F-150 SVT Raptor at the Nurburgring

Watch Tanner Foust rip a SVT Raptor around the world-famous Nurburgring in Germany.

Agent of Change: Ford Empowers Women and Saves Lives in Rural India through New Technology, SUV Capabilities

• Ford worked with public and private organizations on a pilot program designed to bring the right healthcare to the women and children living in an inaccessible part of rural India

• Sustainable Urban Mobility with Uncompromised Rural Reach, known as SUMURR, enabled childbirth for 41 women with high-risk mothers pregnancies, visited 54 villages, and reached more than 3,100 people to facilitate community awareness programs focused on maternal and child healthcare

• One key element of the SUMURR program was the Ford Endeavour, an SUV designed to handle the rough terrain of the region and powered by some of Ford’s most advanced technologies, which extended the physical reach of the healthcare services

• Ford researchers are applying what was learned from SUMURR and the use of OpenXC, an open-source technology, to create customized user experiences and accelerate the creation of apps for mobile health

 

CHENNAI/DELHI/DEARBORN, Mich., March 7, 2013 – Henry Ford believed vehicles like his Model T would improve lives through greater mobility. More than 100 years later on the other side of the world, a young Indian mother named Mageswari connects that vision with the birth of her healthy baby boy.

 

Mageswari, 19, lives in Kodamaathi, a tiny village in rural India where Ford Motor Company just concluded a nine-month pilot program that entailed helping pregnant women overcome geographical and technological barriers that prevented them from receiving adequate healthcare.

 

Called Sustainable Urban Mobility with Uncompromised Rural Reach (SUMURR), the program made use of a Ford Endeavour SUV that was designed to handle the most difficult of terrains and traverse areas previously unreachable by four-wheeled vehicles. After arriving in rural areas, health professionals used laptops and cell phones to connect with doctors and medical help in ways they never have before.

 

As a result, SUMURR made safe childbirth possible for 41 pregnant women; women like Mageswari, who – with the help of the Ford Endeavour – was able to make it to the hospital in just enough time to give birth.

 

“If not for Ford Endeavour, I might have tried to reach the hospital in a two-wheeler,” she says. “I do not know what might have happened.”

 

The intervention area of Kalvarayan Hills has a higher infant and maternity mortality rate compared with most other pockets of Tamil Nadu – a key indicator of the need for prenatal care in the region.

 

Mageswari’s situation illustrates the kind of need that was addressed by SUMURR, and that’s where Ford comes in, according to David Berdish, manager of Social Sustainability.

 

Berdish says Ford is acting as an agent of change for a better world by forging innovative public-private partnerships with government, academic institutions, nonprofit stakeholders and company resources to support positive social advancement.

 

SUMURR represents the overall direction of such efforts. In fact, Berdish says similar projects are already being considered for other regions around the globe, including other parts of rural India, one in the state of Gujarat, India – where Ford has a manufacturing plant – and also in China and Brazil.

 

“Ford Motor Company is not in the business of telemedicine, but between the vehicle and the technology we provide, we can make it better,” says Berdish.

 

Nine months of success

The pilot program began in June 2012 and concluded in February 2013. In addition to facilitating safe childbirth for the women with high-risk pregnancies, the program led to 27 temporary pediatric and gynecology camps being set up in remote villages. Such visits enabled about 1,600 women and children to receive much needed healthcare, including screenings for basic illnesses and immunization coverage.

 

SUMURR reached another 3,100 people with its partners as the program traveled to 54 villages to facilitate community awareness programs on maternal and child health issues.

 

“Leveraging our strengths in building vehicles and in democratizing technology, we have pioneered a unique effort to remove all hurdles to mobility for these women and have made safe childbirths possible for them,” said Joginder Singh, president and managing director, Ford of India. “SUMURR truly embodies Ford’s DNA of utilizing smart technologies for a better world.”

