Sometimes the Choices are So Good You Can’t Pick Just One
The 2010 Ford Flex and the award-winning 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid have been named 2010 All-Stars by AUTOMOBILE Magazine, one of America’s leading automotive lifestyle publications.
The AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Stars are chosen by the AUTOMOBILE Magazine staff, its worldwide bureau chiefs and its contributors, following an intensive test drive of the year’s most innovative and important new cars. Winners are selected based on design, value and performance, driving enjoyment and the vehicle’s ability to redefine an existing category or create a new market segment.
The 2010 Ford Flex: Turning heads today and tomorrow
This year marks the second consecutive win for the Ford Flex. Last year, AUTOMOBILE Magazine described the 2009 model as a “class act among people movers.”
In addition to being named one of AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s 2010 All-Stars, the 2010 Ford Flex was recently singled out for the 2009 “Collectible Vehicle of the Future” award from the Friends of the National Automotive History Collection (NAHC). Members of the organization, which supports the world-famous automotive collection at the Detroit Public Library, predict Flex will be the vehicle most likely to turn heads at the Woodward Dream Cruise of 2034. Ford’s unique crossover has been turning heads since its introduction in 2007.
For 2010, the Flex offers outstanding fuel economy in the full-size crossover segment with 17 mpg city/24 highway and an unsurpassed 20 mpg combined. It also offers a twin-turbocharged, direct-injected 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine, an auto-fold 60/40 second-row split bench seat, a tilt/telescoping steering wheel and the Ford-exclusive MyKey™ technology, which allows owners to program a maximum top speed – and radio volume – to encourage safe operation by teen drivers.
Banner year for 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
2009 has been a banner year for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. In addition to being named one of AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s 2010 All-Stars, America’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan was honored as one of CAR and DRIVER magazine’s “10Best” cars for 2010, and the entire Fusion lineup captured the prestigious MOTOR TREND Car of the Year award. The Fusion Hybrid also is a finalist for North American Car of the Year.
Despite the slump in overall industry sales, Fusion sales are at an all-time high for 2009, with the Fusion Hybrid accounting for almost 20 percent of total Fusion retail sales. And more than 60 percent of Fusion sales have been to customers coming from import brands – mostly Toyota and Honda.
Additional awards and accolades for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid include:
- “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
- 2009 Ward’s Interior of the Year Special Achievement Award for Best Graphic Display for SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster
- Great Car for the Long-haul Salesman by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
- Named one of America’s Top 40 New Cars by MOTOR TREND magazine
- Rated the No. 1 Hybrid Family Sedan by CAR and DRIVER in a recent comparison test by the magazine
- Named 2009 Editors Choice for Fuel Sipper by CAR and DRIVER
- Named Best Hybrid for the Money in the Midsize Car segment by cars.com
- Named one of 2009 Top 10 Green Cars by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
- Earned The Detroit News Readers’ Choice Award for “Best Value”
Quotes
“The level of excellence found during our annual All-Stars competition was at an all-time high and the competition was strong, despite the auto industry coming off its worst year in recent history. We whittled down a list of 39 finalists to the 10 All-Stars, and the end results produced a list of true standouts.”
– Jean Jennings, President and Editor-in-chief of AUTOMOBILE Magazine
“For 2010, Ford has equipped the Flex with its much-anticipated EcoBoost™ engine, thereby addressing the Flex’s only weakness – power – and effectively transforming it from a well-rounded family hauler into a large sport wagon. The Flex is unique in a market brimming with compromised, look-alike utility vehicles and is one of the best-handling full-size crossovers on the market.”
– Jean Jennings, President and Editor-in-chief of AUTOMOBILE Magazine
“Its very ordinariness is what makes the Fusion Hybrid an AUTOMOBILE Magazine All-Star. The Fusion Hybrid is not a performance machine, but neither does it feel hobbled or inadequate for daily driving. Perhaps the best thing about it is that, apart from the LCD color screens, you might never know you’re driving a hybrid.”
– Jean Jennings, President and Editor-in-chief of AUTOMOBILE Magazine
Viva Las Mustang!
Picture the Las Vegas Strip shut down and abuzz with visitors, casino hoppers and revelers anxiously waiting to witness one of magician Steve Wyrick’s biggest illusions yet. Shackled by the Las Vegas police in the middle of the strip, Wyrick embraces what is about to come. World champion drifter Vaughn Gittin Jr. lights up the tires and suddenly races down the strip in a silver 2010 Mustang and slams right into Wyrick. As the Mustang races out the other side, the driver’s door swings open…
To watch Wyrick, Gittin and the 2010 Mustang perform the seemingly impossible on the Las Vegas Strip, check out the video that includes behind-the-scenes footage from the shoot at www.the2010Mustang.com.
