Tuesday, January 19, 2010
Thursday, January 14, 2010
FORD CAPS 2009 WITH 33 PERCENT SALES INCREASE, FIRST FULL-YEAR MARKET SHARE GAIN SINCE 1995
DEARBORN, Mich., Jan. 5, 2010 – Higher sales in every product category and for every brand propelled Ford to a 33 percent sales increase in December versus a year ago.
Ford cars were up 42 percent, crossovers were up 51 percent, sport utilities were up 33 percent, and trucks and vans were up 18 percent. Among brands, Ford sales were up 37 percent, Lincoln sales were up 16 percent and Mercury sales were up 6 percent.
“Ford’s plan is working,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing Sales and Service. “Customer consideration continues to grow for our high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles. In 2010, we will introduce an even higher number of new products, giving customers more reasons to Drive One.”
Every consumer metric about the Ford brand – including favorable opinion, consideration, shopping and intention to buy – ended the year at record levels. In fact, favorable opinion is up more than 20 percent from the beginning of the year, and intention to buy Ford increased more than 30 percent.
“People increasingly are discovering that the Ford difference is the strength of our products, particularly our leadership in quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart technologies and value,” said Czubay.
Ford, Lincoln and Mercury December sales totaled 179,017, up 33 percent versus a year ago. Full-year sales totaled 1.62 million, down 15 percent.
Ford estimates its full-year 2009 U.S. total market share was about 15 percent – about 1 percentage point higher than in 2008. This marks the company’s first full-year U.S. market share increase since 1995. Ford also has improved its retail market share 14 times in the last 15 months.
Sales Highlights
* Ford Fusion, recently named Motor Trend’s Car of the Year, posted a December sales increase of 83 percent and set new December (18,852) and full-year (180,671) sales records. Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan are the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans in America.
* Ford Taurus sales totaled 7,256 for the month, up 110 percent versus a year ago. Since the introduction of the all-new model in August, Taurus sales are nearly 90 percent higher than a year ago.
* Ford Mustang sales were up 62 percent in December, and Ford Focus sales increased 22 percent. Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ were each up 5 percent.
* Crossover utilities also posted strong sales increases. In 2009, the Ford brand was the top-selling brand of crossovers in the U.S., led by the Ford Escape. Escape set a December sales record (19,156), up 75 percent versus a year ago. For the full year, Escape sales totaled 173,044, the second-best sales year ever. Ford Edge sales were up 59 percent, and Ford Flex sales were up 73 percent. The all-new Lincoln MKT posted its highest sales to date (858).
* Ford’s F-Series truck had its best sales month since March 2008. F-Series sales in December were 48,209 (up 16 percent), bringing the full-year total to 413,625. F-Series has been America’s best-selling truck for 33 years in a row and America’s best-selling vehicle, car or truck, for 28 years in a row. In 2009, F-Series increased its leadership position among full-size pickups with a 4 percentage-point gain in segment share.
* Transit Connect, Ford’s new versatile, fuel-efficient small commercial van, had its best sales month (1,992) since August.
* Ford’s new EcoBoost engine technology and hybrid vehicles are winning customers, too. December was the best sales month for EcoBoost (1,662), and total EcoBoost sales since introduction now total 4,973. The conquest rate for the Taurus SHO is 60 percent. EcoBoost provides customers up to 20 percent improvement in fuel economy and a 15 percent reduction in emissions versus larger-displacement engines. EcoBoost is standard on the Taurus SHO and available on the Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT.
* December sales of hybrid vehicles totaled 2,843, up 147 percent versus a year ago. Ford hybrid models include the Ford Fusion, Ford Escape, Mercury Milan and Mercury Mariner. For the full year, Ford hybrid sales totaled 33,502, a new record and up 72 percent versus a year ago.
Ford cars were up 42 percent, crossovers were up 51 percent, sport utilities were up 33 percent, and trucks and vans were up 18 percent. Among brands, Ford sales were up 37 percent, Lincoln sales were up 16 percent and Mercury sales were up 6 percent.
