“The 2011 Mustang continues to exceed expectations in every category, and these fuel economy numbers are another chapter in an incredible story,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Group Vice President, Global Product Development. “To offer this kind of horsepower and class-leading fuel economy in a comfortable, beautiful, tech-savvy and affordable package – it’s really unprecedented.”

With the six-speed manual transmission, Mustang GT coupe is rated at an EPA estimated 17 mpg city and 26 highway, while models with the available six-speed automatic achieve 18 mpg city and 25 highway.

Mustang GT is powered by an all-new 5.0-liter double-overhead-camshaft (DOHC) V-8 with a host of advanced features to deliver the combination of power and class-leading fuel economy. For more information on this new engine, click here.

The GT’s best in class fuel numbers come on the heels of the 2011 Mustang V6, which is the most fuel-efficient Mustang ever and the first production car in history to produce 305 horsepower and 31 mpg highway. Read more about this achievement by clicking here.

Now, the entire Mustang lineup now achieves segment-leading fuel economy.

The 2011 Mustang is built at the AutoAlliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Michigan, and goes on sale in the spring of 2010.

Ford recently invited journalists to test-drive the new Super Duty in Arizona. During the program, Ford challenged these reporters to a contest to see who could achieve the best fuel economy while driving a the Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke^® V8 on an 80-mile stretch of surface roads and highways. The winning media team on the first round achieved 29.2 mpg and the second an astonishing 34 mpg!

Three-person media teams drove from Buckeye to Glendale, Arizona, in an F-250 or F-350 with 1,000 pounds of payload. Depending on vehicle configuration, media teams were expected to meet targets of 26.5 mpg (pickups with 17-inch wheels and a 3.31:1 axle ratio) or 24 mpg (pickups with 20-inch wheels and a 3.55:1 axle ratio) while driving the 80 miles in a time frame consistent with what Ford engineers achieved.

Drivers were given fuel economy tips from the Ford vehicle energy engineering team and a few ground rules: stay on the specified route, follow the provided turn-by-turn directions and drive at the posted speeds (no speeding and no crawling).

Winning the first wave was the team of Bob Plunkett, Chuck Bowen and Sue Mead. Plunkett, a syndicated auto journalist, drove; Bowen, managing editor of Lawn & Landscape, and Mead, a writer for newcartestdrive.com, navigated. The team achieved 29.2 mpg.

“I was in awe of what that vehicle was able to do,” said Plunkett, who has participated in fuel economy challenges before. “It’s a huge machine and to pull those figures is very impressive.”

Bowen echoed those thoughts. “I was very impressed,” he said. “My car does not get much better mileage than that.”

Fuel economy on the all-new 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty equipped with the Ford-engineered and Ford-built 6.7-liter Power Stroke V8 turbocharged diesel engine averages an 18-percent improvement for pickup models and up to 25-percent improvement for chassis cabs versus 2010 models.

Renowned hypermiler Wayne Gerdes, owner of cleanmpg.com, won the second round at 34 mpg. He had the Ford optimizations as well as his own techniques in hand as he looked to better the mark during the second wave of media drives. He drove a Super Duty with 17-inch wheels.

“Honestly, when I heard they got 29 the first day, I thought I’d be lucky to get 25 mpg,” said Gerdes, who was an important adviser to the Ford team that achieved 1,445 miles on a single tank of gas in a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid last April. “I was hoping to get 25 to 27 mpg.”

Gerdes used several different techniques, including keeping the revs around 1,000, slowly accelerating and using the drafts of other cars and trucks. The result: an astounding 34 mpg for the route, beating the target by 8 mpg.

Gerdes followed that up by driving the F-250 from the Phoenix area to his home north of Chicago. He covered 1,907 miles on 68.094 gallons of fuel for an average of 28 mpg. Gerdes said weather conditions – rain, fog and strong winds – caused him to drive about 6 to 8 mph slower than he anticipated. Still, Gerdes completed his journey on less than three tanks of fuel and blended his own B20 biodiesel to use the whole way, another testament to the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel’s performance story.

“I’ve never driven anything like this – this was fun and a great challenge,” said Gerdes. “I’ve driven SUVs half this size and not achieved this level of fuel economy. This is just incredible and world-class.”

Leading the second group using the 20-inch wheels was the team of Tony Swan, Car and Driver, Joe Szczesny, Oakland Press, and Mark Vaughn, AutoWeek. They achieved a stout 26.5 mpg.