 

Coordinating with Ford on SUMURR were:

 

• Department of Health (DPH) of the Government of Tamil Nadu: Provided guidance and detailed statistics on maternal health and infant mortality; posed a challenge to Ford to pilot the program in Kalvarayan Hills, a region that is remote and hard to access
• U.S. Department of State: Provided guidance on program design and emphasized the need and role of healthcare for women
• George Washington University: Helped manage and track SUMURR
• IIT Madras Rural Technology and Business Incubator (RTBI): A nonprofit organization fostering entrepreneurship and focusing on technologies for rural India; developed and customized the mobile health applications used in SUMURR
• Reliance IIT Center of Excellence (RITCOE): Focuses on providing excellence in the areas of telecom infrastructure and energy; RITCOE was involved in developing solutions for SUMURR around OpenXC platform
• Indian Institute of Technology Madras: A premier academic institute that provides world-class education and research facilities in engineering and technology. It is officially recognized as an Institute of National Importance by the government of India and provides guidance to RTBI and RITCOE
• Hand in Hand India: A nonprofit organization with an overall mission to reduce poverty in India; Hand in Hand was the implementation partner helping to take the initiative to the community including training the government health workers with funding from Ford Motor Company Fund
• University of Michigan: Helped determine the viability of SUMURR prior to program launch

“SUMURR is an initiative to harness the potential of affordable technologies with innovations that address local contexts for sustainable growth,” says Ashok Jhunjhunwala, founder and co-chairman, RTBI and a professor of electrical engineering, IITM. “From voice-based local language interfaces to a portable system architecture that covers significant aspects of women and child healthcare, it is heartening to note that this program has not only democratized technology but is also finding acceptance and adoption of the technology with the rural mothers and healthcare personnel.”

 

Berdish says SUMURR represents how Ford continues to evolve and take on more responsibility when it comes to sustainable issues around the world.

 

Ford’s Code of Human Rights, Basic Working Conditions and Corporate Responsibility, for example, emphasizes the importance of providing proper working conditions and overall human rights for Ford, its suppliers and the communities in which it does business.

 

Ford continues to increase its presence in India, where it operates a vehicle and engine manufacturing facility in Chennai, has invested $1 billion for its second integrated manufacturing facility at Sanand, and is committed to bringing the best of global products and services to the country. Ford also plans to expand its sales and service operations to 500 locations across India by mid-decade, with a focus and commitment to empower communities across its existing and proposed facilities.

 

“Ford views accessibility to a better life as a fundamental human right, so being able to successfully help women and children in parts of rural India obtain healthcare is a perfect fit for what we’re trying to do as a company from an overall sustainable approach,” says Berdish.

 

“SUMURR exemplifies the power of partnerships; through this effort, we are leveraging the best of public and private sector resources to support enhanced healthcare in areas that are hard to reach,” says Gloria Cabe, senior advisor, U.S. Department of State. “Collaborative efforts such as this are game changers, helping to promote innovative solutions to enduring challenges.”

 

Rural India today, Detroit tomorrow

K. Venkatesh Prasad, senior technical leader for Open Innovation at Ford, framed the initial vision for SUMURR, working with Berdish, and oversaw its technology development.

 

Prasad is based at Ford’s Research and Innovation Center in Dearborn, Mich., where many of the company’s most talented researchers and scientists have helped develop revolutionary technologies such as Ford SYNC^® and EcoBoost^®. He says the mass-market applications of the kind of technology used in SUMURR are another benefit of Ford’s involvement.

 

For example, in some of the remote hilly villages where the Ford Endeavour was used, cellular phone signals were extremely weak or nonexistent.

 

As a result, researchers are developing a way to use the recently launched open-source platform OpenXC to create a local cloud housed in the Ford Endeavour. This enables nurses in the village to record and store crucial information about patients and transmit it when connectivity is available at a later time. Another new app could help in the timely communication of vital health parameters of the mother and enable hospital readiness while she is en route.

 

Prasad says that what Ford is learning about the technologies it developed for SUMURR, especially their performance under extremely demanding environmental conditions, is invaluable, and can potentially be applied to any Ford global technology development.

 

“SUMURR exemplifies how Ford is using its global reach to address regional issues and causes around the world and at the same time identify local social and technology entrepreneurs who we can partner with to further develop the kind of solutions that will shape our future,” says Prasad. “The fundamental aspects of what we did in rural India could very much wind up in the driveways of Detroit.”

2013 Ford Focus ST

The high-performance version of Ford's compact car is a blast to drive says Cars.com reviewer Joe Wiesenfelder. Exceptional handling and an exciting powertrain are two big wins for the Focus ST hatchback. Inside, height-adjustable Recaro sport seats held Wiesenfelder in during his sprint around the track at the Roebling Road Raceway just outside of Savannah, Ga.

Ford Fusion Marks Best February Sales Ever; San Francisco and Los Angeles Sales More Than Double

• Ford Fusion is achieving the fastest turn rates and the strongest sales momentum in California – the nation’s largest passenger car market 

• Fusion Hybrid retail sales up 556 percent in Los Angeles, Fusion’s largest hybrid market in the U.S.

