Release Start Date: 5/21/2013 6:05 AM

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​Social media has exploded around the web and Ford has been a significant participant in the last year or two. Click here to visit the @Ford Social Media Hub - Ford Motor Company's resource for all personnel who have an interest in learning more about the social web.

DEARBORN - Recently we asked employees to share their experiences via social media from the 2013 Employee Auto Show Experience and through Twitter, Instagram and Vine they did just that!

This years’ experience featured some of our great products including the Ford Atlas Concept, Lincoln MKC Concept, 2014 Fiesta and Fiesta ST, Focus ST, C-MAX Hybrid, Fusion, Escape, Transit, Lincoln MKZ Hybrid and our NASCAR Fusion.

Click here to continue reading this blog post.

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Release Start Date: 5/21/2013 6:00 AM

Byline: Chris Rahi Kassab

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​DEARBORN - With many manufacturing plants in North America running seven days a week to keep up with growing consumer demand for Ford vehicles, it is more critical than ever to keep machinery and operations maintained and running to their fullest potential.

That’s quite a daunting task if you stop and think about the sheer number and complexity of maintenance issues that arise on any given day – not just in North America but in Ford facilities throughout the world.

Two years ago, Ford set out to create and implement a global Maintenance Operating System (MOS) designed to standardize the way plant maintenance is managed, ultimately making the operation more efficient and cost-effective.

“A manufacturing plant is complex. There are thousands of operations and machines, and it’s literally impossible to perform maintenance on everything,” said Joe Lee, global director, MOS. “You have to have a process in place to deliver the right maintenance at the right time in the right operations in order to maximize productivity.”

Lee says prioritization is the key.

“We have introduced a MOS standard constraint management process to identify bottlenecks – which parts of the plant are causing production issues,” he said. “In the past we had a tendency to do maintenance based on our experience. Now we’re using actual data – production data and failure data – to help us set up a better system.”

The data is collected using production monitoring systems, which are in place at most facilities.

“Using this model we can now pinpoint exactly which problems are having the greatest impact on productivity,” said Lee. “Now we can train the right people on the right technology and have the spare parts ready so that if something does happen, we can go to work and get back to running production to potential.”

Prioritizing maintenance enables plants to make the most effective use of downtime – which is especially scarce in North American facilities.

“If you have two hours between shifts, where do you send your people for that time in a 5 million square-foot plant? Without this kind of process, they’re going to work hard, but they may not exactly contribute to productivity,” said Lee. “We want to utilize our skilled tradespeople to their fullest potential by giving them time to perform critical maintenance operating processes.”

Early performance improvements
Since the MOS constraint management process was introduced in 2011, improvements have been made in both the completion rate of preventive maintenance and production performance in North America.

From 2011 to 2012, the preventive maintenance completion rate in Ford’s North American facilities improved by 23 percent. During the same period of time, productivity increased in the Chassis and Body areas of Vehicle Operations by 1.7 percent and 4.4 percent, respectively; in the Engine Assembly and Transmission Assembly areas of Powertrain Operations by 5.4 percent and 3.9 percent, respectively; and in the Engine Machining and Transmission Machining areas of Powertrain Operations by 4.5 percent and 2.3 percent, respectively.

“We’re seeing these improvements because we now have a constraint management process that is zeroing in on areas that are in the most critical need of maintenance,” said Lee. “Nothing else has changed. We didn’t add more people or buy any more parts, so we know that it works and we’re now rolling the system out globally.”

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Related Materials1: *Identifying Maintenance Priorities Leads to Greater Efficiency

Release Start Date: 5/21/2013 6:00 AM

Byline: Chris Rahi Kassab

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​DEARBORN - Ford’s Dearborn Engine and Oakville Assembly Plants have both implemented the constraint management process outlined in the Maintenance Operating System (MOS).  And both facilities are seeing positive results. 

The constraint management system, introduced at both plants in 2011, uses plant production monitoring data to prioritize maintenance based on those issues that have the greatest impact on productivity. 

Kevin Heck, plant manager at the Dearborn Engine Plant, says his facility has realized a greater than 7 percent improvement in productivity from 2011 to 2012. 

“In the past what could happen without a good standard constraint management process is you could be working very hard on the wrong things,” said Heck.  “So it wasn’t about the teams in the past not working. It’s about working on those critical items that are truly going to deliver results.”

Due to increasing consumer demand for Ford products, Dearborn Engine currently employs two shifts in Assembly that work 9 hours a day plus Saturdays and four crews in Machining that work 7 days a week 24 hours a day.

“Due to the heavy work schedule, it is critical for us to identify our maintenance priorities,” said Heck.  “It supports us to better leverage our scarce resources to improve our efficiency and produce more products with our existing asset base.”

