Archive for Ford News

Ford EcoBoost Challenge Giveaway

May 8, 2013 Ford, Ford News No comments

Ford EcoBoost Challenge

As people, it is pretty much a universal truth that we all like free stuff. As drivers, you could say the same about fuel efficiency; we all want it.

As a company run by people with the end goal of pleasing drivers, Ford had the keen insight to combine these two wants into an innovative new promotion: the Ford EcoBoost Challenge Giveaway.

You read that correctly – giveaway. Indeed, Ford will be giving away a new 2013 EcoBoost powered car to the lucky winner of the EcoBoost Challenge.

Entering the giveaway is simple. Just visit http://www.fordeventgiveaway.com/ and watch one or all of the ten videos featured on the page. Each time you watch a video, you have the opportunity to enter for a chance to win. So, if you watch all ten videos, you have ten chances to win!

The lucky winner of the EcoBoost Challenge will have all ten EcoBoost powered models to choose from: the Ford Fiesta, Focus, Fusion, Mustang, C-Max, Taurus, Edge, Escape, Explorer, or F-150. Whether the winner wants a sedan, SUV, or truck, the choice is theirs!

Wondering what is so special about an EcoBoost engine? Ford models equipped with this engine deliver the same performance and versatility of the standard engine while securing better fuel economy at the same time. It’s plain to see why the EcoBoost engine is so popular.

You like free stuff and saving money at the pump, right? Head over to http://www.fordeventgiveaway.com/ and start watching the videos to enter the Ford EcoBoost Challenge Giveaway! And if you don’t win, visit Steamboat Motors to see a full inventory of new Ford cars!

Flat Rock Assembly Plant Celebrates One Millionth Ford Mustang

April 25, 2013 Ford Mustang, Ford News No comments

Just last week Ford celebrated a huge accomplishment at their Flat Rock Assembly Plant in Michigan: the one millionth Ford Mustang was built! In addition, the Mustang turned 49 years old the day before. That’s a lot to celebrate.

Ford commemorated the occasion by rolling a ruby red 2014 GT Mustang Convertible off the assembly line as staff members applauded along the sidelines. Since opening in 2004, Flat Rock has pushed out some major Mustang designs, like the Shelby GT500, Boss 302, and many, many more.

Raj Nair, group vice president for global product development, was the one riding shotgun in the one millionth Mustang at Flat Rock. As he puts it, “Mustang is one of the most beloved nameplates in the industry, with fans around the world and throughout Ford Motor Company…The team here at Flat Rock Assembly has built an outstanding reputation for quality while producing one million Mustangs over the last nine years, and we expect that to continue for many years to come.”

Check out this video of the milestone Mustang at Flat Rock:

Ford Mustang Shelby on the Autobahn

March 13, 2013 Ford Mustang, Ford News No comments

Let’s face it: the Ford Mustang Shelby GT500 is one tough car. Making a strong entrance with a V8 engine, 662-horsepower, 631 lb-ft. of torque, and a top speed of more than 200 mph, the Mustang Shelby just oozes speed.

Listening to the grumble of that all-powerful engine, you might wonder why this speed demon has never made it to one of fastest, most exciting roadways out there. Ford wondered that too, which is why they shipped the all-American 2013 Mustang Shelby GT500 to the heart of fast cars and curving roads: the Autobahn.

Check out this video highlighting the Shelby’s run on the famous, German, no-speed-limit roadway:

 

Interested in the 2013 Ford Mustang? Check out our selection!

Ford’s Inventive Measuring Device for the 2013 Ford Escape

July 26, 2012 Ford, Ford Escape, Ford News No comments

The 2013 Ford Escape is redesigned and better than ever. Plus, it offers unique and convenient storage spaces that come in handy for everyday use, like umbrella holders, a card holder, a one-liter bottle cup holder, and a hidden under-the-floor storage bin.

2013 Ford EscapeWhile there is no denying the usefulness of these features, Ford struggled with measuring them to produce cut and dry dimensions. How does one measure a cup holder for example, or an odd-shaped umbrella holder? Well, with some out of the box thinking, they came up with the perfect measuring device: ping pong balls.

You heard that right – ping pong balls. Jackson, a Ford engineer, came up with this nifty measuring tool. His team found that when two people measured a storage compartment with a measuring tape, they often came up with differing results. “But we then did some studies using ping pong balls and found capacities were more consistently measured.” This is because Ford engineers developed a way to accurately measure the cubic space between stacked ping pong balls, thus accounting for their volume.

So when you stop by Steamboat Motors to test drive the 2013 Ford Escape, bring a bag of ping pong balls with you. How else are you going to measure the volume of the glove box?

Ford Celebrates the Unveiling of the 2013 F-150

June 13, 2012 Ford F-150, Ford News No comments

The beginning of June marks the introduction of the updated 2013 Ford F-150.

2013 Ford F-150Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas, states that the new model “demonstrates our (Ford’s) commitment to continuously improving our trucks with new features and capabilities, allowing F-Series owners to be increasingly productive.”

Voice-activated driver controls and a new front-end design are a few examples of the many new features and capabilities the Ford F-150 has to offer.

The 2013 Ford F-150 lineup offers a limited luxury model and the EcoBoost® engine as well as HID projector headlamps, 18- and 20-inch wheels, and exclusive power-telescoping and power-folding trailer-tow side-view mirrors.

