Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A Star is reborn
Strong launch for new Fiesta
Connecting Europe March 2013
The all-new
Ford Kuga
Fighting Talk
With this years competition reaching its climax, the tension between Europes best teams continues to rise as they compete to be crowned kings of the continent. Turn up the heat Real Madrid CF superstar Cristiano Ronaldo has been full of fighting talk in the build-up to his sides monumental last 16 clash with Manchester United FC, brashly branding his current employers as better than Sir Alex Fergusons men. The Red Devils will be desperate to record a famous victory, as they look to vindicate the decision to cash in on Ronaldo in 2009 and prove that the power of their collective unit is greater than one talented individual. Meanwhile current FC Bayern Munchen manager Jupp Heynckes will surely be looking to go out with a bang after being told that Spanish supremo Pep Guardiola will replace him in the summer. The Bavarian giants face an Arsenal FC outfit intent on salvaging their season following a string of underwhelming domestic displays. Indeed with voices of discontent growing louder around the Emirates, this could represent Arsene Wengers last chance to harness the potential of a talented but brittle squad. Arguably the most glamorous tie of the round is between two of the most successful sides in UEFA Champions League history - FC Barcelona and AC Milan. There certainly hasnt been any love lost between the pair, highlighted by a fiery tie in last years competition which saw seven of the Rossoneris players cautioned in the second leg. The promise of another passionate encounter has set pulses racing as the big match looms. Read all about it With newspaper interest and intensity rising around Europes greatest club football competition, journalist are set to whet the appetites of motoring enthusiasts across the continent with their own pre-match report of the all-new Ford Kuga. This follows a pan-European media test drive in Valencia, which gave journalists the opportunity to drive the car on public roads for the first time. They got the chance to experience the higher cornering speeds, together with the better handling and comfort refinement that the new model offers, proving that all the excitement is not just confined to the football field at this time of year. High expectations As coverage intensifies off the pitch, expectations will be higher than ever before. Whilst players and fans build up their own teams chances, quality new arrivals such as the Kuga will look to share the headlines alongside the UEFA Champions Leagues brightest stars. With over 150 million people around the world set to tune in to Mays Wembley Final, Ford will be ready to put in a winning performance.
Content
Editorial
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As we head to the Geneva Motor Show this month, youll see no shortage of news coverage about the economic challenges facing the auto industry. Yet behind those headlines is another story, which is the continuing progress we are making on the transformation plan we announced last year. You will recall that we pledged to launch 15 global products by 2015 giving us one of the freshest and most dynamic line-ups in the industry. In Geneva, we will showcase two key aspects of our product plan a major bet on the fast-growing SUV market in Europe and a major investment in spacious and flexible people movers under our Tourneo brand. All of this is made possible by our One Ford plan showcasing the growing strength of our global company. To start with SUVs, sales in Europe are forecast to double in the next five years and we plan to grab more than our share of this opportunity. At Geneva, the automotive world will see for the first time the European version of our striking and rugged EcoSport small SUV. The EcoSport will go on sale later this year across Europe, joining the all-new Kuga thats been arriving in dealerships in recent weeks. After this, we will launch the next-generation Ford Edge, a larger, more premium crossover utility thats been successful in the U.S. and other markets. And we should not forget the Ford Explorer, the iconic seven-seat SUV thats heading into production in Russia for that fast-growing market. It is important that we remind the world that Ford pioneered the SUV and no automaker has more expertise in these vehicles. Now we are bringing that expertise to Europe in a meaningful way. Our other big story will be Tourneo. Its a new family for Ford of Europe a new brand that means more space, more flexibility and more great options for all kinds of teams and families in Europe at an affordable price. On the stage at Geneva will be the Tourneo Custom, which can seat up to nine people in comfort, plus the Tourneo Connect and Grand Tourneo Connect, which seat five people and seven people, respectively, with lots of room for