“Ford’s plan is working,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing Sales and Service. “Customer consideration continues to grow for our high-quality, fuel-efficient vehicles. In 2010, we will introduce an even higher number of new products, giving customers more reasons to Drive One.”
Every consumer metric about the Ford brand – including favorable opinion, consideration, shopping and intention to buy – ended the year at record levels. In fact, favorable opinion is up more than 20 percent from the beginning of the year, and intention to buy Ford increased more than 30 percent.
“People increasingly are discovering that the Ford difference is the strength of our products, particularly our leadership in quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart technologies and value,” said Czubay.
Ford, Lincoln and Mercury December sales totaled 179,017, up 33 percent versus a year ago. Full-year sales totaled 1.62 million, down 15 percent.
Ford estimates its full-year 2009 U.S. total market share was about 15 percent – about 1 percentage point higher than in 2008. This marks the company’s first full-year U.S. market share increase since 1995. Ford also has improved its retail market share 14 times in the last 15 months.
Sales Highlights
* Ford Fusion, recently named Motor Trend’s Car of the Year, posted a December sales increase of 83 percent and set new December (18,852) and full-year (180,671) sales records. Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan are the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans in America.
* Ford Taurus sales totaled 7,256 for the month, up 110 percent versus a year ago. Since the introduction of the all-new model in August, Taurus sales are nearly 90 percent higher than a year ago.
* Ford Mustang sales were up 62 percent in December, and Ford Focus sales increased 22 percent. Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ were each up 5 percent.
* Crossover utilities also posted strong sales increases. In 2009, the Ford brand was the top-selling brand of crossovers in the U.S., led by the Ford Escape. Escape set a December sales record (19,156), up 75 percent versus a year ago. For the full year, Escape sales totaled 173,044, the second-best sales year ever. Ford Edge sales were up 59 percent, and Ford Flex sales were up 73 percent. The all-new Lincoln MKT posted its highest sales to date (858).
* Ford’s F-Series truck had its best sales month since March 2008. F-Series sales in December were 48,209 (up 16 percent), bringing the full-year total to 413,625. F-Series has been America’s best-selling truck for 33 years in a row and America’s best-selling vehicle, car or truck, for 28 years in a row. In 2009, F-Series increased its leadership position among full-size pickups with a 4 percentage-point gain in segment share.
* Transit Connect, Ford’s new versatile, fuel-efficient small commercial van, had its best sales month (1,992) since August.
* Ford’s new EcoBoost engine technology and hybrid vehicles are winning customers, too. December was the best sales month for EcoBoost (1,662), and total EcoBoost sales since introduction now total 4,973. The conquest rate for the Taurus SHO is 60 percent. EcoBoost provides customers up to 20 percent improvement in fuel economy and a 15 percent reduction in emissions versus larger-displacement engines. EcoBoost is standard on the Taurus SHO and available on the Ford Flex, Lincoln MKS and Lincoln MKT.
* December sales of hybrid vehicles totaled 2,843, up 147 percent versus a year ago. Ford hybrid models include the Ford Fusion, Ford Escape, Mercury Milan and Mercury Mariner. For the full year, Ford hybrid sales totaled 33,502, a new record and up 72 percent versus a year ago.
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
STUDY: FORD SYNC™ REDUCES DRIVING DISTRACTIONS, HELPS DRIVERS KEEP EYES ON ROAD
A new study shows that Ford’s SYNC hands-free system significantly reduces the level of distraction when drivers select a phone number or choose a song on their MP3 player compared with the same operations with hand-held cell phones and music players.
For example, the research conducted by Ford Motor Company shows study participants spent an average of 25 seconds with their eyes-off-the-road to select a song with a handheld MP3 player compared with 2 seconds for those choosing a song using SYNC.
Ford recently completed a driving simulator study with 25 participants who are regular SYNC users to compare driver performance and eye glance behavior effects of tasks performed using SYNC’s voice interface as compared to using nomadic devices with visual-manual interfaces.
Test participants performed seven typical tasks using SYNC’s voice interface and their personal handheld phones and music players. The tasks included dialing a 10-digit number, calling a specific person from the digital phonebook, receiving a call while driving, playing a specific song, and reviewing and responding to text messages.
