Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord
2285 Diamond Blvd. Concord, CA 94520Service: (877) 408-4734
- Parts: (888) 719-2722
- Sales: (877) 890-2321
Small is Safe: Ford Fiesta Earns 2010 Top Safety Pick
- The 2011 Ford Fiesta has earned a 2010 Top Saftey Pick from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) - it is the first mini-car to do so since the introduction of a new roof strength test.
- Fiesta's energy-absorbing body structure is optimized for strength and stiffness and designed to absorb and redirect crash forces away from the passenger compartment.
- Fiesta features the most standard airbags in the mini-car segment and standard stability control - a requirement for any Top Safety Pick Vehicle.
- Ford has the most Top Safety Picks of any automaker!
Quicklane & Bob Tasca Sales Event
Thanks to all our customers, you made our sales event a Big Success! We enjoyed sharing lunch and dinner with you. Congrats to everyone who won the raffle prizes. We hope to see you again soon! Look for our Hot August Nights Event next month.
View photos of this weekend on our Facebook page.
(July 17, 2010)
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View photos of this weekend on our Facebook page.
Ford hopes free drivers ed will lead to sales
HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam - The cars idle at the starting line of an empty airfield that seems primed for racing. The engines start. And one by one, they take off - but with a steady glide rather than a screech of tires.
This is not an adrenaline-pumping driving school. But it's how Ford Motor (F) is hoping to turn a nation of bikers and walkers into safe drivers. By offering driver training, the American automaker wants to gain an edge over the competition - and increase its modest foothold in this nascent auto market.
Free driver training is "consistent with Ford's obligation to be a good corporate citizen," says Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of Asia-Pacific and Africa. But a benefit of the program is that "it provides a positive effect to the brand, and that's important."
This is not an adrenaline-pumping driving school. But it's how Ford Motor (F) is hoping to turn a nation of bikers and walkers into safe drivers. By offering driver training, the American automaker wants to gain an edge over the competition - and increase its modest foothold in this nascent auto market.
Free driver training is "consistent with Ford's obligation to be a good corporate citizen," says Joe Hinrichs, Ford president of Asia-Pacific and Africa. But a benefit of the program is that "it provides a positive effect to the brand, and that's important."
Read the full article at:
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2010-08-05-forddriving05_ST_N.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2010-08-05-forddriving05_ST_N.htm
Bob Tasca Funny Car
Starting July 14th we will have the Bob Tasca Funny Car at Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord. Stop by to have your picture taken in front of this amazing race car. Test drive a vehicle to try your luck at winning $25,000. We will also be offering a FREE BBQ Friday the 16th to Sunday the 18th and prize raffle. You could win your very own Bob Tasca Crew shirt, hat or autograph! Only at Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord July 14th - July 18th.
4th of July Sellathon
6 Days Only!
June 30th - July 5th
June 30th - July 5th
Tents are up and prices are down at Future Ford Lincoln Mercury Hyundai of Concord during The Great Future Tent Event!! New and Pre-owned vehicles are clearly priced so you can Save Thousands during this special event. Huge Factory rebates, generous trade-in allowances and big discounts make this the time to buy the car of truck of your dreams!
Top Sellers!
Congrats to our Top Sellers for the month of June, we are happy to have you on the Future Team!
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Roberto is Back!
Roberto is now Service the Hispanic Community
at Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord!
at Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord!
Resident of Walnut Creek for 31 years. Happily married and enjoying being surrounded by his grandchildren. Member of Hispanic Chamber of Commerce and very well known for delivering quality automobiles to Hispanics in Concord and surrounding communities for the past 25 years. His ties with banks and experience in automobile financing has helped many families and individuals establish credit while providing them with transportation. Wants nothing more than to, once again, establish himself and Future Ford to be the Hispanics go to place and the "go to guy" for Ford, Lincoln Mercury, Hyundai and pre- owned vehicles.
Ask for Roberto Rodriguez (925) 686-5000 x. 169
Encargado de ventas hispánico de la comunidad
Hispanic Community Sales Manager
Ask for Roberto Rodriguez (925) 686-5000 x. 169
Encargado de ventas hispánico de la comunidad
Hispanic Community Sales Manager
Small Wonder: The Fiesta Delivers
Drawing on its deep global resources in the cheap, runty econobox segment, Ford has delivered to Americans the 2011 Fiesta. To say it's a fine little car is not exactly an acute observation. It's the best-selling car in Europe and is busy putting its tiny foot on the neck of other world-wide markets. To bullet-point the matter: Under $14,000 to start; 120 horsepower and 40 mpg highway; sedan or five-door hatchback; segment-leading electronic amenities; seven airbags; built like a Russian gymnast.
Back by popular demand, the Ford Fiesta will return to U.S. streets for the 2011 model year. Rumble Seat columnist Dan Neil says the best-selling car in Europe could be very competitive with other top sellers in its segment.
The drama of the Fiesta lies all in its back story. Who built it; how did it come about; who'll buy it in the U.S.; and finally, what took so long?
As to the latter, well, frankly, you were the problem. Americans are positively erratic when it comes to small cars. Sure, when gas prices are $4.50 a gallon, buyers pour through dealership doors like it's July 14 at the Bastille, trying to get their hands on fuel-efficient cars. But as soon as fuel prices slacken, so does small-car fever.
The 2011 Ford Fiesta
This dynamic has kept American auto makers from bringing the good small cars they build and sell overseas to the U.S. market, where they figured, not unreasonably, that they would take it in the shorts. It denied carmakers the opportunity to fully realize economies of scale, since they were obliged to leave out the world's second-largest car market (behind China). It meant losing precious leverage with suppliers, and thus a slimmer margin, in a segment where margins are already slighter than Miley Cyrus lyrics.
There's history here: In the 1990s Ford attempted to sell Americans on its global-platform midsize Mondeo cars. The Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique were actually pretty decent but failed to resonate with American buyers, perhaps because the back seat was so mercilessly small and our butts are so dauntingly big. It turns out, America is hell of a place to sell cars. The clientele has peculiar tastes, including engines more powerful and thirstier than buyers want overseas; federal safety and emissions requirements are usually more stringent than required by other countries; and every variance that carmakers are obliged to make in adapting a world car to U.S. regs-a process called homologation-costs money. See above, margins, Miley Cyrus, etc.
