Ford Aims to Triple Production of Fuel-Saving Vehicles

BEVERLY, MASS. (04/06/2012)(readMedia)-- Ford Motor Co. has announced that it is increasing the space and engineering staff at its facilities to accommodate the growing demand for fuel-saving vehicles at Ford dealerships. The automaker's team of engineers in charge of the development of fuel-efficient vehicles has doubled during the last five years, and now Ford has declared that it expects its U.S. production capacity relating to hybrid, plug-in hybrid and all-electric vehicles to triple from 2011 to 2013.

Thanks to the success of models like the Ford Fusion Hybrid, Ford now employs more than 1,000 engineers on its hybrid and electrification programs, and the team's rapid growth has led to the conversion of a 285,000-square-foot Advanced Engineering Center in Dearborn, Mich. into a central location for fuel-saving innovation. The expanded program is part of Ford's goal of creating more than 12,000 new jobs by 2015 in the United States.

"Of course, with gas prices as high as they are, Ford's announcement may not come as a surprise, but this is a long-term move that they are making," said Jeff Klein, general sales manager of Beverly, Massachusetts Ford dealership Thomas Ford. "Producing fun-to-drive cars that deliver unmatched fuel-efficiency is no easy task, but Ford is committing the necessary resources in order to ensure that they will continue to be a leader in innovative new powertrains for years to come."

Ford's strategy of engineering more efficiency into its vehicles has yielded results, with bumps in fuel efficiency as well as sales. The new Ford Focus Electric recently earned the title of most fuel-efficient five-passenger vehicle in America, receiving a 110 miles per gallon equivalent (MPGe) city rating. Meanwhile, the upcoming 2013 Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Energi plug-in hybrid are both projected by Ford to have the best mileage among midsize sedans with comparable powertrains. When it comes to pickups, the Ford F-150 with the EcoBoost V6 engine nets 22 mpg on the highway and accounted for more than 40 percent of the 100,000-plus F-150s sold in 2011.

With the success of its gas-powered EcoBoost engines, Ford has announced that it is expanding its EcoBoost lineup to 11 models this year, compared to seven in 2011. Production capacity for EcoBoost-powered vehicles will also triple, and among the new models will be the 2013 Ford Explorer Sport. A performance-minded version of the automaker's popular SUV, the Explorer Sport carries a twin-turbocharged EcoBoost V6 that pushes out 350 horsepower, yet the model is projected to get the best fuel economy of any gas-powered high-performance SUV on the market.

The Ford Explorer Sport also includes several modifications to help differentiate it from its base-model counterpart, like a stiffer reinforced chassis, larger brakes and special terrain-management settings for sandy, snowy, muddy and hilly driving. Arriving at dealerships later this year, the Explorer Sport also gets a host of exterior tweaks, like painted 20-inch wheels, a special mesh grille and unique Explorer Sport badging.

"The EcoBoost has been a game changer, because it allows Ford to continue to equip its SUVs, trucks and performance-oriented cars with the power they deserve while also lowering their fuel efficiency," Klein added. "The Explorer Sport is a perfect example of that; it has very impressive horsepower numbers while still returning better fuel-economy than any of its competitors."

About Thomas Ford:

Thomas Ford, located in Beverly, has been a fixture in the North Shore of Massachusetts for over 40 years. They base their success on their dedicated sales and Ford service departments' commitment to customer satisfaction. It's never been a better time to be a Ford owner, and Thomas Ford encourages you to stop by their dealership to discover why. For more information, call them at 978-922-0059, visit their web site at www.thomasford.com, like them on Facebook at www.facebook.com/ThomasFordAuto or stop by their dealership at 211 Rantoul Street in Beverly, Massachusetts.