel economy, Ford said. That's 85 lb-ft and 40 hp more than the 2010 pickup.
Ford also will offer a 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engine with 385 hp and 405 lb-ft--85 hp and 40 lb-ft more than the current 5.4-liter V8 gas engine.
The base price on the 2011 Super Duty will be $28,995, including shipping, said Brian Rathsburg, Super Duty marketing manager. That's a $600 increase over a similarly equipped 2010 Super Duty, he said.
The increase includes improved capability and fuel economy, a new automatic transmission, new seats and new safety equipment. The diesel engine sells for an additional $7,835, Rathsburg said.
Capability and fuel efficiency
Ford says its data show that nearly 97 percent of Super Duty buyers tow. The 2011 version can tow up to 24,400 pounds and has a payload capacity of 6,520 pounds.
“Torque is essentially the force generated by the engine to do work, so the higher the torque level, the more that work can be accomplished in terms of towing capacity,” Adam Gryglak, chief diesel engineering manager, said in a statement. “The new Power Stroke diesel enables class-leading towing capability at faster speeds, all with best-in-class fuel economy.”
Ford is not releasing fuel economy estimates for either engine, other than to say the 2011 Super Duty will average of 18 percent better fuel economy on the pickups and up to 25 percent better on the chassis cabs compared with the outgoing model.
The EPA does not require fuel economy estimates to be given on the window sticker because heavy-duty pickups are in a different weight class and do not have to conform to passenger-car standards.
Diesel durability
Ford engineers put the equivalent of more than 10.3 million test miles on the new diesel, including extreme road and weather conditions.
General Motors revealed its heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado at the Chicago auto show this month. It's not releasing horsepower or torque numbers yet but says the re-engineered 2011 pickup will have fifth-wheel towing capability of 20,000 pounds, conventional towing (ball hitch) capability of 16,000 pounds and a payload capacity of 6,335 pounds.
Chevrolet did say its Duramax turbocharged, 6.6-liter diesel V8 has been re-engineered for the 2011 model year. The Chevy diesel will provide more power and torque and about an 11 percent increase in fuel economy over the previous generation.
The heavy-duty Silverado starts production this summer. GM has not released a price for it.
The Super Duty, which goes on sale that same month, offers Ford's all-new, 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbocharged diesel engine. It will have 735 lb-ft of torque, 390 hp and “class-leading” fuel economy, Ford said. That's 85 lb-ft and 40 hp more than the 2010 pickup.
Ford also will offer a 6.2-liter V8 gasoline engine with 385 hp and 405 lb-ft--85 hp and 40 lb-ft more than the current 5.4-liter V8 gas engine.
The base price on the 2011 Super Duty will be $28,995, including shipping, said Brian Rathsburg, Super Duty marketing manager. That's a $600 increase over a similarly equipped 2010 Super Duty, he said.
The increase includes improved capability and fuel economy, a new automatic transmission, new seats and new safety equipment. The diesel engine sells for an additional $7,835, Rathsburg said.
Capability and fuel efficiency
Ford says its data show that nearly 97 percent of Super Duty buyers tow. The 2011 version can tow up to 24,400 pounds and has a payload capacity of 6,520 pounds.
“Torque is essentially the force generated by the engine to do work, so the higher the torque level, the more that work can be accomplished in terms of towing capacity,” Adam Gryglak, chief diesel engineering manager, said in a statement. “The new Power Stroke diesel enables class-leading towing capability at faster speeds, all with best-in-class fuel economy.”
Ford is not releasing fuel economy estimates for either engine, other than to say the 2011 Super Duty will average of 18 percent better fuel economy on the pickups and up to 25 percent better on the chassis cabs compared with the outgoing model.
The EPA does not require fuel economy estimates to be given on the window sticker because heavy-duty pickups are in a different weight class and do not have to conform to passenger-car standards.
Diesel durability
Ford engineers put the equivalent of more than 10.3 million test miles on the new diesel, including extreme road and weather conditions.
General Motors revealed its heavy-duty Chevrolet Silverado at the Chicago auto show this month. It's not releasing horsepower or torque numbers yet but says the re-engineered 2011 pickup will have fifth-wheel towing capability of 20,000 pounds, conventional towing (ball hitch) capability of 16,000 pounds and a payload capacity of 6,335 pounds.
Chevrolet did say its Duramax turbocharged, 6.6-liter diesel V8 has been re-engineered for the 2011 model year. The Chevy diesel will provide more power and torque and about an 11 percent increase in fuel economy over the previous generation.
The heavy-duty Silverado starts production this summer. GM has not released a price for it.
Ford says 25% of Its Vehicles Could Be EVs or Hybrids by 2020
In just 10 years, as much as a quarter of the vehicles that Ford produces could be all-electric or hybrid vehicles, according to the automaker.
As U.S. laws for the average fleet fuel economy take hold, Ford plans to respond by introducing new electric and hybrid models that will constitute at least 10% of the cars it sells and hopefully as much as 25% by 2020, Nancy Gioia, Ford’s director of global electrification, told BusinessWeek.
Hybrid models such as the award-winning Fusion Hybrid and Escape Hybrid will continue to dominate the mix, but Ford also showed off the all-electric Transit Connect and plans to build an electric Focus.
Oddly enough, the biggest competitor to Ford’s hybrid and electric vehicles will simply be improvements to traditional internal-combustion engines, Gioia said. Ford’s direct-injection engines have shown fuel economy improvements of up to 20%.
Gioia also cited the most familiar obstacles to widespread vehicle electrification: plug-in infrastructure, range anxiety and battery cost.
Ford Says Electric, Hybrid Models May Be 25% of Lineup by 2020
As U.S. laws for the average fleet fuel economy take hold, Ford plans to respond by introducing new electric and hybrid models that will constitute at least 10% of the cars it sells and hopefully as much as 25% by 2020, Nancy Gioia, Ford’s director of global electrification, told BusinessWeek.
Hybrid models such as the award-winning Fusion Hybrid and Escape Hybrid will continue to dominate the mix, but Ford also showed off the all-electric Transit Connect and plans to build an electric Focus.
Oddly enough, the biggest competitor to Ford’s hybrid and electric vehicles will simply be improvements to traditional internal-combustion engines, Gioia said. Ford’s direct-injection engines have shown fuel economy improvements of up to 20%.
Gioia also cited the most familiar obstacles to widespread vehicle electrification: plug-in infrastructure, range anxiety and battery cost.
Ford Says Electric, Hybrid Models May Be 25% of Lineup by 2020
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Analysts see the cost of gas rising
It may not make much sense, given that the economy remains weak, but the cost of filling up your car is about to go higher.
Seasonal influences are strong this time of year and account for much of the expected increase that many analysts say will push gasoline to a nationwide average of at least $3 per gallon this spring.
Wholesale prices for the April gasoline contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange are about 10 to 12 cents higher than the March contract that expired Friday. Much of the rise comes from refiners switching to more expensive summer blends of gasoline designed to meet tougher pollution standards in effect between April and September. The higher prices should make their way to the pump over the next few weeks.
At $3 per gallon, a typical motorist using 50 gallons of gasoline would pay about $150 per month for fuel. That is about $15 a month more than current prices. A family with one car is spending about 4 percent of its income on fuel currently, according to Oil Price Information Service.
The higher prices come at a time when most Americans' incomes are stagnant. Incomes edged up 0.1 percent in January, below analysts' estimates, according to the Commerce Department.
Gasoline prices were flat overnight, rising 0.1 cents Monday to a national average of $2.705 per gallon, according to auto club AAA, Wright Express and OPIS.