For each task, Ford researchers measured total eyes-off-the-road time, deviation of lane position, speed variability, and object detection response time to identify differences in attentiveness and driving performance while using basic functions.
“We know people want to stay connected in their vehicles, so Ford is continuing to deliver that connectivity for them responsibly and safely,” says Susan Cischke, Ford’s group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “Our SYNC research backs up what most of us instinctively know – that it is better while driving to place a call using a voice interface than dialing manually, because you can keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”
Ford’s researchers found that distraction potential for most tasks was significantly minimized when the SYNC voice interface was used as compared to the manual-entry required for handheld devices. For example, reading a text message on a handheld phone typically took the driver’s eyes off the road for 11 seconds compared to about 2 seconds when listening to the text message with SYNC's text-to-speech output.
Drivers also meandered over lane lines in more than 30 percent of trials using handheld phones and music players for song, artist, and phone book contact selection, as compared to zero percent when performing those same tasks with SYNC.
Ford’s study results are consistent with prior research, such as Virginia Tech and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s recent driving study, which followed 109 drivers for one year, including 42,300 hours of driving over two million miles.
That study concluded that manually dialing a handheld device – a task that requires looks away from the road – while driving was almost 2.8 times riskier than normal driving. However, the on-the-road study showed that talking/listening on a phone while driving was no riskier than normal driving.
“These real-world results indicate that SYNC’s voice-interface offers substantial advantages compared to using a handheld device to do the same task,” says Dr. Louis Tijerina, Ford senior technical specialist.
SYNC success soars
SYNC, which recently earned Popular Mechanics’ Editor’s Choice Award for best new products at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show, allows consumers to connect almost any mobile phone or digital media player with their vehicle (via Bluetooth or USB connection). The driver is able to operate them by using voice commands and a steering wheel-mounted control.
The success of SYNC continues to grow. By summer 2009, Ford’s entire North American lineup will offer this technology with more than 1 million SYNC-equipped vehicles on the road by the third quarter of 2009.
Ford, working with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, helped develop guidelines for new telematics and infotainment systems. The voluntary guidelines set limits to the eyes-off-road time required to complete visual-manual tasks. Even though SYNC is a voice-based system, its visual-manual components covered by the Alliance guidelines were tested to ensure they meet the distraction requirements.
“Ford is committed to addressing driver distraction research and testing, and implementing our findings in safety and advanced infotainment systems throughout our vehicle lines,” says John Shutko, Ford technical specialist in Human Factors and Ergonomics.
“We know that customers are increasingly using telematics devices while driving their vehicles and studies show voice-activated systems like SYNC offer significant safety benefits over hand-held manual devices. If people are going to use nomadic devices, Ford Motor Company wants to offer our customers a safer way to use them, through SYNC.”
SYNC gets more safety, fuel-saving, distraction reducing features
Ford is expanding its connectivity leadership by introducing SYNC’s new 911 Assist feature that adds post-crash emergency assistance, and new traffic updates, directions and related driving information to help drivers save time and fuel while reducing distraction.
SYNC’s new “911 Assist” feature will help drivers connect with emergency assistance in the event of an air-bag deployment. When a phone is properly paired, turned on and connected to SYNC – which is designed to happen every time the driver enters the vehicle with his or her cell phone – the system will be ready to assist in placing a call to a local 911 emergency operator should an air bag-deploying accident occur.
“With SYNC, and specifically with the 911 Assist feature, we will be providing our customers an extra layer of security and peace of mind,” Cischke says.
Ford’s next-generation SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information features leverages industry-leading voice-recognition software, integrated GPS and Bluetooth-capable phones. Debuting this spring, it will provide simple hands-free access to personalized traffic reports, precise driving directions and up-to-date information including business listings, news, sports and weather.
Customers won’t have to spend significant time with eyes off the road and hands off the wheel searching for this information on their radios, maps or other telematic devices. Driving safety can be improved when customers can retrieve this information quickly and efficiently using simple voice commands.
The new services will be available on nearly all 2010 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models with no initial monthly subscription fees, thanks to three years of service included with a new vehicle purchase.