The Oakville Assembly Plant has seen a 2.5 percent improvement in productivity over the past year, says Will Cowell, plant manager.

“This is a significant achievement for the plant since this put us over our delivery objective. It contributes to less processing cost (hours per unit) and ultimately lower cost associated with maintenance,” he said. 

“The constraint management system gives me an approach to know exactly which machines need critical maintenance,” he continued.  “So if I’ve got X dollars to spend on maintenance today I’m going to make sure I spend it where I’m going to get the biggest bang for my buck.  I can prioritize what my money should go for and measure the results of that.” 

The Oakville plant employs different operating patterns depending on the department.  The Body and Paint area, for example, has just gone to three eight-hour shifts five days a week to meet rising consumer demand for popular vehicles like the Flex, Edge, Lincoln MKX and Lincoln MKT.   

“We have more time that we can run that can help us make more units in a day but it reduces our time for maintenance so we have to be exact and pinpoint and maximize the time that we have down so that we can fix the greatest area of opportunity,” said Cowell.  “We can do maintenance on the weekends but there is an additional cost for overtime so the efficiency is lost.  So we try to maximize opportunities during the week.” 
Cowell says the participation of everyone in the plant is critical. 

“We have an initiative we call ‘Every Trade Every Day’ where we expect every skilled tradesman to record the work that they do every day so that we can have a good history of what we’ve done and where we’re at with the equipment,” he said.  “In order for that program to be successful it’s important for everyone to be engaged in the process.”

Brent Merritt, assistant plant manager at Oakville, says people working in Maintenance operations at his facility are reacting positively to the changes. 

“Before, they were struggling to learn about some of the bigger picture initiatives that were going on,” he explained.  “Now they can see that we’re giving them a tool that helps them troubleshoot accurately so that they’re not wasting their time.  They have a lot more buy-in to the process because they see that it helps measure success.” 

Cowell says the experience he’s had at his plant has made him a strong advocate of the constraint management process. 

“It’s a process for continuous improvement that focuses on the right priorities and the right utilization of our resources,” he said.  “It reduces the number of hours that you spend reacting to catastrophe and allows you to focus on prevention and machine wellness.”

Heck is also a strong supporter.

“The MOS and constraint management process supports us all and our overall goals of increasing our productivity,” he said.  “It’s an enabler that helps align the entire organization with the key processes and the roles and responsibilities to be successful in that challenge.”

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Related Materials2: *New Maintenance Operating System Improves Plant Performance

Release Start Date: 5/21/2013 6:00 AM

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​DEARBORN - The Go Digital…Go Further (GDGF) program has motivated employees to increase awareness and understanding of IT tools and resources through in the engagement of self-paced learning experiences and community involvement.  Now let’s bring attention to our Digital Worker Drivers who are living the One Ford philosophy.

Who are these Digital Worker Drivers? What are they doing? You can find their smiling faces and brief stories how they Go Digitally Further here.

These drivers have completed all of the GDGF program requirements for Level 4 - Digital Worker Driver, and have learned new skills that help them improve on-the-job functions.  These folks participate in community activities on the Digital Worker site, in Yammer and other discussion boards targeting specific tool needs, while sharing tips and tricks, knowledge and best practices, in their own skill team and department events and in Digital Worker LIVE learning sessions. 

Since its introduction in September 2012, GDGF has registered more than 8,800 employees as participants.  Of those, 5,500 enrollees are actively engaged in completing structured tasks and activities that are aligned to core business needs, which impact their day-to-day work in an immediate, useful and meaningful way.

Of these participants, 173 have achieved Level 4 Digital Worker Driver, the highest level in the GDGF program. They Go Further every day, by learning and utilizing the Digital Worker tools. As a way of paying it forward, they share with others how to effectively use the tools in their daily tasks to meet four core business needs by:
• Easily connecting with others globally
• Easily creating, sharing and finding information
• Easily integrating mobile tools
• Easily balancing work-life priorities

They continue to Go Further digitally and live the One Ford value every day by volunteering to share their digital knowledge with others, being open to learn new tools that enable increased productivity and by modeling how others can apply these capabilities in daily tasks.  Achieving Level 4 Digital Worker Driver is no easy task, but very rewarding. 

Digital Worker wants to tell the One Ford family about these Digital Worker Drivers and the good things they are doing within Ford.  We know there are others out there, who have the internal drive to want to help others. 

Are you ready to learn and be more effective at utilizing the Digital Worker skills and become the best Digital Worker that you can be on your time schedule? Then, take advantage of user friendly learning materials, 1,000+ participant-submitted tips and a support community that will assist you in achieving your goals. Register at the Go Digital…Go Further site and start increasing your productivity today.

