Ford Fusion: Motor Trend Car of the Year!

DETROIT — The 2010 Ford Fusion was named Motor Trend magazine's car of the year Tuesday, beating out the Toyota Prius, BMW 7-Series, Chevrolet Camaro and others in the closely watched competition.
It was yet another accolade for Ford Motor Co.'s midsize sedan, which got high reliability scores in the most recent rankings from Consumer Reports and was the top-selling car made by a Detroit automaker through October. U.S. Fusion sales were up 15 percent in the first 10 months of this year, to 148,045, despite a 25 percent drop in overall car sales.
Still, the mid-size Fusion continues to lag behind the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord — perennial leaders in the competitive U.S. mid-size market.
Motor Trend said the Fusion can compete with the Camry and Accord in performance, comfort and fuel efficiency. It praised Ford for offering several versions of the Fusion, including a fuel-efficient gas-electric hybrid and a sporty version with a V-6 engine.
"Ford has proven its resilience in these tough times by delivering to market a car with broad appeal to a broad range of consumers," Motor Trend Editor in Chief Angus MacKenzie said in a statement.
Motor Trend considered 23 new or significantly refreshed vehicles. The Fusion, introduced in the 2006 model year, was redesigned for 2010 with a new lineup of engines and transmissions, new exterior and interior and new options, including the Sync entertainment system and a blind-spot warning system.
Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of global product development, said the 2010 Fusion has a sportier look and better fuel economy than previous versions. It gets 34 miles per gallon on the highway when equipped with a four-cylinder engine and six-speed automatic transmission. The gas-electric hybrid version gets 41 miles per gallon in the city.
The Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan, Buick LaCrosse, Lexus HS 250h and Hyundai Genesis coupe were among the cars Motor Trend considered. The Fusion also beat out other Ford models, including the Mustang sports car and Taurus sedan.
It was the first time a Ford car had won since 2003, when the Ford Thunderbird got the honor, Kuzak said. Ford's 2009 F-150 was Motor Trend's truck of the year last fall. The Nissan GT-R was the car of the year for 2009.
"It reinforces the progress that we've made, particularly on the car side of the business," Kuzak told The Associated Press. "When people think of trucks they think Ford, but we needed to put Ford cars and crossovers in people's consideration."
Motor Trend conducts road tests on each vehicle and judges vehicles in six categories: design advancement, engineering excellence, intended function, efficiency, safety and value.
Copyright © 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved

New Transit Connect---Metro Ford's Mobile Advertising Delivery Van!

Metro Ford Lincoln Mercury has introduced the first mobile advertising billboard on a delivery van by a Ford dealership in Miami. The Transit Connect was recently introduced by Ford as the perfect solution for small businesses which require a compact and economical means of transportation to deliver goods. Metro Ford LM commissioned Metro Signs of Hollywood, Fla. to produce the 3M wrap. The design was created by Martin Advertising of Miami. It features 3D graphics of the three brands that the dealership represents. The Metro Ford LM van will be making the rounds all over Dade and Broward attracting eyeballs wherever it goes.

New Ford 6.7L Diesel Engine!

A new era in Ford diesel technology arrives with the Ford-engineered, Ford-tested and Ford-manufactured 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine.

Debuting in the next-generation F-Series Super Duty truck, the new diesel engine will deliver significant improvements in torque, horsepower and fuel economy while adding more fueling flexibility and easily meeting stringent new emissions requirements.

The new diesel 6.7-liter engine also shares the Super Duty’s legendary reliability and durability while delivering best-in-class towing and payload.

“This all-new diesel engine has been so extensively tested both in the lab and in the real world that we’re confident we’re giving our customers the most reliable and productive powertrain available today,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president of Global Product Development. “Our Super Duty customers demand reliability and durability in their trucks so they can deliver the best results for their business and their customers. That’s exactly what this engine delivers.”

The diesel engine team made improvements and changes throughout the engine architecture to deliver on aggressive horsepower, torque, emissions and fuel economy targets. The 6.7-liter Power Stroke uses an “inboard exhaust” architecture, an automotive-industry first for a modern production diesel engine. It combines the best of proven technology with new, patented approaches backed by an extensive laboratory and real-world testing regimen to assure customer satisfaction.

Benefits of the new 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel engine include:

* First use of a compacted graphite iron (CGI) engine block in a Super Duty-class vehicle in North America; stronger than cast iron, Ford has successfully used CGI in engine blocks in products around the world. The block structure was optimized for reduced weight and maximum strength to meet the demands of higher torque and horsepower

* Unique inboard exhaust and outboard intake architecture, an automotive-industry first for a modern production diesel engine, reduces overall exhaust system volume, which leads to better throttle response for the customer; additionally, reduced exhaust system surface area minimizes heat transfer to the engine compartment and improves NVH (noise, vibration, harshness)

* The new engine architecture enables easier service work for all major engine components, potentially reducing down time. On turbocharger service, for example, the body/cab no longer has to be removed from the frame to access the turbo; also, the high-pressure fuel pump, EGR (exhaust gas recirculation) components and thermostats are directly accessible from the front of the vehicle

* Honeywell’s single-sequential turbocharger features an industry-first double-sided compressor wheel mounted on a single shaft. The unit is uniquely center-mounted on a pedestal low in the back of the valley for improved NVH. This turbocharger design allows the single unit to deliver the benefits of a twin-turbocharger system in a smaller, more efficient package, combining the benefits of a small turbocharger (faster response) and a large turbocharger (ability to compress and force more air into the engine for more power) in one unit

* The high-pressure Bosch fuel system injects fuel at more than 29,000 psi. The system delivers up to five injection events per cylinder per cycle using eight-hole piezo injectors to spray fuel into the piston bowl. The direct-injection system is calibrated and phased for optimum power, fuel efficiency and NVH

* Aluminum cylinder heads for reduced weight; the mid-deck construction with dual water jackets provides increased strength and optimal cooling; also, six head bolts, instead of four as found on other engines, help improve sealing and maintain cylinder integrity even with the higher firing pressures; overall the engine is about 160 pounds lighter

* Compatible up to B20 fuel, allowing greener fueling options of up to 20 percent biodiesel and 80 percent petroleum diesel