I may be imagining some Challenger influences (especially in the front fenders in the above picture), but this pony still pays homage to it’s muscle car heritage.

But with options like 19″ wheels, voice activated navigation, and even a back up camera, this Mustang is definitely 21st century muscle car!

Paul Randle, Mustang chief engineer said in a press release,

“The new Mustang marks new levels of both power and refinement. We’ve designed and engineered this to be the next classic Mustang that everyone talks about for years and years.”

The new Mustang will be offered in the following Model levels:

• V-6 Base: Coupe (P8A), Convertible (P8E)
• V-6 Premium: Coupe (P8A), Convertible (P8E)
• V-8 GT: Coupe (P8C), Convertible (P8F)
• V-8 GT Premium: Coupe (P8C),Convertible (P8F)

The V6 will be the 4.0 liter, and the 4.6 liter will go into the GT variations. You can be sure that more (and even more powerful) variations will become available. Speaking of power, Ford has tweaked the 4.6L powerplant with cold air induction, increasing it’s stock, off-the-showroom-floor horsepower to 315hp. V6 owners will still have to purchase their cold air induction kits from aftermarket manufacturers, like Brother’s Performance (forgive the self promotion!). Also a slightly larger diameter exhaust on both models should help airflow and overall performance, increasing from 3″ to 3.5″.

There will of course be traction and ride control enhancements in the new Mustangs as well. As with many modern day sports cars, traction control will be an “push on push off” so that the driver can decide how much power and handling they want within their control. Additionally, these traction control options will be available:

GT Track Package I (manual only)

• Performance front brake pads
• 3.73 axle ratio
• Recalibrated AdvanceTrac®

GT Track Package II (manual only, late availability)

• Performance front/rear brake pads
• GT500 Sta-Bars and rear lower control arms
• Retuned struts and shocks
• 19-inch Pirelli Summer tires
• 3.73 axle ratio with carbon plates in the differential
• Recalibrated AdvanceTrac®, traction control and anti-lock brakes

stock for the V6 will be 17″ wheels, the V8 will come with stock 18″ers.

2010 Mustangs will also have a new feature, the “Easy Fuel Capless Fuel Filler System”.

It’s basically just that. A capless fuel system. It’s purpose is to remove the possibility of poor emissions and fuel economy from improperly replaced or missing gas caps.

Inside you’ll find Ford’s Voice-activated SYNCH communications and entertainment system, Dual-Zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control, Navigation System with SIRIUS® Travel Link, and a back-up Camera System. The new center console also has mounted trunk release, lockable stowage in the center floor console, and covered cup holders.

Although pricing has yet to have been released by Ford, expect the base V6 model to start at just less than $22,000.

Want more pictures? Can’t blame you! Check out all the 2010 Mustang Pictures on our Flickr page here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/brothersperformance/sets/72157609375954306/

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I found a really exciting prototype show car while traipsing around SEMA in Las Vegas today. Seems that Galpin Auto Sports of Van Nuys took a Ford Mustang GT convertible and went COMPLETELY NUTS on it. Sure, it started out as a 2008 Mustang GT, but it is completely unrecognizable now! Hand made composite body, voice command controled, even DUAL retractible steering wheels (left and right side drive, thanks to drive-by-wire technology)!!!

In the deep, 3 layer, candy purple paint, it looks like something the Joker might drive… if he could handle the 1000 horsepower twin supercharged power!

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Of course, it sits so low to ground here, at a height that it would be impractical on most any road or track, but thanks to air ride technologies’ suspension system, the computer constantly gauges the road for the optimum ride height and firmness of the ride itself. and still, it “cuts” quite a shape… and those headlights!

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Here’s a nice big picture for ya:

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UNfortunately, when you come around the side of the car, you see get the impression that the car’s designer was heavily influenced by his childhood playthings… Mattel Hot Wheels®.

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Still, Galpin Auto Sports was aiming for a vehicle straight from the car shows of the 60’s (Autorama) that sparked people’s imagination and excitement. Given that this vehicle is COMPLETELY road worthy and driveable and not just some clay work with paint and chrome stuck on it… I’d say they goal has been FAR exceeded!