The Fiesta's aggressive exterior styling includes oversize quad headlights.
Enter harmony. Global emissions and crash standards are merging, in a slow-moving process called harmonization. Ford execs estimate that about 80% of any Fiesta is identical to another, whether the cars are sold in São Paulo or Shenyang. Meanwhile-and this, to me, is the fascinating part-global tastes are coming together, which suggests that global cultures are as well.
Can it be that Americans, with their bare muddy feet and big straw hats, are growing less provincial?
The Ford Fiesta will soon see.
Brass tacks time: The Fiesta is a B-segment, or compact, car (160.1 inches long in five-door trim, or 173.6 inches as a sedan) over a 98.0-inch wheelbase. In the U.S. the car is powered by a hugely overachieving 1.6-liter in-line four cylinder (with variable valve timing on inlet and exhaust cams) coupled to either a five-speed manual or a very capable six-speed, dual-clutch automatic (marketed rather ridiculously as the PowerShift transmission, as if you're going to be dropping the hammer at the Gatornationals).
With the automatic, the Fiesta gets a claimed 30/40 miles per gallon, city/highway. With the manual, those numbers slip to 29/38 mpg. Both figures easily beat the presumptive favorite in the class, the Honda Fit.
The bare-bones model is the S Sedan ($13,320), while my test car for the week was a top-of-the-line SES Hatch ($17,120), in taxi yellow. I liked it so much I almost put it in my carry-on luggage for the trip home.
The five-door is a terrific-looking little car, brawny and close-coupled, with a sweeping forward thrust to the body panels and kind of crazy oversize quad headlamps drawn up over the front fenders. The SES trim level comes with proper alloy wheels; body-colored grille, mirrors and door handles; and boss-looking LED parking lights inside mirrored bumper bezels. In this segment, it's hard to build anything that doesn't look purely twee and adorable (cf., Honda Fit or Chevy Aveo), so even a trace of malice, as the Fiesta has, amounts to car-styling genius.
The U.S. marketing plan targets primarily millennials-figure, those born 1985 or after-and the Fiesta will reward these first-timers richly. Among the upscale features is a push-button start system with keyless entry; ambient lighting with a driver-selectable choice of seven colors; optional heated side-view mirrors; and standard SYNC in-car connectivity, through which you can operate your Bluetooth device by voice command. The SYNC system also can notify 911 in the event the vehicle's airbags go off (worried parents, take note). A new dimension for the SYNC system is the capacity to deliver real-time traffic updates and turn-by-turn navigation.
I used this system around Los Angeles and, while it's not the most pleasant interface-the computer voice sounds like Mrs. Krabapple of "The Simpsons"-it will talk you through whatever route you've chosen.
Rumblings
2011 FORD FIESTA SES FIVE-DOOR
Base price: $17,120
Price as tested: $18,200 (est.)
Powertrain: 1.6-liter DOHC inline four with variable valve timing;
six-speed-dual-clutch automatic transmission; front-wheel drive
Horsepower/torque: 120 at 6,350 rpm/112 pound-feet at 5,000 rpm; 0-60 mph <10 seconds
Length/weight:
160.1 inches/2,575 pounds
Wheelbase: 98 inches
Cargo capacity:
14 cubic feet (est.)
EPA fuel economy:
30/40 mpg, city/highway
A Super 'B'
The precise alchemy of the Fiesta is B-segment size and economy, plus development costs amortized world-wide, plus as much U.S.-specific content and amenities as the project directors could sneak by the bean counters. As Bob Barker might have said, the price is righteous.
European Stay-cation
If you've ever rented a small American-brand car overseas and thought, "Why can't we get this back in the States?" Well, you just did.
New Cosmopolitanism
If the Fiesta succeeds, it will suggest that American car culture has moved toward a global consensus of small fuel-efficient cars. Small world after all. Cue the mouse.
The Ford project guys are quite proud of the interior, so I waited until they left our briefing to stick my finger down my throat. The Captain Nemo-style dash console, with buttons for various car functions, is quite nice; but the tiny 4-inch orange-monochrome LCD screen looks like a vagrant Atari. The upper dash material is a rewardingly thick textured urethane. The bottom half of the dash is imported straight from Playskool. The front seats are spacious and comfortable; the rear cabin should be on Eric Holder's cruel-and-unusual list. The contents of this box are in many ways more persuasive than the box itself.
How's the Fiesta drive? Well, for starters, the powertrain refinement is excellent, the best in the class. The Nissan Versa sounds like a mandolin in a blender compared to Fiesta. The Ford can get a little tinny and loud under pressure-despite a lot of sound-abatement materials-but around town the Fiesta's cabin is notably plush.
The Ford's chassis layout is unremarkable-twist-beam rear axle and Macpherson struts up front-but it's clear from a few brisk turns on Mulholland that Ford tried very hard to keep this a European-feeling small car-stiffly sprung, lively, reactive, more about corners than straightaways. The electric steering is alert, though not really all that communicative. Stability control is standard.
Obviously, with 120 hp and 112 pound-feet of torque on board, you're not going to see God or anything. If you flat-foot the gas pedal, the PowerShift six-speed automatic will snap through the ratios just fine-figure nine seconds to 60 mph. But in hard, corner-to-corner maneuvering the gearbox can get a little confused and hesitate. The cars are equipped with a kind of gear-holding feature-a "hill descent" button that will lock out overdrive-but I would love to know why there is no paddle-shifter on this car, as there is on the Fit.
My biggest complaint is with Ford's choice of tires. The 16-inch Hankook radials on my test car were noisy, grip-less junk. Put a decent set of sneakers on this car and the handling would be transformed.
A whale of a car packed in a sardine can, the Ford Fiesta is now among the three super-cheap new cars I routinely recommend, the others being the Suzuki SX4 hatchback and the Honda Fit, with its cool flexible cargo capacity. It's an open question whether Americans have been somehow harmonized, but the Fiesta is ready to teach them a different tune.
