Ford Sees Sales Growth in Critical ‘Super Segment’ Vehicles

• Small cars, small utility vehicles and midsize sedans represent Ford’s plan for growth in the United States

• Two-thirds of all customers first shop Ford Escape and Fusion when they begin looking at vehicles

• Since 2009, 38 percent of Ford’s growth has come from vehicles in the “super segment,” which includes Fiesta, Focus, Fusion and Escape

• Super segment is half of new vehicle sales nationwide, compared to 35 percent in 2004

DEARBORN, Mich., March 22, 2013 – Call it the battle for the “super segment.”

 

Ford’s plan for growth in the United States is centered around four key vehicle segments: subcompact, compact cars, small utility vehicles and midsize sedans – together, what Ford calls the super segment.

 

These four vehicle segments, taken as a whole, represent just over 50 percent of total new vehicle sales in the U.S. As recently as 2004, super segment sales were only 35 percent of the market. Ford expects more growth in the super segment, as baby boomers continue to downsize their vehicle purchases and first-time millennial buyers enter the market. Combined, baby boomers and millennials account for more than 160 million people in the U.S.

 

Two of the four groups in the super segment are of particular interest – small utilities and sedans. Two-thirds of all buyers shop the Escape and Fusion when they first come into a Ford dealership.

 

“The super segment is where Ford plans to grow in North America,” said Amy Marentic, group marketing manager, Global Small and Medium Cars. “Escape and Fusion have gotten off to very strong starts since being all-new last year, and we expect continued strong interest in both.

 

“We’re encouraged that we have very new products across the lineup,” she added, “two of which – Focus and Fiesta – are best-selling vehicles worldwide.”

 

Combined sales of Escape and Fusion totaled 51,985 vehicles in February 2013, edging out combined sales for Toyota Camry and RAV4 (44,599 sales) and Honda Accord and CR-V (48,667 sales). Escape has been the best-selling small utility in the U.S. for the past two months.

 

By heavily reinvesting in the car portfolio since the middle of the last decade, Ford has been able to build market share. From January through September of last year, Focus was the best-selling vehicle in the world (end-of-year data from all regions have not yet been reported), while Fiesta was No. 5 in global sales and the best-selling subcompact car in the world.

 

The combination of the newest lineup of super segment vehicles and increasingly competitive, fuel-efficient passenger cars is working: Ford’s brand share of the super segment is running at a record 12.7 percent through the first two months of the year, more than double its share in 2005. From 2005 to 2012, Ford brand sales in the super segment were up 123 percent.  

 

Retail sales of Ford’s super segment vehicles nationwide are up 33 percent in the first two months of 2013, with strongest growth coming from the West, up 56 percent, and the Southeast, which reported a 38 percent increase.

 

Conquest sales are another indicator of success. Defined as the percentage of owners leaving another brand for Ford, conquest rates range from 54 percent on Focus, 52 percent on Escape and 51 percent on Fusion, all the way up to 63 percent on Fiesta and 67 percent for Fusion Hybrid. More than half of Ford sales in these four segments are conquest sales.

 

Ford also is outpacing overall industry growth in hybrids, which is included in the super segment. Last month, Ford’s hybrid and EV sales captured 17 percent of the segment, up from 5 percent in February 2012.

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Ford’s small cars are helping the company grow as well. Year-to-date Fiesta retail sales are up 24 percent from a year ago while Focus is up 3 percent. Year-to-date retail sales of Fiesta, Focus and C-MAX in California, the biggest small car state in the country, are up 43 percent this year, in addition to a stellar 54 percent sales increase last year.

Teen Driving Deaths on the Rise; Parents Can Help Reverse Trend

• Parents play a key role in teens’ decisions on safe driving. Research for Ford’s Driving Skills for Life program (DSFL) shows teens tend to emulate how their parents drive.

• Traffic fatalities are the leading cause of death for American teens. There were more than 3,000 teen fatalities in 2010, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).

• In 2013, Ford Driving Skills for Life will reach about 200 high schools with its safe driving materials, thanks to Ford Motor Company Fund and the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA).

 DEARBORN, Mich., March 18, 2013 – Traffic fatalities are the leading cause of death for American teens. In recent weeks, a number of crashes involving teen drivers have led to more than a dozen teenagers tragically losing their lives. And a recent report by the Governors Highway Safety Association (GHSA) shows that teen driver fatalities are on the rise among 16-17-year-old drivers.

 

Parents can help reverse that trend. Research done for Ford’s Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) program shows teens tend to emulate how their parents drive. In fact, more than three quarters of teens and tweens surveyed say they rely heavily on their parents’ advice when they start to drive.

 

“By setting a good example behind the wheel, parents can increase the chances their children will adopt safe driving practices,” said Jim Vella, president, Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Services. “While state laws and educational programs are critical, ultimately, parents are the most critical component to keep their teen drivers safe.”

