Friday, March 30, 2012
Visit Ford Fairfield and take advantage of impressive pre-owned specials
Wednesday, March 28, 2012
Check out great pre-owned vehicles at Ford Fairfield
Tuesday, March 27, 2012
Ford's Flex and Taurus get a facelift for 2013
Two key products in Ford's portfolio have been given mid-cycle freshening for 2013. The full-sized Taurus sedan and the Oakville-built Flex crossover sport new looks front and rear, while tweaks have been made under the skin that enhance their driveability.
The Flex has a sleek, more rounded look, with a new grille that’s missing Ford’s trademark blue oval. The only badging on the front of the car is the word “FLEX” spelled out boldly across the leading edge of the hood. It’s mildly reminiscent of the labelling on Ford’s heavy-duty trucks. Ford officials say the absence of the Ford badge was strictly a design decision to give the vehicle a cleaner look. In fact, if a buyer doesn’t like the Flex label on the nose, dealers have a special kit to remove the lettering, cleaning up the front end even more.
In back, a pair of chrome-tipped exhaust pipes peeks out beneath the rear fascia, while changes to the interior of this seven-passenger vehicle include new seat trim and a revamped instrument cluster. The upgraded MyFord Touch system is available, implementing software changes that make this technology more user friendly. (In fact, all Canadian owners of vehicles with the previous-generation MyFord Touch system will be receiving by mail free USB sticks in the next few weeks that will upgrade their system to this latest version, as well as updating the navigation system.)
Considerable attention has been given to reducing the interior noise level of the 2013 Flex, with additional insulation and baffling. The result is a vehicle that’s extremely quiet on the road, regardless of speed or road surfaces. In a morning of driving in the mountainous areas north of here, I found there was minimal intrusion of road noise, while wind noise was almost nonexistent.
Changes have also been made to the brakes, suspension and steering. During the drive, I couldn’t help but be impressed with the almost nimble feeling the Flex demonstrated on twisty secondary roads, especially considering how big this vehicle is. It cornered with minimal body roll, yet the ride was quite compliant. The seating upgrades also contributed to the high comfort level.
Visibility was not an issue with the Flex — I could see well in all directions, although a blind-spot warning system is an available part of a full suite of safety and driver assist technologies. Available inflatable seat belts in the second row are also part of the Flex’s safety features.
Improvements to the braking system, including larger front rotors and vented rear discs, produced solid, confident stops when needed.
The Flex I drove here was equipped with the base 3.5-litre V6 engine, which is more powerful and fuel efficient thanks to the addition of twin independent variable camshaft timing. This technology has boosted the power output by 20 horsepower to 285, while torque is rated at 255 pound-feet. Fuel consumption is rated at 11.8 litres per 100 kilometres in city driving and 8.0 L/100 km on the highway for the front-wheel-drive version with the six-speed Selectshift automatic transmission. The same powertrain with all-wheel drive consumes gas at a rate of 12.7 L/100 km in the city and 8.7 on the highway.
Thee Flex is also available with the 3.5L V6 EcoBoost engine. This turbocharged motor generates power equivalent to a V8’s — 355 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque — while fuel consumption is comparable with a six-cylinder with ratings of 13.1 L/100 km in the city and 8.8 on the highway. Paddle shifters for the six-speed automatic transmission and all-wheel drive are included with the EcoBoost engine package, which adds $3,900 to the price tag and is only available on Limited models.
Flex pricing starts at $30,499 for the SE with front-wheel drive plus $1,500 in shipping fees. All-wheel drive is available on the SEL ($39,099) and Limited ($44,399) trim levels.
The Taurus sedan has a new, more refined look front and rear for 2013 as well. There’s a sleek new hood, projector headlamps, a wider grille and a redesigned lower fascia that combine to give the car a wider, more aggressive stance. New LED tail lights and new wheel designs are also part of the exterior changes.
Inside, some upscale touches include cloth-wrapped windshield pillars and extensive use of soft-touch materials on the instrument panel, centre console and door panels. In addition to ensuring world-class fit and finish, attention has been given to details, such as the addition of glovebox lighting and new, improved switchgear.
Like the Flex, considerable effort has been made to reduce interior noise levels, including the addition of baffles, acoustic wheel well liners and instrument panel insulation. The Taurus I had the opportunity to drive here was the sport performance-grade SHO and its quiet cabin was truly impressive. Cruising at highway speeds, conversations could still be conducted at levels one expects only while parked.
