FORD LEADS ALL AUTOMAKERS WITH MOST ‘TOP SAFETY PICKS’, BESTING HONDA IN IIHS CRASH TESTS
The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named the 2009 Ford Flex and Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKS and Mercury Milan as “Top Safety Picks.”
No other automaker has as many “Top Safety Pick” awards as Ford Motor Company, which tops the industry with 16.
The body structure on the automaker’s newest models features ultra high-strength boron steel in the B-pillar for added protection in side impacts.
DEARBORN, Sept. 25, 2008 – Ford Motor Company has earned more “Top Safety Pick” ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) than any other automaker with a total of 16 to date.
Ford surpassed its closest rival Honda this week when four of its 2009 models – Ford Flex, Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKS and Mercury Milan – achieved “Top Safety Pick” ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The Flex, Ford’s all-new head-turning crossover, the new Lincoln MKS full-size flagship sedan and the Fusion and Milan midsize sedans build on the company’s safety leadership. Ford also has more 5-star government crash test ratings than any other automaker.
“Leading the industry in ‘Top Safety Picks’ is great news, because IIHS tests are some of the most demanding conducted outside of our own laboratories, and customers are increasingly relying on them when choosing a new vehicle,” said Susan Cischke, Ford’s group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.
To earn IIHS’s “Top Safety Pick,” vehicles must earn the top “good” ratings in the institute’s high-speed front and side crash tests, and a rear crash test simulation that evaluates seat and head restraints. An added requirement since 2007 is that vehicles also must offer electronic stability control.
Flex, MKS, Fusion and Milan excelled in each of the institute’s crash tests, and AdvanceTrac® electronic stability control is available for each vehicle. The safety system uses sensors to detect and measure yaw, or side-to-side skidding conditions, by monitoring the vehicle’s speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle. When AdvanceTrac® senses wheel slip, engine torque is reduced and braking is applied where needed to help the driver keep the car tracking on its intended path. IIHS has stated that “AdvanceTrac significantly reduces crash risk by helping drivers maintain control of their vehicles during emergency maneuvers.”
IIHS said “Top Safety Pick” vehicles are “at the head of the class for safety,” and recognizing them as such “helps consumers distinguish the best overall choices without having to sort through multiple test results.”
Structural Strength Is a Safety Fundamental
Flex, MKS, Fusion and Milan get some of their core strength from the use of lightweight aluminum-coated boron steel – one of the strongest weld-able materials – in the body structure. The use of high-strength steel in the B-pillars is only part of their robust safety profile. Ford engineers also located the side door intrusion beams to help manage and absorb energy during side impact crashes.
“Flex and MKS are built on a platform that has a tremendous safety heritage – one that it shares with the 2009 Ford Taurus, rated America’s safest full-size car,” said Steve Kozak, Ford’s chief engineer for safety systems. “And Fusion and Milan prove that a high level of safety can come in a midsize package.”
In addition to electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes, standard safety features on Flex, MKS, Fusion and Milan include:
Six Standard Air Bags and Ford's Personal Safety System®: Safety features include six air bags (dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags, thorax side air bags for front-seat occupants and side-impact air curtains), safety belt pretensioners, seat weight-sensing system for the front passenger seat and crash-severity sensing.
Ford’s BeltMinder®, a safety belt reminder technology for the driver and front passenger that takes over after the initial safety belt reminder stops chiming.
LATCH: The Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren system provides convenient mounting points for compatible child seats.
Tire Pressure Monitoring System: This system warns a driver if one or more tires are underinflated. An active pressure sensor with a radio transmitter is mounted inside each tire. A receiver in the vehicle monitors each transmitter, and if tire pressure is not within specific limits, it will activate a visual warning light.
Other key safety features on select models include:
Adaptive Collapsible Steering Column – In an impact, the column will collapse, dependent on the weight and belted status of the driver.
Safety Canopy® – Ford's exclusive side impact protection system features side curtain air bags that help protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollovers and side impact crashes.