Corrections & Amplifications
The bare-bones model of the 2011 Ford Fiesta is known as the S Sedan. A previous version of this column erroneously called it the S Coupe. Also, the top-of-the-line model is the SES Hatch. The column incorrectly called it the SES Coupe.
By Dan Neil
Wall Street Journal
Back by popular demand, the Ford Fiesta will return to U.S. streets for the 2011 model year. Rumble Seat columnist Dan Neil says the best-selling car in Europe could be very competitive with other top sellers in its segment.
The drama of the Fiesta lies all in its back story. Who built it; how did it come about; who'll buy it in the U.S.; and finally, what took so long?
As to the latter, well, frankly, you were the problem. Americans are positively erratic when it comes to small cars. Sure, when gas prices are $4.50 a gallon, buyers pour through dealership doors like it's July 14 at the Bastille, trying to get their hands on fuel-efficient cars. But as soon as fuel prices slacken, so does small-car fever.
The 2011 Ford Fiesta
This dynamic has kept American auto makers from bringing the good small cars they build and sell overseas to the U.S. market, where they figured, not unreasonably, that they would take it in the shorts. It denied carmakers the opportunity to fully realize economies of scale, since they were obliged to leave out the world's second-largest car market (behind China). It meant losing precious leverage with suppliers, and thus a slimmer margin, in a segment where margins are already slighter than Miley Cyrus lyrics.
There's history here: In the 1990s Ford attempted to sell Americans on its global-platform midsize Mondeo cars. The Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique were actually pretty decent but failed to resonate with American buyers, perhaps because the back seat was so mercilessly small and our butts are so dauntingly big. It turns out, America is hell of a place to sell cars. The clientele has peculiar tastes, including engines more powerful and thirstier than buyers want overseas; federal safety and emissions requirements are usually more stringent than required by other countries; and every variance that carmakers are obliged to make in adapting a world car to U.S. regs-a process called homologation-costs money. See above, margins, Miley Cyrus, etc.
The Fiesta's aggressive exterior styling includes oversize quad headlights.
Enter harmony. Global emissions and crash standards are merging, in a slow-moving process called harmonization. Ford execs estimate that about 80% of any Fiesta is identical to another, whether the cars are sold in São Paulo or Shenyang. Meanwhile-and this, to me, is the fascinating part-global tastes are coming together, which suggests that global cultures are as well.
Can it be that Americans, with their bare muddy feet and big straw hats, are growing less provincial?
The Ford Fiesta will soon see.
Brass tacks time: The Fiesta is a B-segment, or compact, car (160.1 inches long in five-door trim, or 173.6 inches as a sedan) over a 98.0-inch wheelbase. In the U.S. the car is powered by a hugely overachieving 1.6-liter in-line four cylinder (with variable valve timing on inlet and exhaust cams) coupled to either a five-speed manual or a very capable six-speed, dual-clutch automatic (marketed rather ridiculously as the PowerShift transmission, as if you're going to be dropping the hammer at the Gatornationals).
With the automatic, the Fiesta gets a claimed 30/40 miles per gallon, city/highway. With the manual, those numbers slip to 29/38 mpg. Both figures easily beat the presumptive favorite in the class, the Honda Fit.
The bare-bones model is the S Sedan ($13,320), while my test car for the week was a top-of-the-line SES Hatch ($17,120), in taxi yellow. I liked it so much I almost put it in my carry-on luggage for the trip home.
The five-door is a terrific-looking little car, brawny and close-coupled, with a sweeping forward thrust to the body panels and kind of crazy oversize quad headlamps drawn up over the front fenders. The SES trim level comes with proper alloy wheels; body-colored grille, mirrors and door handles; and boss-looking LED parking lights inside mirrored bumper bezels. In this segment, it's hard to build anything that doesn't look purely twee and adorable (cf., Honda Fit or Chevy Aveo), so even a trace of malice, as the Fiesta has, amounts to car-styling genius.
The U.S. marketing plan targets primarily millennials-figure, those born 1985 or after-and the Fiesta will reward these first-timers richly. Among the upscale features is a push-button start system with keyless entry; ambient lighting with a driver-selectable choice of seven colors; optional heated side-view mirrors; and standard SYNC in-car connectivity, through which you can operate your Bluetooth device by voice command. The SYNC system also can notify 911 in the event the vehicle's airbags go off (worried parents, take note). A new dimension for the SYNC system is the capacity to deliver real-time traffic updates and turn-by-turn navigation.
I used this system around Los Angeles and, while it's not the most pleasant interface-the computer voice sounds like Mrs. Krabapple of "The Simpsons"-it will talk you through whatever route you've chosen.
Rumblings
2011 FORD FIESTA SES FIVE-DOOR
Base price: $17,120
Price as tested: $18,200 (est.)
Powertrain: 1.6-liter DOHC inline four with variable valve timing;
six-speed-dual-clutch automatic transmission; front-wheel drive
Horsepower/torque: 120 at 6,350 rpm/112 pound-feet at 5,000 rpm; 0-60 mph <10 seconds
Length/weight:
160.1 inches/2,575 pounds
Wheelbase: 98 inches
Cargo capacity:
14 cubic feet (est.)
EPA fuel economy:
30/40 mpg, city/highway
A Super 'B'
The precise alchemy of the Fiesta is B-segment size and economy, plus development costs amortized world-wide, plus as much U.S.-specific content and amenities as the project directors could sneak by the bean counters. As Bob Barker might have said, the price is righteous.
European Stay-cation
If you've ever rented a small American-brand car overseas and thought, "Why can't we get this back in the States?" Well, you just did.
New Cosmopolitanism
If the Fiesta succeeds, it will suggest that American car culture has moved toward a global consensus of small fuel-efficient cars. Small world after all. Cue the mouse.
The Ford project guys are quite proud of the interior, so I waited until they left our briefing to stick my finger down my throat. The Captain Nemo-style dash console, with buttons for various car functions, is quite nice; but the tiny 4-inch orange-monochrome LCD screen looks like a vagrant Atari. The upper dash material is a rewardingly thick textured urethane. The bottom half of the dash is imported straight from Playskool. The front seats are spacious and comfortable; the rear cabin should be on Eric Holder's cruel-and-unusual list. The contents of this box are in many ways more persuasive than the box itself.
