Ford Metairie | Lamarque Ford

Ford Debuts Hybrid Police Car Model

April 27, 2017 By Matthew Hritz Leave a Comment

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!

2015 Ford Fusion Energi | Lamarque Ford | New Orleans

September 11, 2014 By Matthew Hritz Leave a Comment

Riding on the success of its gasoline-only sibling, the 2015 Fusion Hybrid Energi is a serious choice for buyers considering plug-in vehicles. Ford is adding new technology and interior features for 2015, as the Fusion remains atop as the most comfortable an technologically advanced mid-size sedans. Here’s what the 2015 Ford Fusion Hybrid Energi has to offer.

Unique Hybrid Technology

The Fusion Energi pairs a powerful four-cylinder 2.0 gasoline engine with an electric motor, and can be driven as electric only, gas only or a combination of both. While most hybrids perform this way, the Fusion Energi can be charged by plugging it in to a home station and get extended range. On electric power alone, the 2015 Energi can travel up to 19 miles and reach speeds of up to 85 miles per hour.

Fusion’s Tech and Standard Features

For 2015, Ford has upgraded Fusion’s available standard features and now include a rear-view camera, SirusXM satellite radio, SYNC with MyFord Touch, LED tail lamps, and SmartGauge, amongst others. SmartGauge is Ford’ innovative way to provide real-time information about your driving and efficiency, and it features a dual LCD screen right on your dashboard for instant feedback. Ford has also developed a smartphone app to stay in touch with your car at all times, as it allows a user to schedule charging, start Fusion Energi remotely and more.

Ford Safety

As part of the Fusion’s standard features, Ford is including the latest safety technology. The Fusion includes front seat side airbags, side curtain airbags and knee airbags, paired with Ford SYNC’s notification system that alerts 911 when a crash is detected. Other features like anti-lock brakes, stability and traction control are also standard equipment. Additionally, Ford’s optional safety features include BLIS blind spot monitoring system, lane departure warning, lane keeping assist, and inflatable rear seatbelts. The 2015 Ford Energi Plug-In has earned five stars for crash and side crash protection from the NHTSA.

2015 Fusion Energi Design

After its 2012 redesign the Ford Fusion stays virtually the same. 2015 offers some new improvements like LED taillamps, which glow brighter than conventional lights and have a longer lifetime, and projector laser-cut headlamps, which complement the contemporary design and have a bolder look.

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Lamarque Ford is proud to be one of the premier dealerships in New Orleans, LA. Located in Kenner, LA, Lamarque Ford is committed to providing you the best customer service and vehicle service for the life of your vehicle. Whether you’re on the market to purchase, finance, or service a new or used Ford vehicle, you’ve come to the right place.

Flagship Cars | Lamarque Ford | New Orleans, Kenner, Metairie

March 19, 2014 By Matthew Hritz Leave a Comment

For years, car manufacturers have tried to differentiate themselves from their competition. Flagship cars, namely the Shelbys, Camaros and Corvettes of the world, serve as an appealing image that attracts new buyers to those brands. At first glance, flagship cars are all about speed, sex appeal and youthfulness, traits car brands use to connect at an emotional level with potential customers. But there’s more to it.

This phenomenon is known in psychology as the halo effect, hence ‘halo cars’, and is nothing but our perceptual generalization of attributes. In other words, consumers associate these glorified vehicles with the brand as a whole, thus buying into aspirational goals. The halo effect is present in every industry and applies to products and services alike.

Halo or flagship cars are often criticized for luring buyers into the dealership, which then end up buying affordable options with lower quality standards. However, quite the opposite is true. Halo cars have a tremendous positive effect on brand recognition and new technology development, which bring in better options for consumers in the long run. Let’s explore the benefits cars like the Shelby 500 bring to the table.

As you may have guessed, flagship cars have bigger development budgets than their entry level counterparts. This allows for designers and engineers to explore new manufacturing techniques and materials. For instance, The Ford Motor Company just developed a new prototyping process for their concept cars, which could eventually be used for mass production; the 2007 Lexus LS 406 required Toyota to create the world’s strongest stamping press; countless of today’s in-car technologies were first introduced in high end vehicles, then trickled down to affordable ones.

From a marketing perspective, the halo car gives brands the opportunity to show off their latest innovations. It also gives consumers better visibility in terms of what’s coming in the following years. If we take a car like the next generation Ford Expedition, which features blind spot assist and rear view cameras, we can then assume such technology will be available in coming entry level vehicles.

Racing cars make an excellent ‘halo car’ example. As car manufacturers push technology to the limit, we get to see our everyday sedans in action. Nascar teams use modified versions of Camrys, Fusions and Impalas to show off the engines; Subarus and Minis compete in rally races to show off their steering and suspensions. This again, brings consumers closer to the brand and allows for a more honest relationship.

So don’t forget to stop by your local dealership and experience the latest technology available today.

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Lamarque Ford is proud to be one of the premier dealerships in New Orleans, LA. Located in Kenner, LA, Lamarque Ford is committed to providing you the best customer service and vehicle service for the life of your vehicle. Whether you’re on the market to purchase, finance, or service a new or used Ford vehicle, you’ve come to the right place.

Know Ford Mustang: V6, GT, Shelby GT500 | Lamarque Ford | New Orleans

March 14, 2014 By Matthew Hritz Leave a Comment

So we introduced the various models to choose from in the Ford F-Series line including the popular Ford F150’s, but now we’d like to introduce another line of Ford vehicle for our hardcore horsepower fans – the Ford Mustang family. If you’re in the market for a new car, you probably already know what you’re looking for: the perfect combination of usability, price, safety, fuel economy, and eye-catching style. What you might not know, is that the legendary pony car might meet your needs, and add a lot of fun to your driving. That’s right, the Ford Mustang has come a long way and it’s now available in a wide array of trims, engines and prices. From the fuel efficient V6 to the top of the line Shelby 500, there’s plenty to choose from. Let’s take a look at the different options.