 

Tips for parents

Experts from Ford Driving Skills for Life have tips on what parents can do to help their teens be better drivers:

• Engage in the driving process – As teens get closer to earning/acquiring their learner’s permit, parents should actively engage with them about driving. Talk about safe driving behaviors, practice with them, seek educational opportunities, and be clear that unsafe actions won’t be tolerated.
• Buckle up – It’s the law, and if parents don’t wear their seat belts, their teen is more likely to do the same. In a crash, a person not buckled up is much more likely to be injured or killed than someone wearing a seat belt.
• Never speed – Research done for Ford Driving Skills for Life shows that if parents speed, their teens are more likely to do the same. Excessive speed continues to be a factor in about one third of all traffic deaths nationally.
• Don’t drive distracted – By setting a tough “no distractions” rule for their teens and modeling this same behavior, parents send the message that distracted driving will not be tolerated.
• Don’t follow too closely – Parents should keep the proper distance from the car in front of them. Rear end collisions are common and preventable.
• Always scan ahead for hazards– Parents should remind their teens to be aware of what is going on around them by scanning to the right and left as they drive
• Limit the number of passengers – Research shows young drivers can easily be distracted by just one additional passenger – increasing the risk of a crash exponentially. Many graduated driver’s license programs restrict the number of passengers as a condition of issuing an early license or permit; parents should enforce those restrictions.
• Never drink and drive – Parents should remind teens that drinking and driving will not be tolerated.

Ford Driving Skills for Life

In 2013, Ford DSFL is doubling the number of students it reaches with its hands on driving programs to 40,000. This includes visits to at least 40 high schools in Arizona, California, Illinois, Michigan, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia with an array of activities focused on common driving challenges faced by teen drivers. Teens will be able to experience real-world driving situations in a controlled environment using specially equipped vehicles. The hands-on clinics offer professional drivers and activities that build skills in five key areas: driver distraction, speed management, space management, vehicle handling and hazard recognition.

 

In addition to the hands-on clinics, Ford Driving Skills for Life will reach an additional 150 high schools with its safe driving materials, Web-based learning, partnerships with state highway safety agencies, fun contests and free educational materials for parents and teachers.

 

You can find more information online at DrivingSkillsForLife.com.

New Ford Fusion Minimizes Pollen and ‘Touch’ Allergens

• Ford has begun requiring that more than 100 materials and components meet stringent standards to minimize potential allergy issues on the new Fusion and other Ford vehicles

• Engineers avoid materials such as latex, chrome and nickel – a metal 10 percent of Americans are allergic to – that can cause allergic reactions

• Similar to a furnace filter in a house, cabin air filters in the 2013 Fusion and other new Ford vehicles prevent airborne particles such as dust, spores, fungus and pollen from entering the vehicle

• More than half of all Americans test positive to one or more allergens

 

DEARBORN, Mich., March 19, 2013 – As spring arrives and more Americans prepare to face allergies, the new 2013 Ford Fusion can help combat common airborne and touch-based allergens, while monitoring possible irritants in areas where customers are driving or planning to visit.

 

Ford engineers tested more than 100 materials and components on the new Fusion and other Ford vehicles for allergy issues. Engineers avoid – or minimize – materials such as natural latex, hexavalent chromium and nickel, which can produce an allergic reaction in some people.

 

Components requiring allergen testing include common high-touch areas such as the seats, steering wheel, armrests, door handles and shifters.

 

“Allergies affect large numbers of people, so anything we can do to reduce potential allergens inside Ford vehicles we do through rigorous, controlled testing,” said Linda Schmalz, supervisor of Core Material Engineering for Ford.

 

WebMD says more than half of all Americans test positive to one or more allergens. Allergies have been increasing for the past three decades across all age, gender and racial groups, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

 

Ford seeks to reduce the irritation of allergens – associated with seasonal weather and possibly rash-inducing materials – by rigorously testing its vehicles and installing cabin air filters that prevent airborne particles such as dust, spores, fungus and pollen from entering the vehicle.

 

From dust to hexavalent chromium (a chemical sometimes found in dyes, paints and plastics), natural latex to pollen, almost any material or substance can be a potential allergen. Ford testers make sure dyes and formaldehyde are strictly limited to levels that are acceptable even for clothing.

 

Cleanest possible cabin air
Cabin air filters improve driving comfort by reducing particle concentration, improve cleanliness and protect climate control components from particle deposits. These filters also capture soot, smog and tobacco smoke.

 

Because of the seamless way it works, many customers may not realize they have a cabin air filter. In most cases, the filter is accessed through the glove box. Ford dealers change the filters as part of the recommended maintenance for all vehicles.

 

Health and wellness research
In 2011 Ford kicked off a series of research projects for in-car health and wellness-connected services such as medical device connectivity, cloud-based health management services and mobile app integration.

 

In just more than a year, Ford delivered on the initial research with launch of the SYNC AppLink-compatible Allergy Alert app – available on the 2013 Fusion and other new Ford vehicles – and as one of the first steps toward helping drivers take care of themselves and their passengers.

 

With SYNC^® AppLink^™, drivers can quickly access allergy information through the Allergy Alert app. Through the app’s pollen index rating, drivers can request to hear the types of allergen conditions they are likely to encounter that may cause a flare-up in personal allergy symptoms. The app also provides a risk index for asthma, flu/cough/cold and ultraviolet rays.

 

Drivers can access Allergy Alert app information simply by connecting smartphones or tablets to their cars using simple voice commands, while keeping their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

 

The SYNC AppLink-enabled version of Allergy Alert is available for iOS devices and is a free app that can be downloaded from the App Store.

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