Extend your Ability. At Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln and with Ford of Canada, we are committed to understanding and supporting individuals with unique mobility needs.

When you purchase or lease a new Ford of Canada vehicle, you may be eligible to receive up to $1,000 toward the installation of adaptive driving aids or mobility assistance equipment.

Enhance Mobility. Start driving now by customizing a vehicle to suit your needs.

Eligibility modifications and equipment include:

• Wheelchair lifts or other lift equipment
• Hand or other driving controls
• The Early Alert Response System (EARS) for the hearing impaired

In Nanaimo MediChair is approved to offer Mobility upfitter packages.

As seen in the Nanaimo Daily News:

Nanaimo’s Steve Marshall Ford raised more than $1,800 for the Woodlands Secondary School’s senior girls basketball team in a unique fundraiser held last weekend.

The “Drive 1 4ur School” fundraiser saw the car company give $20 to the basketball team for every test drive that was taken in their cars during the event.

Carl MacDonald, coach of the basketball team, said there were 91 test drives taken and he really appreciates Steve Marshall Ford and the company’s contribution to the team.

Sherdan White, the company’s promotions manager, said the idea was to put more people behind the wheels of Ford vehicles in the hopes they will buy.

Updated with new video the morning of Thursday, April 28th.

We wanted to show our incomparable support for the Canucks, find a way to help our local food bank, and have some fun during the play offs that are happening right now…  Steve Marshall Ford Lincoln acquired 100 Canuck jerseys!

We are giving away a Canucks jersey (no purchase necessary) to anyone who brings in a non-perishable food item or a monetary donation for the Salvation Army and test drives a new Ford or Lincoln vehicle on April 28th or 29th.

That’s it! So easy (and rewarding) to Make a Difference in Nanaimo! Get your FREE Canucks jersey:

1. Bring a non-perishable food item, or a monetary donation, for the Salvation Army
2. Test drive a new Ford or Lincoln vehicle
3. There are only 100 jerseys

Limit: One per household. Must be 19 or older.

As Valentine’s Day approaches, the all-important role that cars play in modern romance can’t be overlooked. And it’s not just the make and model of a car that matter. The features inside your ride can have a considerable impact on the setting and mood.

and not with this Ford American Idol commercial

Cramping My Style

Take interior space, for example. Cramped, tight spaces can really put a damper on a comfortable “car date.” But you don’t have to have a big car to get some elbow room.

The all-new Focus from Ford brings small car interior space to a new level, rivaling larger vehicles. It offers more shoulder room than an Audi A4 and more front headroom than a Toyota Camry. In the spacious second row, the new Focus provides more hip room than the Audi or Toyota.

Sweet sounds

There’s nothing like good tunes to spice things up. Music is essential on a date. Wouldn’t it be even better if you could simply ask your car to select the song your date wants to hear from your custom playlist on an iPod or MP3 player?

Ford’s next-generation voice control can interpret a single voice command, such “USB, play artist, Lifehouse” to change a song if the mood calls for something soft and slow. Connectivity for portable devices and media players, are available through two USB ports, three RCA jacks (video, right and left audio) and SD card reader.

The setting gets even better when the songs are played on a premium Sony® 10-speaker audio system with subwoofer found on most Ford models.

Careful component matching and tuning for the vehicle has ensured that the premium sound system delivers outstanding sound quality. System performance is enhanced by the center speaker, which provides highly authentic staging, while the subwoofer ensures that bass sounds have a full, rich quality.

Mood Lighting

Almost as important as mood music is mood lighting.

Ford’s advanced ambient lighting system uses LED technology to provide precise pools of illumination in the foot wells, cup holders, door handle releases and map pockets. The driver can choose between seven different accent colors and set the brightness level to suit his or her mood.

A search mode can also be activated, switching the lighting to a bright white color, helping occupants to find misplaced objects within the car.

The right kind of lighting, such as Ford’s new LED Crystal Blue interior lighting, ensures consistent levels of color and brightness are delivered in the right places and at the right times to set the right mood.

Roof with a view

If gazing at the stars is your idea of a romantic car date, you can while staying warm, dry and bug free while viewing from the inside of your car. Several of Ford’s crossover and sports utility models can be equipped with the panoramic Vista Roof. The large glass moon roof provides a grand view of the sky.

The roof features a large glass panel. The oversized front panel provides open-air touring. Close the forward roof and the enormous skylights allow natural light to flood the cabin while protecting it, and you, from the elements. Or sky-gazing on a hot, sunny day? Twin power-operated cloth shades can be closed simultaneously to block nearly 100 percent of ultra-violet rays.

