Do you want to know more about the 2010 Ford Taurus? Well if you do, you may be able to get them from the designer himself, Earl Lucas. Lucas and the 2010 Ford Taurus will be on hand at the 1st Annual Great American Car Show at the Larz Anderson Auto Museum, making attendees the first people to view the actual vehicle in the metal.

Ford Taurus, the brand’s flagship product, defines what to expect from Ford’s future car portfolio: cutting-edge technology, benchmark driving dynamics, premier quality, advanced safety features and unsurpassed value. The Taurus offers more technology features – 10 of them class-exclusive – than more costly premium sedans.

Other cars that will likewise be on display include the new 2010 Ford Mustang Convertible, and the 2010 Lincoln MKZ. Head on to the Larz Anderson Auto Museum and be the first to see this latest vehicle offering from Ford Motor Company.

(Source) Press

Tags: american car show, attendees, benchmark, company source, cutting edge technology, flagship product, ford motor, ford motor company, ford mustang, ford mustang convertible, Ford Taurus, future car, larz anderson auto museum, lincoln mkz, metal ford, safety features, sedans, technology features, unsurpassed value

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For the third year in a row, TRW Automotive Holdings has earned the nod as the Top Echelon Ford World Excellence Award for their continuous supply of airbags since 2008. This award recognizes suppliers who not only achieve the highest levels of cost, quality and delivery, but also acknowledge the diverse cultures, values, and ideas of the thousands of individuals they employ. TRW garnered one of just 36 overall World Excellence Awards presented to Ford Motor Company suppliers for 2008 performance.

“The achievement of Ford’s ONE Goal depends upon all members of the ONE Ford team working together,” said Tony Brown, group vice president of global purchasing for Ford. “We salute the supplier winners of the 2008 World Excellence Awards for providing products and services that reach the highest standards for technology, quality and cost.”

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Tags: airbags, brown group, continuous supply, echelon ford, excellence award, excellence awards, ford motor, ford motor company, ford world, group vice president, nod, tony brown, top echelon, trw auto, trw automotive holdings, world excellence

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Among the new bumper crop of vehicles out in the market, there are certain features that people would love to change among them. But if there are two cars which have the least number of attributes that potential car buyers would change, two familiar brands popped out above the rest. The two car brands are Porsche and Ford which topped the 2009 Ideal Vehicle Awards (IVA). The IVAs are based on owners’ ratings of their new 2009 model year cars and trucks across 15 key vehicle attributes.

“In today’s economy, car buyers take many factors into consideration – styling, safety features, fuel economy and more,” says George Peterson, president of AutoPacific. “IVA winners deliver the most of what consumers are really looking for in their vehicles.”

The selection doesn’t seem that easy. Most cars offer great features while others leave it up to the buyers to modify. The Porsche and Ford Motor vehicles are equipped with one of the common and yet unique features which some would leave if the survey is any indication.

But basing it on tradition, these two car models have lived up to their name and such a selection should not really be surprising. For 2009, the top-rated premium brand is Porsche, outscoring Buick and Jaguar for the most ideal premium vehicle brand honors. The top-rated mainstream brand is Ford, outscoring Mercury for top mainstream brand results. Porsche and Ford were also the highest scoring premium and mainstream brands in the 2008 IVA rankings.

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Tags: attributes, Buick, bumper crop, car brands, car buyers, car models, economy car, ford motor, ford motor vehicles, fuel economy, george peterson, ivas, jaguar, mainstream, Mercury, Porsche, premium brand, safety features, two cars

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Ford will be sponsoring the 2009 Essence Music Festival, coming in as a first year sponsor for this event headed by Beyonce in New Orleans. Ford has been known to choose the events it will sponsor but as far as New Orleans is concerned, it is simply giving back to the community and to support their various women empowerment and multicultural initiatives during the nation’s largest annual gathering of African-American music and culture.

As a proud partner of the influential Festival, Ford has created unique programs for New Orleans, ranging from the sponsorship of the Women’s Day Seminar to vehicle ride and drive opportunities with various products in the Ford portfolio, including the All-New 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, the vehicle that allows you to drive 700 miles on a single tank of gas.

“Ford is pleased to partner with Essence on such an important initiative,” said Crystal Worthem, Multicultural Marketing Manager, Ford Motor Company. “The Essence Music Festival truly is an event that empowers women while simultaneously allowing them the chance to have fun for a weekend. We are excited to be a part of this year’s event.”

