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Ford Ends 2011 with Strong Sales

Ford brand 2011 U.S. sales increased 17 percent, totaling 2,062,915 vehicles, sealing the brand’s first three-point market share gain over three consecutive years since 1970. Total Ford Motor Company sales for the year increased to 2,148,806 vehicles, up 11 percent for the year.

“The year finished on a high note, with industry sales momentum strengthening as the year came to a close,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “We saw Ford sales strengthen as well, posting our best December retail sales month since 2005 and closing the year as America’s best-selling brand.”

Small car, utilities and truck sales drove Ford’s marketplace performance in 2011. Small car sales were up 25 percent in 2011 with 244,291 cars sold.

Ford Fusion had a record year with 248,067 vehicles sold.

Ford brand utility sales totaled 579,626 vehicles in 2011, up 31 percent, making it the best-selling utility brand in America. Sales were paced by the Explorer, up 124 percent, with 135,704 sold, and record Escape sales of 254,293, up 33 percent for the year, including an all-time monthly sales record in December of 25,574 vehicles.

In December, Ford brand sales were 201,737, up 16 percent from a year earlier. Ford sold 68,278 F-Series pickups in December, representing its best December sales results since 2006. For the year, F-Series sales totaled 584,917 trucks, making it the only vehicle to break the 500,000 vehicle sales mark last year.

For 2012, Ford expects the global economy to expand in the 3 percent range, extending the global economic recovery to a third consecutive year. Global industry sales are projected to be in the range of 75 million to 85 million.

In the U.S., Ford expects the economy to expand 2 to 3 percent in 2012 and industry sales to be in the range of 13.5 million to 14.5 million.

Economies in Europe are tracking at different speeds. Ford expects industry sales in the European 19 markets to be in the range of 14.0 million to 15.0 million units in 2012.

Ford Brand Sales Top 2 Million for 1st Time Since 2007

U.S. sales of the Ford brand this week topped 2 million vehicles for the first time since 2007. The milestone makes Ford the best selling brand in America and the first automotive brand to hit the 2 million mark since 2007.

“Ford’s lineup of high-quality, fuel-efficient cars, utilities and trucks continues to attract more and more new customers,” said Erich Merkle, Ford’s sales analysis manager. “With gasoline prices tracking higher than last year, customers continue to move toward smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, whether they are passenger cars or utilities.”

Both the Ford Fiesta and Ford Focus achieve 40 mpg highway, while the Ford Explorer brings a class leading 28 mpg highway with its new EcoBoost engine.

Ford’s smallest utility, the fuel-efficient Escape, has achieved record sales volumes this year and is America’s best selling utility vehicle. 

Overall, Ford brand small cars are on pace to post an increase of more than 20 percent this year. Ford brand utilities are tracking to post more than a 30 percent gain.

Most Ford products deliver best-in-class fuel economy and provide customers with the opportunity to choose what best works for them – from EcoBoost-powered gasoline vehicles to hybrids, plug-in hybrids and electrified vehicles. In fact, with the company’s new electrified vehicle introductions, nearly one-third of Ford’s vehicle lines in the U.S. will feature a model with 40 mpg or more in 2012 – a claim no other full-line automaker can match.

Ford F-150, 2012 Motor Trend Truck of the Year

Yesterday the 2012 Ford F-150 was named 2012 Motor Trend Truck of the Year.  This is now the fourth time F-150 has won this prestigous award, F-150 has won the award more times than any other truck.  You can read the full press release below.

DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 12, 2011 – The 2012 Ford F-150, which established a new standard for full-size pickups with best-in-class fuel efficiency and capability, today was named Motor Trend’s 2012 Truck of the Year^®.

 

“The 2012 F-150 is a no-compromise solution that can be tailored to fit virtually every customer’s needs, and the Motor Trend Truck of the Year award further reinforces that this is truly the best choice for America’s truck owners,” said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas. “We are proud to receive this award and even more pleased that our F-150 customers have additional validation of their top choice.”

