LA Auto Show: FORD OFFERS PROOF OF ITS CALIFORNIA THINKING
LOS ANGELES, Jan. 2, 2003 – Ford Motor Company today offered powerful proof of its product-led revitalization with the introduction of several new made-for-California vehicles at the 2003 Los Angeles Auto Show.
Ford Motor Company, California’s corporate sales leader for six consecutive years, is showcasing an all-new Focus PZEV production model plus new concept cars – a Supercharged Ford Thunderbird roadster concept and a visionary three-door runabout concept called Faction.
Stars from the latest James Bond film, Die Another Day, also play a prominent role. The Aston Martin Vanquish V-12, the limited-edition “007” Ford Thunderbird and Jaguar XKR are under the spotlights on Ford’s stand at the Los Angeles Convention Center
“Ford Division has been California’s sales leader for 19 years because we offer consumers more of what they want from an automotive company,” says Steve Lyons, president of Ford Division.
California Market
Ford is poised to celebrate its 20th year of sales leadership in the Golden State. According to the R.L. Polk Co., from January to October 2002, Californians have registered 287,063 Ford vehicles, 27,121 more than its nearest competitor.
Furthermore, Ford leads the state with the best-selling vehicle, the F-Series truck, and with four of the top trucks and three of the top ten cars. F-Series posted 74,601 registrations and Explorer, the state’s best-selling SUV, had 38,411, making them respective segment leaders. Expedition and Ranger also make the top ten-truck list, with 22,808 and 21,964 registrations each.
Not to be outdone, Focus, Taurus and Mustang lead Ford’s efforts in the top 10 list of cars. Focus and Taurus have almost identical numbers with 24,777 and 24,119 respective registrations, while Mustang has 21,968 to lead its segment.
No-sacrifices Power: Focus PZEV
The 2003 Ford Focus PZEV (partial zero emissions vehicle), introduced today at the 2003 Los Angeles Auto Show, is a rare find. It meets California’s stringent partial zero emissions standard without requiring performance, fun-to-drive or economical sacrifices on the part of its owners.
The Focus PZEV is powered by an all-new 2.3-liter I-4 engine generating 148 horsepower and 152 foot-pounds of torque. This PZEV powertrain will become the standard engine powering all California, New York, Vermont and Massachusetts Focus models beginning later in the first quarter. A year later, the all-new 2.3-liter I-4 engine will be introduced in all non-SVT Ford Focus models in the U.S.
“The new Focus PZEV is a technological breakthrough that delivers real-world environmental benefits without a single compromise for its owners,” says Dave Szczupak, Ford Motor Company vice president, Powertrain Operations. “This super-efficient engine meets California’s stringent partial zero emissions standard while delivering lively performance from a larger-displacement powertrain with enhanced torque.”
The 2.3-liter Focus PZEV is designed to provide dependable performance and high levels of driving quality throughout its service life. The objective of the Focus powertrain team was to give customers more of what they want – performance, drivability and smoothness – with reduced fuel costs, lower emissions and minimal maintenance requirements.
Supercharged Thunderbird Packs Power & Presence
The Supercharged Thunderbird concept, a performance-tuned version of Ford’s iconic roadster, makes its debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Influenced by the newly formed Ford Performance Group (FPG), it is a possible future addition to Ford’s Living Legends line of automobiles.
The supercharged Ford Thunderbird concept is powered by a 3.9-liter 390 horsepower supercharged V-8 engine. It was designed to gauge consumer interest in a performance-tuned version of Ford’s iconic two-seat sports roadster. The Supercharged Thunderbird concept was a joint development of Ford’s Living Legends Design Studio and the FPG as a potential addition to FPG’s future product portfolio.
“The Supercharged Ford Thunderbird concept combines America’s ultimate dream car with an enthusiast’s ultimate dream engine under the hood,” says Mike Zevalkink, Ford Motor Company executive director, Ford Performance Group. “Thunderbird offered us an excellent basis to leverage product excitement even further with our performance expertise.”
Ford’s Supercharged Thunderbird concept is joined on the company’s 2003 LA Auto Show display by two other customized Thunderbird cars. The Thunderbird Chip Foose edition, first shown at the 2002 SEMA Show, features a “cut-down” speedster windscreen, custom interior and other major restyling modifications. The Thunderbird Roy Brizio edition, also shown at the 2002 SEMA Show, includes unique front, side and rear styling enhancements in a dark green metallic paint color.
With 390 horsepower on tap, the Ford Thunderbird 3.9-liter supercharged V-8 engine transforms the vehicle’s character from a grand touring car into a fire-breathing, sports roadster. The supercharger setup offers peak horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 390 foot pounds of peak torque at 3,500 rpm, giving the Thunderbird concept car impressive power and acceleration capabilities.
