DEARBORN, Mich., June 21, 2011 – More than 40 percent of consumers view fuel economy as “extremely important” when considering a new vehicle purchase today, a new study finds.

What’s more, one third of consumers say fuel economy will have the “greatest impact” on their next vehicle purchase, and younger buyers place an even higher priority on miles per gallon.

“Customers are telling us clean and green vehicles matter most because they are good for people’s wallets and good for our planet,” said Mark Fields, Ford president of The Americas. “We hear what they are saying, and that is why Ford is absolutely committed to giving our customers vehicles with top fuel efficiency.”

The annual New Vehicle Customer Study has been conducted since the 1970s by Maritz Research, reaching approximately 200,000 consumers a year. The latest study, conducted in the first quarter, shows:

• 42 percent of people surveyed say fuel economy is “extremely important” in their decision to purchase new 2011 models – a 13.5 percent increase versus 10 years ago
• 37 percent indicated they expect fuel economy will have the “greatest impact” on their next new vehicle purchase
• Millennials place an even greater importance on fuel economy, with 46 percent saying fuel economy is “extremely important” in the new vehicle purchase decision – the greatest percentage among all age groups. Also, 41 percent say fuel economy will be the top factor in their next vehicle purchase

In addition, while buyers of small vehicles are most likely to put fuel economy toward the top of their list of purchase considerations, fuel economy has jumped in importance in nearly all vehicle segments since 2001, the survey finds. Specifically:

• Fuel economy as a purchase reason for B-cars became the top consideration in 2011 (21 percent), up from fourth in 2001 (14 percent)
• Fuel economy as a purchase reason for C-cars nearly tripled in importance from 2001 (7 percent) to 2011 (19 percent), going from fifth to first
• After ranking 16th in 2001, fuel economy was listed in the top five most important purchase reasons for small utility vehicles in 2011
• Fuel economy was listed in the top 10 most important purchase reasons for sports car buyers for the first time in 2011
• Fuel economy as a top purchase reason for medium utility vehicles jumped 14 spots from 2001 to 2011
• Fuel economy as a top purchase reason for C/D-cars ranked fifth in 2011 after ranking 12th in 2001
• The Maritz Research survey results also track with Ford’s 2011 research and sales trends.

Consumer perceptions of Ford delivering “good gas mileage” grew 57 percent from late 2008 to the end of the first quarter of 2011, according to Ford’s latest brand health study.

Plus, Ford’s small vehicle sales have been hitting record levels in the U.S.

Ford’s two all-new small cars combined had sales of 29,423 in May, up 74 percent versus a year ago. It was Ford’s largest small car month since May 2008, with Fiesta sales at 7,120 and Focus sales at 22,303, up 32 percent versus a year ago.

“Since December, we have seen industry-wide small car purchases increase from 19 percent to 24 percent,” said George Pipas, Ford sales analyst. “It drives home the point that consumers are looking at more fuel-efficient choices.”

That applies to larger vehicles, too. Eighty percent of customers buying Ford’s hot-selling Fusion midsize sedan in May chose the four-cylinder engine over the V6 – up from 50 percent when the vehicle debuted in 2006. Also in May, for the first time in decades more than 55 percent of Ford F150s sold were equipped with V6 rather than V8 engines.

Ford Motor Company has 12 vehicles leading their sales segments with best-in-class fuel economy and four models that deliver 40 mpg or more – a claim no other full-line automaker can match.

Consumer habits shape decisions

For some, the idea of more ethical consumption is driving the desire for higher-mpg vehicles.

“Consumers are taking a logical approach to making their lives better,” said Sheryl Connelly, manager of Ford Global Trends and Futuring. “Choosing a car that lessens their impact on the environment as well as their wallets can really create peace of mind.”

Additionally, Ford’s family of electrified vehicles – including the Ford Transit Connect Electric, Focus Electric as well as the C-MAX Hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid coming next year – offers plenty of choice for customers who want a vehicle that supports their ethical beliefs while also delivering quality, style and innovation.