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Release Start Date: 5/21/2013 4:50 AM

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​PRETORIA, South Africa — Team Ford Racing continued to demonstrate the pace of the new racing Ford Rangers at the third round of the Donaldson Cross Country Championship. Former South African champions Chris Visser and Japie Badenhorst tussled for the lead throughout the event, eventually finishing in second place.

The race, which took place in Eston Pietermaritzburg, is significant in that the Cross Country Rangers were designed and built in Pietermaritzburg, effectively making it a home event for the team.

With a good turnout of local supporters the team was eager to deliver a strong result.
Visser and Badenhorst put in a solid performance during Friday’s prologue session in what were cold, wet and muddy conditions. While the weather cleared for the start of the race the route remained slippery and muddy throughout the event.

The pair battled for the lead with Anthony Taylor and Chris Murphy but eventually finished in a well-deserved second place.

“We would have loved to have won,” said Visser. “But in the end we were happy to play it safe and take second place rather than trying anything too risky.”

Teammates Lance Woolridge and Ward Huxtable had a more trying weekend. Taking to the field very early in the day for the prologue session, they experienced the worst of the muddy track putting them in 12th position for the start of the race.  They made great progress when the race got underway, moving up to fourth place but ultimately a clutch failure put an end to their weekend.

“It wasn’t the best weekend for us but every experience is a learning opportunity and so we can’t be too disappointed,” said Woolridge.

“Overall we are pleased with the results,” commented Ford Racing Manager John Nagel. “We would have loved another win but the battle at the front was extremely close. It is good for spectators and the sport in general to have two teams competing so closely for pole positions.”

The next round of the championship, the 1000 Desert Race, is the most anticipated of the Donaldson Cross Country Championship events. With points and a half up for grabs, a win in the Botswana-based event is more coveted than most.

“We are very proud of the teams’ achievements and are definitely setting our sights on a Desert Race win. It is the most challenging event on the calendar and with extra points on the line there is everything to play for,” concluded team manager Neil Woolridge.

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Release Start Date: 5/21/2013 1:00 AM

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Release Start Date: 5/20/2013 8:00 AM

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​DEARBORN – Ford’s Supplier Diversity Development (SDD) program celebrates 35 years of cultivating successful relationships between the company and its minority-, women- and veteran-owned supplier businesses.

Ford has spent $67 billion through the program since its launch in 1978, working with 400-plus diverse and minority suppliers; more than 25 of these companies have been doing business with Ford for more than 20 years.

“Diversity and inclusion are keys to our success at Ford,” said Alan Mulally, Ford president and CEO. “For 35 years we have been committed to building a supplier base that reflects our employees, our customers and our shareholders. A broad and diverse supplier base reinforces our commitment to the communities where we live and work.”

The SDD program empowers entrepreneurs like John A. James by providing them with the resources to be successful. For instance, Ford sold James 23 used diesel trucks from its private fleet to use for his trucking business in 1972. James, an African-American veteran, is chairman, CEO and founder of an international supply chain logistics company, James Group International. He has worked with Ford since 1972 – a year after he founded his first business. 

“Minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses have made substantial contributions to Ford’s profitable growth,” said Tony Brown, group vice president, global purchasing. “James Group International is an outstanding example of how our SDD program partners us with the best suppliers in the world, which has helped us produce quality vehicles over the last 35 years for our customers.”

By identifying high-potential minority-, women- and veteran-owned businesses and giving them the resources to be successful, Ford can tap a fresh perspective that can lead to cutting-edge innovation and help accelerate the development of vehicles.

“Our SDD program is a win-win for everyone involved,” said Brown. “We’re all working together to foster new business relationships that will contribute to the greater good, leading to new opportunities for expansion and growth.”

Some notable examples of technologies that stemmed from Ford’s SDD program include:

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Related Materials1: *Fact Sheet

Related Materials2: *Video

Release Start Date: 5/20/2013 6:15 AM

Body.: ​DEARBORN – The 2013 Ford Fusion Energi has earned the highest possible “five-star” Overall Vehicle Score from the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). The five-star rating is the U.S. Government’s highest-possible safety rating and is determined only after severe testing procedures as part of NHTSA’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP), which combines vehicle performance in frontal and side-impact crash tests and resistance to rollover.
 
The Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid joins the Ford Fusion and the Ford Fusion Hybrid which already received five-star safety ratings. NHTSA has elected to test plug-in vehicles separately from vehicles powered by gasoline internal combustion engines as the market share of electrified vehicles is increasing. April marked Ford’s best hybrid sales month ever with Ford’s EV market share hitting an all-time high of 18 percent, up from 3 percent last April.
 
