Drive One 4 UR School

Come join us at Leonardtown High School on November 19th for our Drive One 4 UR School event! For every test drive. Ford donates up to $30 to the Leonardtown high school band. A great way to get to drive some AWESOME vehicles, without any sales pressure. Come out and help support Leonardtown High. The staff at Leonardtown Ford will have a variety of vehicles there for you to drive, so if you are curious about how the new Focus rides, or want to drive a new Ecoboost F150 – this is your chance!

The Drive One 4 UR School program was developed as a fun, engaging way to help schools raise money to support their sports and extracurricular activities. Ford and Ford Lincoln Dealerships partner with a local high school to conduct a test-drive fundraising event. For every valid test-drive completed, Ford Motor Company will donate up to $30 to the participating high school, up to $6,000! So, the more people who test-drive a Ford or Lincoln vehicle at the event, the more money can be raised!

So, come out and support the school, and please spread the word! We look forward to seeing you there!

More MPG for you

I don’t know about you, but I am getting a little scared driving down the road passing gas stations with regular unleaded at $3.50 per gallon. It’s looking like we will hit $4 per gallon by Memorial Day and who knows where after that. We at Leonardtown Ford , thought we would share with you some information on the new Ford vehicles that conservatively sip fuel, making the most of your hard earned money…so here we go!

We’re all feeling the pinch at the pump, and predictions are for the summer of 2011 to see higher fuel prices yet. In light of that, here’s some news that brighten your day: Ford offers 12 vehicles that lead their sales segments in fuel economy, and that includes four with EPA-certified 40 mpg or higher fuel economy ratings.

Many new Ford and Lincoln vehicles feature improved aerodynamics and fuel-saving technologies including PowerShift, a Ford-designed dry dual-clutch automatic transmission available in the Ford Fiesta and all-new Focus, six-speed automatic transmissions, electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) and EcoBoost engines that save on fuel with no compromise to driving excitement.
The newest Ford vehicle in the fuel economy winner’s circle is the all-new Focus SFE, which was recently EPA certified at 40 mpg highway and 28 mpg city. Focus joins the 41 mpg city Fusion Hybrid and 40 mpg highway Fiesta in achieving over 40 mpg.
In addition, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient luxury sedan in America with its 41 mpg city EPA-certified rating, helping make Ford and Lincoln vehicles the most fuel efficient in the company’s 107-year history.
More Ford fuel economy stars include:

• Ford Mustang V6: Its high-revving 305-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine and six-speed automatic deliver best-in-class highway fuel economy of 31 mpg; Mustang V6 is the first car in history to deliver the combination of 300-plus horsepower and more than 30 mpg
• Ford F-150: Its 302-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine and six-speed automatic deliver a best-in-class 17 mpg city and 23 mpg highway – an EPA rating Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra can’t top. The 3.7-liter V6 is one of four all-new truck engines in the 2011 F-150 lineup
• Ford Fiesta: The combination of a 120-horsepower 1.6-liter four-cylinder and available six-speed dual-clutch PowerShift automatic transmission delivers 40 mpg on the highway, topping Toyota Yaris and Honda Fit by 4 mpg and 5 mpg, respectively
• Ford Super Duty^®: The Ford-designed and Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke^® diesel engine delivers as much as 20 percent better fuel economy than the 6.4-liter it replaced. The new Power Stroke isn’t just fuel efficient, it’s also the most powerful diesel pickup engine money can buy, rated at 400 horsepower and 800 lb.-ft. of torque
• Ford Edge: With its 3.5-liter V6 and six-speed automatic, Edge delivers 19 mpg city and a best-in-class 27 mpg highway. The upcoming 2.0-liter EcoBoost^® engine in the 2012 Edge is expected to deliver even greater economy
• Ford Fusion Hybrid remains America’s most fuel-efficient midsize family sedan, topping the Toyota Camry Hybrid by 10 mpg in the city, according to the EPA
• Ford Escape Hybrid, Transit Connect, Ranger and Lincoln MKZ Hybrid also lead their segments with the highest fuel economy

