Nanaimo, BC Dealership Blog » Fusion

Vehicle Mobility Modifications and Equipment with the Ford Mobility Program

Karen Ann — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 18:42:00 +0000

Increase Your Confidence. Living with a health condition or physical disability shouldn’t limit your mobility. The Ford Mobility program is designed to extend your abilities, allowing you to enhance your personal independence.

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.

Raising Money for School with Drive One 4 UR School

Karen Ann — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 17:35:28 +0000

Woodland Secondary School Basketball Team raised $1,820 with a total of 91 test drives taken in a number of New Ford and Lincoln products: Check out our Facebook Photo Album of the event!

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.

FREE Vancouver Canucks Jersey!! Get some Canucks fever!

Karen Ann — Thu, 21 Apr 2011 18:28:50 +0000

Updated with new video, thank you Nanaimo. All 100 Jerseys are gone, and we have food and money for the Salvation Army piled up!!

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:

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

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

Two Ford vehicles are top green cars, says kbb.com

Karen Ann — Tue, 12 Apr 2011 17:40:12 +0000

With Earth Day approaching and soaring gas prices weighing heavily on the minds of consumers, it’s timely kbb.com has named two Ford vehicles to its 2011 Top 10 Green Car list – the 2011 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2012 Ford Focus. Editors of kbb.com say Fusion Hybrid was an easy pick, because along with its outstanding fuel economy of 41 mpg city and 36 mpg highway, “it delivers the driving dynamics and comfort that make the conventional Fusion so endearing.” Likewise, Focus’ impressive fuel economy of 28 mpg city and up to 40 mpg highway is just one of the things they liked about the all-new vehicle: “Our favorite features are its excellent handling, impressively outfitted interior, sweet Euro styling and the availability of cool features,” kbb editors said.

David Letterman take ownership of a 2011 Ford Fusion

Karen Ann — Fri, 25 Feb 2011 00:07:26 +0000

Impress Your Valentine with These Cool Date Night Features from Ford

Karen Ann — Fri, 11 Feb 2011 20:30:00 +0000

Just about everyone remembers the car they rode in on their first date. Was it a convertible with a great sound system, or a boat on wheels with lots of space? Whatever it was, both men and women agree that cars can make or break that first and often memorable impression. “A person’s car is most definitely an extension of themselves,” said Ellen Fein, dating expert and best-selling co-author of The Rules. “You often get one chance to make a right impression, and your car is one of the first personal things your date sees about you.”

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.

Hybrid and Electric Cars, How soon will the Fusion pay off?

Karen Ann — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 19:49:57 +0000

Last week when the Nissan Leaf was announced to be launching in North America this year, the San Fransisco Chronicle had some indepth wisdom. Wisdom that included, price on the environment and price on your pocket. As the purely electric vehicles are costly enough to not reasonable be able to break even on cost of ownership vs a gas powered vehicle, they opted to discuss exactly how much more likely a Hybrid vehicle would be.

They listed through 7 Hybrid cars and their “Years to Break Even”, including Nissan Altima Hybrid “21″, Toyota Prius “20″, Honda Civic Hybrid “17″, Honda Insight “16.5″, Toyota Camry Hybrid “15″, Mercury Milan Hybrid “13″ (unavailable for Canada), and the Ford Fusion Hybrid “5.6″.

San Fransico Chronicle:
According to Consumer Reports, the answer is the “crown jewel” of the Fusion family and a very cost-effective hybrid vehicle. This could account for why it took home top honors as the North American Car of Year at the Detroit Auto Show. It provides a similar look and driving experience as the non-hybrid Fusion, but because the price discrepancy between the two models is relatively slim (about $3,200), drivers are likely to break even with the money they save in gas within six years.

Autoblog:
The winner by a long shot is the Ford Fusion Hybrid at a mere 5.6 years. Which car fared worst? The Nissan Altima Hybrid at a whopping 21 years. We have to wonder, 21 years from now, will they still be making batteries for a 2010 Altima Hybrid?

North American Car AND Truck of the Year

Karen Ann — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 08:18:46 +0000

The Ford Fusion Hybrid and the Ford Transit Connect were named the North American Car AND Truck of the Year today at the 2010 North American International Auto Show.

The Fusion Hybrid was better than other finalists Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf, while the Transit Connect beat out both the Chevy Equinox and Subaru Outback. More than 50 vehicles were considered this year.

