'TOP TEN' NEW PRODUCT FEATURES FOR 2008 FROM FORD AND LINCOLN MERCURY

• Ford Sync™ – a voice-activated, hands-free, in-car communications and entertainment system – fully integrates mobile phones and media players into the vehicle using Bluetooth technology and USB connectivity. It seamlessly integrates the vehicle with the popular portable electronic devices of today and is upgradeable to support the devices and services of tomorrow. Unlike any other system, Sync allows users to control devices such as iPods simply by speaking to them. Developed in collaboration with Microsoft, Sync will be offered on 12 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles later this year, and on nearly all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products within two years.
• Voice-activated Navigation – Ford’s award-winning navigation systems get more functionality for 2008, with the DVD-based system now featuring voice activation for more convenient hands-free operation. Getting to the adventure is easier with this system, which covers the entire United States, including Alaska and Hawaii, and features a 6.5-inch color touch screen that reads and communicates directions and street names in English, Spanish and French. Voice-activated navigation is programmed with more than 100 commands. It’s available on 13 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products for 2008.
• Ambient Lighting – Taking the customizable dashboard lighting system first introduced on the 2005 Mustang to the next level, Ford’s newest LED ambient lighting system provides accent lighting inside the cupholders and in the front and rear foot wells. The driver or front seat passenger can choose from seven different colors – red, orange, blue, indigo, violet, green and yellow – simply by cycling through a dash-mounted switch. The trend towards more appealing interior lighting kicks off with the 2008 Ford Focus this fall. Ninety percent of consumers say they would be interested in this unique feature. New ambient lighting also will be added to the Ford Mustang, Fusion and Mercury Milan.
• One-Touch Flip and Fold – The 2008 Taurus X delivers the interior space and convenience that customers shopping for three-row crossovers prioritize. Among the new features that set Taurus X apart: one-touch, power-assisted, flip-and-fold second-row seats that provide easy access to the third row. Families can equip the second row with captain’s chairs and no center console, allowing space to walk through and reach children located in the third row.
• Capless Fuel Filler – Never lose your gas cap again. The 2008 Ford Explorer and Mercury Mountaineer feature a capless fuel filler – an innovative technology that was first available on the Ford GT. It not only eliminates the inconvenience of forgetting to put the gas cap back on after fueling, but also saves time during refueling by doing away with unscrewing and replacing a fuel filler cap. The system could prove to benefit the environment as well. The capless fuel system provides a much better seal than a cap, as it isn’t opened until the fuel pump nozzle is inserted. When capless fueling is completed, the nozzle is removed and the system seals shut automatically.
• Industry-first 100 Percent Recycled Seating Surfaces – The 2008 Ford Escape is believed to be the first U.S. automotive application of 100 percent recycled fabric seating surfaces. The new fabric, supplied by Interface Fabrics, Inc., is produced from 100 percent post-industrial waste – defined as anything intended for retail use that never makes it to the consumer. This can be anything from plastic intended for pop bottles to un-dyed polyester fibers.

This plastic and polyester is processed, spun into yarn, dyed and woven into seat fabric. Recycling waste otherwise intended for landfills has obvious environmental benefits. Interface Fabrics estimates that Ford’s use of post-industrial recycled materials, rather than virgin fibers, could conserve an estimated 600,000 gallons of water, 1.8 million pounds of carbon dioxide equivalents and more than 7 million kilowatt hours of electricity.

• F-150 Cargo Management System – The Ford F-150 continues to introduce innovative new features designed to meet the ever-changing needs of truck customers. The Cargo Management System is available on any Ford F-150 with the 6.5-foot Styleside box. It provides a simple solution for secure storage of all types of cargo. The basic system comes with two side rails, a pair of bins, a pair of crossbars and a header bar. Extra bins and crossbars are easily added when extra capability and flexibility is needed.

Strong extruded aluminum double channel rails allow multiple accessories to be installed. Rails have cleat positions every 90 millimeters, accommodating a wide rage of cargo. Easily adjustable, cast aluminum cleats are designed to hold more than 600 pounds. Extruded aluminum crossbars hold up to 100 pounds and feature T-slots on all four sides designed for non-traditional attachments such as hanging skis or fishing poles from the bottom.

• Rearview Camera System – This feature, available on the 2008 Ford F-Series Super Duty, F-150, Expedition, Lincoln Mark LT and Navigator, provides the driver with a clear, wide-angle, bumper-to-bumper view of the area behind the vehicle. It gives truckers who tow the visibility they need to back up to their trailer and line up precisely to hook up the hitch. The system is mounted in the tailgate handle bezel and activated when the vehicle is shifted into reverse. The video image of what’s behind the vehicle is displayed in the left corner of the self-dimming rearview mirror, a natural place for the driver to look while in reverse.

The screen includes handy colored guide lines as well as an industry-first centerline so the driver has a better perspective of the vehicle’s periphery and center point when parking. Guides display the intended path, changing with the vehicle’s steering movements. A portion of the bumper and/or hitch also is included in the image, giving the driver a clear viewpoint of the vehicle’s back boundary. The screen only appears in the rearview mirror when the vehicle is shifted in reverse.

• F-150 Mid-box – Fleet owners can choose an innovative mid-box, mounted in front of the standard pickup bow and behind the cab that provides lockable storage for tools and other valuable items. The rugged, steel construction features double-paneled doors that are accessible from both sides of the vehicle and lock and unlock with the same key that operates the driver’s door. Latches feature double-bitted keys and lock tumblers designed to provide exceptional security. Dent-resistant exterior door panels wear factory Ford door handles for a well integrated look and feature commercial grade sealing delivering a weather- and dust-resistant interior compartment. The mid-box is available on 2008 F-150 Regular Cab with 145-inch wheelbase and SuperCab with 163-inch wheelbase in Oxford White monotone exterior paint.
• Tailgate Step –Ford’s exclusive Tailgate Step is fully integrated into the tailgate of the 2008 F-Series Super Duty and virtually invisible when not in use. To use the flip-down step, simply drop the tailgate into the down position, grab the bottom step, pull it straight out and drop it into the step position – all in one easy motion. A unique grab handle folds up and out of the tailgate to provide extra support when using the Tailgate Step, supporting up to 350 pounds.

 

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