Now the only question that remains is: would you like one in Blue Jeans Metallic, Kodiak Brown Metallic, or Ruby Red Clearcoat Metallic?  Happy trucking!

The Ford EcoBoost Engine

May 2, 2012 Ford News No comments

Although advancements in the technology related to hybrid and electronic vehicles are seemingly advancing daily, the vast majority of vehicles worldwide are still gasoline powered.   In order to combat the implications that gas engines have on the environment and the bank account, Ford developed the EcoBoost engine.

The gas-turbo direct-injection EcoBoost engine provides drivers with a 20% improvement in fuel economy and a 15% reduction in CO2 emissions.

One of the simplest ways the EcoBoost engine increases performance is just that it is lighter.  The 2.0-Liter EcoBoost engine weighs 60 lbs. less than a 3.5-liter V6 engine. In fact, most Ford models feature the lightest engines in their segment.

The EcoBoost Engine is also able to increase engine performance through turbo power and direct injection.  Turbo power is able to increase horsepower and torque by using energy from the engine’s exhaust, which would otherwise be wasted, to rotate the turbine wheel. The turbine is paired with a compressor that pressurizes incoming air, which significantly increases the output of the engine. Direct injection delivers fuel precisely for improved efficiency and increased performance.

The Ford EcoBoost engine is available on five Ford models: the 2013 Explorer, 2013 Taurus, 2013 Flex, 2013 Edge, and 2012 F-150. Come to Steamboat Motors to get one of these great models today!

2012 Ford Focus Electric Named Most Fuel-Efficient Five-Passenger Car in America

March 22, 2012 Ford Focus, Ford News No comments

The 2012 Ford Focus Electric was recently named the most fuel-efficient five-passenger vehicle in America. This all new Electric car outlasted the competition, reaching an amazing 110 MPGe city and 99 MPGe highway.

The 2012 Focus Electric joins Ford’s already impressive fleet of fuel-efficient vehicles, including the 2012 Edge EcoBoost, 2012 Explorer EcoBoost, 2013 Fusion Hybrid, and several others. Ford offers drivers one of the largest selections of fuel-efficient vehicles on the market, due mainly to their strategy of transforming existing designs versus attempting to develop fuel-efficient vehicles from the ground up.

2012 Ford Focus Electric

One feature that sets this vehicle apart from the competition is its unique charging system. Not only will the Focus Electric travel farther on a single charge than any competitor (76 miles), it also recharges in just four hours, which is nearly twice as fast as the Nissan Leaf. Ford has also taken steps to reduce charging costs at home.

So congratulations Ford! Their hard work has paid off and earned a prestigious title, coveted by many.

Virtual Reality Simulator Helps Ford Make Driving Safer

March 8, 2012 Ford News No comments

How can an automotive company predict a driver’s behavior? And how can they make the car itself help to prevent driving dangers? The answer for Ford is through their VIRtual Test Track EXperiment simulator, as known as VIRTTEX.

A spherical dome mounted on a hydraulic system, VIRTTEX was recently updated to improve its 360-dgree field of view and high-resolution, digitally projected imaging. Ford developers use this virtual simulator to see how drivers react to other cars, pedestrians, and stationary objects alongside the road.

This kind of information is then used to develop in-car systems that will help prevent collisions and other automotive dangers. This is how Ford’s Lane Keeping and Collision Warning systems were developed.

Ford hopes that VIRTTEX’s updated projectors will help them to make even more improvements to their vehicles in the future. With such state of the art technology, there is no telling what they will come up with next.

Ford Wins its 1st Women’s Business Enterprise Council Award

March 8, 2012 Ford News No comments

Ford’s movement to diversify its supply base has earned the motor company its first Women’s Business Enterprise Council Award.  Ford Motor Company was placed on the 13th annual listing of America’s Top Corporations for Women’s Business Enterprises.

Ford earned this award by utilizing innovative best practices in its company, which have resulted in more business with women-owned enterprises.  In 2011, Ford spent a total of 1.06 billion dollars with these female suppliers, which is an increase from last year’s $866 million.

This increase in business with women-owned businesses allows Ford to expand their portfolio with new innovative technologies.  For example, Dura Automotive System, owned by Lynn Tilton’s Patriarch Partners investment company, supplied Ford with the award-winning heated power rear sliding window for the F-150.

Congratulations to Ford on this great achievement!

Ford Fusion Will Soon Help Drowsy Drivers Stay on the Road

January 5, 2012 Ford Fusion, Ford News No comments

The North American International Auto Show will soon showcase the new Ford Fusion with its innovative safety technology to help keep drivers in their lane while driving.  Ford’s Lane Keeping System will debut on the first mainstream midsize sedan, the Ford Fusion.  This technology will also be offered on the Ford Explorer in 2012.

When turned on by the driver, the Lane Keeping System activates a digital camera mounted on the windshield in front of the rearview mirror.  This digital camera continuously scans the road to detect driver drowsiness and lane departure.  If the camera senses this danger, the system immediately vibrates the steering wheel to alert the driver and steers the car back into its lane.

The Lane Keeping System works at speeds above 40 mph and is showcased with a little green car between two lanes on the instrument cluster.  When driver drowsiness and lane departure is detected the car icon turns red and an audible chime goes off as well.  Also in the instrument cluster is an alert gauge with a steaming cup of coffee.  The closer the indicator gets to the cup of coffee, the more necessary it becomes for the driver to stop the car and rest.

Ford knows the importance of driving safety and is proud to offer features to help make this a reality.

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