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.

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.”

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

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.

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

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.”

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

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.

2011 Ford Mustang GT: First Look

The Ford Motor Company has been nudged awake by the arrival of the Chevrolet Camaro (and to a lesser degree the Dodge Challenger). A year after the reincarnation of its old rival and but a year after the redesign of its own pony car, Ford is getting aggressive about its corner of the pony car market with the 2011 Ford Mustang GT, which introduces a 412-horsepower 5.0-liter V8, plus both a six-speed manual transmission and a six-speed automatic.

Uh oh.

What we appear to have here is a good old-fashioned crosstown Detroit smackdown set amid the post-apocalyptic ruins that was once the domestic auto industry. Which, let's face it, beats the hell out of no crosstown smackdown set amid the post-apocalyptic ruins that was once the domestic auto industry.

So let us then examine the 2011 Ford Mustang GT, this newly muscled competitor.

Rollin' in My 5.0
Possibly you've heard that the 2011 Ford Mustang GT will be powered by a 5.0-liter V8. In fact, it's just about impossible that you haven't heard that the 5.0 is back, since rumors about it have been circulating for at least a year. And when Ford made it official to a slightly-too-large group of journalists on the evening of December 17, the news leaked out before Ford's press conference was even done. Such was the excitement surrounding this news that information that was supposed to be kept secret for about 10 days remained under cover for all of, what, 5 minutes? Mr. Happy Thumbs tweeted that the 5.0-liter would produce 412 hp. This caused a small Internet-based brush fire of info.

If you view the early leakage of information as an index of excitement, the return of the 5.0 to the Mustang ranks pretty high. And this 5.0-liter appears to be something quite special. And compared to the 5.0 of which Mr. Vanilla Ice extolled the virtues back in 1990, this new-generation V8 now fitted to the 2011 Mustang makes 187 hp more. Word to your mother, indeed.

Also, unlike the 5.0-liter Windsor V8 of old (introduced as Ford's small-block V8 way back in 1962), the new engine is actually a 5.0-liter and not a 4.9, and you can do the math with its 92.2mm bore and 92.7mm stroke if you like. Ford began development on the new engine some two and a half years ago, and it's simply a bored-and-stroked version of the all-aluminum, overhead-cam 4.6-liter Modular V8 first built in Ford's Romeo plant in 1991 and fitted to the Mustang in 1996. And in addition to being a nice round number and a historically significant size, the new 5.0-liter motor is also about as large in displacement as the existing block can go.

Old Number, New Tech
But it's about more than just size. Without the ability to match the displacement of Dodge's 5.7-liter Hemi and, more important, Chevy's 6.2-liter small-block, the Ford team had to work over the engine's breathing capacity and basically throw in all the tech the company has at its disposal in order to compete with the big boys.

Out went the 4.6's SOHC cylinder heads with three valves per cylinder in favor of a DOHC setup with four valves per cylinder (a setup first introduced for the 1996 Mustang SVT Cobra, actually). The Ford engineers say they tried to use the Shelby GT500 heads but couldn't make enough horsepower with them. As it turned out, new heads had to be designed to leave the valley between the cylinder banks as open as possible to maximize space for the new intake system (the alternator has been moved down in front of the engine for the same reason). The combination of a new, composite intake manifold with new tubular exhaust headers significantly improved the engine's breathing.

For improved fuel economy as well as a broader, more drivable toque curve, Ford has added variable cam timing on both the intake and exhaust valves, just as it did for the 3.7-liter V6 that will go into the 2011 Ford Mustang V6. Mike Harrison, chief engineer for the 5.0-liter engine, says the variable cam timing provides a 5 percent improvement in low-end torque, a 2 percent improvement in peak torque and a 7 percent improvement in power. The 5.0-liter V8 makes 390 pound-feet of torque to go with its 412 hp.

Bits & Pieces
As far as the details go, the 5.0-liter V8 features a stout, forged-steel crankshaft and it's got larger bolts for the cross-bolted main bearing caps. Wider crankcase bulkheads lend greater support for the crank as well. Powder-metal-forged connecting rods have floating wrist pins, while oil squirters cool the underside of the piston crowns. The compression ratio is 11.0:1. This new lump continues to use port-type fuel injection instead of direct injection because the engineering team believes that direct injection wouldn't add enough benefit to justify the time and expense of its development.

