For the millions of people who suffer from airborne allergies, Ford is making a small change that could produce huge benefits. Beginning with the 2010 Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ, more efficient, upgraded allergen filters have been installed in the vehicles’ climate control systems. The particulate filters remove pollen, mold spores and road dust from outside air. The result is a cleaner, fresher cabin for occupants.

Ford is planning to use the high-quality cabin filters in a host of new vehicles, including the Ford Fiesta, which goes on sale in North America this year.

DETAILS
According to the American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, the costs of treating hay fever and similar nasal allergies have skyrocketed, reaching more than $11 billion annually – mostly for prescription medications.

For the 30 to 40 percent of people estimated to suffer from allergies, improvements in air quality can make a big difference in their symptoms, and consequently their health care expenses.

Ford’s new cabin air filter removes the most troublesome airborne allergens, such as pollen and mold spores.

The cabin filter used in North America is similar to the one that has helped certify Ford vehicles in Europe as being allergy-friendly by the independent testing organization TÜV Rhineland. Ford is the only automaker in Europe with the official TÜV allergy-friendly certification.

It’s hard to find a crack in Ford Motor Company’s armor these days. For months, the company has been on an astounding roll: the quality of Ford vehicles is sky high, the company posted an impressive profit for 2009, and the public is excited about new models like the 2011 Ford Fiesta. Unfortunately for Ford haters, we have even more good news from Dearborn today: orders for the 2011 Ford Mustang have shot through the roof. In fact, dealers have taken about 11,000 orders for the new model, which is three times as many as they received for the 2010 Mustang.

Of that 11,000, roughly half of the orders have been for the 3.7-liter V6 Mustang, which delivers 305 hp and earns a fairly stunning 30 mpg highway. That’s an improvement of 25% in fuel efficiency over the 2010 model, and it’s likely playing a big role in the 2011 Mustang’s early success. According to Steve Ling, Ford’s North America car marketing manager, “Fuel economy ranks among the top two reasons people choose vehicles…. With the 2011 Mustang lineup, we’ve found a way to offer even better fuel efficiency for V-6, GT and even Shelby GT500 performance drivers — while improving performance. And consumers are responding.” This should make the pony car battle between the Mustang and the Chevrolet Camaro very interesting, since part of the 2010 Camaro’s success has been its remarkable fuel efficiency.

Of the remaining orders, about 41% have been for the Mustang GT, showing that the public was especially eager to see the 5.0-liter V8 return to the sales floor. The high-performance, 550 hp Shelby GT500 accounts for the remaining 9%.

Fans of other brands…well, we’ll get back to you shortly.

• The most capable heavy-duty pickup in America – the Ford F-Series Super Duty – also is the most powerful and fuel efficient for the 2011 model year, offering customers their choice of either gas or diesel engines

• Fuel economy on the all-new 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty equipped with the 6.7-liter Power Stroke® V-8 diesel engine averages an 18 percent improvement for pickup models and up to 25 percent improvement for chassis cabs versus 2010 models. Trucks equipped with new base 6.2-liter V-8 gas engines average a 15 percent improvement versus 2010 models

• The all-new Ford-engineered, Ford-designed, Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine has best-in-class torque of 735 ft.-lb. (at 1,600 rpm) and best-in-class 390 horsepower (at 2,800 rpm) – 85 ft.-lb. and 40 horsepower more than the outgoing model – with best-in-class fuel economy; new engine is B20 biodiesel compatible, too

• All-new 6.2-liter V-8 gas engine is also best-in-class with 385 horsepower and 405 ft.-lb. of torque – 85 more horsepower and 40 ft.-lb. of torque more than the current 5.4-liter V-8 gas engine. It also delivers class-leading fuel economy and E85 compatibility

• All-new powertrains are the backbone of the new 2011 F-Series Super Duty, which has class-leading towing capability of 26,400 pounds on chassis cabs, 24,400 pounds on pickups; best-in-class payload capability of 12,711 pounds on chassis cabs, 6,520 pounds on pickups

The new 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty delivers the most heavy-duty truck horsepower. Top torque. Industry-best towing capability and payload. Fuel economy leadership. In short, the new Super Duty delivers leadership in every feature that matters to heavy-duty truck customers.

