Ford E-News - Feb. 17, 2010
DEARBORN, Mich., Feb. 17, 2010 -- Ford dealers go green
Ford's commitment to sustainability is expanding to its dealers with a new Go Green Dealership Sustainability Program. By collaborating with dealers to implement cost-effective ways to improve the energy efficiency of their facilities, Ford will see a long-term reduction in its carbon footprint and operating costs at dealerships. Ford also has partnered with Rocky Mountain Institute, a leading energy-efficiency organization to pilot new technologies and design principles at three dealerships in diverse climates. more...
Steve Kinkade | skinkade@ford.com | 313.248.1051 Reserving your Fiesta? Join the ranks of 6,000 eager customers
While the new Ford Fiesta is still a few months away from landing in dealer showrooms, more than 6,000 customers know they'll have a Fiesta waiting for them thanks to the Fiesta Reservations program, which is now open. The program lets customers build, price and reserve a Fiesta, all while receiving a VIP experience in conjunction with their dealers. Fiesta reservations have come from all 50 states, with 51 percent coming from non-Ford customers. more...
Angie Kozleski | akozlesk@ford.com | 313.323.1984 Road trippin' with Fiesta and 'If I Can Dream'
Three Ford Fiestas and five young people are touring the country to promote Simon Fuller's new reality show "If I Can Dream," which follows these artists as they move to the Hollywood Hills looking to make their big break. Fiesta is the "sixth" bedroom on the show, serving as the artists' primary way of transportation. It's also outfitted with three cameras so the artists can talk about their experiences in this new genre of programming that will stream live 24/7. The "If I Can Dream" tour is visiting cities nationwide through Feb. 25. more...
Angie Kozleski | akozlesk@ford.com | 313.323.1984 Transit Connect comes to life on the big screen
The Ford Transit Connect joins an all-star cast in the New Line Cinema film "Valentine's Day," in theaters nationwide. The Transit Connect serves as a floral delivery truck for one of the movie's main characters - an important role since the delivery of flowers is one of the threads that ties all of the characters together. Ford's new compact van is perfect for the part because it's designed to meet the needs of small businesses. Florists throughout the country are replacing larger cargo vans with the versatile Transit Connect, which offers better fuel economy, greater maneuverability and added height in the cargo area. more...
Anne Marie Gattari | agattari@ford.com | 313.323.7809 Ford makes the cut in kbb.com's 'Top 10 Family Cars for 2010'
If you're in the market for a family car, look no further. The editors of Kelley Blue Book's kbb.com announced their picks for the "Top 10 Family Cars for 2010" and three Ford vehicles made the list - the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, Taurus and Flex. The vehicles were chosen based on such factors as resale value, fuel efficiency, capability and kid-friendliness. And while the kbb.com editors were impressed with all three Ford vehicles, they said if they had to choose an overall winner, the Flex would likely get the nod because it has distinctive styling and all the comfort and convenience features required to meet the needs of today's active families. more...
Marisa Bradley | mbradl31@ford.com | 313.845.3971 Ford Flex and style go hand-in-hand, according to GQ magazine
GQ magazine knows a thing or two about style and it isn't limited to bespoke suits. The magazine's Web site recently listed "The Most Stylish Cars of the Past 50 Years." Among the honored are a number of exotic sports cars and high-end European coupes, but here you'll also find the Ford Flex. Here's what GQ says about Ford's full-size crossover: "Instead of the faux-sporty, swoopy lines that so many cars this size have adopted as if to say 'I'm not a minivan!,' the Flex is unabashedly boxy, its most outstanding feature being the four horizontal grooves on the doors. Like the Ford Woody that those lines evoke, the Flex is comfortable being what it is - the most stylishly square people-mover on the road today." Check out the article here.
Jay Ward | jward35@ford.com | 313.845.2387 Ford gives back, donates 242 acres of wetlands
Ford is continuing to take steps to preserve the environment, and the company's latest move will help protect wetlands and the wildlife that live there. Ford and Automotive Component Holdings have donated the Ford Marsh coastal wetlands in Michigan's Monroe County to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, adding 242 acres to the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge. The Ford Marsh is an important flyway for thousands of migrating birds, a habitat for bald eagles and a wide variety of mammals, and is home to significant beds of the American Lotus, official symbol of Michigan's clean waterways. more...
Della DiPietro | ddipietr@ford.com | 313.755.2432 Ford Marketing acting globally, thinking locally
As Ford moves to launch several new products around the world - like the next-generation Focus unveiled last month at the North American International Auto Show - the company's global Marketing department is adopting new systems and best practices to help it operate more globally. To improve efficiencies, Ford is now working with North Plains Systems, a leading provider of digital asset management software to help manage, share and distribute digital media files among its worldwide marketing teams and agencies. The new system enables local Ford marketing teams around the world to securely share assets and promote collaboration, which is critical to any new product launch. ONE Ford, indeed.
Mark Schirmer | mschirme@ford.com | 313.354.4962 About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company , a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 198,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.
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