• Total Fusion sales nationwide up 28 percent last month compared to February 2012

• Fusion sales increase in all regions of the country – L.A., up 115 percent; San Francisco, 102 percent; Atlanta, 51 percent; Houston, 73 percent; Miami; 114 percent and Orlando, 72 percent

 DEARBORN, Mich., March 6, 2013 – With car inventories just beginning to meet consumer demand, the all-new 2013 Ford Fusion posted its best February sales month since the midsize sedan was introduced in 2006.

 

Ford Fusion posted record February sales totaling 27,875 vehicles, a 28 percent gain over last February’s record.

 

The all-time Fusion sales record was March 2012, when Ford sold 28,562 cars.

 

Not only is Fusion selling well nationwide, its volumes are growing very quickly in California and Florida markets, long strongholds for import manufacturers.

 

The Los Angeles and San Francisco markets in particular saw the strongest sales growth in the nation, with year-over-year increases of more than 100 percent.

 

While Texas has long been one of the leading sales markets for light-duty trucks, the Lone Star State – Houston in particular – is also one of the strongest midsize sedan markets in the country. Fusion sales there were up 73 percent last month compared to February 2012.

 

Even Southeast Florida, which represents one of the greatest markets for Ford growth in the United States, is sharing the nation’s love for Fusion. The Miami market saw its Fusion sales up 114 percent compared to last year, while Orlando is up 72 percent.

 

Fusion Hybrid sales skyrocket

While Fusion equipped with Ford fuel-efficient Eco Boost^® engines continue to sell at a record pace, Fusion Hybrid sales are growing even faster.

 

Los Angeles is seeing skyrocketing demand for Fusion Hybrid, with sales up more than 600 percent year-over-year. Part of the reason is fuel economy; while Toyota Camry Hybrid achieves just 41 mpg in combined city and highway fuel economy estimates on EPA tests, Fusion returns a 47 mpg in city/highway and combined EPA estimated ratings.

 

With the recent addition of the Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid vehicle, Ford is offering the widest range of fuel efficiency technologies in the quickly growing midsize sedan segment, which is the largest market in the U.S. behind small cars.

 

The story behind the new Fusion
For more on the new Ford Fusion, check out http://FordFusionStory.com, a special mobile site featuring articles, videos and graphics that are easily shareable directly from a smartphone, tablet or computer browser to Facebook, Twitter, Google+ and blogs.

All-New Ford Transit Chassis Cab and Cutaway Versions Join Widest Range of Commercial Chassis Offerings

• All-new Ford Transit chassis cab and cutaway variations join the nation’s best-selling lineup of commercial vehicles, giving Ford customers best-in-class fuel economy, the segment’s lowest cost of ownership and increased capability

• Ford offers the industry’s broadest lineup of chassis, chassis cab and cutaway configurations, adaptability that enables commercial customers to better optimize vehicles to specific needs and tasks

• Ford Transit chassis cab and cutaway models will be built at the company’s Kansas City assembly plant

 DEARBORN, Mich., March 5, 2013 – Ford Motor Company announced today the introduction of the all-new Transit chassis cab and cutaway models, engineered to tackle an almost unlimited variety of specialized jobs and vocations.

 

Transit chassis cab features an enclosed passenger compartment and bare frame ready to accept aftermarket body modules ranging from custom cargo delivery to utility body. Transit cutaway is similar to the chassis cab, but with the rear of the passenger compartment open so it can be paired with specialty body modules such as shuttle or school bus bodies.

 

The chassis cab and cutaway will be offered in three wheelbases, 138, 156 or 178 inches, and gross vehicle weight ratings from 9,000 pounds to 10,360 pounds.

 

“No other automaker offers the variety and adaptability that Ford Motor Company brings to our commercial customers,” said Len Deluca, director, Ford Commercial Vehicles. “Transit’s best-in-class capabilities are combined with an extensive nationwide network of commercial upfitters to provide an unparalleled number of body choices to suit almost any job.”

 

Transit chassis cab and cutaway models join the industry’s broadest lineup of commercial chassis, which include E-Series cutaway and stripped chassis, F-Series Super Duty chassis cab, F-650 and F-750 medium-duty chassis cab and F-59 stripped chassis.

