Ford E-News - Sept. 16, 2009

DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 16 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Crossing the pond: All-new Ford C-MAX, I-4 EcoBoost head for North America

Ford Motor Company proved that a compact, 7-seat vehicle could be stylish and desirable when it debuted the new Grand C-MAX multi-activity vehicle in Frankfurt this week - and answered consumer demands by announcing the dynamic people mover would join the North American lineup in late 2011. C-MAX is the first of a new generation of Ford global C-segment cars scheduled for introduction over the next several years.

Making good on its pledge to bring driving fun and fuel efficiency to millions, Ford's current 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine also will be complemented with new 1.6- and 2.0-liter turbocharged, direct-injected I-4 engines. The new engines will deliver up to a 20 percent fuel economy improvement on up to 1.3 million vehicles globally by 2013. more...

Mark Schirmer | [e-mail] | 313.390.8647 Ford goes deep to target market, bringing Taurus to football fans

This season, pro football fans won't just be talking about the longest pass or last-minute touchdown - they'll be talking Taurus. The all-new 2010 Ford Taurus is right in the middle of the action, spotlighted on television, online and through a special "house party" sweepstakes that will culminate in 1,000 simultaneous game day parties. Pro football - which averaged more than 17 million viewers per telecast on FOX in 2008 - is the perfect platform for Ford to showcase the car that is changing the way America looks at full-size sedans. more...

Marisa Bradley | [e-mail] | 313.845.3971

Ford looks to leaner, greener parts, setting the stage for energy independence

While Ford's industry-leading soy-based foam seats already are on more than 1.5 million of its vehicles, there's more to come. The next phase of Ford's biomaterials research is being showcased this week at the Society of Plastics Engineers' 2009 Automotive Composites Conference & Exhibition. Ford's researchers are looking even harder at plastics, rubber, foam, film and fabric to develop more bio-based materials that are functional, durable and cost-effective, and that decrease dependence on foreign oil. more...

Alan Hall | [e-mail] | 313.594.3744

Parallel parking brings dread to one third of Americans - and Ford can help

Even though the sight of an open parking spot brings joy to many drivers, if it involves parallel parking, fear usually comes along, too. A recent Harris Poll shows that parallel parking is one of the most dreaded driving situations, with 31 percent avoiding the procedure. Ford can help ease the worry, with the introduction of Active Park Assist, a technology that identifies a parking spot and parallel parks a car in seconds. more...

Wes Sherwood | [e-mail] | 313.390.5660 Fiesta Movement agents volunteer time, rack up miles and smiles

Fiesta Movement agents know how to put their time to good use, and their August missions were no different. As part of social activism month, agents volunteered with various organizations, collecting books for troops overseas, organizing a blood drive and assisting Meals on Wheels in delivering food to shut-ins. Agents have been putting their wheels to good use, too, accumulating more than 800,000 miles since the Fiesta Movement kicked off in April. more...

Angie Kozleski | [e-mail] | 313.323.1984 Former auto plant gets new lease on life

Ever wonder what you would do with an extra 4.7 million square feet? If creating a renewable energy park springs to mind, well then, you're in good company. Ford announced it will sell its idled Wixom Assembly Plant to Xtreme Power of Austin, Texas, and Clairvoyant Energy of Santa Barbara, Calif., who will transform the site into one of the nation's largest renewable energy parks. more...

Jennifer Moore | [e-mail] | 313.248.2335

The envelope, please... and the Top Safety Pick goes to... the all-new Lincoln MKT

Roll out the red carpet. Here comes the all-new 2010 Lincoln MKT, a luxurious three-row crossover that just earned a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Arriving in dealerships now, the new MKT offers an array of standard crash-avoidance, crash-protection and driver-awareness features, and further solidifies Ford's industry-leading number of Top Safety Picks. more...

Wes Sherwood | [e-mail] | 313.390.5660 Animals, nonprofits, competitive cyclists - all aboard Transit Connect!

Circle Tail Inc., a nonprofit based in Pleasant Plain, Ohio, trains assistance dogs to support individuals in need. Because the aging minivan the organization had repurposed to transport the dogs was on its last legs, Jen Kiblinger - Circle Tail president - wrote an essay detailing why they needed a Ford Transit Connect. As one of five grand prize winners, Circle Tail will take delivery of a specially customized Transit Connect to help the group continue its work - aiding animals and people alike. more...

Transit Connect also is gearing up to star as a fitting room on wheels. Ford and Serotta Competition Bicycles are teaming up to transform the fuel-efficient new compact van into a mobile fitting room in which prospective cyclists can be properly fitted to their new bicycle using state-of-the-art equipment, including motion-analysis software. more...

Anne Marie Gattari | [e-mail] | 313.323.7809 About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company , a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 201,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit http://www.ford.com/.

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