“It was a good test of the engine and of the overall efficiency,” said Szczesny, who did the driving. “We heard that someone had achieved 26 mpg, so we were definitely shooting for better than that.”

To verify the fuel economy numbers in the media challenge, the 2011 Super Duty diesels were tracked with CrewChief™, a component of available Ford Work Solutions™, a technology package that can help owners manage their business from the work site.

CrewChief is a fleet telematics and diagnostics system that allows fleet owners to efficiently manage their vehicles, quickly dispatch workers to job sites and keep detailed vehicle maintenance records.

Gerdes also took advantage of another Ford Work Solutions component, namely the in-dash computer. Developed with Magneti Marelli and powered by Microsoft Auto, the in-dash computer provides full high-speed Internet access via Sprint Mobile Broadband Network and navigation by Garmin. It’s the first broad-band capable in-dash computer in production and is operated when the vehicle is stationary.

During breaks, Gerdes tweeted (www.twitter.com/cleanmpg) from the truck’s in-dash computer and posted text and photo updates of “Wayne’s Excellent 2011 Ford Super Duty Adventure” to his Web site.

You can find more information on the 2011 Ford Super Duty at fordvehicles.com.

The Ford Transit Connect Electric – the all-electric version of the 2010 Ford Transit Connect – will be powered by Azure Dynamics’ patented Force Drive™ electric drivetrain with an advanced lithium-ion battery from Johnson Controls-Saft. The vehicle, which goes on sale later this year, has a range of up to 80 miles on a single charge and will be rechargeable using either 240-volt or standard 120-volt outlets. It has a top speed of 75 miles per hour.

You can come for a virtual ride in the Transit Connect Electric and hear more about it from Praveen Cherian, Program Manager for the vehicle, in a video by clicking here.

“Cleaner, alternative-fuel vehicles are the future of our corporate fleet, and the Transit Connect Electric represents a real breakthrough and will be a strong addition to our range of alternative-fuel vehicles,” said Jerome Webber, vice president of fleet operations at AT&T. “It’s exactly the kind of vehicle we envisioned when we mapped our long-term vision to invest up to $565 million to deploy more than 15,000 alternative-fuel vehicles through 2018.” AT&T currently operates more than 77,000 vehicles in its corporate fleet, including 15 gasoline-powered Ford Transit Connect vehicles AT&T began piloting in 2009.

By combining car-like driving dynamics with truck-like cargo capacity, Ford Transit Connect Electric is well-suited to the demands placed on urban delivery vehicles for small businesses and larger, corporate fleets.

The Transit Connect Electric is expected to offer lower cost of operation because recharging with electricity is generally less expensive than refueling with gasoline. Additionally, customers will benefit from lower maintenance costs as the electric drive train has far fewer moving parts to maintain.

“Ford Transit Connect was first introduced in the U.S. last year as a new fuel efficient alternative to larger commercial vehicles. Adding the electric option addresses a growing demand from our customers for sustainable vehicles for their fleets,” said Gerry Koss, Ford fleet marketing manager. “This Transit Connect Electric represents the first in a family of electrified vehicles, including new hybrids, plug-in hybrids and all battery electric vehicles, which Ford will deliver over the next three years.”

AT&T plans to take delivery of the Transit Connect Electric in late 2010.

The Mustang’s official EPA ratings certify that models equipped with the 305-hp 3.7-liter V6 and available six-speed automatic transmission achieve and estimated 31 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg in the city. The standard six-speed manual transmission is rated at 29 mpg on the highway and 19 mpg in the city.

“The Mustang engineering team aimed high and, through hard work, achieved fuel economy numbers that elevate Mustang into a class by itself,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford Group Vice President, Global Product Development. “At no other time in Mustang’s history – for that matter, in automotive history – have we been able to talk about 305 horsepower and 31 miles per gallon. The Mustang truly is a no-compromises sports car,” said Kuzak.

Mustang is powered by a lightweight, all-aluminum 3.7-liter dual-overhead-cam (DOHC) V6 engine that uses advanced engineering to deliver its combination of power and economy. Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing (Ti-VCT) adjusts the valvetrain in microseconds depending on driver inputs, further contributing to the engine’s overall efficiency.

The fact that Mustang achieves its top fuel economy rating with the convenience of an automatic transmission also marks a shift in conventional wisdom. Ford engineered a modern six-speed automatic transmission with carefully calibrated gear ratios and shift programs to maximize economy, while still delivering high-horsepower driving fun.