 

 

Power of choice

Transit offers a range of fuel-efficient engines, including a standard 3.7-liter V6, the same award-winning 3.5-liter EcoBoost^® engine proven in the Ford F-150, and an all-new 3.2-liter Power Stroke^® Diesel option.

 

Ford will offer the Transit 3.7-liter V6 with a compressed natural gas/liquid propane gas (CNG/LPG) prep kit to assist customers running their vehicles with these abundant, affordable, clean fuels. This 3.7-liter V6 is also engineered for optimal performance with E85 flex- fuel capability.

 

Each fuel-conscious engine is paired with a six-speed automatic transmission for efficient rear-wheel-drive operation.

 

Transit tested tough

The foundation for Transit cutaway and chassis cab variants is an innovative uni-ladder structure that combines the cab with a durable girder frame. The fully welded platform underpins 100 percent of the cab area, with frame rails reaching from the front to the rear bumper mounts.

 

Extensive use of high-strength steel in the frame, delivering up to 50,700 psi of rigidity, helps shoulder heavy loads while high-strength boron steel in the cab structure helps improve safety.

 

To increase adaptability, the high-strength steel uni-ladder frame can be extended with support plates, allowing an upfiltted body to accommodate additional cargo through extended length.

 

This extra-length body support is the result of the Ford Transit development team listening closely to fleet customer needs, responding with thoughtful engineering features that make the versatile Transit platform even more adaptable.

 

Transit cutaway and chassis cab models can be specified with a factory-installed towing package including hitch and lighting connections, as well as a prewire package for upfitted body lighting.

 

The cab area and uni-ladder frame rails of cutaway and chassis cab Transit models have been reinforced with boron to add strength and save weight, before treatment with advanced anti-corrosion coatings for maximum durability.

 

The all-new Ford Transit has been tested to the same standards as the legendary E-Series commercial vehicles at Ford’s proving grounds and in the hands of real-world fleet customers in North America.

Ford Motor Company Sales Up 9 Percent, Best February In Six Years; Fusion, Escape Set Sales Records

• Ford Motor Company U.S. February sales up 9 percent – best February in six years, with cars up 6 percent, utilities up 21 percent and trucks up 4 percent
• • Fusion sets an all-time February sales record, surpasses last year’s record by 28 percent
  • Escape produces its best February sales ever; Explorer reaches best February sales since 2006, up 59 percent
  • America’s best-selling pickup for 36 years running, F-Series posts 15 percent gain
  • Ford announces 2013 second-quarter production of 800,000 vehicles, up 9 percent from the prior year

DEARBORN, Mich., March 1, 2013 – Ford Motor Company’s U.S. February sales grew
9 percent with 195,822 vehicles sold. This marks Ford’s best February sales in six years – with cars up 6 percent, utilities up 21 percent and trucks up 4 percent.

“As more new vehicle buyers continue returning to the marketplace, our fresh new product portfolio of fuel-efficient vehicles is winning over customers,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S.
Marketing, Sales and Service. “People are buying our all-new Fusion and Escape in record numbers, thanks to strong fuel economy and innovative new technologies.”

Ford Fusion posted record February sales totaling 27,875 vehicles. This is a 28 percent gain over last February’s record.

Escape followed January’s record sales with a new February sales record of 24,110 vehicles – a 29 percent increase over last year. Plus, Explorer boosted its sales 59 percent in February, with 16,586 vehicles sold – its best February sales results in seven years.

America’s best-selling pickup, the Ford F-Series, sold 54,489 pickups in February, a 15 percent increase over last year. F-Series had its best February sales results since 2007. This marks F-Series’ 19th consecutive month of monthly sales increases. Transit Connect also continues to strengthen, selling 3,610 vehicles in February – a 57 percent increase over last year.

Ford also announced its 2013 second-quarter North American production plan. The company plans to build 800,000 vehicles in the second quarter, up 9 percent (63,000 vehicles) from 2012’s second quarter. First quarter production of 770,000 vehicles is unchanged from previous guidance.

My Ford Magazine - Shelby GT500 on the Autobahn

THE 2013 Shelby GT500 arrives in the Rhine Valley with a mission to master the autobahn.

Ford's Global Waste Reduction Program

Cutting waste-to-landfill at Ford's Van Dyke Transmission Plant has always been important to workers there, but they weren't satisfied until last fall, when a small, diligent local committee played a major role in solving a nagging 10-ton problem.