luggage and sports gear. And for the first time, well show a concept version of new Tourneo Courier - small, fuel-efficient and extremely versatile. These vehicles will make a difference in our customers lives and reach a group of buyers who are looking for something new and different. When we say: Tourneo your mission is our mission its more than a slogan. This rollout is happening quickly. The Tourneo Custom is already on the market and selling well. The Tourneo Connect and Grand Tourneo Connect are coming later this year. The Courier will follow quickly next year. The sales and profits from our new line-up of SUVs and Tourneos will deliver a much needed boost for us in this difficult environment and should also add a new dimension to the Ford brand in Europe. Another statistic to consider: By 2015, Ford of Europes vehicle portfolio will grow by 50 per cent. This shows how serious we are about continuing to invest in product during the toughest times so we will be well positioned when the economy begins to recover. There is no better advocate for the Ford brand than you our great workforce so please help us get the word out to your family, friends and neighbours about the great products and technologies we are bringing to market. Thanks for all your efforts. One Team One Plan One Goal
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News in brief from around the world
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10 Feature 11 Sport
Go Further inspires employees
04 Upfront
06 Cover story
12 Interview
Ford News
14 Feature
18 Technology
Executive editor: Predrag Zezelj, pzezelj@ford.com Writer: Peter Noble Copy editor: Rick Franks, rfranks4@ford.com Design: Manfred Mller, mmuell86@ford.com, Alexander Bertrams, Anke Hansen Production: Zetweka, Print & Production Management, Cologne Digital Reproduction: purpur, Cologne Print: NEEF + STUMME premium printing, Wittingen Published by Ford of Europe, Communications and Public Affairs
Upfront
Ford Motor Company reported a 2012 full year pre-tax profit of $8 billion on the strength of record results from North America and continued solid performance from Ford Credit. The full year pre-tax profit of $8 billion and net income of $5.7 billion were each lower than a year ago. Fourth quarter pre-tax profit was $1.7 billion, an increase of $577 million from 2011. Ford now has posted a pre-tax profit for 14 consecutive quarters. For 2012, Europe reported a pre-tax operating loss of $1.75 billion, compared with a loss of $27 million in 2011. In the fourth quarter, Europe reported a pre-tax operating loss of $732 million, compared with a loss of $190 million a year ago. Ford Motor Credit reported a pre-tax profit of $1.7 billion in 2012, compared with $2.4 billion a year earlier.
More e-Learning
Automotive data intelligence provider JATO Dynamics says the Fiesta was the bestselling small car in Europe last year. According to JATO, consumers bought a new Fiesta every two minutes on average last year in Europe. Ford sold 953,174 cars across Europe in 2012, including 306,405 Fiestas. The Fiesta also was the best-selling B-car (sub-compact) globally for the first nine months of 2012, with more than 560,000 Fiestas sold worldwide, according to the latest Polk new vehicle registration data.
2 Three Ford Models Named As Best-in-Class By Euro NCAP
apps is coming to Europe. SYNC AppLink, which was showcased at Midem, a music industry conference in Cannes, France, enables drivers on the move to listen to their favourite radio stations and songs streamed to the car via their smartphone.AppLink is targeted for launch in Europe later this year.
4 Fiesta ST goes into production
Ford has started production at its assembly plant in Cologne, Germany, of the new Fiesta ST. Developed by Ford Team RS, the new Fiesta ST for Europe is powered by a 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine. Top speed is 220 km/h, and it will race from 0-100 km/h in 6.9 seconds. Fuel consumption is 5.9 l/100km, with 138 g/km of CO2 emissions.
Two new training modules have been added to the Companys range of online eLearning courses. The SYNC and New Fiesta/ Fiesta ST modules join the Focus ST and B-MAX courses that are available already. The new modules are designed to help employees get a better understanding of the companys award-winning cars and technologies. Each 30-minute module uses high impact visuals and animations that bring the learning experience to life. Easyto-use, the modules are accessible via 4
Three Ford models have received best-inclass for safety recommendations from Euro NCAP. In its 2012 Top Choices for Safety, the European auto safety organisation has named the outstanding models in seven market segments, from supermini to van. The Kuga and Transit are named as best-in-class in the Small Offroad 4x4 and Business and Family Van segments, respectively. The B-MAX is joint Small MPV winner with the Fiat 500L.