 

This is the fourth time the F-150 has won the award – the most awards for any truck since Motor Trend began presenting its Truck of the Year award in 1989. The Ford pickup received the magazine’s prestigious award for previous groundbreaking new models in 1997, 2004 and 2009.

 

Motor Trend editors applauded F-150 because, they said, “F-150s are built to work and felt better the more they were challenged. Ford offers an enormous variety of configurations and designs, making the truck tailorable to just about any need. It’s the combination of advancement in design, engineering excellence, efficiency, safety, value, and the performance of intended function that has earned the Ford F-150 the title of Motor Trend’s 2012 Truck of the Year.”

 

With more than a half-million sales through November and a lead of almost 150,000 sales versus the nearest competitor, the Ford F-Series is on track this year to extend its streak of truck leadership to 35 straight years.

 

Helping spark the F-150’s continued success is the powerful and fuel-efficient 3.5-liter EcoBoost^® engine, which now accounts for more than 40 percent of F-150 retail sales and is on pace to exceed 100,000 sales in less than a year on the market.

 

More capability, more technology

The 2012 F-150 offers customers plenty of technologies that boost capability, performance, driving enjoyment and fuel efficiency. One such technology is the class-exclusive electric power-assisted steering (EPAS). The system has been carefully tuned with sophisticated speed mapping to deliver accurate responses at high speed while remaining light and manageable in parking maneuvers. Ford is the first manufacturer to widely offer EPAS on full-size pickup trucks. EPAS contributes about a 4 percent fuel-economy benefit compared with conventional hydraulic systems.

 

A 4.2-inch LCD message center that features information related to fuel economy, towing performance and off-roading, SYNC^® AppLink^™ and SiriusXM Travel Link also are among the customer conveniences available.

 

New features for 2012 include:

• 36-gallon fuel tank on 4x4 F-150 EcoBoost-equipped units providing best-in-class 756 miles of driving range
• Two-speed automatic 4x4 system on Lariat, King Ranch, Harley-Davidson and Platinum models for improved all-weather traction
• Hill Start Assist, which helps keep the truck from rolling backward at a stop, making it easier to pull away when on a slope or hill, especially when towing
• Best-in-class payload capability of 3,120 pounds

Fuel-efficient and powerful offerings
All of the changes for the 2012 model year complement a powertrain lineup that debuted in 2011. The powertrain lineup delivers a mix of best-in-class fuel economy, horsepower, torque and capability. Ford is also the first and only manufacturer to equip its entire full-size pickup truck lineup with a fuel-saving six-speed automatic transmission as standard. Engine highlights include:

 

3.7-liter four-valve Ti-VCT V6:

• Best-in-class 302 horsepower at 6,500 rpm vs. V6 competitors
• Unsurpassed 278 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,000 rpm vs. V6 competitors
• Best-in-class 17 mpg city and best-in-class 23 mpg highway (4x2)
• Best-in-class 6,100 pounds maximum trailer tow vs. V6 competitors

5.0-liter four-valve DOHC Ti-VCT V8:

• Best-in-class 360 horsepower at 5,500 rpm vs. standard V8 competitors
• Best-in-class 380 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,250 rpm vs. standard V8 competitors
• 21 mpg highway, unsurpassed 15 mpg city (4x2)
• Best-in-class 10,000 pounds maximum trailer tow vs. standard V8 competitors

6.2-liter two-valve SOHC V8:

• Best-in-class 411 horsepower at 5,500 rpm vs. all competitors
• Best-in-class 434 lb.-ft. of torque at 4,500 rpm vs. all competitors
• 13 mpg city, 18 mpg highway (4x2)
• Best-in-class 11,300 pounds maximum trailer tow vs. all competitors

3.5-liter Ti-VCT EcoBoost:

• 365 horsepower at 5,000 rpm on regular fuel
• Best-in-class 420 lb.-ft. of torque at 2,500 rpm vs. premium V8 competitors
• Up to 90 percent peak torque available from 1,700 rpm to 5,000 rpm
• 22 mpg highway, 16 mpg city (4x2)
• Best-in-class 11,300 pounds maximum trailer tow vs. all competitors
• Best-in-class 3,120 pounds payload vs. all competitors

Ford's MyFord Touch Gets an Upgrade

Faster, Simpler, Better: MyFord Touch Upgrade Provides New and Existing Customers Enhancements and New Features 

• Ford will launch performance upgrades and new features for MyFord Touch^® beginning with 2013 models – no-charge upgrade will be available to existing owners 
• Simpler graphics, faster touch-screen response and easier-to-use controls are among the many enhancements to the voice-activated in-car connectivity system 
• Existing MyFord Touch owners can either install the software upgrade themselves via a USB received in the mail or visit, Northside Ford, where software can be updated at no charge.

SAN ANTONIO, Texas, Thursday, November 10, 2011 – Ford customers said MyFord Touch^® could be faster and feature simpler graphics that are easier to use and that’s exactly what Ford plans to deliver with a broad set of performance upgrades to the system – launching first on the new 2013 Ford Escape, Flex and Taurus. 

Available early next year – and offered at no charge to existing MyFord Touch owners – the software upgrade enhances the ownership experience as it was developed by listening and responding to customer feedback. 

Early next year, owners located in the U.S. will be mailed a USB flash drive with the software upgrade for installation that they can do at their own convenience. If they prefer, owners may also visit Northside Ford for the software installation. The upgrade mailing will include instructions informing owners how to simply plug the USB flash drive into the MyFord Touch Media Hub’s USB port in order for installation to automatically begin. 

The new touch-screen interface features simpler graphics and controls that are easier to use. Customers will also experience significantly faster touch-screen response times, one of the top requests from owners. 

New features include support for tablet devices and Audible.com audiobooks, improved navigation maps and enhanced voice recognition interaction. 

For a video demonstration of the improvements, please visit: http://youtu.be/c3k4iDZyhYE 

Upgrade your ride

All of the new improvements will be offered to existing owners of MyFord Touch-equipped vehicles, including the 2011 and 2012 models of Ford Explorer and Edge and the 2012 Focus. Owners of 2011 and 2012 Lincoln MKX crossovers will also receive the upgrade for their MyLincoln Touch^™ systems. 

“We’re seizing the opportunity to continuously improve the Ford ownership experience, and revolutionize what it means to own a car,” said Reitz. “Introducing new technology is only one step in our journey to become known as a technology company. Consistently improving it based on what our customers are telling us marks another milestone in that journey.” 

New look

The visual enhancements to MyFord Touch are based on simplifying the graphics with larger, bolder fonts, removing low-priority visual content, and designing screens based on a consistent pattern. More than 1,000 screens in total have been updated with the improved look. 

“Our goal when designing the upgrade was to simplify the screens and give customers a fast and easy way to get information at any given moment,” said Jennifer Brace, User Interface Design engineer for Ford. “That meant removing buttons, relocating high-use controls closer to the driver’s reach, simplifying tasks and improving font size.” 

The new fonts are as much as 40 percent larger on some redesigned screens. The fonts also are wider and bolder to provide easier legibility, particularly among the rapidly increasing number of drivers age 60 and older. 

New features

Ford also took the opportunity to update the performance of the system and add new features for customers to help them keep pace with the fast-moving consumer electronics market. 

Faster touch-screen response time, for example, was a key request from owners. Initial testing shows that touch and voice response is at least two times faster than the current system. 