“The Fusion Energi combines the highest possible safety ratings from NHTSA and great fuel economy, two things we know customers are looking for in their vehicles,” said Steve Kenner, Global Director of the Ford Automotive Safety Office. “Our strategy is to provide our customers with a range of powertrain options in our vehicles, while still leading in fuel economy in every segment that we compete.”
 
The Fusion Energi gets an EPA fuel economy rating of 108 MPGe, which is five MPGe better than the Toyota Prius plug-in hybrid.
 
The NHTSA five-star rating for the Fusion Energi comes in addition to the 2013 Fusion being named a Top Safety Pick+ from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) in December. The Top Safety Pick + designation is the highest rating the organization has for vehicle safety.
 
The Fusion Energi also features the Personal Safety System™ with safety belt technologies and front impact airbags. The Personal Safety System™ is a network of components that work together to tailor the deployment of the front airbags during frontal collisions. Other driver assist technologies available on the Fusion Energi include:
 
•Lane Keeping Assist
•Adaptive Cruise Control
•Rearview Camera
•Hill Start Assist
•Electronic Parking Brake

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Release Start Date: 5/20/2013 6:05 AM

Byline: Chris Rahi Kasasb

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​DEARBORN  - Two years ago, Ford embarked on a journey to redesign the way that the company operates within all of its manufacturing facilities throughout the world.

That effort led to the development of the Ford Production System (FPS) – a standardized, structured system that was established to engage plant employees and provide a consistent foundation upon which to make continuous improvements.

At the heart of FPS are seven operating systems – Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cost, People, Maintenance and Environment – and a set of standard operating practices (or key unifying processes) that guide and support those systems.

Now that the foundation of FPS has been laid, John Fleming, executive vice president, Global Manufacturing and Labor Affairs, is calling for 2013 to be the “the year of implementation.”

“We have endorsed the structure of the production system and now it is time to stop development and put all of our time and effort into implementation,” he said. “I know that we won’t achieve full implementation by year’s end, but if we’re not careful, we will develop the system forever. It doesn’t need to be perfect. It needs to be approximately right. And then through continuous improvement we’ll refine it to suit exactly what we need and bring everybody up to a better standard.”

According to Adrian Price, director, Global FPS, the implementation process involves six key phases.

“The six stages break up the process into manageable pieces,” he said. “Here’s where you start. Here’s what it means. Here are the tools and training that you need, and here are the results that you should see as you implement each phase.”

The first phase is strategic planning.

“First of all define your current state, because if you want to improve, it’s really good to understand where you are today so that you know where you need to move to,” said Price. “And define it in terms of policy deployment so that you can lay your plan out, get your leadership team aligned around the plan and then put it into a master schedule.”

The second phase is defining the structure.

“This is about the aligned and capable organization and putting a team structure in place, which involves having process coaches and team leaders,” said Price.

Phase three is issues management.

“Here is where we lay out the work that the plant manager, area manager, production manager, process coach and team leader need to do and show them how it fits into each day,” said Price.

Time and data Management is a critical part of this phase of implementation, says Fleming.

“One of the key things we found as we started to go through this is that the plant managers rightly said ‘how on earth are we supposed to do all of this work with everything else that we’ve got to do,’ and this is a discussion truthfully that we never really had before,” he said, noting that one of the reasons he believes the production system never worked in the past is because the company never outlined a clear process for how to get tasks accomplished.

“Now we are able to lay the time and data management out and demonstrate how it can be done,” he continued. “And as we get this implemented, the panic issues become less because you’re not chasing – you’re actually managing and controlling.”

Phases four and five include defining and confirming the standards of plant operation.

“We need to ensure that people understand exactly how the workstations and shop floor should look and then have a process in place to confirm that they are operating to the standards,” said Price.

Phase six is continuous improvement.

“We’re embedding a process that actually has continuous improvement built into it,” said Price. “We’re driving better and better results and we’re trying to drop that down through various levels of the organization so that we’re empowering them to continuously improve. Ultimately it’s about advancing safety, quality, delivery and the flow in our plants so that we’re making better products and making them more efficiently.”

At this time, Fleming estimates the company is approximately 40 percent of the way toward implementation.

“By the end of the year we’ll be at about 60 percent, and my view is that in two years we will be at 80 percent,” he said. “It will be difficult for anybody to get to 100 percent because the system will continue to change and evolve. I’d like to come to a point where we don’t have to worry about implementation figures, where the production system is in and running and we’re just into continuous improvement.”

Fleming says the six phases of implementation reflect a comprehensive approach to change management by defining the things that need to change, making tools and training available, and then working with the plant teams and monitoring them to make sure that progress is made.

“As we do this, the expectation is that the bottom line results will improve,” he said. “And if they don’t, then we go back in and we ask what’s wrong with our standards, the process or the operating system and then adjust it. But now we have a basis on which to do that.”

