Ford E-News - May 12, 2010

Fiesta debuts as technology platform

A car that tweets its thoughts while driving? Yeah, Ford has one of those: @AJtheFiesta will tweet updates as part of a team of Ford engineers and University of Michigan students embarking on the first social media-connected road trip from Ann Arbor, Mich., to Maker Faire in San Mateo, Calif. The trip marks the conclusion of the American Journey 2.0 research project engaging students and Ford's Research & Advanced Engineering group to create auto-centric cloud-based apps. Stops at three major universities will help build buzz about Ford vehicles while showing the company is a leader in bringing together the automobile and the Internet. more...

Alan Hall | ahall32@ford.com | 313.594.3744

Ford leads industry in collision insurance cost ratings

Ford is working to reduce insurance costs for consumers to both lower repair costs when needed and help drive down premiums. The result: NHTSA reports the company had 10 vehicles that led their segments in lowest costs during the 2007 to 2009 model years. They include the Ford Focus, Taurus and F-150. To boot, nearly one third of Ford vehicles finished in the top three in their segment - better than any other automaker. more...

Wes Sherwood | wsherwoo@ford.com | 313.390.5660

Ford drives green with sustainable printing

In the past year alone Ford has reduced its use of paper made exclusively from virgin sources by 6,000 tons - the equivalent of a loaded freight train with two locomotives and 100 cars. Ford has done this by increasingly using paper from recycled content for all high-volume, consumer and employee printing projects including the annual report and proxy statements. Starting this year, approximately 2.2 million owner's manuals are being printed on paper containing at least 10 percent post-consumer recycled fiber and certified by the Forest Stewardship Council. more...

Dan Pierce | dpierc41@ford.com | 313.390.0949

Ford families know their vehicles - by name

Ford owners know their cars and trucks are more than transportation - they're family, and they deserve names that honor them as such. Good, solid names, like Marilyn, Myrtle and Big Bertha. Even memorable ones, like Oscar, Grover and Mr. T. A recent Ford Facebook fan page poll garnered 700 responses from Ford owners showing just what names they've bestowed on their vehicles over the years. The complete list can be found at http://bit.ly/FordNames. more...

Scott Monty | smonty@ford.com | 313.337.5466

Ford Freedom Awards honor John H. Johnson, Usher

Carrying on a tradition of 12 years, the Ford Freedom Awards are honoring two of the nation's most influential African American entrepreneurs - John H. Johnson and Usher. Johnson, founder and publisher of Johnson Publishing, which publishes "Jet" and "Ebony" magazines, is receiving the Ford Freedom Award posthumously; Usher, chairman and founder of Usher's New Look Foundation, has been named Ford Freedom Award Scholar. more...

Della Dipietro | ddipietr@ford.com | 313.755.2432

Ford Spain plant to build hybrid electric models for Europe

When the hybrid electric vehicle (HEV) and plug-in hybrid electric vehicle (PHEV) versions of the all-new Ford C-MAX launch in Europe in 2013, they'll be coming from the Valencia plant in Spain. As the first hybrid vehicles for European customers, the HEV and PHEV are key to Ford's commitment to delivering alternative powertrain vehicles globally. Valencia is also building the all-new gasoline version of the five-seat C-MAX and seven-seat Grand C-MAX, which launch later this year. A version of the Grand C-MAX will be exported to North America beginning in 2011. more...

Mark Schirmer | mschirme@ford.com | 313.390.8647