Ford Mustang Cobra Jet Concept Goes Twin-Turbo

Maintenance Tip Monday- Go easy when you’re stuck

Go easy when you’re stuck

When stuck in mud or snow, don’t make the problem worse by damaging an expensive component. Gently rocking in an attempt to free the car is fine. But if it looks as though you’re really stuck, don’t keep at it. Throwing your car from forward to reverse repeatedly, as well as spinning tires at high speeds, can generate lots of heat and spell trouble for transmissions, clutches, and differentials. It may be cheaper in the long run to call the tow truck rather than risk big repair bills down the road. It’s a good idea to carry a traction aid in the trunk, such as sand, gravel, or cat litter.

Courtesy of Reader’s Digest

Renowned artist sets the scene for the all-new Ford Fusion

Blast from the Past Car Club "Toys for Tots" Car Show

Random Acts of Fusion: Coffee Breaks in Portland & Houston

Ford Motor Company’s Michigan Assembly Plant Named Plant Of The Year By ASSEMBLY Magazine

•  Michigan Assembly Plant (MAP) is the first plant in Michigan and the first auto plant to earn Plant of the Year honors from ASSEMBLY Magazine
• ASSEMBLY Magazine cites MAP’s flexible, green manufacturing and transformation from producing large SUVs to fuel-efficient small cars
• Following a $550-million transformation, MAP now produces the Focus, Focus ST and Focus Electric, and is ramping up production of the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid.

Ford Motor Company’s Michigan Assembly Plant has been named Assembly Plant of the Year by ASSEMBLY Magazine. It is the first time an automaker, as well as a plant in Michigan, has earned the honor.

“MAP is an example of Ford manufacturing at its best – a flexible facility that is using a highly trained work force to build fuel efficient vehicles in an environmentally friendly manner,” said Jim Tetreault, Ford vice president of North America Manufacturing. “We are proud that our hard work has been recognized by experts who know manufacturing.”

The goal of the Assembly Plant of the Year award is to identify a state-of-the-art facility that has applied world-class processes to reduce production cost, increase productivity and shorten time to market or improve product quality, said Austin Weber, senior editor for ASSEMBLY Magazine.

“We chose MAP as our 2012 winner because the plant is a showcase for flexible, green, lean manufacturing,” Weber said. “We were also impressed that Ford took a plant that produced large SUVs and turned it into a state-of-the-art facility that makes fuel-efficient small cars. That’s not something that we often see in manufacturing.”

Following a $550-million transformation, Ford re-opened MAP in early 2010 with production of the 2012 Focus. Ford has since added the Focus Electric zero-emission battery electric vehicle and the Focus ST performance model. The company is now ramping up production of the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid.

In May, MAP added a third production crew with 1,200 new jobs. The plant currently employs 5,170 workers

Courtesy of Ford

Maintenance Tip Monday- Preserve door and window seals

Preserve door and window seals:

Wipe a rubber protectant (such as Armor-All) or silicone on door and window weatherstripping to keep it in good condition. Don’t use an oilbased product, such as WD-40, because the oil will damage the rubber. Regular cleaning and treatment of your car’s weatherstripping will also lessen the likelihood of your door sticking to its rubber seal in cold weather, a common cause of damage to the rubber.

Courtesy of Reader's Digest

Random Acts of Fusion: Get in SYNC with Microsoft

Check out the RED HOT deal on this 2002 Ford Explorer!

Click here to get the details on this awesome car! You are one click away from a new car and major savings!

Ford Says New Carbon-Fiber Technology Could Boost Fuel Economy

Just the Facts:

• Ford on Tuesday showed off a prototype carbon-fiber hood that could be used in high-volume manufacturing of its battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.
• The carbon-fiber hood takes Ford a step closer to making an affordable version of the material usually associated with racecars and high-end sports cars.
• Carbon fiber is one-third the weight of steel and would help Ford cut the weight of its cars by up to 749 pounds by the end of the decade, the automaker said.

Ford on Tuesday showed off a prototype carbon-fiber hood that could be used in high-volume manufacturing of its battery-electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles.

The carbon-fiber hood takes Ford a step closer to making an affordable version of the material usually associated with racecars and high-end sports cars.

Carbon fiber is one-third the weight of steel and would help Ford cut the weight of its cars by up to 749 pounds by the end of the decade, the automaker said.

"It's no secret that reducing a vehicle's weight can deliver major benefits for fuel consumption, but a process for fast and affordable production of carbon-fiber automotive parts in large numbers has never been available," said Inga Wehmeyer, advanced materials and processes research engineer at Ford's European Research Center, in a statement. "Ford is working to develop a solution that supports cost-efficient manufacturing of carbon-fiber components."

Dow Automotive Systems and Ford are working to develop an "economical source" of automotive-grade carbon fiber, along with high-volume manufacturing methods. Ford said both are "critical to increasing the range of future Ford battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles."

Courtesy of Edmunds Inside Line

Random Acts of Fusion: Where It's At(lanta)

Saving money has never been so easy, check out this awesome deal!

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Julie Rogers "Gift of Life" Program

The month of October is National Breast Cancer Awareness Month and we are joining in the fight against breast cancer. For every vehicle sold in the month of October, Friendly Ford will donate $100 to the Julie Rogers “Gift of Life” Program for Breast Cancer Awareness.

Don’t forget to come down and help out a great cause.

To view our inventory click here: http://bit.ly/VceFYb

From: October 1, 2012 9:00 AM
To: October 31, 2012 6:00 PM

How to Survive a Tire Blowout

To survive a tire blowout, pretend you're the bad guy in a police chase: Push the gas and drive straight ahead. The shotgun-blast noise of a tire blowout makes most law-abiding drivers do exactly the wrong thing: attempt to slow down quickly and get off the road. With a rear-tire failure, any turning at high speed will likely result in a crash.

I've taught hundreds of drivers how to correctly handle a tire blowout: I sat in the passenger seat and exploded a gaping hole in the tire with plastic explosive. Not one lost control. Here's how they did it.

If a tire blows:

• Squeeze the gas pedal for a couple of seconds. This puts you in control of the car and directs the car straight down the road. It also prevents you from committing the mortal sins of braking and turning. After a couple of seconds, gently and smoothly release the accelerator pedal. The drag force of a completely flat tire is so potent that pushing the gas will not allow the vehicle to go faster.
• Most importantly, drive straight down your lane. Keep your feet away from the brake (or clutch).
• Allow the car to coast down to as slow a speed as is safe (30 mph is good). Engage your turn signal and gently turn toward the shoulder of the road that's on the same side as the blown tire: This lessens your chance of losing control and will make the tire change safer. If the situation requires, you may ever so lightly squeeze the brakes.

Almost all highway blowouts and tread separations occur with the car traveling in a straight line on a very hot day at high speeds with an underinflated tire. The repeated flexing of an underinflated tire causes the failure. Check your tire pressures!

Courtesy of Edmunds