DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 29, 2008: For 2010, the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan will offer Ford's all-new Duratec 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine that is expected to deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry
Ford's next-generation hybrid system debuts in the new 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids. The more efficient system delivers a more seamless driving experience and is expected to achieve class-leading fuel economy, besting the Toyota Camry hybrid by at least 5 mpg city
Ford's SmartGauge(TM) with EcoGuide is a new instrument cluster execution that gives hybrid owners a more connected, fuel-efficient driving experience by coaching them on how to optimize performance of the 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids
With the Fusion and Milan Hybrids and the Escape and the Mariner Hybrids, Ford has doubled the size and volume of its hybrid lineup, making Ford the largest domestic producer of full hybrid vehicles in North America
Ford Motor Company announced today that the new 2010 Ford Fusion will offer consumers a more fuel-efficient powertrain lineup, including an all-new hybrid model that is expected to achieve class-leading fuel economy.
The new Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrid models also offer owners a more connected driving experience, thanks to SmartGauge with EcoGuide, a unique new instrument cluster execution that helps coach drivers to improve fuel efficiency.
"Offering consumers more fuel-efficient vehicle choices, including maximizing the efficiency of our gasoline-powered engines, improving and increasing our hybrid vehicle offerings and increasing our use of fuel saving technologies such as six-speed transmissions, is part of Ford's plan to deliver technology solutions for affordable fuel economy for millions," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president for Global Product Development.
Improved gas engines
For 2010, Fusion and Milan will offer Ford's all-new Duratec 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine producing 175 horsepower; an enhanced 3.0-liter V-6 with 19 more horsepower than its predecessor; and a 3.5-liter V-6 that pumps out 263 horsepower on the Fusion Sport model.
Fusion models equipped with the 2.5-liter I-4 engine are expected to deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry.
All are paired with six-speed transmissions for up to a 10 percent fuel economy improvement and a host of other industry-first technologies aimed at improving performance while gaining fuel economy.
Next-generation hybrid system
Ford's next-generation hybrid propulsion system builds upon the proven success of the Escape and Mariner hybrids, delivering class-leading fuel economy for the all-new 2010 Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids that debut later this year.
With the new arrivals, Ford will be the producer of the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans and SUVs in America -- and the Fusion Hybrid is expected to perform at least 5 mpg better on the highway than the Toyota Camry hybrid.
The overall system upgrade allows the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids to operate longer at higher speeds in electric mode. The hybrid vehicles can operate up to 47 mph in pure electric mode, about twice as fast as some competitors. Plus, the city driving range on a single tank of gas is expected to be more than 700 miles.
"With the new Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrids, we are now able to offer even better range of travel on battery power at a greater speed, thanks to a more efficient, seamless transition between the battery-powered motor and gasoline-driven engine," Kuzak said. "These new hybrids will exceed expectations on all fronts -- fuel efficiency, comfort, convenience and overall drivability."
With the addition of the two new hybrid sedans, Ford will be the largest domestic producer of hybrid vehicles in North America. All Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan models will be built at Ford's Hermosillo (Mexico) Stamping and Assembly Plant.
SmartGauge with EcoGuide
Ford's SmartGauge with EcoGuide, an innovative new instrument cluster, provides real-time information to help drivers maximum fuel efficiency.
Ford collaborated with IDEO and Smart Design, two world leaders in helping consumers connect with technology, to develop the instrument cluster. Job One was properly integrating the driver with the cluster's science and technology.
The driver is immediately engaged by the SmartGauge liquid crystal display (LCD) screens, on either side of the center-mounted analog speedometer, with a special greeting that combines illumination and graphics.
EcoGuide then uses a multi-layered approach to coach the driver to maximum fuel efficiency. A tutorial mode is built into the display and helps the driver learn about the instrument cluster and the hybrid in a whimsical way that does not overpower.
