Ford: 2010 line 20-percent more efficient than '05
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid - Click above for high-res image gallery
According to Ford, its 2010 lineup is about 20-percent more fuel efficient than it was in 2005, and that figure is only set to continue rising as the years progress. In fact, by 2015, Ford estimates its product line will be roughly 35-percent more fuel efficient than it was a decade prior. Says Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of Global Product Development:
We are creating a full lineup of Ford vehicles - small, medium and large cars, utilities and trucks - that are best-in-class in fuel efficiency, quality, technology and safety... We are making fuel economy a reason to buy a Ford.
Key to the Blue Oval's efficiency improvement is a heavily revamped powertrain line, featuring Ford's EcoBoost series of engines. Later this year, that line will add a 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost engine to the already available 3.5-liter V6. Future iterations of the EcoBoost engine are expected to add E85 compatibility, which could boost horsepower further or allow Ford to reduce the engine's displacement for better fuel efficiency.
Also in the coming attractions menu are more hybrids and fully electric vehicles, beginning with an electric van in 2010 and the Focus EV in 2011. Click past the break for the official press release.
Gallery: Ford Fusion hybrid
[Source: Ford]
PRESS RELEASE:
Ford's Global Product Plan Delivering Even More Fuel-Efficient, High-Quality Vehicles to Customers
* 2010 model lineup is "freshest" in Ford history -- Among the new and substantially upgraded 2010 model vehicles are:
o All-new 2010 Ford Taurus and Taurus SHO
o 2010 Ford Flex with EcoBoost(TM)
o 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
o 2010 Ford Transit Connect
o 2010 Lincoln MKS with EcoBoost
o 2010 Lincoln MKT and MKT with EcoBoost
o Industry-leading levels of new convenience and safety technologies and features
* Fuel efficiency improves yet again
o Average fuel economy of Ford's vehicle lineup will improve approximately 20 percent through the end of 2010 versus 2005, and the company is on track to improve fuel economy by more than 35 percent by 2015
o Ford's fuel economy improvements are driven by more than 30 new powertrain actions globally through the end of 2010; 22 slated for North American products
o Ford announces a new 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine to go on sale next year
* Ford quality, customer satisfaction now top of the industry
o For the first time, Ford's customer satisfaction equals Toyota, according to a just-released study by the RDA Group
o Also for the first time, Ford has the fewest number of "things gone wrong" in the industry - with initial quality statistically equal to Toyota and better than Honda
* Strong new products are winning new customers
o Ford attracting new buyers; conquest rates climbing - especially for cars
o Ford vehicles post all-time highs in favorable opinion and purchase consideration
o Ford outperforms industry in transaction prices while reducing incentive spending
o Ford vehicle resale values increase, closing the gap with imports
Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F) is delivering its freshest lineup ever for the 2010 model year with a series of new, high-quality, fuel-efficient cars and crossovers and an unprecedented investment in advanced new powertrains.
Ford today is rolling out its entire 2010 model year Ford, Lincoln and Mercury lineup for North America and announcing plans for 30 new powertrain actions globally - 22 in North America alone - by the end of 2010.
"We are creating a full lineup of Ford vehicles - small, medium and large cars, utilities and trucks - that are best-in-class in fuel efficiency, quality, technology and safety and available to consumers with exceptional value," said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. "We are making fuel economy a reason to buy a Ford, and we are distinguishing ourselves as leaders in connectivity and unique consumer-friendly technologies - many of which are appearing in our 2010-model lineup for the first time ever."