Prices have moved higher the past two weeks, approaching the 2010 high of $2.7583 per gallon set on Jan. 14. In the past week prices climbed 5.7 cents and are now 78.4 cents higher than year ago levels.
The Energy Information Administration will release figures on nationwide retail gasoline prices later Monday.
Prices have been going up even though the economy remains weak and demand for fuel is tepid.
The total number of miles driven in the U.S. last year was about flat with 2008 and below 2004 levels for the second year in a row, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
Crude oil prices are more than twice what they were a year ago when the U.S. was mired in the Great Recession. Investors look for global demand to pick up as the economy improves, especially in China and other developing countries.
Oil prices got to $80.62 a barrel Monday on the NYMEX before falling back to settle at $78.70, down 96 cents. The $80 level has been tough for oil to crack. It has reached the mark time and again over the past several months only to fall back again.
A stronger dollar also was a drag on oil Monday. Oil is traded in dollars on global markets and becomes more expensive for international investors who hold other currencies.
Seasonal influences are strong this time of year and account for much of the expected increase that many analysts say will push gasoline to a nationwide average of at least $3 per gallon this spring.
Wholesale prices for the April gasoline contract on the New York Mercantile Exchange are about 10 to 12 cents higher than the March contract that expired Friday. Much of the rise comes from refiners switching to more expensive summer blends of gasoline designed to meet tougher pollution standards in effect between April and September. The higher prices should make their way to the pump over the next few weeks.
At $3 per gallon, a typical motorist using 50 gallons of gasoline would pay about $150 per month for fuel. That is about $15 a month more than current prices. A family with one car is spending about 4 percent of its income on fuel currently, according to Oil Price Information Service.
The higher prices come at a time when most Americans' incomes are stagnant. Incomes edged up 0.1 percent in January, below analysts' estimates, according to the Commerce Department.
Gasoline prices were flat overnight, rising 0.1 cents Monday to a national average of $2.705 per gallon, according to auto club AAA, Wright Express and OPIS.
Prices have moved higher the past two weeks, approaching the 2010 high of $2.7583 per gallon set on Jan. 14. In the past week prices climbed 5.7 cents and are now 78.4 cents higher than year ago levels.
The Energy Information Administration will release figures on nationwide retail gasoline prices later Monday.
Prices have been going up even though the economy remains weak and demand for fuel is tepid.
The total number of miles driven in the U.S. last year was about flat with 2008 and below 2004 levels for the second year in a row, according to the Federal Highway Administration.
Crude oil prices are more than twice what they were a year ago when the U.S. was mired in the Great Recession. Investors look for global demand to pick up as the economy improves, especially in China and other developing countries.
Oil prices got to $80.62 a barrel Monday on the NYMEX before falling back to settle at $78.70, down 96 cents. The $80 level has been tough for oil to crack. It has reached the mark time and again over the past several months only to fall back again.
A stronger dollar also was a drag on oil Monday. Oil is traded in dollars on global markets and becomes more expensive for international investors who hold other currencies.
GM recalling 1.3M vehicles over steering problems
DETROIT (Reuters) -- General Motors Co. is recalling 1.3 million compact cars in North America to address a power steering problem that has been linked to 14 crashes and one injury, the company said on Tuesday.
U.S. safety regulators opened an investigation on Jan. 27 into approximately 905,000 Cobalt models in the United States after receiving more than 1,100 complaints of power steering failures. The complaints included 14 crashes and one injury.
The recall covers the 2005-2010 model year Chevrolet Cobalt and 2007-2010 Pontiac G5 in the United States; 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit sold in Canada, and the 2005-2006 Pontiac G4 sold in Mexico, GM said in a statement.
GM said it told the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the voluntary recall on Monday after concluding its own investigation that began in 2009.
GM said the affected vehicles can be still be "safely controlled" but it may require greater steering effort under 15 mph. Drivers will see a warning light and hear a chime if the power steering fails.
"After our in-depth investigation, we found that this is a condition that takes time to develop. It tends to occur in older models out of warranty," GM Vice President of Quality Jamie Hresko said in the statement.
"Recalling these vehicles is the right thing to do for our customers' peace of mind," he said.
GM said it is currently developing a remedy to fix the problem and will notify customers when the plan is finalized.
The recall comes at a time of heighted public and regulatory scrutiny over vehicle safety issues in the wake of massive recalls by Toyota Motor Corp.
Toyota global quality control chief Shinichi Sasaki and North American President Yoshimi Inaba are scheduled to appear before a Senate committee on Tuesday for a third hearing on its handling of consumer complaints about sudden acceleration.
U.S. safety regulators opened an investigation on Jan. 27 into approximately 905,000 Cobalt models in the United States after receiving more than 1,100 complaints of power steering failures. The complaints included 14 crashes and one injury.
The recall covers the 2005-2010 model year Chevrolet Cobalt and 2007-2010 Pontiac G5 in the United States; 2005-2006 Pontiac Pursuit sold in Canada, and the 2005-2006 Pontiac G4 sold in Mexico, GM said in a statement.
GM said it told the U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration about the voluntary recall on Monday after concluding its own investigation that began in 2009.
GM said the affected vehicles can be still be "safely controlled" but it may require greater steering effort under 15 mph. Drivers will see a warning light and hear a chime if the power steering fails.
"After our in-depth investigation, we found that this is a condition that takes time to develop. It tends to occur in older models out of warranty," GM Vice President of Quality Jamie Hresko said in the statement.
"Recalling these vehicles is the right thing to do for our customers' peace of mind," he said.
GM said it is currently developing a remedy to fix the problem and will notify customers when the plan is finalized.
The recall comes at a time of heighted public and regulatory scrutiny over vehicle safety issues in the wake of massive recalls by Toyota Motor Corp.
Toyota global quality control chief Shinichi Sasaki and North American President Yoshimi Inaba are scheduled to appear before a Senate committee on Tuesday for a third hearing on its handling of consumer complaints about sudden acceleration.
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Ford to launch new Mercury small car in 2011
ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - Ford Motor Co (F.N) will launch a new small car for its Mercury brand in early 2011, based on the automaker's new global compact car platform, Ford President of the Americas Mark Fields said on Sunday.
The new Mercury is one of the 10 vehicles Ford is planning for its global small car architecture, that also underpins the upcoming 2012 Ford Focus, and would expand the lineup of the mid-level premium brand long devoid of new products.
The launch also underscores the No. 2 U.S. automaker's support for the brand despite uncertainty in some analysts' views over whether Ford will keep the brand in the long term.
Fields unveiled the plan during a meeting with U.S. dealers at the annual National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Orlando, Florida.
"The trend toward more fuel-efficient vehicles is very important, the trend toward (small) cars in general is coming back. We are responding to that," Fields told reporters after the meeting with dealers.
U.S. sales for the Mercury brand fell 23 percent to 92,299 vehicles in 2009, while the overall market was down 21 percent. The company's flagship Ford brand sold 1.44 million units in the U.S. market in 2009, down 14 percent from a year earlier.
A Ford dealer who attended the meeting said the new Milan was likely to be showcased at the New York Auto Show in March.
FIESTA ORDERS
Ford U.S. sales chief Ken Czubay said dealers can start to order the new Fiesta small car on Monday, months ahead of its launch this summer.
The Fiesta, which could get 40 miles per gallon on the highway and 30 mpg in city driving, brings Ford back to a subcompact segment it abandoned and represents the automaker's big bet that it can drive back to profitability with a new lineup of cars.
More than 6,000 consumers have made reservations for the Fiesta through Ford's online order system, Czubay said.
"It seems to be a home run. And it gave us invaluable feedback from consumers," he said.
Ford also plans to launch a redesigned Focus small car later in 2010.