Also, the software upgrade includes the following enhancements:   

• Improved voice recognition experience powered by Nuance 

Quicker voice recognition upon startup and faster command prompt when the voice button is pushed   

Voice commands used in conjunction with navigation are simplified through elimination of the need to provide street direction, e.g., “Main Street” instead of “North Main Street”  

Music requests are simpler by removing the need to include the additional song, album or artist information often found at the end of a name in parenthesis or brackets 

Customers can find their favorite sports team in action via new Sirius Game Finder simply by saying a command such as “Tune to Detroit Lions game”

• Tablet device compatibility

Music and other media content from most popular tablet computers like the Apple iPad can now be accessed through a simple USB connection   

• Audible.com audiobook support

Listen to Audible.com content using voice commands or the easy-to-use touch-screen controls

• Connected navigation powered by TeleNav features new map data by NAVTEQ

Updated map views are richer and feature more 3D landmarks

Views of freeway junctions and signs are enhanced through photorealistic screen images

Smart routing options are provided based on a database of historical traffic patterns

• Phone compatibility

Automatic Bluetooth^® connection upon vehicle entry has been improved

Noise and echo cancellation during phone calls has been improved to enhance call quality

• Gracenote^® album cover art database

  Inclusion of the latest music metadata available enhancing the music playback experience

Improved voice recognition for music search allowing drivers to pinpoint artists with hard-to-pronounce names or nicknames 

Ford Trucks are Hot at SEMA this Year

Las Vegas, Nov. 2, 2011 – Once again, Ford F-Series pickups are officially the “Hottest Truck” at the annual SEMA show in Las Vegas. The SEMA Award recognizes the most popular vehicles the organization’s members feature in their displays during the weeklong trade show.

 

Before this year’s show opened, SEMA officials walked the floor of the giant aftermarket expo and counted the number of trucks exhibited in booths. More Ford F-Series pickups are on display than any other truck – testament to the popularity and appeal of Ford F-Series trucks with the aftermarket.

 

“We’re honored that more SEMA members use F-Series pickups than any other trucks as their featured platform to showcase their latest ideas and products at this important show,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service.

 

Aftermarket exhibitors aren’t the only ones featuring Ford trucks in their booth. Ford is also featuring four F-Series trucks, showing off the extreme versatility of F-150 and Super Duty pickups.

 

2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty by Superlift Suspensions

2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty by Superlift Suspensions
Matchbox^® has teamed up with Superlift Suspensions to transform a Super Duty into the Matchbox Superlift Brush Truck. Superlift stays true to its off-road roots by using a 10-inch lift system on 41-inch Interco IROK tires. Shown in a PPG Vibrance “Oh, So Orange” basecoat with a contrasting satin black powder-coated accent, the two-tone paint job is sure to grab attention. It proves it’s up to the job of fighting fires with code-three emergency lights and sirens, along with a firefighting utility bed and equipment. SEMA visitors can receive a miniature die-cast version of the truck by visiting the Ford show stand.

 

2011 Ford F-150 EcoBoost by Skyjacker Suspensions
The “Project No Compromise” is geared toward drivers who want to go green without sacrificing performance. A Skyjacker Suspensions four-inch lift and monotube shocks help boost chassis performance, while a MagnaFlow cat-back dual exhaust system upgrades the powertrain. A Steelcraft stainless steel grille guard, Rigid Industries e-series 30-inch LED light bar and Bushwacker two-inch pocket-style fender flares distinguish this truck.

 

2011 Ford F-150 by CGS Performance Products
This “Tarmac” F-150 offers unique and sleek styling with a custom aluminum hood, DuPont Jet Black paint and Boyd Red finish by Andy Meeh, Paramount Restyling grille and Colorado Custom billet wheels. The interior offers red leather from Pecca Leather, VizuaLogic headrest monitors and Seat Belt Planet red seat belts. Powertrain and chassis also get a boost from a CGS Performance cat-back exhaust and cold-air intake, Whipple twin-screw supercharger, Bell Tech front coilover suspension and six-piston Baer brakes with 15-inch rotors.