3 Ford SYNC AppLink Coming To Europe
Ford SYNC AppLink a system that offers drivers voice-control of smartphone music
Ford of Britains long-term commitment to lowering carbon emissions has been recognised by an award from the UKs Low Carbon Vehicle Partnership (LowCVP). The award commends Ford for outstanding achievement in low carbon transport over the past 10 years. The LowCVP aims to accelerate a sustainable shift to low carbon vehicles and fuels in the UK and thereby stimulate opportunities for British businesses. Its annual awards are designed to identify and promote examples of outstanding and innovative practice in this field.
Upfront
Daimler AG, Ford Motor Company and Nissan Motor have signed a three-way agreement to accelerate the commercialisation of fuel cell electric vehicle (FCEV) technology. The goal of the collaboration is to jointly develop a common fuel cell electric vehicle system, while reducing investment costs associated with the engineering of the technology. Each company will invest equally towards the project. The strategy, to maximise design commonality, leverage volume and derive efficiencies through economies of scale, will help to launch the worlds first affordable, mass-market FCEVs as early as 2017.
Renewable energy For Focus Electric
category. Sixteen awards were presented this year, covering most car segments in the market. More than 200 vehicles competed for the awards this year. The Golden Klaxon award won this year by the Ranger is the eighth to be award to the Ford brand in Russia; the company received its first award in 2002 in a special category recognising investments in the Russian economy.
Transit Job One in China
Drivers of the Focus Electric, which goes on sale in Germany mid-2013, will now be able to purchase green electricity energy from renewable sources. The development results from an agreement between Ford of Germany and Dusseldorf-based Natural Power. Natural Power is a leading supplier of CO2-neutral green energy in Germany, obtaining a high proportion of its supplies from wind turbines.
Ranger wins Russian award
Production of the new-generation Transit has started in China at Jiangling Motors Nanchang plant. Jiangling Motors is Fords commercial vehicle partner in China. The companys president, York Chen, commented: The new model is developed in the spirit of One Ford with excellent collaboration between the Ford global team and the JMC engineering team.
Double award success
Fords 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine won the International Paul Pietsch Award 2013 for technological innovation at the Auto Motor und Sport Best Cars Awards. The award has been presented annually for 24 years and is chosen by a jury of 30 Motorpresse Stuttgart Group editors-in-chief from 22 countries worldwide. Fords EcoBoost engine was picked from a shortlist of 12 innovations and was praised for its class-leading fuel economy and emissions.
8 Innovation award for B-MAX
French magazine, Lautomobile, has presented its Innovation Trophy to the B-MAX in recognition of the models unique door opening system, SYNC and the 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine.
Fords vision for connected vehicles
The new Ranger triumphed in the recent annual Golden Klaxon automotive awards ceremony staged in Moscow, being named as the best model in the special transport
Ford has claimed double success in the 2013 BusinessCar Awards, with Focus winning Car of the Year in its sector and S-MAX taking the MPV honours. The new Ford B-MAX was runner-up in the overall Car of the Year category. Fords double BusinessCar Awards win illustrates the excellent job Ford is doing to serve the business car community, especially in the crucial lower medium segment where Focus excels, and it beat some strong premium competition to the prize, said BusinessCar editor Paul Barker.
Ford delivered the keynote address at last months M-Days, Europes leading mobile solutions and technologies conference, staged in Frankfurt, Germany. The address, entitled Talking Cars: The Connected Vehicle in a Connected World, was delivered by Pim van der Jagt, managing director of the Ford European Research Centre. He told delegates that mobile connectivity was the key to integrating future transport networks.
Cover Story
Cover Story
Cover Story
Italy
The session was quite insightful, we learnt how to be, like the New Fiesta, always connected! Liliana Caroselli Women and technology... finally reunited! Veronica Berti
UK
The front looks so impressive, SYNC is just what I need, I drive a Fiesta at the moment, and I like this new one a lot, so Ill definitely buy one. These were some of the positive comments from some of the many employees in Warley and Dunton who took the opportunity to get a closer look at New Fiesta.