How's the Fiesta drive? Well, for starters, the powertrain refinement is excellent, the best in the class. The Nissan Versa sounds like a mandolin in a blender compared to Fiesta. The Ford can get a little tinny and loud under pressure-despite a lot of sound-abatement materials-but around town the Fiesta's cabin is notably plush.
The Ford's chassis layout is unremarkable-twist-beam rear axle and Macpherson struts up front-but it's clear from a few brisk turns on Mulholland that Ford tried very hard to keep this a European-feeling small car-stiffly sprung, lively, reactive, more about corners than straightaways. The electric steering is alert, though not really all that communicative. Stability control is standard.
Obviously, with 120 hp and 112 pound-feet of torque on board, you're not going to see God or anything. If you flat-foot the gas pedal, the PowerShift six-speed automatic will snap through the ratios just fine-figure nine seconds to 60 mph. But in hard, corner-to-corner maneuvering the gearbox can get a little confused and hesitate. The cars are equipped with a kind of gear-holding feature-a "hill descent" button that will lock out overdrive-but I would love to know why there is no paddle-shifter on this car, as there is on the Fit.
My biggest complaint is with Ford's choice of tires. The 16-inch Hankook radials on my test car were noisy, grip-less junk. Put a decent set of sneakers on this car and the handling would be transformed.
A whale of a car packed in a sardine can, the Ford Fiesta is now among the three super-cheap new cars I routinely recommend, the others being the Suzuki SX4 hatchback and the Honda Fit, with its cool flexible cargo capacity. It's an open question whether Americans have been somehow harmonized, but the Fiesta is ready to teach them a different tune.
Corrections & Amplifications
The bare-bones model of the 2011 Ford Fiesta is known as the S Sedan. A previous version of this column erroneously called it the S Coupe. Also, the top-of-the-line model is the SES Hatch. The column incorrectly called it the SES Coupe.
By Dan Neil
Wall Street Journal
Lincoln MKT Best Overall Road Trip Vehicle
The Lincoln MkT's appearance may be controversial -- OK, so it looks like the happiest whale in the world -- but if you've got three or more people and a long road ahead of you, there's nothing better.
For starters, "roomy" doesn't begin to describe the interior. Then you can add in options like a panoramic sunroof, refrigerator and active cruise control, which allows you to follow the car ahead without touching the gas or brake pedals. Then, when you get where you're going, it parks itself.
Price: $44,200 - $49,200
Gas mileage: 17 City / 23 Hwy
Mustang GT 5.0L V8, Legendary Thunder Returns!
The All-New, All-Powerful 5.0L V8 | Aluminum cylinder block with optimized bay-to-bay breathing | Aluminum, Hi-flow four-valve-per-cylinder heads lend volumetric efficiency | Torque-actuated Ti-VCT (twin independent variable camshaft timing) adjusts valve-train intake in microseconds | Dual-overhead- cam compact Roller-Finger Followers configured for aggressive cam-lift rates | Unique tubular exhaust headers maximize pulse separation | Forged-steel crankshaft is fully couterweighted | Nodular iron, cross-bolted main bearing caps contain up-sized bolts | Deep-sump stamped steel oil pan sustains a high range-rpm
2011 Fiesta gets 40mpgs, Certified.
Ford Fiesta has become one of the few new cars to join an exclusive fraternity. Or is it sorority? Anyway, the new subcompact is now part of the 40-mile-a-gallon club.
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With the six-speed automatic transmission, Fiesta was just certified by the Environmental Protection Agency at 40 mpg highway and 29 mpg city. The five-speed manual transmission model doesn't do quite as well: 23 city and 37 highway. Still pretty darn good, though, especially with a starting price of $13,995 when Fiesta hits showrooms this summer.
At 40 mpg, Ford boasts Fiesta is five miles a gallon better than Honda Fit and four miles a gallon better than Toyota Yaris.
"The new Fiesta is yet another car in Ford's lineup that delivers class-leading fuel economy," said Barb Samardzich, Ford's vice president of global powertrain engineering. The secret behind the Mexican-built Fiesta it's the 1.6-liter Duratec engine with with variable camshaft timing, good for 120 horsepower and that impressive mpg.
Others in the 40-mpg club are Audi A3 diesel, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Honda Civic, Honda Insight, Mercury Milan Hybrid, Smart ForTwo, Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Golf diesel and Volkswagen Golf diesel. All get at least 40 mpg on the highway.
At 40 mpg, Ford boasts Fiesta is five miles a gallon better than Honda Fit and four miles a gallon better than Toyota Yaris.
"The new Fiesta is yet another car in Ford's lineup that delivers class-leading fuel economy," said Barb Samardzich, Ford's vice president of global powertrain engineering. The secret behind the Mexican-built Fiesta it's the 1.6-liter Duratec engine with with variable camshaft timing, good for 120 horsepower and that impressive mpg.
Others in the 40-mpg club are Audi A3 diesel, Ford Fusion Hybrid, Honda Civic, Honda Insight, Mercury Milan Hybrid, Smart ForTwo, Toyota Prius, Volkswagen Golf diesel and Volkswagen Golf diesel. All get at least 40 mpg on the highway.
e2 Employee Excellence - Todd Schear
Ford Motor Company is proud to honor our top achievers in sales, parts and service with the Employee Excellence (e2) Award. 658 outstanding dealership employees from across the nation have scored the highest in customer satisfaction, sales and training. Congratulations to our very own Todd Schear, a Service Advisor with Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord.
The Race is On . . .
Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord has won 5 out of 6 Future Cup Awards. Leading the pack in Overall Dealership, Sales, Service and Parts.
1st Place for Overall Dealership
1st Place for New Vehicle Department
1st Place for Used Vehicle Department
1st Place for Service Department
1st Place for Parts Department
To celebrate our Future Cup Awards we are having the Biggest Sale of the Year. Come down today and experience for yourself what makes Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord a leader. We not only enjoy selling cars and care about our customers and their needs, we also enjoy taking care of their vehicles once they leave our lot.
Thank
you to all our customers who made
these awards possible, without you and your support we would not be
where we are today.
