Ford CEO Alan Mulally is FT Person of the Year

BRENTWOOD, Essex, 29th March, 2011 – Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally has been recognised as Person of the Year in the third annual FT ArcelorMittal Boldness in Business Awards.

The awards recognise companies and individuals who have challenged the status quo and taken calculated risks to drive their business forward in the face of current economic uncertainty.

Alan Mulally was commended for the turnaround plan that has allowed Ford to emerge from the financial crisis with sustained profitability.

It was also recognised that Ford did not rely on a government bailout and that Ford today is the most profitable car company in North America, having managed to change customer perceptions and earn a higher margin per vehicle sold.

Lionel Barber, editor, Financial Times, said: “This is the third year of the FT ArcelorMittal Boldness in Business Awards and while the market remains undeniably challenging our shortlisted companies and individuals have displayed an inspiring ability to innovate and drive change. I would like to congratulate all of the winners for their dedication and boldness in driving their businesses above and beyond the competition.”

Lakshmi Mittal, Chairman and CEO, ArcelorMittal, said: “This has been another strong year for the FT ArcelorMittal Boldness in Business Awards with an impressive array of winners and shortlisted companies. All the companies are inspirational and we should pause to consider what it takes to be bold like them. Think of the decisions that faced Alan Mulally at Ford when he chose to radically restructure the business or the strength of vision that inspired Apple to be a pioneer in the tablet market. They

have all taken challenging, perhaps at times controversial paths, but ones that have ultimately proved highly successful. It takes courage to do this and I hope these awards will act as an inspiration to others.”

The judges for this year’s awards were:

• Lionel Barber, Editor, Financial Times
• Lakshmi Mittal, Chairman and CEO, ArcelorMittal
• John Authers, Head of the Lex Column, Financial Times
• J Frank Brown, Dean, INSEAD
• Luke Johnson, Chairman, Risk Capital Partners
• Anne Méaux, Founder & President, Image Sept
• Terry Smith, Chief Executive, Tullet Prebon and founder of Fundsmith
• Leo Johnson, Partner, PWC

Pothole testing

Ford’s Extreme Road Testing Helps Cars Conquer Potholed Roads around the World

Artificial potholes at the
Lommel Proving Ground.
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• Ford’s Lommel Proving Ground in Belgium and Michigan Proving Ground in the U.S. feature miles of test track that specifically re-creates potholes and damaged surfaces to mirror extreme public road conditions
• Real-world road simulations, high-tech data acquisition and thousands of miles of testing ensure the toughest durability from Ford suspension systems

DEARBORN, Mich., March 30, 2011 – Ford engineers know that not all roads are created equal. Some are pockmarked with potholes. Others simply consist of merciless off-road-like tracks. Only a blessed few roads around the world are kind to the vehicles driving over them.

Engineers know that too many drivers speed over four-inch-deep potholes or take turns too fast on cobblestone roads.

To ensure its vehicles can withstand such driving behavior, engineers at Ford’s Lommel Proving Ground in Belgium and Michigan Proving Ground in the United States test vehicles for all global markets.

Several types of road conditions are simulated including moderately rough roads such as those in Europe and North America and severely rough roads like those in emerging markets, taking into account that weather conditions can make these roads even worse.

With much of Europe having been gripped by two bitterly cold winters in succession and public spending cuts leaving little money for surface repairs there and in the U.S., motorists on both continents are driving into spring on roads scarred by potholes and damaged surfaces.

Yet Ford drivers can rest assured their vehicles are built to cope, thanks to the rigorous testing and development processes established for chassis and suspension systems.

Ford proving grounds are no smooth ride
All new Ford models are put through a tough testing and development process to ensure they not only offer class-leading levels of ride comfort for occupants but are easily capable of withstanding the loads placed upon components by damaged road surfaces.

Ford’s Lommel Proving Ground subjects new vehicles to a variety of highly demanding road surfaces and features some 50 miles of test track, many of which are designed specifically to put suspension systems to the ultimate test.

“We have created some of the worst potholes in Europe on our own test track. If our cars can pass these tests, then they can cope with almost anything they encounter on public roads,” said Eric-Jan Scharlee, technical specialist for Durability Testing at Lommel Proving Ground. “You name the road surface, we have it at our proving ground.”

Both Lommel and Michigan Proving Ground feature replicated real-life road surfaces from around the world. Visitors to the facility in Belgium, for instance, may be surprised to find road signs indicating they have traveled to France, the U.K. and U.S., all within less than half a mile, but it is through such painstaking re-creation of real road surfaces from across the globe that Ford is able to deliver the products that meet and exceed the requirements of real-world drivers.