For instance, drivers can choose one of four data screens to choose the information level displayed during their drives. They are:
Inform: Fuel level and battery charge status
Enlighten: Adds electric vehicle mode indicator and tachometer
Engage: Adds engine output power and battery output power
Empower: Adds power to wheels, engine pull-up threshold and accessory
power consumption
All levels can show instant fuel economy, fuel economy history, odometer, engine coolant temperature, what gear the car is in and trip data, including trip fuel economy, time-elapsed fuel economy and miles to empty.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Wednesday, October 29, 2008
Ford Motor reliability improves
DETROIT — Most Ford Motor Co. vehicles now show average or better reliability, Consumer Reports' 2008 car reliability survey said, although Japanese carmakers still lead in the study's rankings. "Ford's three nameplates — Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury — lead the domestic automakers and continue to pull away from the rest of Detroit," according to the report issued last week.
The survey ranked Scion, Acura, Honda and Toyota highest on its list of brands predicted to produce reliable models in 2009. Kia showed the greatest improvement in the survey, finishing 10th and gaining 12 places on the list of 34 brands compared with last year. Corporate sibling Hyundai moved up seven spots to finish eighth in the rankings.
The survey ranked Scion, Acura, Honda and Toyota highest on its list of brands predicted to produce reliable models in 2009. Kia showed the greatest improvement in the survey, finishing 10th and gaining 12 places on the list of 34 brands compared with last year. Corporate sibling Hyundai moved up seven spots to finish eighth in the rankings.
Ford builds most reliable American cars, Consumer Reports Magazine says
DETROIT -- Ford Motor Co. continues to build the most reliable American cars, edging closer in reliability to its Asian rivals, Honda and Toyota, according to an annual survey released this afternoon by Consumer Reports Magazine.
Ford's three nameplates -- Ford, Lincoln and Mercury -- lead the domestic automakers and continue to pull away from its domestic rivals, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. Except for three truck models, all Ford products are now average or better, according to the results of Consumer Reports' 2008 Annual Car Reliability Survey. Excluding those trucks, Ford is now on par with the Asian automakers, the respected consumers' magazine said.
The Ford Fusion and the Mercury Milan continued to rank among the most reliable family cars. The freshened Ford Fusion sedan rated above average.
"Ford is extremely close to Honda and Toyota in terms of reliability," said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports Auto Test Division, said during an Automotive Press Association luncheon at the Detroit Athletic Club.
Japanese automakers continue to build the most reliable vehicles and led in 15 of 16 categories in Consumer Reports' predicted reliability ratings. The Scion xD had the best predicted reliability score for all new cars with 80 percent fewer problems than the average model, according to the survey.
American carmakers overall offer "a mixed bag" of reliability, the publication said.
Among the bright spots for GM is the redesigned Chevrolet Malibu with above-average reliability for the 4-cylinder model and average for the V-6.
Chrysler trailed the pack, with almost two-thirds of its products rated below average. The Dodge Caliber hatchback and the Jeep Patriot SUV rated above average, however.
Ford's three nameplates -- Ford, Lincoln and Mercury -- lead the domestic automakers and continue to pull away from its domestic rivals, General Motors Corp. and Chrysler LLC. Except for three truck models, all Ford products are now average or better, according to the results of Consumer Reports' 2008 Annual Car Reliability Survey. Excluding those trucks, Ford is now on par with the Asian automakers, the respected consumers' magazine said.
The Ford Fusion and the Mercury Milan continued to rank among the most reliable family cars. The freshened Ford Fusion sedan rated above average.
"Ford is extremely close to Honda and Toyota in terms of reliability," said David Champion, senior director of Consumer Reports Auto Test Division, said during an Automotive Press Association luncheon at the Detroit Athletic Club.
Japanese automakers continue to build the most reliable vehicles and led in 15 of 16 categories in Consumer Reports' predicted reliability ratings. The Scion xD had the best predicted reliability score for all new cars with 80 percent fewer problems than the average model, according to the survey.
