Ford

Lincoln MKT Production Confirmed As All-New Three-Row Luxury Crossover To Launch In 2009

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif., Aug. 15, 2008 - Kicking off the weekend marking the celebrated Pebble Beach Concours d'Elegance, Lincoln today confirms it will produce the Lincoln MKT, a premium, three-row luxury crossover based on a the well-received concept vehicle.

Lincoln MKT Concept

Highlights:
* Lincoln continues to expand its portfolio of luxury vehicles with the all-new, three-row Lincoln MKT set to be introduced during calendar year 2009 and redesigned Lincoln MKZ sedan to be shown at 2008 Los Angeles Auto Show

Ford's Family Of Strategic Suppliers

Traverse City, Mich., Aug. 15, 2008 – Ford Motor Company today announced seven new Aligned Business Framework (ABF) suppliers, bringing the total number of companies in the ABF network to 65. Under ABF, Ford and suppliers enter into long-term contracts to strengthen collaboration and drive mutual profitability and technology development.

Highlights:

* Aligned Business Framework members added in the last year include: Dürr, Imagination, Jack Morton Worldwide, Linamar, Microsoft, Neapco and Synovate
* ABF launched in 2005 to strengthen supplier collaboration and develop a sustainable business model for mutual profitability and technology development

"Ford is a leader in safety and fuel economy - not even Toyota or Honda can match the new Escape's safety and fuel efficiency ratings."

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 18, 2008 - The 2009 Ford Escape and 2009 Mercury Mariner compact sport utility vehicles added to Ford's leading number of top-safety-rated vehicles by earning five stars in each of the government's crash-worthiness tests. The results top the Toyota RAV-4 and, with the 2009 Escape's improved fuel efficiency, offer better combined safety and fuel efficiency ratings than the Honda CR-V.

2009 Ford Escape

Highlights:

Brentwood, Essex, August 15, 2008 – The highly-anticipated new James Bond adventure, ‘Quantum of Solace’, will feature a cameo appearance from Ford’s fresh-faced new model, the all-new Ford Ka.

Ford’s cheeky new small car will make its screen debut alongside the film's beautiful but feisty leading lady, Olga Kurylenko. Kurylenko plays Camille, a woman with her own personal mission and who quickly becomes an unlikely ally for Bond.

The 'Quantum of Solace' Ka is unique with metallic gold paint and an exclusive exterior graphics and interior trim combination.

New Team To Bolster Vehicle Connectivity

Traverse City, Mich., Aug. 13, 2008 -- Ford Motor Company expects the quality, fuel efficiency, smart technologies and shared global nature of its upcoming new Focus small car in North America and other derivatives built off a new global C-car platform to deliver a double-digit percentage profit improvement compared with today's North American Focus.

Highlights:
* Ford's upcoming new Focus in North America and other small car derivatives built off a new global C-car platform will deliver a double-digit percentage profit improvement compared with the company's current North American Focus

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 13, 2008 – The Ford Mustang, America’s best-selling sports car for 22 years, has been honored with the 2008 Motorist Choice Award in the Sporty Car segment by car buying information Web site IntelliChoice.com and automotive consulting firm AutoPacific.

2008 Ford Mustang

Highlights:
* The Ford Mustang is the winner of the 2008 Motorist Choice Award, Sporty Car segment. The awards are based on cost of ownership data from IntelliChoice.com and vehicle owner satisfaction information from AutoPacific.

Production of all-new Ford Fiesta small car begins in Cologne, Germany

COLOGNE, Aug. 14, 2008 – Ford Motor Company today began production of the all-new Ford Fiesta, the first in a portfolio of global small cars, at the Cologne Stamping and Assembly plant in Germany.

Highlights:
* Developed from Ford’s global B-car platform, European-designed Fiesta signals heralds
new global small-car era for Ford
* Production of Fiesta for North America will begin in early 2010 at Ford’s Cuautitlan Assembly Plant in Mexico
* More than 5.3 million Fiestas have been produced in Cologne since 1979

Aug. 13, 2008 -- Following are remarks given by Mark Fields, Ford Motor Company's president of The Americas, at "Transcending Turbulence," the Management Briefing Seminar held by the Center for Automotive Research in Traverse City, Mich., on Aug. 13, 2008.

Good morning, everyone. It's always great to be part of the Management Briefing Seminars - and energizing to hear what's top of mind among industry leaders.

I was thinking back to this event and others like it just two years ago:

* The industry was nervous because gas prices were approaching $3 a gallon.
* Second-quarter truck sales represented just 12.7 percent of the industry.
* Customers were just starting to hear a lot more about crossovers.

DEARBORN, Mich., Aug. 13, 2008 – The warranty repair rate for Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles in the United States is now almost 60 percent lower than it was in 2004. The falling repair rate contributed to a $1.2 billion reduction in Ford’s worldwide warranty costs over the past 18 months.

The reason is simple: Ford vehicle quality is improving quickly.

As Ford strives to be best in class in every phase of vehicle development – from design to pre-delivery – internal measures continue to show the company is making significant quality strides. For example, transmission warranty work for 2005 model Ford vehicles with three years in service dropped by more than 50 percent compared with the 2004 model year.

New compact vehicles expected to achieve 800 things gone wrong per 1,000 vehicles in the first 90 days of ownership

Traverse City, Mich., Aug. 11, 2008 -- After climbing to the upper ranks in vehicle quality in the past two years, Ford Motor Company said today it has set an aggressive new target -- best-in-class initial quality for compact cars the company will launch in North America in 2010.

Highlights:
* Ford targets best-in-class initial quality for 2010 Ford Focus and other compact-sized vehicles built off new global C-car platform for the North American market.
* Standardized quality operating system ensures customer-driven quality elements are designed into and built into all vehicles.