“Safety is a top purchase consideration, second only to fuel efficiency, so the top safety ratings and competitive fuel economy of Flex, MKS, Fusion and Milan are a winning combination,” said Michael Crowley, North America car and crossover marketing manager, Ford Motor Company. Even More Technology Works in Customers’ Favor
MKS also can help drivers avoid problems on the road.
The new SIRIUS® Travel Link™ feature, praised for helping motorists find the cheapest gas, also can help route them around congested, potentially dangerous conditions using the vehicle’s navigation system with real-time traffic information, available in select markets.
SYNC®, Ford’s hands-free connectivity system for Bluetooth-enabled phones and digital music players, helps drivers keep their eyes on the road and hands on the wheel to reduce distractions.
About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 229,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.
Tuesday, September 30, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
The Exciting Ford Edge- Drive One
You've seen the ads and smelled the sizzle, now is the time for the real meat and potatos. Visit the link below for more information on one of Ford's most innovative vehicles on today's market. If you get as excited about the new Edge as we are, I invite you to visit us for a test drive. As one of North Florida's largest car dealers we have a large selection to drive and choose from. Or check us out online at http://www.fordofocala.com/ and http://www.fordocala.net/ from the comfort of your computer station.Edge Drive One
Good to Go at One Low Price
THE WORKS FUEL SAVER PACKAGE $39.95
Good to Go at One Low Price.
- Motorcraft® Premium Synthetic Blend Oil and Motorcraft® filter change
- Rotate and inspect four tires
- Check air and cabin air Motorcraft® filters
- Inspect brake system
- Test battery
- Check belts and hoses
- Top off all fluids
Up to five quarts of Motorcraft® oil. Taxes and diesel vehicles extra. Disposal fees not included in some locations. Hybrid high-voltage battery test not included. See your Service Advisor for vehicle exclusions and details through 09/30/08
Drive to maximize your fuel economy
How changing the way you drive can help increase your fuel economy.
Here are some small changes you can make to your driving habits to help conserve gas.
Combine Trips
Making lots of short trips means you’re driving with your engine cold. And that uses more fuel than making one long trip with an engine that’s warmed up. Try combining your short trips around town as much as possible to optimize your fuel economy.
Drive Sensibly
Aggressive driving (speeding, rapid acceleration and braking) wastes gas. It can lower your gas mileage by 33 percent at highway speeds and by 5 percent around town. Sensible driving is also safer for you and others, so you may save more than just gas money.
Observe the Speed Limit
While each vehicle reaches its optimal fuel economy at a different speed (or range of speeds), gas mileage usually decreases rapidly at speeds above 60 mph.
Remove Excess Weight
Avoid keeping unnecessary items in your vehicle, especially heavy ones. An extra 100 pounds in your vehicle could reduce your miles per gallon (mpg) by up to 2%. The reduction is based on the percentage of extra weight relative to the vehicle's weight and affects smaller vehicles more than larger ones.
Avoid Excessive Idling
Idling gets 0 mpg. Cars with larger engines typically waste more gas at idle than do cars with smaller engines. If you know you’ll be stopped for a while, it’s actually better to turn off your engine instead of idling.
Use Cruise Control
Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas. Use Overdrive Gears When you use overdrive gearing, your car's engine speed goes down. This saves gas and reduces engine wear.
Source: www.fueleconomy.gov
The New 2009 Ford F-150
NEWS
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2009 Ford f-150 UNSURPASSED IN fuel economy, CAPABILITY
DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 18, 2008 – America’s best-selling pickup, the Ford F-Series, is raising the bar once again – this time with unsurpassed fuel efficiency on the new 2009 F-150, thanks to significant miles per gallon improvement across the entire F-150 lineup.
On sale in October, the new F-150 offers fuel economy that has improved an average of 8 percent across the entire lineup as a result of a wide-range of engineering enhancements. The fuel economy gains reach as high as 12 percent versus the prior model year on F-150 models equipped with the high-volume 3-valve, 5.4-liter V-8 engine. At the same time, the new F-150 delivers class-leading towing capability of 11,300 pounds and hauling capacity of 3,030 pounds – a combination no other competitor can match.
