Driving fast on the German Autobahn, where speed limits are often as optional as bathing suits in the South of France, can be a thrill. But the fantasy of putting the pedal to the metal on Europe’s fastest public roads has usually involved some exotic sports car or European luxury saloon – that is, until now.
The recently announced transformation of Ford’s engine range in Europe is led by the introduction of two state-of-the-art, 4-cylinder Ford EcoBoost petrol engines.
These highly efficient high-torque engines represent a completely new generation of downsized, high-efficiency, low-CO2 petrol engines from Ford. Developed by Ford engineers based in Europe, the 4-cylinder EcoBoost engines combine high-pressure direct injection, advanced turbocharging and twin variable valve timing to maximize combustion efficiency.
The primary benefits delivered by the Ford EcoBoost design approach include:
Optimized engine efficiency – fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are reduced by up to 20 per cent compared to conventional, larger displacement engines
Greater driving enjoyment – strong low-end torque and responsive performance is delivered across the full rev range
Opportunity to downsize – the best of both worlds – large engine performance but with the size, weight and fuel economy of a much smaller unit
The 4-cylinder Ford EcoBoost engines are available as either a 1.6-litre engine with outputs of 150 PS and 180 PS, or a 2.0-litre engine for applications of 200 PS and above.
The 1.6-litre Ford EcoBoost will be launched in the all-new C-MAX and Grand C-MAX models in late 2010, followed by the next-generation Focus in early 2011. The 2.0-litre engine with 203 PS is being launched in the latest 2010 S-MAX, Galaxy and Mondeo models, which are now in production at Ford's Genk plant in Belgium.
Ford EcoBoost engines are a central element in the company’s global powertrain strategy, with annual sales expected to exceed 1.3 million units by 2013. In addition to the two 4-cylinder engines, this total also includes the 3.5-litre V6 engine already available in larger vehicles in North America, and a future small displacement engine which will be produced in Europe.
Duratorq TDCi Diesels - Completely Updated
The acclaimed Ford Duratorq TDCi diesel engines have also been completely updated for 2010 to deliver even higher efficiency, with improved performance, fuel economy and refinement.
The latest 1.6- and 2.0-litre TDCi diesels benefit from a comprehensive range of engineering changes including:
Next-generation combustion system design with a lower compression ratio, increased combustion chamber diameter and reduced swirl
New higher-pressure common-rail fuel injection systems with advanced multi-hole injectors
The more efficient combustion system enables these engines to meet stringent new Stage V emissions standards, while at the same time delivering reduced fuel consumption and CO2 emissions. In addition to greater peak power, the engines benefit from significantly improved driveability, with increased responsiveness and more pulling power at low engine speeds.
The new 1.6-litre TDCi engine will be fitted to the all-new C-MAX and Grand C-MAX, and the next-generation Focus, with 95 PS and 115 PS power ratings. It is also available in the 2010 Mondeo. Depending on application, CO2 emissions are reduced by up to 6 per cent compared to the previous 1.6-litre TDCi.
The new 2.0-litre TDCi engine is available in 115 PS, 140 PS and new 163 PS displacements, and will be featured in the all-new C-MAX and Grand C-MAX, and the next-generation Focus. The engine is also fitted to the 2010 Kuga, Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy models. Depending on application, CO2 emissions are reduced by up to 7 per cent compared to the previous 2.0-litre TDCi.
Ford ECOnetic - Ultra-frugal
Ford’s range of economical TDCi diesel models features dedicated, ultra-high-efficiency ECOnetic derivatives, which feature an optimised specification for the best fuel economy and lowest possible CO2 emissions.
The current Ford ECOnetic model line-up includes versions of the Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo and Transit, with CO2 emissions starting as low as 98g/km on the extremely frugal Fiesta ECOnetic.
For 2010, an updated Focus ECOnetic is launched, and can be specified with Ford's first Auto-Start-Stop System in Europe. This takes CO2 emissions down to a class-leading 99g/km with combined fuel economy of 3.8 l/100 km (74.3 mpg)*.
Ford Transmissions - Advanced and High-Efficiency
The latest high-efficiency, low-CO2 petrol and diesel engines have been matched with state-of-the-art transmissions, including a new 6-speed manual gearbox and the advanced Ford PowerShift 6-speed dual-clutch automatic transmission.
New C-MAX, Grand C-MAX and next-generation Focus vehicles fitted with the 1.6-litre Ford EcoBoost petrol and 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engines are the first models to be fitted with a completely new 6-speed manual gearbox.
The new Ford Durashift 6-speed transmission is exceptionally light and compact for its torque capacity, and features an optimised design to minimise efficiency losses. Real-world fuel economy is typically reduced by 3 to 5 per cent compared to a prior-generation 5-speed manual gearbox.
An increasing number of models in Europe can now be specified with the advanced, high-efficiency Ford PowerShift automatic transmission. This transmission is a state-of-the-art dual-clutch design, which combines the efficiency, optimised gear ratios and driving enjoyment of a manual gearbox with the smoothness and ease-of-use of a conventional automatic.
Ford PowerShift is significantly more efficient than traditional torque-converter automatics, resulting in fuel economy and CO2 emissions which are typically reduced by 8 to 10 per cent, and which are very close to those achieved with a manual gearbox.
This transmission is standard equipment on the 2010 Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy models with the 2.0-litre Ford EcoBoost petrol engine, and is also available as an option for the latest 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel in the all-new C-MAX and Grand C-MAX, next-generation Focus, 2010 Kuga, Mondeo, S-MAX and Galaxy.
Quotes
“Following the tremendous reception given to the first of our new EcoBoost direct-injection turbo petrol engines in North America, we are now extending the family to Europe with the launch of our all-new 4-cylinder engines. Combined with the comprehensive updates we have made to our TDCi diesel engine line-up, this provides our customers with a choice of world-class engines, all of which deliver more power and torque, but with significantly lower fuel consumption and CO2.”
– Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Group Vice President of Global Product Development
“We know car buyers around the world are focused on cost of ownership, and the introduction of Ford’s latest petrol and diesel powertrains is another significant step towards our goal of being a global leader for fuel economy. Both our new Ford EcoBoost petrol engines and latest Duratorq TDCi diesels have been developed specifically to prove our commitment to delivering class-leading economy and low CO2 emissions in the models they power."
– Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Group Vice President of Global Product Development
Think this nation needs a new engine of growth? Done and done.
Ford Motor Company is investing $155 million and adding 60 jobs at its Cleveland operations to build a new fuel-efficient V-6 engine for the 2011 Mustang, which has expected class-leading highway fuel efficiency of 30 miles per gallon on the highway and 305 horsepower.
The investment and jobs at Ford’s Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 brings the company’s investment in powertrain engineering and facility upgrades in North America to $1.8 billion to support its 2011 vehicle launches – with more to come. The total number of jobs being added as part of these investments is 1,260. The new Mustang engine is one of nine new or upgraded engines or transmissions for 2011 model Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles.
On sale this spring, the 2011 Ford Mustang delivers 305 high-performance horses for V-6 coupe buyers. The all-aluminum dual-overhead cam (DOHC), 3.7-liter Duratec 24-valve V-6 engine delivers a projected 30 mpg on the highway with a six-speed automatic transmission and fun for drivers on nearly every road.
Also available for the 2011-model year are the Mustang GT – with an all-new 5.0-liter V-8 delivering 412 horsepower and projected unsurpassed highway mileage of 25 mpg – and a no-compromises Shelby GT500 powered by a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 and 550 horsepower.
The new 3.7-liter V-6 is built at Ford’s Cleveland Engine Plant 1. The 5.0-liter V-8 engine is built at Ford’s Essex Engine Plant in Windsor, Ontario. The 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 is built at Ford’s Romeo, Mich., Engine Plant.
Cleveland Engine Plant 1 Retooled
Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1’s V-6 engine is expected to represent two-thirds of Mustang’s volume this calendar year.
Ford’s $155 million investment there includes $121 million in manufacturing investment at the plant and $34 million for launch and engineering. Sixty new jobs have been added to the plant to support the new engine.
Specifically, the $121 million for the manufacturing facility supports continued investment in developing and re-tooling the plant’s flexible manufacturing systems in the assembly and component (cylinder block, head and crankshaft) areas.
Ford’s investment at Cleveland Engine Plant is supported by Ford’s green partnership with the U.S. Department of Energy. This Ohio plant is one of 11 Ford facilities in the U.S. participating in the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing Incentives Program initiated by Congress and implemented by the Obama administration. The program is helping to develop advanced technology vehicles and strengthen American manufacturing across the country. This project is also supported by Ford’s state and local government partners primarily through training funds.
The investment represents the latest in Ford’s ongoing commitment to the Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1. Opened in 1951 as Ford’s first engine plant in Ohio, the facility has produced more than 35 million engines.
In 2004, Ford invested $350 million into the plant for redesign and installation of an all-new assembly line as well as block, crankshaft and cylinder head machining lines. The plant also led the way in 2009 with the introduction of Ford’s first EcoBoost engines, which use gasoline turbocharged direct-injection technology for up to 20 percent better fuel economy, 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions and superior driving performance versus larger displacement engines.
Nine New or Upgraded Powertrains This Year
Ford is introducing nine new or upgraded powertrains in North America for its 2011 model vehicles, representing $1.8 billion worth of investment in engineering and facilities. Among the nine powertrains are:
6.2-liter V-8 gasoline engine for the F-Series Super Duty
6.7-liter Power Stroke Diesel for the F-Series Super Duty
6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift® automatic transmission for the F-Series Super Duty
3.7-liter Ti-VCT V-6 engine for the Mustang
5.0-liter Ti-VCT V-8 engine for the Mustang
Six-speed automatic transmission for the Mustang
The 2011 Mustang is the most technically advanced model yet of America's favorite sports car. Both V-6 and V-8 models feature Twin Independent Variable Valve Timing (Ti-VCT), double overhead cams, four-valves per-cylinder and free-flowing exhaust systems. Both models are available with six-speed manual or an upgraded 6-speed automatic transmission.
The 2011 Mustang is a strong example of Ford’s industry leading fuel economy gains. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, Ford’s combined car and truck fuel economy has improved nearly 20 percent since 2004 – almost double the next closest competitor.
Additionally, Ford has lowered its tailpipe CO2 emissions more than any other automaker. Ford’s fleet-wide average of 434 grams per mile is 37 grams lower than the 2007 total and 25 grams lower than 2008.
Quotes
“Ford is absolutely committed to delivering class-leading fuel efficiency with every new vehicle we introduce, and this investment in Cleveland provides further proof.”
– Bill Russo, Director of Manufacturing for Ford’s Powertrain Operations
“Mustang is completely transformed with this new engine. Everything people love about the car is still there and now under the hood is a V-6 engine that uses premium technology to deliver the power, the feel, the fuel efficiency, even the sound of the best sports coupes in the world.”
– Derrick Kuzak, Group Vice President, Global Product Development
“The Cleveland Engine Plant is not only building fuel-efficient engines for some of our most popular Ford products, it’s becoming a hub for the future of Ford powertrains. This facility has the flexibility and the expertise to help us meet customer demands for fun, fuel-efficient vehicles, and it represents the future of advanced manufacturing in North America.”
– Bill Russo, Director of Manufacturing for Ford’s Powertrain Operations
“We’re focusing on every single detail of our engine and transmission lineup to speed class-leading fuel efficiency to our customers as quickly as possible, affordably and in high volumes.”
Wait a second… Run that past me again… It does what? No wonder everybody wants one.
The new 2011 Ford Mustang with all-new powertrains has three times more orders than the 2010 model in its first month, and half of all nationwide orders are for the car’s class-leading 30 mpg 3.7-liter V-6 engine.
Nearly 11,000 Mustangs have been ordered since order banks opened in late January.
Fifty percent of the 2011 Mustang orders are for V-6 models, which feature a new, high-performance, all-aluminum Duratec 3.7-liter dual overhead-cam (DOHC) Twin Independent Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT) engine. This new engine delivers 305 horsepower and an expected best-in-class EPA fuel efficiency of 30 mpg on the highway – a 25 percent improvement versus the 2010 model.