For example, the research conducted by Ford Motor Company shows study participants spent an average of 25 seconds with their eyes-off-the-road to select a song with a handheld MP3 player compared with 2 seconds for those choosing a song using SYNC.
Ford recently completed a driving simulator study with 25 participants who are regular SYNC users to compare driver performance and eye glance behavior effects of tasks performed using SYNC’s voice interface as compared to using nomadic devices with visual-manual interfaces.
Test participants performed seven typical tasks using SYNC’s voice interface and their personal handheld phones and music players. The tasks included dialing a 10-digit number, calling a specific person from the digital phonebook, receiving a call while driving, playing a specific song, and reviewing and responding to text messages.
For each task, Ford researchers measured total eyes-off-the-road time, deviation of lane position, speed variability, and object detection response time to identify differences in attentiveness and driving performance while using basic functions.
“We know people want to stay connected in their vehicles, so Ford is continuing to deliver that connectivity for them responsibly and safely,” says Susan Cischke, Ford’s group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “Our SYNC research backs up what most of us instinctively know – that it is better while driving to place a call using a voice interface than dialing manually, because you can keep your hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.”
Ford’s researchers found that distraction potential for most tasks was significantly minimized when the SYNC voice interface was used as compared to the manual-entry required for handheld devices. For example, reading a text message on a handheld phone typically took the driver’s eyes off the road for 11 seconds compared to about 2 seconds when listening to the text message with SYNC's text-to-speech output.
Drivers also meandered over lane lines in more than 30 percent of trials using handheld phones and music players for song, artist, and phone book contact selection, as compared to zero percent when performing those same tasks with SYNC.
Ford’s study results are consistent with prior research, such as Virginia Tech and the U.S. Department of Transportation’s recent driving study, which followed 109 drivers for one year, including 42,300 hours of driving over two million miles.
That study concluded that manually dialing a handheld device – a task that requires looks away from the road – while driving was almost 2.8 times riskier than normal driving. However, the on-the-road study showed that talking/listening on a phone while driving was no riskier than normal driving.
“These real-world results indicate that SYNC’s voice-interface offers substantial advantages compared to using a handheld device to do the same task,” says Dr. Louis Tijerina, Ford senior technical specialist.
SYNC success soars
SYNC, which recently earned Popular Mechanics’ Editor’s Choice Award for best new products at the 2009 International Consumer Electronics Show, allows consumers to connect almost any mobile phone or digital media player with their vehicle (via Bluetooth or USB connection). The driver is able to operate them by using voice commands and a steering wheel-mounted control.
The success of SYNC continues to grow. By summer 2009, Ford’s entire North American lineup will offer this technology with more than 1 million SYNC-equipped vehicles on the road by the third quarter of 2009.
Ford, working with the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, helped develop guidelines for new telematics and infotainment systems. The voluntary guidelines set limits to the eyes-off-road time required to complete visual-manual tasks. Even though SYNC is a voice-based system, its visual-manual components covered by the Alliance guidelines were tested to ensure they meet the distraction requirements.
“Ford is committed to addressing driver distraction research and testing, and implementing our findings in safety and advanced infotainment systems throughout our vehicle lines,” says John Shutko, Ford technical specialist in Human Factors and Ergonomics.
“We know that customers are increasingly using telematics devices while driving their vehicles and studies show voice-activated systems like SYNC offer significant safety benefits over hand-held manual devices. If people are going to use nomadic devices, Ford Motor Company wants to offer our customers a safer way to use them, through SYNC.”
SYNC gets more safety, fuel-saving, distraction reducing features
Ford is expanding its connectivity leadership by introducing SYNC’s new 911 Assist feature that adds post-crash emergency assistance, and new traffic updates, directions and related driving information to help drivers save time and fuel while reducing distraction.
SYNC’s new “911 Assist” feature will help drivers connect with emergency assistance in the event of an air-bag deployment. When a phone is properly paired, turned on and connected to SYNC – which is designed to happen every time the driver enters the vehicle with his or her cell phone – the system will be ready to assist in placing a call to a local 911 emergency operator should an air bag-deploying accident occur.
