“We are creating a full lineup of Ford vehicles – small, medium and large cars, utilities and trucks – that are best-in-class in fuel efficiency, quality, technology and safety and available to consumers with exceptional value,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, global product development. “We are making fuel economy a reason to buy a Ford, and we are distinguishing ourselves as leaders in connectivity and unique consumer-friendly technologies – many of which are appearing in our 2010-model lineup for the first time ever.”
The unprecedented number of new vehicle introductions for the 2010 model year includes:
— 2010 Ford Taurus and Taurus SHO;
— 2010 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid;
— 2010 Ford Mustang and Shelby GT500;
— 2010 Ford Flex with EcoBoost;
— 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor;
— 2010 Ford Transit Connect;
— 2010 Lincoln MKT and MKT with EcoBoost;
— 2010 Lincoln MKZ;
— 2010 Lincoln MKS with EcoBoost;
— 2010 Mercury Milan and Milan Hybrid.
Plus, Ford is delivering vehicles with high levels of interior comfort as well as new convenience and safety technologies than competitors offer, even in premium sedans. These new technologies include:
— New SYNC applications with Traffic, Directions & Information delivered through customers’ Bluetooth-capable mobile phones;
— Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), which alerts drivers when obstacles are in their blind spot;
— Automatic Park Assist, which guides vehicles into parallel parking spaces, hands-free.
Fuel efficiency improves with new powertrains:
Ford also is making an unprecedented investment in new engine, transmission and driveline components, helping the company improve its average US vehicle fuel economy by about 20% fleet-wide through the end of 2010 versus 2005 – with plans to increase car and truck fuel economy by more than 35% by 2015, thanks to powertrain advancements.
Additional improvements include:
— A new 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine will go on sale in the 2010 calendar year. It is the first EcoBoost engine to include Twin-Independent Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT) and will deliver a 10 to 20% fuel economy improvement versus larger-displacement V-6 engines, without compromising performance;
— A 6.2-liter V-8 – producing about 400 horsepower – first appears in the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor on sale later 2009;
–A 3.7-liter V-6 iVCT, producing 274-horsepower, and helping the Lincoln MKT achieve fuel economy;
— A 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 – Ford’s first EcoBoost engine, featuring better fuel economy than V-8 competitors, is offered in the Taurus SHO this model year with 365 horsepower and 350 ft.-lb. of torque; EcoBoost engines in Flex, Lincoln MKS and MKT deliver 355 horsepower and 350 ft.-lb. of torque;
— A 3.0-liter V-6 iVCT – featuring a Cam Torque-Actuated Variable Intake Cam Timing system that improves low-end torque and delivers better fuel economy, is available on the Fusion, Milan, Escape and Mariner later this model year.
“We are absolutely committed to delivering new products with the best fuel economy in every segment in which we compete – driven in large part by substantial advancements in powertrain technology,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president, Ford Global Powertrain Engineering.
In addition to an aggressive electrification strategy, which will result in at least four electrified vehicles on the road in the US by 2012, including full battery electric vehicles, new hybrids and a plug-in hybrid, Ford is improving gasoline engines across all products in high volumes.
The foundation for Ford’s plan is its new EcoBoost engine. EcoBoost is a new high-volume, affordable engine technology slated for a range of global vehicles, from small cars to large trucks. It uses gasoline turbocharged direct-injection technology for up to 20% better fuel economy, 15% fewer CO2 emissions and superior performance versus larger-displacement engines.
EcoBoost is arriving for the 2010 model year on the Ford Flex, Taurus SHO, Lincoln MKS and MKT. By 2012, the company plans to produce 750,000 EcoBoost units annually in the US and 1.3 million globally. By 2013, Ford will offer EcoBoost engines in 90% of its product lineup.
For the 2010 model year, Ford also is offering two new hybrids. The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids deliver 41 mpg in the city, 8 mpg better than Toyota Camry Hybrid, making them the fuel-efficient midsize sedans in America.
Ford quality and customer satisfaction now #1:
Customers and third-party experts alike are noticing Ford’s product, fuel economy and quality.
For the first time in the 28-year history of the Global Quality Research System (GQRS) study, customer satisfaction with Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles has reached its high level in North America, and now equals Toyota.
In addition, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles had the lowest number of things gone wrong among all automakers, putting Ford in a statistical tie with Toyota for initial quality and ahead of Honda.
“Ford’s total focus on quality and customer satisfaction throughout the design and manufacturing process is paying off, and customers are noticing,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president, The Americas.
“This is a major milestone, but we are not satisfied,” Fields added. “For Ford, our plan is continuous improvement year after year.”
The GQRS study is conducted for Ford on a quarterly basis by Bloomfield Hills, Michigan-based RDA Group. New vehicle owners are asked to report defects or issues as well as rate satisfaction with vehicle quality on a scale of 1 to 10 across an array of vehicle systems and features.
New products attracting new customers:
Internal and external studies show a positive trend in the percentage of consumers with favorable opinions about Ford and growing numbers of consumers who are willing to consider purchasing a Ford product, thanks to improved fuel economy, smart technology and higher residual values.
“Customers are recognizing that Ford is delivering exceptional quality, fuel efficiency, smart technology and better value,” said Fields. “We’re delighted to see more and more new customers putting their trust in Ford and encouraging others to do the same.”