2011 Mustang V-6 order levels are up 19 percent versus the new 2010 model orders.
A first-ever Mustang Club of America (MCA) Special Edition package available on V-6 models generated three times more orders than expected. Plus, “take rates” on the California Special series – which is available on the Mustang GT and harkens back to the original 1968 feature vehicle – are triple the expected rates.
2011 Mustangs also are being equipped with record levels of technology. Navigation is specified on 18 percent of orders. High-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps are on 26 percent of vehicles. Rear-view cameras are on 10 percent – all up from 2010.
For the 2011 model, 41 percent of orders are for Mustang GTs.
The Mustang GT’s modern 5.0-liter four-valve, Ti-VCT V-8 engine delivers 412 horsepower and 390 ft.-lb. of torque. At the same time, fuel economy of 25 mpg highway is projected to be better than the previous model and unsurpassed in the segment.
Approximately 9 percent of the 2011 Mustang orders are for Shelby GT500 models, which are powered by an all-new aluminum-block 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 engine. This 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.
Quotes
“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.”
– Steve Ling, Ford North America Car Marketing Manager
“The new engine transforms Mustang. Everything people love about the car lives on, and now under the hood is a V-6 engine that uses premium technology to deliver the power, the feel, the fuel efficiency, even the sound of the best sports cars in the world.”
– Steve Ling, Ford North America Car Marketing Manager
“Mustang is ready for a new generation of buyers. With new high-tech and fuel-efficient engines, class-leading connectivity and infotainment options as well as signature style and performance, Mustang is poised to continue its legacy as America’s favorite sports car.”
– Steve Ling, Ford North America Car Marketing Manager
Ever wonder how much of your time is wasted in traffic? Believe me, you don’t want know. But there are ways to minimize the hassle.
Drivers hitting the road in a new 2011 Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicles equipped with voice-activated navigation will be able to tap into nearly 2,500 miles of highway and interstate lanes designed to help get them where they need to go quicker and with less hassle.
For 2011 models, Ford will be adding a new high-occupancy vehicle (HOV) lane routing preference to the navigation menu. The HOV guidance option is one more tool in the award-winning Ford system’s traffic-fighting portfolio that already includes traffic reports, incident alerts and re-routing prompts to avoid congestion that are supported through SIRIUS Travel Link. These features helped the Ford system rank highest in the J.D. Power and Associates 2009 Navigation Usage and Satisfaction Study.
The fast way
HOV, or carpool lanes, are popular among commuters in highly-populated states such as California, New York, Texas and Virginia – along with cities such as Washington D.C., Seattle and Atlanta – because they allow vehicles with multiple passengers to use designated lanes for faster travel. In Northern Virginia, for example, a trip on a popular 27-mile stretch of I-95/I-395 where HOV designated lanes exist can cut travel time by half, with some 18,500 people traveling that specific route during peak commuter hours daily.
Drivers traveling with passengers will be able to set the HOV guidance option on the navigation preference menu. Once engaged, the system will map routes using HOV lanes where appropriate when a destination is entered. Users will know that routes contain HOV lanes when they see a white diamond icon illuminated on the map during route selection.
As a bonus, owners of Ford hybrid vehicles, including the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan, Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner, could be eligible in certain states for special HOV lane passes that allow single-occupant travel in the carpool lanes, making the combination of hybrid and an HOV-enabled navigation system a highly fuel- and time-efficient form of travel.
More upgrades
In addition to the new HOV logic for 2011, the Ford voice-controlled navigation system will also receive:
Branded point-of-interest icons – for example, Starbucks, Mobile or Holiday Inn – will appear on mapping screens, and higher-density street labeling, showing more street names per zoom level on navigation maps
HD Radio™ technology, allowing users to receive free over-the-air digital FM broadcasts where available
Integration with SYNC Traffic, Directions, & Information app, enabling new features like the ability to download destinations sent from a home or work computer from Mapquest (late availability).
The updated voice-controlled navigation system will be offered on most 2011 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles, first launching on the new 2011 Ford Mustang.
Quotes
“We’ve worked hard to ensure our navigation system is not only extremely helpful, but exceptionally intuitive. We’ve added services and features such as HOV logic and others for 2011 that will help customers access exactly the information they need while they’re on the go.”
– Jim Buczkowski, Director, Global Electrical
and Electronics Systems Engineering
Look around. Unless you’re living in a cave you’ve probably noticed how more and more consumer products offer both high style and high technology. More than ever, great design truly is within reach.
Consider the Ford Edge. When customers made it the No. 1-selling vehicle in the midsize crossover segment in its first full year on the market it was, in part, because of the Edge’s great style and technology. Launching this summer, the 2011 Ford Edge stands to redefine the segment with a wide-ranging scope of improvements.
Bold, flowing design makes Edge the can’t-miss crossover
The bolder, more seamlessly flowing exterior design freshening is mirrored by a complementary interior, characterized by increased craftsmanship, improved materials and overall better execution. Improved fit-and-finish, softer touchpoints, and flexibility in terms of stowage in the cabin and throughout mark the 2011 Ford Edge.
Increased presence is announced through a bolder grille and a chin spoiler that appears more crafted. The A-pillar flows into the hood, which adds subtle undulations to create a heightened sculptural quality. The wrapping lines emphasize both the front end and the new wheel lineup.
MyFord Touch ushers in new era of interaction
The industry-first MyFord Touch driver connect technology provides a smarter, safer, simpler way to connect drivers with in-car technologies and their digital lives. It replaces traditional vehicle buttons, knobs and gauges with clear, crisp LCD screens and five-way controls like those found on cell phones and MP3 players.
Standard on the 2011 Edge Limited and 2011 Edge Sport, the MyFord Touch system displays information using two 4.2-inch full-color LCD screens flanking an analog speedometer and an
8-inch touch-screen LCD at the top of the center stack. A five-way switch on each side of the steering wheel crossbar controls the information displayed on the corresponding instrument panel screens. The screens can be personalized to display information relevant to each individual driver using a simple button click, voice command or touch-screen tap.
The steering wheel has all the necessary functions available in a very compact area, right where the driver’s hand falls as he or she grabs the wheel. The five-way buttons feel familiar to anyone who has used a mobile phone or MP3 player.
Like the song? You can tag it
Also new on the 2011 Ford Edge is the world’s first use of iTunes® Tagging in an available factory-installed HD Radio™ receiver. iTunes Tagging provides customers with the ability to “capture” a song they hear on the HD Radio receiver for later purchase from iTunes. With a simple push of a “TAG” button on the MyFord touch-screen display, the song information will be stored in the radio’s memory.
Once a song is tagged and customers dock their iPod to the SYNC system, the tagged song information will transfer to that iPod. Up to 100 tags on SYNC can be stored until the iPod is connected. When the iPod is then synced to iTunes, a playlist of tagged songs will appear. Customers then can preview, and if they desire, purchase and download tagged songs from the iTunes Store.
One significant benefit of HD Radio technology is that the sound quality of the broadcast is dramatically better because of the digital transmission – FM sounds like a CD and AM sounds like today’s FM broadcasts. Unlike analog broadcasts, digital broadcasts aren’t susceptible to interference, fadeout and other issues.
Brimming with standard and class-exclusive technologies
There are 12 class-exclusive standard and available features and technologies for the 2011 Ford Edge, including MyFord Touch, SYNC; Easy Fuel® (standard); SecuriCode keyless entry keypad; Blind Spot Mirrors (standard); MyKey™ (standard); AdvanceTrac® with RSC (Roll Stability Control™, standard); Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning with Brake Support; Cross Traffic Alert; and 22-inch wheels and paddle activation on the 2011 Edge Sport.
Quotes
“Customers told us how much they like Edge’s design and dynamic driving quality. We listened and made sure the new 2011 Edge delivers that and more – including fuel economy leadership, unexpected levels of quietness, a strong new design with quality materials, and MyFord Touch driver connect technology that will change how people experience their vehicles.”
– Mark Fields, Ford’s President of The Americas
“The new Edge demonstrates how a refresh at Ford has become more than just a few design and interior tweaks. We have taken every element of the Edge and completely reworked it, including three new powertrains, two new transmissions, a bold new exterior design and a completely new interior. If you add in our industry-exclusive MyFord Touch system, you have a vehicle that will continue to stand out above all the competition on the road.”
– Elaine Bannon, Ford Edge Chief Engineer
“To me, craftsmanship isn’t just fit-and-finish. It’s also the layout and the ergonomic experience. It’s where we put the material – the stitching, the cutlines – and all the attention to detail to give the customer a great experience.”
– Elaine Bannon, Ford Edge Chief Engineer
“You can jump in the 2011 Ford Edge and bring your technology – your lifestyle – with you and have everything at your fingertips. The 2011 Ford Edge gives you all the capability and flexibility you want along with great style.”
– Elaine Bannon, Ford Edge Chief Engineer
Ford’s innovative new MyFord Touch driver connect technology has received a Popular Mechanics’ Editor’s Choice award for best new product at the 2010 International CES.
The 2010 show marks the third time the magazine’s technology editors have selected a Ford breakthrough for the award, granted annually to products the magazine feels “will make a difference this year.
About MyFord Touch
MyFord Touch retains the traditional car interior layout that has existed for decades – instrument cluster in front of the driver, center stack dividing the dashboard – and adds even more voice control plus full-color LCD screens for much of the visual information presentation.
The information presented is customizable by the driver using a combination of voice controls, touch-screen technology and five-way cell phone-style buttons mounted on the steering wheel.
MyFord Touch displays information using two 4.2-inch full-color LCD screens flanking an analog speedometer and an 8-inch touch-screen LCD at the top of the center stack. A five-way switch on each side of the steering wheel crossbar – similar to the one found on most mobile phones and MP3 players – controls the information displayed on the corresponding instrument panel screens.
A history of award-winning technology
Ford previously won the Popular Mechanics’ Editor’s Choice Award in 2007 for its SYNC technology, developed with Microsoft, which allows customers to seamlessly operate almost any mobile phone or digital media player in their vehicles using voice commands and steering wheel-mounted controls. The technology also received a “People’s Voice Award” that year.
In 2009, SYNC received the Bluetooth Special Interest Group’s “Best of CES” award. The SYNC Traffic, Directions & Information application, the industry’s first system to seamlessly integrate a variety of technologies to provide emergency, diagnostic and information services as well as traffic reports and directions on the road, also received the 2009 Popular Mechanics’ Editor’s Choice Award.
Quotes
“Ford innovations are a direct response to consumer trends. Technologies such as SYNC and MyFord Touch feed the demand for information in an integrated, elegant user interface. For both the auto industry and the consumer electronics industry, the best bet is to develop products that are versatile and loaded with features that make them easy to personalize.”
– Alan Mulally, Ford President and CEO, during his CES keynote presentation
“Our vision for MyFord driver connect technology is that customers can connect to friends and family, to their favorite entertainment devices, and to all of the data stored in the ‘cloud’ using voice commands, touch controls and colorful LCD graphics. They can chat with their kids, listen to their RSS feeds, scan their iPods and make dinner reservations all while driving home from work, and all while keeping their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel.”
– Derrick Kuzak, Ford Global Product Development Chief.
The synergies between automotive and digital technologies have never been better integrated than they are in the next-generation Ford Focus. The global C-car debuts with the Ford’s new technology that changes the way people interact with their car’s vehicle information, entertainment features and even Bluetooth-enabled devices.
MyFord retains the traditional automotive interior layout – instrument cluster in front of the driver, center stack dividing the dashboard – and adds LCD screens to provide much of the visual information.
Drivers decide what – and how much – information is presented by using a combination of voice controls and five-way cell phone-style buttons mounted on the steering wheel. It’s easy to use, thanks to its layout and design. Plus, it’s tremendously scalable given all the functions available through the LCD screens and the power of SYNC®, the operating system behind MyFord.
Interacting with MyFord
MyFord divides information in a familiar fashion: left-hand and right-hand. A five-way switch, similar to the one found on most mobile phones and MP3 players, exists on each side of the steering wheel crossbar to control the information.
On basic MyFord trim levels, display duties are handled by two 4.2-inch full-color LCD screens, one in the center of the instrument panel and another atop the center stack. Higher-specification versions use a 4.2-inch LCD in the center of the instrument panel and an 8-inch touch-screen display in the center stack.