College Park Golf Tournament
Future
Ford Lincoln Mercury is sponsoring College Park High School Golf Tournament May 3rd. Get a Hole-In-One and Win a
2010 Ford Focus SE. We want you to be a winner. Come down to see the new Ford Focus and all it has to offer, we will also be at the dinner to answer any questions you may have.
The College Park High School Golf Tournament will take place on Monday, May 3, 2010 to benefit the Athletic Department. Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord is proud to be a hole in one sponsor. We look forward to seeing you!
The College Park High School Golf Tournament will take place on Monday, May 3, 2010 to benefit the Athletic Department. Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord is proud to be a hole in one sponsor. We look forward to seeing you!
Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord Team up with College Park
College Park High School has teamed up with Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord in this fundraiser event to raise money for the school. Stop by and test drive one of their NEW standard Ford vehicles with absolutely no obligation to buy. For each test drive taken by a participant, $20.00 will be donated to College Park High School (up to a total of $6,000).
Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord will be supplying Brand New Ford Cars to drive, it'll only takes 300 test drives to earn $6,000! It's that simple, test drive a car and the school will get paid $20.00! There is no catch! There is absolutely no obligation on your part, other than to test drive a New Car! Who doesn't like to test drive cars? So tell all your friends and family to stop by Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord on April 23, 2010 between 3pm and 6pm! We look forward to seeing you there!
Update: 73 Families Test Drove a Ford Vehicle for College Park High School earning $1460.00 for the Athletic department!
1st Quarter Owners Dinner
Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord rolled out the red carpet on April 20, 2010 with 170 confirmed guests to our first quarter Owners Appreciation Dinner. Just as the event started the rain cleared and the sun came out, it was the perfect beginning to a wonderful evening. A special thanks to our sponsor Cooks Collision. We started the evening with dinner and laughter, we ended it with giving away 13 prizes including a 32" HD Flat Screen TV. We are honored by all our customers who chose Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord for their vehicle purchase and look forward to serving you in the Future.
View Picture of the event at: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Concord-CA/Future-Ford-LM-Hyundai-of-Concord/145975296141
Win a 2-year lease on a 2010 Ford Focus SE
The Calvary Temple Sixth Annual HonorBound Golf Tournament will take place on Friday, April 16 2010 at Lone Tree Golf Course in Antioch. The tournament will benefit the ministry of Royal Family Kids Camp. Future Ford Lincoln Mercury of Concord is proud to be a hole in one sponsor on the 17th hole. We look forward to seeing you!
Update: Thanks Folks! The Golf Tournament this year raised over $7,000 for RFKC Concord!
2011 Fiesta in hot demand - Reserve now
Blending projected best-in-class fuel economy (up to 40 hwy mpg*) and 15 available features you won't find in any other car in its class,** the all-new Fiesta aims to please. It arrives this summer. Reserve your 2011 Fiesta Now!! Now is your chance to beat the rush. | |
Win Wicked Tickets and Dinner for 2 in San Francisco!
UPDATE:
Congrats to Our Winners, Ed and Florence, We hope you enjoy the show!
Celebrate Where Ford is Going: Meet Fiesta
There's security in knowing your car company constantly has new and great things on the horizon. The latest big thing from Ford is actually rather small... but mighty. The Ford Fiesta is a huge hit in Europe, and we couldn't be more excited to offer the new U.S. version this summer.
You've Never Experienced Anything Like It.
The 2011 Ford Fiesta may be a subcompact, but it's been designed, engineered, and equipped to offer the ambience and amenities of a larger car. It has no fewer than 15 separate features not found on any other competitor, among them the PowerShift automatic transmission, the popular Sync infotainment system, a push-button starter, an adjustable steering wheel that both tilts and telescopes, and Ford's EasyFuel capless fuel filler system.
Fiesta gets the most out of every corner, thanks to the technical precision only a Ford-tuned suspension can offer. In fact, your whole driving experience is a smooth one when you combine electric power-assisted steering with the proprietary Ford invention, active nibble control. The 1.6-liter Duratec® engine - when combined with the PowerShift six-speed automatic transmission - is projected to deliver class-leading highway fuel economy of 40 mpg1. Consider this: with a 12-gallon fuel tank, you could go as far as 500 miles without ever having to stop and fill up the tank.
How often can a car company brag about the safety of a subcompact car? Ford can. Available safety features include ABS, traction control, anti-skid system, curtain side airbags, front side airbags, and a driver knee airbag.
Fiesta will heighten your anticipation of the drive and physically engage your senses. The class-exclusive 4" multi-functional LCD display screen and cell phone-inspired center console with cascading buttons are pleasing to the eyes and the touch. Available features such as front heated leather-trimmed seats, SYNC® in-car connectivity system and Intelligent Access with push-button start reinforce that Fiesta is a choice, not a compromise.
It might be hard to believe you'll get awesome and unique features, fantastic gas mileage and a good-looking car you'll be able to park just about anywhere for just over $13,0002. You have a few months to get used to the idea. In the meantime, go ahead and smile knowing your car company always has something amazing down the road.
1) SFE Package. Ford preliminary test data. Pending EPA certification. Class is Subcompact Cars vs. 2010 competitors.
2) Starting Manufacturers Suggested Retail Price, excluding destination/delivery charge, taxes, title and registration fees. Optional equipment not included.
Geely to buy Volvo from Ford for $1.8 billion
http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_14774465
STOCKHOLM-Zhejiang Geely Holding Group signed a binding deal Sunday to buy Ford Motor Co.'s Volvo Cars unit for $1.8 billion, representing a coup for the independent Chinese automaker which is aiming to expand in Europe.
The stock purchase agreement is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in the third quarter, representatives of the two automakers said as they presented the deal at a news conference at Volvo Cars headquarters in Goteborg, on Sweden's west coast.
The agreement was signed by Geely's chairman, Li Shufu and Ford Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth, and witnessed by Li Yizhong, the Chinese minister of industry and information technology, as well as Swedish Minister for Enterprise and Energy Maud Olofsson.
The transaction will be made through a $200 million note, while the remainder will be paid out in cash, Booth said at the Webcast news conference.
"We think it's a fair price for a good business, and yes, we're happy with the deal we've achieved with Geely," he said, adding that his company believes that, under Geely, "Volvo can continue to build its business and return to profitability."