Here’s the text of the press release on this vehicle from October:

Most custom shops have a backyard BBQ for friends when they want to show off a new car. Galpin Auto Sports (GAS) in Van Nuys, California took that concept to a new level on Saturday, October 18, when it debuted one of the most radical custom show cars of the modern era to a packed house of automotive icons, celebrities and media. While smoke rose from the floor and a massive twin supercharged engine crackled in the background, GAS president Beau Boeckmann unveiled Scythe, a one-of-a-kind machine packed with the most advanced onboard technology ever showcased in an automotive application. Other highlights from the evening included the unveiling of Ed “Big Daddy” Roth’s long-lost Orbitron show car, a charity silent auction with proceeds going to three local charities and performances by a variety of top-tier rap and rock stars culminating in an all-star jam session between Ozzy Osbourne and members of Guns N’ Roses, The Cult, Jane’s Addiction and more.

“With Scythe, we set out to showcase all of our unique fabrication abilities here at GAS,” Boeckmann says. “From the hand-made composite body and voice-activated onboard computer system, to the twin-supercharged 1,005 horsepower engine, this car was built to make a statement. In the 1950’s and ’60s, show cars were meant to shock and amaze people, and we wanted the same effect from Scythe but with a high-tech twist. This isn’t a hollow concept car, it’s a fully functional, incredibly fast and usable machine with a talking onboard computer and over a thousand horsepower running on methanol.”

Scythe exemplifies the melding of old-world coachbuilding techniques and cutting-edge digital technology. The GAS team started with a proven performance platform, a 2008 Ford Mustang GT Convertible. After the body panels were removed, the unibody structure was covered in clay, which was sculpted to match renderings drawn by famed Kustom Kulture icon Ed “Newt” Newton. Molds were pulled from the clay sculpture, and composite body panels were formed and fitted to the Mustang pan. Reverse opening vertical doors, a wrap-around pillarless glass cockpit with no B- or C-pillars and custom headlights and taillights surrounded by hand-made aluminum trim are the highlights of the unique design.

The interior features some of the most sophisticated technology ever installed in a vehicle. Scythe features an onboard Shuttle XPC computer that manages every function of the car and is controlled entirely by voice commands. Simply speak to the electronic personal assistant in your own words and through a digital uplink to a 3G network Scythe will provide real-time weather, traffic, sports, stock market and news information and maintain your daily calendar. Other onboard electronics include flush mounted exterior cameras that offer 24-hour monitoring via cell phone or internet and a voice-activated iPod compatible JL Audio 5.1 Surround Sound system allows the driver to choose artist, song or music type verbally.

Scythe also offers unparalleled power and performance. Hand-built by GAS, the twin Magnuson supercharged 5.0L racing engine with custom ported 24-valve SOHC cylinder heads pump out up to 1,005 horsepower. A GAS custom fabricated intake manifold, custom performance grind camshafts and a custom electronic shifter complete the powertrain of this one of a kind vehicle. Other performance advances include a custom Air Ride Technologies suspension system by GAS and an onboard CPU which constantly adjusts ride height for maximum performance. Dual driving positions with retractable motorized steering wheels allows for left and ride side driving control of the vehicle and custom GAS designed brakes using Wilwood 16.5″ rotors and 6-piston calipers on all four corners make Scythe stop on a dime.

About Galpin Auto Sports:
Galpin Auto Sports, located at 15600 Roscoe Blvd. in Van Nuys offers customizing and personalizing services on all new and pre-owned vehicles including collector and classic cars and is the official garage for MTV’s Pimp My Ride. For more information on Galpin Auto Sports’ unique products and services, please contact G.A.S. General Manager, Steve McCord (smccord@galpin.com), at (877)-GO-GAS-GO or visit the website at www.galpinautosports.com.

DEARBORN, Mich, Nov. 4, 2008 – With the addition of the 2008 Cobra Jet Mustang, Ford Racing will have once again expanded its current stable of race-ready Mustang race cars.

This time, however, the Mustang is designed for drag racing.

The Mustang FR500CJ, known simply as the Cobra Jet, will be officially unveiled Nov. 4 at the 2008 SEMA Show in Las Vegas. It joins its road racing brethren: the Mustang FR500S, the Mustang FR500C and the Mustang FR500GT.

“The Cobra Jet is the newest offspring of the Ford Racing lineup of race cars,” said Jamie Allison, manager of the Ford Racing Performance Group. “We started with the FR500C in 2005 and then followed by the FR500S in 2007.