The instrument panel display, controlled by the left-side five-way controller, contains information about the vehicle: fuel economy, mechanical status, safety features and other information typically found in the vehicle message center. The center stack display, controlled by the five-way controller on the right side, contains information relating to the vehicle occupants: entertainment system settings, climate control information and communications functions.
On MyFord models, a traditional telephone-style keypad and key command buttons surround the center stack display to provide quick access to commonly used features. Focus models with a touch-screen use a combination of on-screen buttons and the right-hand five-way controller to manage information.
How MyFord driver connect technology accommodates all types of drivers
To ensure the MyFord system is an instant hit with Focus buyers, designers prioritized four key attributes of the interface design:
Attentive: MyFord uses controls, screens and other interfaces with which most users are already comfortable and familiar through popular consumer electronics devices.
Approachable: MyFord is attractive, using rich graphics, vibrant colors, high-definition screens and easy-to-use buttons that are appealing to the eye and the touch.
Clear: Rather than an imposing cluster of buttons, switches and dials, MyFord is clean-looking with controls that fall readily to hand and displays that are exactly where users expect to find them. Most major functions can be controlled through voice commands without the driver’s hands ever leaving the steering wheel.
Connected: For technophiles, MyFord can be configured to display the information they want in the way they want it. For technophobes, radio, heating and air-conditioning controls are still accessible via familiar stack-mounted controls, so there’s no need to learn a host of new commands to operate the vehicle.
Why design a new interface?
In recent years, the variety of in-car communications, navigation, audio and entertainment technologies that consumers demand has outgrown the traditional “button and knob” interface. Consumers have been suffering “button fatigue,” even as they’re demanding more in-car connectivity, more options and more information, which is likely to grow still further.
For example, consumers still were required to interrupt much of their communications, information flow and music when entering the vehicle. Once inside, the focus often was on song selection, making a phone call or setting up the navigation system rather than on driving.
The original SYNC system helped provide a seamless flow of information and entertainment to drivers. It now has even more capability available, and MyFord will help manage the immense functionality available to drivers. MyFord is the next major Ford technology geared toward helping drivers complete their tasks while keeping the focus on safe, attentive driving.
Quotes
“This isn’t a new dashboard or a new instrument cluster or an interior redesign. MyFord rethinks how information is presented to drivers and how drivers are able to personalize the way they relate to the information or entertainment the car makes available to them. It’s a groundbreaking, intuitive interface that puts tremendous power at the hands of Focus owners.” – Derrick Kuzak, Group Vice President, Global Product Development
“With MyFord, we’re not asking drivers to relearn how to turn up the heat or change the radio volume. Those basic controls are exactly where you expect them. For those inclined to dive deeper and make their in-vehicle experience truly their own, though, there’s much more information and more control available with a few clicks of a steering wheel button.” – John Schneider, Chief Engineer, Ford Connected Services Solutions Organization
“The steering wheel has all the necessary functions available in a very compact area, right where your hand falls as you grab the wheel. And the five-way buttons will feel familiar to anyone who has used a mobile phone or MP3 player. Drivers aren’t forced to use an unfamiliar interface like a joystick or rotary knob.” – Gary Braddock, Ford Group Chief Designer
“Everything has been designed around usability. Our goal was to provide the means – multiple means, in many cases – for drivers to accomplish what they want to do. More importantly, we had to keep the focus on driving and not confuse drivers with a huge collection of buttons. MyFord was designed to work with the driver, not force the driver to work with it.”
– Tom Cullen, Project Manager for MyFord
“When we started work on MyFord, we saw this huge groundswell of new functionality and capability hitting consumers and expanding right before our eyes. We knew that unless we devised an intuitive interface for these capabilities, they would detract – and possibly distract – from the driving experience.”
– Gary Braddock, Ford Group Chief Designer
People are a-buzz about Ford Motor Company’s revitalized commitment to automotive excellence, and no car better represents its laser-like… Focus.
The next-generation Ford Focus makes its worldwide debut providing customers with more affordable technologies and features than ever in this segment, as well as detailed craftsmanship, outstanding fuel economy and a new standard for driving quality.
Sleek, stylish and sporty, both the four-door sedan and five-door hatchback body styles of the next-generation Focus are previewed prior to their production start for Europe and North America late in 2010 and market launch early in 2011.
The new Focus will be nearly identical in all markets, with 80 percent parts commonality around the world.
Engineered without compromise
The new Ford Focus has been developed by a global team, led from Ford’s European small and medium vehicle center of excellence in Merkenich, near Cologne, Germany, with powertrain development led by a similar team at Ford’s technical center in Dunton, England. The vehicle has been engineered without compromise to meet all customer and legislative requirements of the major worldwide markets.
In developing the vehicle for global markets, the product team in Europe was able to call on the experience acquired from recent programs like the much-acclaimed new Ford Fiesta, and was supported by the expertise of vehicle and powertrain technology specialists located in Ford’s engineering center in Dearborn, Mich.
Ford’s global development and sourcing strategy made it possible to provide a level of performance and feature content that is unrivaled for this vehicle segment and surprising even to drivers of larger, more premium vehicles.
Taking kinetic design to the next level
The no-compromise approach to the new Ford Focus is immediately evident from the striking exterior design of the four-door sedan and five-door hatchback models that take center stage at the 2010 NAIAS.
The two models share a sporty and dynamic character, marking the next evolution of Ford’s acclaimed kinetic design form language, which has contributed to the growing popularity of the company’s latest small and medium cars.
The kinetic design approach uses bold vehicle designs to capture the feeling of energy in motion, so that cars look like they are moving – even when they are standing still.
With its striking front end, sleek profile, dramatic rising beltline and athletic stance, the new Focus clearly telegraphs the rewarding driving experience that awaits customers when they take to the road.
This dynamic quality is reinforced by the distinctive design of the interior. The new Focus has an extremely modern, cockpit-style interior, with the stylish center console wrapped around the driver and providing outstanding access to the vehicle’s major controls and display panels.
A key element of the interior is the quality of craftsmanship. The cabin’s bold and contemporary graphics, the sculptured shape of the soft-touch instrument panel and the choice of superior trim materials all help to give occupants the feeling that they are traveling in a premium-class car.
Intuitive technology enhances convenience and safety
The next-generation Focus will bring C-segment customers around the world an exciting array of advanced technologies generally found in larger, more premium vehicles. The global scale of Ford’s C-car program makes more technologies and features economically viable than ever before for cars in this segment.
The technology package of the new Focus promises not only clear leadership in the C-segment, but also includes features customers in larger, more premium segments would find surprising.
Within the cockpit, the most significant innovation is the company’s next-generation driver connect technology, MyFord, which provides the driver with a state-of-the-art combination of controls and display screens to operate the key vehicle features. On high series vehicles, the MyFord system includes an 8-inch touch screen, allowing the driver to control a wide range of functions via a clear and intuitive color display.
MyFord is complemented by a new generation of Ford’s powerful SYNC® connectivity package, which includes a sophisticated voice control system, Bluetooth and satellite navigation, along with connection points for a wide variety of external devices and media players.
Quotes
“The new Ford Focus is a clear demonstration that our ONE Ford strategy is providing global consumers with great products that harness the best of Ford Motor Company. The efficiencies generated by our new global C-car platform will enable us to provide Ford Focus customers with an affordable product offering quality, fuel efficiency, safety and technology beyond their expectations.”
– Alan Mulally, Ford’s President and CEO
“Global customers increasingly want smaller cars with outstanding fuel economy, but without sacrificing any of the style, technology, connectivity and driving quality they demand from larger vehicles. Our next generation of C-cars – led by the exciting new Focus – will clearly show that Ford is ready to meet that challenge.”
– Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Group Vice President of Global Product Development
“The all-new Focus is at the center of convergence for automotive trends. We’ve designed it with an acute understanding of global customers, yet it’s tailored for each individual region. Focus combines the best from Europe, North America and Asia to deliver a level of emotional driving enjoyment never before experienced in a car this size.”
– J Mays, Ford Group Vice President of Design and Chief Creative Officer
“We believe the new Ford Focus will provide consumers with an unmatched driving experience, together with an unrivaled ownership experience. The Focus brand always has been very special to Ford, and this new global model shows our commitment to developing another generation of exciting and appealing cars.”
– Jim Farley, Ford Group Vice President, Global Marketing
When Ford Motor Company began researching ways to adapt Smartphone mobile apps for in-car use through voice control of its popular SYNC® communications system, the company first turned to the nearby University of Michigan-Dearborn campus to spur innovative ideas around “what’s next” for the connected car experience.
There, Ford enlisted the help of six computer science students, working with their professors to devise an extracurricular project that would net the young programmers invaluable real-world experience. It would also give Ford an education on the open software community, which was what the company wanted in order to take SYNC to the next level.
Back to school
To gain outside perspective on the app marketplace, the students headed for the same place millions of SYNC users visit every day: the iPhone App Store. With more than 100,000 applications created in just two years, explosive growth fueled by a spirit of “open innovation” has made the App Store an unprecedented success.
The initial task: winnowing the roughly 100,000 active App Store apps down to those that would be relevant for in-car use. The young developers would then be asked to modify the software to work with SYNC, using the vehicle buttons, displays and voice prompts to control the mobile app. And they had three months during which to work.
Ford was already working on an internal proof-of-concept application programming interface called “SYNCLink,” allowing connectivity between Smartphone mobile applications and the vehicle interface. This API permitted access to the automotive interface – buttons, voice prompts and vehicle displays – that would be needed to make the software work.
To gain access to the SYNC API in development, the students became the first ever to sign Ford’s new SYNC Developers’ License, in effect making them the only six mobile app developers in the world licensed to use the SYNC API for in-vehicle applications. Not only were the agreements drafted in a remarkably short time, but they marked an unprecedented release of proprietary technology by an automaker into the open source community.
Quotes
“When we started planning for mobile app functionality on SYNC, we knew we had to think and act with the ‘start-up’ mentality. The explosive growth in apps comes from community-created development, software geeks chatting about code on social media sites, open collaboration. That’s the genesis of app innovation, and that’s the spirit we wanted to capture for SYNC.”
– K. Venkatesh Prasad, Technical Leader for Infotronics, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering
Ford vehicles are now among the quietest on the road – topping Toyota and Honda in key sound quality measures – and customers are taking notice.
Third-party initial quality research shows Ford customer satisfaction with interior quietness now far surpasses Asian rivals, and that Ford vehicles have fewer wind noise, squeak and rattle issues than any other volume automaker.
In fact, the new global Fiesta, headed for the U.S. in 2010, is not only quieter than the leading B-cars, but also quieter than the leading C-cars in both wind noise and rough road surface comparison tests conducted by Ford engineers.
Key to Ford’s success in crafting quiet cabins is the use of everything from traditional wind tunnels to sophisticated virtual reality tools to identify and eliminate unwanted sounds.
The competition among automakers to engineer the quietest vehicles on the road is increasing as interior noise becomes an ever more important factor for customers. More than 80 percent of new vehicle buyers rated quietness as very or extremely important in the Martiz New Vehicle Consumer Survey. Ford brands also have higher interior quietness customer satisfaction scores than their Asian competitors, including Toyota and Honda, according to the RDA Global Quality Research System (GQRS) surveys this year.
Material advancements
The process for designing a quiet vehicle starts from the outside in. Ford engineers stiffen certain parts of the vehicle, strategically mount engines, and tune the rear suspension to reduce vibration. This can contribute to a quieter and more refined sound for a sedan like Fusion or Taurus, or a sportier and more powerful ride for vehicles like the Mustang or F-150.
Advancements in materials, such as expandable foam pellets strategically placed in the doors, headliner and pillars, can improve sound-deadening efficiency by up to 20 percent. Interiors are further quieted with hood insulators, inner and outer dash absorbers, sound-absorbing carpet, improved ceiling baffles, additional sound absorption in the trunk, and new interior and headliner materials.
Other ways Ford engineers have built interior quietness into the 2010 lineup include:
Acoustic laminated windshields that feature a layer of sound-absorbent vinyl sandwiched between two sheets of glass
Improved body/door sealing to reduce wind noise
Expandable stuffers in the fenders and pillars
Constrained layer damping material on the entire floor to reduce road noise, especially generated by the tires
A retuned air induction system for a more refined powertrain sound
All-new acoustic headliners to further deaden interior noise
Learn more about how quiet vehicle interior are accomplished.