The only large U.S. automaker not to reorganize under a government-funded bankruptcy in 2009, Ford has forecast a profitable 2010 after posting its first full-year profit since 2005 last year.
The new Mercury is one of the 10 vehicles Ford is planning for its global small car architecture, that also underpins the upcoming 2012 Ford Focus, and would expand the lineup of the mid-level premium brand long devoid of new products.
The launch also underscores the No. 2 U.S. automaker's support for the brand despite uncertainty in some analysts' views over whether Ford will keep the brand in the long term.
Fields unveiled the plan during a meeting with U.S. dealers at the annual National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Orlando, Florida.
"The trend toward more fuel-efficient vehicles is very important, the trend toward (small) cars in general is coming back. We are responding to that," Fields told reporters after the meeting with dealers.
U.S. sales for the Mercury brand fell 23 percent to 92,299 vehicles in 2009, while the overall market was down 21 percent. The company's flagship Ford brand sold 1.44 million units in the U.S. market in 2009, down 14 percent from a year earlier.
A Ford dealer who attended the meeting said the new Milan was likely to be showcased at the New York Auto Show in March.
FIESTA ORDERS
Ford U.S. sales chief Ken Czubay said dealers can start to order the new Fiesta small car on Monday, months ahead of its launch this summer.
The Fiesta, which could get 40 miles per gallon on the highway and 30 mpg in city driving, brings Ford back to a subcompact segment it abandoned and represents the automaker's big bet that it can drive back to profitability with a new lineup of cars.
More than 6,000 consumers have made reservations for the Fiesta through Ford's online order system, Czubay said.
"It seems to be a home run. And it gave us invaluable feedback from consumers," he said.
Ford also plans to launch a redesigned Focus small car later in 2010.
The only large U.S. automaker not to reorganize under a government-funded bankruptcy in 2009, Ford has forecast a profitable 2010 after posting its first full-year profit since 2005 last year.
Monday, February 15, 2010
Ford Edge to get smallest EcoBoost turbo engine yet
The new Ford Edge, one of the cars Ford credits for helping it grab non-traditional Ford buyers, comes with a brand new engine for the U.S. market. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine, with direct fuel injection and a single turbocharger, will give the Ford Edge with EcoBoost the ability to deliver the same performance as a current V-6 while delivering best-in-class fuel economy.
While the Edge will come with three engine options, Ford expects more and more drivers will opt for the EcoBoost. By 2013, 90% of Ford's vehicles in North America will be available with EcoBoost, with I-4 engines making up 66% of the EcoBoost lineup.
Currently, Ford's EcoBoost engine is in the Ford Taurus SHO, Lincoln MKT and MKS and the Ford Flex -- all of which are V-6 engines. And it's an engine Test Drive loved:
The Edge EcoBoost is a turbocharged four-cylinder, a completely new application of the technology.
Ford will likely keep reinventing the EcoBoost engine, since it's helping the automaker bring in younger, more affluent customers, says Amy Marentic, Ford group marketing manager. And, she notes, those buyers often trade in a competitor's car to buy a Ford with EcoBoost.
The automaker didn't give a fuel-economy estimate for the new engine, but critics had been disappointed with the Edge's initial fuel economy: It got a combined 19 mpg in city and highway driving, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
While the Edge will come with three engine options, Ford expects more and more drivers will opt for the EcoBoost. By 2013, 90% of Ford's vehicles in North America will be available with EcoBoost, with I-4 engines making up 66% of the EcoBoost lineup.
Currently, Ford's EcoBoost engine is in the Ford Taurus SHO, Lincoln MKT and MKS and the Ford Flex -- all of which are V-6 engines. And it's an engine Test Drive loved:
The Edge EcoBoost is a turbocharged four-cylinder, a completely new application of the technology.
Ford will likely keep reinventing the EcoBoost engine, since it's helping the automaker bring in younger, more affluent customers, says Amy Marentic, Ford group marketing manager. And, she notes, those buyers often trade in a competitor's car to buy a Ford with EcoBoost.
The automaker didn't give a fuel-economy estimate for the new engine, but critics had been disappointed with the Edge's initial fuel economy: It got a combined 19 mpg in city and highway driving, according to the U.S. Department of Energy.
2011 Ford Explorer to get 4-cylinder EcoBoost
Earlier today, FoMoCo unveiled the 2011 Ford Edge, the first Ford model in North America to get the company’s new 2.0L EcoBoost I-4 powertrain. During the unveiling at the 2010 Chicago Auto Show, Ford said that the upcoming 2011 Ford Explorer will also get the 4-banger EcoBoost when it goes on sale later this year.
FoMoCo will add 1,200 jobs to its Chicago plant for the production of the next-generation Ford Explorer.
The Dearborn automaker announced last month that the next-generation unibody Ford Explorer will deliver at least a 25 percent increase in fuel-economy and that EcoBoost engine technology, a 6-speed transmission and lightweight materials will all be part of the game.
FoMoCo will add 1,200 jobs to its Chicago plant for the production of the next-generation Ford Explorer.
The Dearborn automaker announced last month that the next-generation unibody Ford Explorer will deliver at least a 25 percent increase in fuel-economy and that EcoBoost engine technology, a 6-speed transmission and lightweight materials will all be part of the game.
Wednesday, February 10, 2010
Revised Edge crossover features two Ford firsts
Ford Motor Co. is slated to unveil a new version of the Ford Edge at the Chicago Auto Show today, the first freshening of the company's best-selling midsized crossover.
But this update features more than just a different face. As The Detroit News first reported last week, the Edge also will be the first American vehicle to get Ford's new 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, along with an all-new interior that will be the first to incorporate the new MyFord Touch control system.
"Customers told us how much they like Edge's design and dynamic driving quality," said Ford Americas President Mark Fields. "We listened and made sure the new 2011 Edge delivers that and more -- including fuel economy leadership, unexpected levels of quietness, a strong new design with quality materials, and MyFord Touch driver connect technology that will change how people experience their vehicles."
Ford also will offer a sport version of the Edge powered by a beefier 3.7-liter V-6 that delivers 305 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque.
The base engine will remain a 3.5-liter V-6, but it now gets twin independent variable camshaft timing, or Ti-VCT, and now produces 285 horsepower.
"It's the same approach they took with the Fusion," said analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics LLP in Birmingham, adding that Ford is doing more extensive freshenings of its products than most of its rivals.
But he wondered whether the new EcoBoost would be up to the task. Ford has not released horsepower data yet, but says it will provide about the same power as the current V-6 with a 15 percent savings in gasoline.
"The problem with the Edge is that it's porky," Hall said. "But in light of the new CAFE standards, it's probably a good idea."
But this update features more than just a different face. As The Detroit News first reported last week, the Edge also will be the first American vehicle to get Ford's new 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, along with an all-new interior that will be the first to incorporate the new MyFord Touch control system.
"Customers told us how much they like Edge's design and dynamic driving quality," said Ford Americas President Mark Fields. "We listened and made sure the new 2011 Edge delivers that and more -- including fuel economy leadership, unexpected levels of quietness, a strong new design with quality materials, and MyFord Touch driver connect technology that will change how people experience their vehicles."
Ford also will offer a sport version of the Edge powered by a beefier 3.7-liter V-6 that delivers 305 horsepower and 280 foot-pounds of torque.
The base engine will remain a 3.5-liter V-6, but it now gets twin independent variable camshaft timing, or Ti-VCT, and now produces 285 horsepower.
"It's the same approach they took with the Fusion," said analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics LLP in Birmingham, adding that Ford is doing more extensive freshenings of its products than most of its rivals.
