While thousands of cars roll off the assembly line at Ford assembly plants around the world every single day, there is something special about one specific Ford Focus built recently.
It doesn’t sport any unique features or a custom paint job to set it apart. Instead, that Focus is the 350 millionth vehicle produced by Ford Motor Company since the company was founded 109 years ago.
Imagine a world where your car checks your blind spots for you, monitors traffic conditions on the road ahead and even avoids potential collisions. Ford believes that these capabilities aren’t just a dream for a distant future. In fact, the technologies necessary to make this vision a reality are scheduled to undergo a real-world assessment starting this fall.
The yearlong program, based in Ann Arbor, Michigan, will test wireless communications between vehicles and roadside equipment, with the aim of developing future safety measures and technologies. Nearly 3,000 vehicles will participate in the test on more than 70 lane-miles of instrumented roadway. Consumer impressions of the technology will also be gathered. The test is being run in conjunction with the U.S. Department of Transportation and the University of Michigan.
These days, many people are concerned about fuel economy, and you might be considering an electric vehicle for the first time. Or maybe you’re not sure that you’re ready to venture into that world, although it’s a pretty cool, functional, easy one in which to live. But bypassing an electric vehicle doesn’t mean you’re getting short-changed in the cutting-edge technology or fuel-economy departments. It simply means you’ve weighed your options and made a choice that best suits your needs.
Having choices is what drives the new 2013 Ford Fusion. “Ford is giving customers the power of choice for leading fuel economy regardless of what type of vehicle or powertrain technology they choose,” said Eric Kuehn, Chief Engineer, Ford Global Electrified Programs.
What’s your favorite Mustang? Is it a red convertible, or would you love to fly down a highway in a Performance White Boss 302? With so many options to choose from, it can be a little daunting trying to pick just one. And Ford keeps making that choice harder by introducing even more custom Mustang models to the fold.
The Mustang Boss 302 Laguna Seca, for example, is the purpose-built track Mustang. Powered by a 5.0-liter Ti-VCT V8 engine, it features brake-cooling ducts, a front air-splitter and R-compound tires. This Mustang begs to be pushed to the limit on the track.
You’re driving along, enjoying the scenery, not knowing the evil that lurks outside your vehicle’s windows. We are of course talking about… pollen! Imagine being able to get a warning that you might have a runny nose, itchy, watery eyes or a bout of sneezing in your immediate future?
Meet Allergy Alert, a real-time app now compatible with the Ford SYNC® AppLink™. Through the app’s pollen index rating, you can learn the types of allergen conditions you’re likely to encounter, as well as the risk index for asthma, flu/cough/cold and UV rays. The data provider for the Allergy Alert app is IMS Heath, a global leader in health-care info.
Andy Hobbs and his global environmental quality team have reduced waste to landfill by 44 percent in the past five years alone. That’s both impressive and incredible. But as Director, Ford Environmental Quality Office, Andy’s all about the S-word: sustainability.
“Integration of our sustainability initiatives into the Ford Production System has enabled us to accelerate environmental improvements at our manufacturing facilities,” Andy explained. That’s been a goal for Ford: building vehicles that are fuel efficient and thoughtfully designed in order to help reduce environmental impact.
The odometer turning over to 100,000 miles is considered by many to be a rite of passage for a vehicle. The moment it crosses the threshold of automotive achievement is the moment when most people feel they’ve gotten a lot of miles out of the “old girl.”
But in a world where automotive reliability and new technology can extend a vehicle’s longevity past the 100,000-mile mark, does hitting six figures have the same distinction anymore? How about seven figures?
Borgman Ford and West Michigan have a passion for cool cars, and few cars are cooler than the Mustang. This story is from Evan Smith, editor of the Muscle Mustang & Fast Fords. With over 20 NHRA wins, he was excited to take on the One Lap Of America competition in a 2013 Ford Mustang. To take your very own Mustang for a cross-country spin, check our inventory, get in touch, and visit us today!
The One Lap Of America competition is grueling eight-day-long event incorporating 18 stages at nine different venues including drag racing, autocross, skid pad (wet and dry), circle track, and of course, road racing. When Tim Wheeler, VP of Sales and Marketing at Roush Performance, asked if I’d like to drive a 2013 Ford Mustang Roush Stage 3 car in the 2012 One Lap of America event, I was taken aback by the offer, and honored to have the chance.
A story without a lot of details. Steps to unlocking clues. Mysterious and intriguing, isn’t it? Well, this much we can tell you about the exciting introduction of the 2013 Ford Fusion: Ford and Ryan Seacrest are working together to give you a chance to experience the all-new Ford Fusion before you can buy it in dealerships this fall!
Random Acts of Fusion is Ford’s latest social campaign. Follow the link to watch the introduction video and sign up for a chance to experience the 2013 Fusion. If you’re one of the first 2,500 to sign up, you’ll get something special. Good luck!
How does a Ford race car go from concept to competition? In the case of the Fusion, it’s very similar to how the production Fusion transforms from computer data to your garage – except that takes around four years, whereas getting the Fusion race-ready for the 2013 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series requires chopping that time in half.
For the first time in decades, Ford utilized its Design Center to build the stock car. Not a bad plan, since having the Design Center and Ford Racing working hand-in-hand resulted in Ford debuting its new model at the Charlotte Motor Speedway in January – before any other manufacturer!