Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Focus ST and More Are in Store for the Paris Motor Show


Usually, the Paris Motor Show goes unnoticed by the majority of Americans. But this year, Ford is giving residents of North America reason to pay attention. Among other newsworthy items, it will be the venue for the first official viewing of the new high-performance Focus ST. It will also be the first time that a range of production-ready Focus body styles will be displayed together, providing full insight into this significant new model before it goes on sale in Europe and North America early in 2011.
The new range-topping Focus – which will feature a unique version of the 2.0-liter Ford EcoBoost™ engine – will be true to heritage of Ford ST models. It will offer driving enthusiasts a mix of exhilarating performance and handling, accompanied by an addictive sound.
The dramatic new ST will launch in early 2012 and will be revealed on September 30, 2010, at the Ford stand by Alan Mulally, Ford President and CEO, and Stephen Odell, Ford of Europe Chairman and CEO.
Visitors to the Paris Motor Show will immediately notice the car’s highly distinctive sports exterior, which is finished in Tangerine Scream, a dramatic new body color that reflects the exciting and energetic character of the Focus ST.
Ford is also moving forward with its electrification program and will be displaying for the first time the technology destined to drive its C-MAX plug-in hybrid vehicle, that will be produced at the Valencia plant in Spain and is due to go on sale in Europe in 2012. A version will also be sold in North America.
The formal launch of the full production-ready Focus range in Paris signals the introduction of the first truly global product developed under the company’s ONE Ford strategy.
Developed at Ford’s Global Center of Excellence for Small Cars in Germany, for sale in over 120 markets worldwide, the next-generation model is the most important Focus yet. It is created from the new Ford global C segment platform with up to 80 percent parts-commonality globally. This platform will underpin at least ten vehicles around the world, and it will account for approximately two million units of annual production by 2012.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

First-ever Ford Police Interceptor Utility

The first-ever specially-designed Ford Police Interceptor utility built for the rigors of police work, and it is designed to complement Ford’s all-new Police Interceptor sedan. Click here to read more about the Police Interceptor sedan, which was introduced earlier this year. Combined, the two vehicles provide law enforcement agencies the ultimate in versatility and choice, something no other police vehicle on the road today can match.
You can watch the reveal of the Police Interceptor utility live at 3:30 p.m. EST by clicking here.
Ford, the police vehicle market leader for 15 years, developed both Police Interceptors to allow departments to maximize versatility without sacrificing quality. Ford’s Police Interceptor utility will deliver at least a 20 percent improvement in fuel-economy over the outgoing Crown Victoria Police Interceptor. Both the sedan and utility Police Interceptor vehicles will debut simultaneously and be offered without interruption when production of the Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor ends in late 2011.
With the introduction of its newest Police Interceptor, Ford now provides a complete package of performance and capability designed to meet the diverse and ever-increasing needs of law enforcement agencies across the U.S.
Ford’s new Police Interceptor utility vehicle is equipped with the highly efficient 3.5-liter V6 engine. This Ti-VCT engine, delivering at least 280 horsepower and E85 compatibility, is mated to a unique six-speed automatic transmission that combines lowered initial gears for improved off-the-line acceleration and higher gearing for improved efficiency at lower engine rpm when cruising. Two drivetrain options are available, providing off-road capability teamed with a multipurpose cargo area specially calibrated for loads up to 800 pounds.
Both the sedan and utility are rated for the severe-duty cycle that police professionals undertake on a daily basis and will deliver at least 20 percent more fuel efficiency than the 4.6-liter single overhead cam (SOHC) V8 offered in the current Crown Victoria Police Interceptor.
When developing the next-generation Police Interceptors, Ford worked with its Police Advisory Board of law enforcement professionals to provide input on key vehicle attributes such as safety, performance, durability, driver convenience and comfort.
Like the sedan, the utility version of the Police Interceptor puts a priority on safety. Continuing Ford’s safety leadership includes engineering both Police Interceptors to pass 75-mph rear-end crash testing. Currently, the Crown Victoria Police Interceptor is the only pursuit sedan to meet this test.
The Police Interceptor utility vehicle features Ford’s exclusive Safety Canopy® side-curtain airbag rollover protection system that helps protect passengers in both rollover and side-impact crashes. The multiple side-curtain airbags use Ford’s unique roll-fold technology to help position them between the occupant and the side window.
Just like its sedan partner, Ford’s Police Interceptor utility vehicle has been put through its paces, undergoing a battery of torture tests to ensure its individual components can hold up to rigorous driving. Certification testing designed by the Michigan State Police and the Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department proved out the durability and capability of the vehicle through a variety of punishing tracks.
To make sure the utility vehicle can take the heat – quite literally – the AWD drivetrain is equipped with a water-cooled power transfer unit that guarantees capability in all conditions. Across the board, brakes have been increased in size and performance, and the cooling package features a heavy-duty alternator and larger radiator. Standard 18-inch wheels are vented, designed to work in concert with the enhanced brake system.
Both Ford Police Interceptors will be manufactured at the Ford Chicago Assembly Plant.