The unprecedented number of new vehicle introductions for the 2010 model year includes:
* 2010 Ford Taurus and Taurus SHO
* 2010 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid
* 2010 Ford Mustang and Shelby GT500
* 2010 Ford Flex with EcoBoost
* 2010 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
* 2010 Ford Transit Connect
* 2010 Lincoln MKT and MKT with EcoBoost
* 2010 Lincoln MKZ
* 2010 Lincoln MKS with EcoBoost
* 2010 Mercury Milan and Milan Hybrid
Plus, Ford is delivering vehicles with even greater levels of interior comfort as well as more new convenience and safety technologies than competitors offer - even in premium sedans. These new technologies include:
* New SYNC((R)) applications with Traffic, Directions & Information delivered through customers' Bluetooth-capable mobile phones
* Blind Spot Information System (BLIS((R))), which alerts drivers when obstacles are in their blind spot
* Automatic Park Assist, which guides vehicles into parallel parking spaces, hands-free
Fuel efficiency improves with more new powertrains
Ford also is making an unprecedented investment in new engine, transmission and driveline components, helping the company improve its average U.S. vehicle fuel economy by approximately 20 percent fleet-wide through the end of 2010 versus 2005 - with plans to increase car and truck fuel economy by more than 35 percent by 2015, thanks to powertrain advancements.
Additional improvements include:
* A new 2.0-liter, 4-cylinder EcoBoost engine will go on sale in the 2010 calendar year. It is the first EcoBoost engine to include Twin-Independent Variable Cam Timing (Ti-VCT) and will deliver a 10 to 20 percent fuel economy improvement versus larger-displacement V-6 engines, without compromising performance
* A 6.2-liter V-8 - producing approximately 400 horsepower - first appears in the 2010 F-150 SVT Raptor on sale later this year
* A 3.7-liter V-6 iVCT, producing 274-horsepower, and helping the Lincoln MKT achieve best-in-class fuel economy
* A 3.5-liter EcoBoost V-6 - Ford's first EcoBoost engine, featuring better fuel economy than V-8 competitors - is offered in the Taurus SHO this model year with 365 horsepower and 350 ft.-lb. of torque; EcoBoost engines in Flex, Lincoln MKS and MKT deliver 355 horsepower and 350 ft.-lb. of torque
* A 3.0-liter V-6 iVCT - featuring an industry-first Cam Torque-Actuated Variable Intake Cam Timing system that improves low-end torque and delivers better fuel economy - is available on the Fusion, Milan, Escape and Mariner later this model year
"We are absolutely committed to delivering new products with the best fuel economy in every segment in which we compete - driven in large part by substantial advancements in powertrain technology," said Barb Samardzich, vice president, Ford Global Powertrain Engineering.
In addition to an aggressive electrification strategy - which will result in at least four electrified vehicles on the road in the U.S. by 2012, including full battery electric vehicles, new hybrids and a plug-in hybrid - Ford is improving gasoline engines across all products in high volumes.
The foundation for Ford's plan is its new EcoBoost engine. EcoBoost is a new high-volume, affordable engine technology slated for a range of global vehicles - from small cars to large trucks. It uses gasoline turbocharged direct-injection technology for up to 20 percent better fuel economy, 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions and superior performance versus larger-displacement engines.
EcoBoost is arriving for the 2010 model year on the Ford Flex, Taurus SHO, Lincoln MKS and MKT. By 2012, the company plans to produce 750,000 EcoBoost units annually in the U.S. and 1.3 million globally. By 2013, Ford will offer EcoBoost engines in 90 percent of its product lineup.
For the 2010 model year, Ford also is offering two new hybrids. The Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan Hybrids deliver 41 mpg in the city - 8 mpg better than Toyota Camry Hybrid - making them the most fuel-efficient midsize sedans in America.
Ford quality and customer satisfaction now #1
Customers and third-party experts alike are noticing Ford's product, fuel economy and quality.
For the first time in the 28-year history of the Global Quality Research System (GQRS) study, customer satisfaction with Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles has reached its highest level in North America - and now equals Toyota.
In addition, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles had the lowest number of "things gone wrong" among all automakers - putting Ford in a statistical tie with Toyota for initial quality and ahead of Honda.
"Ford's total focus on quality and customer satisfaction throughout the design and manufacturing process is paying off, and customers are noticing," said Mark Fields, Ford's president, The Americas.