 

2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty by Hulst Customs

2011 Ford F-350 Super Duty by Hulst Customs
The “Black Mamba” Super Duty shows off the ultimate in luxury and style with Hulst Customs-designed hood and grille with stainless steel mesh insert, Hulst Customs side rockers and lower front fascia with LED lighting by Radiantz. It also features suicide rear doors with Scissor Doors billet hinge kit. Planet Color custom black paint along with 3M Di-Noc^™ stainless graphics differentiates the exterior. The interior features Katzkin leather and Hulst Customs aluminum trim accents.

 

Ford F-Series popularity continues with sales and automotive journalists
Ford F-Series trucks aren’t popular with just the aftermarket. Strong consumer demand for new F-Series trucks continues to drive sales of the best-selling vehicle in the country.

 

Ford F-Series sales totaled 52,511 vehicles, up 7 percent, in October. It is the second month in a row F-Series has topped 50,000 sales. Year-to-date sales of 468,899 have F-Series on pace to be not only the best-selling truck in America for the 35th consecutive year, but the best-selling vehicle – car, truck or SUV in America for the 30th consecutive year.

 

In October, the Texas Auto Writers Association also voted Ford F-150 “Truck of Texas” and Ford won “Truck Line of Texas” for the 12th straight year.

Ford Motor Company’s October Sales up 6 Percent; Ford Brand Utilities and Trucks Drive Gains

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 1, 2011 – Continued strong demand for Ford’s fuel-efficient utility vehicles and trucks lifted the company to a 6 percent increase in total sales in October. 

With total sales of 167,803 vehicles, gains came largely from Ford brand utilities, up 38 percent, and strong truck sales, up 8 percent versus last year.

“More and more consumers are being attracted to Ford’s lineup of fuel-efficient vehicles – from cars and utility vehicles to our full-size pickups with EcoBoost engines,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “The Ford brand continues growing its market share, showing we have the vehicles and technologies people truly want and value.”   

Year-to-date, Ford is the best-selling brand of vehicles in America with sales totaling 1,700,618, up 17 percent. With this performance, the Ford brand is now on track to increase its market share this year by about 1 percentage point – which would mark market share gains for three consecutive years.

Ford Brand Utilities: Up 38 Percent
Ford is the country’s best-selling utility vehicle brand. Utility vehicles sales totaled 45,877 in October, up 38 percent. Year-to-date, Ford utility vehicles total 471,787, up 31 percent.

Explorer is leading the way, with sales up 225 percent versus a year ago and 11,987 vehicles sold. Year-to-date Explorer sales are up 134 percent, with 108,994 vehicles sold. Explorer retail sales have tripled in every market area of the U.S.

Escape sales in October totaled 19,046 vehicles, a 31 percent increase. Year-to-date Escape sales are up 31 percent at 206,896 vehicles – setting a record. This year marks the first time Escape has broke through the 200,000 sales milestone in its 11-year history.  

Edge sales totaled 9,161 vehicles in October, down 10 percent. Year-to-date, Edge sales increased 3 percent with 99,940 vehicles sold.

Ford Brand Cars: On the rise through October
Ford brand car sales totaled 576,994 through October – up 18 percent versus the same period a year ago – more than doubling the industry-wide passenger car sales increase.

In October, Fiesta, Focus and Fusion all posted higher retail sales than a year ago, offset by lower fleet deliveries.

In October, Fiesta sales were up 7 percent, with 4,124 vehicles sold. Focus total sales were equal to a year ago, with retail sales particularly strong on the U.S. coasts – almost double year ago levels in California and up almost 50 percent in New York.

Fusion sales were up 4 percent, totaling 18,094 vehicles, another monthly record for Ford’s midsize sedan. Fusion has now set monthly records in 12 of the last 13 months. Year-to-date Fusion sales have increased 15 percent, breaking through the 200,000 vehicle mark for the year and on pace for a record sales year.

Ford Brand Trucks: Up 8 Percent
Ford truck sales totaled 69,068 in October, an 8 percent increase versus year-ago levels. Year-to-date truck sales total 651,837, up 9 percent.

