Even though the completely redesigned 2013 Ford Fusion won’t be introduced to the world until January—at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit—the breath-taking mid-size sedan can be experienced—and even “driven”—right now. According to Ford Dealerships In Kansas City MO, that’s because Ford already has introduced an augmented-reality app for smartphones and tablets that allows users to explore the vehicle in an immersive, online gaming environment.

“We want to have an exciting and interactive way to build anticipation leading up to the reveal of the all-new Fusion,” said Samantha Hoyt, Fusion Marketing manager. “The app allows consumers to learn about the advanced technology and design of the car in a fun and easy-to-use way while reinforcing the transformative nature of the Fusion.”

The only catch? When drivers take to the virtual “roads” using the app, they drive a 2013 Fusion that’s heavily camouflaged—at first. But every day, Ford will introduce new video clips that unlock new content to both teach more about what the new Fusion has to offer and reveal a little more of what it really looks like. Ford Dealership Greensboro NC said the game is set to original music tracks and also has functionality that allows players to post images to their Facebook or Twitter accounts.

It’s exactly what you expect from a vehicle that, in addition to headlining the Detroit auto show, will be the “Official Car of the 2012 CES”—one of the world’s largest consumer electronics shows.

“The all-new Fusion represents Ford at its best in terms of personal mobility and connectivity technology,” said Hoyt. “CES is the perfect place to showcase the new Fusion and its broad range of consumer technologies.”

Alan Mulally, Ford’s president and CEO, will officially unveil the 2013 Fusion at CES on Tuesday, Jan. 10, 2012. For more information, visit Ford Houston or your local Ford Dealer.

According to Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s group vice president for Global Product Development: “Customers are prioritizing fuel economy above every other trait when they make most vehicle purchases. Ford is meeting people’s needs by offering a family of fuel-efficient vehicles—from hybrids to electrics to traditional gasoline-powered cars—packed with class-leading technology, giving customers both exciting and greener driving choices.”

And that includes the all-new 2013 Ford Escape, which will offer a powertrain lineup of three different I4 engines, including two with the automaker’s breakthrough EcoBoost technology. According to Ford Escape Lansing, the completely redesigned Escape is scheduled to make its public debut at the Los Angeles Auto Show in October with 1.6- and 2.0-liter EcoBoost powerplants, as well as an advanced 2.5-liter I4 engine with twin independent variable camshaft timing. The 1.6-liter EcoBoost, making its U.S. debut in the Escape, is expected to produce higher fuel-economy ratings than the larger four-cylinder engines available from the competition—and better highway fuel economy than the current Escape Hybrid. The 2.0-liter version is slated to deliver better performance than the V6 engines found in Ford’s rivals, and better fuel efficiency, too.

That will make the 2013 Escape another strong entry in a Ford lineup that currently boasts 13 vehicles with best-in-class fuel economy.

“Expanding the availability of EcoBoost technology in the all-new Ford Escape will give customers a great range of choices for the fuel efficiency and performance they want in a small SUV,” said Joe Bakaj, vice president, Powertrain Engineering. “This advanced technology in the new Escape delivers on our commitment to provide class-leading fuel efficiency in every new Ford product.”

The rear inflatable seat belt, which is designed to reduce head, neck and chest injuries, earned the Breakthrough Technology Award as part of the magazine’s seventh annual Breakthrough Awards.

Lead developer Srini Sundararajan will accept the award, but he’s quick to point out that it was a team effort.

“Ford’s goal is to develop innovative safety technologies that give our customers more peace of mind, so it is a great honor to receive the Breakthrough Technology Award,” says Sundararajan, safety technical leader for Ford Research and Innovation.

Inflatable rear seat belts were introduced in the 2011 Explorer, and early figures showed about 40 percent of buyers are parents who are ordering the feature. According to Battle Creek Ford Dealer, Ford will introduce rear inflatable seat belts on more vehicles globally, but hasn’t said which ones will be next.

The Ford Motor Company recently took the top spot as Full Line Automotive Brand of the Year in the 2011 Harris Poll EquiTrend study, a comprehensive analysis of automotive brand strength implemented by Harris Interactive, one of the world’s leading market research firms. The results are based on a nationwide consumer survey that looks to such areas as brand equity, consumer connection, commitment, brand behavior, brand advocacy and trust.

It was another impressive recognition of Ford’s high-quality lineup, with Carol Gstalder, senior vice president of business and industrial research for Harris, pointing to “Improved product” as “clearly having a positive impact on consumers and their perceptions of Ford.”