And for all this, the new 5.0-liter V8 weighs only 10 pounds more than the outgoing 4.6-liter version. And weight, or the relative lack of it, is what has been keeping the Mustang GT in the hunt with the thundering Camaro, despite the relatively weak output of the 4.6-liter V8. Using the data from our 2010 Ford Mustang GT, 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS and 2009 Dodge Challenger R/T comparison test as a baseline, the Mustang now has fewer pounds for each of its horsepower to pull around than the relatively heavy Camaro. With a slight weight gain from its 3,572 pounds in 2010 trim, the new Mustang GT should have a weight-to-power ratio of 8.7 pounds per hp. The Camaro is right around 9.0 pounds per hp and the flabby Challenger R/T is 10.7 pounds per hp.

If a class-leading weight-to-power ratio still seems a bit tame to you, Ford Racing has something right up your alley: the Boss 302R. This dedicated racer will set you back a little more than a standard 2011 GT — like somewhere between $79,000 and $129,000, depending on which racing series you want to run with it. Oh, and it's not what you would call street legal — at all. But its throwback paint scheme and historic name (nabbed from the Bud Moore-built racecar that Parnelli Jones made famous in the 1970 Trans-Am series) are pitch-perfect.

Other Items of Interest in the Appearance and Function of This Automobile
Barring some anomaly, the Mustang should be able to add the title of "quickest pony car" to its resumé once the 2011 version of the GT hits the street — which would be in addition to the title of "most nimble pony car."

Thanks in part to the choice between two new six-speed transmissions (a manual and an automatic), the Mustang will likely be the most fuel-efficient pony car, too, although only by a slight margin. (You'll forgive us, we trust, for waiting until now to discuss pony car fuel economy). Ford estimates a 2011 Mustang GT with the six-speed automatic should get 17 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway. The Camaro SS gets 16 mpg city/24 mpg highway and the Challenger gets 16 mpg city/25 mpg highway. And we hope the MT82 six-speed manual transmission will offer better shift feel than the five-speed Tremec of the 2010 model.

In the pursuit of fuel economy, Ford is also switching the Mustang's steering system to electric assist. This is not always a welcome swap, even if it seems increasingly inevitable as manufacturers attempt to squeeze more fuel-efficiency from every package. And we love the way the 2010 Mustang steers. We hope the challenge of meeting the standard set by the current car will make the new system better.

Ford says that more structurally rigid links for the rear axle, tuning of spring and damper rates and more roll stiffness in the rear antiroll bar will improve the vehicle's dynamics and steering response. Again, the 2010 'Stang seems pretty well tuned to us, but we'll see.

Meanwhile, Ford will up the performance ante for the Mustang GT by offering an optional Brembo braking package, which includes 14-inch front rotors along with 19-inch wheels and summer performance tires. (Presumably this will be the model Ford public relations will be handing out when it suspects a comparison test is in the offing.)

Like the 2011 Ford Mustang V6, the Mustang GT convertible also gets a strut-tower brace, a stiffer A-pillar and other items of structural bracing to combat the chop top's noodly nature.

The Mustang's interior has already been reworked for the 2010 model year, and for 2011 it gets a couple more niceties such as sun-visor storage, a universal garage door opener and illuminated visors. So there's that. Also the speedometer now goes to 160 mph and the tachometer redline moves from 6,500 to 7,000 rpm.

And — who could forget — the fenders of all 2011 GTs will carry "5.0" badges, just like Mr. Ice prefers. The 2011 Ford Mustang GT goes on sale next spring.

Spy Photos: 2011 Ford Edge

These are the first photos of the refreshed 2011 Ford Edge, seen on the streets of Dearborn on the same day as the facelifted Lincoln MKX. We expect the 2011 Edge to get its official debut at one of the winter auto shows with sales beginning in the spring of 2010.

You can see that the original Edge's love-it-or-hate-it razor grille has been pruned back on the 2011 model. Though the new grille is still quite large, both it and the new headlamps remind us a little bit of the front end on the Ford Taurus, one of the better looking cars in the Ford lineup.

Around back, the overstyled, clear-lens taillamps we never cared for on earlier Edges give way to more convention red and amber lenses.

Down the side of the 2011 Ford Edge, you'll notice reshaped rear quarter windows that give the illusion of a faster rear roofline and generally help Ford's medium-size crossover appear less boxy and rotund.

The door handles are slightly longer, too, and will apparently will be chrome on some models. And we do hope these wheels are production-spec, too, as they are comfortably un-huge and vaguely reminiscent of the wheels on the Europe-only Focus ST.

Of course, the big news on the refreshed 2011 Edge will undoubtedly be the addition of Ford's twin-turbocharged and direct-injected, 3.5-liter EcoBoost V6 to the options list. We hope Ford provides bigger brakes to go with the extra horsepower, which is expected to come in around 350.