However, alongside these simulated real-world surfaces are artificial testing potholes designed to place controlled loads on Ford vehicle suspension components and allow Ford engineers to measure the forces and demands placed on cars as they pass through them.

“We use two types of test tracks at Ford to re-create the loads customers are seeing on public roads,” said Scharlee. “One type simulates actual public roads, such as Lower Dunton Road in Essex, U.K., while the other comprises a variety of potholes that have been artificially constructed to mimic different driving conditions.”

The standard is repeated at Michigan Proving Ground: “We go over gravel. We go over cobblestone. We go full-throttle. We shake things up,” said Dan Coleman, manager of Global Durability Process in Dearborn, Mich.

Ford develops suspension testing for global customer requirements
To re-create realistic road conditions, Ford engineers survey drivers of every vehicle segment in different parts of the world asking them to rate the roads they drive on and how they use their vehicles.

Then they create a statistical profile of the driver, the type of roads the driver uses, and his or her driving habits – and apply it to a durability test cycle at the respective proving ground.

Using this data, engineers can extrapolate how much load is likely to be placed on the vehicle over the course of its lifetime, which tells them how much the vehicle needs to be able to withstand.

“The challenge for a suspension system is when it exits the pothole,” said Simon Mooney, test engineer for Road Load Data at Dunton Technical Centre in Essex. “The impact can be like hitting a curb. We test all the wheel and tire sizes that we produce for our vehicles to their limit, so we’re confident they can cope.”

With Ford dedicated to producing global vehicles, testing procedures and requirements at proving grounds around the world are commonized.

Rigorous testing using high-tech equipment
Chassis and suspension testing for passenger cars is conducted in two phases, with the first phase designed to simulate the extreme demands placed on the vehicle’s suspension and major structures over the course of its lifetime. During the second phase the emphasis shifts to the entire vehicle, including high speed and rural road driving simulations.

During these tests, high-tech equipment is used to record the loads and strains placed upon suspension components. “We use specially instrumented wheels on the car that measure the force and corresponding moments in three directions,” says Mooney. “On some vehicles, there are various sensors totaling some 200 channels through which to get the data.”

Please visit the following link for video material on the subject: http://www.youtube.com/v/THQUs18B3R0

Ford Fiesta Gets Personal for 2012, Gives Owners Bursts of Color, Customization Inside and Out

The new interior package delivers a custom look with two-tone seating surfaces, door trim inserts, steering wheel and interior components, and is available in both Race Red and Oxford White.
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• Ford Fiesta continues to deliver personalization options for customers, with the debut of three new packages for 2012. The offerings include two interior packages and one exterior package
• Forty percent of buyers purchase at least one accessory for their Fiestas, with more than 26,000 Ford Custom Accessories items already sold
• The new interior package delivers a custom look with two-tone seating surfaces, door trim inserts, steering wheel and interior components, and is available in both Race Red and Oxford White
• Inspired by the European Ford Focus RS, the premium sport appearance package offers customers several blacked-out components, along with a performance improvement when ordered with a manual transmission

Dearborn, Mich., March 23, 2011 – The small car style Ford Fiesta delivers is expanding for 2012 with three new packages to give customers even more options for personalizing.

The new packages build on the success of the current personalization choices Fiesta customers enjoy today, with nearly 40 percent purchasing at least one accessory. To date, more than 26,000 Ford Custom Accessories items have been purchased by Fiesta owners.

“The Fiesta customer loves accessories and personalization. These packages extend the desire the customer has to make the car more tailored to his or her own personal tastes,” said Lew Echlin, Global Car marketing manager. “Personalization has been key since the Fiesta launched, and with the new packages we’re featuring the latest design trends so customers can do even more with their car.”

A recent study by the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) found that accessories drive sales, with the availability of accessories influencing more than 1 million new vehicle sales each year.

“The appeal of accessories reflects on other trends in society, including the desire to personalize phones, computers and clothing,” said Sheryl Connelly, manager of Ford Global Trends and Futuring. “People don’t customize to stand out from the crowd; they do it to create a more meaningful connection.”

The new premium sport appearance package takes cues from the European Focus RS with several blacked-out components that feature Tuxedo Black paint, including:

• Side mirrors
• Headlamps
• Grille surround
• License plate header
• Upper rear hatch spoiler

“The black trim pieces are the perfect way to complement the exterior of Fiesta and give it a completely unique look that our customers are looking for,” said Richard Anderson, planning manager, Ford Vehicle Personalization. “Fiestas outfitted with this package will give off a race-like, sporty feel that’s unique to this vehicle.”

