12
Jan
12

Ford First to Enable iHeartRadio App Inside the Car Using Voice Control

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment
Categories: Future Vehicles, Sync and technology
Tags: , , , , ,

LAS VEGAS, Jan. 11, 2012 – /PRNewswire/ –

 

  • Ford is first to launch iHeartRadio app with voice control using SYNC® AppLink™
  • The new iHeartRadio, Clear Channel’s industry-leading digital radio service, delivers more than 800 of the nation’s most popular live broadcast and digital-only stations, plus user-created custom stations – all in one fully integrated service
  • The SYNC-enabled iHeartRadio app is now available for download from the iTunes App Store and BlackBerry App World; it’s coming soon to the Android Market
  • iHeartRadio is the sixth app for SYNC AppLink that Ford is launching at the 2012 International CES
  • iHeartRadio is one of the first broadcast radio apps to connect listeners through a native in-car system to Facebook Timeline

 

Ford (NYSE: F) today announced it is the first automobile company to give drivers easy in-car access to the popular iHeartRadio app using voice control through Ford SYNC® AppLink™.

Continue reading ‘Ford First to Enable iHeartRadio App Inside the Car Using Voice Control’

12
Jan
12

Are Small Cars A Problem At Ford?

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment
Categories: Escape, Fiesta and Focus
Tags: , , ,

Source: Wall Street Journal

By Michael Ramsey

In the next few months, Ford Motor Co. must confront a burgeoning supply of its small cars now piling up on dealer lots. How it handles the problem will give an indication of how much Detroit has really changed.

Ford, General Motors Co. and Chrysler Group LLC used to resort to steep incentives and cut rate sales to rental companies to clear bloated inventories. Each rejected the practice amid the 2008 recession—and have stayed true to their pledge, thus far.

Now, Ford faces its biggest test of that self-discipline. At the end of December, Ford dealers had between 1.5 times and 2 times as many Focus and Fiesta small cars as auto makers typically like to have on lots and in showrooms. Ford executives insist they won’t revert to the old days, and could slow production to drain the excess inventory.

Slowing production would allow Ford to maintain the high prices it has been getting for the Fiesta and Focus. On the other hand, production cutbacks would reduce the revenue generated by its small-car plants. Auto makers book their revenue when they ship cars to dealers.

Bill Ford Jr., executive chairman, said, “It’s a delicate balance and fortunately, so far, we haven’t had to give up one for the other.” He insisted the company won’t “go back to the days of shoving vehicles out the door just to try to get market share.”

Continue reading ‘Are Small Cars A Problem At Ford?’

12
Jan
12

Ford Motor Co.’s marketing chief answers 3 questions on the US market, gas prices and rival GM

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment
Categories: Escape, ford, Ford Corporate and Future Vehicles
Tags: , , ,

Source: AP

 

DETROIT — Ford Motor Co. marketing chief Jim Farley has a busy year ahead, with the launch of major products such as the Ford Escape and the revamp of the luxury Lincoln brand. And as the new Ford Fusion was debuting at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, the new Ford EcoSport, a compact SUV for developing markets, was unveiled in New Delhi. Both will go on sale later this year.

The company is accelerating its plan to make global products instead of producing different cars for each market, Farley said Wednesday at the Automotive News World Congress, an industry conference held during the auto show in Detroit. Farley says 85 percent of Ford’s products will be built on just nine basic platforms by 2013. That’s a year earlier than its original plan. It’s also a major change from five years ago, when just 29 percent of Ford’s volume was built on shared platforms.

In North America, Farley is also tasked with reinventing the Lincoln brand, which was the top luxury brand in the U.S. 15 years ago but has fallen to last place after years of neglect. Ford debuted the new Lincoln MKZ midsize sedan at the auto show, and will try to create a new image for Lincoln with advertising and spruced-up dealerships. It’s a challenge Farley relishes.

“It will take all of our energy to get Lincoln back,” he said.

Continue reading ‘Ford Motor Co.’s marketing chief answers 3 questions on the US market, gas prices and rival GM’

10
Jan
12

Ford Confirms EcoBoost Mustang in the Works

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment
Categories: ecoboost, Focus, ford, Future Vehicles and mustang
Tags: , , ,

source: Car and Driver

While there have been rumors of an EcoBoost-powered Mustang ever since Ford coined the EcoBoost name, the company’s executives have been pretty mum on the subject. But at an event in conjunction with the first press preview day of the 2012 Detroit auto show, the company’s chief product man, Derrick Kuzak, acknowledged the existence of the turbo Mustang.

Said Kuzak, “Given the success we’ve had with EcoBoost across the lineup that we’ve talked about, it’s fair to assume that we will have an EcoBoost Mustang in the very near future.”

And that is all Kuzak is saying about that. Our guess is that the engine in question would be a four-cylinder version, similar to the 2.0-liter unit that will power the upcoming 247-hp Focus ST. If so, it would leave room for the current 305-hp, 3.7-liter V-6 to slot between the new turbocharged, direct-injected four and the 412-hp 5.0-liter V-8 (which will be upgraded to 420 hp for 2013). Earlier rumors indicated that the EcoBoost motor would be a larger displacement four-cylinder making more on the order of 300 hp. We’re reading Kuzak’s words to mean that the new engine option would appear within the next year or two.

 

10
Jan
12

Ford’s Sync in-car computer now inside 4M cars, adds on-demand NPR and navigation apps

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment
Categories: entertainment, ford, Sync and technology
Tags: , , ,

source: MobileBeat

Ford’s in-car computer, Sync, is now installed in 4 million vehicles. To celebrate the milestone, the car company has added new abilities including hands-free voice navigation from Telenav and on-demand access to National Public Radio programs. The company announced the milestone and new apps at the Consumer Electronics Show Monday in Las Vegas.

In-car technology was one of the five big CES trends we predicted that would matter in 2012. Car markers, especially Ford, are racing (har har) to add connectivity and apps to their vehicle dashboards. Mercedes-Benz is expected to announce new in-car tech at CES as well.

Ford’s voice-activated Sync connectivity system was introduced in 2007 in the U.S. and lets smartphone owners do more with their cars by “syncing” with various smartphone apps. Ford will be bringing Sync to European and Asian models this year, and it believes an additional 9 million vehicles will be Sync-equipped by 2015.

One new Sync addition is a feature that lets drivers listen to National Public Radio programs and stations on-demand. Drivers will be able to piece together playlists comprised of programs such as Fresh Air, All Things Considered and Morning Edition using their voices. Just download the NPR smartphone app and you can begin to use with it Sync AppLink, which already works with Internet radio apps like Pandora, Slacker, iHeartRadio and Stitcher.

Ford also has updated its Sync Destinations mobile app, which lets drivers send all their destinations to their vehicle using the iPhone. The app now has added AppLink capabilities, and it can give turn-by-turn directions and it let drivers report traffic incidents in real-time. The Sync Destinations app will hit the BlackBerry and Android platforms before the end of Q1 2012.

Another upcoming addition to Sync is the ability to work with the new Scout navigation app by Telenav. The Scout app is available now for the iPhone and provides personalized navigation, turn-by-turn directions and traffic-based drive times. The Scout app will work with Sync later this year.

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