"This is a major milestone, but we are not satisfied," he added. "For Ford, our plan is continuous improvement year after year."
The GQRS study is conducted for Ford on a quarterly basis by Bloomfield Hills, Mich.,-based RDA Group. New vehicle owners are asked to report defects or issues as well as rate satisfaction with vehicle quality on a scale of 1 to 10 across an array of vehicle systems and features.
Strong new products attracting new customers
Internal and external studies show a positive trend in the percentage of consumers with favorable opinions about Ford and growing numbers of consumers who are willing to consider purchasing a Ford product, thanks to improved fuel economy, smart technology and higher residual values.
Among Ford's recent accomplishments in the marketplace:
* Ford's retail market share has improved in the U.S. for eight of the past nine months. Meanwhile, Ford of Canada became the No. 1-selling brand in June, achieving its eighth straight month of market share gains.
* The Ford brand just posted all-time highs in favorable opinion and purchase consideration, based on customer tracking. Favorable opinion of the Ford brand, for example, has risen 17 percent this year alone, with consideration up 13 percent - driven by customer response to new products.
* In the second quarter, Ford average vehicle transaction prices increased at a rate more than double the industry average, reflecting greater customer investments in higher vehicle series and optional features.
* Ford's vehicle residual values are projected to be higher than domestic competitors' and are closing the gap on the imports, according to Automotive Leasing Guide. The improvements mean Ford customers will see greater values at trade-in time.
* Vehicles such as the 2010 Fusion Hybrid are bringing new customers to Ford at unprecedented rates. Approximately 54 percent of Fusion Hybrid buyers did not previously own Fords, and 66 percent of Fusion Hybrid owners are coming out of foreign vehicles. Similarly, Ford Flex is drawing nearly 50 percent new buyers to the Blue Oval, more than one-fifth of them from imports.
* The Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands all showed significant improvement in the 2009 J.D. Power APEAL study, which measures customer satisfaction in design, content and vehicle performance. The Ford F-150 and Flex were singled out for awards in their segments.
* Merrill Lynch's closely watched "Car Wars" study concluded that Ford is expected to have the highest vehicle replacement rate among full-line manufacturers between the 2010 and 2013 model years. Ford's average product freshness is expected to improve substantially - particularly compared to rivals - positioning the company to win even more new customers.
"Customers are recognizing that Ford is delivering exceptional quality, fuel efficiency, smart technology and better value," said Fields. "We're delighted to see more and more new customers putting their trust in Ford and encouraging others to do the same."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
Bip-D-Bo 11:22AM (7/21/2009)
All of this without government bailouts. I'm the proud owner of 2 Fords. Henry Ford was bold. A century later, bold moves still pay off.
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Ignatius 11:26AM (7/21/2009)
Too bad they still aren't very advanced cars considering how many PHEVs are coming out in the next two years or so.
50-60MPG is going to look like crap to "not using gas at all."
why not the LS2LS7? 11:56AM (7/21/2009)
Actually, Ford received a $13B bailout from the DoE specifically for the purpose of making more fuel efficient cars. So no, they didn't do all this on their own, we're paying for it with taxpayer money.
GoodCheer 1:41PM (7/21/2009)
Also, aren't fuel economy improvements of this order mandated by the new CAFE standards? If so, this announcement on the part of Ford is tantamount to saying "We're complying with the law. The law is progressive."
Chris 2:24PM (7/21/2009)
LS2LS7 - Since these numbers are for 2010/current year models, Ford DID do this without government money. There's no way the DoE loan funds could be in effect yet. There just hasn't been enough time.
Besides, it's not very fair to compare the GM/Chrysler non-specific bail-out funds intended for general company use (effectively a stock buyout as the government now has ownership) to the DoE funds that are specific to bringing new technology to the market. (Note that Ford wasn't the only recipient) The only reason GM and Chrysler weren't on the list is because they were already on the take and didn't qualify. Had they qualified, I'm sure they would have taken the DoE loans too!