Ford’s F-Series sales totaled 52,511 vehicles, up 7 percent, in October. It is the second month in a row F-Series has topped 50,000 sales. Year-to-date F-Series sales total 468,899 pickups, an 8 percent increase.

“October was important for Ford trucks,” Czubay said. “In addition to helping grow sales 8 percent, the F-150 won the ‘Truck of Texas’ award and Ford won ‘Truck Line of Texas’ for the 12th straight year. We are honored for the Texas Auto Writers Association to validate what our customers have been saying about our fuel-efficient and highly capable trucks.”    

Among retail customers, more than 40 percent of F-150 buyers opted for Ford’s highly fuel-efficient EcoBoost engines in October. Coupled with EcoBoost sales on Explorer and Edge and Ford cars, total EcoBoost engine sales topped 15,000 in October.

Ford F-150 Named Truck of Texas

SAN ANTONIO, Oct. 24, 2011 – Ford trucks and crossovers have earned top honors at the 2011 Texas Auto Writers Association (TAWA) Truck Rodeo, including the 2012 Ford F-150 being named Truck of Texas – the most prestigious award.

“Texan consumers put their trust in TAWA’s automotive journalists. After lining up vehicles from major auto manufacturers, our members determined Ford simply had the best trucks and crossover,” said Mike Herzing, president of TAWA. “But the real winners here are Texas’ truck buyers. Ford delivers the trucks that fit their lifestyles.”

Ford also swept seven additional categories for its trucks, crossovers and EcoBoost engine technology.

 

“These honors show Ford trucks still reign supreme in Texas, and it is rewarding to see that the truck-savvy Texas auto writers appreciate just how innovative our F-Series pickups are,” said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. “These awards validate what our customers have been telling us about our ‘Built Ford Tough’ F-150, and we are honored by their recognition of the strength of our truck lineup as well as our crossovers and EcoBoost engines.”

 

A total of 48 vehicles were entered in the rodeo and evaluated by the 57 registered TAWA members. TAWA is one of the largest associations of auto writers in the U.S.

At this weekend’s Rodeo, TAWA members also named Ford’s EcoBoost engine technology Best Vehicle Feature.

 

V6 EcoBoost engine sales have accounted for more than 40 percent of F-150 retail sales volume each of the past six months. Additionally, F-150s with EcoBoost had their best-ever sales month in September.

The V6 engines continue to outsell V8s among F-150s, with Ford’s new 3.5-liter EcoBoost and 3.7-liter V6 engines representing 57 percent of F-150 retail sales in September.

 

Ford F-150 EcoBoost-equipped trucks offer best-in-class trailer tow capability of 11,300 pounds and can achieve 22 mpg on the highway and 16 mpg in the city. No other truck with comparable horsepower and torque can match the F-150 EcoBoost in highway or city fuel economy.

 

The 2012 Ford Edge also was awarded the honor of Crossover of Texas and Best Midsize CUV of Texas.

 

The 2012 Edge features an all-new 2.0-liter EcoBoost® four-cylinder engine that offers 30 mpg highway and 270 lb.-ft. of torque – a combination unmatched in the segment.

Ford’s lineup of trucks also was named Truck Line of Texas for the 12th consecutive year. Ford’s dominance of the TAWA Truck Line of Texas award is further evidence of the durability and reliability of Built Ford Tough F-Series trucks.

 

The full list of Ford vehicles winning top honors in their categories at TAWA Truck Rodeo is:

 

• Truck of Texas: 2012 Ford F-150
• Truck Line of Texas: Ford Motor Company
• CUV of Texas: 2012 Ford Edge
• Heavy-Duty Pickup Truck: 2012 Ford F-250 King Ranch Super Duty
• Luxury Pickup Truck: 2012 Ford F-150 Platinum EcoBoost
• Full-Size Pickup Truck: 2012 Ford F-150 SVT Raptor
• Mid-Size CUV: 2012 Ford Edge Limited
• Outstanding Feature: Ford EcoBoost Engine Technology