With Ford-built diesel and gas powertrains, the all-new Ford Super Duty dominates the competition in payload, conventional towing, fifth-wheel towing and gross combined weight rating in both pickups and chassis cabs. Diesel engines account for 65 percent of the Super Duty sales, with gas engines making up the remaining 35 percent.

The new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel – designed, engineered and built by Ford – delivers class-leading fuel economy as well as best-in-class 390 horsepower and 735 ft.-lb. of torque – that’s 75 ft.-lb. more than its nearest competitor in the market today. Plus, the new Super Duty fuel economy improvement averages 18 percent better for pickup models and up to 25 percent for chassis cab versus the outgoing Super Duty.

Significantly improved torque – 85 ft.-lb. more than the current 6.4-liter Power Stroke diesel – is good news for the nearly 97 percent of Super Duty customers who tow and helps the 2011 Super Duty deliver class-leading towing capability of 26,400 pounds with the F-550 chassis cab. The 2011 Super Duty also has class-leading payload capability of 6,520 pounds.

“Having best-in-class numbers is powerful, but the real payoff is how those numbers deliver for our customers,” said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas. “For 33 years, F-Series has been the No. 1-seller in America because we listen to our customers. With Super Duty, they’ve told us how they use their trucks to tow, and on the new truck, we focused on delivering best-in-class towing capability for them with new powertrains that deliver best-in-class power and best-in-class fuel economy.”

Built to last, just the way customers like

During the Super Duty’s development, engineers put more than 10.3 million equivalent test miles on the new diesel engine, including extreme road and weather conditions. The new Power Stroke diesel is the most-tested Power Stroke ever, incorporating the most rigorous engine tests found in Ford globally.

Extensive CAD (computer-aided design) and CAE (computer-aided engineering) work was completed to identify any potential challenges before hardware was created, which not only is time-efficient but also helps ensure quality at the outset.

Customer data, including driving styles, road types and vehicle usage (towing and payload), also played a key role in developing the testing program that best replicated Super Duty use.

Components were tested in the laboratory with a regimen designed to exceed what even the most extreme-use customer might dish out. Engines literally ran continuously for hundreds of hours. Engines were started in below-zero temperatures more than 2,600 times. Plus, laboratory tests simulated 10 years of use in arctic conditions.

B20 compatibility added for 2011 model year

The strict testing work also ensured the new engine is B20 compatible, which allows customers another fueling option that uses blends of up to 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel. Because biodiesel fuel varies in quality in the U.S. and Canada, durability testing cycles were run on multiple blends of the fuel to ensure the robustness of the system. This is especially important to the agricultural industry, where biodiesel is often the preferred fuel.

“These tests give us the full spectrum of Super Duty customers – from those who run their trucks at maximum power with a maximum load for long periods to those who use them more in a start-stop mode,” said Ed Waszczenko, lead engine durability engineer.

Finally, a battery of in-vehicle, real-world tests validated the work done in the laboratories. The 2011 F-450 Super Duty, for example, can tow a 24,400-pound trailer up a 6 percent grade at 47 mph, which is more than 50 percent faster than the outgoing product. The F-450 and F-550 have no competitors in the marketplace.

“That’s the difference between trucks passing you, or you passing trucks,” said Chris Brewer, Super Duty chief engineer.

Class-leading capability

Growing Super Duty’s heavy-truck leadership legacy, the 2011 F-250 and F-350 pickup trucks have best-in-class conventional towing and payload capability. The F-250 and F-350 single-rear-wheel model can tow up to 14,000 pounds with payloads of 4,050 pounds and 4,600 pounds, respectively.

