Archive for the 'Edge' Category

28
Dec
09

Ford claims biggest five-year fuel economy improvement among major automakers

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment
Categories: Edge, Electric, Enviromental, Escape, Explorer, Flex, Future Vehicles, Hybrids, Quality, ecoboost, fuel efficiency and production line
Tags: , , , , ,

According to the latest report from the Environmental Protection Agency, Ford has scored the biggest improvement in combined fuel economy of any major carmaker over the last five years. Between 2005 and 2009, Ford improved its fleet average by nearly 20 percent – almost twice as much as any other company. While Ford certainly made a lot of incremental improvements in the efficiency of its vehicles over that period, that wasn’t the only factor.

That same time period saw a huge shift in the model mix at Ford. Sales of SUVs like the Explorer and Expedition collapsed as consumers moved to crossovers like the Edge and Flex (oh, and we suppose a car or two). The Explorer has gone from more than 400,000 annual sales earlier this decade to just over 68,000 last year.

Ford has made actual improvements, as well, however, including the introduction of the Escape Hybrid and the roll out of six-speed transmissions. The next five years should see even bigger gains as Ford deploys millions of EcoBoost engines, battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids.

07
Apr
08

New Quality Study Shows Ford is Second to None

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment
Categories: Customer Satisfaction, Edge, Escape, F-Series, Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, Quality, Shelby, Taurus, fiesta ford, general and mustang

·         Ford catches Honda in initial quality, putting it in statistical tie at the top with Toyota and Honda.

·         Ford’s vehicle quality improved 8 percent versus last year.

·         Every new car and truck, including the 2008 Ford Focus, launched with improved quality versus its predecessor.

 

DEARBORN, April 7, 2008 – When it comes to initial vehicle quality, no automaker performs better than Ford. 

 

The quality of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brand vehicles soared to the top of the charts equaling that of Toyota and Honda, according to the first quarter 2008 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS) study conducted by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich. 

 

The study shows Ford’s domestic brands improved 8 percent versus last year with a combined average of 1,284 things-gone-wrong (TGW) per 1,000 vehicles during the first three months of ownership. This performance is statistically equivalent to the 1,250 TGW level of Honda and Toyota.

 

“Last year we tied with Toyota, and this year our quality performance is as good as industry-leading Honda’s too,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas. “Our world-class quality is one of the most important aspects of our turnaround in North America. This consistently strong quality improvement should offer today’s customer renewed confidence, setting the stage for important new products like Ford Flex, which is launching this summer.”

 

Ford’s dramatically improved vehicle quality will be highlighted in a sweeping new marketing  campaign called “Drive one” that officially debuts Tuesday. The campaign tells the story behind Ford’s rise to the top of the industry in initial vehicle quality as well as underscoring safety, smart technology and improved fuel efficiency.

 

The company earned best-in-class honors in two important engineering functions: interiors, which includes such areas as trim, seats and instrument panel appearance; and electrical, which includes entertainment systems. Ford tied for best-in-class in two other functions, paint and vehicle engineering, which includes such areas as ride and handling and cabin quietness. 

 

Additionally, Ford’s domestic brands pushed customer satisfaction up one point to 77 percent. 

 

“There is an unprecedented level of teamwork at Ford. Everyone from the top floor to the plant floor is working together to deliver the highest quality vehicles for our customers,” said Bennie Fowler, Ford’s group vice president of Global Quality. “We are extremely proud to be among the industry’s quality leaders. But that’s not why we’re in the game. We want sole possession of first place, and we will keep working to earn it.”         

 

A total for 15 Ford, Lincoln, Mercury vehicles are ranked in the top three of their respective segments for either TGW performance, customer satisfaction or both.

 

The following models are segment leaders:

  • Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 – TGW for sports car
  • Ford Taurus – customer satisfaction for large car
  • Ford Sport Trac – customer satisfaction for medium traditional utility
  • Mercury Milan – TGW for midsize car
  • Lincoln Navigator – TGW and customer satisfaction for large premium utility             

 

The new 2008 Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable both recorded quality levels that equate to less than one problem per vehicle, as did the Volvo S80 (947).  The Ford Fusion and Lincoln MKZ were close, with 1,030 TGW and 1065 TGW, respectively. 

 

The Taurus also led a string of impressive new vehicles launched in 2007. Taurus showed a 33 percent quality improvement compared with the product it replaced. The new Ford Escape improved 16 percent over the out-going model, and the new Ford Focus improved 13 percent.

 

In fact, 36 of 40 Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda nameplates improved this year versus 2007.      

 

The 2008 first quarter U.S. GQRS study, which RDA Group conducts for Ford, asks customers of all major makes and models to comment on troubles and rate their overall satisfaction with their three-month-old vehicles. The survey includes vehicles registered from September 2007 through November 2007.  

 

12
Mar
08

Breaking News: IIHS ROOF CRUSH REPORT

By Ron Olson Leave a Comment
Categories: Cross Overs, Edge, IIHS and safety
Tags: , ,

We expect media coverage Wednesday after the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety issues a study which claims that strengthening a vehicle’s roof reduces injury risk. Various SUVs, including the Ford Explorer, will be mentioned.    
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers is issuing a statement (full copy below) that calls the report flawed and not helpful in NHTSA’s current rulemaking process. 

