Archive for the 'Flex' Category

25
May
10

Officially Official: Ford Flex gets new top-shelf Titanium model

Earlier this month, Editor Paukert spied a caravan of Ford Flex prototypes sporting new trim pieces that indicated a higher-level trim model is in the works. A source within Ford confirmed that our assumptions were correct, and now the automaker has released the full raft of details about its new model, Flex Titanium, which should hit showrooms later this year. Expect to see more Titanium-badged products making their way down the pipeline, too. This trim level is already well-received in Europe, and we’ll be seeing a Titanium version of the 2012 Focus when it goes on sale next year, as well.

Back to the Flex. Available in both naturally aspirated and EcoBoost variants, the Titanium model adds extra appearance goodies like blacked-out headlamps and taillamps, a two-tone Tuxedo Black roof, 20-inch alloys with an aluminum finish and a black badgeless chrome grille with F-L-E-X text on the edge of the hood. Inside, the charcoal black leather-trimmed seats feature gray Alcantara inserts, the center stack is painted in a new metallic alloy finish, a perforated leather steering wheel falls to hand, and illuminated scuff plates light the entryway.

The Titanium will be available in four colors: White Platinum Metallic Tri-Coat, Red Candy Metallic, Ingot Silver Metallic and Tuxedo Black Metallic. We find the Red Candy to be particularly tasty – you can check it out on Ford’s already launched configurator here.

Even though the new Titanium models are pricy ($40,340 for a Duratec-powered front-drive model and $45,185 for an EcoBoost’d all-wheel drive – sans $775 in delivery fees) the Blue Oval may be right for thinking they can expand the model upwards – it says that the current top trim (Limited) accounts for 40 percent of overall Flex sales, and that as much as 60 percent of these vehicles are equipped with add-ons like the panoramic sunroof and rear refrigerator. Hit the jump to read the full details in Ford’s press release.

15
Apr
10

Ford confirms EcoBoost for Explorer and F-150, three EcoBoost engines by end of 2010

source: egmCarTech

FoMoCo is kicking off this week of April 12th with the announcement that it will add three more EcoBoost engines by the end of 2010 and that by 2014, it plans to have 20 percent of Ford’s global vehicle nameplates with fuel-saving stop/start system. The Dearborn automaker said that by 2013 Ford expects to be producing approximately 1.5 million EcoBoost engines globally, about 200,000 more than originally expected.

“We are focused on sustainable technology solutions that can be used not for hundreds or thousands of cars, but for millions of cars, because that’s how Ford will truly make a difference,” said Barb Samardzich, Ford’s vice president of powertrain engineering.

The three new Ford EcoBoost engines will include:

  • A 1.6L 4-cylinder that will be offered in the European C-MAX.
  • A 2.0L 4-cylinder that will debut in the next-generation Ford Explorer and Ford Edge.
  • A new 3.5L V6 for the F-150 – expected to deliver best-in-class fuel economy along with the power and towing capability of a V8.

The addition of the three new engines will increase the number of global nameplates with EcoBoost to 11. Currently, the company offers EcoBoost on the Ford Flex, Taurus SHO and Lincoln MKS andMKT.

31
Mar
10

Bloomberg survey says Americans turning away from Toyota, liking Ford

source: autoblog

For the past generation or so Toyota has been synonymous with two things: Selling more passenger cars than anybody else (Camry, Corolla) and quality. Sure, there have been a few other themes associated with ToMoCo (green hybrids, not ready for prime-time full-size trucks), but for the most part, ubiquitousness and reliability have been the big selling points. Then came a particularly nasty case of sudden acceleration.

Bloomberg reports that four out of 10 Americans say they would “definitely not buy a Toyota.” Compounding matters is another part of the Bloomberg survey that reveals a significant 36% of Americans have a negative view of Toyota. Ouch. Potentially worse is that less than half (49%) of those surveyed have a favorable view of Toyota.

Contrast those results to what Bloomberg learned about Ford. An overwhelming 77% of consumers have a favorable opinion of the house that Henry built. That’s seven percent more favorable than second-place Honda. The survey found that many people are so amped up on the Blue Oval because unlike fellow American companies General Motors and Chrysler, Ford avoided taking Federal bailout money. That’s probably part of the good will, but we think it runs a bit deeper than that.

Ford is making good products. With the exception of the soon-to-be-replaced Focus, every vehicle they make is a class leader. There’s no compelling reason to choose a Camry or Accord over a Fusion, and the Fusion Hybrid just might be the best gas/electric vehicle on the market. The Flex is a true segment buster, and perhaps the most comfortable under several hundred thousand dollar way to move four adults around. The F-150 is as good as ever. Would you choose a Yaris over a Fiesta? There’s also Ford’s faster product cycles (think new 2011 Mustangs) and market-leading technology like Sync. Put it like this: these survey results don’t surprise us an iota.

28
Dec
09

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

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.

14
Nov
09

Ford’s EcoBoost engines are selling faster than the automaker expected

By Robert Schoenberger, The Plain Dealer
November 13, 2009, 5:16PM

Sales of Ford Motor Co. vehicles equipped with Brook Park-built EcoBoost engines are running about 65 percent better than the company’s projections, Ford said Friday.

Moreover, the vehicles on which the engine is available are attracting younger buyers from the automaker’s competitors.

“EcoBoost technology is helping bring in a new customer to Ford dealer showrooms,” said Ford marketing manager Amy Marentic.

Launched in July in Ford’s Lincoln MKS Luxury car, the turbocharged 3.5-liter V-6 packs the horsepower of a V-8 but the fuel economy of a V-6. Ford had expected 25 percent of MKS buyers to opt for the higher-tech engine. Instead, about 30 percent of buyers are choosing it.

Ford offers the engine on the MKS, the Lincoln MKT crossover, the Ford Flex crossover and the Taurus SHO, a hotrod version of the Taurus sedan. The SHO has provided the most impressive sales numbers.

At the vehicle’s launch, Ford marketers said they expected the $40,000 SHO to make up 10 percent of Taurus sales. In the three months that it’s been available, though, the SHO has made up closer to 20 percent of Taurus sales.

Of the four vehicles with the engine, the Taurus is the best-selling by a wide margin.

Eric Walker, general manager of Marshall Ford Lincoln Superstore in Mayfield Heights, said the $10,000 price difference between the SHO and the mainstream Taurus limits its appeal.

“I’m selling the regular models a lot quicker than I am the SHO,” Walker said. Lower-priced Taurus models sell within a week, he said, but it can take twice that to sell a SHO. Even at that rate, the SHO is doing better than expected.

Continue reading ‘Ford’s EcoBoost engines are selling faster than the automaker expected’




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





 

September 2010
M T W T F S S
« Aug    
 12345
6789101112
13141516171819
20212223242526
27282930  

Categories