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Ford Debuts Hybrid Police Car Model

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Ford’s latest invention could end up saving lives and the environment. One of newest re-imagined vehicles from the automobile company includes a hybrid gas-electric police car. Under this latest model, the Ford vehicle promises to be both fuel efficient and street ready for any situation.

Ford is the biggest provider of police vehicles in the United States, and its new reveal continues to enhance the daily commute of police officers throughout the country. At recent press conferences in both New York and Los Angeles, Ford officially unveiled the latest model of the green vehicle already decorated for the Los Angeles streets. Following the reveal, the company released a statement reading “The all-new Ford Police Responder Hybrid Sedan will help cities decrease emissions and cut down on fuel costs by reducing engine idle times versus traditional police cars.” As the conference continued, more details were revealed about the new model.

According to the company, the vehicle’s gas mileage is expected to be about 38 mpg which is twice the mileage of an everyday Ford Police Interceptor. While the new model is not as fast the regular police car, Ford expects the new vehicle to earn a pursuit rating following testing regarding acceleration, handling, braking, top speed and ergonomics by the Michigan State Police and Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department later this year. This factors would make the police vehicle the first hybrid vehicle to earn the rating. Also, Ford promises that the car will also be durable for various speeds and obstacles necessary for police pursuits such as curbs or intersections thanks to its combined gas and battery power. While it is still too early to confirm these promises on the field, Ford’s guarantee at the notion implies that the model is not too far off from reality.

By estimate, the hybrid vehicle is expected to help officers save about $3877 per year over fill-ups and downtime. This advantage alone benefits the environment from constant reliance on gasoline and small-town police stations struggling under a budget. Michigan Association of Chiefs of Police President Thomas Korabik remarked positively on the idea for his 10-officer station, though is also interested in seeing “how it would hold up” with other demands. As Ford continues to keep ahead of upcoming trends, the company could very well be up to that challenge.

As of now, the price of the hybrid is set to be available in the summer of 2018 with no definite release date in sight. However, if testing for the pursuit rating goes well, this probably won’t be the last we hear of the hybrid police vehicle.

While Lamarque Ford cannot sell you a Ford Police Responder Hybrid Sedan, Lamarque has a wide selection of the civilian models available!

Ford to Invest in Three New Michigan Plants

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In a recent announcement, Ford revealed its new plans to make new investments in three local Michigan plants. Following new developments, the motor company will now invest a total of at least $1.2 billion to construct and retool vehicle plants within the United States. Other existing Ford plants are locating throughout Michigan and also in Ohio, Missouri, Kentucky, Illinois and New York. There are a number of international factories as well.

A more detailed report from Ford provided plans for an $850 million investment in Wayne, a $150 million expansion of the Romeo Engine Plant, and a $200 million plan for a data center in the Flat Rock Assembly Plant. Flat Rock also received an additional $700 million investment back in January with a focus on electrified and autonomous vehicles. Ford elaborated that the Romeo expansion alone would “create or retain” 130 jobs, though exact job estimates for the other plans remained unclear.

Nevertheless, CEO of Michigan Economic Development Corporation Steve Arwood remains positive at the news calling the announcement “the biggest day ever in Michigan.” The United Auto Workers also praised the new deal for product investment within the state. UAW-Ford Vice President Jimmy Settles released a statement reading “Thanks to collective bargaining, the hard-working men, and women at each of these locations will now reap the full fruits of their labor. We look forward to celebrating more product investment and job growth at each of our UAW-represented facilities in the months and years to come.”

Ford previously announced its plans to invest in American facilities in February with many plans for the Wayne and Romeo plant being developed since 2015. These new developments will begin next year in time to produce 2019 and 2020 vehicles while construction on Flat Rock is expected to start this year. With their new expansion, Ford hopes to refocus on their successfully truck and SUV division for the upcoming years.

If you are looking for new, certified pre-owned or used Ford vehicles, check out the Lamarque Ford website!