For Ford, that means vehicles like the all-new Ford Focus and Fiesta—two small cars that offer big advantages for today’s drivers. Both bring new levels of premium content and quality to their segments, along with advanced powertrains capable of achieving 40 mpg on the highway. Among the keys to this kind of performance: The automaker’s innovative six-speed PowerShift automatic transmission.

Available in both the Focus and the Fiesta, PowerShift boasts leak-free dry-clutch technology, a neutral idle mode and the ability to ensure torque is provided to the driving wheels 100 percent of the time. As a result, drivers feel more engaged with the driving experience, while enjoying seamless gear changes, excellent responsiveness and superior fuel economy. The unit is maintenance-free, too, thanks to transmission fluid designed to last up to 150,000 miles.

To check out the Focus and Fiesta—and the full lineup from the Harris Full Line Automotive Brand of the Year—be sure to visit your Ford dealer today.

 Today Ford Motor Company announced their 2011 first quarter net income to be $2.6 billion or 61 cents per share, this is an 11 cents per share from the first quarter in 2010. Ford’s dedication to fuel efficiency, global growth, and their overall core business model can definitely be given credit for the impressive income increase. Ford North America was not the only segment to see improvement, Ford Europe, South America, Asia Pacific and Africa also saw significant increases.

Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally said, “Our team delivered a great quarter, with solid growth and improvements in all regions. We continue to accelerate our One Ford plan around the world, delivering on our commitments to serve our global customers with a full family of best-in-class vehicles and deliver profitable growth for all, despite uncertain economic conditions.”

The One Ford transformation progresses in 2011 with new key products, a critical issue business focus, cost competiveness, fuel efficiency and investment in new lucrative markets.

The Ford Outlook (to view full press release visit Ford Press Release)

• aggressively restructuring to operate profitably at the current demand and changing  model mix
• accelerating the development of new products that customers want and value
• financing the plan and improving the balance sheet
• working together effectively as one team, leveraging Ford’s global assests

Ford’s Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer said, “Our business is improving as we acheive growth in volume and revenue, while maintaining our focus on increasing competitiveness. The quarter was another encouraging step as we invest for an even stronger business for the future.”

Ford vehicle sales with China partner Chongqing Changan Automobile increase 20% this March selling a total of 140,566 vehicles. With this success, Ford plans to enhance production capacity in China by increasing power train and engine capacity from 400,000 units to 750 units. 66 new Chinese dealerships are also in the works increasing the total number to 340 in the country.

Sales in the U.S. have also increased by a total of 19%, 212,777 vehicles sold. The Ford F-Series continues to be the company’s best-selling vehicle, selling 53,272 nationwide this month. Other best sellers for the month include the Fiesta subcompact, the Explorer crossover, the Fusion sedan and the Escape small SUV.

Ford is scheduling expansion plans in Argentina, Brazil, China, India and Thailand; and with their recent boost in sales, their global investments have a bright future.

Ford is doing its part to reduce, reuse, recycle. The company is now using a material called EcoLon to replace the plastic cylinder head covers. EcoLon is made entirely from recycled carpet and is distributed by Wellman Engineering Resins; the material is used in the Escape, Fusion, Mustand and F-150 vehicles. 

This new material is a continuation of Ford’s other recycling efforts including soy for seat cushions, recycled yarn for seat covers and blue jeans for dampening sound. Approximately one million Ford vehicles will have soy based foam seat cushions and seat backs that are equal to petroleum based seats. With this number, Ford will decrease its petroleum use by one million pounds and reduce emissions by 5.5 million pounds each year. Using these materials will reduce demand on energy and natural resources so that companies do not exhaust them in the near future. According to statistics compiled by Ford, their recycling efforts have kept 4.1 million pounds of carpet out of landfills and has reduced fuel consumption by 430,000 gallons.

Ford’s environmental efforts are being recognized, The Society of Manufacturing Engineers said, “Ford’s approach underscores the kind of thinking that should go into green manufacturing, including the need to find a use for everything, avoid the waste involved in packaging and minimizing shipping costs.”

As law-enforcement agencies across the country prepare for the introduction of the all-new Ford Police Interceptor sedan and SUV, the automaker has rolled out a new series of action-packed YouTube webisodes that show the competition—and potential criminals—just what they’ll be up against.

The videos pit the new Ford vehicles against the Chevrolet Tahoe PPV and Dodge Charger Pursuit in a series of driving tests, in a variety of real-world conditions, with a specific focus on capability, durability, acceleration, handling and braking. And notably, all driving is done by veteran police officers, who also provide comments and opinions about the vehicles they’re piloting.