Belgium
At the Lommel Proving Ground in Belgium, 280 employees took part in a 30 minute presentation on the new Fiesta, learning more about its many features, including SYNC. According to one participant, The event was successful with everyone showing great interest and many asking questions during the demonstrations.
Cover Story
Spain
These kinds of initiatives with employees are very positive and very helpful, as somehow we are the faces of the Company and the best advocates. Emergency Assistance is a safety technology that can help saving lives, and that is great. Also the SMS Reading feature is really useful when driving. Mamen Bravo There should be more initiatives like this one. I liked it, it has been really interesting, and everything has been clearly explained. Jess Fosela
Germany
The new Fiesta design is fantastic, the front reminds me of a sport car. SYNC with Its optimised voice control offers many, many fascinating opportunities for communication and entertainment. Norbert Breu
Innovation in Hungary
The new-generation Fiesta was launched with energy and innovation in markets throughout Europe. In Hungary, for example, a nationwide advertising campaign, supported by social media and press coverage, invited motorists to register their cars with a local Ford dealership. Almost 30,000 people accepted the invitation, many patiently queuing from 8.00am to 12.00 midnight on Fiesta Day to register. The range of models and customers arriving in Ford dealerships was wide. The youngest customer was 18 and oldest 102 years old; the oldest car was a 1959 Skoda and the youngest a 2013 Citroen. The lowest registered milage was 1,800 km and the highest 965,120 km. All those who registered were entered into a prize drawer to win a new Fiesta Titanium, providing they agreed to give their own car to a charity. The draw was staged live on Class FM, the countrys most popular radio channel, and the winner was father of two Jnos Bdi, who handed in his 17 year old Escort. The recipient charity was chosen by a vote on Ford Hungarys Facebook site. More than 34,000 votes were cast, with the winning charity, the Peter Cerny Foundation, receiving 14,162. The Foundation provides an ambulance service for premature children. The charity can choose to accept the used Escort or a donation of 1m HUF (around $4,500). The day the new Fiesta arrived in Hungarian dealerships will to be remembered for a long time, said Zsombor Varga, Fords communications manager in Hungary.
Go Further
Cotarkos new re-cooling system
Employees Go Further
Ford employees in Europe have taken the companys brand promise to heart and are Going Further by working smarter and supporting their local communities. Here are some of the ways in which they are turning Go Further into action
Energy-saving focus Fords forging subsidiary, Cotarko, has gained certification to the ISO 50001 energy management standard. The company consumes 44 gigawatts of electricity a year - enough to power 10,000 households costing 5m.After introducing energy-saving measures the volume of electricity used has been reduced considerably, resulting in an annual saving of 1.4m. The focus on further reductions is continuing. All the staff are involved in this process, said production manager, Mark Krause, but members of our energy teams have a specific responsibility to identify and implement energy-saving measures in their particular production areas, whether in new parts design, project management or logistics. Among recent measures undertaken, furnace doors were overhauled to reduce energy loss and a new plant re-cooling system was installed. In another cost-saving action, an employee proposed regulating the amount of water used on forging machines. Innovation recognised Twenty employees from Dunton and the Dagenham Diesel Centre recently received awards for developing innovations that were granted a patent. Patents protect any device or process that is new and not an obvious development of known technology. Since 2000, Ford in the UK has been granted 2,865 patents. Donating time and money Employees in Spain are taking part in a programme called Cntimo Solidario (Caring Cent). Under the scheme, they donate monthly the spare cents of their salary to NGOs. For example, if a person earns 1,500.45 per month, they donate the 45 cents. The company collects the spare cents donated and passes them to local charitable organisations. Valencia Assembly Plant employees also support local community organisations through volunteer work. In Madrid, employees annually volunteer their time to improve the facilities at Apascovi, a centre for disabled people. Community support Employees in Germany volunteered to support 115 Cologne-based charitable projects last year. Some 830 employees were involved, delivering a combined 12,400 man-hours of their time. The highlight of 2012 was the tenth anniversary of Together we are strong, a Ford-City of Cologne fundraising event supporting the cancer ward of a local hospital for seriously ill children. The event raised 6,750. Aside from that fundraising event, many Ford employees contributed their time and skills to improve the hospital. Among a diverse range of other initiatives, Ford employees supported a holiday project for children and a cultural festival, where 25 Ford volunteers provided transport for guests and artists. For the ninth year, Christmas parcels were sent to children in Romania and Ukraine. Genk donation Genk employees recently donated 3,500 to MPI Ter Heide, a local centre for people with mental disabilities. If you have a Go Further story to tell, contact @Ford: call 8734 3946 or write to 1/466.