Ford has definitely earned the two awards, it’s not by chance you get named North American Car AND Truck of the year!

Press Relase:

Ford swept the North American Car and Truck of the Year awards today at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS), winning both prestigious awards for the
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and the 2010 Ford Transit Connect, respectively
It is the third time in 17 years that one manufacturer has won both awards
The Ford Fusion Hybrid is America’s most fuel-efficient midsize sedan with an EPA-estimated 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway
The Transit Connect is an industry-exclusive vehicle developed to be a smart new choice for small business owners; it offers double the fuel economy of full-size vans, generous and accessible cargo space, and the agility and maneuverability to operate in crowded urban areas

DETROIT, Jan. 11, 2010 – Ford Motor Company scored a historic doubleheader today, capturing both the North American Car of the Year and North American Truck of the Year awards for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2010 Ford Transit Connect, respectively, at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS). It is only the third time in 17 years that one manufacturer has won both titles.

“Winning both of these prestigious awards is confirmation that the ONE Ford plan is working, delivering industry-leading products for our customers,” said Mark Fields, president of
The Americas.

The North American Car and Truck of the Year awards recognize vehicles based on factors including innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. A jury of 49 automotive journalists in the United States and Canada vote for the vehicles, which must be “all-new” or “substantially changed” from the previous model to qualify for the award.

The Fusion Hybrid edged out finalists including the Buick LaCrosse and Volkswagen Golf/GTI to win the North American Car of the Year award. It is the fourth hybrid vehicle in 17 years to win recognition as North American Car (or Truck) of the Year. It also is the second hybrid win for Ford – the most hybrid wins for any automaker. The Ford Escape Hybrid was named North American Truck of the Year in 2005.

The Transit Connect bested finalists including the Chevrolet Equinox and Subaru Outback to win the North American Truck of the Year award. It is the sixth Ford truck to win the award – the most wins of any automaker in the 17-year history of the awards program. It also is the second year in a row that Ford has captured the title. Last year, top honors went to the 2009 Ford F-150.

Fusion Hybrid a winner out of the gate
The North American Car of the Year award is the latest in an impressive string of awards and accolades for the Fusion Hybrid. Most recently, the vehicle was honored as CAR and DRIVER Magazine’s “10Best” Cars for 2010, one of AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s 2010 All-Stars, and the entire Fusion lineup captured the acclaimed MOTOR TREND Car of the Year® award.

The all-new Fusion Hybrid arrived in dealers in March, complete with a powertrain system that combines the best attributes of the gasoline engine and electric battery-driven motors to deliver the optimal experience for the customer in terms of driving performance and fuel economy.
The Fusion Hybrid also offers drivers a way to be more connected to the hybrid driving experience thanks to Ford’s SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide, a unique instrument cluster execution that helps coach them on how to optimize the performance of their hybrid.

Other class-exclusive technologies and features that set the Fusion Hybrid apart from the competition include Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®), Ford SYNC®, SIRIUS Travel Link™ and more total passenger and luggage capacity than the Toyota Camry.
Despite the slump in overall industry sales, 2009 was a record-breaking year for the Ford Fusion. Sales are at an all-time high, with the Fusion Hybrid accounting for almost 20 percent of total Fusion retail sales. Perhaps even more significant, more than 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid sales have been to customers coming from import brands – mostly Toyota and Honda.

Awards and accolades for the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid include:

MOTOR TREND Car of the Year Award
One of CAR and DRIVER Magazine’s “10Best” Cars for 2010
One of AUTOMOBILE Magazine’s 2010 All-Stars
2009 “Top Safety Pick” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety
2009 Ward’s Interior of the Year Special Achievement Award for Best Graphic Display for SmartGauge with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster
Great Car for the Long-haul Salesman by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
One of America’s Top 40 New Cars by MOTOR TREND magazine
Rated the No. 1 Hybrid Family Sedan by CAR and DRIVER in a recent comparison test by the magazine
2009 and 2010 Editors Choice for Fuel Sipper by CAR and DRIVER Magazine
Best Hybrid for the Money in the Midsize Car segment by cars.com
One of 2009 Top 10 Green Cars by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com
The Detroit News Readers’ Choice Award for “Best Value”
2010 Consumers Digest Best Buy
Detroit Free Press 2010 Car of the Year
2010 Most Environmentally Progressive Car of the Year by Earth, Wind & Power
10 Best Engine by Ward’s Auto World

The 2010 Fusion Hybrid is built at Ford’s Hermosillo (Mexico) Stamping and Assembly Plant.