Customers continue to get the benefits of largest-ever Ford investment in fuel-efficient powertrains. In 2010, Ford launched nine new engines and six new six-speed transmissions. The company is on track to deliver fuel-saving six-speed transmissions across most of its lineup of Ford and Lincoln brand vehicles by 2013.
Source: The Ford Story

2012 Ford Focus *HOT*HOT*HOT

2012 Ford Focus officially certified at 40 mpg highway

Ford has confirmed that the 2012 Focus achieves an EPA-rated 40 miles per gallon on the highway, besting many of the competitors in its class. Only the 2011 Hyundai Elantra and 2011 Chevrolet Cruze Eco manage to reach the much-heralded 40-mpg mark. The Focus is also rated at 28 mpg in the city.

Not to rain on Ford’s parade here, but we must make something perfectly clear: The 40-mpg rating only applies to the Focus SE sedan with SFE (super fuel economy) package and the six-speed automatic transmission. In order to achieve 40 mpg, the SFE package adds unique 16-inch steel wheels with aero-enhanced wheel covers, active grille shutters, a rear spoiler and high-efficiency tires.

That might not seem like a big deal, especially when a car as stylish and well-built as the Focus puts down 40 mpg highway. However, we can’t overlook the fact that Hyundai’s Elantra nets that 40-mpg figure on all models with either transmission, and if you spec a Cruze Eco with a manual box, you’ll be running at 42 mpg on the highway. Still, keep in mind that the Focus, at 160 horsepower, is the most powerful car in the group – besting the Elantra by 12 hp and the Cruze Eco by 22 hp – which is something that enthusiasts must consider.

[SOURCE: autoblog ]

Ford’s Rear Inflatable Seat Belt Wins ’2011 Best New Technology’ Award

FORD INTRODUCES INDUSTRY’S FIRST INFLATABLE SEAT BELTS TO ENHANCE REAR SEAT SAFETY

Ford introduces the auto industry’s first-ever production inflatable seat belts, which are designed to provide additional protection for rear seat occupants, often children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to head, chest and neck injuries

The advanced restraint system is designed to help reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear seat passengers, often children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to such injuries.

Ford introduced inflatable rear seat belts on the 2011 Ford Explorer. Over time, Ford plans to offer the technology in vehicles globally.

“Ford’s rear inflatable seat belt technology will enhance safety for rear seat passengers of all ages, especially for young children who are more vulnerable in crashes,” said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “This is another unique family technology that builds on our safety leadership, including the most top safety ratings of any automaker.”

Safer and more comfortable
Advances in airbag inflation and seat belt construction methods have enabled Ford and its suppliers to develop inflatable seat belts that are designed to deploy over a vehicle occupant’s torso and shoulder in 40 milliseconds in the event of a crash.

In everyday use, the inflatable belts operate like conventional seat belts and are safe and compatible with infant and children safety car and booster seats. In Ford’s research, more than 90 percent of those who tested the inflatable seat belts found them to be similar to or more comfortable than a conventional belt because they feel padded and softer. That comfort factor could help improve the 61 percent rear belt usage rate in the U.S., which compares to 82 percent usage by front seat passengers, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) data.

“Ford is pioneering inflatable seat belt technology to help enhance crash safety protection, while encouraging more people to buckle up with a more comfortable belt,” said Paul Mascarenas, vice president, Research and Advanced Engineering and chief technical officer.

In the event of a frontal or side crash, the inflatable belt’s increased diameter more effectively holds the occupant in the appropriate seating position, helping to reduce the risk of injury.

Vehicle safety sensors determine the severity of the collision in the blink of an eye and deploy the inflatable belts’ airbags. Each belt’s tubular airbag inflates with cold compressed gas, which flows through a specially designed buckle from a cylinder housed below the seat.

The inflatable belt’s accordion-folded bag breaks through the belt fabric as it fills with air, expanding sideways across the occupant’s body in about the same amount of time it takes a car traveling at highway speed to cover a yard of distance.