“With SYNC, and specifically with the 911 Assist feature, we will be providing our customers an extra layer of security and peace of mind,” Cischke says.
Ford’s next-generation SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information features leverages industry-leading voice-recognition software, integrated GPS and Bluetooth-capable phones. Debuting this spring, it will provide simple hands-free access to personalized traffic reports, precise driving directions and up-to-date information including business listings, news, sports and weather.
Customers won’t have to spend significant time with eyes off the road and hands off the wheel searching for this information on their radios, maps or other telematic devices. Driving safety can be improved when customers can retrieve this information quickly and efficiently using simple voice commands.
The new services will be available on nearly all 2010 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models with no initial monthly subscription fees, thanks to three years of service included with a new vehicle purchase.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
FORD SWEEPS N.A. CAR AND TRUCK OF THE YEAR AWARDS
DETROIT, Jan. 11, 2010 – Ford Motor Company scored a historic doubleheader today, capturing both the North American Car of the Year and North American Truck of the Year awards for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2010 Ford Transit Connect, respectively, at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). It is only the third time in 17 years that one manufacturer has won both titles.
“Winning both of these prestigious awards is confirmation that the ONE Ford plan is working, delivering industry-leading products for our customers,” said Mark Fields, president of The Americas.
The North American Car and Truck of the Year awards recognize vehicles based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. A jury of 49 automotive journalists in the United States and Canada vote for the vehicles, which must be “all-new” or “substantially changed” from the previous model to qualify for the award.
2010 Ford Transit Connect
The Fusion Hybrid edged out finalists including the Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf/GTI to win the North American Car of the Year award. It is the fourth hybrid vehicle in 17 years to win recognition as North American Car (or Truck) of the Year. It also is the second hybrid win for Ford – the most hybrid wins for any automaker. The Ford Escape Hybrid was named North American Truck of the Year in 2005.
The Transit Connect bested finalists including the Chevrolet Equinox and Subaru Outback to win the North American Truck of the Year award. It is the sixth Ford truck to win the award – the most wins of any automaker in the 17-year history of the awards program. It also is the second year in a row that Ford has captured the title. Last year, top honors went to the 2009 Ford F-150.
Fusion Hybrid a winner out of the gate
The North American Car of the Year award is the latest in an impressive string of awards and accolades for the Fusion Hybrid. Most recently, the vehicle was honored as CAR and DRIVER Magazine’s “10Best” Cars for 2010, one of AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s 2010 All-Stars, and the entire Fusion lineup captured the acclaimed MOTOR TREND Car of the Year® award.
The all-new Fusion Hybrid arrived in dealers in March, complete with a powertrain system that combines the best attributes of the gasoline engine and electric battery-driven motors to deliver the optimal experience for the customer in terms of driving performance and fuel economy.
The Fusion Hybrid also offers drivers a way to be more connected to the hybrid driving experience thanks to Ford’s SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide, a unique instrument cluster execution that helps coach them on how to optimize the performance of their hybrid.
Other class-exclusive technologies and features that set the Fusion Hybrid apart from the competition include Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®), Ford SYNC®, SIRIUS Travel Link™ and more total passenger and luggage capacity than the Toyota Camry.
Despite the slump in overall industry sales, 2009 was a record-breaking year for the Ford Fusion. Sales are at an all-time high, with the Fusion Hybrid accounting for almost 20 percent of total Fusion retail sales. Perhaps even more significant, more than 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid sales have been to customers coming from import brands – mostly Toyota and Honda.
Awards and accolades for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid include:
* MOTOR TREND Car of the Year Award
* One of CAR and DRIVER Magazine’s “10Best” Cars for 2010
* One of AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s 2010 All-Stars
* 2009 “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
* 2009 Ward’s Interior of the Year Special Achievement Award for Best Graphic Display for SmartGauge with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster
* Great Car for the Long-haul Salesman by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
* One of America’s Top 40 New Cars by MOTOR TREND magazine
* Rated the No. 1 Hybrid Family Sedan by CAR and DRIVER in a recent comparison test by the magazine
* 2009 and 2010 Editors Choice for Fuel Sipper by CAR and DRIVER Magazine
* Best Hybrid for the Money in the Midsize Car segment by cars.com
* One of 2009 Top 10 Green Cars by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
* The Detroit News Readers’ Choice Award for “Best Value”
* 2010 Consumers Digest Best Buy
* Detroit Free Press 2010 Car of the Year
* 2010 Most Environmentally Progressive Car of the Year by Earth, Wind & Power
* 10 Best Engine by Ward’s Auto World
The 2010 Fusion Hybrid is built at Ford’s Hermosillo (Mexico) Stamping and Assembly Plant.
