Archive for October, 2009

26
Oct
09

Report: Ford F-150 SVT Raptor Named “Truck of Texas” by Texas Auto Writers Association

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment
Categories: Future Vehicles, Trucks, fun stuff, general and raptor
Tags: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Each year the Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) gives out accolades to vehicles in different classes, but none carry the quite the prestigious honor as the “Truck of Texas” title. For 2010 TAWA has awarded the Ford F-150 SVT Raptor as the “Truck of Texas,” making this the seventh year in a row that a Ford has won the top truck award.

“Winning the Truck of Texas is a distinct honor,” said Mark Fields, president, The Americas, Ford Motor Company. “Texans know their trucks, and this award is further proof of why the F-150 remains America’s number-one selling pickup. We built F-150 SVT Raptor for truck enthusiasts. And we’re gratified it’s gaining recognition for both its unequaled off-road performance and confidence-inspiring on-road demeanor.”

The F-150 SVT Raptor gets big fender flares, FOX Racing Shox with 11.2-inches of front suspension travel and 12.1-inches of rear suspension travel, as well as 35-inch BFGoodrich tires. A 5.4-liter V8 engine with 320-hp and 390 ft-lbs of torque is currently offered and Ford plans to make a 6.2-liter V8 with 400-hp and 400 ft-lbs of torque available.

But what really makes the Raptor so amazing is that as off-road capable as it is, you can actually use it for normal daily driving.

26
Oct
09

Ford’s wind testing pays off in savings, satisfaction

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

Ford Motor Co. is using a high-tech noise imaging system to locate and address squeaks and rattles in its cars, and the effort has been paying off, company engineers said during a presentation today.

The system, called Noise Vision, uses 30 highly sensitive microphones and 12 cameras to create a sonic sound map that allows engineers to quickly find — and out root — the source of the noise.

While Ford declined to say how much it paid for the system, company engineers said it is part of goal set by Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president of global product development, to make noise reduction a top priority for all of its vehicles.

“His vision is that every Ford that we make is to be remarkably quiet, and this is one of the tools that we have to achieve that,” said John Nalevanko, a wind noise technical specialist for Ford. “If there are little annoying noises in the car, it’s unlikely that our customers will be satisfied.”

According to Ford, Noise Vision has allowed the company to reduce vehicle testing in its expensive wind tunnel by more than 200 hours — saving the company an estimated $300,000. Ford has been using the system for more than two years and used it to develop its 2010 model year vehicles.

Before Ford bought the system from Nittobo Acoustic Engineering of Tokyo, engineers would painstakingly tape or remove parts one-by-one in an effort to identify the source of a particular noise, Nalevanko said. Now, a process that might have taken a day can be accomplished in a half-hour.

Tim Mouch, a noise and vibration supervisor for Ford, said the company’s successful effort to reduce noise inside its cars and trucks is being reflected in quality surveys conducted by companies like J.D. Power and Associates, where Ford has shown substantial overall improvement in recent years.

Contact BRENT SNAVELY : 313-222-6512 or bsnavely@freepress.com

09
Oct
09

FORD ECOBOOST™ ENGINE RECEIVES POPULAR MECHANICS BREAKTHROUGH AWARD

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment
Categories: Future Vehicles, ecoboost, fuel efficiency, general and technology

Popular Mechanics’ “Breakthrough Awards” recognize products and celebrate innovations poised to change the world, and the passionate, smart creators behind them; Ford EcoBoost™ is one of only 10 products honored in 2009.
The new EcoBoost™ engine is the first in a wave of EcoBoost engines coming as part of Ford’s strategy to bring affordable fuel efficiency improvements to millions.
By 2013, more than 90 percent of Ford’s North American lineup will be available with EcoBoost technology.

NEW YORK, Oct. 9 – Ford Motor Company’s fuel efficient EcoBoost™ engine will be honored Thursday evening with a Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Award at a ceremony at the Hearst Tower in New York City. The Popular Mechanics Breakthrough Awards, now in their fifth year, recognize products and celebrate innovations poised to change the world, and the passionate, smart creators behind them. Ford is the only automaker this year to receive a Breakthrough Award.

“From flying cars to robots to wind turbines for homes, the innovations honored by the 2009 POPULAR MECHANICS Breakthrough Awards not only capture the imagination, they hold the potential to improve and even save lives,” said James B. Meigs, editor-in-chief, POPULAR MECHANICS. “We are pleased to honor this year’s diverse list of visionaries, Dean Kamen among them, and applaud their efforts to address such concerns as climate change, pollution, energy shortages and medical care in the developing world.”

EcoBoost, which uses turbocharging and direct gasoline injection to boost engine output, reduce emissions and improve fuel efficiency by as much as 20 percent marks a major milestone in the Ford strategy to deliver technologically advanced, high-output, smaller-displacement powertrains.

The Ford powertrain management strategy uses hundreds of thousands of lines of computer code and related parameters that are adjusted to optimize the engine and transmission operation. It’s these processes that largely make up the more than 125 EcoBoost patent contributions and makes Ford’s use of direct injection and turbocharging of its engines like no other automaker in the world. Continue reading ‘FORD ECOBOOST™ ENGINE RECEIVES POPULAR MECHANICS BREAKTHROUGH AWARD’

News and Events for the Ford, Lincoln, Mercury owner and enthusiast.





 

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