The use of cold compressed gas instead of a heat-generating chemical reaction – which is typical of traditional airbag systems – means the inflated belts feel no warmer on the wearer’s body than the ambient temperature. The inflatable belts also fill at a lower pressure and a slower rate than traditional airbags, because the device does not need to close a gap between the belt and the occupant.

“It’s a very simple and logical system, but it required extensive trial and error and testing over several years to prove out the technology and ensure precise reliable performance in a crash situation,” said Srini Sundararajan, safety technical leader for Ford Research and Advanced Engineering.

The inflated belt helps distribute crash force energy across five times more of the occupant’s torso than a traditional belt, which expands its range of protection and reduces risk of injury by diffusing crash pressure over a larger area, while providing additional support to the head and neck. After deployment, the belt remains inflated for several seconds before dispersing its air through the pores of the airbag.

Ford was the first automaker to introduce seat belts in 1955 and led the way in making driver and front passenger airbags standard in most vehicles by 1993.

2012 Ford Focus Electric set for late 2011 launch!

This is the new Ford Focus Electric, not a baby Aston Martin Rapide.This isn’t a Detroit reveal – no, the Ford Focus Electric was unveiled to the world at the 2011 Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. This isn’t Ford’s first electric vehicle of course, as those honors go to the Ford Transit Connect EV, but it will be its first passenger car EV. It will be launched for sale in late 2011.

In a market where there’s options such as the Nissan Leaf EV and the Chevrolet Volt range extended EV, naturally Ford has made comparisons with its competitors in its initial press release. For one, Ford says a full recharge will take just 3 to 4 hours at home with the 240V charge station, half the charge time of the Leaf, which takes 8 hours to charge at 240V.

I’m very curious though as to how Ford managed a 4 hour charge time – does the shorter charge time affect battery longevity? Is Ford using better technology? Some technical details would be nice, but these are typically only available from the experts at the launch event. But I can make an educated guess. A 240V 60A 6kW charger (Level 2) should technically be able to charge the Nissan Leaf’s 24kWh battery in 4 hours, but the Leaf’s internal battery management limits the charging to 3.3kW to limit the amount of heat generated during charging as the Leaf’s battery has no active cooling.

Ford’s battery pack however does have active cooling, so it could be using the full 6kW power. The lithium-ion battery system was engineered by Ford with LG Chem and it uses heated and cooled liquid to help maximize battery life. According to Ford, thermal management of lithium-ion battery systems is critical to the success of EVs. The active cooling and heating system heats or chills a coolant before pumping it through the battery cooling system.

Charging the battery pack is via an industry standard 5-point plug supplied by Yazaki. The charge port is located between the driver’s door and front wheel well. A light ring around the port is activated to acknowledge a proper charger connection. The light ring lluminates in quadrants as the vehicle charges. Flashing quadrants represent charge in progress and solid-lit quadrants show stages of charge completion. If something goes wrong, the entire ring flashes, and when the car is fully charged, the entire ring lights up solidly.

We don’t really have any information on the electric motor and we expect this to be unveiled only towards the end of the year closer to the launch date, but we do know the Focus Electric goes up to a top speed of 136km/h. Doesn’t sound like the Focus Electric is going to be a very brisk machine, but it’s certainly going to be very silent and economical!

 

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Buying a Ford Fiesta? Yeah, there’s an app for that.

Interested in buying a 2011 Ford Fiesta? There’s an app for that.

Ford has just launched its very first interactive sales brochure by way of an Apple iPad app for the new Fiesta (sorry, iPhone users – you’re out of luck on this one). Here, users can learn far more about Ford’s pride-and-joy B-segment offering than they ever could in your standard showroom pamphlets. The Fiesta app includes information about the car’s quality, safety, connectivity, available accessories, colors, as well as a list of standard and optional features.

The interactive Fiesta iPad app is available as you read this and can be downloaded from the iTunes app store.