Quotes
“Customers connect a quiet cabin with a quality vehicle, and we know that. Step by step, we’re gaining in quality; we’re now on par with Toyota and Honda. And the strides we’re making in interior quietness are all part of the game plan.”
– Derrick Kuzak, Group Vice President, Global Product Development
“The key to world-class quietness is to pinpoint the source and location of every unwanted sound, no matter how subtle it is. Noise Vision already is paying off for Ford, with the new 2010 Taurus, Fusion, Flex and F-150 achieving the quietest interiors in their class.”
– Bill Gulker, Ford’s leader of Wind Noise Engineering
“We strive to continuously stay on the cutting edge of technology to find the most innovative ways to bring the highest-quality vehicles to our. We look at every angle, every method, to find ways to improve.”
– Derrick Kuzak, Group Vice President, Global Product Development
These days every automaker says it’s working on electric vehicles, but few own up to the fact that passing the electrification test will require a bit of homework. Ford Motor Company is teaming with the University of Detroit Mercy (UDM) to retrain traditional automotive engineers, providing them with the skills and expertise to develop the next generation of advanced electric and hybrid vehicles.
As vehicle electrification plans expand, the automotive industry’s need for electric vehicle-savvy engineers also is growing, creating increased demand for electrical, mechatronics, systems and controls engineering education. Ford and UDM have collaborated to create a new graduate-level curriculum focused on key engineering skills for the development of electrified vehicles.
An aggressive training strategy for an aggressive product plan
The UDM program will supplement Ford’s internal electrical engineering training courses as the company retrains its own employees to deliver an aggressive electric vehicle product strategy. The course series, which begins in January 2010, is designed to advance the knowledge and capabilities of technological team members in the automotive and defense ground vehicle industries.
Ford engineers are already at work developing three distinct types of electrified vehicles – hybrids, plug-in hybrids and pure battery electric vehicles. The vehicles include:
Transit Connect battery electric commercial van in 2010
Focus battery electric passenger car in 2011
Next-generation hybrid vehicle in 2012
Plug-in hybrid in 2012
The magnitude of the training program will be similar to the educational programs undertaken by Ford during the late 1980s when mechanical engineers were trained on electrical engineering.
The UDM Advanced Electric Vehicle Program will begin with the first group comprised of current engineers from Ford and its suppliers. Team members will apply the program’s coursework in developing the next generation of electric and hybrid vehicles. Approximately 125 Ford engineers will participate in the program over the next several years.
The UDM courses are supplementary to Ford’s internal online training programs in battery cells and electrochemistry, power-split controls, regenerative braking, calibration and commodity planning.
UDM has created seven new courses that are directly responsive to the training needs of Ford and the entire automotive and defense ground vehicles industries.
Engineers in this program will select five of the seven newly created courses that are designed by competency teams of Ford and UDM experts to deploy the most current technology, strategies, methods and tools emerging from universities, corporations and national laboratories.
These five courses will be completed in one calendar year. Most courses will be offered at the Ford Training and Development Center in Dearborn; others requiring laboratory experiences will be provided at UDM’s McNichols campus in Detroit. The Advanced Electric Vehicle Program courses include:
Introduction to Advanced Electric Vehicles
Controls Modeling and Design for Electric Vehicles
Energy Storage Systems
Power Electronics for Electric Vehicles
Electric Drives/Electromechanical Energy Conversion
Innovation and System Architecture for Electric Vehicles
System Engineering for Electric Vehicles
Quotes
“The era of electric vehicles is here and it’s critical that we meet this technology challenge by retraining our engineers with a broad range of new skills and competencies. This program, together with internal training, will support Ford’s aggressive plans to roll out electric and hybrid vehicles in the coming years.”
– Derrick Kuzak, Ford Group Vice President of Global Product Development
“We recognize a greater need for our teams to have access to programs to increase their knowledge of electrical, mechanical, chemical and software engineering. Ford has a large team of talented and dedicated engineers that are energized by the technological sea change we are seeing happen now in the industry.”
– Nancy Gioia, Ford’s Director of Global Electrification
“The competencies achieved by these courses will enable teams from automotive OEMs and suppliers to develop the electric and hybrid vehicles that will keep the global leadership of the auto industry for this critical segment of the world’s transportation future right here in southeastern Michigan.”
– Dr. Leo E. Hanifin, Dean of UDM’s College of Engineering & Science
It’s no wonder that the single biggest demographic for energy drinks also goes for Ford’s EcoBoost™ engine technology. EcoBoost is driving younger, more affluent customers to Ford showrooms. And many of these buyers are hot to trade in their competitive-make vehicles to get their hands on one equipped with the fuel-efficient direct-injection turbocharged EcoBoost engine.
SHO-ing off
Living proof is the all-new Ford Taurus SHO, with EcoBoost as standard. The average SHO buyer is 54 years old – 10-plus years younger than the base-model Taurus customer – and second youngest in its segment. The median household income of the SHO buyer is $20,000 more than the base Taurus customer. And as for conquests, nearly 55 percent of buyers are trading in Toyota Avalons, Nissan Altimas and Chevy Monte Carlos, among other competitive products, to drive away in a Taurus SHO. That’s the second-highest conquest rate in the segment.
Moreover, Taurus SHO customers want more and are willing to spend more to get it. Ford is seeing transaction rate improvements as EcoBoost buyers tend to package more options in their purchase, and the vehicles are selling with fewer incentives.
Taurus SHO has the highest average transaction price in the segment, with customers paying $10,000 or more above base-model price to enjoy not only the fuel efficiency and performance of the EcoBoost engine, but other premium package amenities such as all-wheel drive, Ford SYNC®, 19-inch wheels and a reverse sensing system.
EcoBoost spread
Other vehicles that offer EcoBoost, such as the Ford Flex and Lincoln MKS, are exhibiting other demographic phenomena.
Lincoln MKS with EcoBoost – along with Taurus SHO – is helping attract more 35- to 55-year-old males, a demographic the company has been working hard to bring back to the Ford fold. Ford sedans with EcoBoost are improving traffic with this demographic that has eluded Ford in recent years, says Amy Marentic, Ford group marketing manager. This group of shoppers, in fact, represents nearly 35 percent of Lincoln MKS with EcoBoost buyers, which is more than 5 percentage points higher than the MKS equipped with the 3.7-liter engine. For Taurus SHO, it’s above 40 percent, more than double the 35- to 55-year-old males that purchase a base-model Taurus.
Other customers making the jump to Ford vehicles are hitting the Flex with EcoBoost equally hard; three out of four buyers are trading in a competitive product, including the Toyota Highlander, GMC Acadia and Chevy Traverse.
More with EcoBoost
EcoBoost technology incorporates direct injection and turbocharging, allowing for the downsizing of engines, to provide customers with up to a 20 percent improvement in fuel economy and 15 percent reduction in emissions versus larger-displacement engines. With the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6, customers can expect V-8 performance but V-6 fuel efficiency.
Sales of Ford’s 3.5-liter EcoBoost-equipped vehicles have already exceeded company projections, with October sales twice as high as September.
Ford will complement the 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine with the launch of new 1.6-liter and 2.0-liter four-cylinder variants next year, which will be offered on several global Ford products, including midsize and large vehicles.
Quotes
“EcoBoost technology is helping bring in a new customer to Ford dealer showrooms. This customer is younger, more affluent, and more often trades in competitive products.”
– Amy Marentic, Ford Group Marketing Manager
“No one else offers the level of performance and versatility of Flex with EcoBoost. It’s a compelling buy in the crossover segment for customers who are looking for the power and performance of a traditional V-8 but do not want to sacrifice this for fuel economy.”
– Kate Pearce, Flex Marketing Manager
Who better to ask about the in-car technologies of tomorrow than the millennial generation, right? And what better time to ask than right now.
Ford Motor Company and the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor are working together to discover the next frontier of in-car-communications. The two have joined forces to launch a project that gives students access to a Ford developmental operating system so these students can test and program new applications in search of the “what’s next” for in-car connectivity.
The two-phase advanced research project called the “American Journey 2.0,” is aimed at finding new ways to harness the power of social networks and cloud computing to deliver the future of a grand tradition, the great American road trip.
Millennials’ market force
Ford is the industry leader for in-car connectivity and its award-winning SYNC system, co-developed with Microsoft, is the first to seamlessly integrate a variety of technologies providing emergency, diagnostic and information services as well as traffic reports and directions all through a user’s Bluetooth-paired mobile phone. Current technologies include: on-board text-to-speech engine, data-over-voice technology, a GPS receiver, and an off-board routing engine and information services network accessed through a voice portal.
The next breakthrough in the connected car experience – especially amongst the emerging market force of the Millennial generation – will be responsibly accessing social networks, including Twitter and Facebook, plus other internet data to further improve the driving experience.
The Microsoft “Millennials in Automotive Survey 2009” reported that 77 percent of those surveyed use social networking sites, 50 percent subscribed to more than one site; 64 percent frequented them daily; and 33 percent reported spending 30 minutes or more for each visit. In 2010, the Millennials will make up 28 percent of the driving population, up 9 points from just 2004, making it a powerful consumer group to target.
Such reach-out and collaboration with a university’s student body represents a developmental shift for Ford as it looks for ways to use novel models of open-source collaboration similar to how ideas are cultivated in Silicon Valley. This new way of innovating is aimed at delivering the driver with relevant and personalized content that is tailored for the individual driver’s unique in-car experience.
Phase One – Testing the Platform
Phase one of the project starts with a small group of computer and electrical engineering students beta testing a Ford prototype in-vehicle connectivity software platform that supports navigation, cell phone and digital music players, and has the enhanced ability to access vehicle performance data and act as an interface for newly-developed social networking applications.
The intense six-week student “test drive” of the open platform began in early October, with students tirelessly running multiple combinations of applications, trying to break codes and force the system to crash.
Phase Two – American Journey 2.0
The winter course will be open to 25-30 students of multiple disciplines, and will feature small teams collaborating on the Ford developmental software platform and building upon its connectivity capabilities with new applications.
A panel of judges from Ford, University of Michigan, Microsoft, Maker Faire, and other professions will pick the winning application set at the end of the course and the chosen student team will install their new connectivity programs in a specially prepared Ford Fiesta for what Ford has dubbed the “American Journey 2.0” – a group expedition to test and show off their efforts at the 2010 Maker Faire, the world’s largest do-it-yourself convention held next spring in California.
Quotes
“Already with SYNC, we have proven that we can access information in the ‘cloud.’ This research gives us the opportunity to harness the power of student innovation to explore beyond those capabilities and develop what’s next. We want the students to get creative and develop ways to responsibly connect the car to communicate and share with the outside world.”
– Venkatesh Prasad, Group and Technical Leader of Ford’s Infotronics team in Research & Advanced Engineering
“Research like this pushes the envelope of current technology and helps us identify and solve the next set of challenges in the evolving arena of vehicle connectivity. What excites me about this project is that it gives our students the opportunity to unleash their creativity using cutting-edge technologies to find the best ways to connect the vehicle and the ‘cloud.’”
– Dr. Jason Flinn, Associate Professor at the University of Michigan
“We are doing a complete shakedown of the development platform. It’s an awesome project because we are working on the bleeding edge, able to add our knowledge, insight and interests that could have real-world impact on how we drive, and how our commutes impact the environment and each other.”
– Dr. Brian Noble, Associate Professor of EECS at the University of Michigan
The claim of “seeing sound” used to be reserved for the likes of Dr. Timothy Leary and other advocates of psychedelic recreation, but neuroscientists have since determined that mixed-up sensory perception is both real and natural. Now, seeing sound has a practical application as well.
Ford is using a new technology that allows engineers to actually see unwanted sounds and eliminate them during vehicle development to ensure new vehicles have the quietest interior cabins.
Ford is the first automaker in North America to use the new “Noise Vision” tool, which is part of Ford’s drive to lead the industry in top vehicle quality and customer satisfaction. Customers connect an ultra-quiet cabin with overall product quality and satisfaction, and quietness is one of the top reasons to buy a vehicle, according to third-party customer satisfaction studies.