“All along the way, we worked with Brian Wolfe, who, at the time, was really in the calibration activity. He oversaw worldwide calibrations, and he was a big supporter of Ford Racing, both professionally and personally,” Allison said. “He had always kind of asked us about our plans to do a drag race car and the time had just come early this year to, indeed, take all of the lessons we learned, all the processes, all of the relationships that we have inside with the plant and with the team and put together a sportsmen-destined drag race Mustang. Clearly, what we did in 1968 is the impetus for it, and we felt that it was time to bring back the Cobra Jet.”

The Cobra Jet is the drag racing equivalent of the Mustang FR500S, allowing those interested in NHRA sportsmen drag racing the opportunity to get involved with an affordable vehicle that can compete right off of the truck and run in the 10-second range.

“We are talking about designing and building competition-ready race cars,” added Allison. “These are not just the simple parts that we sometimes create. This is a full-fledged, ready to race vehicle. There is a lot of engineering that goes into the preparation, development, testing, and release of these cars. There’s a full team of engineers from Ford Racing who have been involved on the engineering side of the Ford Racing Mustangs, led by Andy Slankard who leads the group. On the Cobra Jet, that group was personally directed and overseen by Brian Wolfe because of his personal background of racing in the sportsmen class. So he’s been hands-on involved in the very specifications of the 40th anniversary Cobra Jet. ”

In addition to the Cobra Jet, the other Ford Racing Mustangs provide customers a racing ladder, all within one manufacturer, to climb up through the ranks of professional racing. The Ford Racing Mustang ladder in road racing begins with the Ford Racing High Performance Driving School at Miller Motorsports Park featuring specially prepared school Mustangs.

The next step on the ladder is the Mustang FR500S, which is delivered as a race-ready vehicle complete with a racing seat and safety harnesses, and provides competitors with a base to hone their driving skills and an exciting year-long schedule to race against other semi-pro drivers in the Ford Racing Mustang Challenge for the Miller Cup.

Moving further up the ladder puts racers behind the wheel of the Mustang FR500C, which competes in the Grand-Am KONI Challenge Series, and the FR500GT4, which competes in the GT4 European Cup. Both Mustangs are proven winners with each car having won championships in its first year of competition. The FR500C led drivers to championships in 2005 and 2008, while the FR500GT4 has won two titles in the GT4 European Cup in 2007 and 2008.

At the top of the ladder sit both the Mustang FR500GT and FR500GT3, which represent the ultimate race-bred road racing Mustang. The FR500GT is being homologated for Grand-Am Rolex GT and other applications, while the FR500GT3 has already competed in select FIA GT3 European Championship races.

The crash test family is growing, in the virtual world that is. Today’s crash test dummies made of rubber and steel will soon be joined by next-generation Human Body Models (HBMs) designed with precise detail, but living only in the world of computer-generated virtual reality. The HBMs were created through the Global Human Body Models Consortium, LLC (GHBMC), established in 2006, by a group of nine automotive manufacturers and two automotive system suppliers.

These next-generation HBMs are intended to help simulate human responses in automobile crashes. The HBMs will help researchers better predict the effect of trauma on the body than they have traditionally been able to do with crash test dummies. The new HBMs will even contain detailed representation of the bones and soft tissues of the human body, with special attention being directed to those parts that are frequently injured in vehicle crashes. Such advanced HBMs will support computer simulations such as virtual crash tests to help better understand human reactions and to improve automotive safety globally.

The GHBMC is composed of Chrysler LLC, Ford Motor Co., General Motors Corp., Honda R&D Co., Ltd., Hyundai Motor Co., Nissan Motor Co., Ltd., Renault s.a.s., PSA Peugeot-Citroën, Takata Corp., Toyota Motor Corporation and TRW Automotive Holdings Corp. The mission of the GHBMC is to create the world’s most detailed computer models of the human body. Following an in-depth request to more than 40 top research institutions, the GHBMC has now selected six teams made up of universities and research institutions from across the globe to collaborate with each other and GHBMC’s members on this project. Six Centers of Expertise (COEs) have been formed and include a full body integration center together with five body region centers: head, neck, thorax/upper extremities, abdomen, and pelvis/lower extremities.

The GHBMC brings together research leaders in the field of injury biomechanics and computer modeling, collaborating to create models of the human to be recognized globally as being world standards for injury prediction. Additionally, the use of HBMs will enable better prediction of traumatic injury at detailed levels.

