Ford's EV Plans.

When I think electric cars, I think the Nissan Leaf and Chevy Volt - then maybe Tesla and Fisker sports cars. But options for would-be electric car owners are fast expanding, and Ford is about to tap into the growing greener car market with a trio of environmentally friendly cars, including an all-electric vehicle.

That's what I learned at a conference put together by Ford last month in Dearborn, Mich. Along with a hundred or so other bloggers, I got to visit Ford's headquarters - and take part in a star-studded program with talks from Malcolm Gladwell, futurist Joel Garreau, and "actorvist" Ed Begley, Jr. - who spoke glowingly of Ford's foray into greener vehicles.

The most exciting development, of course, is the 2012 Ford Focus Electric, which I really want to test drive. This car will charge up in just three to four hours from a 240-volt charging station - and go about 100 miles on a full charge. That car is expected to start getting delivered late this year. The best part, in my opinion, is that Ford is electrifying a car that's already an established brand with owners and devotees, instead of building a new customer base for a new model from scratch.

Next year, Ford is also going to offer C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid - which like the Chevy Volt will drive in all-electric mode for shorter distances, but also have a gas-powered option that's expected to extend the driving range to about 500 miles. The third car Ford will offer is the C-MAX Hybrid, which isn't electric at all, but is expected to have a better mpg than the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid, currently the most fuel-efficient sedan in America.

In his presentation, Begley emphasized how this trio of cars offers options for everyone. Because as we know, even if everyone suddenly decided they wanted to ditch their gas guzzlers for zero-emissions electric vehicles, the infrastructure just isn't in place to let people charge up those efficient cars. I, for example, would love to get a Ford Focus Electric if I was picking between Ford's three new cars. But as an apartment dweller with nowhere to plug in a car, the only greener Ford option that would work for me is the C-Max Hybrid.

The new cars weren't available for test drives, but I tried driving the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid as part of a contest to see which blogger could get the best miles per gallon by hypermiling. I thought I did pretty well when I achieved a 44.1 mpg on the contest course - only to find out the winner got 70-plus mpg! Maybe I'll get better with practice.

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Ford uses recycled tires and soybean oil for seals and gaskets in several 2011 vehicles

Ford Motor today announced it has combined rubber from more than 2.2 million pounds of recycled tires with other material, such as soybean oil, to produce what it says are environmentally friendly gaskets and seals for new cars.

Teaming up with Detroit-based supplier Recycled Polymeric Materials, Ford has turned 210,000 used tires and 150,000 pounds of soy into material for the new gaskets and seals.

"The gaskets and seals are derived from 25 percent post-consumer, recycled-tire particulate and 17 percent biorenewable content from soy," Ford said in a press release.

"The sustainable gaskets were first introduced to Ford in 2008, and have now expanded to include 11 [2011MY] vehicles," including the Ford F-150, Escape, Mustang, Focus, and Fiesta, the company said.

"When it comes to finding a way to use more renewable and recyclable content in our vehicles, Ford and our suppliers are looking at every part of a vehicle," said Cynthia Flanigan, Ford technical leader for Research and Innovation. "As long as an application makes sense and upholds strict quality standards, we'll look to get these sustainable materials inside our vehicles."

Ford also uses soy and recycled materials in the interior of the 2011 Ford Explorer. And Ford uses material derived from recycled carpet to make cylinder head covers.

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Ford introduces Ecomode in new ford focus

Ford Motors has introduced a new software named ‘EcoMode‘ for the drivers of its new Ford Focus. With the help of this intriguing new piece of software, owners of the Ford Focus can now learn of ways to improve their driving skills – mainly their ‘eco-driving’ techniques (specific on-road behaviors that can improve fuel economy, save money and reduce greenhouse gas emissions), through which they can improve their miles per gallon statistics.

The new software addition to the Ford Focus, EcoMode, generates a personalized driver operation scorecard. This is generated by monitoring engine rpm, vehicle speed, accelerator position, clutch position, selected gear and engine temperature related, gear shifting, anticipation and speed. Along with the final score, the software also generates advice for the driver to improve his eco-driving rating. The company noted that while trying to reach the maximum score while in EcoMode will lead to a driving style that is optimized for fuel economy.

“The foot of the driver has one of the biggest impacts on real-world fuel economy of a vehicle and was the starting point for the development of EcoMode,” said Thomas Schick, engineer with the Ford of Germany Core Vehicle Integration team. “This is a useful tool that creates awareness between personal behavior and fuel consumption and offers up hints on how to improve. Applying those hints and recommendations is all up to the driver.”