Once the FPS is implemented throughout the world, everyone – from plant employees to customers who buy Ford vehicles – will benefit, says Fleming.

“At the end of the day the words and the music have got to come together,” he said. “If our processes are robust and we’re working to the standards, then any issues should be identified quickly, which will allow us to understand the root cause and fix them quickly. Our customers should see improved quality, and we should see improved safety and overall control of our processes. These will be indicators of our progress to becoming best in the world.”

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Related Materials1: *Identifying Maintenance Priorities Leads to Greater Efficiency

Release Start Date: 5/20/2013 6:05 AM

Byline: Chris Rahi Kassab

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​DEARBORN - When you stay at a luxury hotel, there is concierge on-site available to assist you.

Lincoln is now offering that amenity to clients who visit the brand’s website at www.lincoln.com – a who concierge is available around the clock to assist in creating a highly personal online shopping experience.

“The goal behind the Lincoln 24/7 Online Concierge is to turn what is ordinarily a cold, passive first encounter with a manufacturer into something far more personal and interesting,” said Kevin Cour, manager, Lincoln Sales & Service Operations. “By offering a warm, personal experience we believe we have a higher likelihood of engaging people who are interested in our products and converting that interest into a strong lead for the dealer.”

Cour says studies show that people spend up to eight hours researching a vehicle online. During that time they may visit up to 18 different websites searching for vehicle specifications, competitive information and third-party data.

The Lincoln Concierge service brings all of that information to one convenient online location along with a trained advisor to assist at every step of the way.

“Researching a vehicle online can be a cumbersome experience because there are so many websites you can visit,” said Tony Watkins, manager, Lincoln Field Operations. “Customers want someone to help them navigate through all of the material, figure out what is relevant and what is not and help them make decisions. That is the role of the concierge.”

The concierge service offers two ways to help clients. 

“If you have a busy schedule and want to do research on your own, you can self-serve from the concierge website and use the enhanced tools that are available,” said Watkins. “Or you can engage directly with a concierge.”

Clients can interact with a concierge by telephone, via click-to-chat conversation or they can participate in a live video chat.

“The video chat is one-way, so you can see the concierge but they cannot see you,” said Cour. “So if you want to sit there in your pajamas late at night you don’t have to worry about the shopping advisor seeing you. You can be comfortable in your own home.”

After completing an online session, the client can save a personal portfolio containing all of their vehicle preferences.

“People can come back and review their portfolio whenever they want, whereas if I was on a website and I just did my vehicle comparisons I would have to make printouts of that information and then hope that I wouldn’t lose them down the line,” said Watkins. 

The concierge also captures all of the client’s information – what they drive, what vehicle they’re interested in, what colors and specs they like, etc. – and can then transfer it directly to the client’s preferred dealership upon request.

“People become frustrated when they feel like they have to start the whole process all over again when they get to the dealership,” said Watkins. “We’re trying to stitch together the online and offline shopping experience so that the dealer is ready when the customer walks in the door.”

Cour says building Lincoln on a foundation of personal service is what it’s going to take to earn new business.

“Products are just the price of admission,” he said. “Nobody builds a bad luxury car. It’s the manner in which you engage customers with your brand that really makes a difference.”

Lincoln launched the 24/7 Online Concierge on April 4 and during its first three weeks it received more than 14,000 visitors, 55 percent of whom registered for the service.

“We see this as our toe in the water, a huge opportunity to use the concierge is to offer innovative experiences for our customers throughout the shop, buy and own parts of the transaction,” said Cour. “Right now we’re just talking about shopping, but we’re working on the second and third phases which would go deeper into the purchase and ownership funnel.”

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Release Start Date: 5/20/2013 6:00 AM

Byline: Terra Donnelly

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​DEARBORN - Ford Motor Company has made it a priority to communicate the importance of health and wellness among its employees in the workplace as well as at home. Maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential, especially when national health care costs continue to rise and the country’s health status continues to decline.

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services:
• 59 percent of employees do not get adequate exercise
• 50 percent or more have high cholesterol
• 27 percent have cardiovascular disease
• 26 percent are overweight by 20 percent or more
• 24 percent have high blood pressure

Employee health affects not only medical costs, but everyday life, including lack of productivity at work. Between 70 to 90 percent of health care spend is caused by preventable, modifiable health risks such as the ones listed above. Unhealthy lifestyle choices often lead to chronic diseases, costing businesses more than $1 trillion in lost productivity alone.

Currently, national health care cost increases are driven not only by chronic conditions, but also advanced treatment options, improper utilization, waste in the health care delivery system and legislative requirements.