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Sport
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Interview
Does that increase the time it takes to develop a new model? When you have the cadence of vehicle introductions aligned globally, the time it takes to design, develop and launch a new model is approximately the same. In general terms, it is two years for design, two years for development and two years for testing and launch. The life of a vehicle in the marketplace is around six years, with a refresh half way through. How do you know what will be successful in six years time? We try to anticipate trends. We have a team of people the Design Futuring Group that researches trends in every aspect of design and technology. So, for example, the Group attends furniture fairs, fashion shows, sportswear events etc. A team member was at the Las Vegas Consumer Electronics Show earlier this year looking at trends in in-car entertainment, information, navigation and connectivity. We look at future trends in colours and fabrics and in design ideas in the auto world. We take into account all the trends around the world and then it comes
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Interview
Biography
Martin Smith is executive director, Design, Ford of Europe. Smith was a staff designer with Porsche in 1973 and went on to significant roles at Audi and Opel before joining Ford in 2004. A lover of classic British sports cars, Smith participates in rallies with a 1961 Austin Healey 3000.
even more important and will influence designs. Expect to see vehicles that are more aerodynamic, lighter weight and with increased interior space efficiency. New types of powertrains, hybrid and electric, will influence design trends as well. How is Kinetic design changing to reflect current and future trends? The Kinetic design philosophy was developed around 2004 to give a new and compelling look to European vehicles. It was a design language that signalled that Ford products were great to drive and fun to drive. The idea was to create a design that allowed the car to look like it was moving when it was standing still. That design also needed to communicate the driving qualities of the vehicle. It has evolved in recent years. For example, we have moved the trapezoidal grille further up the front of the vehicle, to give a more premium look. Kinetic design has now developed into our new global design language. New Fusion/Mondeo is a good example of that new global design; it conveys a premium look and says the vehicle is fun to drive. How does Design interface with Manufacturing and Marketing? Design necessarily works closely with Manufacturing and Engineering to ensure
designs being developed are feasible. We have a process for doing that which centres on what we call feasibility gateways. Those gateways get narrower as a design progresses until we have a winning design that can be manufactured. Marketing influences the design of a model by identifying target customers and their needs and expectations. It also identifies likely sales volumes and uses market research to refine the design. The Ford range is bigger, fresher and global, how has the Design organisation evolved to reflect that change? Design has developed into a global team which harnesses the talents of our design resources and talents around the world. It is now one harmonious team; one team developing great cars for markets around the world. 2013 is going to be a great year for us in terms of new product launches around the globe. One Ford is the key to developing products that are sold around the world. For example, expertise in small cars in centred in Europe, while larger car expertise rests in North American, but we work as one global team to develop outstanding vehicles for all markets.
down to the talent of our designers in interpreting those trends. Does Ford influence design trends as well as reflect them? Yes, look at B-MAX and its revolutionary door system. That is a good example of Ford design, engineering and marketing working hand-in-hand to produce a vehicle that is unique around the world. We are ahead of the competition with that type of vehicle. What are the broad trends you see in the future? We will continue to develop white space vehicles vehicles that have no existing competitors in the market like the B-MAX. Other than that, fuel efficiency will become
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Feature
China acceleration
China is the worlds largest automotive growth market and is forecast to expand to 30 million units a year by 2020. Ford intends to be a major player and has embarked on a remarkable expansion programme. By 2015, it plans to double its production capacity and use its global product development resources to introduce 15 new vehicles and 20 new engines and transmissions
According to the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers, the countrys automakers delivered 19,306,400 vehicles last year, 4.33 per cent more than in 2011. Passenger car sales were up 7.07 per cent, but the commercial vehicle market contracted 5.49 per cent to 3,811,200 units. Ford China outpaced the market by a wide margin and set an annual sales record in 2012 by selling 626,616 vehicles, up 21 per cent. Within that figure, Ford car sales grew by 31 per cent to a record 426,608. Fords car joint venture, Changan Ford Automobile, also broke records with a 31 per cent increase, selling 418,500 Fordbrand cars. The Focus, according to IHS Automotive, was the best-selling nameplate in China in 2012, sold 296,360 units. Other Ford stars were the Edge, with sales are up 96 per cent to 8,108, and the Mondeo, which increased by 6 per cent to 68,334.