Apart from the ‘EcoMode‘, the new Ford Focus also offers an optional map-based navigation application called ‘Eco-Route‘ available with the MyFord Touch. This gives drivers the ability to choose the most fuel-efficient route, added Ford Motors.

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Ford’s Vertrek Concept Is The Future Of Compact SUVs

          Ford isn’t calling their Vertrek concept a replacement for the aging Escape just yet, but the writing is on the wall. Ford’s published comparison charts showing the Vertrek against both the Escape and the E.U. market Kuga; if I were a betting man, I’d be comfortable putting money down on the Vertrek as a global platform replacement for both existing compact SUVs. It’s based on their C-Segment architecture, and it’s no secret that Ford has ambitious plans for the platform in the coming years. It’s an ideal fit for both the 1.6 and 2.0 liter EcoBoost engines (on this side of the pond), and Ford has stated that the 2.0 liter Duratorq diesel will fit under the hood in the EU (where 96% of Kugas are sold with diesel motors). I’m pretty sure it’s a matter of “when” we see it in dealer showrooms, not “if” like most concept vehicles.

               Dimensionally, the Vertrek is longer, lower and wider than the Escape, and that’s a good thing for both handling and appearance. Like the redesigned Explorer, the Vertrek will offer a more car-like ride, more passenger legroom and improved cargo capacity. Better ride quality is something that the Escape replacement definitely needs, since the current Escape isn’t up to standards set by others in the class (including Toyota’s RAV4 or Honda’s CR-V). Fit and finish of the current Escape isn’t up to standards set by other Ford products, either.

Expect to see some of the Vertrek’s exterior styling toned back for production, but I hope they keep more than just the feel of the concept car’s lines. Compact SUVs, even the latest generation, tend to suffer from utterly bland styling, designed not to offend the masses. Ford deserves credit for adding some flair to an otherwise uninspired market segment, but don’t expect production vehicles to come with the Vertrek’s woven leather floor mats or lederhosen inspired velour leather upholstery. If we’re lucky, it won’t come to market with that name, either.

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Ford, Volkwagen and Chrysler expand recall notices.

Ford Motor Co. has not made enough of an effort to tell customers about the recall issued for its Windstar minivans, said the family of a Massachusetts man who died when his van’s rear axle split in half and sent the van into a building.
The family of Sean Bowman said they got Fords’ recall notice in October, one week after Bowman died.
Ford had announced the recall in August. It affected 575,000 older Windstar minivans where the company said rear axles could become fragile and break. However, the recall did not attract a lot of media attention.
Ford said this week that it planned to expand the recall and cooperate with a government investigation, but the company had no comment on the Bowman case.
In addition, this week, Volkswagen and Chrysler announced large recalls because of possible air bag problems and fuel leaks.
Chrysler said it was recalling around 367,000 minivans because of problems with the air bags deploying accidentally. The recall affects the 2008 Chrysler Town and Country and the Dodge Grand Caravan.
Volkswagen of America said it was recalling some 228,000 vehicles, including the Golf, Rabbit, Jetta and Jetta Sportswagen for model years 2007-2009 and the 2006-2010 New Beetle.
Volkswagen said the problem in the Golf, Rabbit and Jetta was due to plastic tab connected to the windshield fluid canister that could possibly come in contact with a fuel line and cause a leak to form. In the New Beetle, a fastening clamp on the power steering system could lead to the same kind of problem.
***Now i'm wondering what car is safe to drive these days.

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Honda and Ford Ranks highest in customer retention survey.

Are we starting to see a bit of light at the end of the Great Recession tunnel? Are car buyers ready to have a little fun, fun, fun again?

It would seem so, as new-vehicle owners are increasingly citing fun-to-drive vehicles as a top reason for remaining loyal to their current brand, according to the new 2010 Customer Retention Study released last week by J.D Power and Associates.

Ford and Honda ranked highest in the survey – tying for first place – when it comes to retaining vehicle owners, each retaining 62 percent of their owners.