An SUV For Urban Lifestyles
The Ford Faction concept, making its world debut at the 2003 Los Angeles Auto Show, is a tough, yet fashionable three-door SUV with all-wheel drive, novel utility and multimedia features, plus a refined interior for American urbanites who know and appreciate European-influenced materials.
This is a concept vehicle with the honest, genuine appearance of a Ford, specifically created for people who live in the middle of the action – hence the name Faction. It’s for city drivers who haul friends and gear, and who need to maneuver quickly through crowded streets. When parking becomes a precision sport, the Faction concept can be squeezed into tight spots with the help of City Eye, a camera system that provides a view of directly behind the vehicle.
As the first automotive design from Ford’s new Ingeni studio in London, the Faction concept shows what happens when people living in the heart of the a crowded, urban landscape set out to create a car to suit their lifestyle.
“The Faction is designed for – and by – the lifestyle generation,” says Kris Tomasson, chief designer at Ingeni. “These are people with active, diverse lives who want a vehicle that’s functional, nimble and stylized.”
The interior layout follows the philosophy of uncluttered, functional simplicity. The whole rear section of the roof is a glass panel, which gives a feeling of openness to the inside. When more cargo room is needed, the rear bench seat can be lowered with a single-switch retraction system. Additional functionality comes from a unique storage tray that slides in and out of the cargo area and can be used right-side up or up-side down, depending on package and luggage needs.
Although Faction concept drivers rarely venture off the paved streets of their urban environment, they have the capability to visit more rugged terrain should they desire. The vehicle has a permanent all-wheel-drive system, with traction and braking control and disc brakes on all four wheels, providing enhanced capability for wet or snowy road conditions.
Faction concept has been engineered for a responsive driving experience. It borrows its Duratec ST engine from the European Focus ST170, an uprated version of the standard 2.0-liter Focus powerplant that delivers 167 horsepower and 143 foot-pounds of torque.
A Chance to Spy the “Bond Cars”
Ford is showing the car stars of the latest James Bond film, Die Another Day, at the Los Angeles Show. The Aston Martin Vanquish V-12, limited-edition “007” Ford Thunderbird and Jaguar XKR were driven by the movie’s stars, Pierce Brosnan and Halle Berry.
“Not only are we excited to give California consumers a chance to see these special cars, but we’re thrilled that they can actually go out and purchase production vehicles like these from their local dealerships, without the Gatling guns and rockets, of course,” says Jan Valentic, vice president, Global Marketing, Ford Motor Company. “We are producing 700 units of the limited-edition ‘007’ Ford Thunderbird, and are in the process of launching the new 2003 Jaguar XKR. The Aston Martin V-12 Vanquish is available to customers, although apparently there are enough real-life James Bond types to fill an 18-month waiting list.”
The Aston Martin V-12 Vanquish in the film is equipped with 9mm machine guns, five heat-seeking missiles, two shotguns and an ejector seat. The V-12 Vanquish is the most advanced car Aston Martin has ever made, due to the way it is engineered and the materials selected. Aston Martin used a special bonded aluminum in combination with carbon fiber, and the car is hand-assembled akin to a light aircraft manufacturing system. Vanquish is powered by a 5.9-liter V-12 engine, offering 460 horsepower and maximum speed in excess of 190 mph. The car can go from 0-60 miles per hour in 4.5 seconds, or 0-100 mph in less than 10 seconds. Gear changes can happen in less than a blink of the eye – as the car uses fingertip-controlled Formula 1 style paddles, which enable almost imperceptible gear changes to be completed in less than 250 milliseconds.
The Jaguar XKR, featuring special vehicle modifications for the film, is a 400-horsepower convertible equipped with a Gatling gun centered behind the driver and passenger seats, missiles emerging from the front grille, concealed door-mounted rocket launchers and a trunk full of mortar bombs. The car’s unique color is the same as the current Jaguar Racing Formula 1 racing car.
The limited-edition “007” Ford Thunderbird has a distinctive Coral paint scheme and a unique white leather interior to match the car driven by Berry. The Coral paint – similar to the Sunset Coral hue offered on the 1956 Thunderbird – also matches the bikini Berry wears in her role as Jinx.
Like all 2003 Thunderbird cars, the “007” edition also will feature a number of performance enhancements, including:
New variable intake camshaft timing for the 3.9-liter DOHC V-8, which helps boost horsepower from 252 to 280 while simultaneously improving fuel economy. Electronic throttle control for improved powertrain response and refinement. A SelectShift Automatic™ five-speed transmission that can be shifted like a manual transmission but without a clutch.