The package also offers 16-inch polished alloy wheels along with improved performance when ordered with a manual transmission. The package delivers improved performance through a shorter final drive ratio of 4.25 versus the base model at 4.07.

Interior touches
The new premium interior packages for the 2012 Fiesta draw inspiration from the runway. Available on high-level Fiesta SEL and SES models, the packages feature high-contrasting interior accent colors in Oxford White or Race Red that are strategically placed throughout the interior of the vehicle, similarities that can be seen in the latest collections in fashion and home design.

“The inspiration for this package is mainly a result of the trends we’re seeing in fashion,” explained Mark Conforzi, chief designer, Ford Vehicle Personalization. “Designers like Stella McCartney use bold, contrasting color similar to these interior packages, adding a one-of-a-kind design that looks amazing.”

The contrast color is used on the center stack bezel, door panels and vent trim rings. The two-tone leather-wrapped steering wheel also offers a color-matched insert with contrast stitching, while the shift knob comes in black leather for even greater distinction.

The theme also carries through to the seats, where contrast-color leather seat cushions and seatback surfaces with perforated inserts are used. Contrast-color seams are applied in the bolsters, head restraints and seat surfaces. The seats also feature a debossed “Fiesta” logo and black leather bolsters.

Personalized Fiesta
There are plenty of options for customers looking to personalize their Fiesta in other ways as well. Ford Custom Accessories offers almost anything an owner would need to put a creative touch on Fiesta or give the car even more functionality. If an owner is looking to light up the interior, for example, there are several choices. An illuminated gear indicator shift knob comes with a digital gear display, while illuminated door sill plates add special effects with an LED Fiesta logo.

There’s also an interior light kit that includes one LED-generated light in the cupholder area and a light bar in the footwells. Owners can set a mood with their choice of seven colors that create the perfect ambience.

A rear roof spoiler exclusive to the hatchback is a chiseled head-turner that can be painted to match one’s Fiesta color, or painted in a contrasting color for even more flair. A four-piece, race-inspired body kit comes with a sculpted front air dam, side skirts and sleek rear valance.

Introduced for the first time in North America last year, a unique body-side tattoo graphic for Fiesta is being offered. Guaranteed to get looks, this striking tattoo, available in black or silver, spells out “Fiesta” on the side panel. It’s made of heavy-duty, weather-resistant vinyl and is precision-cut to fit the car’s curves.

Another option features Ford Custom Graphics by Original Wraps, which lets customers choose the size and design of several body-side and hood graphics or racing stripes from a portfolio of images. More than 22 designs are available in several different colors, and include a cityscape, bubbles, flames and even ninja blades. Check out the graphics at www.fordcustomgraphics.

Nearly a year after Fiesta’s North American introduction, the Fiesta accessory offerings continue to be well received. While some customers prefer appearance items, others are all about functionality. To date, the most popular accessories are custom manual transmission shift knobs, the Euro-style upper rear hatch spoiler and the Fiesta tattoo graphic.
Additionally, 10 percent of all manual-transmission Fiestas are ordered with the Illuminated Interior Accessory Package and Metallic Interior Accessory Package.

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Doug (the Orange Puppet) Tours the Interior of the All-New Focus - Dir. ...

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Efficient Ford Six-Speed PowerShift Automatic Cuts Fuel Use By Up To 10 Percent, Helps Fiesta, Focus Get 40 MPG

DEARBORN, Mich., March 14, 2011 – With gasoline already more than $4 per gallon in some American cities, the new fuel-saving dual dry-clutch Ford PowerShift six-speed automatic is the right transmission at the right time.

Ford PowerShift – the company’s most sophisticated transmission ever – is part of a suite of advanced fuel-saving technologies available immediately on the Fiesta and the all-new Focus, enabling both cars to deliver as much as 40 mpg on the highway.

“The Ford PowerShift transmission is a technological leap over the competition,” said Piero Aversa, PowerShift engineering manager. “Now that it’s available in the new Focus as well as Fiesta, PowerShift gives us two great small cars that not only lead in fuel economy, but are more fun to drive as well.”

The all-new Focus, available in sedan and five-door bodystyles and featuring a 160-horsepower, direct-injected 2.0-liter engine, is arriving now at Ford dealers across the nation.