Transit Connect fills unmet needs of small businesses and fleets
The Transit Connect was brought to the U.S. to fulfill the unmet needs of small business owners and entrepreneurs, offering them a new vehicle choice with significantly improved fuel economy, generous and accessible cargo space, and the agility and maneuverability to operate in crowded urban areas.

Powered by a 2.0-liter I-4 engine with a four-speed automatic overdrive transmission, the
Transit Connect offers double the fuel economy of full-size vans, delivering an EPA-estimated 22 mpg city and 25 mpg highway.

The Transit Connect also has more than double the cargo-carrying capacity of the Chevrolet HHR Panel, making it suitable for a broader range of commercial-use applications. And it offers commercial users a cargo payload of up to 1,600 pounds – a larger payload than the full-size Dodge Ram 1500 standard-cab short-box pickup truck.

The Transit Connect also is available with the industry-exclusive Ford Work Solutions™, a suite of affordable technologies that provides customers with connectivity, flexibility, visibility and security to better run key aspects of their business.

On Transit Connect, Ford Work Solutions delivers three innovative features:

A wireless in-dash computer that provides full high-speed Internet access, Bluetooth-enabled hands-free calling and navigation. The system also allows customers to print invoices, check inventories and access documents stored on their home or office computer networks right on the job site.
Tool Link™, a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) asset tracking system that enables customers to maintain detailed real-time inventory of the tools or equipment.
Crew Chief™, a fleet tracking, telematics and diagnostics system that provides dynamic location and performance data fleet owners need to more efficiently manage their vehicles, quickly dispatch workers to job sites, monitor driver performance for safety and economy, and keep detailed vehicle maintenance records.

Awards and accolades for the 2010 Ford Transit Connect include:

2010 Editors Choice for Vans by CAR and DRIVER Magazine
Detroit Free Press 2010 Truck of the Year
The Detroit News 2010 Truck of the Year
2010 Popular Mechanics Automotive Excellence Award for Best Workhorse Vehicle
A Great Car for the Small Business Delivery/Utility Worker by Kelley Blue Book kbb.com

The 2010 Ford Transit Connect is built at the Ford Otosan Kocaeli Plant in Kocaeli, Turkey.

Earth, Wind & Power Car of the Year

Karen Ann — Wed, 02 Dec 2009 21:05:15 +0000

Winners for the 2010 Earth, Wind & Power (EWP) car and truck of the year were officially revealed last night in Los Angeles and the Fusion won: Car of the Year!! Shall we recap the awards that the 2010 Ford Fusion has earned in the last week?

Fusion Earns a Spot in Car and Driver’s 10Best List
2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year
and now the Earth, Wind & Power Car of the Year!

The mission of the EWP Awards is to recognize vehicles that are driven by a power source that help reduce global warming, are conducive to promoting a cleaner environment and support the mission to achieve energy independence through alternative sources.

Fusion Earns a Spot in Car and Driver’s 10Best List

Karen Ann — Tue, 24 Nov 2009 22:10:47 +0000

Can the Ford Fusion win any more awards this year?

Last week the Ford Fusion earned the title of Motor Trend’s Car of the year. This week Car and Driver magazine annouced the 10Best Cars for 2010, from a list of 58 cars, the 2010 Ford Fusion wins!

It’s an unlikely claim, but the Ford Fusion hybrid is in fact the most advanced car on this list. Through the body of this unpretentious family sedan runs the sturdiest bridge between the tech of the 20th century and that of the 21st.

2010 10Best Cars

2010 Audi S4
2010 BMW 3-series / M3
2010 Cadillac CTS / CTS-V
2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid
2010 Honda Accord
2010 Honda Fit
2010 Mazda MX-5 Miata
2010 Mazda 3 / Mazdaspeed 3
2010 Porsche Boxster / Cayman
2010 Volkswagen GTI

The Nominees

Nominees consist of all-new cars, 2009 10Best winners, cars that were not available for the 2009 competition, and those with significant updates. All cars must fall under our base-price cap of $80,000 and be on sale in January 2010.