In addition, the F-350 dual-rear-wheel model delivers best-in-class conventional towing of 16,000 pounds and fifth-wheel towing of 21,600 pounds as well as best-in-class payload of 6,520 pounds. With chassis cab sales accounting for up to 25 percent of the Super Duty mix, the leadership towing capability of the F-550 fifth-wheel hitch is notable: 26,400 pounds.

The improved torque also enables the driver to hold a higher gear longer, which helps with highway fuel economy. “This prevents transmission ‘gear hunting,’ and lets you stay in gear longer before downshifting, ultimately saving fuel,” Brewer said.

Quietest Power Stroke ever

In addition to its capability, the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 has the lowest NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) in the class with a notably quieter, more refined sound than ever. Improvements to the combustion system, structural integrity of the compacted graphite iron block and the single turbocharger mounted to the engine block account for many of the NVH improvements.

Specific design upgrades were made to both the piston and the piston bowl to optimize the combustion process, which features a two-stage combustion event instead of a single-injection event. Single-injection events can cause harsh, sudden and loud combustion. On the 2011 Super Duty, a starter or pilot injection of fuel begins the combustion process before the main injection.

The result is smoother combustion and a more refined sound for the customer. When at idle, two pilot injection events are used to make the firing process even smoother and aid in quietness.

The “ticking” of the high-speed injectors also is quieted by specially designed covers on the engine. Mounting the turbocharger from the center housing directly to the block provided several advantages as well in terms of NVH.

“When turbochargers vibrate, it can lead to other parts of the vehicle, such as the exhaust system, vibrating,” said Adam Gryglak, chief diesel engineering manager. “So when the turbocharger vibrates a lot, the exhaust system vibrates too, and that’s disturbing to the customer. Bolting the turbocharger directly to the block eliminates that concern.”

Using one turbocharger, instead of two operating in series or sequentially, helped resolve some NVH challenges as well. The single turbocharger eliminates air-handling noises – the whooshes – typically heard when the engine switches from one turbo to the next. Also, the single turbocharger has ball bearings that pilot the shaft in the turbo, eliminating the potential for the shaft of the turbocharger to gyrate in its housing, another potential NVH issue.

Other improvements include the addition of two resonators in the intake system as well as a third resonator near the air cleaner. These additions made it possible to tune the diesel intake system to the desired sound.

New gas engine leads in torque, horsepower and fuel economy

The 2011 Super Duty features a new, more powerful and efficient standard gasoline engine that also delivers class-leading numbers. The new 6.2-liter V-8 gasoline engine produces 405 ft.-lb. of torque (at 4,500 rpm) and 385 horsepower (at 5,500 rpm) on regular gasoline. These numbers represent an increase of 40 ft.-lb. of torque and 85 horsepower versus the current 5.4-liter V-8. The new engine also is E85 compatible.

Already cementing its ‘Built Ford Tough’ status

Nearly all the components of the 2011 Super Duty 6.2-liter V-8 are shared with the 6.2-liter V-8 engine found in the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor, a purpose-built, high-performance off-road truck versatile enough to take on the most challenging desert adventures as well as daily commutes.

In November 2008, the 6.2-liter Raptor R not only survived its first grueling Baja 1000, it earned a podium finish.

Testing on the 6.2-liter V-8 included running multiple engines for more than 500 hours at peak torque and peak horsepower as well as customer-correlated 1,000-hour road load tests to ensure dependability for even the toughest Ford F-Series Super Duty customer.

“Having two outstanding powertrains to choose from is a real win-win for Super Duty customers,” said Doug Scott, truck group marketing manager. “Both Ford’s new diesel and new gasoline engines deliver the ‘and solution’ – best-in-class horsepower, torque and fuel economy.