]]> http://www.mustangperformanceblog.com/crash-test-dummies-to-welcome-virtual-relatives/feed/ http://www.mustangperformanceblog.com/ford%e2%80%99s-new-mykey-system-helps-teens-drive-safer-conserve-fuel-gives-parents-peace-of-mind/ http://www.mustangperformanceblog.com/ford%e2%80%99s-new-mykey-system-helps-teens-drive-safer-conserve-fuel-gives-parents-peace-of-mind/#comments Mon, 06 Oct 2008 16:15:37 +0000 Chris http://www.mustangperformanceblog.com/?p=97

Ford Motor Company is introducing an innovative new technology – called MyKey – designed to help parents encourage their teen-agers to drive safer and more fuel efficiently, and increase safety-belt usage.

Ford’s MyKey feature – which debuts next year as standard equipment on the 2010 Focus coupe and will quickly become standard on many other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models – allows owners to program a key that can limit the vehicle’s top speed and audio volume.  MyKey also encourages safety-belt usage, provides earlier low-fuel warnings and can be programmed to sound chimes at 45, 55 and 65 miles per hour.

“Ford not only offers industry-leading crash protection and crash avoidance systems, we also are committed to developing new technologies such as MyKey that encourage safer driving behavior,” said Susan Cischke, Ford group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.  ”MyKey can help promote safer driving, particularly among teens, by encouraging seat belt use, limiting speed and reducing distractions.”

MyKey is appealing to parents of teen drivers, including 75 percent who like the speed-limiting feature, 72 percent who like the more insistent safety-belt reminder, and 63 percent who like the audio limit feature, according to a recent Harris Interactive Survey conducted for Ford.

About 50 percent of those who would consider purchasing MyKey also said they would allow their children to use the family vehicle more often if it were equipped with the new technology.  The added seat time can help teens build their driving skills in a more controlled setting, complementing graduated licensing laws that give young drivers more driving freedom as they get older.

More than half of parents surveyed worry that their teen-age children are driving at unsafe speeds, talking on hand-held cell phones or texting while driving, or otherwise driving distracted.  More than a third of parents also are concerned that their teens do not always buckle their safety belts when driving.

According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), teens are more likely to take risks such as speeding – a contributing factor in 30 percent of all fatal crashes. Teens also are less likely to wear safety belts than older drivers.

Teens surveyed by Harris said they are largely open to MyKey if it means they will have more freedom to drive.  Initially, 67 percent of teens polled said they wouldn’t want MyKey features.  However, if using MyKey would lead to greater driving privileges, only 36 percent would object to the technology.

“We’ve upgraded an existing, proven technology – the SecuriLock passive anti-theft system – with some simple software upgrades to develop a new unique feature that we believe will resonate with customers,” said Jim Buczkowski, director, Electrical and Electronic Systems Engineering – the same team that developed SYNC in partnership with Microsoft.  ”We also developed MyKey’s functions in such a way to quickly spread it across multiple vehicle lines, giving us the ability to go mass market in the spirit of other Ford innovations such as safety belts, stability control and SYNC.”

Holding the key

The MyKey system allows the parent to program any key through the vehicle message center, which updates the SecuriLock™ passive anti-theft system.  When the MyKey is inserted into the ignition, the system reads the transponder chip in the key and immediately identifies the MyKey code, which enables certain default driving modes, including:

• Persistent Ford Beltminder™ with audio mute.  Ford’s Beltminder system typically provides a six-second reminder chime every minute for five minutes.  With MyKey, the Beltminder chime continues at the regular interval and the audio system is muted until the safety belt is buckled. A message center display “Buckle Up to Unmute Radio” also appears on the instrument cluster.
• Earlier low-fuel warning.  Rather than a warning at 50 miles to empty, MyKey provides a warning at 75 miles to empty.
• If MyKey is in the ignition, features such as Park Aid and BLISTM (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert cannot be deactivated.

Additional MyKey features that can be programmed through the vehicle’s message center setup menu:

• Limited top speed of 80 mph
• Traction control system, that limits tire spin, cannot be deactivated
• Limited audio volume to 44 percent of total volume
• A speed alert chime at 45, 55 or 65 mph

Using MyKey to teach teens to avoid speeding can provide an added benefit – improved fuel economy.  Ford research shows that driving 55 mph instead of 65 mph consumes 15 percent less fuel, and mastering other eco-driving habits such as avoiding jackrabbit starts and excessive idling can help improve fuel economy by more than 50 percent.

