April 16, 2010 Thank you for registering to be a part of Ford Motor Company's Blue Oval Connect retiree outreach initiative. Refer a Friend: If you know of other Ford retirees who would like to receive this newsletter, please take a moment to refer them to www.blueovalconnect.com. If you're using an email program like Outlook or Outlook Express, just click here to send an email to them with the information. In this Blue Oval Connect Weekly Briefing…
![]()
The April 2010 edition is now available, with stories covering Ford's first quarter sales, 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid, all-new Ford Police Interceptor, Ford and Microsoft teaming up again, and more. Click here to view an electronic version of the publication. GO PAPERLESS! Transforming the world into a paperless environment is eco-friendly, budget friendly, and can increase productivity. To opt out of receiving the hard copy of the magazine that arrives in your mailbox each month and receive an e-mail that provides early access to an electronic version of the @Ford magazine, click here.
Ford employee and retiree volunteers will work directly with our nonprofit agency partners to create rain gardens, build nature trails, plant native grasses and shrubs, install rain barrels, and perform other tasks to improve the environment. The Ford Volunteer Corps also will provide $50,000 in mini-grants to buy the tools and materials necessary for Ford MODEL Teams to complete their projects. To view projects and register online please go to the Ford Volunteer Corps website at www.volunteer.ford.com. Water issues are increasingly important to our stakeholders, including our customers, investors and business partners. Water conservation and greenhouse gas reduction are integral to Ford's sustainability strategy. Ford implemented the Global Emissions Manager (GEM) database that helps track our efforts to reduce water consumption, energy use, carbon dioxide emissions and the amount of waste sent to landfills. Ford has successfully reduced water use, and we continue to work on specific programs for water performance and reducing the environmental impact of our facilities.
Creating a Better World is a responsibility we all share. I encourage you to volunteer for the Ford Accelerated Action Day on May 14.
Note: It takes three bottles of water to make and distribute one disposable plastic bottle of water, so in the name of water conservation, please bring a refillable water bottle with you when you volunteer.
Savings Plan Administration Change –
FAQs Available If you are a Salaried Retiree, click here to view the recent FAQs. If you are a Hourly Retiree click here to view the recent FAQs. To visit the savings plan Web site, go to: http://www.myfordbenefits.com/ and follow the
instructions to log in.
Please join in the Ford Motor Company Giving Campaign to support the American Red Cross and their efforts to help those in crisis following the earthquake in Haiti. Ford will be matching employee and retiree donations up to a total of $50,000. Click here to donate.
![]()
Ford Motor Company announced that three more engines with the company's patented EcoBoost fuel-saving technology are scheduled to be launched by the end of the year. By 2013 Ford expects to be producing approximately 1.5 million EcoBoost engines globally, about 200,000 more than originally expected. Plans call for an EcoBoost engine to be available in 80 percent of the company's global nameplates and 90 percent of North American nameplates. About half of the 1.5 million EcoBoost engines are expected to be sold in North America, while the rest are to be sold in Europe, South America and Asia Pacific regions. To read the full article, click here. Related Material:
When it comes to achieving the best possible fuel mileage the way you drive can be nearly as important as the vehicle you drive. Ford’s advanced new in-vehicle system – MyFord Touch™ – offers an array of real-time information on fuel economy performance that can coach drivers to get more miles to the gallon and save on fuel costs. In addition, MyFord Touch’s map-based navigation system offers an Eco-Route option that quickly calculates the most fuel efficient route a driver can take to get from A to B. MyFord Touch is the latest innovation from Ford to help drivers optimize fuel economy. It builds on the fuel efficiency “coaching” concept Ford pioneered on its SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide cluster for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and Mercury Milan Hybrid as well as the all-new 2011 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid. The system provides real-time fuel economy data and promotes fuel-efficient driving by showing a graphic of growing leaves and flowers. To read the full article, click here.
Virtually every Ford, Lincoln and Mercury nameplate will offer a six-speed transmission by 2014, Barbara Samardzich told the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) on Tuesday. Speaking as a panelist in the SAE session on "Near Term Powertrain Solutions – Before 2016," Samardzich reviewed the customer-focused technology transition Ford will be making over the next six years. The strategy starts with offering EcoBoost engines in 11 nameplates by the first quarter of 2011. By 2013, Ford expects to be producing approximately 1.5 million EcoBoost engines globally, she said. EcoBoost engines and six-speed transmissions are merely the start of Ford's commitment to delivering unsurpassed fuel economy that is both high-volume and affordable. Such six-speed dry dual-clutch automatic transmissions can improve fuel economy by up to nine percent over traditional four-speed automatics, she said. To read the full article, click here.