In addition to engine improvements, upgrades to Mustang’s body, powertrain and chassis design contribute to the higher fuel economy numbers for 2011. Examples include:

• New Electric Power Assist Steering (EPAS) system eliminates the drag of an engine-operated hydraulic power steering pump
• Six-speed manual and automatic transmissions allow lower cruising revs without sacrificing off-the-line performance
• Aerodynamic changes include improvements like a new front fascia, tire spats on the rear wheels, modified underbody shields, a taller air dam and an added rear decklid seal

The new 2011 Mustang already has more than 11,000 orders. Half of all the nationwide orders are for the car’s fuel-efficient 3.7-liter V6 engine. The 2011 Mustangs are also being equipped with record levels of technology, giving customers the option of choosing navigation, high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps and rearview cameras.

The new 2011 Mustang goes on sale in the spring of 2010 and will be built at the AutoAlliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Michigan.

As Ford’s global product vision accelerates to ensure that all the company’s vehicles competing in global segments become common in North America, Europe and Asia, the resulting efficiencies will allow a global portfolio of environmentally friendly transportation solutions to be developed based around hybrid electric, plug-in hybrid electric and all-electric vehicles.

Ford’s global electrification strategy will deliver a suite of electrified vehicles to a variety of markets. This will build on the company’s overall vision of offering the widest possible range of technology solutions – instead of a single vehicle or technology – to improve fuel economy and lower CO₂ emissions for customers around the world.

“We recognize that one technology does not work for all our customers,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford’s Group Vice President of Global Product Development.  “Our electrification strategy and plans include hybrids, plug-in hybrids and battery electric vehicles to best meet our global customers’ needs. Leveraging our global platforms is also central to this strategy and allows us to build on our strong product line-up in the most customer-driven, affordable way.”

Ford’s Product Development team is participating in two specific European trial initiatives to demonstrate the technology in real world driving conditions, and generate feedback to help develop further the Focus Electric and the Transit Connect Electric for market acceptance in Europe.

In the UK, a consortium of Ford, Scottish and Southern Energy (SSE) and Strathclyde University is preparing later this year to run a fleet of zero emissions prototype Ford Focus battery electric vehicle prototypes, based around the current Focus model sold in Europe and using elements of the technology under development for the new Focus Electric.

The vehicles will be used for evaluation by both SSE and a number of fleet and private customers based in Hillingdon, Middlesex from mid-2010. Click here to read more about the program.

In Germany, Ford has recently announced its participation in the colognE-mobil project. This initiative will research the impact of electric vehicles on urban air quality, traffic safety and the electricity supply infrastructure. Scientists will then scale up the results to examine the true benefits an electric future could deliver for German cities.

Ford is one of four partners in the colognE-mobil project and will provide an early fleet of next-generation Focus Electric vehicles in late 2011.

We took a ride in the Transit Connect Electric during the show with Praveen Cherian, program manager for the vehicle. Watch the video to come along on the ride.

Ford is collaborating with Azure Dynamics Corporation to upfit the Transit Connect Electric with Azure’s Force Drive™ battery electric powertrain and Johnson Controls-Saft’s advanced lithium-ion battery technology.

“Transit Connect Electric exemplifies how we are leveraging our relationships as well as our hybrid and advanced powertrain programs to bring energy-efficient technologies from the laboratory to the street,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “Not only is this an ideal vehicle for eco-conscious fleet operators, it is an important part of Ford’s future.”

The Ford Transit was recently named the 2010 North American Truck of the Year; click here for more details.

In addition to the Transit Connect Electric, Ford plans to bring three more electrified vehicles to market by 2012: the Focus Electric in 2011, a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle in 2012 and a next-generation hybrid in 2012.

Ford Transit Connect Electric goes into production in late 2010. It will be well-suited for commercial fleets that travel predictable, short-range routes with frequent stop-and-go driving in urban and suburban environments and a central location for daily recharging. The vehicle, which will accelerate at a similar rate as the gas-powered Transit Connect and will have a top speed of 75 mph, has a targeted range of up to 80 miles on a full charge.

Owners will have the option of recharging the Transit Connect Electric with either a standard 120V outlet or preferably a 240V charge station installed at the user’s base of operations for optimal recharging in six to eight hours. A transportable cord that works with both types of outlets will be available for recharging at both kinds of locations.

