Custom Billboard on Wheels with Ford Transit Connect

Ford is taking the “wraps” off an innovative new program designed to help business owners customize the vinyl graphics on their Ford Transit Connects.

Since its launch last summer, the Transit Connect has been praised by business owners who describe the attention-getting vehicle as a virtual “billboard on wheels.” Now Ford is offering current and future commercial customers an online program at http://www.fordtransitconnectgraphics.com/ that they can use to create their own custom graphic “wraps” using an online library of shapes, lettering and colors that can be manipulated in a number of ways. They also can upload their own images to the site and incorporate them into the design.

“There may be no bigger investment a business owner makes than a first impression,” said Len Deluca, director, Ford Commercial Vehicles. “This Web site provides a great way for a business owner to try out a ‘look’ before making that investment.” Designed to accommodate a variety of designs and budgets, the Web site offers nine different graphic sizes – all made of vinyl and installed by the customer’s dealer or a specially trained installation company obtained through the dealer. Cost ranges from approximately $100 for a small panel logo to $3,500 for a full vehicle wrap.

Toni Mannino, owner of Original Romano’s Pizza & Catering in Orchard Lake, created a custom wrap for her Transit Connect prior to the development of the new Web site. She says the mobile advertising has been great for business.

“Everywhere we go, people stop us and ask about the van,” she said. “It gives us great exposure.”

Bob Maxey, owner of Bob Maxey Ford in Detroit, sold Mannino her Transit Connect. He says he believes the new Web site will be a valuable asset to customers.

“Wrapping a Transit Connect is a great way to advertise and it is a one-time cost, but a lot of people don’t know where to go to get it done,” he said. “Having a Ford Web site where people can design their own custom wrap and get it done right then and there is huge.”

The Web site is the first of its kind for commercial customers, according to Jim Abraham, Ford’s Licensed Accessories manager. It evolved from http://www.fordcustomgraphics.com/, a Web site that Ford retail customers can use to customize their personal vehicles. Approximately 9,000 customers have used that site since it launched in November 2009.

“Ford knows that customers want a vehicle to be all their own,” said Abraham. “This Web site allows them to put their personal stamp on their vehicle and have the product installed at a Ford dealer and backed by a warranty.”

The new interactive Web site was created for Ford by Original Wraps Inc., a provider of “on-demand” custom graphics to the automotive industry. The Transit Connect site is the first of many sites designed specifically for the Ford vehicle portfolio expected to launch this year.

Zumbrota Ford is your Local Minnesota Ford Dealer. Less than an hour from the Twin Cities, 15 minutes north of Rochester, 40 minutes west of Lake City, and only 30 minutes from Red Wing or Cannon Falls, MN! Click here for a map and directions.

To view our used vehicle inventory click here. Call us at 866-530-5809 or 507-732-5127, or view our website at ZumbrotaFord.com

Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid Attractive First Time Ford Buyers

The 2010 Ford Fusion and Fusion Hybrid, fresh off a sales record and a string of awards in 2009, are attracting more buyers who are new to the Ford brand than ever before.

The Fusion, redesigned in 2009, saw “conquest sales,” or sales to customers new to Ford, increase to 60 percent of total Fusion sales in February, up 6 percentage points from January and up 11 percentage points from the 2009 calendar year. The percentage of customers new to Ford purchasing the Fusion Hybrid reached 82 percent last month, up 12 points from January and 19 points from 2009.

Fusion competes in a segment long dominated by some of the best-selling cars in the market, including Honda Accord, Toyota Camry and Nissan Altima. Sales of the new Fusion Hybrid account for almost 20 percent of total Fusion retail sales and more than 60 percent of Fusion Hybrid sales have been to customers coming from import brands, including Honda, Nissan and Toyota.

Fusion’s share of the midsize car segment in 2010 has increased to 12.2 percent, up 4.4 points from the 7.8 percent share in the first two months of 2009. Like it did in 2009, Fusion posted the largest share gain in the segment of any competitor.

Winning new buyers in the midsize segment is another indication that American car buyers value the craftsmanship and fuel economy offered across Ford’s lineup.

“It’s extraordinary that a car could set sales records and continue to excel in an environment where overall industry sales in the midsize segment are down 19 percent from a year ago,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president of Marketing and Sales and Service.

Since the introduction of the redesigned Fusion in March 2009, the car has set monthly sales records for the nameplate in every month but one. In 2009, sales increased 22 percent to a record 180,671. Over the course of the year, Fusion’s share of the midsize car market increased from 7.0 percent in 2008 to 10.5 percent in 2009. The gain – 3.5 points – was the largest gain for any car in the segment.

Over the first two months of 2010, momentum continued after the Fusion Hybrid, with industry-leading fuel economy, won key awards – including being named North American Car of the Year and winning the MOTOR TREND Car of the Year award.

Ford plans to build on its success in the car market with the upcoming launch of the Fiesta and Focus in the coming 12 months. Both vehicles, offering unmatched features and technology in their segments, are expected to follow Fusion in luring buyers from competing brands.

“This is very encouraging for our upcoming product introductions, because Fusion is the standard bearer for Ford’s product strategy, delivering best-in-class quality, fuel efficiency, safety and smart technology, which of course all adds up to a terrific value proposition for our customers,” said Czubay. “These are the drivers of our share and revenue improvements.”

The 2010 Fusion Hybrid is the most fuel-efficient sedan in America. Fusion offers more power, class-exclusive technologies, such as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) and Ford SYNC®, and more total passenger and luggage capacity than the Toyota Camry.