American carmakers overall offer "a mixed bag" of reliability, the publication said.
Among the bright spots for GM is the redesigned Chevrolet Malibu with above-average reliability for the 4-cylinder model and average for the V-6.
Chrysler trailed the pack, with almost two-thirds of its products rated below average. The Dodge Caliber hatchback and the Jeep Patriot SUV rated above average, however.
Wednesday, October 22, 2008
Driving the Ford hydrogen fuel cell Focus
Original article by Carey Russ
Last week I had the opportunity to drive Ford's latest hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Based on a Focus sedan, it was remarkable for being unremarkable in operation during my maybe 5-mile test drive on city streets. The interior was devoid of the obviously added-in cables, specialized instrumentation, and switches of an engineering prototype, and the car was exceptionally smooth in operation--not surprising, considering that with an electric motor, a transmission is not required. It wasn't completely quiet, as the compressor for the fuel cell's hydrogen system made a whine like a jet engine on the taxiway, but that was not particularly loud or annoying, and actually added to the future-tech experience.
An electric motor makes its maximum amount of torque as soon as it starts to rotate, which means excellent acceleration characteristics, especially for city driving. Regenerative braking, also used in hybrids, increases braking efficiency while recharging the battery pack--and yes, fuel-cell vehicles generally use battery packs, both to store excess energy and have an extra source for use when needed. Driving the fuel cell Focus was no different from driving a gasoline-electric hybrid like an Escape Hybrid or Toyota Prius, except, of course, that there was no internal combustion engine starting and stopping at any time. So it was a little smoother, and even quieter. Such a car would make an excellent commute vehicle. There was plenty of power available for any driving necessity at the under-40 mph speeds attained during the test drive.
If you're wondering when Ford will have a fuel cell vehicle for sale, or even beta-test lease, don't hold your breath. As refined and civilized as the fuel cell Focus sedan was, it's merely the latest in a long line of experimental vehicles. Fuel cells are still expensive items, and the hydrogen storage tank is prohibitively expensive, made of machined aluminum several inches thick, then covered with carbon-fiber mesh for further protection and containment if, somehow, a hole was made in the aluminum. Plus, as the Ford representative said, emergency crews need to be trained to deal with hydrogen-vehicle accidents. Ford is seeing to that, as is the California Fuel Cell Partnership.
Ford is on the conservative end of the fuel cell spectrum while Honda is aggressive, with leased Clarity FCXes running around Los Angeles right now. But while Honda is undoubtedly learning much about the real-world behavior and usefulness of fuel cell vehicles with the Clarity program, the cynic in me would bet that the $600/month lease cost comes nowhere near paying for the production, let alone R&D, costs. When the Toyota FCHV was shown at Challenge Bibendum at Sears Point/Infineon Raceway back in 2003, a company spokesman mentioned that it was a "million-dollar" vehicle. Questioned as to how that figure was arrived at, he candidly replied the the number was essentially pulled out of a hat because "no vehicle accounting system can tell the truth because there are so many variables," according to my notes from that time.
The fuel cell Focus is far from Ford's first attempt. It's not even the first Ford fuel cell vehicle I've driven. That honor goes to a much rougher engineering prototype, based, if I recall correctly, also on a Focus, back when the California Fuel Cell Partnership facility in West Sacramento opened in 2000. That car was chock-full of cables, instrumentation, switches, and Ford engineers. It ran, but the newer model has more power, runs more smoothly, and runs for longer distances. Even then, the most optimistic estimate of fuel cell vehicle availability was eight to ten years, and then for experimental fleet use. And here we are, as the Honda Clarity fleet is really still an experimental one, not the first, and unlikely to be the last. A refueling infrastructure is necessary, and that, too, is slowly developing.