How it works
Noise Vision is a small sphere that is placed inside the vehicle cabin. It is equipped with more than 30 highly sensitive microphones and 12 special cameras. Powerful software reads data from Noise Vision and creates a computerized image showing interior noise “hot spots,” including wind noise, a squeak or rattle, or unwanted feedback from the engine or the road.
Ford began using Noise Vision – formally known as the Noise Source Identification Tool – to develop new vehicles for the 2010 model year. The high-tech tool is similar to technology used in military work and medical research.
In the past, Ford engineers worked long and hard to identify unwanted rattles, squeaks or knocks. Finding an unwanted sound often was a process of elimination, which could take days or weeks.
Noise Vision streamlines the process to hours, and it’s saving money, too. In the past year alone, the technology has allowed Ford’s North American NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) engineers to reduce 200 hours of wind tunnel testing time a year – saving more than $300,000 in testing costs.
Quietness and quality leadership
Today, Ford’s initial vehicle quality is equal to Toyota and Honda. Ford vehicle interior quietness also rivals many luxury brands, including Lexus, according to third-party consumer research.
In fact, Ford has the fewest wind noise, squeak and rattle issues of any full-line vehicle manufacturer, according to the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study. Ford brands also have higher interior quietness customer satisfaction scores than Asian counterparts, according to the RDA Group’s Global Quality Research System. Ford’s U.S. vehicle leadership includes:
The Ford F-150 is the top model in its segment for quietness, according to the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality Study. F-150 also is No. 1 in quietness customer satisfaction, according to the RDA Group.
The Lincoln MKZ beats the current Lexus ES350 in key interior quietness attributes, such as road noise at 30 mph and wind noise at 80 mph, according to the RDA Group.
Ford Escape is tied with the Honda CRV for first place in the small utility segment for interior quietness customer satisfaction, according to the RDA Group.
Quotes
“The key to world-class interior quietness is to pinpoint the source and location of every unwanted sound, no matter how subtle it is. Noise Vision already is paying off for Ford, with the new 2010 Taurus, Fusion and F-150 achieving the quietest interiors in their class.”
– Bill Gulker, Ford’s Leader of Wind Noise Engineering
“We used to rely on trial and error to make a vehicle quieter. It was a process of elimination that often led us to mask the issue with thicker glass or more sound insulation. Noise Vision literally shows us where the noise is and allows us to eliminate it once and for all.”
– Bill Gulker, Ford’s Leader of Wind Noise Engineering
While Ford’s rumored development of a flying car is greatly exaggerated, it’s fair to say that the future of hybrid vehicles is in good shape. In fact, Ford and the University of Michigan are working together on a new project to accelerate the development of future hybrid vehicles.
Researchers are analyzing data from 2,500 road trips to determine how internal electronic vehicle controls could be tweaked to further improve fuel efficiency and fun-to-drive attributes.
Working with U of M, Ford has tested nearly 1 million design simulations of hybrid vehicle control systems to date and continues to conduct about 50,000 a week – a development speed that otherwise would not be possible.
Other academic work in hybrid vehicle technology primarily has been focused on fuel economy – often at the expense of drivability. Ford and U of M are looking at the marriage of both.
The new hybrid controller design method has the potential to offer consumers more choice in efficiency and drivability. They may have multiple operational modes or offer customers the ability to customize their driving experience.
The research is still in its early stages, but initial results are promising.
Read more about Ford Motor Company’s hybrid vehicles.
Quotes
“The Ford Fusion Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient midsize sedan available, and its performance is second to none. Our work with U of M is helping us develop the next generation of Ford hybrids and bring them to market even faster.”
– Ryan McGee, Supervisor of Vehicle Controls Architecture and Algorithm Design in Ford’s Research and Advanced Engineering.
Working together with the University of Michigan research team, we are testing the boundaries of hybrid vehicle technology, exploring innovative ways to raise the bar on fuel economy and drivability. This joint work on hybrid software development shows great promise in helping us lead the development of more efficient hybrid systems for the future.”
– Dr. Gerhard Schmidt, chief technical officer, Ford Research and Advanced Engineering
As part of their research into the cause and effects of distracted driving, Ford Motor Company researchers are using high-tech goggles that measure the amount of time drivers take their eyes off the road to help validate in-vehicle technologies such as GPS navigation systems.
The special “occlusion” goggles are used in testing at Ford’s Human Machine Interface Verification Laboratory – or “Distraction Lab.” Ford engineers and technologists use the data to accelerate the safer design of telematics systems that keep drivers connected and informed.
How it works
In occlusion studies, the test subject wears goggles equipped with small liquid crystal display (LCD) screens that rapidly blink open and closed in a regulated sequence while the subject views graphics and text information on a new device such as a navigation screen. Open goggles represent eyes-off-road time, or when the driver is looking away at a device. Closed goggles represent eyes-on-road time.
If 85 percent or more of test subjects are able to complete a task on screen in the time allowed – such as reading and selecting an address on a navigation screen – the task is considered compliant with industry guidelines. However, if the test subject cannot complete the task in time, the function is designed to be locked-out when the vehicle is in motion, and can only be operated when the vehicle is stopped.
Thanks in part to occlusion testing, the information displayed on Ford’s latest-generation navigation system is purposely limited to comply with industry guidelines and help reduce the risk of driver distraction.
The hands-free, voice-operated advantage
Occlusion testing also was instrumental in determining the appropriate amount of information provided to drivers who use the latest SYNC application – Traffic, Directions & Information (TDI).
The feature leverages SYNC’s industry-leading voice-recognition software, integrated GPS and Bluetooth-capable phones to provide simple hands-free access to personalized traffic reports, precise driving directions and up-to-date information including business listings, news, sports and weather. This information is provided through the car’s audio entertainment speakers, allowing the driver to keep hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.
A recent study showed that SYNC, Ford’s fully integrated voice-operated in-car communications and entertainment system, significantly reduced the level of distraction when test participants selected a phone number or chose a song on their MP3 player compared with the same operations using hand-held cell phones and music players. For example, the research conducted by Ford shows study participants spent an average of 25 seconds with their eyes off the road to select a song with a hand-held MP3 player compared with two seconds for those choosing a song using SYNC. Read more about this and other related research here.
Quotes
“Occlusion testing is faster and a lot more efficient than other methods for determining eyes-off-road time and the potential for visual distraction. In the past, we used occlusion testing primarily to verify other research, but over the past couple of years we’ve been able to develop test models with the technology that allows us to rapidly complete research faster than ever before.”
– John Shutko, Ford Technical Specialist in Human Factors Engineering and Ergonomics
“Studies show voice-operated systems like SYNC offer significant safety benefits over hand-held manual devices. If people are going to use nomadic devices – and there’s no reason to believe that they will stop – Ford wants to offer our customers a safer way to use them, through SYNC.”
– Dr. Louis Tijerina, Ford Senior Technical Specialist
Break out the cuff links and cummerbunds. Lincoln dealerships across the country will be celebrating the brand’s all-new lineup of cars and crossover vehicles Thursday as part of an evening event designed to give customers an up-close look at the new 2010 models.
The Lincoln Star Studded Evening dealer program, the largest single-day customer event in Lincoln history, will allow dealers to highlight three new Lincoln models for 2010 – Lincoln MKS with available EcoBoost, Lincoln MKZ and the all-new Lincoln MKT, a three-row crossover that delivers the optimal blend of distinctive design, interior spaciousness, fuel economy and technology.
More than 1,200 dealers were invited to participate in the nationwide events. Not only will customers get to drive the new Lincoln models to feel their exceptional performance and handling capabilities, but they also will learn about the class-leading technology that sets Lincolns apart. Customers can experience Active Park Assist (Ford’s hands-free parallel parking system) and see demonstrations of the latest application of SYNC with new turn-by-turn voice-activated directions. They will also have the chance to experience the remarkable Neural THX Surround Sound system that improves the sound of MP3s or digitally stored/compressed music.
Customers also can enter the Star Studded Sweepstakes at participating dealers, with visitors having the opportunity to win a 65-inch plasma TV, a home theater and Best Buy Geek Squad installation.
Support a cause
The events also provide the opportunity to give back to the community by raising money for breast cancer research. For every completed test drive a customer takes during Lincoln’s Star Studded Evening, a $20 donation will be made to Susan G. Komen for the Cure® on behalf of the Lincoln dealer who staged the test drive.
To find participating Lincoln dealers, visit www.lincoln.com and click on the link “A Star-Studded Evening You’re Invited,” located above the image of the all-new Lincoln MKT.
Quote
“These events let customers get up close and personal, touch, feel and drive the vehicles, as well as experience Lincoln’s innovative technologies. They are a more interactive, more engaging experience than a traditional television spot – they let Lincoln dealers really share these great new products with their communities.”
– Kate Pearce, Lincoln MKT Marketing Manager
What’s the deal with earning a “key to the city?” What gargantuan lock does it unfasten anyway? As civic rituals go it’s kind of an absurd photo op. Everyone gathers on the steps of City Hall and the mayor hands a humongous old-fashioned key to some grinning citizen. How about giving them a “get out of jail for free” card instead? It promises more action.
One wonders what comedian Mark Malkoff will have to do on his current quest to see how many mayors east of the Mississippi he can convince to give him keys to their cities. The jokester – who has made news before for doing unusual things like living and sleeping in an IKEA store for a week while his apartment was being fumigated – is undertaking this 28-day odyssey in a fuel-efficient fashion, behind the wheel of the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid.
Maybe you remember the Fusion Hybrid – America’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan – making news in April when it set a world record traveling 1,445 miles on a single tank of gas. The Fusion boasts an EPA-estimated 41 mpg in the city.
Malkoff says he's thrilled to be partnered with the new Ford Fusion Hybrid, adding “I always tell people I feel like I'm driving KITT from 'Knight Rider' because of all the cool technology in the car. It's the best car I've ever driven."
All of Malkoff's adventures behind the wheel of the Fusion Hybrid will be chronicled in cyberspace. Videos, photos and blogs will be featured daily at www.markmalkoff.com/keystothecity, and Malkoff will provide interested followers with regular updates on social networking sites such as Twitter, Flickr and Facebook.
Malkoff and the Ford Fusion Hybrid began their quest into the unknown Monday in Harrisburg, Pa., where the mayor had a somewhat peculiar task in store for him to complete in order to earn a key to the city. Apparently, all of the police officers ride on horses, so the mayor wanted Malkoff to follow them around and clean up after the horses in order to get the key.
Malkoff, who readily admits he will do just about anything to get a key, says he hopes to earn 100 keys before his journey with the Ford Fusion Hybrid ends on Nov. 1.
Quotes
"Once people start finding out about this, mayors from all over the country are going to be Twittering me to come to their cities," he said. "I like doing things that on paper look almost impossible to pull off."
– Mark Malkoff, comedian
"Mark will be connected and working constantly with both hands securely on the wheel, thanks to the Fusion Hybrid's voice-activated Ford SYNC® communication system," said Eggen. "It also will be great to see Mark's reaction to his own real-world fuel economy."
– Jeff Eggen, Ford car experiential marketing manager
Tekzilla, A Weekly Online Tech Program, Takes the Lincoln MKS Out for a Spin
Patrick Norton, from Tekzilla, a weekly online TV program about the latest tech gadgets and news, took the Lincoln MKS out for a spin and put the tech features of the car to the ultimate test when they helped save a lost cat’s life! The car’s Adaptive HID Headlights, which turn with the wheel to provide extra light in the direction you are turning, illuminated a cat wandering around at night and enabled Patrick to avoid hitting the animal. Patrick also gives his opinion on other tech features of the MKS.in the April 30th edition of Tekzilla. http://revision3.com/tekzilla/flowers/ The MKS review starts at 15:29 in case you want to fast forward to check it out.
Ploomy Test Drives a Lincoln MKS to See What the American Auto Industry had to Offer During Tough Economic Times
Photo Credit: Stergeron, Ploomy
Stergeron of the Men’s lifestyle blog, Ploomy, jumped at the opportunity to test drive a Lincoln MKS because he wanted to see first-hand what the American auto industry had to offer during these tough economic times. His drive in the Lincoln MKS exceeded his expectations, surprised a few of his co-workers and renewed his hope that the American auto industry will turn around.