Chillin’

Need to keep beverages chilled? Ford’s Flex cross-over vehicle boasts a class-exclusive refrigerated console that is mounted between the second-row captain’s chairs. The available refrigerator can cool up to seven 12-ounce cans, four half-liter bottles or two 20-ounce bottles from room temperature to 41 degrees in a little more than two-and-a-half hours – 40 percent faster than a standard home refrigerator.

Intimate Interiors

Attention to detail, including the look, touch, feel and operation of all controls, features and surfaces also help define the setting. Materials that feel luxurious to the touch, comfortable seats and a welcoming interior contribute to the appeal and allure of any interior space, including a car.

For example, Ford uses authentic chrome plating on the interior trim parts, such as door handle release, rather than painted coatings to improve the look and feel of its car interiors. Optimizing the softness and feel of key customer touch points, such as the steering wheel, door armrests and center console, also provides an overall feeling of comfort and style.

Peace and Tranquillity

An ideal date night is one without distractions or disruptions from noise generated by the external environment, such as traffic noise, pedestrian chatter, and other business taking place outside of the car.

Soundproofing cars to shut out distracting outside noises offers both privacy and tranquillity inside.

Windshields with a special acoustic layer and thicker side and rear glass on Ford cars and trucks significantly reduce high-frequency noises. Sound-absorbing carpets and self-expanding foams also help absorb sound, as well as help maintain a more consistent sound level distribution inside the vehicle.

So while your Ford car can help set a mood, it can’t guarantee a second date.

• Ford Flex singled out for the 2009 “Collectible Vehicle of the Future” Award from the Friends of the National Automotive History Collection (NAHC)
• Panel predicts Flex the vehicle most likely to turn heads at the Woodward Dream Cruise of 2034
• Flex adds this award to almost 40 that it has garnered since its launch in 2008

Press Release:

PS. That picture is from last December. It is not snowing here, um, yet! ^Karen Ann

Whatever your towing need is, there is a Ford vehicle to fill it. With many years of RV and towing experience, Ford has earned a reputation for providing quality and reliable RV products.

The Towing Guides are designed to provide helpful information about towing with Ford. For additional towing information pertaining to your Ford vehicle, refer to the vehicle’s Owner Manual.

The Owner’s Manuals are also available online!

Now you can get all the information you need from the very important Manual right at your computer, including setting your clock (it’s almost fall), programming your radio stations, towing and hauling capacities, and your service maintenance schedule!

2009 and 2010 Ford and Lincoln Vehicles equipped with Electronic Stability Control (ESC) include the Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Mustang, F150, Super Duty, Explorer Sport Trac, E-Series, Escape, Edge, Taurus X, Explorer, Expedition, Flex, MKZ, MKS, MKX and Navigator.

Press Release:

The Ford Flex captured best interior for its flexible six passenger seating, high-quality materials and the easily accessible (and just as comfortable as the first and second row seats) third row.

The SmartGauge with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster earned the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid a special achievement award from Ward’s Autoworld Magazine’s editors for Best Graphic Display.

Press Release:

In addition to electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes, standard safety features on Flex, MKS, Fusion and Milan include:

• Six Standard Air Bags and Ford’s Personal Safety System®: Safety features include six air bags (dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags, thorax side air bags for front-seat occupants and side-impact air curtains), safety belt pretensioners, seat weight-sensing system for the front passenger seat and crash-severity sensing.
• Ford’s BeltMinder®, a safety belt reminder technology for the driver and front passenger that takes over after the initial safety belt reminder stops chiming.
• LATCH: The Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren system provides convenient mounting points for compatible child seats.
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System: This system warns a driver if one or more tires are underinflated. An active pressure sensor with a radio transmitter is mounted inside each tire. A receiver in the vehicle monitors each transmitter, and if tire pressure is not within specific limits, it will activate a visual warning light.

Safety is a top purchase consideration, second only to fuel efficiency, so the top safety ratings and competitive fuel economy of Flex, MKS, and Fusion are a winning combination for consumers.

Overall: 1st Place: “The Ford Flex is the best, no question,” my 13-year-old daughter pronounced, and she spoke for the family. Between the car’s unique looks, its cool electronic features, its roominess and its comfort, it set a tone that none of the others could match. While my wife would have preferred to sit higher up, like in the Pilot, even she named the Flex as her overall winner. Considering how much the Flex wowed our friends and relatives, it probably deserves the top spot…

Flex also won the catgories for best of Looks, Comfort and  Gas Mileage (21.6 mpg).

Starting day one on the Road, the Flex was drawing a crowd everywhere it went, it’s no wonder the Flex is #1 for Looks.  The “Runaway winner” for Comfort, the Flex was chosen by all of the Suburban Dad family members, with Suburban Mom describing the seats, “like sitting in an armchair at home,” plus a refridgerator and the easiest access to the third row.

