Friday, November 28, 2014
Shelby GT350 Mustang
Shelby GT350 Mustang: The Legend Returns - The original Shelby GT350 introduced in 1965 established Mustang’s performance credentials. The all-new Shelby GT350 Mustang, featuring the most powerful naturally aspirated Ford production engine ever (read more) http://qoo.ly/4bfat
Wednesday, October 29, 2014
New Ford Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection Technology May Help Drivers Avoid Some Frontal Crashes
- Available new technology from Ford – Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection – is designed to reduce the severity of and, in some cases, even eliminate frontal collisions involving pedestrians
- Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection – debuting on the 2015 Ford Mondeo in Europe – provides a collision warning to the driver and, if the driver does not respond in time, can automatically apply the vehicle brakes
- Other available Ford driver-assist technologies include lane-keeping system with lane-keeping aid, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support, and active park assist
DEARBORN, Mich., Oct. 23 - Ford Motor Company is rolling out a new driver-assist system that can reduce the severity of or even eliminate some frontal collisions involving vehicles and pedestrians.
Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection uses radar and camera technology to scan the roadway ahead and, if a collision risk with a vehicle or pedestrian is detected, provides a warning to the driver. If the driver does not respond in time, the system can automatically apply up to full braking force to help reduce the severity of or even eliminate some frontal collisions. Pre-Collision Assist may help drivers avoid rear end collisions with other vehicles at all speeds, while Pedestrian Detection can help the driver avoid pedestrians at lower speeds – both may reduce the severity of forward collisions or even prevent certain forward collisions.
“This technology adds to the already impressive list of driver-assist technologies Ford customers benefit from today,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development.
Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection will debut as available technology on the 2015 Ford Mondeo on sale in Europe this year. It will then roll out to other Ford and Lincoln products around the world.
While the new system may be especially helpful in unexpected situations, it does not replace the driver and has limitations including nighttime, low and harsh lighting conditions, vehicles moving in a different direction and certain weather conditions.
Detecting Pedestrians
In daylight and clear weather conditions, the new technology may detect people in or near the road ahead, or pedestrians crossing the vehicle’s path. If a pedestrian is detected in front of the car and a collision is imminent, the driver first receives an audible and visual warning. Should the driver not respond, the system improves brake responsiveness by reducing the gap between brake pads and discs. If there is still no response from the driver, the brakes are applied automatically and vehicle speed is reduced.
The system processes information collected from a windshield-mounted camera and radar located near the bumper; it then checks the information against a database of pedestrian shapes to help distinguish people from typical roadside scenery and objects.
Ford engineers tested the system on closed test tracks using rigs fitted with manikins to replicate pedestrians. They then spent months refining the technology on roads around the world to test system reliability.
“This real-world testing was an important part of the development, because pedestrians in an urban setting can present a wide range of potential situations,” said Scott Lindstrom, Ford manager, Driver Assist Technologies. “We covered more than 300,000 miles on three continents that included a wide range of settings and situations.”
Other driver-assist technologies available from Ford include lane-keeping system with lane-keeping aid, Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with cross-traffic alert, adaptive cruise control and collision warning with brake support, and active park assist. For more information on these technologies, go to www.ford.com.
Friday, September 5, 2014
2015 Ford Mustang 50 Year Limited Edition
The Ford Mustang and its symbol is one of the most recognizable in the automobile marketplace. This year marks a special installment as it marks the 50 year anniversary of the Mustang. The original Mustang was introduced in April of 1964 as a mid-year introduction, but 1965 was the first full model year. This marks a very big celebration for Ford. This years’ installment is also going to be the first one marketed all over the world.
Ford plans to celebrate this momentous occasion by making 1,964 of the special 50 Year Mustangs. The final one will be auctioned in September and all proceeds from that auction will go to the Edith and Benson Ford Heart & Vascular Institute. This just shows how Ford is committed to giving back to the community and charities alike. This will be done in Las Vegas at the Barrett Jackson Auto Auction September 25th through the 27th. They are estimating a potential of over $250,000 in proceeds. The winner will also get airfare, hotel accommodations and VIP passes to the Ford Eco Boost 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup in Miami on November 16th.
“Ford Mustang inspires passion like no other car,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “The visceral look, sound and performance of Mustang resonates with people, even if they’ve never driven one. Mustang is definitely more than just a car – it is the heart and soul of Ford Motor Company.”
For more information on the entire 2015 lineup, come by today at Hixson Ford of Alexandria at 2506 MacArthur Drive in Alexandria, Louisiana or give them a call at 318-448-0871 today!
Ford plans to celebrate this momentous occasion by making 1,964 of the special 50 Year Mustangs. The final one will be auctioned in September and all proceeds from that auction will go to the Edith and Benson Ford Heart & Vascular Institute. This just shows how Ford is committed to giving back to the community and charities alike. This will be done in Las Vegas at the Barrett Jackson Auto Auction September 25th through the 27th. They are estimating a potential of over $250,000 in proceeds. The winner will also get airfare, hotel accommodations and VIP passes to the Ford Eco Boost 400 NASCAR Sprint Cup in Miami on November 16th.
