The Beach Blog

New 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup Car

The 2013 Ford Fusion NASCAR Sprint Cup car, unveiled yesterday as part of the Charlotte Motor Speedway Media Tour, was worked on by Ford designers in an effort to bring brand identity back to the sport. The result is undeniable with the 2013 Sprint Cup car mirroring the recently unveiled 2013 Ford Fusion production car.

Featuring a completely redesigned sleek new silhouette and fresh face, the 2013 Fusion Sprint Cup car was designed to be the face of a new era of stock car racing.

”We wanted Fusion to be the car that helped return ‘stock car’ to NASCAR.” stated Jamie Allison, director, Ford Racing. “I think fans, when they see the car, are just going to smile and cheer. It is going to reengage them with the sport and make the sport better because there is just something natural about seeing race cars that look like cars in their driveways.”

This marks the third time Ford simultaneously launched production and NASCAR versions of a new model. The first dual launch came in 1968, with the sleek fastback Ford Torino. Legendary NASCAR driver David Pearson drove the Torino to back-to-back NASCAR championships in 1968 and 1969. The second time came in 2006, when the then newly introduced Ford Fusion appeared in showrooms and on the track.

The new NASCAR Fusion entries will be tested throughout the 2012 campaign in preparation for their racing debut at the 2013 Daytona 500 in February.

Source: Ford

New Mirror in Ford Escape Reduces Outside Noise

Ford engineers are using an elliptical acoustic mirror to reduce noise in the all-new Ford Escape.

This high-tech device was used for the first time on Escape to reduce wind noise and deliver a quieter interior. The mirror resembles a satellite dish with a microphone. The mirror identifies “hot spots” where noise penetrates the interior of the vehicle, allowing drivers to listen to music or conversation inside the car instead of external noises.

This technology is deployed more commonly by European luxury vehicle manufacturers and is considered a breakthrough among U.S. manufacturers. The mirror measures noises on the surface of the vehicle and in the airflow.

The engineering team was able to make changes to the Escape shape, specifically the mirrors and A-pillar, while in the early clay model phase to test theories and validate expected results. Work was done in the Ford Aeroacoustic Wind Tunnel in Germany.

“We previously didn’t have this tool available,” said Peter Kleesattel, interior quietness development engineer. “Essentially we were able to optimize the shape earlier. In noise and vibration, the basic idea is you have noise sources outside the vehicle and you have the path.

“The path could be through the glass, door or insulation. Now we’re able to optimize the shape early on, reduce the exterior source and create a quieter interior.”

The optimized shape means the new Escape is quieter than the outgoing vehicle, and preliminary data show it will be among the leaders in interior quietness. In particular, the tuning work on the A-pillar helps ensure better noise performance in crosswind situations.

Wind noise performance has been optimized through more than 160 hours of engineering. In a typical eight-hour block, more than 20 configurations can be tested, including glass, mirror sealing and door sealing.

“Using the elliptical acoustic mirror helped the team pinpoint the source of the noise,” said Bill Gulker, NVH (noise, vibration and harshness) supervisor. “Previous technologies required more of a trial-and-error approach to finding the issue.”

Learn more about the all-new Ford Escape at Beach Ford in Virginia Beach or Suffolk.

Source: Ford

January Note from Tom Barton

Dear Beach Ford Family,

Happy New Year! I hope you all had a wonderful Holiday Season and have had a good start to 2012! I want to thank everyone in our Beach Ford Family for making 2011 a great year. For the second year in a row, Beach Ford’s new vehicle sales improved by over 20% and our service and parts sales also showed improvement vs. the previous year. Our family of customers is the reason for our success and it feels good to be growing again!

2012 should be another great one for Ford Motor Company and Beach Ford. There are four impressive new models coming out this year that will provide plenty of excitement throughout the year. First, will be a Focus ST sports coupe that will have a 2.0L Ecoboost engine, capable of 250 horse power! This car is really something and will give Beach Ford customers who are into small performance cars, plenty to brag about! This vehicle should be available before Spring.

Next will be a re-freshed 2013 Taurus with enough of a new look to reinvigorate the full size, upscale buyer who appreciates a little luxury without paying the luxury price tag.

Then comes the all new, completely re-designed, 2013 Ford Escape! This vehicle will be available in the Spring also, and is a beauty with a sleek new design that will change the way you look at a small SUV.

Later this Summer, the 2013 Ford Fusion will make its way to our showroom floor. I have seen this vehicle in its planning stages for over two years on my trips to Dearborn. It is nothing short of stunning. It just won “Car of the Show” at the Detroit Auto Show that is going on through January 20th. I know of no other mid-size sedan with as much elegant style as the new Fusion – it will be truly a game changing product for us and it will be available this summer. The best way to describe it is “Aston – Martin infused with plenty of Detroit DNA!” Just beautiful!

It was not so long ago that I might struggle a bit when writing a column like this, concerning future products. There just wasn’t that much coming out – at least worth writing about, anyway. Ford makes this easy now and it makes this business more exciting and more fulfilling than ever. I look forward to seeing you at our showroom sometime soon! It is going to be an exciting year!

Thank you for being a part of the Beach Ford Family,

Tom Barton

The All-New Ford Fusion

Ford’s all-new Fusion is the first sedan to offer gasoline, hybrid and plug-in hybrid versions – each expected to deliver top fuel economy.