NHTSA is scheduled to issue its final rule on roof strength this summer. Ford and other automakers have been supportive of NHTSA’s efforts related to the roof strength issue.    

Ford is not issuing a statement as we, along with other manufacturers, are supporting the Alliance’s statement.  However, below are key messages on some of our leading safety technologies that can assist you with any customer or media inquiries:


Key Messages
·   Ford has pioneered advanced air bags and stability control, today offering systems as standard equipment on millions of vehicles.


·   Ford’s AdvanceTrac with RSC has the industry’s only roll sensing system that helps detect and prevent dangerous rollovers.


·   Millions of Ford vehicles have the system today that by 2010 will be available – mostly as standard equipment – on 5 million vehicles, while stability control systems (including RSC) will be available on 6 million Ford Motor Company cars, utilities and trucks.


·   Ford’s Safety Canopy side air curtain was the industry first application of a rollover activated curtain system, beginning with the 2002-1/2 Explorer Mountaineer.


Safety Canopy™
Ford was the first in the industry to offer rollover deploying side curtain air bags, known as Safety Canopy™, beginning with the 2002-1/2 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer.


·   Today, the Safety Canopy™ with rollover sensors – which helps protect vehicle occupants during side impact collisions and rollover accidents – is standard on nearly all Ford, Mercury, Lincoln, Volvo and Land Rover SUVs, and on certain cars.  By the 2010 model year, all of our retail trucks and SUVs will have standard Safety Canopy™ with rollover sensors.  It also will be standard on some passenger sedans.


·   Safety Canopy™ is standard equipment on the 2008 Ford Escape, Edge, Explorer, Expedition, Sport Trac and Taurus, Lincoln Navigator and MKX, Mercury Mariner, Mountaineer, Sable, Volvo C70 and XC90, Mazda CX7 and CX9, Land Rover LR3, LR2 and Range Rover Sport.


·   Safety Canopy will be standard on the 2009 Ford F-150 and Flex, as well as the 2009 Lincoln MKS.
 
AdvanceTrac© with Roll Stability Control™
Ford’s first application of electronic stability control debuted on the 2000 model year Lincoln LS.  To help further mitigate rollover accidents, Ford Motor Company offers AdvanceTrac© with Roll Stability Control™ – an industry first which takes standard electronic stability control systems to a new dimension by using gyroscopic-effect rate sensors for both yaw and roll axes to sense unstable conditions and apply countermeasures to help the driver maintain control.


·   The 2003 Volvo XC90 was the first SUV to feature standard AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control™.  By the end of 2010, Ford Motor Company and its family of brands will have nearly 5 million vehicles on the road equipped with RSC, and more than 6 million with some form of electronic stability control.


·   AdvanceTrac© with Roll Stability Control™ is standard equipment on most 2008 Ford Motor Company SUVs, including Escape (gas engines), Edge, Explorer and Expedition, Sport Trac, Lincoln Navigator, MKX, and Mercury Mariner (gas engines) and Mountaineer, Volvo XC90, and on all E-350 passenger Wagons.


·   AdvanceTrac© with Roll Stability Control™ will be standard on the 2009 Ford F-150, Flex, Escape Hybrid, E-150 (gas) and the 2009 Mercury Mariner Hybrid.

Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers Statement on IIHS Roof Crush Report
The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers issued the following statement in response to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety’s (IIHS) study on roof strength and injury risk in rollover crashes.


“Unfortunately, there remains no definitive answer as to what effect roof strength has on injury risk in rollover crashes.  IIHS’ flawed analysis does not help to further inform the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) rulemaking that proposes to amend the agency’s standard on roof crush resistance as part of a comprehensive plan for reducing the serious risk of rollover crashes and the risk of death and serious injury in those crashes.  This comprehensive plan is intended to improve vehicle stability, ejection mitigation, roof crush resistance, as well as road improvement and behavioral strategies aimed at consumer education.


“The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers, which is committed to enhancing motor vehicle safety, supports current NHTSA efforts to develop a systems approach to further reduce rollover-related risks.  The Alliance also supports NHTSA’s efforts to enhance overall roof stiffness as part of its comprehensive plan to enhanced rollover injury mitigation.  Alliance members agree with NHTSA’s assessment that, by itself, changes to the roof crush resistance standard will have little overall effect in reducing rollover related fatalities, and that, according to NHTSA, amendments to the standard are desired because they may enable advanced rollover injury mitigation systems such as side curtain airbags that deploy during rollovers.