Ford Brings Live Cable TV To 2018 Expedition

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Ford keeps giving us reasons to be excited about the future. The Ranger will return to the US by 2019, the Bronco will be resurrected in 2020, and the 2018 Mustang will feature a complete makeover. We’re happy to announce that there is yet another big release to get excited about! The technology packed 2018 Ford Expedition will feature the ability to stream live cable and satellite TV. This element is an industry first! The system, called EVO, will require vehicle owners to have a Slingbox system and internet connection at home. expedition-interior-2 The EVO system works with SlingPlayer software integration. Users will be able to tap into their Slingbox system at home and watch live TV while on the road. 

Users can tune in through two 8-inch monitors on the backs of the front seat headrests. The monitors can play the same or different content. Even If you don’t have cable or satellite, you can still enjoy all the perks of your new Expedition. The EVO system also touts a DVD player, HDMI, USB and SD card ports for additional content viewing. Additionally, anyone with a smartphone will be able to stream content from their devices to EVO! In addition to watching your favorite movie or tv show, you can surf the web! The vehicle will be able to support ten devices through a Wi-Fi hotspot. The Wi-Fi will be able to reach up to 50 feet outside of the vehicle.

There is another industry first that the 2018 Expedition will possess – an all aluminum body. The 2018 version of the SUV will be 300 pounds lighter than its predecessor. The Expedition, which will be manufactured in Kentucky, will hit US markets in the fall. Ford plans to release five new SUVs by 2020, so we can’t wait to see what else is in store for us! If you are looking for a 2018 Ford Expedition or any other Ford vehicle, contact Lamarque Ford today!

Ford Introduces Autolivery Concept

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For Ford, it looks like the future may come sooner than we think. At the Mobile World Congress held in Barcelona, the motor company debuted a demo reel of a self-delivery system of vans and drones that they refer to as “Autolivery.”

Autolivery works with a combination of self-delivering vans and drones on call through an exclusive app. Through the app, a user can place an order for anything ranging from groceries to medical supplies. A van programmed by the app will drive to the location of the user while a drone will assist delivery by reaching areas up to thirty floors high. Rather than waste time or energy sitting in traffic, this new concept can provide all the necessities straight to the door at the lift of a finger.

In addition to the convenience, Ford also hopes to living standards with the use of automated services. By adding this delivery to the market, the company can contribute to less air pollution caused by excessive driving for groceries and other items. Drones will be able to deliver much needed medical supplies to hard-to-reach areas.

While the Autolivery experience is still ways away from being a reality, Ford is confident of their innovation. Ken Washington, Vice President of Research and Advanced Engineering, states, “Ford has at its heart a culture of disruption and innovation designed to come up with solutions that put people first to save them time, money and aggravation, and also to make our cities easier to navigate and better to live in.” It is safe to say that Ford plans to stay ahead of the curve in automation.

Shanghai-based Ford designers Euishik Bang, James Kuo, and Chelsia Lau designed the automation system for the goal of benefiting urban areas. Along with other developing concepts, Ford expects to have fully autonomous vehicles on the market by 2021.

If you are looking to purchase a new, used or certified pre-owned Ford vehicle, contact Lamarque Ford today!

Ford’s CEO reveals the car of the future—yes, Amazon is involved

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Tesla might have made some major announcements recently, but Ford CEO Mark Fields says his company not in the race to make announcements. Instead, Ford is busy focusing on how to make customer’s lives easier and building the car of the future.

“Our combination is an auto and a mobility company, and we think that makes a lot of sense for us. But we’re not in a race to make announcements. We are in a race to do what’s right for our customers, and what’s right for our business,” Fields said.

In an interview at Ford’s research and innovation center in Palo Alto, CA on Thursday, Fields described to Jim Cramer what the car of the future will look like.

“What I am most excited about here is the innovation that is going on. The innovation is who we are as a business, going back to Henry Ford,” Fields said.

Starting in 2015, Ford began conducting experiments all over the world to learn more about what works for its customers. It is currently working on new technology that includes connected vehicles, internet of things and autonomous driving capabilities.

Ford also entered into a partnership with Amazon in January. The partnership will allow Ford’s technology to connect via the cloud for customers to now interact with their home from their car.

Fields described a world in which drivers can turn on the pot roast in their kitchen, turn on the lights at home, deactivate security alarms and open the garage door all from their car, using the platform of Amazon’s Echo-powered technology, Alexa.