But he wondered whether the new EcoBoost would be up to the task. Ford has not released horsepower data yet, but says it will provide about the same power as the current V-6 with a 15 percent savings in gasoline.
"The problem with the Edge is that it's porky," Hall said. "But in light of the new CAFE standards, it's probably a good idea."
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Feds look at Toyota electronics as source of acceleration defects
WASHINGTON -- The U.S. Department of Transportation is looking into whether Toyota Motor Corp.'s problems with unintended acceleration can be traced to defects in the electronic controls rather than just the mechanical problems cited by the automaker, a Transportation official said today.
“We're not finished with Toyota and are continuing to review possible defects and monitor the implementation of the recalls,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said today in a statement.
When asked whether the federal review includes possible electronic problems with Toyota vehicles, a Transportation official who asked not to be identified responded in an e-mail, “Yes.”
Toyota spokesman John Hanson said he knows little about the expanded federal investigation.
"After many years of extensive testing, we've found no evidence of an electronic problem that could have contributed to unwanted acceleration," Hanson said in an interview. "We've investigated many times and found no evidence to point to."
Since announcing its recalls and a production halt last week, Toyota has maintained that problems with unintended acceleration were limited to floor mat interference and sticky accelerator pedals.
Accusations denied
Shinichi Sasaki, Toyota's vice president in charge of quality, today denied accusations that electronic malfunctions were contributing to the reports of unintended acceleration.
“We have not come across any case in which we have found a malfunction,” Sasaki said in an interview in Japan. “But if any additional reports arise, we will conduct testing using all technology at our disposal.”
Also, in a full-page advertisement that ran in many U.S. newspapers today, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. President Jim Lentz said: “We have launched a comprehensive plan to permanently fix the vehicles we've recalled because in rare instances, accelerator pedals can, over time, become slow to release or get stuck. We know what's causing this and what we have to do to fix it.”
But Safety Research & Strategies, a consulting firm, said in a posting on its Web site: “Neither floor mats nor sticking accelerator pedals explain many, many incidents” of unintended acceleration.
Electronics have 'significant role'
“By all appearances, electronics are playing a significant role in the problems," Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies, said in an interview. The Transportation Department investigation “has needed to happen for some time,'' Kane said.
The investigation should cover 2002-06 Camry cars and 2005-07 Tacoma pickups, both of which have been the subject of numerous consumer complaints suggesting possible electronic defects, he said.
In one case that has raised questions about electronic flaws, Bulent Ezal's 2005 Camry surged over the curb of a restaurant parking lot, lurched 23 feet and careened 70 feet down a cliff into the surf of the Pacific Ocean, killing Ezal's wife, said his attorney, Donald Slavik of Milwaukee.
“His foot was on the brake, floor mats were in position and hooked on, and he was about to shift into park,'' Slavik said. “I'm highly confident it was electronic in nature."
“We're not finished with Toyota and are continuing to review possible defects and monitor the implementation of the recalls,” Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said today in a statement.
When asked whether the federal review includes possible electronic problems with Toyota vehicles, a Transportation official who asked not to be identified responded in an e-mail, “Yes.”
Toyota spokesman John Hanson said he knows little about the expanded federal investigation.
"After many years of extensive testing, we've found no evidence of an electronic problem that could have contributed to unwanted acceleration," Hanson said in an interview. "We've investigated many times and found no evidence to point to."
Since announcing its recalls and a production halt last week, Toyota has maintained that problems with unintended acceleration were limited to floor mat interference and sticky accelerator pedals.
Accusations denied
Shinichi Sasaki, Toyota's vice president in charge of quality, today denied accusations that electronic malfunctions were contributing to the reports of unintended acceleration.
“We have not come across any case in which we have found a malfunction,” Sasaki said in an interview in Japan. “But if any additional reports arise, we will conduct testing using all technology at our disposal.”
Also, in a full-page advertisement that ran in many U.S. newspapers today, Toyota Motor Sales U.S.A. President Jim Lentz said: “We have launched a comprehensive plan to permanently fix the vehicles we've recalled because in rare instances, accelerator pedals can, over time, become slow to release or get stuck. We know what's causing this and what we have to do to fix it.”
But Safety Research & Strategies, a consulting firm, said in a posting on its Web site: “Neither floor mats nor sticking accelerator pedals explain many, many incidents” of unintended acceleration.
Electronics have 'significant role'
“By all appearances, electronics are playing a significant role in the problems," Sean Kane, president of Safety Research & Strategies, said in an interview. The Transportation Department investigation “has needed to happen for some time,'' Kane said.
The investigation should cover 2002-06 Camry cars and 2005-07 Tacoma pickups, both of which have been the subject of numerous consumer complaints suggesting possible electronic defects, he said.
In one case that has raised questions about electronic flaws, Bulent Ezal's 2005 Camry surged over the curb of a restaurant parking lot, lurched 23 feet and careened 70 feet down a cliff into the surf of the Pacific Ocean, killing Ezal's wife, said his attorney, Donald Slavik of Milwaukee.
“His foot was on the brake, floor mats were in position and hooked on, and he was about to shift into park,'' Slavik said. “I'm highly confident it was electronic in nature."
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
Ford to show off greener Edge
Next week, Ford Motor Co. will unveil the 2011 Ford Edge at the Chicago Auto Show -- its latest product freshening and the first to feature a new, four-cylinder version of its fuel-saving EcoBoost engine.
The latest version of Ford's popular midsize crossover also will be the first to feature the company's new MyFord Touch system, which replaces most of the traditional analog gauges, switches and knobs with full-color computer screens and touch-sensitive buttons.
The body of the Edge is new from the windshield forward, but the biggest change is under the hood. In addition to the current 3.5-liter V-6, the 2011 model will offer a 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost that delivers the same power as a 3.0-liter V-6 with significantly better fuel economy, according to sources familiar with Ford's plans.
"It's a pretty heavy face-lift. It's more than what you'd normally do with a mid-cycle freshening," said analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics LLP in Birmingham who has seen the new Edge. "Usually, automakers just change up some of the plastic."
He said the new front-end is more reflective of Ford's European styling, which is rapidly migrating to most of its U.S. products as the company consolidates its global lineup.
The money saved by that consolidation is what makes major mid-cycle changes like this possible, said analyst Erich Merkle of Autoconomy.com in Grand Rapids.
"They're making the investment in the product, and it shows," he said. "They're making their product cadence a lot faster than anyone else in the industry."
Manufactured at Ford's Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario, the Edge was seen as a critical vehicle for Ford when it was launched in late 2006 as a 2007 model. Since then, it has become the best-selling vehicle in the midsize crossover segment.
Ford would not comment on the new Edge or on its plans for the Chicago show.
Merkle said the new Edge also will be quieter and more comfortable than the current model.
"Everything you can see, feel and touch will be noticeably better than its predecessor's," he said. "But the underlying architecture will remain the same. It's a good strategy."
The latest version of Ford's popular midsize crossover also will be the first to feature the company's new MyFord Touch system, which replaces most of the traditional analog gauges, switches and knobs with full-color computer screens and touch-sensitive buttons.
The body of the Edge is new from the windshield forward, but the biggest change is under the hood. In addition to the current 3.5-liter V-6, the 2011 model will offer a 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost that delivers the same power as a 3.0-liter V-6 with significantly better fuel economy, according to sources familiar with Ford's plans.
"It's a pretty heavy face-lift. It's more than what you'd normally do with a mid-cycle freshening," said analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics LLP in Birmingham who has seen the new Edge. "Usually, automakers just change up some of the plastic."
He said the new front-end is more reflective of Ford's European styling, which is rapidly migrating to most of its U.S. products as the company consolidates its global lineup.