Ford to upgrade Sync system

It could be the automobile industry's killer app.

In January, Ford Motor Co. will unveil the latest version of Sync at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, including a new feature that will allow the system to work with virtually any application on a motorist's cell phone or music player, according to sources familiar with the company's plans.

That means drivers will be able to stream music from Internet radio service Pandora through their car's stereo or have Sync read incoming messages from their friends on Twitter. They will be able to manage these applications using Sync's voice controls or listen to information using its text-to-speech system. And they will be able to use the many location-specific applications that provide information about nearby businesses and attractions.

"Ford is once again the first to create a new technology," said analyst Mark Boyadjis of iSuppli Corp. "They are the first ones to integrate social media into the automobile."

Sync is the in-car communications and entertainment system that Ford developed with software giant Microsoft Corp. It was introduced in 2007, and Ford promised to add new features on a regular basis.

The Dearborn automaker would not discuss the latest upgrade, but is expected to provide details to journalists later today.

The new feature, known internally as "mobile apps," will be included in vehicles next year, but existing Sync customers will be able to download the upgrade and install it in their vehicle. Unlike the last upgrade that Ford released a year ago, this one likely will come with a price tag attached.

At the heart of the upgrade is a new application programming interface, or API, that Ford will make available to developers, allowing them to easily upgrade their programs to work with Sync.

Ford began offering Sync as an option in 2007, and the system has proven a game-changer for the company. Ford already has sold well over a million units, and 70 percent of customers who buy a Ford, Lincoln or Mercury model elect to purchase Sync. That has helped Ford increase the price it gets for its cars and trucks.

Sync also is attracting new customers. According to the automaker, 32 percent of customers say Sync was a key reason why they bought a Ford product.

"Fords used to be a pretty basic, plain-Jane car," Boyadjis said. "Even the Lincolns were little more than leather and some sound-deadening. Now, their cars are literally at the top of the space when it comes to technology. It has helped Ford gain market share from General Motors and Chrysler."

Microsoft making changes

The upgrade to Sync comes amid major changes this year at Redmond, Wash.-based Microsoft. After a decade as a separate business unit, Microsoft's automotive division was folded into its embedded computing division -- a move some observers saw as a sign the software giant was focusing its resources elsewhere.

Not so, says Greg Baribault, director of product planning and marketing for Microsoft's automotive group.

"We were replicating a lot of work that the general embedded computing team was doing," he said, adding that Microsoft often creates stand-alone business units to explore new opportunities and combines them with core parts of its organization once they are proven to be viable.

"As the two grew, it became more and more confusing for customers," he said. "It just didn't make sense to keep these things running independently any more."

Baribault said the automotive business remains important to Microsoft, and the company continues to invest in it, as well as its core home and office businesses.

"The car is a connection point between these two places, and it has really been an island without connectivity," he said. "For Microsoft, the car is a very strategic investment."

Boyadjis said Microsoft is putting a positive spin on its reorganization

"Most people took that as a sign of divestiture rather than investiture," he said. "But I don't think it really limited their ability to service the automotive market. I've seen continual advancement from them."

System is spreading

Ford was not the first automaker to use the Microsoft system. Italy's Fiat SpA introduced a system with the same basic features in Europe in 2006. Now that Fiat controls Chrysler Group LLC, it is working with Microsoft to bring its version to the United States, Baribault said.

It will likely debut on the Fiat 500, which is due to arrive in this country at the end of next year. Existing Chrysler models would not be able to incorporate the system until they are refreshed.

Microsoft also signed a deal with South Korea's Hyundai Kia Automotive Group after its exclusivity agreement with Ford expired at the beginning of 2008, though it has yet to bring a system to market.

"I can't give you a date, but we'll see something from Kia soon," Baribault said. Microsoft is also talking to other automakers and working to provide similar technology to suppliers.

"The recession put a lot of these things on hold," Boyadjis said, though he expects to see other automakers introduce their own systems next year. However, he doubts any of them will pose a serious threat to Ford.

"Ford has taken over a lot of this and created its own ecosystem. It will be more competitive, but I don't think it will overshadow the success that Sync has had," Boyadjis said. "Every year, they're announcing features that are not only groundbreaking, but easily upgradeable."

Baribault said many of Sync's hottest features, like mobile apps, are proprietary additions developed by the automaker.

"They're doing a lot of this without our direct engineering involvement," he said. "We're enabling them to create their own unique applications and provide them to their customers."