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Ford Transit Connect as a Mobile Fitting Room for Serotta
DEARBORN, Mich., Sept. 15, 2009 – Ford Motor Company and Serotta Competition Bicycles will introduce a high-tech mobile bicycle "fitting room" inside a 2010 Ford Transit Connect at the 2009 Interbike trade show, Sept. 22-25, in Las Vegas.
The trade show will be held at the Sands Expo Center, showcasing a range of 2010 Serotta bicycles including a Ford-inspired MeiVici AE, the company's first fully custom, full-carbon aero-profile bicycle. Beginning in early 2010, the Ford Transit Connect and its mobile fitting room will tour the country at trade shows and bicycle dealerships to "fit" bicyclists to the proper bicycle according to their fitness level, size, posture and flexibility.
Ford's Transit Connect – a small, fuel-efficient panel van customizable for small businesses – will be outfitted with leading-edge bicycle fit technology such as the Serotta Size Cycle, an adjustable bicycle fitting device, and DartFish 3D, motion-analysis software. Additionally, the vehicle will carry up to eight bicycles.
"The Ford Transit Connect is a perfect vehicle for the bicyclist and we're proud to be part of this partnership," said Len Deluca, director, Ford Commercial Trucks. "Transit Connect is purpose-built for the small business owner. And we know from early sales that personal-use customers are interested in Transit Connect for sport and recreation as well."
Ford's Transit Connect went on sale in the United States in July and is enjoying brisk demand. The first full month of sales topped 2,000 units and vehicles are selling in fewer than 10 days of arrival on dealer lots, significantly quicker than industry norms. For more information on the Transit Connect, see http://media.ford.com/press_kits.cfm?presskit_id=2027.
"Many people associate riding a bike with sore bottoms and sore backs," said Pariac McGlynn, director of applied science for Serotta. "Our fitting room serves as a high-tech lab, where we can do motion analysis of a cyclist to ensure he or she has the right bicycle and fit."
The tour will make a stop at Serotta's Fit Lab for an open house at the bicycle manufacturer's teaching and research facility in Poway, Calif.
"A mobile bicycle fit lab opens up a new world of dealer and consumer engagement for Serotta," said company founder and owner Ben Serotta. "One-on-one bicycle fit demonstrations and test ride opportunities allow us to connect with our customers like never before. Ford's approach to user-specific design aligns perfectly with our custom, hand-built, made-in-the-USA commitment and enables us to take our process – and our brand message – on the road."
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About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles 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 www.ford.com.
About Serotta Competition Bicycles
Founded in 1972 by owner and master frame builder Ben Serotta, Serotta Competition Bicycles designs, manufactures and distributes premier class bicycles from its headquarters in Saratoga Springs, N.Y. Distinguished by over 30 years of benchmark setting performance innovations like its "Colorado Concept" shaped tubing, the "S" bend chain stay, and the first fully customizable 100% carbon fiber bicycle, Serotta also leads the industry with its renowned personalized bicycle fit technology. Professional cyclists, including Olympians and World Champions, have claimed numerous prestigious victories on Serottas, fueling the company's continuous pursuit of hand-built perfection. For more information, please visit www.serotta.com.