Ford Motor Company : Ford eNews – Jan. 4, 2012

Technology on new Fusion keeps drivers between the lines

With many of us driving long distances this time of year, drowsiness can easily creep up when behind the wheel. That's why the all-new Ford Fusion will offer a Lane Keeping System, which uses a digital camera mounted on the windshield to help drivers stay between the lines. Fusion, which will soon debut at the North American International Auto Show, is the first mainstream midsize sedan in North America to offer this technology. Ford Explorer will offer the feature in 2012 as well, and Ford will then roll it out to a wide range of vehicles.

Octavio Navarro  |  [e-mail]  |  313.845.2387

Best year ever for award-winning Ford Fusion

In five short years since introduction, Fusion sales were expected to reach 240,000 by year-end, making 2011 its best-selling year ever and Fusion Ford's best-selling car. Since its first full year of sales in 2006 through 2010, Fusion expanded share of the midsize segment by 5.2 percentage points. In 2006 Fusion had sales of 142,502, 6.7 percent of segment share. By 2010 sales had risen to 219,219, an 11.9 percent share, representing an increase of 54 percent. By comparison, Toyota Camry experienced a 27 percent decline while Honda Accord saw a 20 percent sales drop.

Octavio Navarro  |  [e-mail]  |  313.845.2387

Ford starts 2012 on top with Autobytel awards

Two Ford vehicles have picked up awards from Autobytel, which is dedicated to helping consumers find information they need to purchase cars and connect to dealers online. The best-selling pickup in the U.S. for the last three decades, the 2012 Ford F-150 with EcoBoost™ was unanimously named Autobytel's Truck of the Year. EcoBoost "allows the F-150 to deliver best-in-class towing capabilities without sacrificing fuel economy," editors say. And with its "street-legal dose of V8 adrenaline," the 2012 Ford Mustang Boss 302 galloped its way to Autobytel Sports Car of the Year.

Mike Levine  |  [e-mail]  |  313.323.6854

Water conservation leads Ford's New Year's resolutions

Ford enters 2012 with plans to further reduce the amount of water used to make vehicles and continue showing efficiency is not only inherent in its vehicle lineup, but also in its manufacturing practices. A new goal calls for Ford to cut the amount of water used to make each vehicle 30 percent globally by 2015. Ford is also developing year-over-year efficiency targets as part of its annual environmental business planning process and has established a cross-functional team spanning several divisions to review water usage more holistically.

Dan Pierce  |  [e-mail]  |  313.594.0949

Ford helps ease gas pain

With the Oil Price Information Service reporting 8.4 percent of the average family income is now spent on gasoline, gas expenditures have approached their highest level in 30 years. The last time topping off the tank took this big a bite out of a driver's wallet was 1981, as the country was sliding into recession and home mortgage rates hovered around 16 percent. Ford sees gasoline costs continuing to rise over the long term, so the company's product portfolio offers multiple alternatives to help customers stretch their fuel funds.

Dan Pierce  |  [e-mail]  |  313.594.0949

Say, do these taillights make me look fat?

You know your new Ford Focus is a work of art, right? Now, two young British designers have taken that idea to the next level, creating an elegant Edwardian dress and a show-stopping necklace comprised of parts from a 2012 Ford Focus. As part of the celebration of the 100th anniversary of Ford in Britain, Scottish dress designer Judy Clark, who worked under the late Alexander McQueen, was commissioned to create the dress in one week. English jewelry designer Katherine Hawkins was issued a similar challenge - only use the parts to create a necklace.haute couture that likely will never be duplicated.

Francesca Montini  |  [e-mail]  |  313.845.0508