Ford knows that its customers have a lot of ideas for new products and technologies that they would like to see on future vehicles. To tap into this expansive resource, a new "Your Ideas" exchange portal is being launched on The Ford Story. The Your Ideas site welcomes consumers to submit, share, review and rate each other's automotive feature innovations. The pilot session of Your Ideas gives consumers the ability to participate in a community-based setting where they can review and rate posted ideas and track what people think about their own suggestions. Ideas that receive the most "thumbs ups" from viewers will be elevated to a most-popular idea list and reviewed by Ford's Advanced Product Planning and Marketing teams. To read the full article, click here. Related Material:
![]()
When the all-new Ford Explorer sport utility vehicle goes in to production later this year, it will offer an advanced terrain management system that takes the mystery out of four-wheel drive by optimizing powertrain behavior for specific situations and road conditions. "Talking with customers told us that flexibility and freedom to tackle any road, anytime is important to them," said Explorer Chief Nameplate Engineer Jim Holland. "We saw the opportunity to eliminate a compromise by adding an intuitive and efficient terrain management system that can demystify four-wheel-drive control and enable the driver to properly match 4WD traction to the situations and road conditions they encounter." Anecdotal customer feedback indicated the potential for driver confusion with previous systems as to the best use of 4x4 high- and low-range engagement. To read the full article, click here. Related Material:
![]()
Imagine using a vehicle that comes in colors like Lime Squeeze, Bright Magenta, Red Candy and Yellow Blaze as your inspiration while getting dressed. Imagine if your personal style and your understanding of the vehicle could land you in one of Ford Motor Company's upcoming national television spots. Ford is offering the chance for five unique and stylish individuals to do just that as the company kicks off Inspired By Color, a casting call event tied to the 2011 Ford Fiesta that will take place on Howard University's campus this week in Washington, D.C. To read the full article, click here.
Ford Motor Company is rolling out an extensive, new dealer training initiative that provides sales consultants with significantly more product and customer information much earlier than ever before. Called the Ford Retail Movement, the program also leverages social media to help create numerous touch points, or opportunities for contact, between dealers and customers from initial inquiries through the delivery of a new Ford vehicle. The program kicks off with the new Ford Fiesta, but will serve as the template for dealer training on all future Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products. To read the full article, click here.
The resale value of newer Ford Motor Company vehicles rose 23 percent in the past year alone, the result of stronger demand for Ford's new vehicle lineup and improved quality and durability ratings. At the same time, warranty repair rates on Ford vehicles have declined by an average of more than 40 percent globally in the past three years. Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles with one to five years on the road are fetching significantly higher resale values at auction in the first quarter of this year compared to the first quarter a year ago. Overall, the resale value of Ford's three brands at auction rose 23 percent from a year ago to outpace the industry, which saw resale values increase by 19 percent, according to the latest National Automobile Dealers Association auction data. To read the full article, click here.
A new Virginia Tech Transportation Institute (VTTI) study adds to the growing evidence that voice-controlled Ford's SYNC® helps drivers minimize electronics-related distractions compared to manually operating hand-held cell phones and music players. The researchers found that participants took their eyes off the road an average of 10 times longer while manually selecting a song from their MP3 players compared to using SYNC's voice commands. To read the full article, click here. Related Material:
![]()
Paul Mascarenas Vice President Ford Motor Company Ford is the host company for the 2010 SAE (Society of Automotive Engineers) World Congress April 13-15 at Detroit's Cobo Center. Ford Vice President Paul Mascarenas, general chairman of the 2010 event, is spearheading an effort to provide more value for members at this year's gathering, which will include a focus on industry-leading sustainable technologies. Mascarenas discusses changes to this year's Congress and what the event means to the industry. Q: What are the main objectives of this year's SAE World Congress? Above all, we want to showcase the industry's leading-edge technologies and illustrate how those technologies can support sustainability. We also want to emphasize the value for greater collaboration between the industry, the academic world and other stakeholders. Finally, we want to accomplish these goals while recognizing the very different economic environment we face today. This year's Congress will be shorter and more focused. There are fewer but more relevant exhibitors. Everything about the heart of the event – the technical papers, panels and speeches – will be more focused this year. Q: What are some of the key challenges facing the auto industry? To read the full Q&A, click here. Related Material:
![]()
Ford Brazil delivered 13 Ford Ka to the National Service of Industrial Learning (SENAI) in an effort to support vocational and technical training and development for the automotive sector. The vehicles were donated for the SENAI's units located in Sao Paulo, Rio de Janeiro, Recife, Caxias do Sul, Goiania, Curitiba, Fortaleza and Belo Horizonte. From the total donated vehicles, five were for Sao Paulo, where the biggest number SENAI schools are located. They will be used to equip the automotive and automotive maintenance technical courses at the Conde José Vicente de Azevedo school and Mariano Ferraz school, both located in Sao Paulo city, and the João Martins Coube school in Bauru city. To read the full article, click here.