Recieving a second in the Entertainment category because of a lack of DVD player, the Flex continued to impress Suburban Dad and family with it’s “voice-activated nav system, regional weather maps, movie times and more — not to mention the awesome Sync system for my iPod that tied in with a really top-notch sound system.”

I enjoyed Suburban Dad’s vacation driving, like he said “So you don’t have to,” allowed all of us to see each Family vehicle with it’s flaws (such as cargo room and comfort in the Dodge Journey) and it’s positives (which the Ford Flex has many).

Ford’s Flex is the right car at the right time. It meets people where they are, doesn’t require any compromises and somehow makes the familiar family wagon seem fresh and contemporary.

Personally I love the tech features like Sirius Travel Link and the new Sony audio system. Though they might not seal the deal with buyers, the nice-looking cabin, quiet interior environment, comfy third-row seat and decent driving dynamics will.

Ford’s not pretending that the Flex is a sport wagon or a touring hatchback, and for that I’m grateful. The Ford Flex is simply an alternative to the minivan and SUV, and a good one at that.

Suburban Dad

The first vehicle being tested is the Ford Flex. During it’s first day the Flex was drawing quite the crowd! On the second day of travel the family is enjoying ice cold refreshments, ingenious trackfinding in SYNC and using the GPS functions to find gas stations with the lowest cost fuel.

The feature that got the most comments on day two? The power folding second row seats.

With the help of the Drivability Test Facility’s Wind Tunnel No. 8, Ford engineers and designers were able to tweak the Flex to aerodynamic perfection while staying true to the original Fairlane Concept.

The designers and engineers actually made the front a tiny bit more square, lowered the entire vehicle a whole inch and made the rear corners a little bit rounder. These small tweaks and changes made the Flex’s coefficient drag much less than it’s competitors: the GMC Acadia and the Toyota Highlander.

This people mover actually has better fuel mileage because of less drag. The technology available to the designers and engineers of the Ford Flex provided the opportunity to make this CUV aerodynamic.

Press Release:
BREAKTHROUGH AERODYNAMICS IS BOXY FORD FLEX’S SECRET WEAPON FOR FUEL ECONOMY

The Flex’s standout aerodynamics equates to one mile per gallon improvement in fuel economy.

DEARBORN, Mich., July 16, 2008 – There’s no doubt the 2009 Ford Flex’s unique profile turns heads on the road, but can a boxy crossover vehicle really deliver the superb aerodynamics needed for maximum fuel economy?

In the case of the Flex, the answer is an unqualified yes.

Ford designers and engineers spent countless hours in the wind tunnel and made numerous subtle tweaks to deliver breakthrough aerodynamics while staying true to the stunning looks of the Ford Fairlane concept that inspired the Flex.

Compared to the competition, Ford Flex moves through the air with surprising ease.

At 55 mph, the Flex needs only 8.90 horsepower while the nearest competitors in the full-size crossover segment – the GMC Acadia and Toyota Highlander – require more than 9.30 horsepower. Moreover, the Flex’s coefficient of drag is significantly better than all of its Asian competitors. Flex tests at 0.355 coefficient of drag while the competitors are at 0.375.

The Flex’s standout aerodynamics equates to one mile per gallon improvement in fuel economy. Overall, the Flex achieves 24 miles per gallon on the highway and 17 miles per gallon in city driving.

Oddly enough, the Flex team turned the vehicle’s boxy shape into an advantage, said Wayne Koester, Ford’s aerodynamic engineer, who has been perfecting Flex’s aerodynamic performance against the competition in every stage of the vehicle’s development over the past two years.

“The overall design of this vehicle, from its low-riding stance to its box-like body shape has actually worked to our aero advantage,” Koester said. “Its low coefficient of drag amounts to significant gains in fuel economy.”

Adds Rich Gresens, Ford Flex chief designer: “Flex was designed to shatter today’s image of the common people mover, and our aerodynamic performance and fuel economy add to the list of Flex features that help set the vehicle and Ford apart in the marketplace.”

Thinking outside the box

Flex designers and engineers made multiple design tweaks and ran hundreds of tests, in the digital realm and in the Drivability Test Facility’s Wind Tunnel No. 8.

“We faced a unique challenge with Flex because the basic prototype design and unique body shape had generated so much positive appeal and interest early on that we didn’t want to do anything radical like change the shape of the roof or the rear – design cues that were inherently Flex,” Koester said. “We had to look for more subtle, detail changes that could reduce drag.”

A surprise discovery for the team was that Flex’s more square-shaped design cues – such as the front bumper sweep and headlamps – improved Flex’s aero performance. In fact, the initial Fairlane show vehicle had more curvature and rounded areas on the exterior.

“We actually gave elements like the front bumper sweep, the roof, headlights more square dimensions to see if we could get better aero performance in the wind tunnel, and we did,” Koester said.