The deal also covers further agreements on intellectual property rights, supply, and research and development arrangements between Volvo Cars, Geely and Ford.
Li, whose comments were translated by an interpreter, described the deal as "a milestone" for both Geely and Volvo, adding his group will make a Volvo CEO public "in due course."
In a statement, Geely said it has secured all the financing necessary to complete the deal, as well as "significant working capital facilities to fund Volvo Cars' ongoing business."
Geely said it aims to keep Volvo's existing manufacturing facilities in Sweden and Belgium, but that it will also explore manufacturing opportunities in China.
"China, the largest car market in the world, will become Volvo's second home market. Volvo will be uniquely positioned as a world-leading premium brand, tapping into the opportunities in the fast-growing China market," Li said.
Ford, which bought Volvo Cars from AB Volvo in 1999 for $6.45 billion, has been trying to sell the unit since late 2008 to focus its resources on managing its core Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands.
As Western automakers unload unprofitable assets, they are finding keen buyers in Asia.
In 2008, Ford sold its Jaguar and Land Rover brands to India's Tata Motors Ltd. for $1.7 billion, a third of what it paid for them. In addition, General Motors Co. attempted to sell its rugged Hummer brand to a Chinese heavy equipment maker, but is now winding that brand down as the deal collapsed.
China's Beijing Automotive Industry Holdings has also agreed to buy some powertrain technology from GM's Swedish Saab unit.
Geely, an independent automaker that has struggled to upgrade its image in overseas markets, has long coveted a bigger foothold in Europe and has earlier been rumored to be bidding for Opel and Saab. The long-awaited Volvo acquisition is therefor important for the company, which has gradually built its business with little government support.
Analyst Zhang Xin, with Guotai Junan Securities in Beijing, said Geely has pledged to keep Volvo's factory and business teams in Sweden after the takeover, limiting its leeway to cut costs.
"Reality is always much crueler than what people would wish. Geely wants to build itself as a new 'international Geely,' so they sought a strong foreign brand like Volvo," Zhang said.
"Geely should foresee many difficulties. How will it manage to run Volvo well? How will it deal with the factory and employees? How much more will Geely have to spend to operate Volvo?"
Volvo, whose first car left its Swedish factory in 1927, employs nearly 20,000 workers, most of them based in Sweden. The group, initially a subsidiary of ballberaing maker SKF, was listed on the stock exchange in 1935.
In 2009, it sold 334,808 cars. It currently has 10 models on the global market, with its cross-over XC60 being the best-seller. The United States, Sweden and Britain account for its three biggest markets.
---
AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach in Shanghai contributed to this report.
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STOCKHOLM-Zhejiang Geely Holding Group signed a binding deal Sunday to buy Ford Motor Co.'s Volvo Cars unit for $1.8 billion, representing a coup for the independent Chinese automaker which is aiming to expand in Europe.
The stock purchase agreement is subject to regulatory approvals and is expected to be completed in the third quarter, representatives of the two automakers said as they presented the deal at a news conference at Volvo Cars headquarters in Goteborg, on Sweden's west coast.
The agreement was signed by Geely's chairman, Li Shufu and Ford Chief Financial Officer Lewis Booth, and witnessed by Li Yizhong, the Chinese minister of industry and information technology, as well as Swedish Minister for Enterprise and Energy Maud Olofsson.
The transaction will be made through a $200 million note, while the remainder will be paid out in cash, Booth said at the Webcast news conference.
"We think it's a fair price for a good business, and yes, we're happy with the deal we've achieved with Geely," he said, adding that his company believes that, under Geely, "Volvo can continue to build its business and return to profitability."
The deal also covers further agreements on intellectual property rights, supply, and research and development arrangements between Volvo Cars, Geely and Ford.
Li, whose comments were translated by an interpreter, described the deal as "a milestone" for both Geely and Volvo, adding his group will make a Volvo CEO public "in due course."
In a statement, Geely said it has secured all the financing necessary to complete the deal, as well as "significant working capital facilities to fund Volvo Cars' ongoing business."
Geely said it aims to keep Volvo's existing manufacturing facilities in Sweden and Belgium, but that it will also explore manufacturing opportunities in China.
"China, the largest car market in the world, will become Volvo's second home market. Volvo will be uniquely positioned as a world-leading premium brand, tapping into the opportunities in the fast-growing China market," Li said.
Ford, which bought Volvo Cars from AB Volvo in 1999 for $6.45 billion, has been trying to sell the unit since late 2008 to focus its resources on managing its core Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands.
As Western automakers unload unprofitable assets, they are finding keen buyers in Asia.
In 2008, Ford sold its Jaguar and Land Rover brands to India's Tata Motors Ltd. for $1.7 billion, a third of what it paid for them. In addition, General Motors Co. attempted to sell its rugged Hummer brand to a Chinese heavy equipment maker, but is now winding that brand down as the deal collapsed.
China's Beijing Automotive Industry Holdings has also agreed to buy some powertrain technology from GM's Swedish Saab unit.
Geely, an independent automaker that has struggled to upgrade its image in overseas markets, has long coveted a bigger foothold in Europe and has earlier been rumored to be bidding for Opel and Saab. The long-awaited Volvo acquisition is therefor important for the company, which has gradually built its business with little government support.
Analyst Zhang Xin, with Guotai Junan Securities in Beijing, said Geely has pledged to keep Volvo's factory and business teams in Sweden after the takeover, limiting its leeway to cut costs.
"Reality is always much crueler than what people would wish. Geely wants to build itself as a new 'international Geely,' so they sought a strong foreign brand like Volvo," Zhang said.
"Geely should foresee many difficulties. How will it manage to run Volvo well? How will it deal with the factory and employees? How much more will Geely have to spend to operate Volvo?"
Volvo, whose first car left its Swedish factory in 1927, employs nearly 20,000 workers, most of them based in Sweden. The group, initially a subsidiary of ballberaing maker SKF, was listed on the stock exchange in 1935.
In 2009, it sold 334,808 cars. It currently has 10 models on the global market, with its cross-over XC60 being the best-seller. The United States, Sweden and Britain account for its three biggest markets.