Consistent with the national experience, Ford’s per employee healthcare costs also have increased at a significant rate, which is unsustainable long term. This trend becomes an affordability challenge for both employers and employees across the nation.

To drive the message home, Ford assists employees by offering health and wellness programs, which encourage awareness of health related issues, developing a workplace culture where employees are engaged, accountable and supported for their health and well-being. Not to mention, improving the health of Ford team members will help control the rising cost of health care throughout the company.

The Ford employee population is not unlike other working populations in the U.S., where a small portion of individuals covered by health plans represent a very large percentage of the overall cost, in large part due to chronic and manageable conditions. This is why awareness and prevention are such an important part of the Ford wellness strategy.

Completing a health assessment to become more aware of one’s own health risks, and visiting a physician each year to complete preventive screenings to help identify those risks early allow individuals to develop a plan addressing  concerns before they become more serious health conditions.

Ford’s efforts around employee health and wellness are mirrored by large employers across the U.S. Employers have a tremendous opportunity to help their employees see the value of adopting healthier behaviors so they can live healthier lives. Behaviors such as eating right, not smoking and an active lifestyle have the largest impact on overall health.

A supportive work environment, where managers reinforce a sound wellness strategy, can set the tone and keep employees motivated and engaged, both at work and in their personal lives. Wellness and incentive programs can be used to create awareness and reinforce healthy behaviors, bringing benefits to the employer, the employee and to the community.  

Studies show that employees are more likely to be on the job and performing well when they are in optimal health. Benefits of implementing a wellness program include:
• Attracting the most talented workers
• Reducing absenteeism and lost time
• Improving on-the-job time utilization, decision making and productivity
• Improving employee morale
• Reduction in turnover
• Improved disease management and prevention, and a healthier workforce in general

In order to help improve the health and productivity of members of the Ford team, manage costs and provide appropriate, efficient health care services, the company continues to actively promote wellness and healthy behaviors, engaging members with a focus on awareness, prevention and chronic-condition management. 

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Release Start Date: 5/20/2013 5:00 AM

Body.: ​Click here to visit the Motorsports page for all the latest news and information.  ​ ​
DEARBORN - Weekend racing results for May 17-19.

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Release Start Date: 5/20/2013 3:00 AM

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BRENTWOOD, England – Ford has scooped three top wins at this year’s Honest John Awards, with new Fiesta crowned “Most Popular Small Hatchback” and for the second year running Mondeo and C-MAX named “Most Popular Large Family Car” and “Most Popular MPV” respectively.

This year’s third Honest John Awards are split into 14 main categories from “City Car” to “Sports Car”. The awards are not determined by judges or a panel, but instead are decided by honestjohn.co.uk website users.  The cars that fans search for most on the site and are therefore of most interest, are declared the winners.

Dan Harrison, editor of honestjohn.co.uk, said: “Ford has picked up an impressive haul of trophies at this year's awards, across a wide range of models. Fiesta remains one of the most popular cars on the site thanks to its smart looks and keen running costs. It's a similar story for C-MAX, which so cleverly meets the needs of families. The Mondeo may be in line for replacement soon, but it remains a steadfast favourite on Honestjohn.co.uk”.

Anthony Ireson, Ford Britain marketing director, said:  "We are delighted that the Ford Fiesta, C-MAX and Mondeo are so popular with honestjohn.co.uk website users.  The stylish Fiesta has exciting new technology and is now available with the award winning 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine.  Mondeo enjoys a new series and powertrain line-up with reduced CO2 emissions, while our versatile and well specified C-MAX Titanium X is proving a hit with retail buyers.  It’s great to see them grabbing the headlines".

Honestjohn.co.uk was set up in 2000 to help consumers with advice on buying, selling and running cars.  Since then “Honest John” himself has answered more than 625,000 questions, with the site receiving around 1.5 million visits per month.

The data to measure customer interest is taken from Google Analytics and calculates the number of page views each review has had over the previous 12 months.

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Release Start Date: 5/20/2013 2:30 AM

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​PARIS, France – Ford France is offering Facebook followers the chance to win a VIP track test in the new Fiesta ST.

Six lucky people will get to drive the 180 PS hot hatch at the Circuit de Lohéac on May 31st and June 1st. To participate, entrants must become a fan of Ford France by “liking” its Facebook page and submitting a photo of a Ford by email.

The contest is free and open until midnight on May 22nd. Winners will receive round-trip train tickets from Paris, a one-night hotel stay, meals, a personal welcome, access to the track and paddocks, and above all, a track test in the new Fiesta ST.

The car is taking French media by storm. L’Automobile magazine reports: “The Fiesta ST will thrill sporty drivers with its agility. It has a playful rear axle that obeys the driver’s commands perfectly. The ESC system keeps things under control. The most daring motorists can disconnect it or simply tone down its intervention by engaging Sport mode, which is less intrusive. The exemplary gearshift makes a great contribution to driving pleasure.”