“After the car was dropped off, I asked a couple people in the office to come check out the MKS. Both were impressed with the stance of the car. “It looks mean. Look at that grill, it’s a BEAST”, said one of them. The other said, “Wow, it’s not what I expected.” Read into those comments all you want, but I was equally impressed when I first saw the MKS.”
Manolith Takes a 2009 Lincoln MKS for a Test Drive Along the Pacific Coast Highway
Photo Credit: Sean Percival, Manolith
Manolith’s Sean Percival puts the 2009 Lincoln MKS to the test to see if it can stand up to his expectations as a “German-Car Guy”. Check out his video to see what he thought after taking the MKS on a drive along the Pacific Coast Highway. http://www.manolith.com/2009/04/24/manolith-test-drive-lincoln-mks/
“Now I should really preface by saying I’m a German car guy. I like my cars like I like my women, fast and efficient. I’m probably not even the right demographic for such a car. Never the less, I was greatly impressed with the MKS."
Obessable Teaches Readers All About the Tech Savvy Features of the New Lincoln MKS
Photo Credit: C.K. Sample, Obsessable
Obsessable covers the latest trends in cell phones, digital, cameras, HDTVs and other gadgets so car reviews typically aren’t their thing. However, C.K. Sample couldn’t resist taking the 2009 Lincoln MKS for a drive to test out all the technology this car has to offer. Check out his post to learn more about the tech savvy features of the Lincoln MKS. http://www.obsessable.com/feature/2009-lincoln-mks-test-drive-review/
“As a car, the Lincoln MKS looks pretty slick. When we picked it up in Manhattan and spent that afternoon pretending we were a NY Taxi driver shooting around town, we noticed several heads turning to look at the MKS. Once while parked, a guy crossed the street nearby and shouted out to us, "Nice car!" The MKS handled well and was a comfortable ride, but that's about as in-depth as our review of the car as a car alone will be. The rest of this review focuses on the technology inside and outside the Lincoln MKS.”
Ford delivers Fusion Hybrid equipped with 1 millionth SYNC unit to Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer
Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally personally delivered the Fusion Hybrid equipped with the milestone SYNC unit to Microsoft’s CEO Steve Ballmer. Powered by Microsoft Auto Software, SYNC is Ford’s fully integrated, voice-activated, in-car communications and entertainment system for mobile phones and digital music players.
Currently, more than 80 percent of the vehicles Ford sells in North America are equipped with the system, and SYNC-equipped vehicles sell twice as fast on dealers’ lots as units without.
Since its debut in 2007, SYNC has continued to add new applications to customers at no cost. In 2008, SYNC was upgraded with two new features, Vehicle Health Report and 911 Assist™. And, available for download later this month, Ford’s next-generation SYNC with Traffic, Directions and Information provides hands-free access to personalized traffic reports, precise driving directions and real-time information including business listings, news, sports scores and weather.
In addition to the convenient SYNC technologies, Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer can rely on his new 2010 Fusion Hybrid for fuel economy. The most fuel-efficient midsize car in America, the 2010 Fusion Hybrid has a certified 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway.
Quotes
“We have made a commitment to deliver the vehicles that people really want and value. The success of SYNC is another proof point that we are doing just that. We will continue to innovate and expand the capability of SYNC by integrating even more new technologies that fit our customers’ lifestyles.” - - Alan Mulally, President and CEO, Ford Motor Company
“Working with Microsoft and other key technology partners, we’ve made Ford a connectivity leader in the auto industry. We do not plan to stand still; we have several additional developments in the pipeline, including launching SYNC in Europe and around the world.”
- Jim Buczkowski, Director of Electrical and Electronic Systems, Ford
At the 2009 Geneva Motor Show, Ford’s Tourneo Connect BEV concept shows how commercial BEV technology could be applied to a passenger model.
Extending its aggressive global electric vehicle plan to Europe, Ford developed the fully operational BEV powertrain in collaboration with Smith Electric Vehicles. Ford’s established electrification partner is the European market’s leading battery electric specialist converter of commercial vehicles, which is part of the UK-based Tanfield Group of companies.
In the UK and select European markets, Tanfield already offers battery electric versions of the Ford Transit medium commercial vehicle to fleet customers, and expects to deliver its first Transit Connect small commercial BEVs later this year. It is this technology that has been adapted for the Tourneo Connect BEV concept.
Ford will also work with Tanfield to deliver a Transit Connect van as a full BEV in North America in 2010. The use of the now global Transit/Tourneo Connect vehicle platform showcases Ford’s ability to deliver products with worldwide marketing opportunities.
The Tourneo Connect BEV Concept features the latest level battery electric technology. Here are some vehicle highlights:
A 21 kWh Lithium-Ion Phosphate battery pack accumulates the energy to drive a 50 kW permanent magnet motor, while the drive torque is transmitted to the driveshafts by a single-speed transmission.
Using this set-up, Smith Electric Vehicles is targeting a range of up to 160 km (100 miles), and a top speed of 113 km/h (70 mph).
The onboard battery charger can be plugged directly into a standard mains socket.
A full battery charge is accomplished in 6 to 8 hours.
Quotes
"The Tourneo Connect BEV concept shows how Ford's collaboration with Tanfield is extending the company's global electric vehicle plan to Europe. The technology is already available for commercial vehicle applications, and at the 2009 Chicago Show we confirmed that we will launch, with Tanfield as our partner, the Transit Connect van as a full BEV in North America in 2010. Although conceptual for now, if there is sufficient interest, this silent, zero emission technology could be applied to the Tourneo Connect quite quickly. We think it would be an ideal solution for taxi use, as a hotel shuttle vehicle or similar inner city application."
- John Fleming, Chairman and CEO, Ford of Europe
“Offering the Ford Connect vehicle family with battery electric power represents the next logical step in our pursuit of even greater fuel economy and sustainability. We know a growing number of our fleet clients have expressed interest in electrification as a sustainable mobility solution. By leveraging our global team and asset portfolio, we’re able to bring this environmentally friendly, strong ‘silent type’ quickly to market as a van, and we believe there are enormous possibilities for a Tourneo Connect passenger model as well.”
- Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Group Vice President of Global Product Development
Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 reopens to become first site in the world to produce EcoBoost engines.
Ford invested $55 million for tooling and equipment upgrades at Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1, which has been idled since 2007, to build the EcoBoost engine. The powerful, fuel-efficient 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engines represent the cornerstone of Ford’s technology plan to deliver fuel efficiency and performance to millions.
EcoBoost will first be available this summer in the 2010 Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT, Ford Taurus SHO and Ford Flex. Production is slated to begin this spring, with approximately 250 employees forming shifts to build the engine. The employees are a combination of employees who worked in the plant, before it was idled in 2007, and employees from other plants.
Employee training and flexible manufacturing are key components to the success of the Cleveland Engine Plant. Here are some highlights of this two-fold strategy:
Extensive Employee Training
The workforce participated in an intensive three-tier training program aimed at improving quality and empowering employees. The first two phases of training covered basic manufacturing operations and employees learned how to manage their own equipment and work area through “manufacturing work teams” at the plant.
For the final phase, the plant will be working with Cuyahoga Community College. During four weeks of onsite classroom training employees will upgrade skill sets for machining technicians and production team leaders, and will receive 10 credit hours toward an associate’s degree in Advanced Manufacturing Technology.
Flexible Manufacturing
Outfitted with a flexible manufacturing system for powertrains, featuring modern, Computerized Numerical Control machine tools (CNC machines) the facility can easily be retooled and reprogrammed to perform new tasks with minimal disruption to production.
A new, internal database will ensure quality is built into the engine from the outset. During production, each engine built at the plant will have a sophisticated engine “birth history” that allows plant engineers to trace the precise path taken by any part so any quality control issue can be traced back to its source.
Quotes
“The EcoBoost engine is a strategic product that will provide Ford with a competitive edge. The Cleveland site is thrilled to be delivering an important product for the company. We have an outstanding, specially trained workforce that is committed to delivering a world-class, quality product for our customers.”
- Jan Allman, Cleveland Site Manager
“This training approach not only delivers the technical training to the workforce but also empowers them which is a cultural change from the traditional management-directed system. You’re turning over the keys to the hourly team members to let them do what they need to do to get their jobs done. Each employee, working under a team leader, is responsible for his or her area and they work as a team to deliver a high quality engine.”
- Kevin Heck, Cleveland Engine No. 1 Area Manager
“What we do is primarily teach job skills, so this fits right in with our mission statement. What’s unique about this is we’re doing it in Ford-dedicated workspace; we’re bringing our instructors and our equipment to Ford and we’re offering the credit hours. We, along with Ford, understand the importance of helping people expand their skills and knowledge for the rapidly changing workplace.”
-John Gajewski, Executive Director of Cuyahoga Community College Workforce and Economic Development Division
Twin turbochargers enable EcoBoost™ to punch above its size in terms of power and responsiveness.
The “boost” of Ford’s new EcoBoost engine technology comes from two small devices the size of an orange. Twin turbochargers harness exhaust gas to pump V-8 power out of the smaller-displacement EcoBoost™ V-6 engine. This technology – in conjunction with direct fuel injection – allows EcoBoost to punch above its size in terms of power and responsiveness.
The EcoBoost V-6 is the first application of smaller twin turbos in a Ford, rather than one larger one. This is to fight turbo lag, the tendency for previous generation turbocharged engines to have hesitation at low engine revs while the turbocharger spooled up to its operating speed.
Sophisticated electronic controls balance boost and torque levels to give the driver the feeling of continuous torque delivery, without turbo “whines” and “whooshes” that characterized some previous-generation turbo engines. As a result, the driver never notices the turbocharger operation.
The EcoBoost turbo system runs at very high temperature, up to 950 degrees Celsius (1,740 degrees Fahrenheit). An air-to-air intercooler is used to cool the compressed intake air before it enters the combustion chamber, and water cooling protects the internal turbo bearings in the high-temperature operating environment.
The EcoBoost has responded robustly in both engine dynamometer test labs and in real world environments ranging from high-temperature conditions to cold conditions down to minus 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Drivability, cold starts, high-altitude running and trailer towing were validated, and the Ford EcoBoost V-6 performed effortlessly in the place a V-8 engine would once have been.
Quotes
“A turbo is basically a large air pump. Increasing the mass of air in the engine increases its power output, and that’s why it’s called ‘boost.’ ”
- Craig Stephens, EcoBoost Powertrain Control System Manager
“EcoBoost gives the driver a very linear torque response. You get peak torque across a very wide engine speed range – usable performance that’s available to you when you pull away from a stoplight or pass someone on a secondary road. You don’t need to wind the engine out to get performance out of it. It’s there all the time.”
- Corey Weaver, EcoBoost Project Leader
New in-car technologies improve driver information, connectivity and functionality.
Powered by a sophisticated human machine interface (HMI) and next-generation in-car connectivity features including Ford’s award-winning SYNC technology, an interactive life-like avatar and in-car Internet access.
Ford’s signature HMI system’s integrated platform offers tried-and-true methods of information control – steering wheel switches, touch screens and voice-activation. Useful and relevant information and functionality are immediately available to the driver in a way that is logical, easy to use and completely integrated. For example, the steering wheel controls mimic stereotypical five-way mapping similar to that found on most cell phones and MP3 players, making the system intuitive and familiar.
Customers also get the latest in terms of SYNC-enabled technologies, including hands-free, voice-activated cell phone, text messaging, and digital media player integration as well as security and personalized convenience features such as 911 Assist and Vehicle Health Reports.
Lincoln C’s in-car connectivity goes even further with an avatar – nicknamed “EVA” – that lives on the Lincoln C instrument panel and can take on a personalized visual image and personality. It responds to conversational speech, eliminating the need for menus or learned voice commands. Plus, EVA expertly manages and initiates all vehicle and SYNC-enabled functions and information to the driver.
The Lincoln C concept also offers in-car Internet access, allowing the avatar to surf the Web for the driver and read the morning’s online news headlines or latest restaurant reviews, check e-mail or advise the driver where they can refuel at the nearest gas station.