Safety is the key

MyKey is just one way that Ford is helping teens drive more safely. Ford Motor Company Fund’s Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) program helps young motorists master four critical driving skills – hazard recognition, vehicle handling, space management, and speed management – that help address the majority of dangerous driving conditions. More than 3,000 teens have participated in DSFL ride-and-drive events. And more than 500,000 people have used the training course since 2003 on www.drivingskillsforlife.com.

This week’s 2010 Mustang teaser photo shows us the hood and fender lines along with a side mirror in the distance.

Ford’s description of the teaser photos: A sportier, more-aggressive front grille and fascia lead the 2010 Mustang down the road. Slimmer headlamps that integrate the turn indicators are incorporated in a larger grille that expresses power and performance. Large twin fog lamps on the GT model further emphasize Mustang’s muscle-car DNA, which takes on a stealthy persona for the GT with dark headlamp bezels and grille surrounds. Also on the GT, the pony badge is finished in dark chrome for the first time. The pony itself received a makeover and is a more chiseled and defined interpretation of the American icon, galloping proudly on the front grille.

“We want people to unequivocally know this is a Mustang when they see it,” said Douglas Gaffka, Chief Designer, 2010 Mustang. “The stronger, more-muscular front end of the 2010 Mustang does just that.”

Brute strength can be beautiful as well, however. The sculpted, flowing lines convey style and grace as well as raw power, underscoring Mustang’s continuing mantra of Fast, Fun and Affordable.

“The 2010 Mustang has a sculpted, crafted look,” said George Saridakis, Design Manager, 2010 Mustang. “The flowing lines are in keeping with Mustang’s heritage and DNA. It conveys the sense and attitude of power and performance.”

The first volume production example of the new Ford Ka rolled off the production line at a special ceremony today in Tychy, Poland, 12 years after the original Ka was launched to great acclaim.

Polish Deputy Prime Minister Waldemar Pawlak was guest of honour at the ceremony.

With sales due to begin across Europe from early next year, the new Ka will be fully revealed to the public at the Paris Motor Show next week.

The new Ka is the result of a joint vehicle development and production co-operation agreement between Ford and Fiat.

While it shares some components with the Fiat 500, which is also built in the Tychy plant, both vehicles look completely different and are true to the individual brands’ identities.

The new Ka is unmistakably a Ford. It captures the same youthful and cheeky spirit of the model it replaces and retains all of the qualities which made the Ka so popular – its compact size, great looks, lively dynamics and fun personality – but presents them in a fresh new package.

Ford designers have given the new Ka a fashionable, modern appearance based around the company’s ‘kinetic design’ form language. A number of visual cues provide a connection to the original Ka, but with its distinctive face and chunky proportions the new model has its own unique character.

“It was three years ago that we reached agreement with Fiat to produce the new Ka here in Tychy,” explained Ian Slater, vice-president communications and public affairs, Ford of Europe. “One of the strengths of this co-operation has been that both parties wanted to produce vehicles which would be very different in looks and character. I’m satisfied that in doing so, we’ve set up a ‘win-win’ opportunity for both companies.”

Annual production of Ford Ka will be 120,000 units a year.

The introduction of the Ka to Tychy has resulted in 1,000 extra jobs being created in the plant and many more among locally-based suppliers.

Ford investment in the project amounted to 210 million Euros. A new paint shop represents the biggest single investment. Using water-based paint and very low levels of solvent, it is a state of the art, environmentally friendly, facility.

Throughout its 12-year life the Ka has remained tremendously popular among small-car buyers, inspiring fierce loyalty from its owners. In total, Ka production has exceeded 1.4 million vehicles.

With the introduction of the new Ka, Ford of Europe will have changed its entire car range in record time. In 2008 alone, the company has brought more than 20 new and improved models to market.

The new Ka will also feature from November in the highly-anticipated new James Bond adventure, ‘Quantum of Solace’. The car will make its screen debut being driven by Camille, the film’s beautiful leading lady played by Olga Kurylenko.

Recent spy photos of a Grabber Blue 2010 Mustang tell us Ford will be bringing back this iconic color for another run.  The Grabber series of colors began in 1970 with just three, Grabber Blue, Grabber Orange and Grabber Green.  In 1971 Grabber Yellow and Grabber Lime were added to the mix, by 1972 Grabber Blue was the only one left and for some reason it’s run ended there and so did the Grabber series. With Grabber Orange already in the mix and Grabber Blue coming back what other Grabber colors do you think Ford has in mind, Lime or Green might be a good choice.  Like everybody else, we will have to wait and see.