Transit Connect fills unmet needs of small businesses and fleets
The Transit Connect was brought to the U.S. to fulfill the unmet needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs, offering them a new vehicle choice with significantly improved fuel economy, generous and accessible cargo space, and the agility and maneuverability to operate in crowded urban areas.
Powered by a 2.0-liter I-4 engine with a four-speed automatic overdrive transmission, the
Transit Connect offers double the fuel economy of full-size vans, delivering an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.
The Transit Connect also has more than double the cargo-carrying capacity of the Chevrolet HHR Panel, making it suitable for a broader range of commercial-use applications. And it offers commercial users a cargo payload of up to 1,600 pounds – a larger payload than the full-size Dodge Ram 1500 standard-cab short-box pickup truck.
The Transit Connect also is available with the industry-exclusive Ford Work Solutions™, a suite of affordable technologies that provides customers with connectivity, flexibility, visibility and security to better run key aspects of their business.
On Transit Connect, Ford Work Solutions delivers three innovative features:
* A wireless in-dash computer that provides full high-speed Internet access, Bluetooth-enabled hands-free calling and navigation. The system also allows customers to print invoices, check inventories and access documents stored on their home or office computer networks right on the job site.
* Tool Link™, a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) asset tracking system that enables customers to maintain detailed real-time inventory of the tools or equipment.
* Crew Chief™, a fleet tracking, telematics and diagnostics system that provides dynamic location and performance data fleet owners need to more efficiently manage their vehicles, quickly dispatch workers to job sites, monitor driver performance for safety and economy, and keep detailed vehicle maintenance records.
Awards and accolades for the 2010 Ford Transit Connect include:
* 2010 Editors Choice for Vans by CAR and DRIVER Magazine
* Detroit Free Press 2010 Truck of the Year
* The Detroit News 2010 Truck of the Year
* 2010 Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award for Best Workhorse Vehicle
* A Great Car for the Small Business Delivery/Utility Worker by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
The 2010 Ford Transit Connect is built at the Ford Otosan Kocaeli Plant in Kocaeli, Turkey.
“Winning both of these prestigious awards is confirmation that the ONE Ford plan is working, delivering industry-leading products for our customers,” said Mark Fields, president of The Americas.
The North American Car and Truck of the Year awards recognize vehicles based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. A jury of 49 automotive journalists in the United States and Canada vote for the vehicles, which must be “all-new” or “substantially changed” from the previous model to qualify for the award.
2010 Ford Transit Connect
The Fusion Hybrid edged out finalists including the Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf/GTI to win the North American Car of the Year award. It is the fourth hybrid vehicle in 17 years to win recognition as North American Car (or Truck) of the Year. It also is the second hybrid win for Ford – the most hybrid wins for any automaker. The Ford Escape Hybrid was named North American Truck of the Year in 2005.
The Transit Connect bested finalists including the Chevrolet Equinox and Subaru Outback to win the North American Truck of the Year award. It is the sixth Ford truck to win the award – the most wins of any automaker in the 17-year history of the awards program. It also is the second year in a row that Ford has captured the title. Last year, top honors went to the 2009 Ford F-150.
Fusion Hybrid a winner out of the gate
The North American Car of the Year award is the latest in an impressive string of awards and accolades for the Fusion Hybrid. Most recently, the vehicle was honored as CAR and DRIVER Magazine’s “10Best” Cars for 2010, one of AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s 2010 All-Stars, and the entire Fusion lineup captured the acclaimed MOTOR TREND Car of the Year® award.