Wind tunnel testing resulted in slight changes to the shape of the front air dam below the front fascia to reduce air flow under the car. Radius changes to the rear header – where the rear window on the liftgate meets the roof – were also optimized for less drag. Tail lamps were given a more rounded shape. Combined, these changes resulted in a .02 coefficient of drag reduction.

Also, cooling drag, the penalty associated with air going through the radiator, was minimized by blocking off the top third of the grille, forcing the air to glide over the outside of the vehicle.

Low Rider

One of the most intriguing features of the Flex is its wide, low-riding stance, which gave the aero team a little wiggle room to play with ride height – a major factor in a vehicle’s aerodynamic performance. “The underbody creates a lot of drag so the closer the vehicle body is to the ground, the more airflow goes over the top, creating less drag,” said Koester.

Flex’s unique design allowed the team to lower the ride height by almost an inch for a ground clearance of 130 millimeters – the standard for most Ford cars. This inch equates to a .015 coefficient of drag reduction.

“The aerodynamic nature of the Flex proves that sometimes you have to look beyond the standard,” said Mike Kipley, supervisor of Vehicle Engineering. “From the beginning, Flex has inspired us to think outside the box. Now customers are reaping the benefits with a fuel-efficient people mover that dares to be different.”

The HOT cross-over from Ford, the all-new 2009 Ford Flex is now available in Detroit. Today, 40 Metro Detroit area Ford Dealers take possession of their first 2009 Ford Flex at a special drive-away event.

The distinctive 2009 Ford Flex, with its signature side grooves, all-black greenhouse and distinct two-tone roof, it is like no other vehicle on the road and is arriving in dealerships now.

We are expecting ours very soon too, maybe with not as much fan fare (Ontario is a-ways-away), maybe just on a transport truck!!

Flex is full of class-leading technologies, including Ford SYNC™, voice-activated navigation with reverse camera system, SIRIUS Travel Link™, new premium sound from Sony and innovative, surprise-and-delight features like EasyFuel™ capless refueling and an exclusive refrigerated console is arriving in dealerships now.

• John McElroy, Autoline Detroit – “There’s a very solid feel to the car and man, it is quiet. Given that this is an AWD, the ride is very impressive. Good steering with excellent response.
• Ken Pantone, ecityofstyle – “You have a winner on your hands. All over this city, people are looking at Flex…doormen, fashionistas, you name it. It’s great to see Ford get its due.”
• John Davis, Motor Week – “There aren’t many vehicles that truly stand out as something new and different, but Flex does. I think it will strengthen your brand; you’ve never had a vehicle like it.”
• Mark Phelan, Detroit Free Press – “I love the proportion. I had thought it would be bulky and ponderous, but I am really impressed with the way you have handled the size. Most of us thought the show car would never translate, but it has. This is one of only four or five of the most important cars this year, and I have been looking forward to driving – and it has not let me down.”
• Jim Henry, AutoWeek – “I’m very impressed by Flex for highway cruising. It has a very comfortable ride and a roomy interior. Overall a very quiet vehicle as well, which is impressive.”
• Jean Jennings, Automobile Magazine – “I love the car. This is the best car Ford has ever made.”

The Easy Fuel™ capless fuel-filler system is a Ford-exclusive feature that uses an integrated spring-loaded flapper door to eliminate the need for a fuel tank screw cap. That means no more fumbling to remove and tighten the cap and less fuel odor on customers’ hands or gloves when they’re at the pump.

These are just two of the reasons behind Ford’s decision to offer Easy Fuel as standard equipment across the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury product lineups, according to Pamela Wylie, Ford technology planning manager. Easy Fuel launched on the 2008 Ford Explorer and will be joined by the all-new 2009 Ford Flex, Ford F-150 and Lincoln MKS this summer.

With Easy Fuel, the spring-loaded flapper door is held closed by two latches that can only be released by a standard-size unleaded fuel nozzle. When the proper nozzle is inserted into the filler neck of the system, the latches release, and the nozzle pushes the spring-loaded flapper door to the open position. When the nozzle is removed, the flapper door automatically is forced closed by the spring.

The fuel filler pipe is then completely sealed, which prevents fuel vapors from escaping and helps reduce evaporative emissions.

The Flex team engineered into Ford’s newest crossover a concealed rocker panel, the structural component at the bottom of the door aperture.

“The Flex design is so clean and efficient that we’ve been able to reduce the step-in area,” said Rich Gresens, Flex chief designer. “The clever design minimizes your clothes’ exposure to the elements. There’s no sill area where dirt usually collects.”

Ford designers stretched the width of the Flex to wrap around the sill, bringing the step-in area inboard for much easier access for passengers. In combination with the hidden rocker, the Flex door was designed to wrap under the sill, effectively sealing out the elements.

Pant protection brought to you by the Flex!