The money saved by that consolidation is what makes major mid-cycle changes like this possible, said analyst Erich Merkle of Autoconomy.com in Grand Rapids.
"They're making the investment in the product, and it shows," he said. "They're making their product cadence a lot faster than anyone else in the industry."
Manufactured at Ford's Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario, the Edge was seen as a critical vehicle for Ford when it was launched in late 2006 as a 2007 model. Since then, it has become the best-selling vehicle in the midsize crossover segment.
Ford would not comment on the new Edge or on its plans for the Chicago show.
Merkle said the new Edge also will be quieter and more comfortable than the current model.
"Everything you can see, feel and touch will be noticeably better than its predecessor's," he said. "But the underlying architecture will remain the same. It's a good strategy."
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
2011 Ford Future Cars
When Ford CEO Alan Mulally took out massive loans in 2007 with the entire company serving as collateral, it looked like a desperation move by an automaker on the ropes. Come 2009, Mulally started looking like a genius.
Thanks to those loans, Ford didn't have to ask the government for loans or file bankruptcy, and thus didn't earn the public scorn that its cross-town rivals did. On top of that PR victory, Ford was a big beneficiary of the "Cash for Clunkers" program (Ford vehicles, particularly 90s Explorers, were some of the most common C4C trade-ins as well). And, thanks to some well-timed products like the 2009 F-150 and 2010 Fusion, its sales dropped slower than the market as a whole and the Blue Oval finished 2009 with a bigger share of the market.
Looking forward (and past the looming release of the Fiesta), Ford has enough product in the pipeline to build on its victories in 2009. Click through to the following pages for all the highlights of what Dearborn is cooking up for 2011.
Early reviews covered both angles when Ford unveiled the 2012 One Ford Focus a year ahead of sales. "They didn't know when to lift the pen," an analyst said. "The Cruze is toast" a journalist countered. Yes, well, both ring true. The '12 Focus sedan is a jewellike car, and it has a lot of side-surfacing going on.
When the North American Focus reconverges with the European Focus, you'll have a choice of funky four-door hatchback or the rich-looking four-door sedan, both of which were just shown at the 2010 Detroit show. With the top-of-the-range Titanium trim level, it surely will sticker well into the middle of the Fusion price range. Ford is loading up the small end of its lineup quickly, with two Fiesta and two Focus body styles. The early reveal will almost certainly depress sales of the mediocre 2010 Focus.
Ford also has previewed its "mouse" for Sync, a simple four-direction toggle-button. It's part of newly expanded infotainment packaging called MyFord and MyLincoln, which entails a high-resolution eight-inch screen in the center stack, WiFi and MiFi (when in park), improved voice command, Sony-branded sound systems, and two USB and three RCA jacks, with an SD card slot. Reboot and drive.
2012 Focus sedan: Launches with a 2.0-liter twin-independent variable cam timing gas direct-injection four, rated more than 150 horsepower. A 1.6-liter turbo EcoBoost is expected after Job One-worth the wait. Transmissions choices will be a six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch automated manual, with gearshift-manual controls. Trim levels are S, SE, SEL, and Titanium. Ford expects this car will eventually replace the Fusion as its bread-and-butter car. On sale first-quarter 2011.
2012 Focus hatchback: Sure to be popular among a small cadre of enthusiasts. Its huge taillamps look as if they came from the Volvo C30, which shares its platform with the current European Focus. Both models are significantly lower in height, wider, and about the same length as the current U.S. Focus. They're about 110 pounds lighter than the Cruze, despite their ability to meet all global crash standards. The new car uses more high-strength steel than any other Ford, at 55 percent. The battery electric version will probably be the hatchback.
2011 Lincoln MKX:
For 2011, Lincoln's Ford Edge-based MKX midsize crossover, which just debuted at the Detroit show, gets a number of updates, starting with a moderate face lift that includes the "split bow" grille that pays homage to the 1941 Continental. The rear fascia is redesigned with LED taillamps and new oval chrome exhaust tips. The interior is new as well, with hand-stitched French seams in the upholstery.
The MKX also receives Ford's latest Duratec V-6 engine, which gets an extra 200c on top of the existing engine, bringing displacement up to 3.7 liters. The extra displacement combined with variable timing on all of the camshafts means that the new mill makes 40 hp and 30 lb.-ft. of torque more, for a total of 305 hp and 280 lb.-ft. More impressive is that along with these double-digit increases in power ratings, the MKX retains its claimed class-leading ability to return 25 mpg on the freeway, and does all of this on regular unleaded. A "smart" charging system that reduces engine drag and a manually shiftable six-speed automatic transmission help further this cause.
Another update is the addition of MyLincoln technology, a new user interface for the climate, radio, navigation, SYNC, and other controls. Similar in concept to BMW's iDrive and other similar systems, MyLincoln replaces the traditional controls with a touchscreen and a five-way controller similar to those found on cell phones and iPods. A standout feature in the new interface is the touch-sensitive sliders for the stereo volume and fan speed. Rather than traditional push-buttons or knobs, the controls are integrated into the touchscreen and can be adjusted by either tapping a point on the slider bar or by dragging a finger across the screen. The new system also includes Ford's iTunes music tagging feature through SYNC.
2011 Explorer: New, unibody model based on the D3 front-drive (Ford Taurus) platform. Foreshadowed by the 2008 Explorer America concept, it will be available with all-wheel drive and replaces the Freestyle/Taurus X. Engines will include the 3.7-liter Duratec V-6 and the 3.5-liter EcoBoost version, making about 265 horsepower. Ford may add a 2.0-liter EcoBoost four later to aide Corporate Average Fuel Economy. On sale late '10.
OTHERS ON THE HORIZON
2011 Super Duty: Features a version of the 411-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 in the F-150 SVT Raptor, and the new Scorpion Diesel, a 6.7-liter V-8 with aluminum heads. On sale fall '10.
2011 F-150 EcoBoost: Likely a variation of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged V-6 found in the Flex, Lincoln MKS, etc., biased for more torque. It should be able to beat the F-150's 4.6-liter V-8 for power. On sale late '10.
2012 Ford Escape: Based on the next-generation European Kuga, itself a derivative of the Focus platform. Lincoln may get its own version, and a plug-in hybrid will be added for '13. On sale late '11.
2012 Mercury compact sedan: Based on the new Focus. A coupe version has been rumored. On sale mid to late '11.
2012 Ford C-Max: Mazda5 competitor based on the Focus. On sale mid- to late '11.
2013 Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan/Lincoln MKZ: Converges with the European Mondeo's platform and gets an optional 1.6-liter EcoBoost I-4. On sale mid to late '12.
2014 Mustang: Next scheduled major change for the rear-drive musclecar.
Thanks to those loans, Ford didn't have to ask the government for loans or file bankruptcy, and thus didn't earn the public scorn that its cross-town rivals did. On top of that PR victory, Ford was a big beneficiary of the "Cash for Clunkers" program (Ford vehicles, particularly 90s Explorers, were some of the most common C4C trade-ins as well). And, thanks to some well-timed products like the 2009 F-150 and 2010 Fusion, its sales dropped slower than the market as a whole and the Blue Oval finished 2009 with a bigger share of the market.
Looking forward (and past the looming release of the Fiesta), Ford has enough product in the pipeline to build on its victories in 2009. Click through to the following pages for all the highlights of what Dearborn is cooking up for 2011.
Early reviews covered both angles when Ford unveiled the 2012 One Ford Focus a year ahead of sales. "They didn't know when to lift the pen," an analyst said. "The Cruze is toast" a journalist countered. Yes, well, both ring true. The '12 Focus sedan is a jewellike car, and it has a lot of side-surfacing going on.