Despite the contraction in the truck market, sales at Jiangling Motors Corporation (JMC), Fords commercial vehicle investment in China, broke annual records. JMCs 2012 total sales reached 200,008 vehicles, up 3 per cent. Record 2012 sales highlight the positive response our customers have for our full portfolio, said John Lawler, chairman and CEO of Ford Motor China. Their enthusiasm for Ford cars validates our aggressive investment. Ford and its Chinese partners are, indeed, investing aggressively. The four production plants currently in operation will be joined by a further three over the next two years. Coming online in 2013 are a new plant in Nanchang, with an annual capacity of 300,000 units, and a state-of-the-art engine plant in Chongqing with an annual capacity of 400,000 engines (increasing Fords total engine production capacity in China to
750,000 units). Next year a new trans mission plant will open in Chongqing with an annual capacity of up to 400,000 6-speed automatic transmissions. That is only one part of the expansion story, next year a $600 million investment will expand capacity in the Chongqing plant by 250,000 passenger vehicles, and in 2015 Ford and CFA (Changan Ford Automobile) will open a new assembly plant in Hangzhou, with another 250,000 unit annual capacity. That will take Fords production capacity in China to 1.2 million cars annually. The Chinese market is big and getting bigger and such investments are an indication of Fords commitment to China. By continuing to invest heavily and using its powerful global resources, Ford is fast becoming one of the countrys leading foreign-owned brands.
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Feature
Beijing
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Sales
Top 5 market share performance January 2013 Market % 1. Britain 2. Turkey 3. Ireland 4. Hungary 5. Denmark 14.7 14.0 11.7 9.6 9.2
cars
Top 5 markets by volume January 2013 Market 1. Britain 2. Germany 3. Italy 4. France 5. Russia Volume 24,000 12,500 7,100 6,700 6,400
-20,624
01/2013
1. VW Golf 2. Ford Focus 3. GM Astra 1. Nissan Qashqai 2. VW Tiguan 6. Ford Kuga 1. Renault Scnic 2. Ford C-MAX 3. VW Touran 1. 2. 5. 7. VW Passat Skoda Octavia Ford Mondeo Ford S-MAX
1. VW Sharan 2. Ford Galaxy 3. Seat Alhambra 1. Ford Transit 2. VW Transporter 3. Fiat Ducato
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Sales
Sales comment
Marketing professionals often talk about the four Ps Product, Price, Place and Promotion as being the key to success. In other words, a successful marketing mix involves putting the right Product in the right Place at the right Price with the right Promotion. That is what we are doing. We are improving our products, realigning our prices so that in many markets new models have lower prices than the vehicles they replace, displaying them in market-leading dealerships and marketing them with more and better advertising. The proof that that formula works can be seen in the buoyant orders we are receiving for our new products. In January, our order-take exceeded 35,000 units retail in the big five markets. That was 5,000 over objective; a demonstration of the growing appeal of our line-up. Throughout our range, there are examples of how our new models are appealing to customers and winning orders. New Fiesta, for instance, has received 43,000 orders since launch more than double objective. Focus is running at 800 a month over objective and C-MAX more than 700.