Quotes
“Before technologies such as SYNC were even crystallized, we knew we had to create a way for people to interface with their vehicle and its myriad technologies and features that was more manageable and limitless in terms of its ability to incorporate new innovations as they come. Our HMI had to create for the auto world what the mouse is to the PC world. The beauty of this system is that the way information is offered encourages you to explore deeper and deeper and discover – without fear or intimidation – just how much the product can do for you.”
- Gary Braddock, Ford’s Group Chief Designer
“Our vision for HMI is to make a customer’s transition from home, to car, to the office and back again be experienced as seamless and uncompromised. We want our vehicles to give you exactly what you need, when you need it and how need it. And, we want to do it in a way that adds emotion, personality and excitement for the customer.”
- John Schneider, Global Chief Engineer Responsible for HMI, Driver Controls and Infotainment
2010 Ford Flex with available 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 delivers up to 20 percent better fuel economy.
The first gasoline direct-injection twin-turbocharged engine produced in North America, the 2010 EcoBoost Flex boasts segment-leading fuel economy among full-size performance crossover vehicles with 22 mpg highway and 18 mpg combined. In fact, the all-new engine gives Flex V-8 power and performance feel with the fuel economy of a V-6, saving customers money. Due to Ford’s significant technological advancements, customers can benefit from fuel efficiency with the seamless power delivery they expect from Flex.
Here are some key facts about Ford Flex and EcoBoost
The 3.5-liter EcoBoost engine delivers an impressive 355 horsepower and a responsive 350 lb.-ft. of torque across a broad rpm range, simultaneously giving Ford Flex the power of a normally aspirated 4.6-liter V-8 while enjoying V-6 fuel efficiency.
The twin-turbocharged 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine requires all-wheel drive and will be available on well-equipped SEL and Limited models of the 2010 Flex, packaged with several high-demand customer features.
The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 is the first in a wave of EcoBoost engines coming from Ford as part of a strategy to bring major fuel-efficiency improvements to millions.
The key to the EcoBoost system is the harmony between the twin turbochargers and the direct injection fuel system. The turbochargers recover energy from the exhaust that otherwise would’ve been wasted and put it back in the engine to gain efficiency.
By 2013, more than 90 percent of Ford’s North American lineup will be available with EcoBoost.
Quotes
“We are committed to delivering fuel economy leadership in every new vehicle. We do this with affordable technology that can be applied to the widest number of vehicles. EcoBoost is an important component of that goal. The beauty of EcoBoost is that it enables us to downsize for fuel efficiency, yet boost for power. We’re able to decrease the size of the available engine – such as installing a V-6 versus a V-8 – yet boost the power using turbocharging to deliver similar power and torque of that larger engine.”
- Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Group President of Global Product Development
“We know that there are customers who are looking for the power and performance of a traditional V-8 but are not willing to sacrifice this for fuel economy. No one else in this segment offers this level of performance and versatility, and when you wrap it up in Flex’s unique package, we believe that it will offer a compelling buy in the crossover segment.”
- Kate Pearce, Flex Marketing Manager
Ford is further expanding its ‘smart’ features for truck customers, announcing today a collection of industry-exclusive technologies for F-Series trucks and commercial E-Series vans that will help make business owners more productive and successful.
Ford Work Solutions delivers four innovative features: an in-dash computer that provides full high-speed Internet access and navigation; Tool Link, a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) asset tracking system; Crew Chief, a fleet telematics and diagnostics system, which allows small fleet owners to efficiently manage their vehicles, quickly dispatch workers to job sites and keep detailed vehicle maintenance records; and, Cable Lock security system that discourages theft of expensive tools too large to fit in the cab.
Ford Motor Company continues to build on its award-winning Ford SYNC™ in-car connectivity system. In 2008, SYNC expanded to nearly all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and trucks, and new features were announced including the “911 Assist” feature that will help drivers connect with emergency assistance in the event of an air bag deployment.
EcoBoost is Ford’s near-term answer to significantly improving fuel economy for our customers. The EcoBoost family of four- and six-cylinder engines uses turbocharging and direct injection technology to deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy and up to 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions versus larger-displacement engines. EcoBoost builds upon today’s affordable gasoline engine and improves it.
Lincoln MKS is the all-new Lincoln luxury flagship, a dynamic and elegant vision of the Lincoln design DNA that is meticulously crafted with the largest selection of comfort and convenience technology features of any other luxury sedan in its class, including: Adaptive Cruise Control, Intelligent Access with Push-button Start, next-generation SecuriCode™ Keyless Entry, Adaptive HID headlamps with Auto High Beam, Rain-Sensing Wipers, Forward Sensing System, Rearview Camera System and Easy Fuel™ capless refueling.
Smart intersection "talks" to cars to help reduce crashes, ease congestion
Ford Motor Company researchers today unveiled one of the first privately funded “smart intersections” in North America, a key step toward leveraging GPS technology and wireless infrastructure-to-vehicle communications to reduce traffic accidents and ease congestion.
Smart ‘talk’
Ford’s new smart intersection in Dearborn communicates with specially equipped test vehicles to warn drivers of potentially dangerous traffic situations, such as when a vehicle is about to run through a red light. Once the in-vehicle computer receives data indicating a potential hazard, it can instantly warn drivers through visual and audio alerts.
The smart intersection transmits several pieces of data to the test vehicle, including a digital map of the intersection, six additional maps of surrounding stop sign intersections and crosswalks, lane-specific GPS location, as well as traffic light status and timing information.
‘Active’ safety innovations
The smart intersection project will accelerate Ford’s research into proprietary “active safety” technologies as it continues development of a common architecture and standards for smart intersections together with General Motors Corp., Honda Motor Co., Daimler AG, Toyota Motor Corp., the federal government, and local and county road commissions. The joint public-private effort is known as Crash Avoidance Metrics Partnership (CAMP).
Urban traffic hazards
The active safety initiative comes as research shows that 40 percent of all traffic accidents and 20 percent of crash-related fatalities occur at intersections. The issue is expected to become more pressing as the global population migrates to large urban areas. The U.S. National Intelligence Council predicts about two-thirds of the world will be living in city regions by 2015, up from 50 percent today.
According to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data for 1997-2004, 84 percent of fatalities in signalized intersections and 37 percent of fatalities in stop sign junctions occurred in urban settings.
Fewer crashes, less congestion and less fuel consumed
Infrastructure-to-vehicle communications could directly ease congestion by reducing crashes. According to the Texas Transportation Institute’s 2007 Urban Mobility Report, traffic congestion continues to worsen in American cities of all sizes, annually wasting nearly 3 billion gallons of fuel as recently as 2005 – that’s 58 fully-loaded supertankers. According to TTI analyst David Schrank, approximately half of traffic delays are caused by accidents, breakdowns and road debris.
Lincoln’s flagship luxury sedan delivers largest selection of technology features.
More than any other luxury sedan in its class, the Lincoln MKS offers customers a vast array of convenient technology features, including:
Adaptive Cruise Control – Four setting allow the driver to set the car’s speed and maintain it without using the accelerator pedal as well as control desired distance settings and gap between vehicles. The radar-based system can monitor the vehicle in front (up to 600 feet) and adjust vehicle speed, keeping it a safe distance even in fog or heavy rain.
Intelligent Access with Push Button Start – This first for Lincoln allows the driver to enter the Lincoln MKS and start the engine without having to search around for a key. The Intelligent Access key fob works even if it is kept in the trunk, in a coat pocket or briefcase.
SecuriCode™ Keyless Entry Keypad – Drivers can access their car by unlocking the driver door using a five-digit code. Flush-mounted to the vehicle’s driver-side B-pillar, heat-sensitive, backlit numerals become visible once the keyless entry keypad is touched.
The Forward Sensing System – Engaging below a speed of 8 mph, four hidden sensors emit audible beeps to help drivers determine the proximity of objects in front of their vehicle while parking. The system identifies objects up to 1,500 feet away, including items such as parking blocks, which are at certain heights out of the driver’s view.
Connectivity Solutions Go Beyond Music and Phone Calls
Industry-exclusive Ford SYNC™ is a fully integrated, voice-activated in-car communications and entertainment system that works with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players. Beginning later this year, SYNC will also provide accident assistance through '911 Assist,' and will be able to send customers Vehicle Health Reports on key systems to help them plan routine service appointments and alert them to critical systems issues.
One might expect this technology to be available only on luxury vehicles, but Ford SYNC will be offered on nearly every Ford and Mercury vehicle and will be standard on Lincoln vehicles in 2008. The 2009 models being added to the SYNC play list include the all-new Ford Flex and F-150; the 2009 Ford Escape, Escape Hybrid and 2009 Ford Expedition. SYNC will be standard equipment on the all-new 2009 Lincoln MKS when it launches this summer.
SYNC is Ford's platform for smarter, easily upgradeable in-car connectivity. Already, Ford is moving beyond the music and the mobile phone to master technologies that will also connect customers with the real-time information and services that they want and value while on the road.
SIRIUS Travel Link is a suite of data services that links drivers to traffic and weather information, fuel prices at nearby stations and the most up-to-date sports and entertainment news – along with a 23,000-song personal jukebox. Broadcast through SIRIUS's existing satellite and repeater infrastructure, the exclusive Travel Link feature launches in conjunction with Ford's next-generation navigation system. Watch for it first on the all-new 2009 Lincoln MKS this summer.
The new 2009 F-150 and F-Series Super Duty become true mobile offices with the Ford Work Solutions suite of technological tools for the working professional and commercial driver. In addition to hands-free mobile phone connectivity and voice-activated navigation, Work Solutions allows customers to monitor on-truck tool inventories, access and print documents and review engineering drawings from inside the cab.
The EasyFuel™ Capless Fuel-Filler System eliminates the gas tank screw cap for more simple fuel fill ups. No more gas odor on hands or gloves, or the unwanted amber dash light because the gas cap wasn't screwed on tightly enough.
In addition to eliminating these hassles, EasyFuel helps reduce evaporative emissions that create smog and contribute to global warming. Spring-loaded tabs pull back a flap in the filler neck when the pump nozzle is inserted. When fueling is complete, and the nozzle is removed, the system automatically seals shut.
EasyFuel™ was introduced on the 2008 Ford Explorer. It will be standard equipment on the new Ford F-150, Flex and Lincoln MKS in 2009. The system will be offered on the entire Ford, Lincoln and Mercury product line by 2010.
Instead of outsourcing seat design, the automotive industry norm, Ford created a dedicated seat engineering team within its Body Engineering division. Three Ford engineers – Qin Pan, Joanna Rakowska and Michael Medoro – spent months working with sophisticated virtual technology to design in-house vehicle seating that maximized both comfort and quality.
For the Ford Flex, the objective was to reflect the quiet luxury of the interior by reducing seat vibration. Using real-world road surface data, the Ford engineers could design mass dampers to counter a variety of road surfaces far earlier than ever before in the development stage.
While the new in-house seating technology has immediate benefits for Flex customers, soon the acquired learning building the F-Family Seats will be applied to a range of Ford vehicles from the Ford Focus to the new Ford F-150.
Flex’s new integrated fridge cools 40 percent faster than home refrigerator.
When designing the Ford Flex’s new in-vehicle refrigerator, Ford engineering created a cooling and freezing unit that not only performed as well as a standard home refrigerator, but was 40 percent faster. In freeze mode the refrigerator unit can chill two half-liter bottles of water from a room temperature of 77 degrees F (25 degrees C) to 41 degrees F (5 degrees C) in just two and a half hours.
While compact, the cooling unit holds seven 12-ounce cans, four half-liter bottles, two 20-ounce bottles or various fruits and vegetables. Hermetically sealed and well insulated, the refrigeration compartment keeps beverages or food cold, allowing no more than an 18 degree F (10 degree C) temperature rise over 175 minutes, just a few minutes short of three hours.
The Ford Flex’s new compressor-driven cooler offers customers the option of cooling or freezing, and eliminates the need for bulky post-purchase add-on refrigeration units. By maintaining the same outward console appearance with or without the fridge option, the Ford team designed a back seat console with no compromise to interior design integrity.
EcoBoost Engine Technology Will Save Customers Hundreds in Annual Fuel Costs
Ford's EcoBoost engine technology uses gasoline turbocharged direct-injection technology to deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy. With gasoline prices rising, that 20 percent can quickly add up to hundreds of dollars remaining in customers' wallets.