When the North American Focus reconverges with the European Focus, you'll have a choice of funky four-door hatchback or the rich-looking four-door sedan, both of which were just shown at the 2010 Detroit show. With the top-of-the-range Titanium trim level, it surely will sticker well into the middle of the Fusion price range. Ford is loading up the small end of its lineup quickly, with two Fiesta and two Focus body styles. The early reveal will almost certainly depress sales of the mediocre 2010 Focus.
Ford also has previewed its "mouse" for Sync, a simple four-direction toggle-button. It's part of newly expanded infotainment packaging called MyFord and MyLincoln, which entails a high-resolution eight-inch screen in the center stack, WiFi and MiFi (when in park), improved voice command, Sony-branded sound systems, and two USB and three RCA jacks, with an SD card slot. Reboot and drive.
2012 Focus sedan: Launches with a 2.0-liter twin-independent variable cam timing gas direct-injection four, rated more than 150 horsepower. A 1.6-liter turbo EcoBoost is expected after Job One-worth the wait. Transmissions choices will be a six-speed manual or six-speed dual-clutch automated manual, with gearshift-manual controls. Trim levels are S, SE, SEL, and Titanium. Ford expects this car will eventually replace the Fusion as its bread-and-butter car. On sale first-quarter 2011.
2012 Focus hatchback: Sure to be popular among a small cadre of enthusiasts. Its huge taillamps look as if they came from the Volvo C30, which shares its platform with the current European Focus. Both models are significantly lower in height, wider, and about the same length as the current U.S. Focus. They're about 110 pounds lighter than the Cruze, despite their ability to meet all global crash standards. The new car uses more high-strength steel than any other Ford, at 55 percent. The battery electric version will probably be the hatchback.
2011 Lincoln MKX:
For 2011, Lincoln's Ford Edge-based MKX midsize crossover, which just debuted at the Detroit show, gets a number of updates, starting with a moderate face lift that includes the "split bow" grille that pays homage to the 1941 Continental. The rear fascia is redesigned with LED taillamps and new oval chrome exhaust tips. The interior is new as well, with hand-stitched French seams in the upholstery.
The MKX also receives Ford's latest Duratec V-6 engine, which gets an extra 200c on top of the existing engine, bringing displacement up to 3.7 liters. The extra displacement combined with variable timing on all of the camshafts means that the new mill makes 40 hp and 30 lb.-ft. of torque more, for a total of 305 hp and 280 lb.-ft. More impressive is that along with these double-digit increases in power ratings, the MKX retains its claimed class-leading ability to return 25 mpg on the freeway, and does all of this on regular unleaded. A "smart" charging system that reduces engine drag and a manually shiftable six-speed automatic transmission help further this cause.
Another update is the addition of MyLincoln technology, a new user interface for the climate, radio, navigation, SYNC, and other controls. Similar in concept to BMW's iDrive and other similar systems, MyLincoln replaces the traditional controls with a touchscreen and a five-way controller similar to those found on cell phones and iPods. A standout feature in the new interface is the touch-sensitive sliders for the stereo volume and fan speed. Rather than traditional push-buttons or knobs, the controls are integrated into the touchscreen and can be adjusted by either tapping a point on the slider bar or by dragging a finger across the screen. The new system also includes Ford's iTunes music tagging feature through SYNC.
2011 Explorer: New, unibody model based on the D3 front-drive (Ford Taurus) platform. Foreshadowed by the 2008 Explorer America concept, it will be available with all-wheel drive and replaces the Freestyle/Taurus X. Engines will include the 3.7-liter Duratec V-6 and the 3.5-liter EcoBoost version, making about 265 horsepower. Ford may add a 2.0-liter EcoBoost four later to aide Corporate Average Fuel Economy. On sale late '10.
OTHERS ON THE HORIZON
2011 Super Duty: Features a version of the 411-horsepower, 6.2-liter V-8 in the F-150 SVT Raptor, and the new Scorpion Diesel, a 6.7-liter V-8 with aluminum heads. On sale fall '10.
2011 F-150 EcoBoost: Likely a variation of the 3.5-liter EcoBoost turbocharged V-6 found in the Flex, Lincoln MKS, etc., biased for more torque. It should be able to beat the F-150's 4.6-liter V-8 for power. On sale late '10.
2012 Ford Escape: Based on the next-generation European Kuga, itself a derivative of the Focus platform. Lincoln may get its own version, and a plug-in hybrid will be added for '13. On sale late '11.
2012 Mercury compact sedan: Based on the new Focus. A coupe version has been rumored. On sale mid to late '11.
2012 Ford C-Max: Mazda5 competitor based on the Focus. On sale mid- to late '11.
2013 Ford Fusion/Mercury Milan/Lincoln MKZ: Converges with the European Mondeo's platform and gets an optional 1.6-liter EcoBoost I-4. On sale mid to late '12.
2014 Mustang: Next scheduled major change for the rear-drive musclecar.
Cars.com Names 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid Best of 2010
Cars.com named the Ford Fusion Hybrid the 'Best of 2010' in the site’s annual Platinum Awards, which recognize the best cars of the new model year. Our editors put every new or significantly redesigned car, truck, SUV and crossover through a rigorous process of judging, and in the end the Fusion Hybrid proved to best a competitive field.
The other nominees included the Best New SUV, Chevrolet Equinox; Best New Compact, Mazda3; Best New Hatchback, Kia Soul; Best New Hybrid Hatchback, Toyota Prius; and Best New Wagon, Subaru Outback.
“The Cars.com Platinum Awards represent the best work by automakers for the 2010 model year. These vehicles excel on all levels,” said Patrick Olsen, editor-in-chief at Cars.com. “The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid outshined all 2010s, earning it the title Best of 2010, Cars.com’s most prestigious award. We’ve seen hybrids come into their own over the past few years, but none have been so free of compromise as the Fusion Hybrid. We recommend that shoppers – green or otherwise – take a serious look at this car.”
The other nominees included the Best New SUV, Chevrolet Equinox; Best New Compact, Mazda3; Best New Hatchback, Kia Soul; Best New Hybrid Hatchback, Toyota Prius; and Best New Wagon, Subaru Outback.
“The Cars.com Platinum Awards represent the best work by automakers for the 2010 model year. These vehicles excel on all levels,” said Patrick Olsen, editor-in-chief at Cars.com. “The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid outshined all 2010s, earning it the title Best of 2010, Cars.com’s most prestigious award. We’ve seen hybrids come into their own over the past few years, but none have been so free of compromise as the Fusion Hybrid. We recommend that shoppers – green or otherwise – take a serious look at this car.”
Ford to Move SUV, Jobs to Chicago, UAW Official Says
Jan. 26 (Bloomberg) -- Ford Motor Co. is transferring production of the Explorer sport-utility vehicle, once the best- selling U.S. model in that segment, to the Chicago factory that builds the Taurus sedan, a union official said.
The move, which may add about 1,200 jobs in Chicago, will take place in this year's second half from a Louisville, Kentucky, plant that has built the Explorer since the 1990s, said Rocky Comito, president of a United Auto Workers local in the Explorer's current factory. Mark Truby, a Ford spokesman, declined to comment on the production transfer.
"The Explorer was the product that carried the company through most of the '90s," Comito said. The SUV is being redesigned on the more fuel-efficient car chassis used on the Taurus, he said.
Explorer sales in the U.S. slid 33 percent to 52,190 last year as more consumers bought smaller SUVs and cars with higher fuel economy. Ford sold more than 400,000 Explorers in 2000.
Ford is converting four light-truck plants to make cars, including Louisville, Truby said. The Kentucky factory is getting a new model based on the same underpinnings as the redesigned Focus small car introduced this month at the Detroit auto show, he said.