For more information on the entire 2015 lineup, come by today at Hixson Ford of Alexandria at 2506 MacArthur Drive in Alexandria, Louisiana or give them a call at 318-448-0871 today!
Tuesday, August 26, 2014
Ford races to rebuild truck plant for aluminum F-150
Alisa Priddle , Detroit Free Press 3:29 p.m. EDT August 25, 2014
Source: USA Today
Carefully choreographed chaos is under way in and around Ford's historic Dearborn Truck Plant as the automaker races to get it ready to build a very different F-series truck.
On Saturday morning the last steel-bodied 2014 Ford F-150 rolled off the line and workers were ripping up equipment behind it.
Ford has just eight weeks to remove all the equipment and tooling and replace it with new machinery to make the all-new 2015 F-150 with an aluminum body.
"We are doing things we have never done before," said Bruce Hettle, head of North American manufacturing for Ford, who must oversee a critical launch with speed and precision.
Because Ford sells at least 60,000 F-150s a month now, returning to full production as quickly as possible is crucial to maintaining Ford's bottom line.
"It is an enormous undertaking," said analyst Joe Phillippi of Auto Trends Consulting in Short Hills, N.J. "The auto world is going to be watching and the investment world will be watching."
The upheaval has been carefully orchestrated. The plant is now closed until Sept. 22, which puts about 3,000 workers on temporary layoff at about 74% pay starting Monday.
Another 1,500 skilled trades workers and contractors from Ford and its suppliers are working around the clock to build a new body shop that takes a "quantum leap in manufacturing technology," Hettle said. That's because the processes for welding and handling aluminum and steel are quite different.
Ford's aluminum truck will have improved fuel economy because it is more than 700 pounds lighter than its predecessor. General Motors has signaled that it will switch to aluminum for its next generation of pickups as well, but Chrysler is sticking with steel when it updates the Ram lineup in 2017.
This week, more than 1,100 tractor-trailers with new robots, conveyor systems and other equipment from across the country are headed to Dearborn. They will carry equally huge pieces of machinery away. By Wednesday traffic will be thick on the highways and roads leading to the plant.
Ford has worked with the Michigan Department of Transportation to try to avoid gridlock on Interstate 94 and other roads leading to the plant. They have carefully sequencing the semis' schedules to avoid closing any roads and to minimize the impact on traffi.
"It is very detailed and organized," Hettle said. "We have a truck-by-truck, minute-by-minute, plan. I have never seen such a detailed plan in 28 years."
Ford is investing $359 million in Dearborn and a comparable amount at its second pickup assembly plant in Kansas City, Mo. Hettle said the cost is not out of line for a major and complicated launch.
Dearborn is the lead plant and thus the guinea pig. Workers on three crews built F-150s flat out until the last one rolled off the line Saturday about 1:30 a.m. and Kansas City will continue to build the 2014 model through the end of the year, so dealers should not run out of the 2014 model any time soon. The new truck goes on sale later this year.
Dearborn Truck plans to resume production Sept. 22 when two crews of workers return. A third crew will be recalled Oct. 20 when the construction is to be fully completed. They will start with pre-production trucks. The plant is scheduled to be building production models at full line speed by the end of the year.
The Kansas City plant will shut down in early 2015 for its changeover, which should take less time because Ford already will have validated many of the processes in Dearborn, Hettle said.
For speed, the body shop will be rebuilt in sections. One area will be stripped and new equipment installed. Then workers will move onto the next. It will be a domino effect until the whole shop has been transformed.
"There will be a lot of new equipment never seen before in plants," Hettle said.
Much of the equipment being removed is still in good shape. Robots can be redeployed and other equipment used in other plants. Some equipment has exceeded its life expectancy and will be scrapped after years of almost nonstop production.
The big changes to the paint shop and final trim line have already been installed. They will just need some last-minute items and tweaks specific to new technology.
Ford has built about 250 pre-production F-150s that the executive team is driving and evaluating.
The changeover must be completed in four weeks and Hettle is confident it will be.
"There is nothing we see on the horizon to preclude us from launching on time," he said. "We have to knock it out of the park."
Source: USA Today
Carefully choreographed chaos is under way in and around Ford's historic Dearborn Truck Plant as the automaker races to get it ready to build a very different F-series truck.
On Saturday morning the last steel-bodied 2014 Ford F-150 rolled off the line and workers were ripping up equipment behind it.
Ford has just eight weeks to remove all the equipment and tooling and replace it with new machinery to make the all-new 2015 F-150 with an aluminum body.
"We are doing things we have never done before," said Bruce Hettle, head of North American manufacturing for Ford, who must oversee a critical launch with speed and precision.
