Ford leads all automakers with most 'Top Safety Picks' |
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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) named the 2009 Ford Flex and Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKS and Mercury Milan as "Top Safety Picks."
No other automaker has as many "Top Safety Pick" awards as Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company
, which tops the industry with 16.
The body structure on the automaker's newest models features ultra high-strength boron steel in the B-pillar for added protection in side impacts.
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates, November 8, 2008 - Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company
has earned more "Top Safety Pick" ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) than any other automaker with a total of 16 to date. FordFord surpassed its closest rival Honda this week when four of its 2009 models - Ford Flex, Ford Fusion, Lincoln MKS and Mercury Milan - achieved "Top Safety Pick" ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS).
The Flex, FordFord's all-new head-turning crossover, the new Lincoln MKS full-size flagship sedan and the Fusion and Milan midsize sedans build on the company's safety leadership. FordFord also has more 5-star government crash test ratings than any other automaker.
"Leading the industry in 'Top Safety Picks' is great news, because IIHS tests are some of the most demanding conducted outside of our own laboratories, and customers are increasingly relying on them when choosing a new vehicle," said Susan Cischke, FordFord's group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.
To earn IIHS's "Top Safety Pick," vehicles must earn the top "good" ratings in the institute's high-speed front and side crash tests, and a rear crash test simulation that evaluates seat and head restraints. An added requirement since 2007 is that vehicles also must offer electronic stability control.
Flex, MKS, Fusion and Milan excelled in each of the institute's crash tests, and AdvanceTrac® electronic stability control is available for each vehicle. The safety system uses sensors to detect and measure yaw, or side-to-side skidding conditions, by monitoring the vehicle's speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle. When AdvanceTrac® senses wheel slip, engine torque is reduced and braking is applied where needed to help the driver keep the car tracking on its intended path. IIHS has stated that "AdvanceTrac significantly reduces crash risk by helping drivers maintain control of their vehicles during emergency maneuvers."
IIHS said "Top Safety Pick" vehicles are "at the head of the class for safety," and recognizing them as such "helps consumers distinguish the best overall choices without having to sort through multiple test results."
Structural Strength Is a Safety Fundamental
Flex, MKS, Fusion and Milan get some of their core strength from the use of lightweight aluminum-coated boron steel - one of the strongest weld-able materials - in the body structure. The use of high-strength steel in the B-pillars is only part of their robust safety profile. FordFord engineers also located the side door intrusion beams to help manage and absorb energy during side impact crashes.
"Flex and MKS are built on a platform that has a tremendous safety heritage - one that it shares with the 2009 Ford Taurus, rated America's safest full-size car," said Steve Kozak, FordFord's chief engineer for safety systems. "And Fusion and Milan prove that a high level of safety can come in a midsize package."
In addition to electronic stability control and anti-lock brakes, standard safety features on Flex, MKS, Fusion and Milan include:
• Six Standard Air Bags and FordFord's Personal Safety System®: Safety features include six air bags (dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags, thorax side air bags for front-seat occupants and side-impact air curtains), safety belt pretensioners, seat weight-sensing system for the front passenger seat and crash-severity sensing.
• FordFord's BeltMinder®, a safety belt reminder technology for the driver and front passenger that takes over after the initial safety belt reminder stops chiming.
• LATCH: The Lower Anchors and Tethers for CHildren system provides convenient mounting points for compatible child seats.
• Tire Pressure Monitoring System: This system warns a driver if one or more tires are underinflated. An active pressure sensor with a radio transmitter is mounted inside each tire. A receiver in the vehicle monitors each transmitter, and if tire pressure is not within specific limits, it will activate a visual warning light.
Other key safety features on select models include:
• Adaptive Collapsible Steering Column - In an impact, the column will collapse, dependent on the weight and belted status of the driver.
• Safety Canopy® - FordFord's exclusive side impact protection system features side curtain air bags that help protect front and rear outboard passengers in both rollovers and side impact crashes.
"Safety is a top purchase consideration, second only to fuel efficiency, so the top safety ratings and competitive fuel economy of Flex, MKS, Fusion and Milan are a winning combination," said Michael Crowley, North America car and crossover marketing manager, Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company.
-Ends-
About FordFord Motor Company
Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 228,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include FordFord, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through FordFord Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding FordFord's products, please visit www.ford.com.
Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company's history in the Middle East goes back to nearly 60 years. The company's local importer-dealers operate more than 55 facilities in the region and directly employ over 4,000 people, the majority of whom are Arab Nationals. For more information on FordFord Middle East, please visit www.me.ford.com
FordFord Middle East is also a responsible corporate citizen in the region, with the Ford Motor CompanyFord Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants, a grass-root level program that has offered nearly USD700,000 in grants to about 90 Middle Eastern environmental projects since 2000. For more information, please visit www.ford-environmentalgrants.com
Chloe Martinez
Asda'a
971-50-544-8536
971-4-335-5969
c.c.martinez@asdaa.com
Rami Halawani
Asda'a
971-50-655-8750
971-4-335-5969
r.halawani@asdaa.com
Sue Nigoghossian
FordFord Middle East Public Affairs
971-50-454-3640
971-4-3327767
snigogho@ford.com
© Press Release 2008
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