"It's not a good thing to see a product leave a plant, but we're getting something that will hopefully be the next generation's hot seller," Comito said
Louisville has about 1,100 workers building Explorers, and Ford probably will have a similar number to assemble the SUV in Chicago, which will add a second shift, Comito said.
News Conference
Ford scheduled a news conference at the Chicago plant at 9 a.m. local time with Mark Fields, Ford's president for the Americas, and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, a Democrat.
Truby and Bob Reed, a spokesman for Quinn, declined to comment on a report in Crain's Chicago Business that the conference is to announce the production transfer.
Ford gained 51 cents, or 4.8 percent, to $11.03 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have risen sixfold in the past 12 months.
To contact the reporter on this story: Keith Naughton in Southfield, Michigan, at Knaughton3@bloomberg.net
The move, which may add about 1,200 jobs in Chicago, will take place in this year's second half from a Louisville, Kentucky, plant that has built the Explorer since the 1990s, said Rocky Comito, president of a United Auto Workers local in the Explorer's current factory. Mark Truby, a Ford spokesman, declined to comment on the production transfer.
"The Explorer was the product that carried the company through most of the '90s," Comito said. The SUV is being redesigned on the more fuel-efficient car chassis used on the Taurus, he said.
Explorer sales in the U.S. slid 33 percent to 52,190 last year as more consumers bought smaller SUVs and cars with higher fuel economy. Ford sold more than 400,000 Explorers in 2000.
Ford is converting four light-truck plants to make cars, including Louisville, Truby said. The Kentucky factory is getting a new model based on the same underpinnings as the redesigned Focus small car introduced this month at the Detroit auto show, he said.
"It's not a good thing to see a product leave a plant, but we're getting something that will hopefully be the next generation's hot seller," Comito said
Louisville has about 1,100 workers building Explorers, and Ford probably will have a similar number to assemble the SUV in Chicago, which will add a second shift, Comito said.
News Conference
Ford scheduled a news conference at the Chicago plant at 9 a.m. local time with Mark Fields, Ford's president for the Americas, and Illinois Governor Pat Quinn, a Democrat.
Truby and Bob Reed, a spokesman for Quinn, declined to comment on a report in Crain's Chicago Business that the conference is to announce the production transfer.
Ford gained 51 cents, or 4.8 percent, to $11.03 at 4:15 p.m. in New York Stock Exchange composite trading. The shares have risen sixfold in the past 12 months.
To contact the reporter on this story: Keith Naughton in Southfield, Michigan, at Knaughton3@bloomberg.net
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Ford's New 5.0L Promises More Horsepower and More Miles Per Gallon
For nearly every fan of the Ford Mustang, few numbers will elicit as much excitement as 5.0. The iconic 5.0 liter V8, last seen back in 1995, had been the performance benchmark for many enthusiasts for quite some time until the introduction of the 4.6 liter V8. Now, Ford is planning a reintroduction of the legendary engine to combat the higher output V8 engines of Dodge and Chevrolet.
In an official announcement made a few days back, Ford released that the 2010 Mustang GT would receive a newly designed version of the Ford 5.0 liter, this time based on the 5.4 liter used in the previous iterations of Shelby variants. For the upcoming powerplant, a new bore and stroke have been employed bringing the actual displacement up to an even 5 liters, as opposed to the previous generation that was just under. Along with new internal components, the upcoming 5.0 will crank out 414 horsepower and 400lb/ft at the flywheel. This is a 33% increase over the 4.6 liter currently used.
Along with a jump in power, the 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 will also make used of Ford's Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) System. The system reads the driver's throttle input and, after taking the current gear and speed, then adjusts the ECU parameters to offer either the maximum amount of power or the best fuel economy. The inclusion of the Ti-VCT system bumps the fuel economy up to 17 in the city and 25 on the highway when using the six-speed automatic transmission. The manual gearbox will achieve the same 16 city and 24 highway as the current 4.6 liter.
Of course, Ford couldn't bring back the 5.0 without also designing a high performance Mustang to put it in. Taking this honor will be the 2011Mustang Boss 302R. Designed specifically for the track, the Boss 302R will come from the factory with a full roll-cage, safety harness and racing seats. The suspension has also been upgraded to provide better cornering and a set of performance Brembo brakes to help with stopping.
The full run of Boss 302R's will only be 50 vehicles, with the price starting at $79,000.
In an official announcement made a few days back, Ford released that the 2010 Mustang GT would receive a newly designed version of the Ford 5.0 liter, this time based on the 5.4 liter used in the previous iterations of Shelby variants. For the upcoming powerplant, a new bore and stroke have been employed bringing the actual displacement up to an even 5 liters, as opposed to the previous generation that was just under. Along with new internal components, the upcoming 5.0 will crank out 414 horsepower and 400lb/ft at the flywheel. This is a 33% increase over the 4.6 liter currently used.
Along with a jump in power, the 2011 Mustang GT 5.0 will also make used of Ford's Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) System. The system reads the driver's throttle input and, after taking the current gear and speed, then adjusts the ECU parameters to offer either the maximum amount of power or the best fuel economy. The inclusion of the Ti-VCT system bumps the fuel economy up to 17 in the city and 25 on the highway when using the six-speed automatic transmission. The manual gearbox will achieve the same 16 city and 24 highway as the current 4.6 liter.
Of course, Ford couldn't bring back the 5.0 without also designing a high performance Mustang to put it in. Taking this honor will be the 2011Mustang Boss 302R. Designed specifically for the track, the Boss 302R will come from the factory with a full roll-cage, safety harness and racing seats. The suspension has also been upgraded to provide better cornering and a set of performance Brembo brakes to help with stopping.
The full run of Boss 302R's will only be 50 vehicles, with the price starting at $79,000.
Monday, January 11, 2010
The Detroit Auto Show
Visit the following website to learn more about Ford at the Detroit Auto Show:
http://editorial.autos.msn.com/autoshow/detroit?icid=autos_0110080>1=22014
http://editorial.autos.msn.com/autoshow/detroit?icid=autos_0110080>1=22014
Ford Fusion Hybrid, Transit Connect win Car and Truck of the Year awards
DETROIT -- The Ford Fusion Hybrid was named the North American Car of the Year today, while Ford's Transit Connect picked up Truck of the Year accolades in a poll of journalists.
It is only the third time in 17 years that a single manufacturer has won both titles.
“We've been focusing very relentlessly on our strategy around making sure our vehicles are world-class in the areas of fuel economy, safety, quality and smart technology,” Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, said after the morning ceremony. “We're just so glad we're being recognized for that, both by the journalists but also, more importantly, by the customers.”
In 2009, Ford posted its first full-year gain in U.S. market share in 15 years.The automaker sold 15,559 Fusion Hybrids last year.
The Fusion Hybrid topped the two other car finalists, the Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf. It's just the second time a Ford car has taken the award. The Focus won in 2000.
The Transit Connect, a small cargo truck, came out on top over the Chevrolet Equinox and Subaru Outback crossovers.
“The Transit Connect is what we call a white-space vehicle -- there's nothing like it on the road,” Fields said. “When you see this on the road, your first reaction is, ‘What is that?' ”
As of mid-December, more than 600,000 Transit Connects have been sold over seven years in 55 countries. Ford has sold 8,834 Transit Connects since it entered the U.S. market in July.
U.S.-based automakers have taken home the car trophy nine times. European companies have won four times, Japanese three and South Korea's Hyundai once.
In the truck category, domestics have claimed the crown 11 times, followed by four for Japanese makes and two for Europeans.