---
AP Business Writer Elaine Kurtenbach in Shanghai contributed to this report.
Ford, Microsoft to work on electric-car charging
DETROIT-Ford Motor Co. and Microsoft
Corp. have signed a deal to work together on a computerized link between
houses, electric cars and utility companies to help manage energy use.
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The companies said Wednesday at the New York International Auto Show that this is the beginning of a smart system that will help utilities and customers manage energy costs and electrical generating capacity.
The system would start with the all-electric Ford Focus compact car that is scheduled to go on sale late in 2011. Called "Microsoft Hohm," it will allow utilities to vary electric rates based on the time of day. A computer would determine the best time to recharge the car at the lowest cost and the least burden on the utility's generating system.
Charging an electric car can double the energy used at a home, and utilities worry about the increased burden on their power generators. But charging the cars late at night, when appliances and other big electricity users aren't working, can help manage the load.
The companies have time to work out details of exactly how the system will work, figuring out electric rates and loads on generating systems, said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's global product development chief. Microsoft already has computer nodes for home thermostats and appliances to manage electricity use, he said.
"We're doing a lot to bring vehicles to market, but there has to be a lot of other work done from both a consumer and utility perspective to make this viable and affordable," Kuzak said Wednesday in an interview.
The system eventually will lead to homeowners being able to use their cars to power home appliances and cut costs at peak electricity use times, Ford CEO Alan Mulally said Wednesday.
"As the batteries get more capable, we'll be able to store the electricity and then actually start to move the electricity around to where you really need it," he said.
Ford says the software to charge the cars will be included at no additional cost.
Ford and Microsoft are not the first to start such an effort. Many utilities and other companies have been working on "smart home" technology for several years.
In 2008, General Motors Corp. joined with more than 30 utility companies across the U.S. to help work out electric use issues when rechargeable cars start showing up in large numbers. GM plans to begin selling the Chevrolet Volt rechargeable car in late 2010.
Besides the electric Focus, Ford plans to begin selling an all-electric Transit Connect small commercial van this year. Its plans include offering a total of five new electric or gas-electric hybrid vehicles in North America and Europe by 2013.
Ford shares were down 58 cents, or 4.4 percent, to $12.70 in afternoon trading. Microsoft shares fell 30 cents to $29.47.
The Associated Press
Posted: 03/31/2010 07:50:19 AM PDT
Updated: 03/31/2010 10:53:18 AM PDT
Ford plans $250M investment in Argentina business
NEW YORK-Ford Motor Co. has announced a $250 million investment to develop and produce a new vehicle in Argentina over the next two years.
The automaker, based in Dearborn, Mich., said Wednesday that the investment will also fund upgrades and improvements at its plant in Argentina, which will manufacture the new vehicle for Ford's Latin America markets.
Ford shares fell 19 cents to $12.39 in early trading Thursday.
The Associated Press
Posted: 04/08/2010 01:50:08 PM PDT
Updated: 04/08/2010 01:50:08 PM PDT
http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_14846096
(This version CORRECTS Ford headquarters to Dearborn, Mich.)
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The automaker, based in Dearborn, Mich., said Wednesday that the investment will also fund upgrades and improvements at its plant in Argentina, which will manufacture the new vehicle for Ford's Latin America markets.
Ford shares fell 19 cents to $12.39 in early trading Thursday.
The Associated Press
Posted: 04/08/2010 01:50:08 PM PDT
Updated: 04/08/2010 01:50:08 PM PDT
http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_14846096
(This version CORRECTS Ford headquarters to Dearborn, Mich.)
Ford debuts new traction control in 2011 Explorer
DETROIT-Ford Motor Co. says its 2011 Ford Explorer will have a control system that lets drivers select how much traction they want based on road conditions. Using a dial in the center of the console, drivers can select one of four modes: Normal roads, muddy or rutted roads, snowy roads or sand. The SUV then adjusts the engine, transmission, brakes, wheel rotation speed and other systems.If a driver sets the dial to snow, for example, the Explorer will engage traction control, use more braking and slow down the wheels. In sand, it will do the opposite, since the wheels need to keep spinning. The new system will come standard on all four-wheel-drive models of the 2011 Explorer, which goes on sale at the end of this year. Drivers were confused by the current Explorer's Control Trac system, which allowed them to switch to high or low traction or stay in automatic, said Jim Holland, the 2011 Explorer's chief engineer. The new system replaces Control Trac and brings together some functions that were previously separate. In the current Explorer, for example, drivers who wanted to go over sand could turn off their anti-lock brakes for a better ride, but most didn't know that. The new system does that automatically. A similar system is already available in two Land Rovers, the LR2 and LR4, said Holland. Ford helped develop the system before it sold Land Rover to Tata Motors Ltd. in 2008. He said other manufacturers are working on similar traction controls. Holland said Explorer drivers don't leave the road very often, but when they do, they don't want to adjust a lot of buttons. "People ... want an SUV to have the capability to go off road, but because they don't do it a lot, they don't know how," Holland told The Associated Press in a recent interview. "We just want them to feel capable." The switch will have all the options on one side so drivers don't have to twist their wrists very far to change modes. A screen in the instrument cluster will show which mode drivers are in. In the middle of the dial, there will be a button to start a hill descent system, which applies the brakes and controls the engine. That system, borrowed from Ford's F-Series pickup, also is new to the Explorer.
Ford hasn't revealed fuel economy numbers for the 2011 Explorer, but has said that a four-wheel-drive model with a V-6 engine will have at least 25 percent better fuel economy than the 2010 version. The new system is smaller and has lighter gears, Holland said, making the SUV more efficient. It's also built on a car instead of a truck frame, which improves fuel economy. Around half of Explorer buyers now get the four-wheel-drive version, although demand varies by region, said Holland.
By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Auto
WriterPosted: 04/14/2010 09:20:12 AM P
DTUpdated: 04/14/2010 09:20:12 AM PDT
http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_14881805
Ford hasn't revealed fuel economy numbers for the 2011 Explorer, but has said that a four-wheel-drive model with a V-6 engine will have at least 25 percent better fuel economy than the 2010 version. The new system is smaller and has lighter gears, Holland said, making the SUV more efficient. It's also built on a car instead of a truck frame, which improves fuel economy. Around half of Explorer buyers now get the four-wheel-drive version, although demand varies by region, said Holland.