“Automakers understand that the most effective strategy for reducing rollover fatalities and injuries is avoiding a crash in the first place, and the Alliance is proud of its members’ successes in the voluntary introduction of critical safety enhancements such as electronic stability control (ESC), which the IIHS has said reduces by 56 percent the risk of a single vehicle crash.  ESC is currently available on 81 percent of MY 2008 vehicles (76 percent standard, 24 percent optional).  Additionally, to reduce the risk of injury if a rollover crash does occur, Alliance members have been developing rollover sensors for use with side curtain airbags to enable the bags to deploy in the event of a rollover.  Rollover air bags stay inflated longer to help keep occupants inside the vehicle.  76 percent of MY 2008 vehicles are available with side curtain airbags (83 percent standard, 17 percent optional).   More than a quarter of these are rollover airbags.  Finally, Alliance members are voluntarily installing advanced safety belt reminders in a many new vehicles.  According to the NHTSA, safety belts reduce rollover fatalities by 74 percent for passenger cars and 80 percent for light trucks.


“The Alliance is among many in the safety community that share the concern for enhanced safety.  As leaders in the area of research and development funding, automakers today produce automobiles that are safer than ever before.”

As always if you have any questions please feel free to contact me or utilize your local Direct Impact representative for assistance with any media inquiries you may receive.
Thank you,

Marisa Bradley / Ford Motor Company  /  Dealer Communications  /  313.845.3971  /  mbradl31@ford.com

06
Oct
07

‘Swap’ News

By peytontstephens Leave a Comment
Categories: 5 Star Rated, Advertising, Blogroll, Edge, Public Affairs, SUV and local news
  • A Miami consumer featured in one of the “Swap Your Ride” ads has decided to ‘Swap’ her Armada for an Expedition and is taking delivery of her new vehicle this evening. 
  • Consumer research firm IAG’s newly released list of Top Ten Most Recalled New TV Ads for the past month includes the Swap ad featuring Taurus. 
  • Our Web metrics indicate consumers are very interested in hearing what real people have to say about our products:  The Ford Challenge Swap Your Ride site is drawing in more than one third of the overall traffic to fordvehicles.com. Through the third week of the campaign, we’ve had more than 900,000 unique visitors to the Web site — about five times the traffic we saw with the successful Fusion Challenge.  More than 80 percent of visitors are watching the videos in their entirety.
  • Share Your ‘Swap’ Successes!   Let us know what your customers are saying about the ads and tell us what you’ve done to capitalize on Swap.  [Contact Lydia Cisaruk at (313) 337-8299 or at lcisaruk@ford.com ]
    • 30
    Jul
    07

    Edge “Most Appealing Vehicle”

    By peytontstephens 1 Comment
    Categories: Edge, Public Affairs, Quality and safety

    July 29th, 2007

    Ford EdgeFord Edge ranks highest in its segment in the J.D. Power and Associates APEAL study, which measures customers’ views on vehicle design, content and performance after three months of driving.

    Ford’s newest five-passenger crossover vehicle outperformed its segment average by 68 index points, becoming the highest performing all-new or redesigned vehicle in the industry. Edge also ranked highest overall in the Midsize MAV segment of J.D. Power’s APEAL Study, in which customers assess delight with the design, content, layout and performance after three months of driving.

    ‘This is certainly good news and further affirmation that we’re delivering the products people really want – especially when you consider the newest vehicles in our lineup,’ said Hussein Murad, Sales and Marketing director, Ford Middle East.

    ‘Fresh on the heels of Ford receiving top honors in five vehicle segments in the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study (IQS), Ford receives more strong quality feedback from customers who made Edge the industry standout and a top performer in the fastest-growing and most competitive segment in the industry,’ Murad said.

    Customers participating in the APEAL study also praised Ford Mustang, making it the highest ranked vehicle in the Midsize Sporty Car segment – for the second straight year. This is the third year in a row that Mustang has received an APEAL award, having garnered the Sporty Car segment award in 2005.

    Three other Ford Motor Company vehicles ranked second or third in their segments: Ford Explorer Sport Trac is 2nd; Lincoln Navigator is 3rd; and Mazda CX7 is 2nd. Additionally, most Ford Motor Company brands improved or maintained their performance from last year’s APEAL study.

    ‘It’s gratifying to have two strong Ford nameplates – Edge and Mustang – leading the pack on consumer appeal,’ Murad said. ‘While we celebrate this achievement, we know that the quality race never ends. We’re going to continue working harder to provide people even more reasons to continue driving Ford vehicles.’

    The new Edge is the first vehicle in its segment to offer an all-glass roof, which was inspired by architectural trends toward greater use of glass in wall-to-ceiling windows, the Vista Roof™ serves as a large front moonroof and a rear skylight.

    The interior makes ingenious use of space, delivering maximum flexibility and functionality. The available EasyFold™ electro-mechanical seat release switch drops either of the back seats at the touch of a button for easy cargo loading. An innovative use of materials and technology has produced a crossover with luxury-vehicle interior quietness.

    J.D. Power and Associates IQS and APEAL are among the recent third-party metrics to demonstrate Ford’s quality improvements. In April 2006, RDA Group of Bloomfield, Michigan, released the Global Quality Research System report (GQRS) showed Ford in a statistical dead heat with Toyota and just behind Honda.
    By Editor @ 8:28AM PDT. In: Ford’s in the News | E-Mail It
    News and Events for the Ford, Lincoln, Mercury owner and enthusiast.





     

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