Fuel cells are not exactly new technology. The idea has been around since the 1830s, with functional examples first used more than 100 years later, in the late 1950s. NASA's Gemini and Apollo space capsules had fuel cells for electrical power, as do the space shuttles. NASA's budget is a little bigger than yours...and a fuel cell was the best solution for that application. The water produced as a byproduct is astronaut drinking water.
Will fuel cells be the power of the future, or will new developments in battery technology make them a technological dead end? Interesting times...
Last week I had the opportunity to drive Ford's latest hydrogen fuel cell vehicle. Based on a Focus sedan, it was remarkable for being unremarkable in operation during my maybe 5-mile test drive on city streets. The interior was devoid of the obviously added-in cables, specialized instrumentation, and switches of an engineering prototype, and the car was exceptionally smooth in operation--not surprising, considering that with an electric motor, a transmission is not required. It wasn't completely quiet, as the compressor for the fuel cell's hydrogen system made a whine like a jet engine on the taxiway, but that was not particularly loud or annoying, and actually added to the future-tech experience.
An electric motor makes its maximum amount of torque as soon as it starts to rotate, which means excellent acceleration characteristics, especially for city driving. Regenerative braking, also used in hybrids, increases braking efficiency while recharging the battery pack--and yes, fuel-cell vehicles generally use battery packs, both to store excess energy and have an extra source for use when needed. Driving the fuel cell Focus was no different from driving a gasoline-electric hybrid like an Escape Hybrid or Toyota Prius, except, of course, that there was no internal combustion engine starting and stopping at any time. So it was a little smoother, and even quieter. Such a car would make an excellent commute vehicle. There was plenty of power available for any driving necessity at the under-40 mph speeds attained during the test drive.
If you're wondering when Ford will have a fuel cell vehicle for sale, or even beta-test lease, don't hold your breath. As refined and civilized as the fuel cell Focus sedan was, it's merely the latest in a long line of experimental vehicles. Fuel cells are still expensive items, and the hydrogen storage tank is prohibitively expensive, made of machined aluminum several inches thick, then covered with carbon-fiber mesh for further protection and containment if, somehow, a hole was made in the aluminum. Plus, as the Ford representative said, emergency crews need to be trained to deal with hydrogen-vehicle accidents. Ford is seeing to that, as is the California Fuel Cell Partnership.
Ford is on the conservative end of the fuel cell spectrum while Honda is aggressive, with leased Clarity FCXes running around Los Angeles right now. But while Honda is undoubtedly learning much about the real-world behavior and usefulness of fuel cell vehicles with the Clarity program, the cynic in me would bet that the $600/month lease cost comes nowhere near paying for the production, let alone R&D, costs. When the Toyota FCHV was shown at Challenge Bibendum at Sears Point/Infineon Raceway back in 2003, a company spokesman mentioned that it was a "million-dollar" vehicle. Questioned as to how that figure was arrived at, he candidly replied the the number was essentially pulled out of a hat because "no vehicle accounting system can tell the truth because there are so many variables," according to my notes from that time.
The fuel cell Focus is far from Ford's first attempt. It's not even the first Ford fuel cell vehicle I've driven. That honor goes to a much rougher engineering prototype, based, if I recall correctly, also on a Focus, back when the California Fuel Cell Partnership facility in West Sacramento opened in 2000. That car was chock-full of cables, instrumentation, switches, and Ford engineers. It ran, but the newer model has more power, runs more smoothly, and runs for longer distances. Even then, the most optimistic estimate of fuel cell vehicle availability was eight to ten years, and then for experimental fleet use. And here we are, as the Honda Clarity fleet is really still an experimental one, not the first, and unlikely to be the last. A refueling infrastructure is necessary, and that, too, is slowly developing.
Fuel cells are not exactly new technology. The idea has been around since the 1830s, with functional examples first used more than 100 years later, in the late 1950s. NASA's Gemini and Apollo space capsules had fuel cells for electrical power, as do the space shuttles. NASA's budget is a little bigger than yours...and a fuel cell was the best solution for that application. The water produced as a byproduct is astronaut drinking water.