By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Auto
WriterPosted: 04/14/2010 09:20:12 AM P
DTUpdated: 04/14/2010 09:20:12 AM PDT
http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_14881805
Ford Americas chief says 1Q revenues, demand up
DETROIT-Ford Motor Co.'s revenues rose in the first quarter thanks to strong U.S. demand for cars and trucks, Ford's Americas President Mark Fields said Tuesday.
Fields didn't provide numbers, which are expected to be released later this month. But it was more good news for the automaker, which is expected to report its fourth consecutive quarterly profit in the first quarter. Ford has benefited from Toyota's recall woes as well as consumer goodwill because it didn't take federal bailout money, as General Motors and Chrysler did.
Ford's U.S. sales jumped 37 percent in the first three months of this year, more than double the industry increase of 15 percent. Only Subaru and Volkswagen had higher gains. Ford's year-over-year U.S. market share gain for the quarter, at 2.7 percentage points, was the largest gain since 1977, when results were skewed by a strike.
"I did some research. 'Saturday Night Fever' was just being launched in theaters, along with 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind.' So it's been a long time," Fields told reporters at an industry breakfast in Detroit.
Ford saw market share increases across the Ford brand, according to George Pipas, Ford's top U.S. sales analyst. The F-Series truck now holds 38.5 percent of the U.S. market, up from 33.2 percent in the first quarter last year. Sales of the Ford Fusion midsize sedan jumped 81 percent in the quarter. Sales of the new Transit Connect commercial van also were strong.
Fields said incentive spending was down for the quarter despite pressure from Toyota Motor Co., which launched its biggest incentive program ever in March after recalling millions of vehicles for safety problems. Incentives can temporarily boost sales but eat into profits. Auto information site Edmunds.com said Ford's incentives dropped around $300 in March even as Toyota's rose by $700.
Ford's Mercury and Lincoln brands held on to their market share, but didn't see increases. Pipas said the company put most of its marketing resources behind the Ford brand during the economic downturn.
"If we were going to fix the business, we had to fix the Ford brand, because that's where we had the best chance of getting a return," he said. "Now it's up to us to make progress, now that we're not thinking about where our next meal is going to come from."
Pipas said the results likely won't be repeated in subsequent quarters. Ford's sales to government, commercial and rental-car fleets shot up 80 percent in the first quarter after largely disappearing during the economic downturn in the first quarter of 2009. Industry wide fleet sales rose 47 percent in the quarter, he said.
Pipas said fleet sales had begun to recover by the second quarter of last year, so comparisons won't be as dramatic for the rest of this year.
But Pipas said that Ford was strong even without its fleet sales. Retail sales to individual customers rose 21 percent, compared with an industry wide retail sales increase of 8 percent.
Ford shares were unchanged $12.77 in early afternoon trading.
By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Auto Writer
Posted: 04/13/2010 09:17:30 AM PDT
Updated: 04/13/2010 10:15:39 AM PDT
http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_14874411?nclick_check=1
Fields didn't provide numbers, which are expected to be released later this month. But it was more good news for the automaker, which is expected to report its fourth consecutive quarterly profit in the first quarter. Ford has benefited from Toyota's recall woes as well as consumer goodwill because it didn't take federal bailout money, as General Motors and Chrysler did.
Ford's U.S. sales jumped 37 percent in the first three months of this year, more than double the industry increase of 15 percent. Only Subaru and Volkswagen had higher gains. Ford's year-over-year U.S. market share gain for the quarter, at 2.7 percentage points, was the largest gain since 1977, when results were skewed by a strike.
"I did some research. 'Saturday Night Fever' was just being launched in theaters, along with 'Close Encounters of the Third Kind.' So it's been a long time," Fields told reporters at an industry breakfast in Detroit.
Ford saw market share increases across the Ford brand, according to George Pipas, Ford's top U.S. sales analyst. The F-Series truck now holds 38.5 percent of the U.S. market, up from 33.2 percent in the first quarter last year. Sales of the Ford Fusion midsize sedan jumped 81 percent in the quarter. Sales of the new Transit Connect commercial van also were strong.
Fields said incentive spending was down for the quarter despite pressure from Toyota Motor Co., which launched its biggest incentive program ever in March after recalling millions of vehicles for safety problems. Incentives can temporarily boost sales but eat into profits. Auto information site Edmunds.com said Ford's incentives dropped around $300 in March even as Toyota's rose by $700.
Ford's Mercury and Lincoln brands held on to their market share, but didn't see increases. Pipas said the company put most of its marketing resources behind the Ford brand during the economic downturn.
"If we were going to fix the business, we had to fix the Ford brand, because that's where we had the best chance of getting a return," he said. "Now it's up to us to make progress, now that we're not thinking about where our next meal is going to come from."
Pipas said the results likely won't be repeated in subsequent quarters. Ford's sales to government, commercial and rental-car fleets shot up 80 percent in the first quarter after largely disappearing during the economic downturn in the first quarter of 2009. Industry wide fleet sales rose 47 percent in the quarter, he said.
Pipas said fleet sales had begun to recover by the second quarter of last year, so comparisons won't be as dramatic for the rest of this year.
But Pipas said that Ford was strong even without its fleet sales. Retail sales to individual customers rose 21 percent, compared with an industry wide retail sales increase of 8 percent.
Ford shares were unchanged $12.77 in early afternoon trading.
By DEE-ANN DURBIN AP Auto Writer
Posted: 04/13/2010 09:17:30 AM PDT
Updated: 04/13/2010 10:15:39 AM PDT
http://www.contracostatimes.com/search/ci_14874411?nclick_check=1
2010 Fusion+Hybrid
We speak car. And we've got people talking. The 2010 Fusion+Hybrid out did 23 contenders, including Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, BMW 7 series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class, to win the ultimate title: Motor Trend's 2010 Car of the Year.®
See why it won
See why it won
Coat Drive
Read about Future Ford of Concord's recent Coat
Drive to help out the East
Bay Agency for Children (EBAC) and Concord Community.
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