The Winners

Ford's high retention rate was primarily driven by the Edge, F-Series and Fusion models. Two of those models – the Edge and the Fusion – are relatively new, having been introduced in the last few years.
"So, that's a good sign for Ford," observed Raffi Festekjian, director of automotive product research at J.D. Power and Associates. "Ford seems to be doing the right things. In our initial quality study this year, Ford ranked higher than it's ever ranked – 5th place."
For Honda, meanwhile, it was the Accord, CR-V and Pilot that primarily drove their high retention rate.
When comparing the two brands, the study revealed that Ford owners are more likely than are Honda owners to say that they've stayed loyal because their new vehicle is fun to drive or features snappy styling. Conversely, Honda owners were more likely than Ford owners to identify resale value and safety as the main reasons for buying another Honda.
"Honda has been a consistently strong performer in this survey. Hondas have always been on the top tier with it comes to retention – their owners pretty consistently cite safety and resale value," said Festekjian.
That said, the study showed that fewer owners are citing more practical reasons, like anticipated resale value, as a reason for their loyalty to their current brand. The importance of having fun-to-drive vehicles increased by eight percent compared to last year, while the importance of resale value dropped by 10 percent over that same period.
What Price Loyalty?
The customer retention study, which has been conducted for the last eight years, measures the rate at which car brands keep their existing customers and asks owners why they remain loyal. Customer retention is always key to a brand's success in the marketplace, especially during a recession or slow economic recovery -- times when every sale is crucial to the bottom line.
The study also measures how well the various brands "capture" consumers who were previously driving other brands -- or, as it's known in the car biz, "conquest." The importance of vehicles being fun-to-drive has also increased as a reason why some brands are able to lure new customers away from competitors. In the new study, styling was also cited when it came to conquesting.
The 2010 Customer Retention Study is based on responses from 123,601 new-vehicle buyers and lessees. Of those, 81,350 replaced a vehicle that they had purchased new. The study was conducted between February and May, and between August and October, of this year
"This is a key study, because it's important to understand the reasons that drive loyalty within the industry," said Festekjian. "Customer retention is the primary goal of every manufacturer. It obviously has a direct impact on sales, and it fosters a favorable word of mouth."
Best Of The Rest
Ford and Honda didn't "beat out" their competitors by much. In a three-way tie for second, Hyundai, Lexus and Toyota each scored retention grades of 60 percent. Kia boasted the strongest increase in customer-retention compared to last year – the Korean carmaker improved by 21 percentage points in one year, notching a score of 58 percent in 2010.
Toyota's yearlong woes -- the Congressional hearings into the acceleration problems, the myriad recalls, etc. -- did not seem to hurt their ability to retain customers. "Toyota has historically also been in the top tier, and their current customers remain pretty loyal," said Festekjian. "The challenge Toyota now faces is the ability to conquest new customers, because now those buyers now have some questions about Toyota. In this survey, Toyota did, in fact, see a drop in their conquesting."
It's The Economy
Festekjian confirmed that customer retention is also critical during tough economic times, or during a sluggish recovery like the current one. "With total sales down, and with consumers having so many more choices now, it's really important for the carmakers to know why they're retaining customers, because it's a lot easier to retain a customer than to conquest a new one," he said.

But, since the economy and car market are improving, if only slightly, car owners are increasingly returning to citing emotional, rather than practical, reasons for staying with their current brand or switching to a different one, Festekjian added. "Developing new models that are fun to drive, with more attractive styling, seems to be increasingly more critical for automakers, as they continue to try to retain and conquest customers as the auto market continues to recover."

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Review: 2011 Ford explorer.

The Ford Explorer helped to start the SUV trend way back in 1990, and along the way it has gone from sales leader, to public disgrace, to also-ran SUV. It has sold in the millions and has been exported to over 90 different countries in its lifetime. With 96 percent nameplate recognition, the only Ford products that are more well known are the Mustang and the F-150, both of which have been on sale continuously for 26 and 42 more years, respectively. To say the Explorer is important to Ford’s business plan is an understatement of mammoth proportions.

So when it came time to redesign it, Ford had clear goals in mind. Better fuel economy and better driving dynamics were two of the main reasons people were saying no to SUVs. It seemed the path was clear; make it more efficient, and better to drive. But the Blue Oval did a lot more than just that. With the switch from body-on-frame to unibody, the Explorer has transformed itself from old-school SUV to new-school CUV.

If you are walking up to the Explorer for the first time, you might be surprised at its size. The designers used some clever visual tricks to make this model look smaller than the 2010 edition, but don’t let that fool you. This model boasts the same eight inches of ground clearance as the previous generation, but is almost two inches shorter, thanks to its high beltline and narrow greenhouse. The 2011 is also some four inches longer with a one-inch shorter wheelbase. It sees a six-inch increase in width, with subsequent six-inch increases in the front and rear track. The increases in track and decreases in wheelbase might seem rather small, but both play a major role in how the vehicle drives. The wider the track, the more stable the vehicle will be, while a shorter wheelbase will make the vehicle willing to rotate and offer a more car-like experience. >>>>>>read more

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