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Release Start Date: 5/20/2013 12:20 AM

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​SHANGHAI, China — Ford’s stylish new Fiesta is getting smarter, greener and more agile. With a distinctive new front grille that makes it stand out from the crowd, the new Ford Fiesta will prove to customers its charisma extends beyond a facelift.

To give Chinese media the opportunity to experience this stunning small car and its new features, Changan Ford, Ford’s joint venture in China, took a group of 52 journalists on a two-day test drive from China’s coastal city Ningbo to Shanghai.

A journalist driving across the Hangzhou Bay Bridge.		Yeh Mingshin, deputy marketing director, Changan Ford Sales Company, presented prize to the winner of the fuel efficiency competition.

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Release Start Date: 5/20/2013 12:20 AM

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​CHUNG-LI, Taiwan — Ford Lio Ho (FLH) recently held an award ceremony and luncheon for this year’s top-performing employees and their families at its manufacturing plant.

Family members on stage with the model employees.		“He is a good husband as well as a good employee.,” Hsieh An-Jongwith his wife at the luncheon.
Thomas welcoming little Fords to the celebration luncheon.		Thank you for hard work and great contribution

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Release Start Date: 5/17/2013 10:00 AM

Byline: Megan Whalen

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​DEARBORN - Day to day, Ford executives, and employees are hard at work developing cutting-edge innovations that build on the company’s past and affect the future standing.

Each month, current executives and thought leaders in the company speak to a former group of these employees who helped make technology leadership part of Ford’s DNA - the Ford Retired Engineering Executives (FREE) club.

Ford Director of Global Connectivity and Electrified Planning and Strategy, Nancy Gioia, was this month’s speaker, where she updated the FREE members on the connective car and Ford’s progress moving forward with connectivity.

Focusing on innovation and technique she said the company is working on “meeting the needs of the present without compromising the future.”

“People want to be connected all the time,” said Gioia. “And they’re expecting to be able to get the communication when they need it, with the communication they want and when they want.”

According to Gioia, Ford is working on improving a seamless, intuitive and consistent transition from technologies like smartphone apps and computer software to functionalities available in your vehicle. This includes advancing award-winning features like MyFord® Mobile that give the customer control and opportunities to interface with their vehicle.

“We’re going to continue to exploit this phase but we’re doing so a little different than our competition,” said Gioia.

Following her address, Gioia also took the time to address any questions or concerns that members had. One retiree expressed his frustration with the touch-screen capability in his car.

“We’re going to be addressing that and we’re doing an update to human interfacing so there will continue to be improvements,” said Gioia. “There’s a whole series of technologies that we’re going to see very rapidly come in that give customers the feedback they want tactically and make it easy to do.”

Gioia assured the group that connectivity is not just about technology or bringing apps into the car, it’s about shifting the business to the next level.

“The great news is that we have some real insights in where were headed.  The great thing about being innovators is that we’re the first to learn.  We see the competition following in our footsteps but we’re ahead in learning. You’re really going to see some wonderful things moving forward,” she said.

Each month a new guest speaker attends this event. Next meeting Ford’s Group VP, Global Quality and New Model Launch, Bennie Fowler will be speaking to the group. Click here for more information on FREE and their initiatives.

More than 450 Ford alumni are members of FREE – making it one of the largest and most prestigious retiree organizations in the company. With more than 40 years as an active retiree group, FREE membership is limited to those with supervisory experience at an LL5 (SG11) or above.

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Release Start Date: 5/17/2013 10:00 AM

Body.: ​The full version of this article and others like it are featured on the Go Further - Team Content section on @Ford Online - click here to go there now!

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Release Start Date: 5/17/2013 6:25 AM

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COLOGNE, Germany – The Ford Fiesta ST – Ford’s fastest ever production small car – is off to a fast start with hot-hatch connoisseurs placing 3,000 orders since March.

Customers in the U.K. have bought more than half of all models sold to date, with Germany placing the next largest number of orders, followed by Switzerland.

The new 182 PS Fiesta ST can achieve 0-100 km/h in 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 220 km/h – supported by an advanced chassis developed by Ford Team RS, the European arm of Ford Motor Company’s Global Performance Vehicle group.

It also offers both a 20 per cent increase in power against the previous, first-generation, model and a 20 per cent reduction in CO2 emissions to 138 g/km*.

“The word of mouth on Fiesta ST has been phenomenal and it’s clear we have something special on our hands,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales and Service, Ford of Europe. “We are really proud of our product development team for delivering a car that the top auto critics across Europe say not only is astonishingly good but also very affordable.”