The all-new Fusion Hybrid arrived in dealers in March, complete with a powertrain system that combines the best attributes of the gasoline engine and electric battery-driven motors to deliver the optimal experience for the customer in terms of driving performance and fuel economy.
The Fusion Hybrid also offers drivers a way to be more connected to the hybrid driving experience thanks to Ford’s SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide, a unique instrument cluster execution that helps coach them on how to optimize the performance of their hybrid.
Other class-exclusive technologies and features that set the Fusion Hybrid apart from the competition include Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®), Ford SYNC®, SIRIUS Travel Link™ and more total passenger and luggage capacity than the Toyota Camry.
Despite the slump in overall industry sales, 2009 was a record-breaking year for the Ford Fusion. Sales are at an all-time high, with the Fusion Hybrid accounting for almost 20 percent of total Fusion retail sales. Perhaps even more significant, more than 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid sales have been to customers coming from import brands – mostly Toyota and Honda.
Awards and accolades for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid include:
* MOTOR TREND Car of the Year Award
* One of CAR and DRIVER Magazine’s “10Best” Cars for 2010
* One of AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s 2010 All-Stars
* 2009 “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
* 2009 Ward’s Interior of the Year Special Achievement Award for Best Graphic Display for SmartGauge with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster
* Great Car for the Long-haul Salesman by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
* One of America’s Top 40 New Cars by MOTOR TREND magazine
* Rated the No. 1 Hybrid Family Sedan by CAR and DRIVER in a recent comparison test by the magazine
* 2009 and 2010 Editors Choice for Fuel Sipper by CAR and DRIVER Magazine
* Best Hybrid for the Money in the Midsize Car segment by cars.com
* One of 2009 Top 10 Green Cars by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
* The Detroit News Readers’ Choice Award for “Best Value”
* 2010 Consumers Digest Best Buy
* Detroit Free Press 2010 Car of the Year
* 2010 Most Environmentally Progressive Car of the Year by Earth, Wind & Power
* 10 Best Engine by Ward’s Auto World
The 2010 Fusion Hybrid is built at Ford’s Hermosillo (Mexico) Stamping and Assembly Plant.
Transit Connect fills unmet needs of small businesses and fleets
The Transit Connect was brought to the U.S. to fulfill the unmet needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs, offering them a new vehicle choice with significantly improved fuel economy, generous and accessible cargo space, and the agility and maneuverability to operate in crowded urban areas.
Powered by a 2.0-liter I-4 engine with a four-speed automatic overdrive transmission, the
Transit Connect offers double the fuel economy of full-size vans, delivering an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.
The Transit Connect also has more than double the cargo-carrying capacity of the Chevrolet HHR Panel, making it suitable for a broader range of commercial-use applications. And it offers commercial users a cargo payload of up to 1,600 pounds – a larger payload than the full-size Dodge Ram 1500 standard-cab short-box pickup truck.
The Transit Connect also is available with the industry-exclusive Ford Work Solutions™, a suite of affordable technologies that provides customers with connectivity, flexibility, visibility and security to better run key aspects of their business.
On Transit Connect, Ford Work Solutions delivers three innovative features:
* A wireless in-dash computer that provides full high-speed Internet access, Bluetooth-enabled hands-free calling and navigation. The system also allows customers to print invoices, check inventories and access documents stored on their home or office computer networks right on the job site.
* Tool Link™, a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) asset tracking system that enables customers to maintain detailed real-time inventory of the tools or equipment.
* Crew Chief™, a fleet tracking, telematics and diagnostics system that provides dynamic location and performance data fleet owners need to more efficiently manage their vehicles, quickly dispatch workers to job sites, monitor driver performance for safety and economy, and keep detailed vehicle maintenance records.
Awards and accolades for the 2010 Ford Transit Connect include:
* 2010 Editors Choice for Vans by CAR and DRIVER Magazine
* Detroit Free Press 2010 Truck of the Year
* The Detroit News 2010 Truck of the Year
* 2010 Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award for Best Workhorse Vehicle
* A Great Car for the Small Business Delivery/Utility Worker by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
The 2010 Ford Transit Connect is built at the Ford Otosan Kocaeli Plant in Kocaeli, Turkey.
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