DEARBORN, Mich., August 1, 2008 – Ford Motor Company’s redesigned 2008 Focus continues to surprise auto industry watchers and customers alike with strong sales, revenue growth, fuel economy and industry-first technology. While Ford and industry sales experienced a double-digit sales decline in July, Ford Focus sales climbed 16 percent versus a year ago. Year-to-date, Focus sales were up 26 percent, compared with industry-wide small car growth of approximately 9 percent.

2008 Ford Focus

Highlights:
* Focus sales were up 16 percent in July and 26 percent year-to-date.
* Total car sales up 8 percent.

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW, London, 22 July, 2008 – Ford's new range of super frugal ECOnetic models showcased at this year's British International Motor Show is leading the company's bid to cut UK CO2 emissions by over 80,000 tonnes. Independent industry analysis shows that if customers continue their move into lower CO2 and higher mpg Ford models, 83,818 tonnes of CO2 a year would be avoided – equivalent to annual emissions from around 13,000 homes.

2008 Ford Mondeo ECOnetic

Leading eco motoring website, cleangreencars.co.uk, calculated the environmental effect of all Ford buyers switching to the lowest CO2 model in the current range without downsizing.

Ford of Europe's Most Fuel Efficient Model Debuts in London

COLOGNE, 22 July 2008 – Bringing style and new levels of low-CO2 efficiency, Ford of Europe’s most frugal car ever – the new Fiesta ECOnetic – makes its world premiere today at the British International Motor Show in London.

2008 Ford Fiesta ECOnetic (UK)

Highlights:
* Official figures confirmed as combined 3.7l/ 100km (76.3mpg) and 98g/ km CO2
* 1.6-litre, 90 PS Duratorq TDCi with coated Diesel Particulate Filter
* Unique modifications, including improved aerodynamics package and low rolling resistance tyres

Alesha Dixon Reveals All-New Ford Fiesta Zetec S

BRITISH INTERNATIONAL MOTOR SHOW, London, 22 July, 2008 -- : Today Alesha Dixon unveiled the all-new Ford Fiesta Zetec S at the British International Motor Show whilst performing her track ‘Fired Up’ live exclusively for the audience.

2009 Ford Fiesta Zetec S (UK)

Preview of new, 300PS 2009 Ford Focus RS

BRENTWOOD, 18 July, 2008 – The legendary Ford RS performance car brand is back, as a preview of the exciting new 2009 Ford Focus RS heads the star attractions on the Ford stand at the 2008 British International Motor Show.

2009 Ford Focus RS

Highlights:
* UK debut of all-new Ford Fiesta, including new Fiesta Zetec S, with range prices announced
* Premiere of new ultra-low CO2 Fiesta ECOnetic
* Host of other attractions, including live Ford show every day and six metre Ford Ranger climbing wall

In the first six months Ford of Europe sold a record 1,003,700 vehicles in its 51 markets

COLOGNE, July 15, 2008 – Ford of Europe's sales in its main 51 markets rose by almost two per cent to a record 1,003,700 in the first half of this year.

Highlights:
* First half record also for Ford Transit commercial vehicle sales which soared to 99,400 in the Euro 19 markets
* June market share in the Euro 19 markets was at 8.8 per cent, up 0.6 per cent vs the same period last year
* Germany sales increased by 16.9 per cent in June

2008 Ford Kuga (UK)

DEARBORN, Mich., July 15 – The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) announced today that Ford Motor Company once again received one of the highest grades awarded on the Economic Reciprocity Initiative (ERI) automotive industry report card. Results of the study were released at the NAACP's 99th Annual Convention, themed Power, Justice, Freedom & The Vote, at the Duke Energy Center in Cincinnati, OH.

Highlights:
* NAACP votes Ford as one of its top performers on 2008 Economic Reciprocity Initiative report card
* Ford serves as title sponsor of NAACP Convention’s Youth Freedom Fund Dinner for the ninth consecutive year
* Ford sponsors attendees’ tickets to Freedom’s Sisters traveling exhibition at Cincinnati Museum Center

DEARBORN, Mich., July 15, 2008 – Thanks to Ford Motor Company’s sponsorship of the 2008 Kohler International Challenge with Brian Redman at Road America, an official factory racing team from Shelby Automobiles, a wholly owned subsidiary of Carroll Shelby International Inc., (CSBI.PK) will once again roar onto the track. Four authentic Shelby 427 Cobras will compete in the races in Elkhart Lake, Wisc., beginning July 17 through 20, 2008. This is the first factory race initiative from Shelby Autos and Ford Motor Company since 1969.

Highlights:
• Ford’s sponsorship of the 2008 Kohler International Challenge made it possible for the Shelby Automobiles Racing Team to return.

BANGKOK, Thailand, July 8, 2008 - Ford Motor Company is launching its successful "Driving Skills for Life" program this year in select Asia markets, including Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and the Philippines. In cooperation with the Asia Injury Prevention Foundation and government agencies in the four ASEAN countries, the program will teach practical skills and training for safe and fuel-efficient driving.

Driving Skills for Life is a free course that mixes classroom learning and practical training to help increase awareness of driving techniques that save fuel. The training is customized in each participating market to reflect the local driving environment and road conditions.

2009 Ford Focus RS: A Legend Returns

BRENTWOOD, July 4, 2008 – The legendary Ford RS performance car brand is returning in the shape of the exciting new Ford Focus RS, which will be previewed on July 22 at the 2008 London International Motor Show.

2009 Ford Focus RS: A Legend Returns

Highlights:
* Genuine RS performance with 300PS
* Quaife Automatic Torque Biasing limited-slip differential and innovative ‘RevoKnuckle’, for assured handling and traction
* Expressive design exudes high performance intent