Green things Ford will do in the next 5 years (and where's my air scoop?)
In the video above, Ford talks about the new "cornerstone" of their green plans, the Ecoboost GTDI engine technology. Three minutes into the video, Ford also lists other things they plan to do in the short term (in the next five years, 2007-2012), to green up their cars. The 10-minute video starts with Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of Global Product Development, explaining that cars are a big contributer to CO2 emissions but not the biggest. Derrick continues by saying Ford thinks the best solution is developing technology that is "affordable" and will be used, not in "hundreds" or "thousands" of cars but in "millions" of cars. So, what are Ford's plans?
Along with Ecoboost, in the next five years, Ford plans to "leverage existing technology" with expanded use of six-speed transmissions and the introduction of a "direct clutch transmission" that will get the "fuel economy of a manual with the shift quality of an automatic." Ford will also increase electric assist steering, battery management, aerodynamics, introduce two hybrids in 2008 (Fusion and Milan) and a F150 diesel. In the mid-term (2012-2020), Ford plans, along with other things, weight reductions and "low volume introduction of plug-in hybrids."
Ecoboost and new transmissions are great but you forgot something, Ford! I wrote a story November about Ford moving in the direction of fuel injection and turbo charging which is essentially the basis of Ecoboost. The story included air intakes, Ford! Where is a Mad Max-like car with a giant air scoop? I think you should just make a concept with an air scoop in order to showcase Ecoboost because it's not a very visible concept. A modern, green muscle car could be your Prius.Related:
[Source: YouTube]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
rar 11:15AM (1/07/2008)
I know there is nothing "green" about it, but I sure like that Challenger in the picture above.
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Lascelles Linton 8:25PM (1/07/2008)
The Challenger is green... kinda :D
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Owain Ozymandias Buck 8:22AM (1/08/2008)
Why is a Challenger in a Ford post? ;)
Now that thing could use some weight reduction. But dang, it does make you respond like a 13 year old kid!
On topic, I can't wait to have more automated manuals. These things should eliminate the small car/automatic trans tragedy of less economy and shit performance.
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Lascelles Linton 10:12AM (1/08/2008)
Owain Ozymandias Buck, I was egging Ford to make a car with a scoop so I put in the Challenger as a kind of taunt :D The link even says I know the Mad Max car was a Ford. Anyway, I personally think Ecoboost would be better as a kind of green-sports-car type of marketing thing. I think the green marketing that really works are ones where you get something great and it just happens to be green. Eco-boost is turbo and fuel injection and I should be able to brag about it like a Hemi... and say, oh, yeah, it's green too.
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stanger_missle 6:03PM (1/08/2008)
The "Mad Max Interceptor" was a 1973 Ford Falcon XB GT Coupe.
http://www.lastinterceptor.com/ReplicaStats/images/black/Rep4.jpg
Lots of replicas in the world now.
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ty 6:53AM (1/11/2008)
Derrick Kuzak is a pariah, offered up as the sacrificial lamb, as it were. This is a joke, right? Please somebody tell me that Ford doesn't really think this way! No wonder Toyota ate their lunch. They are so clueless they don't don't even realize how far out of touch with consumers they are.
You know what your customers want?????? Drag racing a Lincoln MKS?????? Your customers want Transportation that will not break their bank. Henry gave the American consumers affordable transportation. It opened up the country to everyone. That spawned ideas, and made us a mobile society. Some of want to arrive in style, true. Those people are willing to pay for the privilage too. The rest of us just want to get there! Energy costs are taking that away from us. People HATE flying now, and it's NOT cheap. Train travel was murdered. The bus lines have all but comitted suicide. And now we won't be able to afford to fill up our gas tanks. Of course that's assuming there is any gasoline left to buy.
Listen; C A R E F U L L Y --
We, your customers, Want choices. We don't want the same crap you have been shoving our way. The ICE is sick and you better find the cure or your dead. I suggest selling some FULL hybrids, along with some really great high mileage diesel cars. This will treat your flagging bottom. Follow that up with some pure EV's and your cured! To insure future health try some fuel cells or steorn motors, or stirling engines or ....?????
Keep doing what you've been doing, especially for the last 5 years, and you will kill yourself.
People, remember that FORD is a corporate animal. It lives for ONE reason. CASH!
You're well being or the planets be damned.
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