Using an average fuel price of $3.25 a gallon and estimated 15,000 miles driven, an EcoBoost V-6 engine will save customers about $340 a year in fuel costs compared with driving a V-8. And customers don't have to give up performance to save at the pump. The 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 produces an estimated 340-horsepower and 340 ft.-lbs. of torque, which is more power and torque than usually found in a V-8 engine of approximately 4.6-liters.
The Lincoln MKS will debut Ford's EcoBoost technology in 2009. Within five years, Ford will be producing over half a million EcoBoost-powered Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles annually in North America. That all adds up to a significant impact on fuel consumption and on the driver’s wallet.
The 2009 Ford Flex is designed with customer comfort in mind. That’s why there are numerous features that are exclusive to its crossover class – all of them inspired by customer demand.
A refrigerator that cools.
Mounted between the second-row captain’s chairs, this class-leading feature doesn’t just keep cool beverages cold, it can cool up to seven 12-ounce cans, four half-liter bottles or two 20-ounce bottles from room temperature to 41 degrees in just more than two-and-one-half hours.
Ambient lighting.
Flex owners can tailor program seven-color ambient lighting to their mood with the flick of a switch. Customers can change the lighting on two LEDs mounted on the front console, two on the footwells and two around the cup holders.
Capless fuel filler system.
Ford Flex owners will never again forget to put the gas cap back on after fueling. The capless filler system also provides a better seal, cutting down on smog-forming emissions.
Voice activated hands-free in-car communications.
The Ford Sync™ voice-activated, in-car communications and entertainment system allows for hands-free use of mobile phones and media players by the driver. An available voice-activated navigation system offers real-time traffic and weather information, a 23,000-song personal jukebox.
Sirius Satellite Radio with Travel Link™
Flex owners and passengers get up-to-the-minute information and entertainment content through Ford SIRIUS Travel Link’s uninterrupted, coast-to-coast coverage. Drivers can avoid highway and road congestion with real-time traffic flow and accident reports, or access fuel prices from over 120,000 gas stations. The SIRIUS Travel Link system also provides detailed weather information, sports scores and schedules, as well as movie listings from over 4,500 theaters.
Ford’s exclusive second-generation door-entry keypad.
The flat-panel, backlit keypad, which is housed in the Flex’s black B pillars, eliminates the need for door-mounted buttons. By simply entering a five-digit code, customers can unlock doors, disarm the alarm system and disable the auto-lock function.
Focus Fuel Cell Vehicle featured at California Fuel Cell Partnership
When might we see a true Hydrogen Highway? That's the question the head of the U.S. Department of Transportation's Research and Innovative Technology Administration and other experts were exploring this week. Paul Brubaker was visiting the California Fuel Cell Partnership in West Sacramento, California to meet with automotive and air quality experts to talk about building a national hydrogen-fueling network. While there, he toured the facilities, took a spin in the Focus FCV, filled up at a hydrogen station and debated the future of hydrogen technology.
"What makes hydrogen fuel cell technology so exciting is the emissions from a fuel cell stack are drips of clean water," said Robert Riley, Ford Fleet Manager at the California Fuel Cell Partnership. "These are zero emissions vehicles with potential to make us less dependent on oil with less impact on the environment."
The fuel cell system converts chemical energy into electric energy using hydrogen fuel and oxygen from the air. The electric energy then powers the vehicle's electric drive motor, producing only water vapor and heat as byproducts.
Ford currently has 30 hydrogen powered Focus Fuel Cell vehicles in seven cities across the U.S., Canada and Germany. Those vehicles have now logged more than 720,000 miles, providing valuable data to Ford engineers on fuel cell technology. The FCVs are just one example of Ford's commitment to advance the use and development of alternative fuel technologies.
The California Fuel Cell Partnership is a collaboration of 32 organizations, including automakers, government agencies, energy and oil companies. The experts who gathered in West Sacramento this week addressed the need for a hydrogen infrastructure across the country. Without a network of filling stations, it would be difficult for automakers to scale up production of fuel cell vehicles to the levels that would be needed to make them affordable. Participants called for more federal funding for research and infrastructure and noted commercialization is still likely a decade or more away.
Ford Work Solutions makes the F-150 smarter and more capable
Ford Work Solutions is an industry-exclusive suite of innovative and affordable technologies that includes four industry-first features:
An in-dash computer, powered by Microsoft Windows CE with Windows Auto, provides full high-speed Internet access, via Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, and works with Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones. The “Built Ford Tough’ computer, integrated into the trucks’ center stack, is equipped with a 6.5-inch, high-resolution touch screen (with stylus), two gigabytes of memory, a secure digital slot for additional memory, a USB port, and a wireless keyboard and mouse.
Tool Link – a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) asset tracking system created in partnership with DEWALT– helps keep a detailed inventory of the tools or equipment in the pickup box. RFID tags can be fastened to tools or other items; a number of tags are provided with the system, with additional tags available through DEWALT. When the vehicle is started, a pair of RFID antennas, mounted in corrosion- and impact-resistant housings on the inside of the pickup box, scan the box for the items on a pre-programmed inventory list. Hundreds of RFID tags can be read in a matter of seconds.
Crew Chief, a telematics and diagnostics system, links data to a web-based application that can be used by a fleet administrator and viewed anywhere there is Internet access, such as Ford Work Solutions’ in-dash computer.
Cable Lock is a robust locking system developed in partnership with MasterLock® to keep valuable equipment secure in an open pickup box. The strong, eight-foot, 10 millimeter steel cable is easily woven around toolbox handles or through and around items and locked to the truck with a cuff-style clasp. It can be installed on virtually any Ford pickup truck.
Ford Work Solutions will be available later this summer on the 2009 F-150 XL, XLT and FX4, and F-Series Super Duty XL and XLT pickups and E-Series vans. Transit Connect vans join the lineup in mid 2009. Many items will be available for dealer installation to upgrade existing trucks already in service.
Ford Work Solutions gets you online on-site, and anything else you need to be productive
Thirty-five percent of F-150s, and 65 percent of F-Series Super Duty, are sold to commercial customers. In fact, Ford commands a 40 percent share of the total commercial vehicle market for class 2 to class 7 trucks.
Commercial drivers need productivity-focused features for effective on-site project management. The new 2009 F-150 and F-Series Super Duty become true mobile offices with the Ford Work Solutions suite of technological tools that let the working professional:
Print and access any Word document, Excel spreadsheet or business accounting program stored on their home or office computer, make changes, and send to the battery-powered inkjet printer in their truck. Remotely access QuickBooks, engineering drawings and other files without having to load software onto the vehicle’s computer.
Keep track of high-value tools, safety equipment and material inventories. The driver is alerted by in-dash computer screen if anything is missing on the truck. Tool Link also saves a snapshot of the first list of the day to reference against at the day’s end.
Navigate with Garmin features like re-routing due to construction or traffic congestion, finding local restaurants, Ford dealerships, Quick Lane Tire & Auto Centers, etc., real-time weather and traffic reports, and information on current fuel prices.
Make hands-free calls with access to their phonebooks and the ability to send and receive text messages.
Have peace of mind that their valuable business assets are safely locked away with an easily installed and gently retractable cable and MasterLock® key set.
Ford Work Solutions will be available later this summer on the 2009 F-150 XL, XLT and FX4, and F-Series Super Duty XL and XLT pickups and E-Series vans. Transit Connect vans join the lineup in mid 2009. Many items will be available for dealer installation to upgrade existing trucks already in service.
Technologically innovative upgrades make F-150 an even more skillful tool
The new 2009 Ford F-150's "smart" features turn the half-ton pickup truck into an even more skillful tool.
Industry-exclusive features:
SIRIUS Travel Link™ for real-time data on traffic, weather, fuel prices and more
Tailgate Step makes access to the bed easier
Integrated Box Side Step makes accessing the front of the box easier
Easy Fuel™ capless fuel filler system
Ford SYNC™ in-car communications system that allows hands-free operation of MP3 and cell phones
Class-exclusive features:
Trailer Sway Control
Integrated Trailer Brake Controller
Power running boards
Sony premium audio system
Most comprehensive safety package on any full-size pickup, including standard AdvanceTrac with Roll Stability Control, standard side curtain air bags, Ford's Personal Safety System, and a hydro-formed high-strength steel body structure that improves roof strength.
6-inch stretch to SuperCrew features a fully-flat load floor
Ford to Equip Half a Million Vehicles with EcoBoost Engine Technology for up to 20% Better Fuel Economy
A major part of Ford’s near-term environmental plan is a new engine technology called EcoBoost. It will deliver up to 20 percent better fuel economy on half a million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles annually in North America during the next five years. The EcoBoost family of 4-cylinder and 6-cylinder engines features turbocharging and direct injection technology.
Compared with more expensive hybrids and diesel engines, EcoBoost builds upon today’s affordable gasoline engine and improves it, providing more customers with a way to improve fuel economy and emissions without compromising driving performance.
Ford will start introducing EcoBoost engine technology in 2009. During the next five years, the technology will migrate to half a million Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles annually in North America alone.
The affordable engine technology – which delivers up to 20 percent better fuel economy, 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions and superior driving performance versus larger displacement engines – is slated for a range of Ford’s global vehicles, from small cars to large trucks.
In addition to environmental actions like EcoBoost, Ford is planning to introduce additional hybrid vehicles and diesel engines for light-duty vehicles in the near term, as well. Longer term, Ford plans to remain aggressive in developing plug-in hybrids, as well as hydrogen fuel cell-powered and biofuel-capable vehicles.
In 2009, Ford first will introduce the EcoBoost technology on the Lincoln MKS featuring a 3.5-liter twin-turbocharged V-6 engine. It will produce the power and torque of a V-8 engine yet deliver the fuel efficiency of a V-6.
With an estimated 340-horsepower and more than 340 lb.-ft. of torque, the Lincoln MKS with EcoBoost is expected to be the most powerful and fuel-efficient all-wheel-drive luxury sedan in the market.
EcoBoost engines will be introduced in the Ford Flex and other vehicles later in 2009.
Industry-exclusive Ford SYNC™ is a fully integrated, voice- activated in-car communications and entertainment system that works with most Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players.
Now accessible and affordable. One might expect this technology to be available only on luxury vehicles, but Ford SYNC is standard on the 2008 Ford Focus SES and priced at $395 as an option on other Focus trims.
Value Leader. The 2008 Ford Focus starts at $14,695 and offers the best value in its segment along with an all-new design, fuel economy in the mid-30s and such available class-exclusive features as Ford Sync™ and factory-installed ambient lighting.
start building with a 69 body, 78 frame. and chassie 302 small block v8 , bored 3.0 over, voodoo cam, double roller timing chain, high volume oil pump, all new suspension and 33x12x50 on ford factory, 7 inch rims, widen 3 inches
While on a job site a Peterbuilt Semi became stuck in the mud. The driver asked me if I could pull him out of the mud because he didnt want to have to call a Semi recovery vehicle. I hooked up to the Semi with a doubled \"snatch strap\" and I put the truck in 4 wheel drive and took off. I pulled the Semi out with literally no resistance.. Job well done Ford!!
in feb of 2007 I bought a 1995 Ford Ranger XLT, It had 241 000 Miles on it, I had been a previous Chevy S10
Owner. I want to say this is by far the best truck I have ever had. Right now she has 257000 miles on the original engine. She has never given me a major problem. I still get 26MPG Highway, she has only failed to start once time and that was because I left the lights on and killed the battery. This truck means alot to me because I bought it from the Adoption agency that handled my son\'s adoption. I nicknamed her \" black betty\" after the Bad Company song. I also turned her into a ha
They’ve been around awhile – a snippet of advice here, an old adage there. They’re the guidelines that are supposed to help keep cars running in top condition. Problem is, most of them aren’t based in fact – or they’re just plain outdated.
What's the best selling small car in Europe and the No. 2 best selling car overall in Europe in Feb? Take a guess. http://bit.ly/cWGRI4 ^EA #4 hours ago
@NickMcLaren You'll take delivery sometime between May and Sept--timing depends on when you order at the dealer. ^EA #2010/03/11
Love this! RT @SvenskaSpark I already love everything about my Fiesta, and it's not even here yet! I feel like I'm expecting a car baby. ^EA #2010/03/11