The all-new Fusion is the latest in a series of vehicles from Ford developed to satisfy customers everywhere looking for leading fuel efficiency, helpful technologies and game-changing looks.

“Our vision for Fusion was clear – deliver the very best of what ‘One Ford’ stands for,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president of Global Product Development. “We brought our global teams together around a blank slate with the charge to develop a midsize car with ground- breaking design and jaw-dropping fuel economy – one that featured technologies to help make our customers safer and better drivers. This car is the result.”

Technologies
• Lane Keeping System: This class-exclusive technology consists of three elements to help a driver maintain proper lane position. Using a small, forward-facing camera behind the inside rearview mirror, the system “looks” down the road, monitoring lane lines to determine that the car is on course. The system will alert a driver if drowsiness or erratic lane-keeping is detected. The second element warns a driver with a steering wheel vibration if the Fusion drifts too close to lane markings. Finally, lane keeping aid will actually apply pressure on the steering to help bring the car back into proper lane position.

• Adaptive cruise control: Using forward-looking radar, this system “looks” down the road when activated, slowing the Fusion when slower traffic is detected ahead. Adaptive cruise control enables collision warning with brake support to help slow the car if the potential of a crash is detected.

• Active park assist: Employing sensors, this technology can identify a suitable parallel parking space, calculate the trajectory and steer the car to properly position it within the spot. All a driver need do is operate accelerator and brake pedals.

• Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with cross-traffic alert: Sensors in both Fusion rear quarter-panels are able to detect traffic in a driver’s blind spot, providing both audible and visual warnings if traffic – unseen by the driver – is detected. BLIS technology enables cross-traffic alert, warning the driver of oncoming traffic when backing out of a parking space with obstructed views, such as between two large vans

Design:
• Silhouette innovation: Fusion’s sleek profile sets it apart from the powertrain/cabin/trunk “three-box” designs synonymous with midsize sedans

• Technical graphics: Fusion’s functional design elements such as headlamps, LED taillamps and polished exhaust tips communicate enhanced technological capability.

• Inside: The new Fusion offers a sporty, driver-oriented environment with next-generation seating that brings expanded functionality. A higher center console supports the driver-centric theme and yields clever storage for items a driver wants to keep handy.

• More Space: Additional passenger space was designed-in by moving the instrument panel toward the windshield, contributing to the cabin’s airy, open environment.

Stop by Beach Ford to learn more, or visit fordfusionstory.com.

Source: Ford

Exciting New Things for the 2013 Ford Mustang

Ford Mustang just received a new design and a list of new technology features.

“The new Mustang is the perfect example of continuing to build on excellence. It takes the greatness of the 5.0-liter and V6 and pushes the refinement to the next level,” said Dave Pericak, Mustang chief engineer. “The car has been spot-on functionally and now we’re adding more features and technology to further improve the driver’s experience.”

More aggressive design
The new model Mustang, which goes on sale in spring 2012, offers a more aggressive design with a significantly more prominent grille. A more powerful splitter adds to that appearance. Functional heat extractors on the hood of the GT were specifically placed and designed to help move hot air out of the engine compartment and cool the engine.

“We are delivering a more distinctive and emotional design presence that celebrates the total performance of Mustang,” said Darrell Behmer, Mustang chief designer. “This latest Mustang design is very respectful of its heritage while continuing to look forward with a more powerful and modern look.”

Rocker panels running along the car are now body-color, making for a more premium appearance. The rear has been updated with a high-gloss black panel that connects the tail lamps.

Also new for Mustang design are standard high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps on both V6 and GT cars. Signature lighting plays into the technology upgrades for 2013 as well, with two individual light-emitting diode (LED) bars accentuating the front headlamps and three LED ropes forming the iconic three-bar rear lights.

The new car also offers mirrors with pony projection light, which casts the image of Mustang’s famous pony emblem on the ground when the unlock button is activated. New colors – Deep Impact Blue and Gotta Have It Green – join the existing sporty colors for 2013.

New driving technologies
The 2013 Mustang with 5.0-liter engine will now deliver 420 horsepower.

It can be specified with a six-speed SelectShift Automatic™ transmission. This advanced control strategy offers the driver a choice between fully automatic operation and manual control.

“This lets owners take an automatic out on a track day or whenever they want to drive sportier, and lets them have the convenience of switching to manual control,” said Tom Barnes, Mustang vehicle engineering manager. “It’s a significant improvement to our powertrain offerings that lets the driver take control.”

Hill start assist makes its debut on manually equipped Mustangs. This feature helps keep the car from rolling backward, making it easier to pull away when on a slope or hill. With the brake pedal pressed, if sensors detect the car is on a slope, the system is automatically activated.

A new 4.2-inch LCD productivity screen that lets customers access information related to fuel economy and vehicle performance also makes its debut on Mustang. The screen is navigated through a five-way control button located on the steering wheel and offers Track Apps, which delivers performance metrics for drivers right from the factory. The app measures g forces, shows acceleration times in quarter-mile and 0-60 increments, and displays braking times, complete with automatic and countdown starts.

The 2013 Mustang also offers customers two new audio systems for even better sound quality for incredible clarity and crispness. The optional Shaker™ system comes with eight speakers and pumps out 370 watts of power. The upgraded Shaker Pro offers nine speakers and delivers 550 watts of power.

Source: Ford