2012 F-650 Dump Truck at 2013 NADA/ATD Show

Ford Motor Co.'s Medium Duty Brand Manager Todd Kaufman shows off a 2012 F-650 dump truck at the 2013 NADA/ATD show.

Unique Ad Campaign for Ford C-MAX Hybrids Gains Traction with New Customers

• Preliminary Nielsen data from 2012 ad campaign indicate initial advertising efforts for Ford C-MAX hybrids have resonated well with consumers 
• Campaign continues building on launch momentum of Ford’s five electrified vehicles with new TV spots and appearances, print ads and billboards along with fresh digital, social and direct mail components 
• C-MAX Hybrid is featured in the new ABC reality cooking show “The Taste,” and will be a key part of challenges on the March 8 episode. The overall winner, to be announced March 12, will be awarded a C-MAX Hybrid 
• C-MAX hybrids are drawing new customers to the Ford brand, with conquest rates remaining above 60 percent since vehicle launch last fall, and one-third of sales transacting in the Midwest

DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 27, 2013 – Ford’s new C-MAX hybrids are gaining momentum with new customers and are luring more Toyota hybrid owners out of their cars and into Ford’s new hybrids.

Some of that momentum is coming from the unique advertising campaign for C-MAX Hybrid, which launched last fall as the vehicle hit showrooms, helping the C-MAX Hybrid become the fastest-selling hybrid ever at launch.

Preliminary Nielsen data show the “La Linea” ad campaign for C-MAX hybrids is resonating well with consumers. Initial results show the campaign’s message communication, brand communication and purchase consideration are significantly higher than the norm – helping Ford to continue building awareness for this all-new nameplate.

“We had a strong launch and are pleased with the overall reception of the C-MAX launch campaign,” said C.J. O’Donnell, marketing and strategy manager, Ford Electrified Vehicles. “But this is just a start; we intend to take a much larger share of the hybrid market.”

As part of a plan to increase awareness and build on the momentum of the successful 2012 launch, Ford will continue C-MAX’s unique advertising campaign in 2013 – from billboards, gas pump screens, TV spots and movie theater screens to “American Idol.”

The next wave of the campaign starts where the first phase left off, with two new TV spots featuring the main character from the animated series “La Linea” who acts out playful poetry read by the narrator and designed to showcase the many features of Ford C-MAX.

C-MAX will also pop up on various other TV shows, including the new ABC reality cooking show “The Taste.”

And details are being finalized for C-MAX Hybrid to once again hit the road as part of the Go Further Tour and Green Festivals relationship that, in 2012, gave more than 16,000 people around the U.S. a chance to test drive and experience – most for the first time ever – an electrified vehicle.

The goal is to get Ford hybrid vehicles in front of as many people as possible and ultimately, to continue building market share – Ford’s share of the hybrid market grew nearly 9 percentage points between December 2011 and December 2012, while Toyota’s share dropped 8 points.

Additionally, initial sales data show C-MAX hybrids are bringing new customers to the Ford brand, with conquest rates remaining above 60 percent since launch; Toyota Prius and Honda CR-V hold the top competitive trade-in spots. One-third of all C-MAX sales take place in the Midwest (Great Lakes and Central regions), an area where hybrid sales have historically been lower.

The C-MAX Hybrid ad campaign launched in October – the first full month C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi were at dealerships – and consisted of TV commercials, an online series of webisodes called “Hybrid Games,” and experiential elements through the Go Further Tour and Green Festivals relationship.

The main character from the animated “La Linea” series popularized in the U.S. in the late 1970s and ’80s stars in the TV spots. In the ads, the character is put into troubling situations involving his car that can only be solved through the comfort and convenience of a Ford C-MAX. However, Ford takes on C-MAX competition even more playfully. For example, in one spot that highlights the greater horsepower of C-MAX versus the competition, the narrator quotes C-MAX as saying, “Wheeee!”

The unique campaign’s digital components are also gaining traction among viewers.

Internal Ford data show webisodes of “Hybrid Games” performing well beyond original projections. As of Dec. 31, these webisodes were viewed nearly 417,000 times via Ford.com – double the goal.

C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi are two of five electrified vehicles Ford has launched in the last 18 months. The others are Focus Electric, Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid.

C-MAX Hybrid and Fusion Hybrid are available at dealers nationwide and by spring, Focus Electric, C-MAX Energi and Fusion Energi will be available at more than 900 EV Certified Ford dealers across the country. The EV Certified dealers represent about one-third of U.S. Ford dealers.