Meeting customer desires

Ford invested billions beginning in 2006 in researching and developing new fuel-efficient engines, transmissions and electrified vehicles, working to make fuel economy affordable for millions of people. Today, Ford’s fuel economy standouts include:

• Ford Fiesta: With the six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission, Fiesta is EPA-certified at 40 mpg highway and 29 mpg city, and delivers class-leading fuel economy
• All-new Ford Focus: Delivers 40 mpg on the highway and 28 mpg in the city through its advanced six-speed automatic transmission
• All-new Ford Explorer V6: Fuel economy ratings are EPA-certified at 17 mpg city and 25 mpg highway, a 25 percent improvement over the previous V6 model
• Ford Mustang V6: Its high-revving 305-horsepower 3.7-liter V6 engine and six-speed automatic transmission deliver best-in-class highway fuel economy of 31 mpg; Mustang V6 is the first car in history to deliver the combination of 305 horsepower and more than 30 mpg

New technology saves fuel

In 2010, Ford launched nine new engines and six new six-speed transmissions, and the company is on track to deliver fuel-saving six-speed transmissions across all of Ford and Lincoln brand vehicles by the end of 2012.

Ford also is expanding its industry-leading range of fuel-efficient powertrains in North America with the addition of a new 1.0-liter EcoBoost™ three-cylinder – the smallest engine Ford has ever built – and an all-new eight-speed automatic transmission.

Many of Ford’s new powertrains include fuel-saving technologies such as:

• Twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT), which enables the engine to operate at peak efficiency by continually adjusting the precise moment the intake and exhaust valves open
• Gasoline direct injection (GDI), which improves efficiency by raising the compression ratio and by using precise amounts of fuel placed directly in the combustion chamber
• Turbocharging, which uses exhaust gases to pressurize the engine cylinders with a more dense mixture of fuel and air, increasing power
• EcoBoost, which uses direct injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing to allow four-cylinder engines to deliver the power of V6s and V6s to deliver the power of V8s. EcoBoost engines save fuel in part because they burn less fuel, and because they weigh less than the larger-displacement engines they replace
• Electric power-assisted steering (EPAS), which eliminates drag on the engine by replacing the hydraulic pump with an electric motor. EPAS, available on Ford Mustang, F-150, Fiesta, the new Focus and other vehicles, improves fuel economy by approximately 4 percent

April 30, 2010
BCAA, BCIT and BC Ford Dealers’ Auto Skills Competition celebrates 20 years of helping students achieve rewarding auto careers
Burnaby, BC: For 20 years, the BCAA, BCIT, and B.C. Ford Dealers’ Student Auto Skills Competition has been celebrating the high level of skill among young, aspiring auto technicians. Designed to encourage careers in the automotive industry and cultivate talent, the annual competition creates an opportunity for students to receive recognition for outstanding ability and performance in the field of automotive mechanics.

On Saturday, May 1, the 20 most skilled automotive students from high schools across the province will rev up and compete in this year’s provincial BCAA, BCIT and B.C. Ford Dealers’ Student Auto Skills Competition at the BCIT Burnaby Campus from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

To qualify for the competition, students completed a written exam where they were challenged with automotive-related questions. Students representing high schools from Abbotsford, Coquitlam, Duncan, Maple Ridge, Penticton, Qualicum Beach, Salmon Arm, Terrace and Vancouver earned the 10 best test scores.

The hands-on competition consists of 10 two-student teams racing against a clock to diagnose and repair identically “bugged” malfunctions deliberately installed in vehicles. The team that successfully repairs the most bugs within the 90 minute time is declared the winner. In addition to providing a unique educational opportunity for the competing students, the Auto Skills Challenge highlights the current shortage of trained technicians in the automotive industry. Qualified automotive technicians are highly sought in today’s job market and the Challenge encourages Grade 12 students to complete their education and prepare for rewarding careers in the increasingly high-tech automotive field.