“Leadership in areas that matter most to customers will help ensure the 2011 Super Duty will continue to be the undisputed leader in full-size pickup towing, payload and capability.”

by editor on February 23, 2010
in Indian Press Release, Web News Wire

* The all-new 2010 Lincoln MKT three-row luxury crossover received five-star ratings for both frontal and side-impact crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration

* MKT offers a high level of crash protection as well as cutting-edge crash-avoidance and driver-awareness technology such as Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning with Brake Support, and a Blind Spot Information System with Cross Traffic Alert system

DEARBORN, Mich. – Ford Motor Company added to its leading number of five-star crash test-rated vehicles as the 2010 Lincoln MKT earned top ratings for frontal and side-impact crash tests conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

Lincoln’s three-row luxury crossover previously earned a 2009 Top Safety Pick award from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). Ford Motor Company has more Top Safety Pick ratings and more U.S. government five-star ratings than any other automaker.

Leading the industry in both five-star crash test ratings and Top Safety Pick awards is very significant because customers increasingly rely on NHTSA and IIHS ratings when choosing a new vehicle said Susan Cischke, Ford’s group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.

A winning combination

The all-new MKT is attracting a balanced mix of Lincoln loyalists and new customers with its array of standard and optional crash-protection, crash-avoidance and driver-awareness features in addition to distinctive design, interior spaciousness, craftsmanship and fuel economy.

Since the MKT went on sale last fall, approximately 45 percent of MKT purchasers have traded in competitive models, most commonly the Acura MDX and Cadillac SRX. More than half of those buyers opted for the 3.5-liter EcoBoost™ engine.

Customer interest in MKT’s driver-awareness features has been strong as well. Nearly one in three purchasers of the MKT opts for Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning with Brake Support and three of four opt for a package that includes Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with Cross Traffic Alert.

Our research shows that MKT customers are tech-savvy, and luxury vehicle buyers tend to be early adopters of new safety, audio, infotainment and powertrain features said Kate Pearce, Lincoln MKT marketing manager. Not only is the MKT packed with standard luxury features and state-of-the-art technologies, it is unsurpassed in its segment for highway fuel economy

Technology under the skin

The Lincoln MKT features Ford’s Trinity Front Crash Body Architecture. The energy-absorbing body structure is optimized for strength and stiffness and features octagonal front frame rails, engine cradle/front subframe and shotgun front structural members designed to absorb and redirect crash forces away from the passenger compartment.

Lincoln MKT also includes Side Protection And Cabin Enhancement Architecture (SPACE®) to optimize side-impact occupant protection. The SPACE system integrates a hydroformed high-strength steel tube in the floor that runs the width of the vehicle from B-pillar to B-pillar and reinforcements along the rocker panels to help protect passengers in side-impact incidents.

Lincoln MKT also features Ford’s Personal Safety System™, combining multiple technologies to tailor the air bag package and safety belt functions to the individual passenger and the accident circumstances. The system can identify variables, such as severity of the crash, weight of the individual passenger and safety belt usage, to adjust air bag deployment force.

The MKT’s array of advanced safety technologies raises the bar for luxury vehicles and pushes the new frontier of ’active’ crash-avoidance features that help drivers avoid or reduce the severity of accidents said Steve Kozak, chief engineer, Ford Safety Systems.

“We couldn’t be more pleased with the popularity of the F-150 SVT Raptor,” said Mark Grueber, F-150 marketing manager. “Orders have exceeded our expectations.”

And why is it so pleased? Because a Raptor costs $38,020, or about $16,000 more than the base F-150, which goes for $21,820. The model, and its popularity, are a throwback to Detroit’s golden age of high-profit truck-selling a decade ago. The profit margins are much healthier than those for cars. The truck’s gas mileage should conjure some nostalgia as well, 14 miles in the city and 18 on the highway.

“The truck is so popular that we actually wound up building more 5.4-liter V-8 models than we had originally anticipated. The order banks are now open for the all-new 6.2-liter V-8, and the orders keep rolling in,” Grueber adds.