In addition, Ford is announcing the introduction of the new F-150 SFE “superior fuel economy” edition delivering up to 21 miles per gallon on the highway while still providing 7,500 pounds of towing capability – fuel economy that is unsurpassed in the full-size pickup segment.
“Ford has committed to have the best or equal to the best fuel economy with every new product we introduce, and we are delivering with the new F-150,” said Matt O’Leary, Ford F-150 chief engineer. “Fuel economy has moved from 10th to third place among pickup buyers’ top purchase considerations – right behind durability and value. The new F-150 delivers on all three as the industry leader.”
F-150 SFE
The new SFE package will be available on F-150 SuperCrew XL and XLT 4X2 vehicles with 4.6-liter, 3-valve V-8 engines and 5.5-foot beds. The SFE pickup will achieve 15 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway.
The SFE package trucks also feature a new fuel-efficient six-speed automatic transmission, a 3.15:1 rear axle and 18-inch chrome clad aluminum wheels with low rolling resistance P265/60R18 all-season tires.
“Earning the trust of so many truck customers during the past 31 years has taught us a lot about what they want and value from their F-150,” O’Leary said. “In the past, there was a tradeoff – more fuel economy meant less capability and vice versa. With the new F-150, we didn’t accept tradeoffs. We delivered capability and fuel economy.”
The SFE package will be a no-cost option on XLT SuperCrew pickups with the chrome package and will cost $1,095 when ordered on XL SuperCrew pickups with the decor package.
Fuel Economy throughout the Lineup
The 8 percent improvement in fuel economy across the entire lineup of V-8 F-150s is the result of using lightweight ultra-high-strength steel to lighten the truck up to 100 pounds versus the current model and aerodynamic refinements.
The new F-150 is now best-in-class for aerodynamics. The new F-150 SuperCrew 4X2 with a 5.5-foot box has the lowest coefficient of drag – 0.403 – in the segment. That’s 6 percent lower than a comparable 2008 F-150.
Key aero improvements for the new F-150 include:
· A new chamfered shape to the rear of the cab, which incorporated the center-high-mount stop lamp. This shape helps direct aerodynamic wake over the pickup box efficiently.
· The top of the tailgate, which angles outward to create a bold lip. This wider surface at the top of the tailgate works with the cab chamfering to direct airflow over the box efficiently.
· The front bumper valence and spoiler design, which has been improved to better manage airflow underneath the truck without compromising off-roading.
In addition, as part of the fuel economy improvements, Ford’s powertrain team delivered technology upgrades to make the F-150 powertrains more efficient.
The new six-speed automatic transmission offers a wider gear ratio span than four-speed transmissions, allowing engineers the flexibility to have responsiveness in low gears and better fuel economy in the taller gears. The new double-overdrive gearbox is designed to contribute a 4 to 6 percent fuel economy improvement.
Both the 5.4-liter and 4.6-liter 3-valve V-8 engines utilize open valve injection. This unique feature improves the air/fuel charge conditions in the combustion chamber, allowing greater spark advance at higher loads and engine speeds. This delivers increased horsepower during towing and higher rpm operations, lower emissions and more efficient use of fuel.
The F-150 also regulates gas consumption by using aggressive deceleration fuel shut-off. The fuel shut-off is automatic and requires no unusual actions from the driver. When the driver releases the accelerator pedal, the system temporarily turns off the fuel. The flow of fuel seamlessly resumes when the truck reaches a low speed or the driver accelerates again.
To prevent engine hesitation normally associated with fuel interruption, Ford’s powertrain team developed proprietary software to integrate the technology with the F-150’s powertrains.
IMMEDIATE RELEASE
2009 Ford f-150 UNSURPASSED IN fuel economy, CAPABILITY
DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 18, 2008 – America’s best-selling pickup, the Ford F-Series, is raising the bar once again – this time with unsurpassed fuel efficiency on the new 2009 F-150, thanks to significant miles per gallon improvement across the entire F-150 lineup.