Ford has dominated the domestics, winning the award five times. The F-150 pickup won in 2009, 2004 and 1996. The Ford Escape Hybrid crossover took home Truck of the Year in 2005, as did the Ford Expedition SUV in 1997.
Last year, the Hyundai Genesis won Car of the Year and the F-150 Truck of the Year.
It was the second time a Ford hybrid vehicle took the award.
More than 50 vehicles were considered this year.
Automotive News is represented on the 49-member voting panel by Executive Editor Edward Lapham.
“This is such a motivator for our team to be recognized by the Car and Truck of the Year jury,” Fields said. “These are the most demanding journalists, and we were in a set of very, very tough competitions. … I think it just shows that we're headed in the right direction.”
It is only the third time in 17 years that a single manufacturer has won both titles.
“We've been focusing very relentlessly on our strategy around making sure our vehicles are world-class in the areas of fuel economy, safety, quality and smart technology,” Mark Fields, Ford's president of the Americas, said after the morning ceremony. “We're just so glad we're being recognized for that, both by the journalists but also, more importantly, by the customers.”
In 2009, Ford posted its first full-year gain in U.S. market share in 15 years.The automaker sold 15,559 Fusion Hybrids last year.
The Fusion Hybrid topped the two other car finalists, the Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf. It's just the second time a Ford car has taken the award. The Focus won in 2000.
The Transit Connect, a small cargo truck, came out on top over the Chevrolet Equinox and Subaru Outback crossovers.
“The Transit Connect is what we call a white-space vehicle -- there's nothing like it on the road,” Fields said. “When you see this on the road, your first reaction is, ‘What is that?' ”
As of mid-December, more than 600,000 Transit Connects have been sold over seven years in 55 countries. Ford has sold 8,834 Transit Connects since it entered the U.S. market in July.
U.S.-based automakers have taken home the car trophy nine times. European companies have won four times, Japanese three and South Korea's Hyundai once.
In the truck category, domestics have claimed the crown 11 times, followed by four for Japanese makes and two for Europeans.
Ford has dominated the domestics, winning the award five times. The F-150 pickup won in 2009, 2004 and 1996. The Ford Escape Hybrid crossover took home Truck of the Year in 2005, as did the Ford Expedition SUV in 1997.
Last year, the Hyundai Genesis won Car of the Year and the F-150 Truck of the Year.
It was the second time a Ford hybrid vehicle took the award.
More than 50 vehicles were considered this year.
Automotive News is represented on the 49-member voting panel by Executive Editor Edward Lapham.
“This is such a motivator for our team to be recognized by the Car and Truck of the Year jury,” Fields said. “These are the most demanding journalists, and we were in a set of very, very tough competitions. … I think it just shows that we're headed in the right direction.”
Introducing the new Ford Focus
Visit this website to watch a video of the new Ford Focus:
http://apps.detnews.com/apps/multimedia/player/index.php?id=3980
http://apps.detnews.com/apps/multimedia/player/index.php?id=3980
Wednesday, January 6, 2010
Ford, Hyundai, Toyota lead industry to 15% gain
DETROIT -- Ford, Toyota, Subaru and Hyundai Group spurred a year-end U.S. sales rally that took some sting out of a painful year.
Overall, December sales of 1,030,096 light vehicles rose 15 percent from December 2008, when the credit crisis and a deepening recession dragged industry demand to 27-year lows. Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor Sales and Subaru each rose by about a third last month, while Hyundai-Kia advanced 42 percent.
December's bounce was enough to boost full-year volume to 10.43 million, down 21 percent from 2008.
That was the lowest since 1982's 10.35 million sales and a sharp drop when compared with the rest of the decade. Through 2008, industry sales this decade had averaged 16.4 million.
But it's a distinct improvement from the first half of 2009, when the seasonally adjusted annual selling rate was 9.5 million. December's SAAR was 11.9 million, well ahead of analysts' expectations of 11 million or 11.1 million.
December was the third month this year with a year-over-year sales increase but perhaps the best signal yet that the U.S. auto industry is on the mend. August's 1 percent increase was fueled by the cash-for-clunkers government stimulus, and November's gain was an almost invisible 35 vehicles.
Still cautious
Still, automakers remain cautious about the pace of recovery this year. Ford Motor Co. expects 2010 U.S. sales to be between 11.5 million and 12 million. Sales boss Ken Czubay says last year's lessons were painful.
“2009 may be the most historic year in the automobile business. There were bankruptcies, bailouts, government stimulus,” he said. “I'm leaving my seat belt on because I think that volatility is still the new norm.”
American Honda, Nissan North America and Volkswagen Group also posted double-digit gains, and Mazda and BMW Group finished in positive territory.
Not everyone won in December. General Motors, Chrysler Group, Porsche and Mitsubishi all narrowly lost ground, with the sharpest decline being GM's 6 percent. The only big losers were Suzuki, down 48 percent, and Maserati, down 57 percent to 115 sales.
Ford's 16 percent sales decline for the year enabled it to gain ground on No. 1 GM and No. 2 Toyota Motor Sales and let Ford post its first improvement in annual market share in 14 years.
December was key. Last month Ford reported sales increases in each product category and for each brand. Ford's domestic-brand cars jumped 42 percent for the month and crossovers rose 51 percent. Ford domestic SUV sales gained 33 percent, but pickups and minivans were up 18 percent.
Ford brand sales rose 37 percent, while Lincoln gained 16 percent and Mercury a more modest 6 percent.
Overall, December sales of 1,030,096 light vehicles rose 15 percent from December 2008, when the credit crisis and a deepening recession dragged industry demand to 27-year lows. Ford Motor Co., Toyota Motor Sales and Subaru each rose by about a third last month, while Hyundai-Kia advanced 42 percent.
December's bounce was enough to boost full-year volume to 10.43 million, down 21 percent from 2008.
That was the lowest since 1982's 10.35 million sales and a sharp drop when compared with the rest of the decade. Through 2008, industry sales this decade had averaged 16.4 million.
But it's a distinct improvement from the first half of 2009, when the seasonally adjusted annual selling rate was 9.5 million. December's SAAR was 11.9 million, well ahead of analysts' expectations of 11 million or 11.1 million.
December was the third month this year with a year-over-year sales increase but perhaps the best signal yet that the U.S. auto industry is on the mend. August's 1 percent increase was fueled by the cash-for-clunkers government stimulus, and November's gain was an almost invisible 35 vehicles.
Still cautious
Still, automakers remain cautious about the pace of recovery this year. Ford Motor Co. expects 2010 U.S. sales to be between 11.5 million and 12 million. Sales boss Ken Czubay says last year's lessons were painful.
“2009 may be the most historic year in the automobile business. There were bankruptcies, bailouts, government stimulus,” he said. “I'm leaving my seat belt on because I think that volatility is still the new norm.”
American Honda, Nissan North America and Volkswagen Group also posted double-digit gains, and Mazda and BMW Group finished in positive territory.
Not everyone won in December. General Motors, Chrysler Group, Porsche and Mitsubishi all narrowly lost ground, with the sharpest decline being GM's 6 percent. The only big losers were Suzuki, down 48 percent, and Maserati, down 57 percent to 115 sales.
Ford's 16 percent sales decline for the year enabled it to gain ground on No. 1 GM and No. 2 Toyota Motor Sales and let Ford post its first improvement in annual market share in 14 years.
December was key. Last month Ford reported sales increases in each product category and for each brand. Ford's domestic-brand cars jumped 42 percent for the month and crossovers rose 51 percent. Ford domestic SUV sales gained 33 percent, but pickups and minivans were up 18 percent.
Ford brand sales rose 37 percent, while Lincoln gained 16 percent and Mercury a more modest 6 percent.
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