Built alongside the best-selling F-150 at Ford’s Dearborn Truck Plant, the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor was designed for the off-road performance market which has steadily grown in popularity over the past decade, Ford says.
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Raptor is powered by a 5.4-liter Triton V-8 engine, which delivers 320 horsepower. This spring, customers will have the added option of an all-new 6.2-liter V-8 engine, producing 411 horsepower. The orders are coming not just from off-road crazy Texas and the Southwest, but Tennessee, Michigan, Colorado, Ohio and Georgia.

About half of the orders for the truck are for black, followed by orange, white and blue.

At the National Automobile Dealers Association convention in Orlando, FL on Sunday, Ford’s President of the Americas Mark Fields announced the first new product for Mercury in several years. The fate of Ford’s middle brand has been in doubt for over a decade as models like the Tracer, Sable and Cougar have been discontinued. In what’s surely welcome news to Lincoln/Mercury dealers, Fields informed NADA that Mercury would get a new small car based on the new global compact platform that underpins the forthcoming 2012Focus and Grand C-Max.

The new baby Mercury will be one of 10 different vehicles that come off that platform and it’s expected that a small Lincoln based on the Concept C that debuted at the 2009 Detroit Auto Show will also join it. TheMercury Mountaineer is not expected to be replaced when the new Explorer debuts later this year, leaving Mercury with the Milan, Mariner and the new compact. Fields gave no other details about the new car, but it could be a version of one of the other European Focus models, such as the coupe-convertible or the smaller five-seat C-Max.

Weight savings, new technology headline all-new aluminum engine The 2011 Shelby GT500 is powered by an all-new aluminum-block 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine, which produces 550 horsepower and 510 ft.-lb. of torque, a 10 horsepower increase versus the 2010 model. The engine also is 102 pounds lighter than its predecessor, delivering a better power-to weight ratio, improved fuel economy, acceleration, handling and steering precision.

“Cutting weight to improve performance is a tradition among hot rodders,” said Carroll Shelby, founder of Shelby American. “It might not be as sexy as adding more horsepower or bigger brakes, but shaving pounds off of a car is the single smartest move you can make.”

The new engine uses state-of-the-art Plasma Transferred Wire Arc (PTWA) liner coating, a process that applies a 150-micron composite coating that contains nanoparticles on the internal surfaces of engine cylinder bores, replacing cast-iron liners typically used in aluminum engine blocks. The Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation honored the inventors of the Ford-patented PTWA technology with the 2009 National Inventor of the Year Award.

This is the first Ford application of the technology, and it offers improved overall performance and durability, along with functional benefits of reduced friction between piston rings and cylinder bores, improved heat transfer due to increased surface contact area and a weight savings of 8.5 pounds compared to a typical steel-sleeved aluminum block. A mechanical roughening process provides higher material adhesion for the spray coating.

The PTWA process uses air and electricity to create a plasma jet of 35,000 degrees Fahrenheit, which melts a steel wire that is fed into a rotating spray gun. Using atomized air, the melted steel wire is blown into a specially machined surface of the aluminum-block engine cylinder bore. In the process of melting and applying the metal to the surface, the steel wire oxidizes, creating a composite coating consisting of both iron and iron oxide.

“Ford’s Global Research and Advanced Engineering looks to all industries for advanced technologies – and this comes from aerospace. It’s the same technology you would find on aircraft engines,” said Glenn Jorgensen, SVT powertrain team leader. “We’ve invented a coating as a replacement for cast iron that delivers improvements in power and performance and fuel economy.”

The new engine also has its roots in the iconic Ford GT. The new 5.4-liter engine is an evolution of the GT engine, with improved block structure through the use of a unique bulkhead chilled process and six-bolt billet main bearing caps. This new advanced engine will exceed Ford GT performance with its traditional supercharger technology.

“The Ford GT has solidified itself as one of the world’s most coveted supercars. To make improvements to the engine from this supercar and make it available in a Mustang is impressive,”

said Kerry Baldori, SVT global performance vehicle chief functional engineer. “The aluminum-block engine is robust and strong enough to produce the performance numbers and durability our customers demand.”