Ford of Spain and Microsoft have joined forces to launch a new version of the Ka: the Ka Windows Live Messenger Edition. Available with both diesel and petrol engines, it comes in response to both companies' strategy of offering products that customers really want and creative solutions to real-life problems. The companies have worked together to develop a limited edition run of 500 units of Ford's popular urban car as a very special present to the members of the Microsoft Windows Instant Messenger community, which has over 15.5 million users only in Spain. To read the full article, click here.
Ford Motor Company of Southern Africa (FMCSA) is committed to developing the community through participation in educational projects. The company recently announced that it will support the motor industry apprenticeship program at Orbit College by supplying parts and equipment for technical training courses. Situated in the North West province, Orbit College has adopted a mandate to play an ever-increasing role in addressing the skills shortage in South Africa. As part of the Department of Higher Education and Training, further education and training colleges like Orbit work in close collaboration with South African universities. To read the full article, click here.
In celebration of the Ford Mustang's 46th birthday, Randy Krieger, president of Ford Japan, announced that 25 units of the limited edition Mustang V-8 GT Performance Package will be available through Ford dealerships in Japan starting on April 17. The Mustang V-8 GT Performance Package is based on the GT series fitted with a 4.6-litre V-8 engine. The V-8 engine is mated with a five-speed manual transmission, which is exclusive to this limited edition. A lower final gear ratio increases accelerating performance, while the front brakes come with unique brake calipers and pads, allowing the driver to enjoy Mustang's dynamic drive, mastering the immense power developed by the 4.6-litre V-8 engine. To read the full article, click here.
With Individual Development Plans due in just a few short weeks, the timing couldn't have been better for the official opening of Ford Group Philippines' (FGP) new E-Learning Centre. Located in the Ford Motor Company Philippines Building, the new Centre provides employees with all the tools they need to complete online development and training sessions. To read the full article, click here.
![]()
(Fox Business Network) Ford's market share in Q1 was the highest quarterly gain in 33 years. Ford Executive Chairman Bill Ford is interviewed about green technologies and Ford's turnaround. Click here to view video.
![]() Buick Bounces Back with Younger Buyers (Detroit News) Buick, the venerable General Motors Co. brand long maligned as catering to elderly buyers, is enjoying a rebirth in the United States and drawing younger, more affluent buyers, thanks to improved quality and styling. To read the full article, click here. Toyota Halts Sales of Lexus SUV Labeled 'Safety Risk' Ford Becomes Top-Selling Brand in Europe Hyundai Motor Falls Most in Three Months on Won Ford CEO Alan Mulally Says Dealerships Will Look Like Apple Stores: 'We are the Killer App' BMW Releases Free Roadside Assistance Smartphone App Ford Introduces the Blind Spot Information System in the UK Chrysler and NASA Join Forces on Technology Fields: Ford Market Share Gains Largest Since 1977 SAE Show's Far-Out Ideas: Not So Crazy These Days?
![]() Got an Idea, Share It! Ever had an idea for a new product or a suggestion for a current vehicle you'd like to share with the Ford team? If so, do we have some Web sites for you! If you have an idea for a new product or technology you'd like to see on a Ford vehicle, click to the Ford New Ideas site at www.FordNewIdeas.com. If you have a suggestion for a current Ford Motor Company product, click here to connect to the Customer Relationship Center. Through these two sites, your ideas and comments will be directed to the appropriate teams within the company … One team, one plan, one goal … ONE Ford.
![]()
Location: Desk hours: The FERA desk handles discount tickets for Cedar Point, Kings Island, the North American International Auto Show, the Michigan Renaissance Festival and other events; the desk also has the Entertainment Book and Golf Michigan Play Books. For more FERA information, click to http://www.fera.org/.
![]() Directory Information Now Online Phone numbers and e-mail addresses for important Ford Motor Company contacts can now be found on @Ford Online at: http://www.at.ford.com/B2B/Pages/Directory2.aspx. For benefit questions, please contact the NESC at 800-248-4444 or e-mail NESC@ford.com.
We're pleased to announce that we've added a Special Offers section to the Blue Oval Connect newsletter. Each week we will highlight various special offers from a number of outside companies all offering valuable deals exclusive to Ford employees, retirees and contract personnel.
Electronics Corporation Save on calling plans, wireless devices, calling features and accessories from Verizon Wireless.
Click here for more information.
Electronics Corporation Sharp Electronics Corporation is offering special purchase opportunities on AQUOS liquid crystal televisions and other audio, video, home appliance and home office products.
Click here for more information.
Home and Home Office Customize any system and get an additional 7 percent discount on top of generally advertised Dell Home and Office promotions. Click here for more information.
Advantage Funds As a retiree of Ford Motor Company, you have access to a dedicated team of specialists who can help you buy, build, or refinance your way to a future of home-centered financial security. Click here for more information.
