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 automakers 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 institutes 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.
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 weldable 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.
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 http://www.ford.com/.

Ford Motor Company has taken another stride in quality, reducing Things Gone Wrong (TGW) levels for the third straight year, and is now within striking distance of the best in class, according to U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS). Ford quality has improved by 11 percent, much more than the industry improvement average of two percent by the same study, in which no fewer than 16 Ford vehicles ranked for the top three positions in either TGW performance or customer satisfaction categories or both after three months in service, the usual cut off period for this study conducted by the RDA Group. The results are based on what the study hears from customers on all or some of the parameters such as vehicle trouble and customer satisfaction, after they have used their vehicles for at least three months. The Mustang, Shelby, GT500, E-Series, Crown Victoria, Mercury Milan, Lincoln Mark LT, Mazda MX-5, and Miata ranked best in their respective segments and, not surprisingly, these ten Ford models outperformed the competition. The company`s new launches, Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX, and Lincoln Navigator L cemented their already strong positions for strong customer satisfaction, while Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, and Lincoln MKZ did well during the quarter, sustaining their high levels since their launch in late 2004. Are these not enough reasons for you to come to our Ford of Ocala dealership to look for your next Ford?

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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.

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