Increased power and increased fuel economy

The 2011 Shelby GT500 combines power and fuel economy into one impressive package. This 2011 Shelby GT500 will be the first modern Shelby without the gas guzzler tax, thanks to the EPA-projected 23 mpg highway and 15 mpg city it will deliver. This is up from 22 mpg highway and 14 mpg city for the 2010 model.

The 5.4-liter V-8 achieves 80 percent of its torque between 1,750 and 6,250 rpm, giving the car a higher level of performance feel. A larger two-row intercooler for the supercharger system has 40 percent more cooling capacity, helping to make power more consistent in higher ambient conditions. Fuel economy gains come from the new 102-pound-lighter aluminum-block engine, EPAS and detailed aerodynamic changes to the underside of the vehicle.

Dramatic performance upgrades

New for 2011 is an SVT Performance Package for enthusiasts who want even more performance out of their Shelby GT500 for racetrack-ready driving dynamics. Complete with all-new Goodyear Eagle® F1 SuperCar G: 2 tires that SVT engineers worked directly with Goodyear to develop, the car is ready to race. The tires offer superb dry traction and precise handling, complete with a race-inspired high performance tread compound.

The optional package also offers unique styling, lighter wheels, a higher rear axle ratio and stiffer springs, and it is available on both the convertible and coupe. Data show the 2011 coupe with the SVT Performance Package is 3.0 seconds faster per lap than the 2010 Shelby GT500 on a 2.3-mile test track.

Carried over from 2010, the 2011 Shelby GT500 features AdvanceTrac®, Ford’s stability control system with several options for performance. Calibration of the system for the 2011 Shelby has been uniquely tailored to each vehicle configuration (base or optional) to optimize the performance.

SVT has worked very hard to make EPAS better than the outgoing hydraulic steering system. The addition of EPAS makes for a dramatic contribution to Shelby GT500 driving dynamics, with improved torque build-up and road feel that delivers quicker and more precise steering, increased effort on the racetrack or winding roads, and reduced effort in low-speed parking maneuvers.

Slotted brake dust shields were added to improve brake cooling and handling, and a new pedal box improves clutch and pedal efforts even more. A lowered ride height of 11 millimeters in front and 8 millimeters at the rear provides a sportier attitude and improved handling.

More engine sound, less road noise

For 2011, Shelby GT500 also benefits from NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) improvements. Overall road noise is reduced by 20 percent versus the 2010 Shelby. Actions undertaken to achieve this improvement include additional sound-deadening material on either side of the instrument panel, additional sound absorption behind interior trim panels, and a rear wheel arch liner to reduce noise on gravel or wet surfaces – all resulting in the driver hearing more exhaust and engine sound and less road and air noise.

The Shelby GT500 convertible model features enhanced structural rigidity, with lateral stiffness

improved by 12 percent versus the 2010 model. The V-brace has been stiffened by adding gussets.

The secondary crossmember also has been stiffened, while a front Z-brace has been added,

connecting primary and secondary crossmembers. A-pillar stiffening foam has been added to increase rigidity. The structural improvements to the convertible gave SVT the opportunity to be more sport-oriented in the chassis tuning, without trading comfort. Along with the chassis and structural improvements, the 2011 model also will get standard 19-inch aluminum wheels.

“One of the biggest changes for this Shelby is that the convertible acts and feels like a coupe,” said Jamal Hameedi, SVT chief nameplate engineer. “Before, they had a very different character, and the convertible is taking a big step in the sportiness and handling precision area, without degrading the ride.”

GT500 gets a new exhaust for 2011, roaring with an even more aggressive sound than the 2010

model. The 2.75-inch exhaust with all-new tuning helped to deliver the additional 10 horsepower.