According to Fusion Marketing Manager Jonathan Richards, the diversity of the 2010 Fusion lineup is drawing a growing number of customers to the brand.

“There is no reason for customers shopping for a midsize sedan to look beyond the Fusion, because the lineup offers something for everyone – a Hybrid model, a Sport version and a new selection of gas-powered engines paired with a six-speed transmission,” Richards said.

“Fusion Hybrid, Sport and SEL models account for 50 percent of sales,” said Richards. “Data also show that customers are embracing technology offerings such as voice-activated navigation, SYNC and Sony® Audio.”

The Fusion Hybrid delivers an EPA estimated 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway. It also offers innovative new technology – SmartGauge™ with EcoGuide – that coaches hybrid drivers to maximize fuel efficiency.

According to early 2010 survey data obtained in the 2009 U.S. Global Quality Research System (GQRS), the 2010 Fusion Hybrid has the highest customer satisfaction ratings of any Ford vehicle ever. The survey was conducted for Ford Motor Company by RDA Group of Bloomfield Hills, Mich.

Zumbrota Ford is your Local Minnesota Ford Dealer. Less than an hour from the Twin Cities, 15 minutes north of Rochester, 40 minutes west of Lake City, and only 30 minutes from Red Wing or Cannon Falls, MN! Click here for a map and directions.

To view our used vehicle inventory click here. Call us at 866-530-5809 or 507-732-5127, or view our website at ZumbrotaFord.com

2011 Ford Mustang - 300+ HP and 30+ MPG

New Mustang V-6 with 305 HP Certified at 31 MPG Highway; Makes History as First Car with 300+ HP and 30+ MPG

The 2011 Ford Mustang today breaks new ground, cracking the record books as not only the most fuel-efficient Mustang ever, but also the first production car in history to produce more than 300 horsepower and more than 30 mpg highway.

The Mustang’s official EPA ratings – completed this week – certify that coupe models equipped with the 305-hp 3.7-liter V-6 and available six-speed automatic transmission achieve 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) V-6 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.

“Advanced powertrains like our Ti-VCT V-6 and six-speed automatic really speak to the future of Mustang,” says Barb Samardzich, Ford vice president of Global Powertrain Engineering. “We’ve proven that, using technology, Ford can deliver both power and fuel economy.”

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 V-6 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 this spring and will be built at the AutoAlliance International Plant in Flat Rock, Mich.

Zumbrota Ford is your Local Minnesota Ford Dealer. Less than an hour from the Twin Cities, 15 minutes north of Rochester, 40 minutes west of Lake City, and only 30 minutes from Red Wing or Cannon Falls, MN! Click here for a map and directions.

To view our used vehicle inventory click here. Call us at 866-530-5809 or 507-732-5127, or view our website at ZumbrotaFord.com

2011 Ford Focus Wagon Debut in Europe - Coming To America?

Ford unveiled the new Focus Wagon to a group of VIP media last month at an invitation only event held on the eve of the 2010 Geneva Motor Show. The new car, which will be on display throughout the show and is one of up to 10 models that will be built on Ford's new global C-platform, will launch in Europe in 2011 along with the popular five-door hatchback and four-door sedan models. The North American Focus lineup, however, will not include a wagon model. Ford’s Group Marketing Manager, Chantel Lenard, discusses the popularity of the Focus Wagon in Europe and why the company decided not to offer it in North America.

Zumbrota Ford is your Local Minnesota Ford Dealer. Less than an hour from the Twin Cities, 15 minutes north of Rochester, 40 minutes west of Lake City, and only 30 minutes from Red Wing or Cannon Falls, MN! Click here for a map and directions.

To view our used vehicle inventory click here. Call us at 866-530-5809 or 507-732-5127, or view our website at ZumbrotaFord.com

Comparison: 2011 Ford Mustang GT vs 2010 Chevrolet Camaro SS vs 2010 Dodge Challenger SRT8

MotorTrend does side-by-side comparison, and Ford Mustang wins!

Go here for full article http://tinyurl.com/yc7mqzy

The galloping-away winner this time out is the Ford Mustang GT. It's simply the one pony car most of us covet, and it's the one that hews closest to the original concept of a lightweight (they weren't called draft-horse cars, after all), nimble body and chassis choc-full-o' V-8 muscle. You can see out of it, you get a nice view of the hood and the driving line you're trying to trace, and the engine sounds better than the radio.

The lengthy and impassioned argument over which car would finish second is what really ran up the post-dinner bar tab. The proletarian staffers found the Challenger SRT8's sticker too shocking and argued fervently for the Transformers-yellow Camaro SS, while the Jack Daniels Single Barrel swilling patricians dismissed the gauche, faddish Camaro with its overwrought controls in favor of the refined, mellow, mellifluous Dodge. (Plus it finished higher in more of our individual contests.) So when the buzzer sounded (last call), the scoreboard indicated that more staffers would prefer to own the Challenger, even if it meant downgrading to blended whiskeys and Swisher Sweets to save the extra $10 large. And so, until Chevy or Dodge tweaks a substantial engine, chassis, or body part, the Ford Mustang GT is the reigning V-8 Ponycar champion of the universe. See you next season.



Zumbrota Ford is your Local Minnesota Ford Dealer. Less than an hour from the Twin Cities, 15 minutes north of Rochester, 40 minutes west of Lake City, and only 30 minutes from Red Wing or Cannon Falls, MN! Click here for a map and directions.

To view our used vehicle inventory click here. Call us at 866-530-5809 or 507-732-5127, or view our website at ZumbrotaFord.com