Besides, going off your nickname, I expect your a bit of a GM fan and probably hate Ford on principle.
JohnZ 7:17AM (7/22/2009)
@LS2/LS7
Please give it a rest re the "Ford also took our money" thing. You show up every time someone tries to say that Ford did not go bankrupt, jump on a technicality about loans vs bailouts, and bore us to death with your attempts to drag Ford's brand down to GM's level.
Ford did not get your $$$$ to bail them out of bankruptcy, GM did. Ford's brand is ascending while GM's is currently in decline. Get over it.
downtoearth 11:35AM (7/21/2009)
Did you know Fusion Hybrid owners are getting 42 mpg US combined real life fuel economy [1]? In a relatively large midsized car, doing 0-60 below 9 seconds, with an automatic gearbox.
Other Ford hybrids are doing fine too.
Escape hybrid front wheel drive - some 30-322 mpg US real life combined. [2]
Escape hybrid all wheel drive - some 28-29 mpg US real life combined [3]
[1] http://fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=mpgData&vehicleID=26405&browser=true&details=on
[2] http://fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=browseList2&make=Ford&model=Escape%20Hybrid%20FWD
[3] http://fueleconomy.gov/mpg/MPG.do?action=browseList2&make=Ford&model=Escape%20Hybrid%204WD
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Chris M 6:46PM (7/21/2009)
The Ford hybrid system does not have a standard "automatic" transmission, instead it is a hybrid electric CVT system without any clutch or torque converter. It is similar to the Toyota Hybrid Synergy design.
win39 11:43AM (7/21/2009)
Seems pretty smart to me to improve the engines of current models that sell well. It is a good stopgap until more people get serious about purchasing fuel efficient or alternative vehicles. The problem is that they will continue to produce the old engines for people who buy cylinders and displacement. They will also have to hard sell ecoboost all the time and even then the 20 percent improvement will diluted by sales of the old stuff.
Perhaps we need a substantial gas guzzler tax for anything that does not get 30mpg highway.
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murc 8:27PM (7/21/2009)
win39 - The transition from gaz guzzler to fuel efficient cars is already happening...and at a very fast pace...so calm down Obama Jr., the solution isn't always higher taxes. 'rolls eyes'
win39 9:09PM (7/21/2009)
What a silly, insulting response. When you make such a surprising claim you provide facts to back it up. I suppose the demand for facts makes me a communist. The following seems to make your assertion into a fantasy.
April 2009
Top 10 Best-Selling Cars
Honda Accord: 29,212
Ford F-Series: 28,757
Chevy Silverado: 26,437
Honda Civic: 26,252
Toyota Camry: 25,324
Toyota Corolla: 18,534
Ford Fusion: 18,321
Dodge Ram: 17,903
Chevy Impala: 17,532
Chevy Malibu: 14,665
Top 10 Best-Selling Cars: June 2009
- Ford F-Series: 35,915
- Toyota Camry: 26,394
- Chevy Silverado: 24,766
- Honda Accord: 23,995
- Honda Civic: 20,954
- Toyota Corolla: 19,935
- Ford Fusion: 18,561
- Nissan Altima: 16,350
- Ford Escape: 15,385
- Chevy Impala: 14,931
Simon 11:30AM (7/28/2009)
I am a huge fan of japanese cars, but I must say:
Good for you Ford! I'm so glad to hear all these news stories about Ford moving up in the worlds of reliability and economy. I understand that not everyone considers these important, but these factors generally limit my car search to a select few models.
I cannot wait for more options to become available to eco-bums like myself. Keep up the good work!
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why not the LS2LS7? 11:51AM (7/21/2009)
This is saying very little. Ford's 2005 lineup was atrocious. Not only was it dominated by SUVs, but Ford's SUVs got the worst mpg.