More than 95 percent of new-car buyers purchase their vehicles with automatic transmissions, even though many prefer the crisper acceleration, sportier performance and higher fuel economy traditionally offered by manual transmissions. Ford’s PowerShift dual dry-clutch transmission delivers the convenience of an automatic with the fuel efficiency and fun-to-drive sporty feel of a manual gearbox.

PowerShift is part of Ford’s commitment to lead or be among the leaders in fuel economy in every segment in which the company competes. Ford offers six-speed transmissions in nearly its entire North American lineup of Ford and Lincoln brand luxury vehicles. Ford is the only automaker to offer North American vehicle buyers 12 sales segment fuel economy leaders, with four vehicles EPA-certified at 40 mpg or higher.

The PowerShift unit available in Fiesta and Focus models is one of the most advanced transmissions available for subcompact and compact cars. Dual-clutch transmissions, like PowerShift, were born at the racetrack and saw their application for production road cars in ultra-expensive exotics, such as the $1.7 million Bugatti Veyron and $200,000 Ferrari California.

Among competitor vehicles in the Focus segment – Honda Civic, Toyota Corolla, Volkswagen Jetta, Hyundai Elantra, Chevrolet Cruze and Nissan Sentra – none offers drivers more horsepower, faster acceleration and higher fuel economy with an automatic transmission. Plus, no other car in the Fiesta segment offers a six-speed automatic of any type.

The New 2011 Ford Fiesta
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Inside Ford PowerShift

Unlike regular hydraulically operated automatic transmissions, which use power-sapping torque converters, wet clutches and pumps, Ford’s new dual-clutch PowerShift automatic consists of two manual transmissions (in the same case) working in parallel. Each has its own independent clutch unit controlled by computers and fast-acting electromechanical actuators that shift the gears.

One clutch carries the odd gears, 1, 3 and 5, while the other carries the even gears, 2, 4 and 6, and reverse. PowerShift is an automatic because the gear changes are coordinated by a computer that directs the clutches to engage and disengage in a way that provides seamless delivery of torque to the wheels, even during gear changes.

As a result, the driver benefits from a 10 percent fuel economy gain along with the direct and sporty power-to-the-wheels feel and crisp acceleration normally associated with a manual gearbox, but in a transmission that shifts automatically.

Ford PowerShift’s advanced features include:

• Torque Hole Fill: A Ford-developed and patented innovation that eliminates the slight hesitation drivers feel during acceleration when the transmission upshifts into a higher gear. PowerShift sends a smooth, seamless stream of torque to the wheels for uninterrupted acceleration
• Hill Start Assist: If sensors detect the Fiesta or Focus on a slope of 5 degrees or more, Hill Start Assist automatically prevents the car from rolling backward in the instant when the driver moves his or her foot from the brake to the accelerator. PowerShift’s computer controls the brake pressure and engine to hold the car in place
• Neutral idle: This feature helps improve fuel economy by eliminating the drag a traditional hydraulic transmission puts on the engine when a vehicle is idling
• Reduced weight: PowerShift weighs nearly 30 pounds less than the four-speed automatic transmission in the 2011 Focus. Less weight helps improve fuel economy

Ford engineers began developing the dual-clutch technology when advances in the speed of processors, memory and the mechanical actuators that shift the gears progressed to the point that a manual transmission could be made to perform as smoothly as an automatic.

“The kind of computing power needed in terms of speed and amount of memory advanced to the point where it is now possible to offer the driver fast, crisp and seamless shifts from this advanced transmission at an affordable price,” said George Herr, PowerShift calibration supervisor.

Since its launch in Fiesta in 2010, Ford engineers have continued to develop and refine PowerShift’s performance and efficiency.

The PowerShift for the all-new Focus, for example, offers several new features including a more compliant clutch damper spring design to reduce noise levels. Aversa said the Focus shift schedule has been optimized for the wider torque band provided by the car’s 160-horsepower, direct-injected 2.0-liter engine.

Also new for Focus is the SelectShift^™ Automatic feature. SelectShift allows a driver to change gears – up or down – by simply pressing a button on the shift handle. By pushing the plus sign button, the transmission upshifts. Push the minus sign button and the car downshifts. The PowerShift computer prevents a driver from downshifting too fast and causing damage from over-revving. In the Focus, drivers also can choose Sport Mode, which changes the timing of the shifts for quicker acceleration.

Ford engineers also worked to improve low-speed responsiveness and smoothness in response to customer feedback. “We believe there isn’t a more efficient automatic transmission available anywhere,” said Aversa.

The PowerShift transmission is offered in Ford vehicles sold around the world.