“With the addition of new technologies, today’s cars are extremely complex. Technicians working in the field are highly trained professionals who know more about vehicles than just the “nuts and bolts,”” says Student Auto Skills Committee Chair Allen Holmes. “Careers in the automotive service industry are extremely rewarding and challenging. A great deal of skill in mathematics, logistics, electrical, electronic, mechanical and engineering are required nowadays. Many auto technicians work with state-of-the-art computerized systems, electronics and other advanced technology such as GPS and Blue Tooth.”

Last year, over $18,000 in prizes and scholarships was awarded to the winning schools and students. Each student on the top three teams will receive a scholarship to BCIT’s Motive Power Program and an Automotive Retailers Association scholarship to the post secondary institution of their choice. The winning school’s automotive department will also be presented with a Ford Focus courtesy of MSA Ford, Abbotsford and Steve Marshall Ford, Nanaimo.

“Celebrating twenty years of hosting the Auto Skills Competition is further proof of BCIT’s ongoing commitment to providing the youth of British Columbia with hands-on training and applied work experience,” says Michael Coates, Director of Marketing and Business Development in the School of Transportation at BCIT. “This competition will provide these students with the opportunity to compete at BCIT’s Automotive Service Technician training facility, learn more about BCIT Automotive programs, and gain insight into how we collaborate with the automotive industry to train and prepare job-ready graduates.”

Each year many of the participants move on to promising careers in the automotive industry as a result of participating in the competition and the scholarships they win. The competition is co-sponsored by BCAA, BCIT and B.C. Ford Dealers and supported by various organizations dedicated to quality auto service.

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For further information, media can contact:

Kelly Friday
Manager, Media Relations
British Columbia Institute of Technology
Tel: 604.432.8773
Cell: 604.836.6700
kelly_friday@bcit.ca

or

Niela Melanio
BCAA Public Affairs Advisor
Tel: 604.268.5342
Cell: 604.376.6889
niela.melanio@bcaa.com

Electronic Stability Control – or ESC – can help prevent a collision, and maybe even save your life. Now, for the first time in Canada, ESC can help save money on your auto insurance, too. BCAA Insurance is introducing a five per cent discount on collision premiums for vehicles equipped with ESC – an innovative way of rewarding customers for choosing the added safety and peace of mind provided by ESC. ESC is a computer-controlled safety device that monitors the vehicle’s direction compared to the direction of the steering wheel. When the vehicle is in a skid, or if the tires spin, the ESC system will automatically apply braking to certain wheels and may cut engine power to help the driver regain control. The ESC system can actively prevent and reduce skidding conditions and wheel spin before the driver becomes aware of the problem.

Passive devices like seatbelts, airbags, and child seats help drivers and passengers survive a car crash, but the safest vehicle is the one that does not crash at all, explains BCAA Auto Insurance Product Manager, Heather Prizeman.

“By offering a discount we hope to encourage more drivers to select a vehicle equipped with this technology,” says Prizeman. “In addition to being a proven safety device, ESC makes good economic sense, as ‘losing control’ is one of the leading causes of road crashes in Canada.”

“We feel customers with safe driving practices – technical or otherwise – deserve to be rewarded with lower premiums,” adds Prizeman.

According to Canadian crash data from 2000-to-2005, vehicles equipped with ESC were involved in approximately 30 per cent fewer severe crashes due to loss of control. Based on this data, if all passenger vehicles were equipped with ESC, there could be 255 fewer deaths and 1,440 fewer people seriously injured on our roads each year.

The U.S. Department of Transportation was so impressed with ESC that it is requiring all new cars sold in the U.S. to be equipped with ESC by model year 2012. And Transport Canada is currently working on regulations that will require ESC on all new passenger vehicles in a similar timeframe.

Currently, only five per cent of Canadians have vehicles equipped with ESC, but it is available as a relatively inexpensive option on many models. When buying a new vehicle make sure to ask if it has an electronic stability control system, or if it’s available as an option. It appears under various trade names, such as StabiliTrak, Advance Trac, VSC (vehicle-stability control) and ESP (electronic-stability program).

BCAA will be the first insurance provider in Canada to offer a discount on collision premiums for vehicles equipped with ESC. For more information on ESC, please refer here.