![]() Click here to check out the @Ford Online listing of known Retiree Clubs and Groups. Atlanta Salaried Retirees Automatic Transmission Product Design & Engineering Retiree
Breakfast Club Building "H" Club – Michigan Information Technology Systems
Retirees Canadian Ford Alumni Chicago Stamping Plant Salaried Retiree Club Dearborn Assembly Plant Retirees Dearborn Assembly Retiree Breakfast Club Dearborn Frame Plant Retirees (Southfield, Mich.) Field Accounting Department (F.A.D.) Ford 5R55 Automatic Transmission Systems Design Retirees Group
Ford Air Transportation Office Retirees Ford Body & Assembly Operations/Vehicle Operations
Salaried Retiree Group Ford of Canada Ladies' Retirees Group Ford Chassis Retirees Breakfast (Livonia, Mich.) Ford Dearborn Engine & Fuel Tank Retirees Ford Glass UAW Local 737 Retirees Ford Human Resources Retiree Group Ford Rouge Plant Railroad Operations Retiree Group Ford Rouge Transportation Retirees Ford Technical Illustration and Graphics Retirees – EEE, Bldg.
3, FMCC, WHQ (Northville, Mich.) Ford Tool and Die Skilled Trades Retirees Frame Plant Survivors Salaried Retirees FRAW (Ford Rawsonville Area Women) Retirees Indianapolis Ford Retirees Kansas City Ford Salaried Retiree Club Lorain Local 425 Retirees Maumee Ford Retirees Nebraska – Iowa Ford Retirees (Omaha, Neb.) Norfolk Ford Assembly Plant Retirees PDC/Body Engineering Illustration Retirees Plant Engineering Office Retirees Product Development, Body Design and Engineering
Retirees Research Laboratory Retiree Brunch Club UAW Eastern Carolina Retirees Van Dyke Plant Retiree Luncheon Club (Sterling Heights, Mich.)
April 14: April 14: May 26: August 27 - 28:
![]()
Ford Amateur Astronomy Club (Dearborn, Mich.) Starting on April 6 from 7:30 p.m. - 8:30 p.m., a series of planetarium shows will take place at either the Henry Ford Community College Planetarium (5101 Evergreen Rd.) in room S-126 inside the Science building, or the University of Michigan-Dearborn Observatory (4901 Evergreen Rd.) on the third floor of the Science Learning and Research Center. Click here for the Spring 2010 Planetarium & UMD Observatory Schedule. For more information, contact Ken Anderson at 313-805-4600 or KANDERS2@ford.com. April 16 – April 21:
Industry Sings Presents (Redford, Mich.) Industry Sings presents its 53rd Annual Concert. It will be held at Thurston High School (26255 Schoolcraft) at 4:00 p.m. Free admission! Featured performances are the DTE Singers, Ford Motor Company Chorus and Gentlemen Songsters with special guests, including American Liberty Pop Singers and Livonia Civic Chorus. For more information about this event, including a map, click here or call 734-968-9358. May 30 - 31:
Falcon Club of America 2010 National Convention (Dearborn, Mich.) The Metro Detroit Chapter of the Falcon Club of America is hosting the 2010 National Convention at the Hyatt Regency Dearborn and celebrates the 50th anniversary of the Ford Falcon. Because the 50th anniversary is a significant milestone, the club anticipates over 400 Falcons and their owners to attend from all over the United States and Canada. Please visit fca2010detroit.webs.com for additional information and to download a copy of the registration form or contact Alan Aniol at 734-282-8188 or e-mail at JOANAL@wideopenwest.com.
Ford Athletic & Triathlon Club – F.A.S.T. (Novi, Mich.) F.A.S.T. presents its 8th Annual Island Lake of Novi where a Triathlon & 1.5 Mile Open Water Swim will be held. This event is comprised of a 5 mile swim, 12 mile bike ride and a 3 mile run. To register, visit http://www.swimfasttrifast.com/index.php/island-lake-of-novi-triathlon.html or to learn more about this event, click here.
Has your e-mail address changed? Click here to update your e-mail address. If you have difficulty reading or opening links in this document, Blue Oval Connect Weekly Briefings are archived in the http://www.at.ford.com/news/Publications/Pages/BlueOvalConnect.aspx
FCN News Team: Publisher: Sara Tatchio Associate Publisher: Susan Krusel Managing Editors: Jenn Corney, Terra Donnelly You received this e-mail because you opted in to receive e-mail communications from Blue Oval Connect. Please note that we have updated the Privacy Policy for BlueOvalConnect.com. We have also added to the site a statement relating to "Your California Privacy Rights." To review these documents, click to www.blueovalconnect.com/privacy_policy.cfm and http://www.blueovalconnect.com/california_privacy.cfm To opt out of receiving e-mail communications from Blue Oval Connect click here. Blue Oval Connect, One American Road, Dearborn, MI 48126 |