Acura TL 6-sp manual • Acura ZDX • Audi A5 2.0T • Audi A6 3.0T • Audi S4 • Audi S5 Cabriolet • Audi TTS • BMW Z4 • BMW 3-series/M3 • Buick LaCrosse • Cadillac CTS/CTS-V • Chevrolet Camaro • Chevrolet Corvette/Grand Sport/Z06 • Ford Fusion/Fusion hybrid • Ford Mustang/Shelby GT500 • Ford Taurus/Taurus SHO • Honda Accord • Honda Fit • Honda Insight • Hyundai Genesis coupe • Infiniti G37 • Jaguar XF/XFR • Kia Forte/Forte Koup • Kia Soul • Lexus HS250h • Lexus IS convertible • Lincoln MKS EcoBoost • Lotus Evora* • Lotus Exige S 260 Sport • Mazda MX-5 Miata • Mazda 3/Mazdaspeed 3 • Mercedes-Benz E-class • Nissan Cube • Nissan 370Z • Pontiac G8 GXP* • Pontiac Solstice coupe* • Porsche Boxster / Cayman • Porsche 911 Carrera • Subaru Legacy • Subaru Outback • Suzuki Kizashi • Toyota Prius • Toyota Venza • Volkswagen Golf*/GTI

2010 Motor Trend Car of the Year

Karen Ann — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 19:31:26 +0000

It’s the Ford Fusion!
We’ve earned: 2010 Car of the Year®!

MOTOR TREND today announced the Ford Fusion has been named MOTOR TREND’s 2010 Car of the Year®. This year marks the 60th anniversary for the MOTOR TREND award – the longest standing editorial automotive award of its kind.

Owner’s Manual and Towing Guides

Karen Ann — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 18:15:53 +0000

Towing Guides for Ford vehicles are available on-line.

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!

Navigation System Interfaces

Karen Ann — Thu, 06 Aug 2009 17:55:26 +0000

Autoblog has a top ten list: Top 10 Auto Interior Annoyances.

While everything they say about seat adjusting, telescoping steering, non existent cup holders are all very annoying… I was nicely surprised when #5 Inscrutable navigation system interfaces appeared with a note to other manufacturers:

Our advice for these ergonomically and technically challenged brands is to just buy a Ford Fusion with Sync 3.0 and Sirius Travel Link and marvel at the very best in the business.

Tyler has done a great job covering exactly how much more you can do with Sirius Travel Link and Sync!

BCAA Rewarding Customers for DrivingElectronic Stability Control Equipped Vehicles

Karen Ann — Tue, 12 May 2009 20:25:59 +0000

An excellent and new way of rewarding smart and safety savvy consumers, BCAA introduced a 5% discount on collision premiums for vehicles with Electronic Stability Control (ESC). So now driving a Ford or Lincoln can immediately save you money!

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:

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.

2010 Fusion Hybrid has ARRIVED!

Karen Ann — Fri, 01 May 2009 22:58:00 +0000

The 2010 Fusion Hybrid has arrived at Steve Marshall Ford. Come see it for yourself, 3851 Shenton Road.

The Fusion Hybrid‘s are available for order, visit or call 1-888-571-0953 to speak with one of our Hybrid Specialists to get started owning the Future, Today!

2009 Ward’s Interiors of the Year

Karen Ann — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 23:53:32 +0000

Ford’s comfort conscious and customer centered designs have been noticed, and not just by you! Ford is the only brand to win multiple awards in the 2009 competition for Ward’s Interiors of the Year.

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:

DEARBORN, Mich., April 15, 2009 – Two signature Ford products – the Ford Flex and the all-new Ford Fusion Hybrid – are winners in the 2009 Ward’s Interior of the Year competition, an annual contest that heralds vehicles for their interior styling, comfort, safety and value.The 2009 Flex captured best interior in the Premium-priced Truck category and the 2010 Fusion Hybrid received a special-achievement award for Best Graphic Display.

This year’s honors compliment an already impressive list of past Interior of the Year winners for Ford, including last year’s Ford Focus and Escape, and Lincoln Navigator and MKZ the year before.

“The interior is a major product differentiator, it’s where the emotional connection to a vehicle takes place; where the customer can see and feel the quality of the vehicle,” said Moray Callum, soon-to-be executive director of design for Ford Americas. “The interiors of the Flex and Fusion Hybrid live up to Ford’s commitment to offer intuitive design, thoughtful amenities and unmatched comfort.”

