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| Ford cements place among quality leaders The 2007 J.D. Power Initial Quality Study (IQS) announced Ford’s arrival as one of the industry’s quality leaders. This year’s IQS results show Ford doesn’t plan on going anywhere. The closely watched industry study showed the Ford Blue Oval brand improving by eight points, besting the overall industry’s seven-point rate of improvement and continuing its five-year upward trend. Furthermore, Ford and Mercury are among the survey’s top non-luxury brands, with both brands placing in the top eight and moving up in the rankings over last year’s performance. In all, Ford Motor Company received 10 vehicle honors, three of them sweeping their segments for first place. For more information, please contact Anne Marie Gattari at 313-323-7809 or click on link: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=28373 |
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| Early buyers flock to Lincoln MKS Lincoln’s long-awaited new flagship sedan, the MKS, is off to a jackrabbit start. Though the 2009 MKS won’t hit showrooms until later this year, but dealers already have taken more than 8,600 pre-orders for the stylish new sedan loaded with leading-edge technology and luxurious amenities. The strong early demand is a good sign for Ford Motor Company and its storied U.S. luxury brand, which is in the midst of a product-led renaissance with offerings such as the Lincoln MXS crossover and Lincoln MKZ mid-size luxury sedan. The 2009 Lincoln MKS starts at just over $38,000, but more than 60 percent of pre-orders have been the high-level ultimate package. For more information, please contact Mark Schirmer at 313-390-8647 or click on link: http://media.ford.com/products/presskit_display.cfm?vehicle id=1678&press_subsection_id=421&make_id=93 |
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| Mustang’s secret sales weapon – stellar safety The Ford Mustang GT convertible is known for certain things – the freedom of open-top motoring, the rumble of a V-8 engine and classic American muscle car looks. But Steve Kozak, one of Ford’s top vehicle safety engineers, had another quality in mind when he decided buy a new Mustang drop-top car for his daughter as a graduation gift. The 2008 Mustang GT is the only convertible to earn a five-star safety rating from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. In addition, the Mustang convertible earned the highest side-impact performance rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS). For more information please contact Wes Sherwood at 313-390-5660 or click on link: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=28375 |
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| Ford innovation helps mitigate driver distraction From talking on a hand-held cell phone behind the wheel to text messaging while driving, distracted driving has become a critical public safety issue. The statistics are sobering: The National Highway Transportation Safety Administration (NHTSA) reports that distracted driving causes 80 percent of road accidents. As the National Safety Council kicks off Distracted Driving Awareness Week on Monday, June 9, Ford Motor Company continues to lead the way in finding innovative ways to mitigate the issue through groundbreaking research and the development of hands-free, voice-activated technologies such as Ford SYNCTM. The system was developed in part based on research from Ford’s state-of-the-art driving simulator that was used to examine the factors that lead to distraction. For more information please contact Wes Sherwood at 313-390-5660 or click on link: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=28376 |
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| Oakville Assembly Complex paint process comes with a green tint Ford’s Oakville (Ont.) Assembly Complex is creating green fuel from an unlikely source – paint fumes. In a nutshell, fumes from the plant’s paint shop are captured, processed and used to power a fuel cell that creates electricity. At full production, Oakville should be able to produce about 1,500 kilowatts of energy per day, which is enough to power approximately 150 homes. “The Oakville system takes Ford’s Fumes-to-Fuel technology to the next level,” said Edgeworth. “We’re in a great position to use this technology to reduce our impact on the environment by reducing air pollution and producing ‘green’ energy.” For more information please contact Angie Kozleski at 313-323-1984 or click on link: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=28368&make_id=trust |
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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 228,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.ford.com.
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