Because Ford sells at least 60,000 F-150s a month now, returning to full production as quickly as possible is crucial to maintaining Ford's bottom line.
"It is an enormous undertaking," said analyst Joe Phillippi of Auto Trends Consulting in Short Hills, N.J. "The auto world is going to be watching and the investment world will be watching."
The upheaval has been carefully orchestrated. The plant is now closed until Sept. 22, which puts about 3,000 workers on temporary layoff at about 74% pay starting Monday.
Another 1,500 skilled trades workers and contractors from Ford and its suppliers are working around the clock to build a new body shop that takes a "quantum leap in manufacturing technology," Hettle said. That's because the processes for welding and handling aluminum and steel are quite different.
Ford's aluminum truck will have improved fuel economy because it is more than 700 pounds lighter than its predecessor. General Motors has signaled that it will switch to aluminum for its next generation of pickups as well, but Chrysler is sticking with steel when it updates the Ram lineup in 2017.
This week, more than 1,100 tractor-trailers with new robots, conveyor systems and other equipment from across the country are headed to Dearborn. They will carry equally huge pieces of machinery away. By Wednesday traffic will be thick on the highways and roads leading to the plant.
Ford has worked with the Michigan Department of Transportation to try to avoid gridlock on Interstate 94 and other roads leading to the plant. They have carefully sequencing the semis' schedules to avoid closing any roads and to minimize the impact on traffi.
"It is very detailed and organized," Hettle said. "We have a truck-by-truck, minute-by-minute, plan. I have never seen such a detailed plan in 28 years."
Ford is investing $359 million in Dearborn and a comparable amount at its second pickup assembly plant in Kansas City, Mo. Hettle said the cost is not out of line for a major and complicated launch.
Dearborn is the lead plant and thus the guinea pig. Workers on three crews built F-150s flat out until the last one rolled off the line Saturday about 1:30 a.m. and Kansas City will continue to build the 2014 model through the end of the year, so dealers should not run out of the 2014 model any time soon. The new truck goes on sale later this year.
Dearborn Truck plans to resume production Sept. 22 when two crews of workers return. A third crew will be recalled Oct. 20 when the construction is to be fully completed. They will start with pre-production trucks. The plant is scheduled to be building production models at full line speed by the end of the year.
The Kansas City plant will shut down in early 2015 for its changeover, which should take less time because Ford already will have validated many of the processes in Dearborn, Hettle said.
For speed, the body shop will be rebuilt in sections. One area will be stripped and new equipment installed. Then workers will move onto the next. It will be a domino effect until the whole shop has been transformed.
"There will be a lot of new equipment never seen before in plants," Hettle said.
Much of the equipment being removed is still in good shape. Robots can be redeployed and other equipment used in other plants. Some equipment has exceeded its life expectancy and will be scrapped after years of almost nonstop production.
The big changes to the paint shop and final trim line have already been installed. They will just need some last-minute items and tweaks specific to new technology.
Ford has built about 250 pre-production F-150s that the executive team is driving and evaluating.
The changeover must be completed in four weeks and Hettle is confident it will be.
"There is nothing we see on the horizon to preclude us from launching on time," he said. "We have to knock it out of the park."
Monday, August 25, 2014
Hixson Alexandria and Keeping Kids Safe
Hixson Autoplex of Alexandria is proud to announce their partnership with the Keeping Kids Safe Project and are housing an event from September 12th and 13th.
Parents and children of all ages are invited to this event. This is one of the top child safety programs in the country. Many children are reported missing in the USA each year. Some are found within a few minutes or hours. Police officials say that time is critical in the recovery of a missing child. A major source of wasted time is in the gathering of resources, fingerprints, statistical information, and photographs. This can be avoided by providing a pre-made file to the authorities.
Parents and children of all ages are invited to this event. This is one of the top child safety programs in the country. Many children are reported missing in the USA each year. Some are found within a few minutes or hours. Police officials say that time is critical in the recovery of a missing child. A major source of wasted time is in the gathering of resources, fingerprints, statistical information, and photographs. This can be avoided by providing a pre-made file to the authorities.
The event will be run by S.I.P. Kids and they will be taking FBI quality digital fingerprints and photographs of your children. Their inkless digital scanner captures high quality fingerprint images that are printed on a record and then provided to the parents for safe-keeping. The only record taken is sent directly home, they do not database any information. In the case of an emergency, parents are able to turn this file over to the authorities anywhere in the world to instantly aid in the investigation, saving crucial time and resources. For more information about Keeping Kids Safe visit http://www.KeepingKidsSafe.us
For more information contact the professionals at Hixson Autoplex of Alexandria at 318-448-0871 and we look forward to seeing everyone at the event to help keep children safe at 2506 MacArthur Drive in Alexandria, Louisiana on September 12th and 13th!
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