This 10th and final experience is among several dream Mustang experiences Ford has brought to life with ’10 Unleashed. Along with Gittin sliding sideways around Japan, these include consumer Roger Keeney driving blindly, four gamers testing their Need for Speed SHIFT™ in real life at Willow Springs Raceway, and professional skateboarders Pat Duffy and Jake Brown skating the streets of Los Angeles. Each incredible video can be viewed on www.the2010Mustang.com.
Quotes
“My grandfather’s prize possession in life was a 1970 Mustang Mach 1, one of the sickest cars you could imagine. Knowing of my grandfather’s love for the Mustang, I wanted to incorporate the 2010 Mustang into one of my acts and unleash my Mustang side by performing one of my biggest illusions yet on the Las Vegas Strip.”
– Steve Wyrick, Las Vegas magician
“Our goal was to make the final ’10 Unleashed experience something truly unforgettable. To have Vaughn race down the Las Vegas Strip in Spellbinder after kicking off the campaign by drifting the Mustang around Japan was a perfect ending to a great campaign.”
– Steve Ling, N.A. car marketing manager, Ford Motor Company
Blue Book Be Lovin’ Them Some Taurus
For the second consecutive year, Ford has captured Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com “Best Redesigned Vehicle” award, this time for the hot-selling Taurus sedan. Last year, the honor went to the 2009 Ford F-150.
In addition to its expressive, upscale design and engaging driving dynamics, the 2010 Ford Taurus offers an unprecedented array of technologies typically reserved for luxury cars at a price that is affordable. Its impressive standard and available technologies add convenience, connectivity, safety and value for customers. These include Adaptive Cruise Control, Collision Warning with Brake Support, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with Cross Traffic Alert, MyKey™ parental programmability, Ford SYNC® and Voice-Activated Navigation with SIRIUS Travel Link™.
Today’s recognition from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com is the latest in a string of accolades for the 2010 Ford Taurus. Earlier this month at the Los Angeles Auto Show, the Taurus was named International Car of the Year, and it received kbb.com “2010 Best Resale Value Award” in the full-size car category. And in January, the 2010 Taurus will serve as the official car of the 2010 International CES (Consumer Electronics Show®) in Las Vegas.
For more information about the 2010 Best Redesigned Vehicle from Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com, please visit www.kbb.com/best2010redesign.
Quotes
“This is not your father’s Taurus. For us it’s a massive departure. It reinvigorates a brand that everybody wants to be proud of, applaud, and be excited about. It’s the whole package – great value, great build quality and great technology. We at Kelley Blue Book couldn’t help but embrace the new Taurus.”
– James Bell, Executive Market Analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com
“What’s amazing about the Taurus is that it just bristles with technology at such a responsible and very acceptable price point. I think that’s what makes it somewhat revolutionary.”
– James Bell, Executive Market Analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com
“Just like the 1986 original, the new Taurus is redefining the full-size sedan segment. It is creating a halo effect in our showroom and attracting younger, more diverse customers to the Ford brand.”
– Pei-Wen Hsu, Taurus Marketing Manager
Biggest. Tweetup. Ever.
When Ford Motor Company hosted its Fiesta Movement Awards Celebration at the Palladium in West Hollywood Tuesday night it also set a Guinness World Record for the most attendees at a tweetup. A tweetup is any gathering of two or more people who know each other through Twitter, and this unprecedented event brought together 1,149 Fiesta Movement agents and Twitter friends.
In addition to the tweetup milestone, the event’s attendees also honored their favorite Fiesta agent, Courtney Force.
Sneak peek
The Fiesta Movement Awards Celebration also provided attendees with a sneak peek of the new Fiesta in advance of its reveal at the L.A. Auto Show. The Fiesta for the North American market shares the European model’s kinetic design, platform, performance and driving dynamics. Its body structure underwent minor adaptations to meet unique North American safety standards.
Building buzz
As part of the Fiesta Movement social media initiative, 100 young trendsetters are test driving and living with a European-spec Ford Fiesta for six months, traveling as agents on special missions. They then go on to relate their experiences through a variety of social media sites.
Throughout the Fiesta Movement, agents have traveled more than 1.4 million miles and have generated more than 6 million YouTube views, nearly 740,000 Flickr views and more than 3.7 million Twitter impressions. The Fiesta Movement and test drive program has resulted in more than 80,000 hand-raisers.