Ford SUVs in 2005:
Escape (including Hybrid)
Excursion
Expedition
Explorer
Freestyle
Explorer Sport Trac
Mercury SUVs in 2005:
Mariner (Escape)
Mountaineer (Explorer)
Lincoln SUVs in 2005:
Aviator (Explorer)
Navigator (Expedition)
Ford also sold the Crown Vic, both Five Hundred AND Taurus and the Ford GT (all V8s).
The 2WD 6-cylinder Explorer got 14/19 mpg! Every F150 was 10-20% behind equivalent models from Chevy by 10-20% on mpg.
So yeah, Ford is doing a lot better on mpg right now, but it's at least as much because they started out so far behind the curve.
If you start way behind the curve, it's easier to make large percentage gains.
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downtoearth 11:57AM (7/21/2009)
Fair point, didn't know that.
why not the LS2LS7? 12:15PM (7/21/2009)
I mixed up my sentences, and not just by putting in 10-20% twice.
I meant to put the Taurus/Five Hundred thing in a different sentence than the "all V8s" comment. Because although making the Taurus and Five Hundred did artificially pad Ford's lineup with vehicles with crummy mpg, they were not V8 vehicles.
pmasudi 12:20PM (7/21/2009)
Actually, Ford received a $13B bailout from the DoE specifically for the purpose of making more fuel efficient cars. So no, they didn't do all this on their own, we're paying for it with taxpayer money.
This is somewhat misleading the $13 Billion of money is not a bailout but a loan that will be repaid with interest. Plus this money is only now been available much too soon to be in projects that have actually yielded results. These results that are coming to market now are from way before in 2006 when Ford saw the industry was about to crash and took loans to prepare themselves for the future. Where as GM and Chrysler were just doing the norm day to day and not trying to protect themselves and make solid decisions since they were running with the idea that they were “to big to fail.”
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why not the LS2LS7? 12:30PM (7/21/2009)
When this money was announced, I assure you, the media was united in calling it a bailout of an industry that had spent too much effort on gas-guzzling SUVs. As to them being loans, hey, we loaned GM a lot of money too, all the handouts to GM were listed as loans. You say these will be paid back unlike those loans. Maybe so, maybe not. We'll we when and if they are actually paid back. Either way, they're still using our money to make more fuel efficient cars, so they aren't doing it on their own.
I was apparently wrong about the amount (looking it up). Ford got $6B (which is a huge difference).
pmasudi 12:48PM (7/21/2009)
I won't disagree with you on those points but the cars in the article were engineered with the $18 billion Ford took out on its property in 2006. I would be more willing to trust a company that is being proactive will pay its debts.
why not the LS2LS7? 1:05PM (7/21/2009)
GM replaced their SUV lineup too, they shaped up as much as they could in the same timeframe. Percentage-wise they are behind Ford, because Ford started further back.
Ford is still selling the 2WD Explorer (15/21, was 14/19 in 2005) whereas Chevy offers the 17/24 Equinox (previously 14/20 Trailblazer). Ford still offers the 24/35 Focus (22/32 in 2005), Chevy the 25/37 Cobalt (22/31 in 2005). Both offer excellent hybrids now, but to be honest, Ford's is in a smarter market segment than GM's 2-mode SUVs.
GM was also proactive, but they didn't repay their debts.
Bip-D-Bo 1:13PM (7/21/2009)
That's exactly right. The DOE money is a special interest loan, just like the ones going to Tesla and all of the smaller companies planning on making batteries, fuel cells etc. This is not bailout money in the same sense that Chrysler and GM were bailed out, and as a result, they won't have to answer to Uncle Sam in the same way. Furthermore, this technology was planned years ago and paid for not by the DOE loan, but by mortgaging all of there assets under their "Bold Moves" plan. The DOE money will likely go towards getting their batery powered products into production. They were proactive, and it is paying off. Ford is doing much better than average in this downturn, and they got the bulk of federal fleet purchases. Ford cars have dramatically increased in quality, performance, efficiency and appeal, and I think that they were already pretty good.