Will fuel cells be the power of the future, or will new developments in battery technology make them a technological dead end? Interesting times...
Ford Flex gives out iPhone application to alter photos
While the Flex has been off to a slow start since its launch in June -- despite strong reviews -- its promotional iPhone application already has caught fire.
The automaker hadn’t even officially announced the release of the program, but nearly 20,000 potential Flex buyers already had downloaded the free application by today.
The program allows users to enhance photographs on their iPhone with a variety of fun features, or learn more about the Flex.
Once the application is opened, users can enter a darkroom, where they can alter photographs with special effects. For example, a user can run a photograph through a kaleidoscope filter, using his or her finger to circulate the image, and save the end result.
Or they can tap a door called “Discover Flex,” which promotes the features of the new crossover.
Ford, like other automakers and sellers of consumer products, has been struggling to break through the cluttered multimedia marketplace and find ways to get its message about its new cars and trucks to consumers.
Earlier this year, Audi released the Audi A4 Driving Challenge, a free iPhone game to promote its 2009 A4 sedan.
In an interview today, Usha Raghavachari, Ford’s marketing communications manager for crossovers, told the Free Press that Ford commissioned the program “to create a little more buzz” around the Flex.
Ford sold 7,552 Flexes in the United States between June, when the vehicle started arriving in showrooms, and September, a performance that is far short of the company’s objectives but difficult to evaluate in the brutal economic climate. However, Kate Pearce, marketing manager for the Flex, said the vehicle is now the leader within Ford for attracting non-Ford customers.
What’s more, buyers are opting for highly equipped versions of the Flex, she said: 47% of the Flexes sold are the top-of-the-line Limited model, which starts at $34,705. Nearly one-third of consumers are choosing to equip their Flex with the rear refrigerator console, which costs an additional $760.
Raghavachari also said many consumers are attracted to the Flex because of the strong technological offerings, such as Sync wireless communications and entertainment technology, as well as Sirius Travel Link. So launching an iPhone application, she said, fits in with reaching the target consumer.
The automaker hadn’t even officially announced the release of the program, but nearly 20,000 potential Flex buyers already had downloaded the free application by today.
The program allows users to enhance photographs on their iPhone with a variety of fun features, or learn more about the Flex.
Once the application is opened, users can enter a darkroom, where they can alter photographs with special effects. For example, a user can run a photograph through a kaleidoscope filter, using his or her finger to circulate the image, and save the end result.
Or they can tap a door called “Discover Flex,” which promotes the features of the new crossover.
Ford, like other automakers and sellers of consumer products, has been struggling to break through the cluttered multimedia marketplace and find ways to get its message about its new cars and trucks to consumers.
Earlier this year, Audi released the Audi A4 Driving Challenge, a free iPhone game to promote its 2009 A4 sedan.
In an interview today, Usha Raghavachari, Ford’s marketing communications manager for crossovers, told the Free Press that Ford commissioned the program “to create a little more buzz” around the Flex.
Ford sold 7,552 Flexes in the United States between June, when the vehicle started arriving in showrooms, and September, a performance that is far short of the company’s objectives but difficult to evaluate in the brutal economic climate. However, Kate Pearce, marketing manager for the Flex, said the vehicle is now the leader within Ford for attracting non-Ford customers.
What’s more, buyers are opting for highly equipped versions of the Flex, she said: 47% of the Flexes sold are the top-of-the-line Limited model, which starts at $34,705. Nearly one-third of consumers are choosing to equip their Flex with the rear refrigerator console, which costs an additional $760.
Raghavachari also said many consumers are attracted to the Flex because of the strong technological offerings, such as Sync wireless communications and entertainment technology, as well as Sirius Travel Link. So launching an iPhone application, she said, fits in with reaching the target consumer.