Quotes
“Time and again, our Fiesta Movement agents have shown how social media, adventurous spirit and unbridled enthusiasm can bring people together in new, exciting ways. Never before has a group of car owners created such a sustained buzz for a new car. We’re thrilled to celebrate their collective accomplishment.”
– Connie Fontaine, Ford Brand Content and Alliances Manager
“Over the past six months, our Fiesta agents have shown a lot of love for their cars, which were European spec. Judging from their reception for the North American model, that love affair will flourish in the coming year.”
– Connie Fontaine, Ford Brand Content and Alliances Manager
Runners, Surfers and Triathletes, Take Note
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2010 Lincoln MKT are the perfect choice for people with active lifestyles, according to the Active Lifestyle Vehicle of the Year awards.
The Fusion Hybrid took the title in the “green” category and MKT won in the “luxury on road” group, beating out the 2010 Toyota Prius and 2009 Audi Q5, respectively.
The Fusion Hybrid delivers a class-leading 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. It also offers innovative new technology – SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide – that coaches hybrid drivers to maximize fuel efficiency.
The 2010 Lincoln MKT, a three-row luxury crossover, delivers the optimal blend of distinctive design, interior spaciousness, fuel economy and technology. MKT offers abundant technologies aimed at making life luxurious for both the driver and three rows of passengers, including Active Park Assist, Adaptive Cruise Control and EasyFuel® Capless Fuel-Filler System.
About the Active Lifestyle Vehicle awards
The awards program, now in its sixth year, recognizes new cars and trucks that best meet the needs of active buyers. The program is sponsored by AAA and the Active Network.
Twenty manufacturers participated in the 2010 competition, entering vehicles in seven categories. A panel of 12 automotive journalists drove the initial field of entries and pared the group down to 28 finalists.
Athletes on hand included members of Team Aquaphor, Active Network Media and the San Diego Triathlon Club, participating in sports that ranged from surfing and sprint triathlons to ultra-distance running. The athletes’ votes weighed 50 percent in the final tally, with jury panel votes comprising the remaining 50 percent.
Quotes
“The MKT and Fusion Hybrid were both vying in extremely competitive categories, and that speaks to the versatility and quality of the product, that it beat out all the competitive entries. The designers dealt with ergonomic challenges in the case of both vehicles. The standard safety available also was impressive because that’s tremendously important to people with active lifestyles.”
– Nina Russin, Active Lifestyle Vehicle Jury Coordinator
“Many Fusion customers have a very active lifestyle, often including outdoor athletic activities. They want a vehicle that supports their ‘On the go’ spirit and the Fusion delivers.”
– Chantel Lenard, Group Marketing Manager, Global Small and Midsize Cars
“MKT is versatile enough for any athlete. With plenty of cargo space for gear and three rows of seating for teammates or friends, we’ve got any sport covered. It also has the functionality of an SUV and the technology of a luxury sedan to get you where you need to go in comfort and style.”
– Kate Pearce, Lincoln MKT Marketing Manager
Who Said Domestic Can’t Have International Appeal?
That paragon of domestic motoring bliss, the 2010 Ford Taurus, today was named International Car of the Year (ICOTY) at the Los Angeles Auto Show.
The ICOTY award honors new-year model vehicles that foster an emotional connection with consumers. The all-new Ford Taurus was voted the winner of the 14th annual award by a panel of 19 automotive media from around the U.S. representing top newspapers, magazines and Web sites.
With its athletic, upscale design, the 2010 Ford Taurus combines class-leading technologies with confident, engaging driving dynamics. It features an impressive set of standard and available technologies that add convenience, connectivity, safety and value for customers, such as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with Cross Traffic Alert, MyKey™ parental programmability, Ford SYNC® and Voice-Activated Navigation with SIRIUS Travel Link™.
Quotes
“This award is not centered on power and performance. It’s about how a car reflects our personalities, lifestyles and self-image and how well the automaker achieves that goal through the design and marketing of the vehicle.”
– Courtney Caldwell, ICOTY’s Creator and Executive Producer.
“Taurus is not just a car you need to get from point A to point B, it is a car you want to arrive in in style. The new Taurus gives you a little blast of attitude and turns heads around every corner.”
– Pei-Wen Hsu, Taurus Marketing Manager
Now, That’s What We Call a Hat Trick!
Ford F-150 SVT Raptor, Flex and Shelby GT500® – everybody wants these vehicles, including the editors of Edmunds Inside Line. For the 2010 Inside Line Editors Most Wanted Awards, F-150 SVT Raptor and Flex with EcoBoost™ snagged honors for Overall Excellence, and Shelby GT500 was named this year’s Instant Classic.