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Tags: african american music, beyonce, essence music festival, Ford, ford fusion, ford motor, ford motor company, hybrid, initiative, marketing manager, multicultural initiatives, new orleans, proud partner, sponsorship, Tank

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As far as new cars are concerned, it is not surprising that most motorists are turning towards hybrid technology to curb down carbon emissions and better fuel efficient vehicles. This seems to be the trend these days as we see most car manufacturers unveiling their own version of hybrids, potentially to lure a curious market on the ideal car to have today.

The new 2010 automobiles will soon change the future in transportation as conventional vehicles make the switch to hybrid cars. The new cars also qualify for government incentives to use as a 2009 hybrid car tax credit. Hybrid cars can achieve better fuel efficiency and are led by car manufacturers including Ford Motor Company, Toyota, Honda, and General Motors.

The big switch is indeed apparent. We have been seeing various advertisements and promotions for the new breed of hybrids. And this time, it is not just a marketing gimmick. These car giants are really gearing towards the market demand. With due consideration to the two factors, carbon emissions and fuel efficiency, the product is that of having a hybrid or electric car in your lineup, something that we can see in most vehicle showrooms for customers looking for a new vehicle to own.

(Source) News Oxy

Tags: better fuel efficiency, car giants, car manufacturers, car tax, carbon emissions, conventional vehicles, due consideration, electric car, ford motor, ford motor company, fuel efficient vehicles, government incentives, hybrid car tax credit, hybrid cars, hybrid technology, hybrids, motor company toyota, new cars, vehicle showrooms

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Today, the call to turn to electric vehicles is apparent and has already settled in the minds of motorists who place premium in their transportation needs. But to make sure, another company has joined forces with Ford Motors to push for electric vehicle use.

Consumers Energy and Ford Motor Co. have come together to submit a pilot project which will enhance promotions in the use of electric vehicles. Ford will be supplying the utilities with plug-in hybrid electric vehicles and battery electric vehicles to use in their daily operations.

The utilities also will develop and install “smart” charging facilities for the vehicles. The data from the vehicle use and charging systems will be shared and used to help shape the power infrastructure needed to meet customer needs as the use of electric vehicles expands.

John Russell, the president and chief operating officer of Consumers Energy, said the proposal provided an excellent opportunity for the utility to support Ford and be part of the automaker’s efforts to promote the use of electric vehicles.

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Tags: automaker, charging systems, consumers energy, electric vehicle, Ford, ford motor, ford motors, hybrid electric vehicles, john russell, motorists, pilot project, power infrastructure, promotions

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Ford is adopting a new cliché on their vehicles these days. While other cars are focusing on latest technology and enhancements, Ford engineers are focusing on safety technology. Ford Motor Company has ushered in new, extreme tests – such as ramming shopping carts into car doors and blasting water cannons to force vehicles into skids – to fine tune new, industry-leading safety technologies for its mainstream vehicles.

These tests are part of Ford’s ongoing efforts to accelerate new collision protection and avoidance technologies. Ford’s safety leadership is built on having more Insurance Institute-rated “Top Safety Pick” vehicles than any other automaker and the most U.S. government 5-star test ratings of any brand.

“Blasting and ramming cars may seem over the top, but they’re part of a serious testing regimen that Ford had to invent, because increasingly sophisticated technologies require more advanced testing,” said Sue Cischke, group vice president, Ford Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “We will continue to build on our safety leadership with advanced safety technologies that help enhance crash protection or even help customers avoid accidents.”

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Tags: automaker, car doors, collision protection, crash protection, extreme tests, fine tune, ford engineers, ford motor, ford motor company, insurance institute, safety engineering, safety leadership, safety technologies, safety technology, sophisticated technologies, star test, test ratings, water cannons

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While the stock market may be down for investors, trying to get a piece of Ford Motors may not be so bad to consider. Ford Motor Company announced today a registered public offering of 300 million shares of its common stock at a par value of $0.01 per share. Ford said it also expects to grant to the underwriters a 30-day option to purchase up to 45 million shares of common stock.

Net proceeds to Ford from the offering are expected to be used for general corporate purposes, including to fund with cash, instead of stock, a portion of the payments the company is required to make to the Voluntary Employee Beneficiary Association (VEBA) retiree health care trust with the United Auto Workers.

Ford has filed a registration statement – including a prospectus – with the SEC for the offering to which this communication relates. Before investing, investors should read the prospectus in that registration statement and other documents Ford has filed with the SEC for more complete information about Ford and this offering.