The Ford vehicle dynamics department that developed the new Fiesta ST last month was named the Dynamics Team of the Year at the 2013 Vehicle Dynamics International Awards, and Ford Team RS vehicle dynamics specialist David Put won the title of Dynamicist of the Year.

Powered by Ford’s 1.6-litre EcoBoost engine, the new Fiesta ST offers performance-tuned steering, suspension, brakes and enhanced Torque Vectoring Control; as well as Ford MyKey and SYNC with Emergency Assistance. (A video of David Put driving the Fiesta ST at Ford’s Lommel test track can be viewed here)

The dynamically styled new Fiesta ST exterior with a large trapezoidal honeycomb grille, dramatic rear diffuser element and a full ST body kit is proving most popular in new colour Spirit Blue, requested in 27 per cent of orders, followed by Frozen White and Race Red.

More than 60 per cent of customers have opted for a Smoke Storm Torino leather interior in Charcoal Black, to complement the carbon fibre dashboard inserts, alloy-metal pedals and gearshifter, ST steering wheel and Recaro seats. 90 per cent of customers have specified Rado Grey 17-inch alloy wheels with red brake callipers; and a further 19 per cent have selected the Sony DAB radio and navigation option with 5-inch colour screen.

“Our showroom cars are getting a huge amount of attention, with people wanting to sit in and experience the Fiesta ST and talk about its performance,” said John Leeman, operations director, Ford Retail, the UK's largest Ford Dealer Group. “We are receiving a large number of inquiries every day.”

The success of the new Fiesta ST follows on the heels of the Focus ST, which went on sale in summer 2012. Equipped with a 250 PS 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine, the Focus ST was the best-selling hot hatch in Europe during the first three months of 2013, with 2,100 sales.

 

Please click here to visit the official Fiesta ST Product Kit

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Release Start Date: 5/17/2013 6:15 AM

Body.: ​DEARBORN – Lincoln, the luxury automotive brand, announced today the $1.2 million Lincoln Reimagine ProjectTM that will help fund fresh and relevant projects and ideas in the areas of arts and design and thought leadership.
 
This year, the brand invited the world to say “Hello, Again” to The Lincoln Motor Company and introduced its new premium midsize sedan, the 2013 MKZ. As the Lincoln brand was built from one man’s vision, the Project’s mission is to collaborate with, sponsor and support culturally progressive individuals and their vision for making old new again through a celebration of all things reinvented.
 
“Lincoln’s commitment over the years to individuality and design has attracted some of the greatest innovators of our time. Lincoln is reclaiming that original spirit by celebrating other visionaries and creating a like-minded community,” said Andrew Frick, Lincoln Group Marketing Manager. “Through the passion points of art, design and thought leadership, the Reimagine Project is looking for ideas where visionaries and innovators are enabling change in terms of creation and distribution.”
 
The Reimagine Project will honor individuals, including innovators, visionary leaders and fellow brilliant artists. Those with projects at the tipping point of that change will receive support to help get their endeavors off the ground.
 
Lincoln began cultivating this community earlier this year. The first funded project began in February at TEDActive, an annual gathering of curious and energetic leaders hosted by TED, the non-profit dedicated to “Ideas Worth Spreading.”
 
A panel of TED Fellows nominated three individuals to create a special reimagined project with Lincoln’s support in the areas of sustainability, technological eco-systems and music. This month these works will be finalized and their journey shared with the public through short documentaries.
 
“Lincoln’s Reimagine project resonated deeply with TEDActive's community of innovative thinkers and doers,” said Ronda Carnegie, TED’s Head of Global Partnerships. “We’re happy to partner with Lincoln on such a thrilling initiative — one that champions fresh perspectives on everything from technology and design to art and music.”
 
Below are the collaborators and their projects:
 
•Aurora Robson (Project Vortex). This collective is reimagining the world of art and design by using plastic debris that would otherwise go to waste.
•Andy Cavatorta (The Dervishes) transforms music with one-of-a-kind, hand-crafted musical instruments that reflect the intimacy between the Earth’s mass and the music created.
•Gilberto Esparza (Auto-photosynthetic plants). This project uses electronic media and robotics to research the impact of technology embedded in everyday life reimagining recycling consumption intertwined with technology.
The Lincoln Reimagine Project will continue to fund collaborations within the brand’s passions of art, design and thought leadership and will explore unique and distinct concepts in film, theater and architecture.
 
Inspired by the Reimagine Project, Lincoln also has launched Driven to Give, a regional test-drive dealer program that donates money to educational programs and charitable organizations to inspire future makers, builders and visionaries.
 
To learn more about The Lincoln Reimagine Project, please visit www.Lincoln.com/ReimagineProject.

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