Ford is also working to incorporate smart parking into its cars through a number of mobility experiments. Cars will be equipped with sensors to calculate the location that will most likely have a parking space and save customers time.

“In most cities, 30 percent of the wasted fuel is people looking for spots. So how do we be part of the solution, this mobility solution for customers, make the world better and offer us a business opportunity,” Fields said.

Written by Abigail Stevenson | Published on cnbc.com | Original article here…

Ford Increases Focus on Autonomous Driving Techonology

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Ford CEO Mark Fields: Ford to be tripling its investment in autonomous driving technology.

Ford is evolving from a car company into a car and mobility company, with an eye towards the future and a focus on new autonomous driving technology that will make the driving experience even more enjoyable.

Ford is taking a “dual path” – developing features like one-touch parking and driving assistance, anticipating eventually building fully autonomous cars, while also continuing to produce more conventional cars for those who enjoy a more “hands-on” driving experience.

Whether you are looking forward to sitting back and letting your Ford car whisk you away to your destination, or you want to keep your hands firmly in control of your driving experience, you can’t go wrong with Ford!

If you are looking to purchase a new, used, or certified pre-owned Ford vehicle, contact Lamarque Ford today!

Ford Joins IBM To Jump To The Future

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Ford Motor Co. CEO Mark Fields is joining IBM as a board of director as the No. 2 U.S. automaker explores alternative mobility options beyond selling cars and trucks.

“Mark led the highly successful transformation of his company in a competitive industry where technology has driven innovation. He is leading Ford into a future where cars are not only vehicles, but increasingly becoming mobile technology platforms,” said Ginni Rometty, IBM’s chairman, president, and CEO.

Under Fields, Ford has looked at alternatives to traditional car ownership, including mergers and acquisitions and partnerships.

Ford and other automakers are increasingly focused on self-driving cars and the potentially disruptive influence autonomous cars may have on future car ownership. They face potential threats from new competitors from Silicon Valley. Ford is exploring alternatives like car-sharing and other options to meet future transportation needs.

Fields told Reuters earlier this month the automaker is exploring various options to boost its move into car-sharing, self-driving technology, and services built on staying connected with customers during the 900 or so hours a year they are behind the wheel.

The company has repeatedly declined to comment on reports that Ford is pursuing an alliance with Internet leader Alphabet Inc.’s Google to collaborate on the development of self-driving cars. Reuters reported in December that the companies have held talks and Fields met with Google co-founder Sergey Brin that same month to discuss the status of the talks.

Ford is pursuing its own efforts to develop autonomous driving technology and said earlier this month it would triple the size of its self-driving car test fleet to 30 vehicles.

Ford spokesman Mike Moran said “IBM is a global company with a rich history of innovation and disrupting its business model to deliver results – which is very complementary to what we are doing at Ford. Mark will bring unique insights to IBM, and his experience and new relationships serving on the IBM board will bring equal benefits back to Ford.”

If you are looking for a new, used, or certified pre-owned Ford vehicle, contact Lamarque Ford today!

Ford Crossover-Dodges and Chryslers?

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FCA is selling a lot of SUVs and pickups in the U.S. and not so many compact and midsize cars.

On the one hand, U.S. demand for white-hot FCA products like the Jeep Wrangler and Cherokee exceeds supply. The company is running several of its North American factories around the clock — and still, its dealers are clamoring for more of the popular vehicles.

But at the same time, sales of its compact and midsize sedans, the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200, are slumping. FCA’s Sterling Heights Assembly Plant, the high-tech factory that makes the 200, will be closed for the entire month of February because of weak demand.

Marchionne thinks the shift in demand away from sedans and toward car-based “crossover” SUVs is a permanent shift in the market — or at least permanent enough to make plans for the next several years around. That’s why he said last week that FCA would look to a partner to manufacture the successors to the Dart and 200, while it put those cars’ factories to use making SUVs and trucks instead.

So where does Ford come in?
Fields said that Ford won’t be getting out of the small-car business anytime soon. “We believe very strongly that it’s important to have a balanced portfolio, to anticipate changes in customer demand, changes in the economic environment, or in the regulatory environment,” he said. So could a “crossover” brand or business deal become possible?