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Tags: beneficiary, common stock, corporate purposes, Ford, ford motor, ford motor company, ford motors, health care trust, investors, net proceeds, par value, prospectus, public offering, retiree health care, stock market, underwriters, united auto workers, veba, voluntary employee

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Ford announces another business partnership with the creation of Tu Voz, a unique resource and tool of empowerment targeting Hispani. Ford is teaming up with AOL Latino and Essence Magazine on two separate initiatives aimed at empowering and fostering growth within today’s multicultural woman. Both programs tap into areas proven to be of importance to multicultural women and include the opportunity for consumers to enter for a chance to meet with some of today’s leading empowerment coaches.

“Ford continues to be a company committed to the principles of empowerment and progress,” said Crystal Worthem, multicultural marketing, Ford Motor Company. “We are excited about launching both initiatives as they provide an opportunity for us to touch the lives of both African American and Hispanic women in a way that is not only exciting but beneficial considering the economic climate that we all live in today. With both programs we are hoping to play a role in igniting the drive for women to make real change for themselves and their surrounding communities while driving progress toward the lives they deserve.”

On June 10, following a review of the entries, Ford and Essence Magazine will select the three finalists who will meet up in New Orleans as part of Ford’s sponsorship of the 2009 Essence Music Festival. Official rules, submission guidelines and details on the program are available on www.essence.com/drivingprogress.

(Source) Press

Tags: business partnership, consumers, economic climate, essence magazine, Ford, ford motor, ford motor company, hispani, hispanic women, initiatives, marketing, new orleans, sponsorship, submission guidelines

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Henkel has gained recognition for its continued manufacturing process of TecTails metals, a nanoceramic conversion coating process for multi-metal bodies. TecTalis completely eliminates phosphates along with heavy metals such as nickel and manganese from the pretreatment process. This innovative technology significantly reduces costs, streamlines the vehicle assembly pretreatment operations, and reduces the environmental impact from the manufacturing process.

Henkel was first to introduce this green technology – the first phosphate-free pretreatment alternative launched in the automotive industry in over 50 years to replace the conventional zinc-phosphate process. Henkel partnered with Ford Motor Company to commercialize the technology in the Ford Twin Cities Facility in St. Paul, Minn. And in November 2007, TecTalis reached a milestone, when Ford began a full vehicle production launch on the 2008 Ford Ranger line.

“Henkel is committed to innovation, sustainability and continuous improvement as a means to reduce costs and environmental impact while helping to increase productivity for our customers,” said Dan Wohletz, vice president, Automotive, Henkel Corporation. “TecTalis is a perfect example of that commitment and we’re extremely honored to be recognized by Automotive News, Ernst & Young LLP and Transportation Research Center Inc. for this momentous achievement.”

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Tags: automotive news, conversion coating, ford motor, ford motor company, ford ranger, ford ranger line, Green Technology, heavy metals, henkel, henkel corporation, innovative technology, launch, metal bodies, pace awards, phosphates, transportation research center, zinc phosphate

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Advertising may be a tactic that most auto companies are trying to cut down on but make no mistake about it, there are some who have kept up with the advertising prowess to ensure that they get noticed. comScore, Inc. today released the results of a study of online automotive advertising, based on data from the comScore Ad Metrix service, including the debut release of data from comScore’s new product-level dictionary.

The study revealed that Ford Motor Company was the top auto advertiser in January with 481 million display ad impressions, followed by Toyota with 384 million and General Motors with 316 million. The top ten auto manufacturers accounted for 58 percent of the 1.9 billion ad impressions in the segment, with the “Big Three” U.S. automakers (Ford, GM and Chrysler) accounting for 26 percent.

Automotive advertisers delivered nearly 2 billion ad impressions and reached 120 million people, or 65 percent of the total Internet audience, in January 2009. This represents a decline of 43 percent in online ad impressions for the auto industry versus January 2008.

“The collective online advertising strategy of automakers shows a low level of online advertising for their green models and higher levels for their heavier gas consumption vehicles,” said Jeff Hackett, comScore senior vice president. “While SUVs may still drive a larger share of sales for the automakers, comScore research has shown that online is an effective brand-building medium and now might be a good time to begin shifting allocation of dollars and mindshare towards the models of the future.”

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Tags: advertising strategy, auto advertising, auto companies, auto industry, auto manufacturers, automakers, automotive advertising, debut release, ford motor, ford motor company, future source, gas consumption, General Motors, impressions, internet audience, jeff hackett, mindshare, prowess, senior vice president, top auto

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