Overall, 11 winners were given bragging rights in this year’s Interior of the Year competition. Ward’s editors evaluated 35 different 2009 and 2010 model-year vehicles that had either all-new or significantly upgraded interiors. Contestants were divided into six car and truck segments based on price. In addition, special-achievement honorees in categories such as Design Harmony, Grooviest Interior and Best Graphic Display, were selected.

Ford Flex
The Ford Flex wowed Ward’s editors with its flexible six-passenger seating configuration and high-quality interior craftsmanship. Flex features second-row best-in-class legroom, class-exclusive adjustable and removable footrests and an available one-touch system that folds and tumbles the second row.

“What impressed us most about the Flex are the ergonomics and the design team’s laser focus on comfort,” said Tom Murphy, executive editor of Ward’s AutoWorld magazine. “The third-row seats are just about as comfortable as the first- and second-row seats, and you can’t say that about many vehicles. The power folding function to allow easy access to the third row is a stroke of genius.”

According to Ford Chief Interior Designer Anthony Prozzi, the Flex’s interior provides a level of craftsmanship inspired by fashion and furniture design, with modern materials and soft touch points. “We wanted the interior to be a place of contemporary, relaxed style – somewhere you could feel very comfortable, yet involved and connected,” said Prozzi. “Flex’s interior shows how Ford is raising the bar in every area – quality, interesting design, technology and exciting color and materials.”

Fusion Hybrid
The SmartGauge with EcoGuide digital instrument cluster on the Fusion Hybrid more than impressed the competition’s judges, garnering the vehicle with the special-achievement award for Best Graphic Display.

SmartGauge is designed to coach Ford hybrid owners to maximize fuel efficiency. High-resolution, full-color LCD screens can be configured by the driver to show different levels of information, including fuel and battery power levels, as well as average and instant miles-per-gallon. “SmartGauge with EcoGuide gives the customer real-world feedback to make the most of their hybrids,” said Gil Portalatin, Hybrid Applications Manager. “Unique to Ford and Mercury hybrid sedans, this instrument cluster acts as a good ‘coach,’ engaging drivers real-time to help them achieve maximum fuel economy.”

Ward’s editors expressed their marvel at the amount of information Ford engineers managed to package in a way that is simple to understand. “The Fusion Hybrid does a number of things well,” said Murphy, “but the instrument cluster in particular proves that vital information about vehicle performance can be communicated effectively. The driver can quickly grasp what is important, while still looking straight ahead.”

Ford, along with the other 2009 Interior of the Year award winners, will be honored in May at the Ward’s Auto Interiors Conference in Dearborn.

2010 Fusion Hybrid is The Best

Karen Ann — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 18:44:03 +0000

Today, one of the toughest and most respected auto writers in America – Jim Healey at USA Today – began his weekly car review with this line: “O.K., let’s just get it out there: The 2010 Ford Fusion hybrid is the best gasoline-electric hybrid yet.” Healey goes on to explain why he likes it: “Simple. Fusion drives better. A car is, after all a driving machine … And there, Fusion is without equal among hybrids.”

From Ford:

For the 2010 model year, the new Ford Fusion lineup expands to include an all-new hybrid model that offers class-leading fuel economy, besting the Toyota Camry hybrid by at least 6 mpg in the city; innovative new SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide coaches hybrid drivers to maximize fuel efficiency.

The Ford Fusion hybrid can operate up to 47 mph in pure electric mode, approximately twice as fast as some competitors. Plus, the city driving range on a single tank of gas is expected to be more than 700 miles.

The Fusion Hybrid joins the Ford Escape Hybrids, doubling both the size and volume of Fords hybrid lineup.

The Fusion Hybrid also offers drivers a way to be more connected to the hybrid driving experience thanks to Fords SmartGauge with EcoGuide, a unique instrument cluster execution that helps coach them on how to optimize performance of their hybrid.

SmartGauge with EcoGuide features two, high-resolution, full-color liquid crystal display (LCD) screens on either side of the analog speedometer that can be configured to show different levels of information, including fuel and battery power levels, average and instant miles-per-gallon.

Check out this video with Jeffrey Greenberg, a Ford Senior Technical Leader. Via Ford’s YouTube channel.