Ford Motor Company Gives $100,000 to ‘SEED Wayne’
Darren A. Nichols, The Detroit News
October 17, 2008
Efforts to feed the needy in Detroit with locally grown produce got a $100,000 boost on Thursday from a Ford Motor Company grant.
Wayne State University officials said the money will support the school’s Sustainable Food Systems and Engagement in Detroit (SEED) program. It will aid ongoing efforts to establish urban gardens and other sustainable food resources at Wayne State and throughout Detroit.
Efforts to feed the needy in Detroit with locally grown produce got a $100,000 boost on Thursday from a Ford Motor Company grant.
Wayne State University officials said the money will support the school’s Sustainable Food Systems and Engagement in Detroit (SEED) program. It will aid ongoing efforts to establish urban gardens and other sustainable food resources at Wayne State and throughout Detroit.
October 17, 2008
Efforts to feed the needy in Detroit with locally grown produce got a $100,000 boost on Thursday from a Ford Motor Company grant.
Wayne State University officials said the money will support the school’s Sustainable Food Systems and Engagement in Detroit (SEED) program. It will aid ongoing efforts to establish urban gardens and other sustainable food resources at Wayne State and throughout Detroit.
Efforts to feed the needy in Detroit with locally grown produce got a $100,000 boost on Thursday from a Ford Motor Company grant.
Wayne State University officials said the money will support the school’s Sustainable Food Systems and Engagement in Detroit (SEED) program. It will aid ongoing efforts to establish urban gardens and other sustainable food resources at Wayne State and throughout Detroit.
Ford To Shut Down Ranger Plant for Month of December
The Ford Ranger is the truck that refuses to die — on sale in its present form since 1998, the small pickup soldiers on in the U.S. even as a new model is readied for overseas markets. Previously, Ford had planned to close a St. Paul, Minnesota, plant that builds the Ranger in 2009, but rising gas prices convinced the automaker to keep things running until 2011. Now, however, the faltering economy is changing those plans again, and the Blue Oval will shut the factory for all of December to compensate for falling demand.
Normally the St. Paul manufacturing plant, which has 1000 employees, would be idled for about a week for the Christmas holidays, but according to Ford spokeswoman Angie Kozleski, the automaker is giving workers a full month off to better align the Ranger’s production with demand. Sales of the hauler are down 4.6% through September of this year, though this pales in comparison with the F-150, which lost its spot as America’s bestselling vehicle in America in June, and the truck market overall that has fallen 21% in 2008. To compensate for expensive gas, rumors are that Ford is readying a new, midsize pickup to slot between the F-150 and Ranger called the F-100, however the company recently pushed the project to the back burner to focus on EcoBoost engines instead.
Ford is holding out hope that its newly introduced 2009 F-150 will be a hit in spite of the economy, and while the F-100 is now on hold, there’s a slight possibility the automaker’s overseas-market compact pickup, dubbed the T6, could reach American showrooms as well. However, U.S. import tariffs will make that move difficult, and production of the T6 won’t ramp up in full until 2011, so chances are the venerable Ranger will continue on for the foreseeable future.
Source: Automotive News
Normally the St. Paul manufacturing plant, which has 1000 employees, would be idled for about a week for the Christmas holidays, but according to Ford spokeswoman Angie Kozleski, the automaker is giving workers a full month off to better align the Ranger’s production with demand. Sales of the hauler are down 4.6% through September of this year, though this pales in comparison with the F-150, which lost its spot as America’s bestselling vehicle in America in June, and the truck market overall that has fallen 21% in 2008. To compensate for expensive gas, rumors are that Ford is readying a new, midsize pickup to slot between the F-150 and Ranger called the F-100, however the company recently pushed the project to the back burner to focus on EcoBoost engines instead.
Ford is holding out hope that its newly introduced 2009 F-150 will be a hit in spite of the economy, and while the F-100 is now on hold, there’s a slight possibility the automaker’s overseas-market compact pickup, dubbed the T6, could reach American showrooms as well. However, U.S. import tariffs will make that move difficult, and production of the T6 won’t ramp up in full until 2011, so chances are the venerable Ranger will continue on for the foreseeable future.
