June 8, 2008

Ford retains leadership of UK vehicle market through May

BRENTWOOD, Essex – Ford was the UK market leader in total vehicle sales in the month of May and for the first five months of this year, according to figures from the Society of Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT).

So far this year total Ford retail sales have grown by 5.3 per cent to 73,930 – an increase of more than 3,750 over the same period last year. Share of the retail market has risen to 13 per cent.

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Posted by Frank at 2:37 AM | Filed under Auto Marketing | Auto News | Ford | Industry Statistics

Ford's productivity improve in annual report

The following statement is from Joe Hinrichs, group vice president, Global Manufacturing and Labor Affairs, Ford Motor Company.

Dearborn, Mich., June 5 – Ford Motor Company is making continued progress in manufacturing productivity, and improved 3.7 percent – our sixth consecutive year of improved efficiency – in The Harbour Report™ North America 2008.

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Posted by Frank at 12:37 AM | Filed under Auto Marketing | Auto News | Car Tech | Ford | Lincoln | Mercury

June 7, 2008

Video: Ford Flex TV Commercial

Here is Ford's first foray into television marketing for the new Flex crossover.

Posted by Frank at 2:44 PM | Filed under 2009 Vehicles | Auto Marketing | Auto News | Ford | Video

Ford Launches Flex Marketing Campaign

09_Ford_Flex.jpgDEARBORN, Mich. -- The new 2009 Ford Flex's unique, multi-faceted marketing campaign launches this weekend, with multi-media outreach that reflects the distinctive personality of Ford's newest crossover vehicle.

"The Ford Flex is electric. It provokes a reaction, so the approach that we're taking to launching the vehicle will be unconventional and quite unexpected," said Jim Farley, Ford group vice president, Marketing and Communications.

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Posted by Frank at 2:39 PM | Filed under 2009 Vehicles | Auto Marketing | Auto News | Car Tech | Ford

Ford sells St. Louis property to developer

Hazelwood, Mo., June 5, 2008 – Ford Motor Company today announced the sale of the St. Louis Assembly Plant property in Hazelwood, Mo, to Panattoni Development Company, Inc.

Panattoni plans to demolish the existing structure and add new buildings totaling approximately 2.6 million square feet of warehouse, distribution and light industrial space on the 155-acre site.

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Posted by Frank at 12:27 AM | Filed under Auto Marketing | Auto News | Finance | Ford

June 6, 2008

Mustang first convertible to win top safety rating

MustangConv.jpgDEARBORN, Mich. -- When Ford Chief Engineer for Safety Systems Steve Kozak decided to give a new car to his teenage daughter as a graduation gift only one model would do: the 2008 Ford Mustang GT convertible, the No. 1-selling and top safety-rated drop-top in the U.S.

The 2008 Mustang GT is the only convertible to earn a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) for frontal crash, side impact and rollover tests.

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Posted by Frank at 6:57 AM | Filed under 2008 Vehicles | 5th Wheel | Auto Marketing | Auto News | Car Tech | Ford | Safety

Ford continues voice-activated research

Ford_Simulator.jpgDEARBORN, Mich. -- As the National Safety Council turns the country's attention to distracted driving next week, the Ford Sync in-car communications and entertainment system continues gaining popularity as one of the most advanced answers yet to the distractions nearly 190 million Americans encounter as they talk on cell phones while driving.

A recent survey found that more than 80 percent of mobile phone owners said they talk on the phone while driving, and 40 percent of teen and 20-something American mobile phone owners admitted to composing and sending text messages while driving.

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Posted by Frank at 6:51 AM | Filed under 5th Wheel | Auto Marketing | Auto News | Car Tech | Ford | Lincoln | Mercury | Safety

Ford brand quality improves faster than industry average

Ford_JDPower.jpgDEARBORN, Mi. – Ford brand vehicles improved in quality at a rate faster than the industry average, according to a customer-based initial quality study released today by J.D. Power and Associates. Ford brand also is the only full-line brand to show continuous improvement since 2004.

The research firm's 2008 Initial Quality Study (IQS) showed Ford brand improving by eight points over last year's study, besting the industry average seven-point rate of improvement and continuing its five-year upward trend.

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Posted by Frank at 2:36 AM | Filed under Auto Marketing | Auto News | Car Tech | Ford | Lincoln | Mazda | Mercury | Volvo

2008 Ford Escape Hybrid brings $33,000 at auction for Heal the Bay

080604_HybridBay.jpgSANTA MONICA, Calif. -- The 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid, the most fuel-efficient SUV sold in America, generated $33,000 for the environmental group Heal the Bay at the organization's annual charity auction.