With B-MAX, we have so far sold 33,000 units and the sales rate is some 1,500 units a week. Initially, there was some concern that B-MAX sales would impact the success of Fiesta, but that has not proved to be the case, both models are performing strongly. And it is not just new cars that are gaining traction, our commercial vehicle are also motoring strongly. We comfortably exceeded our commercial vehicle share objective in January, achieving 8.7 per cent, against a target of 8.0 per cent. One of the models driving that improvement was the Transit Custom, which sold 8,300 units versus an objective of 7,000. Of course, the strong performance of our new models was against the background of a weaker-than-expected industry in January. But while the overall market was down, it is important to note that our retail share was up versus the run-rate of last year. Increasing retail share is a key objective for us, because retail business is more profitable then fleet sales. We will, obviously, continue to maintain our focus on retail customers in the months ahead.
As our thriving order bank shows, our approach of better products, prices and promotion is paying dividends. FCSD-E January sales came in at $199 million up $7.3 million versus January objective and $10 million above prior year. All business units and all regions performed above objective, the first month since September 2011 when the result has been above the same month in prior year. Dealer stocks were reduced further by $14 million and are now below the 2013 target level. FCSD-E achieved For Protect new contract sales in January of 53,000. Ford Protect penetration is at 70.8 per cent, an increase of 8.8 percentage points versus prior year. Service Activated Roadside Assistance (SARA) achieved 162,000 registrations. That's 139 per cent better than last year. Customer satisfaction progress continues steadily with record scores for both sales and service satisfaction.
There was some concern that B-MAX sales would impact the success of Fiesta, but that has not proved to be the case, both models are performing strongly
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Technology
New Ford Kuga is crammed full of technology designed to deliver safer handling. Its smart AWD system assesses grip levels 20 times faster than it takes to blink an eye, readjusting the AWD power split to give the driver the best blend of handling and traction. Kugas dynamics and cornering control are improved by the introduction of the enhanced Torque Vectoring Control system developed with the Focus RS. This helps to deliver Fords fun-to-drive DNA by applying a small amount of braking to inside wheels to assist drivers through fast bends.
Driving technology
In this, the first of a series of articles focusing on Ford driver assist technologies, @Ford turns the spotlight on new Kugas curve control system
New Kuga is the first Ford on sale in Europe equipped with cutting-edge technology called Curve Control, designed to help prevent accidents caused by cornering too fast. Pioneered by Ford engineers in the USA, Curve Control senses when a driver is taking a corner too quickly and then applies the brakes and rapidly reduces engine torque, helping the driver maintain control. Even the most experienced drivers can find themselves travelling too fast for the conditions, especially on unfamiliar roads, explains Norbert Kessing, Ford vehicle dynamics manager. A classic example is on a curved slip road coming off a motorway when the driver carries too much speed into the bend. With Curve Control, if the driver doesnt slow enough, this system can step in and reduce speed by around 16 km/h or 10 mph per second. Key to new Kugas Curve Control technology is an array of sensors that measure roll rate, yaw rate, lateral acceleration, wheel speed and steering wheel angle, and run calculations based on those inputs 100 times every second. If the system detects the onset of understeer (when the vehicle is not turning as much as the driver is steering), it will apply the precise amount of braking required on each wheel to slow the vehicle down. At the same time, if the driver fails to lift off the accelerator, the system will override by automatically reducing engine torque. Curve Control is designed to slow the vehicle often before the driver realises there is a problem, adds Kessing. Like all new Fords, the new Kuga offers outstanding driving dynamics and we hope our customers will never need assistance from Curve Control. But if they do find themselves approaching a bend too quickly, this feature could help the driver stay on the road. With its understeer control facility, Curve Control is similar to standard ESC (Electronic Stability Control). The difference is that the Ford system makes use of an additional sensor which measures the roll velocity of the vehicle. With this information the system can recognise the dynamic state of motion of a vehicle much more accurately than a standard ESC. As a result, the system makes a more accurate judgment if there is a deviation between what the vehicle does and what it should do, and thus intervenes earlier.
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Moment@Ford
Official fuel consumption figures in mpg (l/100km) for the Ford Fiesta range: urban 33.6-74.3 (8.4-3.8), extra urban 62.8-91.1 (4.5-3.1), combined 47.9-85.6 (5.9-3.3). Official C02 emissions 138-87g/km.
SYNC standard on Zetec S, Titanium and Titanium X. Optional extra on Style and Zetec. Not available on Studio. EcoBoost engine is available on all models except Studio and Style.