Source: Automotive News
South Florida to Receive $600,000 in New Funding From Ford as Part of Automaker's Community Relations
-- Ford Motor Company launches Operation Goodwill in South Florida, contributing an additional $600,000 over the next year to community organizations in the region
-- Ford is partnering with its area dealers in new ways to increase the focus on the needs of local communities
-- 44 Hispanic students in South Florida who wish to pursue an undergraduate degree in a field that is pertinent to the automotive industry will receive scholarships from the Ford Blue Oval Scholars Program
-- New funding will support organizations related to education, human services, automotive safety, volunteer programs, among others
-- The Operation Goodwill program kick-off will take place on October 17th in partnership with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) and Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford, announced today that they plan to invest an additional $600,000 over the next year in South Florida's community programs and charities.
The new funding will support a combination of organizations related to education, automotive safety, human services and other volunteer activities that enhance the quality of life in South Florida.
'Operation Goodwill gives us the opportunity to better target our philanthropy and community relations activities in key U.S. markets, such as South Florida, and to solidly demonstrate that Ford has been, and will continue to be a supportive corporate citizen in the community,' said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. 'Ford Motor Company is actively committed to South Florida, and now in conjunction with the local dealers we're increasing the level of involvement,' added Vella.
Ford and its area dealers are working together to increase the impact of the company's philanthropy in South Florida. Ford's dealers identified more than 15 organizations that will receive support through Operation Goodwill. Ford allocated funds to partner and contribute with these organizations and the local dealers are participating actively with program partners. The company and dealers are pooling resources like never before to support the community outreach efforts.
Operation Goodwill South Florida will be on October 17th in partnership with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. Jim Vella will outline the details of the Operation Goodwill program that significantly increases philanthropy and community relations in South Florida.
'South Florida Ford dealers are joining forces with Ford Motor Company to regionalize its philanthropic giving,' said Lombardo Perez, Owner/President, Metro Ford Lincoln Mercury.
-- Ford is partnering with its area dealers in new ways to increase the focus on the needs of local communities
-- 44 Hispanic students in South Florida who wish to pursue an undergraduate degree in a field that is pertinent to the automotive industry will receive scholarships from the Ford Blue Oval Scholars Program
-- New funding will support organizations related to education, human services, automotive safety, volunteer programs, among others
-- The Operation Goodwill program kick-off will take place on October 17th in partnership with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) and Ford Motor Company Fund, the philanthropic arm of Ford, announced today that they plan to invest an additional $600,000 over the next year in South Florida's community programs and charities.
The new funding will support a combination of organizations related to education, automotive safety, human services and other volunteer activities that enhance the quality of life in South Florida.
'Operation Goodwill gives us the opportunity to better target our philanthropy and community relations activities in key U.S. markets, such as South Florida, and to solidly demonstrate that Ford has been, and will continue to be a supportive corporate citizen in the community,' said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. 'Ford Motor Company is actively committed to South Florida, and now in conjunction with the local dealers we're increasing the level of involvement,' added Vella.
Ford and its area dealers are working together to increase the impact of the company's philanthropy in South Florida. Ford's dealers identified more than 15 organizations that will receive support through Operation Goodwill. Ford allocated funds to partner and contribute with these organizations and the local dealers are participating actively with program partners. The company and dealers are pooling resources like never before to support the community outreach efforts.
Operation Goodwill South Florida will be on October 17th in partnership with the Greater Miami Chamber of Commerce. Jim Vella will outline the details of the Operation Goodwill program that significantly increases philanthropy and community relations in South Florida.
'South Florida Ford dealers are joining forces with Ford Motor Company to regionalize its philanthropic giving,' said Lombardo Perez, Owner/President, Metro Ford Lincoln Mercury.
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