Ford donated a 2008 Escape Hybrid SUV to Heal the Bay, the Santa Monica-based environmental group dedicated to improving water quality along California's coastline.

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Posted by Frank at 2:24 AM | Filed under 5th Wheel | Alternative Fuels | Auto Marketing | Auto News | Environment | Finance | Ford | Hybrid

2008 Ford Focus, Escape nominated for “Interior of the Year” honors

DEARBORN, Mich. – Two redesigned Ford vehicles – the 2008 Ford Focus and the 2008 Ford Escape – have been nominated by the editors of WARD’s AutoWorld magazine for WARD’S Interior of the Year awards for their styling, safety, comfort and refinement.

The Ford Focus is nominated in the category “Economy Priced Cars under $16,999.” The 35 mpg Focus, which was launched last fall, is one of the hottest-selling small cars, with retail sales in April up 88 percent. That was the best April sales for Focus since 2000.

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Posted by Frank at 1:42 AM | Filed under Auto Marketing | Auto News | Car Tech | Ford

Ford's Fumes-to-Fuel system turns emissions into 'green' fuel

080604_Oakville.jpgOAKVILLE, Ont. -- Ford's Oakville Assembly Complex (OAC) in Ontario, Canada, will begin producing 'green' energy this summer through the use of the company's patented Fumes-to-Fuel system, an eco-friendly, industry-leading pollution-control system that converts emissions from the plant's paint shop into electricity to help power the plant.

The experimental Fumes-to-Fuel system at OAC already is turning emissions from the plant's paint shop into useable fuel, which will later be used to power a fuel cell that generates electricity.

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Posted by Frank at 12:24 AM | Filed under 5th Wheel | Auto Marketing | Auto News | Car Tech | Environment | Ford | Lincoln | Mercury

Ford purchased $4.2 billion from minority suppliers in 2007

DEARBORN, Mich. – Ford Motor Company North America set a new record in purchasing spend from minority- and women-owned business enterprises (MWBE) in 2007.

Ford purchased a record $4.2 billion in goods and services from tier one minority-owned suppliers and broke through the billion-dollar barrier by spending $1.2 billion with tier one women-owned suppliers.

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Posted by Frank at 12:11 AM | Filed under Auto Marketing | Auto News | Car Tech | Finance | Ford | Lincoln | Mercury

Ford completes Jaguar, Land Rover Sale to Tata Motors

DEARBORN, Mich. – Ford Motor Company has completed the sale of its Jaguar Land Rover operations to Tata Motors.

The sale is the culmination of Ford’s decision last August to explore strategic options for the Jaguar Land Rover business, as the company accelerates its focus on its core Ford brand and “One Ford” global transformation. It also allows Jaguar Land Rover to focus on delivering what is best for its business.

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Posted by Frank at 12:02 AM | Filed under Auto Marketing | Auto News | Finance | Ford | Jaguar | Land Rover

June 5, 2008

Ford begins production of 2009 Flex

09_Ford_Flex.jpgOAKVILLE – Further building its strength in the rapidly growing crossover vehicle market, Ford Motor Company has announced the production launch of the 2009 Ford Flex at the Ford Oakville Assembly Complex (OAC).

“Today, we’re providing still more evidence that Ford is committed to delivering more products people want, further building on our crossover leadership,” Mark Fields, Ford’s President of The Americas told more than 1,000 employees, government officials and Canadian Auto Workers representatives at the launch celebration. “Flex drives as good as it looks, and the Oakville team is going to deliver another high-quality crossover for customers.”

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Posted by Frank at 2:48 PM | Filed under 2009 Vehicles | Auto Marketing | Auto News | Car Tech | Ford

Best Selling Pickups in the United States for May 2008

Pickup truck sales dropped 36.1% in the U.S. in May, and as they say, that's gonna' leave a mark.

For the year to date pickup sales are down 21%, with only the Toyota Tundra selling more than last year [8.5%].

Even with plant idlings and closings, it's becoming pretty obvious there is overcapacity in the market, and we wouldn't be surprised if one of the manufacturers pulls out or shuts down pickup truck production altogether.

Best selling pickups trucks for May 2008:

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Posted by Frank at 12:58 PM | Filed under Auto News | Chevrolet | Chrysler | Dodge | Ford | GM | Industry Statistics | Nissan | Toyota