The vehicle’s charge port is located above the passenger-side rear wheel well. The onboard liquid-cooled 28-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion battery pack is charged by connecting the charge port. Inside the vehicle, an onboard charger converts the AC power from the electric grid to DC power to charge the battery pack.

Ford is working with Rocky Mountain Institute (RMI) – an organization recognized as a leader in providing energy-efficiency solutions to businesses, communities and organizations around the world – at three dealerships in diverse climates.

The Go Green dealer sustainability initiative is fully integrated into Ford’s existing architecture to provide dealers with the ability to improve energy efficiency and lower operating costs.

This program is a great fit for Ford dealers because it provides a variety of energy-efficient improvement options regardless of the current age and design of the facility. This allows all dealers the opportunity to participate in improving the energy efficiency of their facility and gives them flexibility in making choices that are right for them and their dealership.

Dealers interested in participating in the Go Green Dealership Sustainability Program will first receive a comprehensive energy assessment from sustainability experts at Ford. After the thorough assessment is completed, Ford and the dealer will collaborate on energy-saving options available and will tailor a program to meet the needs of the dealer. Solutions are wide-ranging and can be implemented for dealers with existing facilities as well as dealers who are constructing new facilities.

Dealers who participate in the program will be able to take advantage of several benefits, including guidance on available State and Federal tax credits and incentives, as well as access to technical expertise and resources to assist with selection of energy-efficient products and equipment.

Focus Electric is an exciting spin on the next-generation gas-powered Ford Focus, which was revealed at the 2010 North American International Auto Show and is hitting the streets later this year. The electrified Focus will be powered purely by batteries, which means it will never use a drop of gas and will produce zero emissions. Good-bye gas tank. Sayonara tailpipe.

Focus Electric will be rechargeable through wall outlets and is targeted to get up to 100 miles per charge, making it ideal for daily commuters and others who drive predictable “around town” routes. Charging the car’s lithium-ion batteries will take between six to eight hours using a 220V wall outlet or longer using a 110V outlet.

Focus Electric will also feature a user-friendly interface similar to the Ford Fusion Hybrid’s award-winning SmartGauge™ display to provide the driver with information on vehicle range and battery charge.

“Ford is committed to help lead the way to find creative solutions to ensure that electrified vehicles can deliver benefits to our customers, the environment and our business around the globe in a sustainable way,” said Nancy Gioia, Ford director of Global Electrification.

Ford also is developing a plug-in hybrid electric vehicle and a next-generation hybrid electric vehicle for 2012.

This timing coincided with the Fiesta Party. The full evening of Fiesta Festivities included:

• Sneak peak of the 2011 North American Ford Fiesta
• Fiesta Movement Awards Celebration
• Performance by Parachute
• DJ set featuring DJ Pesce

The action continued on December 2, when the new Fiesta was revealed at the Los Angeles Auto Show. Joins us as we take you via video to the reveal of the 2011 North American Ford Fiesta at the LA Auto Show.

You can also watch the whole reveal with more information on the 2011 Ford Fiesta, captured in the video below.

 

The reveal of the North American-based Ford Fiesta will also mark the culmination of the first phase of the Fiesta Movement.

The Fiesta Movement is a program that provided 100 Fiesta agent with a European-spec Ford Fiesta for six months. Each agent is test-driving the Fiesta, traveling as agents on special missions. They are relating their experiences through a variety of social media sites and at www.fiestamovement.com.

Set to arrive in dealer showrooms next summer, the Fiesta already can claim more than 50,000 potential customers thanks to the Fiesta Movement.

“This is the perfect time to show the North American Fiesta,” said Sam De La Garza, Ford Fiesta marketing manager. “The Fiesta Movement will have wrapped up, and after hearing so much about this car leading up to the reveal, everyone will finally get to see what we are so excited about.”

It all starts with the innovative Twin Independent Variable Cam Timing (TiVCT) technology that efficiently delivers power to this pony. The all-new 3.7-liter V6 turns out 305 horsepower with 280 lb.-ft. of torque using four valves per cylinder and TiVCT. And when all this power is projected to get 30 mpg hwy,* you know the 2011 Mustang V6 is destined to change the game.

To crank out 305 hp with 30 mpg hwy, and deliver the truly one-of-a-kind feeling of a Mustang, the TiVCT V6 engine makes the most of its transfer of power from air, fuel and exhaust. And let’s face it; Mustang wouldn’t be America’s sports car if it didn’t know how to harness power.

When all is said and done, this big new thinking comes together to produce numbers that will have everybody talking about the 2011 Mustang.