Added convenience contentNew for 2011 is an optional glass roof, providing customers with a less expensive option than aconvertible and without compromising the coupe’s versatility, headroom or climate-controlledenvironment.The specially formulated glass also protects interior fabric material from solar radiation deteriorationand discoloration by reducing solar light transmittance. To help improve acoustics and interiorquietness, the glass features a layer of vinyl that reduces noise, vibration and harshness.Other new convenience technologies include:• Standard HID (high-intensity discharge) headlamps• MyKey™ programmable vehicle key• Integrated spotter mirror• Fold-down rear headrests“Whether you’re looking to take the GT500 out on the streets or have some fun at the track,” Capitosays, “this car will satisfy the most discriminating performance driving enthusiasts.”

DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 2, 2010 – Higher sales for every brand and in every product category propelled Ford to a 24 percent sales increase in January versus a year ago.

Ford cars were up 43 percent, crossovers were up 20 percent, sport utilities were up 8 percent, and trucks and vans were up 14 percent.  Among brands, Ford sales were up 26 percent, Lincoln sales were up 16 percent and Mercury sales were up 6 percent.

“Ford’s focus on building products consumers want to buy and love to drive will continue,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing Sales and Service.  “In 2010, we will give Ford customers even more reasons to Drive One.”

Ford estimates its January U.S. total market share was approximately 16 percent – about 2 percentage points higher than in January 2009.  Last year, Ford posted its first full-year U.S. market share increase since 1995.

Plus, every consumer metric about the Ford brand – including favorable opinion, consideration, shopping and intention to buy – ended the year at record levels.  Last year, favorable opinion improved 27 percent and intention to buy Ford increased 30 percent.

“People increasingly are discovering that the Ford difference is the strength of our products, particularly our leadership in quality, fuel efficiency, safety, smart technologies and value,” said Czubay.

Among full-line manufacturers, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles recorded the largest gain in resale values from the 2009 to 2010 model year.  The projected resale value of Ford vehicles
increased by more than $1,300 per vehicle.  Ford already holds a resale value advantage over its U.S.-based competitors, and it continues closing the gap on key imports with some Ford vehicles already having surpassed competing foreign vehicles.

“Resale value is a key indicator of brand health and an important contributor to the total value equation,” said Czubay.  “Fleet managers monitor vehicle operating costs very carefully.  They are giving Ford more consideration because of our improving resale values.”

In January, Ford sales to fleet customers more than doubled  last January’s depressed levels (up 154 percent) when most fleet owners deferred vehicle purchases due to the credit crunch and uncertain business and economic conditions.

Ford posted gains in every fleet market – commercial, government and rental.  On an annual basis, a majority of Ford’s fleet sales are to commercial and government customers where the Ford F-Series truck and Econoline van have long been top sellers.  Today, products such as Fusion, Taurus and Escape are popular choices among fleet customers.

Additional Sales Highlights

• Ford Fusion, recently named Motor Trend’s Car of the Year, posted a January sales increase of 49 percent.  The Fusion Hybrid recently was named North American Car of the Year.  Fusion and Mercury Milan are the most fuel-efficient mid-size sedans in America.
• Ford Taurus sales totaled 3,768, up 121 percent versus a year ago.  Since the introduction of the all-new model in August, Taurus sales are nearly double year-ago levels.
• Crossover utilities also posted strong sales increases.  In 2009, the Ford brand was the top-selling brand of crossovers in the U.S., led by the Ford Escape.  In January, Escape sales were up 29 percent versus a year ago, Edge sales were up 26 percent and Lincoln MKX sales were up 27 percent.
• Ford’s F-Series, America’s best-selling truck for 33 years in a row and best-selling vehicle – car or truck – for 28 years in row, posted a 9 percent increase in January, and Ford Ranger compact pickup sales were up 47 percent.  In 2009, F-Series increased its leadership position among full-size pickups with a 4 percentage-point gain in segment share.
• Transit Connect, Ford’s new versatile, fuel-efficient small commercial van, posted January sales of 1,161.  The Transit Connect recently was named North American Truck of the Year.  Econoline, Ford’s full-size van, saw a sales increase of 5 percent.