Now showing on YouTube are the following Ford Police Interceptor Official Test Drives:

• Test Drive 1—Performance & Handling: Officers tackle a special handling course in Ford Police Interceptor sedans with both the standard 3.5-liter V6 and the available twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6—making 365 hp and 350 lb.-ft. of torque—as well as the Interceptor SUV with its 300-hp 3.7-liter V6.
• Test Drive 2—Wet Pad: Ford’s Interceptors are joined by their rivals on a giant skid pad, as officers test each vehicle’s handling and control.
• Test Drive 3—Dog Bone: The Ford Interceptors show off the unmatched capability of their all-wheel drive systems in the “Dog Bone” gravel pit.
• Test Drive 4—City Pursuit: On a course designed to mimic the tight spaces and sharp corners of an urban setting, officers compare the acceleration, handling and braking of the Ford Interceptors with the Charger Pursuit and Tahoe PPV.
• Test Drive 5—Officer Protection: This webisode highlights how the next-generation Ford Police Interceptors are engineered to protect officers in the event of a crash—and help them avoid one in the first place.
• Test Drive 6—Purpose Built: The spotlight here is on the advantages that come with building two distinct Ford Police Interceptor models, on a single common platform, with both vehicles designed and engineered from the ground up to make the job easier for police officers.

“We set out to develop our new Police Interceptors to not only meet the current leader—our own Crown Victoria—but to exceed it and the competition,” said Lisa Teed, Ford Police Interceptor marketing manager. “As we prepare for one of the biggest launches in our history of developing police vehicles, we’re committed to remaining the nation’s largest provider. These videos prove our new vehicles are purpose-built, capable, and deliver the safety, technology and performance officers need to excel at their jobs.”

In a clear recognition of his successful efforts to re-establish the Ford Motor Company as an industry leader, Alan Mulally, the automaker’s president and CEO, has recently been named the winner of the 2011 Automotive Executive of the Year Award.

“Alan Mulally shows such clear confidence in his company, its people, its products, and its brand,” says Robert Djurovic, executive director of the Automotive Executive of the Year Award program for its longtime sponsor, DNV Business Assurance US. “With his leadership and conviction, Ford Motor Company stood apart from its competitors by standing on its own two feet. And the U.S. consumer—inspired by his quiet confidence and strong belief that Ford Motor Company could manage its own recovery without taxpayers’ hard-earned dollars—got behind him, cheered him on, and bought Ford cars.”

In fact, customers purchased a whopping 1,935,462 Ford vehicles in 2010, representing a 19 percent jump over 2009—marking the largest increase of any full-line automaker last year. And just as importantly, Ford also claimed its second consecutive year of market-share gains. The company’s share of the U.S. market has climbed a full 2.2 points since 2008.

This kind of sales performance also was reflected in Ford’s bottom line. Highlights of the company’s full-year 2010 financial results include:

• Revenue—$120.9 billion, up $17 billion from 2009
• Net income—$6.6 billion, up $3.8 billion
• Pre-tax operating profit—$8.3 billion, an improvement of $8.3 billion
• Automotive pre-tax operating profit—$5.3 billion, an increase of $7.2 billion

At the same time, Ford also cut its automotive debt nearly in half, reducing its obligations in this area by $14.5 billion (43 percent) as compared to 2009.

The annual Automotive Executive of the Year Award, now in its 47th year, will be presented to Mulally at an invitation-only luncheon to be held April 13 at the Detroit Athletic Club.

The Ford Fiesta has officially become the first car in its segment to achieve top safety ratings in Europe, China, and the United States, said Kansas City Ford.

Thanks to an extensive use of ultra-high-strength steel, along with a slew of standard and available safety features, the Fiesta continues to win praise by safety testing agencies worldwide.

“Ford is committed to safety and to delivering top crash test ratings that customers look to when choosing new vehicles,” said Sue Cischke, Group Vice President of Sustainability, Environment and Safety. “Fiesta is the latest example of that safety commitment, and it shows that a small, fuel-efficient car can deliver top-level safety.”

Des Moines Chrysler said that here in the U.S., the Fiesta has been named a Top Safety Pick by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. More recently, it received the maximum five-star safety rating by the China Automotive Technology and Research Centre under the China New Car Assessment Program, or C-NCAP.

“The global safety ratings provide another proof point that the new Fiesta is redefining what a small car can deliver,” said Matt Niesluchowski, safety, NVH and durability manager. “The new Fiesta brings outstanding driving dynamics and fuel economy, unparalleled connectivity and safety leadership on a worldwide scale.”