To call it the base model would be unfair, because this entry-level Ford Mustang comes standard with amazing safety features and equipment that you probably won’t find in other cars in this price range. It comes standard with a 305 HP V6 engine, 6-speed state of the art manual transmission, leather-wrapped steering wheel with audio controls, HID headlamps and LED tail lamps and stainless-steel dual exhaust tips. Believe it or not, this car makes the perfect choice for the daily commuter with a need for speed, as it gets up to 29 MPG. Also part of the V6 family are the V6 Premium (which adds an upgraded audio system, color lcd display, and optional leather seats), V6 Convertible (pretty self explanatory) and V6 Convertible Premium.

Now here’s where things start to get interesting. 5 liter V8 engine. That’s it. That’s THE feature of this model. The GT trim also unlocks a myriad of other options and upgrades like the Brembo Break Package, GT Track Package (upgraded BOSS radiator, breaks and wheels) and FP8 appearance Package (19-inch Machined painted black aluminum wheels, black painted outside mirrors, black painted decklid spoiler). In addition, you can pick from GT Convertible, GT Premium or GT Convertible Premium. Amazing, isn’t it?

Shelby GT500

So if you thought the 420 HP 5L V8 engine of the GT was overkill, wait until you read this. The Shelby GT500 comes standard with a V8 5.8L. That’s right, this car boasts an engine bigger than ones found in full-size pickup trucks and it peaks at 662 HP. While is not made for the environmentally friendly, this Ford Mustang was born to race.

Don’t forget to check out other configurations for the Mustang, and be sure to test drive one at Lamarque Ford.

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Ford Ramps Virtual Crash Computing Power | Lamarque Ford | New Orleans

March 12, 2014 By Matthew Hritz Leave a Comment

In an effort to keep up with the increasing demand of virtual crash test data, Ford is increasing its investment in computing capabilities by 50% in hopes of maximizing the overall number of virtual crash tests. Just in the past 10 years alone, there have been over 2 million virtual crash tests.

Currently, a virtual crash test can take up to a full day to conduct. By further increasing this technology, Ford hopes to not only increase the number of virtual crash test but also obtain data more quickly as a result. The technological advancement can mean the difference in Ford further exceeding industrial safety standard in global markets. With the technological advances introduced in recent Ford vehicles like the new F-Series and the 2015 Ford Focus that introduced the new Sync AppLink System, Perpendicular Parking, Park-Out Assist, etc., there’s no surprise that safety is important. Stop by your local Ford dealership to check out the new safety features and test drive your new future Ford.

In regards to physical crash tests, Ford has been conducting crash tests from a variety of areas since 1954 including frontal, side, and rear impact tests with speeds ranging from less than 20mph to more than 55 mph. Preparation for a physical crash test can take anywhere from a few days to weeks depending on the circumstances of the test. These vehicles need to be mounted with special equipment for capturing information such as special mounts, cameras, and sensors to capture crash force, displacement, and pressure. Once the test has been conducted, Ford safety engineers review the crash data to determine the safety quality of the vehicle.

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Getting the most MPG out of your new or used car | New Orleans, LA

February 24, 2014 By Matthew Hritz

Buying gas for your car is likely one of the biggest expenses in your budget. With gas prices that seem to be constantly rising, and the fact that you simply can’t stop driving your car altogether, it can often seem like there’s no real way to save any money on gas. If you are in the market for a new car, you can look into buying a car with hybrid or Ford Ecoboost technology, but for the rest of us, there’s no miracle way to slash our monthly gas expenses. Fortunately, there are a few ways to cut corners and save a little bit of extra money when it comes to buying gas.

Adjusting how you drive can be a big factor in getting the best MPG out of your car. When running errands, try to do so during parts of the day with the smallest amount of traffic. This means try to avoid doing them around 9am or 5pm, when most people are going to and from work. Similarly, try to drive at a steady, consistent pace when you drive as opposed to varying your speed or stopping and accelerating frequently. Maintaining a consistent speed has been proven to optimize gas efficiency in cars. And although you likely have less control over this, try to base when you leave for work and the route you take to accommodate steady driving as well. Cruise control can also help get the best MPG out of your car.

When shopping for gas, there are a few things you can keep in mind in terms of cost and type of gasoline. It usually isn’t worth it to drive across town for the cheapest gas. If you pass a station with unusually cheap gas then by all means, go ahead and stop. If you’re considering a gas station across town that is slightly cheaper, you may end up losing more money for the drive to get there. Using stations that are close to your home, even if slightly more expensive, can usually save you money. Also, try to fill up during the coldest time of the day. Since gas is purchased by volume, you get more for your money when the gas is at its most dense- in other words, during the coldest part of the day. Additionally, make sure your gas cap is tight and secure. Fuel can vaporize and thus be wasted if the cap isn’t securely fastened.

Buying gas from a wholesaler such as Sam’s or Costco can save you small amounts, and although you shouldn’t make the special trip just for gas, you can try to fill up at these locations if you routinely shop there. You might also consider getting a gas credit card. As long as you make your monthly payments, having a gas credit card can potentially save you a little bit of money over the long run. Also make sure you keep your car properly maintained, in order to ensure peak performance and gas efficiency.

Follow these tips in order to save some money here and there, and who knows- maybe you can put it towards getting that brand new car you’ve been dreaming about.

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