The awards are chosen, quite simply, as the name states – they’re the vehicles the editors of the magazine want the most. The only stipulation is that they must have been tested by the magazine before Nov. 1. Then the editors gather together to vote on which vehicles they would be willing to spend their own money on.
About the winners
The 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor was designed as a purpose-built, high-speed off-road truck ready for adventure, and it’s also versatile enough to handle the daily commute. Key enablers to Raptor’s exceptional performance are functional design cues and impressive suspension technology. Internal triple bypass shocks by FOX Racing Shox – the first on a production truck – provide position-sensitive damping and extra suspension travel for extreme high-speed off-roading and a smooth ride on the road.
Ford Flex turns heads with its distinctive design and its available twin-turbocharged direct-injected 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 engine. This all-new engine gives Flex the power and performance feel of a V-8 with the fuel economy of a standard V-6. It’s not just the room for seven and myriad interior storage options that have Flex owners raving. Flex is also packed with available innovative, class-leading technology solutions.
The 2010 Ford Shelby GT500 delivers the most power and refinement ever for a Ford SVT-tuned performance Mustang – and a few surprises, too. The more powerful 2010 Shelby GT500 has horsepower increased to 540 and torque increased to 510 ft.-lb., as well as downforce increased and drag reduced. New gearbox enhancements plus a standard 3.55:1 rear axle ratio mean the 2010 Shelby GT500 will deliver improved acceleration performance while providing better highway fuel efficiency – up to 2 mpg compared to the 2009 model.
Quotes
“Instead of awarding five sports cars every year, we award a mix of vehicles that people need every day. We feel that the Flex with EcoBoost and F-150 SVT Raptor are affordable vehicles that anyone would be proud to drive – they stand out amongst their peers for 2010. The Shelby GT500 is a vehicle with a certain timelessness to engineering and design that people will appreciate for decades to come. We think it’s the car we’ll be shopping for on eBay for years and years.”
– Scott Oldham, Editor-in-chief of Edmunds Inside Line
“We’re honored that three of our vehicles were chosen. These three vehicles are shining examples of our exciting lineup, and we’re always gratified when the media take notice.”
– Ken Czubay, Ford Vice President, Marketing
Finally… A Car for the Environmentally Progressive
The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid was named Most Environmentally Progressive Car of the Year by Earth, Wind & Power™ (EWP) at the Los Angeles Auto Show Tuesday.
The award is designed to recognize vehicles driven by a power source that helps to reduce global warming, are conducive to promoting a cleaner environment, and support the mission to achieve energy through alternative sources.
41 and Loving It
The all-new Ford Fusion Hybrid delivers an EPA 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, which tops the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway.
The Ford Fusion Hybrid has been a strong seller since its introduction earlier this year. Hybrid sales account for almost 20 percent of total Fusion retail sales, and the majority of those sales have been to customers coming from import brands – mostly Toyota and Honda.
According to early 2010 survey data obtained in the 2009 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS), the Fusion Hybrid has the highest customer satisfaction ratings of any Ford vehicle ever. The survey was conducted for Ford Motor Company by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.
In addition to the EWP award, the Ford Fusion Hybrid was recently named one of CAR and DRIVER’s “10Best” cars for 2010, and the entire Fusion lineup was honored with the prestigious MOTOR TREND 2010 Car of the Year Award®.
Quotes
“Ford’s Fusion Hybrid sedan has the styling punch of a powerhouse with authority built into the design. With unsurpassed fuel economy, this car has real ecological know-how. We call it purity on wheels.”
– Kevin Smith, Editorial Director of Edmunds.com and one of 19 national automotive editors and journalists who selected the winner of the EWP award
“Ford has worked diligently to make the Fusion Hybrid America’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan. It is very gratifying to see our hard work recognized by some of the most prominent automotive journalists in the country through the EWP award.”
– Jonathan Richards, Fusion Marketing Manager
Blue on Blue… Without the Heartache
The 2010 Ford Taurus and the 2010 Ford F-Series Super Duty have earned Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com Best Resale Value Awards for the full-size car and full-size pickup categories respectively. The awards, announced Dec. 1 at the L.A. Auto Show, honor vehicles expected to maintain the greatest proportion of their original list price after five years of ownership and that are designed to help consumers make more informed car-buying decisions.
Editors of Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com say depreciation can be the largest expense faced in the first five years of driving a vehicle.