On sale in October, the new F-150 offers fuel economy that has improved an average of 8 percent across the entire lineup as a result of a wide-range of engineering enhancements. The fuel economy gains reach as high as 12 percent versus the prior model year on F-150 models equipped with the high-volume 3-valve, 5.4-liter V-8 engine. At the same time, the new F-150 delivers class-leading towing capability of 11,300 pounds and hauling capacity of 3,030 pounds – a combination no other competitor can match.
In addition, Ford is announcing the introduction of the new F-150 SFE “superior fuel economy” edition delivering up to 21 miles per gallon on the highway while still providing 7,500 pounds of towing capability – fuel economy that is unsurpassed in the full-size pickup segment.
“Ford has committed to have the best or equal to the best fuel economy with every new product we introduce, and we are delivering with the new F-150,” said Matt O’Leary, Ford F-150 chief engineer. “Fuel economy has moved from 10th to third place among pickup buyers’ top purchase considerations – right behind durability and value. The new F-150 delivers on all three as the industry leader.”
F-150 SFE
The new SFE package will be available on F-150 SuperCrew XL and XLT 4X2 vehicles with 4.6-liter, 3-valve V-8 engines and 5.5-foot beds. The SFE pickup will achieve 15 mpg in the city and 21 mpg on the highway.
The SFE package trucks also feature a new fuel-efficient six-speed automatic transmission, a 3.15:1 rear axle and 18-inch chrome clad aluminum wheels with low rolling resistance P265/60R18 all-season tires.
“Earning the trust of so many truck customers during the past 31 years has taught us a lot about what they want and value from their F-150,” O’Leary said. “In the past, there was a tradeoff – more fuel economy meant less capability and vice versa. With the new F-150, we didn’t accept tradeoffs. We delivered capability and fuel economy.”
The SFE package will be a no-cost option on XLT SuperCrew pickups with the chrome package and will cost $1,095 when ordered on XL SuperCrew pickups with the decor package.
Fuel Economy throughout the Lineup
The 8 percent improvement in fuel economy across the entire lineup of V-8 F-150s is the result of using lightweight ultra-high-strength steel to lighten the truck up to 100 pounds versus the current model and aerodynamic refinements.
The new F-150 is now best-in-class for aerodynamics. The new F-150 SuperCrew 4X2 with a 5.5-foot box has the lowest coefficient of drag – 0.403 – in the segment. That’s 6 percent lower than a comparable 2008 F-150.
Key aero improvements for the new F-150 include:
· A new chamfered shape to the rear of the cab, which incorporated the center-high-mount stop lamp. This shape helps direct aerodynamic wake over the pickup box efficiently.
· The top of the tailgate, which angles outward to create a bold lip. This wider surface at the top of the tailgate works with the cab chamfering to direct airflow over the box efficiently.
· The front bumper valence and spoiler design, which has been improved to better manage airflow underneath the truck without compromising off-roading.
In addition, as part of the fuel economy improvements, Ford’s powertrain team delivered technology upgrades to make the F-150 powertrains more efficient.
The new six-speed automatic transmission offers a wider gear ratio span than four-speed transmissions, allowing engineers the flexibility to have responsiveness in low gears and better fuel economy in the taller gears. The new double-overdrive gearbox is designed to contribute a 4 to 6 percent fuel economy improvement.
Both the 5.4-liter and 4.6-liter 3-valve V-8 engines utilize open valve injection. This unique feature improves the air/fuel charge conditions in the combustion chamber, allowing greater spark advance at higher loads and engine speeds. This delivers increased horsepower during towing and higher rpm operations, lower emissions and more efficient use of fuel.
The F-150 also regulates gas consumption by using aggressive deceleration fuel shut-off. The fuel shut-off is automatic and requires no unusual actions from the driver. When the driver releases the accelerator pedal, the system temporarily turns off the fuel. The flow of fuel seamlessly resumes when the truck reaches a low speed or the driver accelerates again.
To prevent engine hesitation normally associated with fuel interruption, Ford’s powertrain team developed proprietary software to integrate the technology with the F-150’s powertrains.
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