That makes a lot of sense. Fields and the rest of Ford’s senior executive team are determined not to forget the hard lessons learned last decade, after Detroit’s overreliance on SUVs (and neglect of fuel-efficient small sedan models) cost the U.S. automakers big when gas prices jumped and the economy soured. Today, Ford has strong, competitive, and profitable small and midsize car models in its lineups around the world — and Fields isn’t about to neglect their ongoing development.

But Fields pointedly didn’t rule out the idea of building small cars with a partner. “We’re always open to talking with others,” he said. “We’re always going to look at different opportunities to improve the profitability of all of our vehicles including our small cars.”

“[When] we identify a need in the marketplace, we look within ourselves and we say, what are our core competencies? In some cases, we convince ourselves that we can fulfill that need on our own. In other cases, we can say, listen, there are other great companies out there that we can approach and partner with,” he said.

If you are looking for new, used or certified pre-owned Ford vehicles, contact Lamarque Ford today!

Ford Freedom Unsung Takes To National Level

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Ford Motor Company is taking its Ford Freedom Unsung program to a national level by collaborating with Tom Joyner Foundation. The Ford Freedom Unsung award honors the outstanding achievements of ordinary people performing extraordinary work in the African American community.

Prior to the program’s national kickoff, Ford Freedom Unsung celebrations have taken place over the past four years in Atlanta; Southern California; Anchorage, Alaska; Indianapolis; Kansas City, Missouri; and San Francisco Bay Area.

Individuals are invited to nominate their favorite living unsung hero in the African American community. Nominees must reside in the United States and be 21 years of age or older.

“Ford has a legacy of honoring African American achievement,” said Pamela Alexander, director, community development, Ford Motor Company Fund. “We are excited to launch this national contest and reward an unsung hero who uplifts our community.”

Judges will narrow the nominees to the top 10 finalists, then the public will have the opportunity to vote for the grand prize winner. Online voters will represent 25 percent of the vote for the winner. The winner will be announced no later than March 16, and will receive a trip for two aboard the 2016 Fantastic Voyage. Nominations are due no later than Feb. 14, and may be submitted to http://www.blackamericaweb.com

Ford Makes a Showing at Daytona

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Billy Johnson and Scott Maxwell drove the Ford Shelby GT350R-C to its first win at Daytona International Speedway on Friday in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge race.

Johnson hunted the lead, trading spots for p1 several times in the closing stint. It’s the duo’s second win and third podium in the Shelby GT350R-C since the car debuted at Watkins Glen in 2015. They first won at Lime Rock last season. It was the Shelby GT350R-C’s third overall win in the Continental Tire SportsCar Challenge.

After primary challenger Matt Plumb suffered a fuel pump failure in his Porsche, the battle was between two Shelbys – Johnson in the No. 15 Multimatic entry, and Pierre Kleinubing in the brand new No. 76 AERO Advanced Paint Technology/Children’s Tumor Foundation Shelby GT350R-C fielded by Compass360 Racing, the first customer team for the Shelby GT350R-C.

Kleinubing and co-driver Paul Holton finished p2 in their first race together in the Shelby GT350R-C.

“It was great to see two Ford Performance Shelby GT350R-Cs on the podium after all the hard work everyone’s done getting the car to where it’s at,” Johnson said. “It’s the first time the car’s competed at Daytona and we’re really happy to be in victory lane with the car and a 1-2 finish for the GT350R-C. Scott did a fantastic job on the first stint and I just can’t thank him and the team enough for all the hard work and good job they do.”

Maxwell qualified the No. 15 Multimatic entry p3, while Holton put the No. 76 AERO Advanced Paint Technology Shelby p4 on the grid.

There were also 2 Ford GTs in the competition mix, but their showings were a bit less successful.

Both Ford GTs suffered gearbox issues that quickly set them too far behind to catch up. The news was better for the two-car EcoBoost-powered Prototype team until the No. 02 Target/Claritin Riley was sidelined twice with brake problems in the overnight hours.