I mean there are obvious differences, but give me a break, there’s almost 20 years of design difference between the two. And there’s a vast difference between my 12mm wide angle lens mounted on a Digital SLR camera and the lens built into my 4 year old cell phone… But you can see some similarities in the boxy front, can’t you?

I’m thinking Ford should have just gone the way of the Mustang and branded the new “Flex” as a retro-fied Explorer.

Just my 2 cents on hump day.

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Ford Press Release:

Customers can take their pick from a baker’s dozen of 2009 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles and experience the ultimate in in-car navigation.

Ford’s next-generation navigation system debuted on the Ford Flex and Lincoln MKS this summer. The advanced navigation system will now being offered in 11 other 2009 models, including the all-new Ford F-150, Expedition, Escape, Edge, Explorer, Super Duty, and Econoline; the Mercury Mariner and Mountaineer; and the Lincoln MKX and Navigator.

“Ford’s goal is to lead the industry into a new era of in-vehicle connectivity,” said Jim Buczkowski, director of Ford’s Electrical and Electronic Systems Engineering. “We’re accomplishing that by incorporating the best technology solutions from companies like Xanavi, Gracenote and SIRIUS®, connecting customers to the devices and information they need and bringing it to life through the latest in navigation technology.”

Next-generation navigation is loaded with a number of cool features and functions designed to provide customers a superior level of connectivity and information while on the road. The system is voice-activated and communicates with occupants using the most advanced voice-recognition software and the best text-to-speech voices in the industry.

“Ford’s next-generation navigation contains the largest text-to-speech engine of any automobile manufacturer today and any known planned system,” said Brigitte Richardson, Ford’s product development engineer for Voice Control Technology. “The quality of Ford’s navigation system’s text-to-voice voices is the best from any automobile manufacturer.”

The voice-activated next-generation navigation takes Ford’s previous award-winning navigation system to a new level of easy-to-use operation and offers a host of features such as an adjustable bird’s-eye 3-D map view and a 10GB music and photo digital jukebox.

The 3-D map has seven adjustable angles, includes a speed limit display for the area of road being travelled and provides dynamic route guidance. “The range of the system continues to expand rapidly,” said Jason Johnson, product design engineer, Ford Navigation Systems Engineering. “We have added digital map database coverage for Mexico, complementing existing databases for Canada, the U.S. Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, Hawaii, and Alaska.”

Gracenote, an industry leader in media databases, is the engine behind the jukebox capability of next-generation navigation and delivered an industry-first interface to Ford, one that combined for the first time Gracenote’s voice control, playlisting and cover art offerings. “Through the use of these three technologies, Ford is dramatically improving the human-machine interface and transforming the digital music experience for drivers,” said Buczkowski.

The digital jukebox makes up 10GB of next-generation navigation’s 40GB hard drive, giving users plenty of space to make a personal footprint on the system. The jukebox can store approximately 2,400 songs and 32 images of 1.5 MB each. Users can tailor music playlists and browse music libraries via the screen or through voice activation (e.g. “Play Artist Miles Davis.”). In addition, the jukebox stores more than 700,000 licensed album cover art files for display. The 32 images can be uploaded from a CD or DVD and customers can opt to put their favorite family or vacation photo on the system’s home screen for a personal touch. (emphasis by daddyb)

Occupants can ask the system to locate the nearest ATM, hair or nail salon, car wash, local hardware store, veterinarian or campground, among many other destinations – more than 149 different categories in total. In fact, there are approximately 3.5 million points of interest stored on the hard drive.

SIRIUS® Travel Link™

Next-generation navigation connects customers to another unprecedented suite of content and services with SIRIUS Travel Link, which is offered free – along with SIRIUS Satellite Radio – for the first six months to all new next-generation navigation owners.

With a quick touch of the screen or a simple voice command, SIRIUS Travel Link connects occupants to up-to-the minute information about traffic, weather, ski conditions, gas prices, movie listings, and sports scores

Users can quickly obtain real-time gas prices at the closest stations, weather and traffic reports, movie listings and sports scores for their favorite professional teams.

SIRIUS Travel Link is exclusive to Ford Motor Company for 2009.

A New Era

Next-generation navigation was developed with Xanavi, a leader in in-vehicle information systems, along with key Ford supplier partners such as SIRIUS and Gracenote.

Since next-generation navigation is a factory-installed integrated system it works seamlessly with other Ford features and connectivity technologies, including Ford SYNC™.