Best Resale Value: Full-Size Car Category
The 2010 Ford Taurus offers 10 class-exclusive technologies not available from any other manufacturer, such as Ford SYNC®, Voice-Activated Navigation System with SIRIUS Travel Link™, Easy Fuel® Capless Fuel-Filler System, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with Cross Traffic Alert and MyKey™.
Learn more about the 2010 Taurus.
Best Resale Value: Full-Size Pickup Category
The 2010 Super Duty offers Ford Work Solutions™, a suite of productivity technologies developed for the commercial truck owner that was recently recognized as “Outstanding Feature” by the Texas Auto Writers Association.
Learn more about the 2010 Super Duty.
Quotes
“We think the 2010 Ford Taurus is an excellent redo of a venerable Ford nameplate. It’s the kind of vehicle that we believe will catch on in the marketplace, and therefore, its resale value should also do very well.”
– James Bell, Executive Market Analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com
“People today are buying pickup trucks for what they should be used for – which is for work, for getting jobs done and for playing with big toys. We feel that the Super Duty really captures that ‘Get the job done’ spirit and that it will certainly hold its value over time. Ford Work Solutions is something that’s definitely going to provide an advantage over time.”
– James Bell, Executive Market Analyst for Kelley Blue Book’s kbb.com
Do ‘Pregnant’ Computer Models Crave Pickles and Ice Cream?
“Pregnant” computer crash test models have it easy – no morning sickness or labor pains or worries about their butts looking too big in those maternity jeans, because they’re always seated. Then again, going through crash simulations over and over again can’t be any fun. At least it serves a worthy purpose.
Ford Motor Company is working with Virginia Tech and Wake Forest University researchers in the development of a computer-aided model that could be used to measure how crash forces affect pregnant women.
The effort builds on 15 years of Ford research that helped lead to one of the first adult whole body computerized crash models. These virtual crash models combine advanced computer simulations and medical research to virtually test how the human body – including the skeletal structure, internal organs and even the brain – are affected by crash forces.
The nearly complete three-year Ford-funded research project is now expected to provide Ford’s safety researchers with important data about pregnant women and their developing babies, such as abdominal shape and tissue properties. The data, collected by the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering, will help in the continuing development of the realistic “pregnant” human body model for virtual crash test simulation.
The human body model advantage
Computerized human body models, which simulate human beings in minute detail, are designed to help safety researchers better understand crash-related injuries. Ford’s research in this area, which has been ongoing for more than 15 years, already has led to the creation of adult models of a seated and standing average-size male. Dr. Jesse Ruan, passive safety expert in Ford’s Research and Engineering, says development of computerized models for other size vehicle occupants is under consideration.
These virtual models simulate regions of the body such as the head, neck, rib cage, abdomen, thoracic and lumbar spine, pelvis, and the upper and lower extremities, as well as the internal organs of the chest and abdomen. The models contain detailed representations of the bones and soft tissues of the human body.
Development of virtual human body models also may lead to the development of more lifelike crash dummies.
Pregnant women and seat belts
Ford also is launching a new effort to continue emphasizing proper seat belt usage to help address the 170,000 car crashes a year in the United States involving pregnant women.
Starting in 2010, owner’s manuals for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury will include an explanation and graphic illustration for how pregnant women should wear seat belts – the No. 1 life-saving auto safety feature.
Pregnant women should always ride and drive with the seatback upright and the seat belt properly fastened. The lap belt, or that portion of a combination lap-and-shoulder belt, should be positioned low across the hips and worn as tight as comfort will allow. The shoulder belt should be positioned to cross the middle of the shoulder and middle of the chest.
Junell Nichols, who teaches trauma and advanced life-support courses to nurses and physicians in Longview, Texas, suggested Ford provide safety recommendations for pregnant women through www.fordnewideas.com – a Web site established to solicit suggestions from the public.
For additional information, see the Safety Advice Card at Fordowner.com.
Quotes
“This is another example of how industry and academia can work together to conduct important safety research.”
– Dr. Stefan Duma, Head of Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University School of Biomedical Engineering
“Traditional crash dummies are very important, but the computerized human models allow us to see underneath the skin inside the body during a crash. Not all virtual models are the same. We chose to work with Virginia Tech and Wake Forest because we believe they better understand the biomechanics of pregnant women and could translate that into effective computer crash test models.”
– Dr. Stephen Rouhana, Senior Technical Leader, Ford Passive Safety Research and Advanced Engineering
“We developed new methods and techniques for this project in order to collect detailed internal pregnant geometry from MRI and CT scans, including accurate size and location of the uterus, placenta and fetus,”
– Dr. Joel Stitzel, program leader and director of the Virginia Tech-Wake Forest University Center for Injury Biomechanics.