The dynamics, too, were outstanding. While I didn’t have an opportunity to try the base sedan, the all-wheel-drive SHO was remarkable in its ability to carve through tight corners without a whimper, especially in the heavy downpours encountered during the drive. It clawed its way around switchbacks and tight curves with confidence, and when braking was required (sometimes heavy), it responding with authority.
The SHO’s sport bucket seats were amazing, firmly holding one in place, yet so comfortable and supportive in all the right places.
The heart of the SHO is its engine, a turbocharged 3.5L EcoBoost V6. It smoothly kicks out 365 hp and 350 lb-ft of torque — more than enough grunt to move this 1,916-kilogram full-sized sedan with ease, whether climbing mountains, cruising or making a pass on a two-lane road. Coupled with a six-speed Selectshift automatic transmission with sport mode and paddle shifters, it was so responsive — a true joy to drive with vigour.
The base front-wheel-drive Taurus SE gets the naturally aspirated 3.5L V6 with 288 hp (an increase of 10% over the current engine) and 254 lb-ft of torque. Its fuel consumption is rated at 10.7 L/100 km in the city and 6.9 on the highway.
The engine many are waiting anxiously to try out is the 2.0L EcoBoost four-cylinder that’s scheduled to be available in the Taurus in May. This turbocharged four-banger is reported to produce an impressive 240 hp and 270 lb-ft of torque — enough power to deliver perky performance in this family sedan while still being frugal at the gas pump. Unfortunately, it was not available on this drive program.
Pricing for the 2013 Taurus SE starts at $28,799, plus $1,500 in shipping fees. All-wheel drive is available in the SEL ($36,199) and Limited ($41,999) trim levels, while the SHO starts at $49,199.
The 2013 Flex and Taurus are now arriving at Ford dealers.
Monday, March 26, 2012
The 2012 Ford Fiesta is here at Ford Fairfield
Friday, March 23, 2012
Great featured vehicles are here at Ford Fairfield
Wednesday, March 21, 2012
Outstanding pre-owned specials are here at Ford Fairfield
Tuesday, March 20, 2012
2013 Ford Mustang makes a good impression
Ford's 2013 Mustang offers more of a refresh than a radical redesign, but extra power and a stylistic cues like LED tail lamps refine the company's signature stallion more than ever.
The Ford Mustang is the kind of car that has etched itself into the very fabric of the American automotive industry. It needs no introduction, and personifies what American automotive design and engineering can achieve. Due in large part to its own success with the Mustang, Ford has helped revitalize the American sports car industry in recent years. So it comes as no surprise that the folks over in Dearborn wanted to build on that success and keep pushing the boundaries of what the Mustang can do with a fresh “new design and a boost to style and performance.” Have they indeed managed to achieve all of this? Well, yes and no, but that answer also really depends on how strict your definition of new design is. There’s no denying Ford has improved the Mustang in many key areas, but while Ford has been understandably busy touting the 2013 Mustang’s “aggressive new design” and inflating the car’s arrival and performance boosts, it’s not quite the radical redesign we would have really liked to see.
Still, the 2013 Ford Mustang comes galloping out of the gate with improvements in almost every category you can imagine. So don’t think for a second it’s a one trick pony — far from it. For the 2013 model, Ford has delivered improvements to the car’s performance, style, and in-car technologies. The changes stay true to the Mustang’s unparalleled history, but still give the new Mustang an intrinsically modern, if not similar, look to last year’s offering.
A newish breed
When it launches this spring, the 2013 Mustang will come in two distinct models: a 3.5-liter V6 and 5.0-liter V8. Ford has priced a base GT at about $39,300, our particular model, however, was equipped with extra goodies that sent its price tag north to roughly $46,055.
Our rain-soaked spree saw us saddling up a Mustang of our own and tackling some of the Pacific Northwest’s most scenic and winding roads. We were given the reigns to a Mustang GT with a convertible top (which Mother Nature refused to let us enjoy).
Pace setter
For gearheads and automotive purists, the new Mustang delivers impressive improvements to both power and performance through enhancements in the car’s engine and overall design. The 2013 Mustang’s 5.0-liter V8 delivers a slightly improved 420 horsepower and 390 lb-ft of torque, which Ford credits to some nifty refinements adapted from the Boss 302 model, which pumps out 444 horsepower.
If that sounds like a lot galloping stallions — it is. Our drive time with the new Mustang — which didn’t seem nearly as long as it was — was anything but dull and dreary. Thanks to the aforementioned improvements to the Mustang’s mill, the power and throttle response output were both punchy and smooth. In fact, we don’t quite know what was faster: the time it took the smile to form on our face when hitting the gas, or the speed with which we accelerated out of those winding ice- and gravel-filled back roads we drove on.
On top of responsive acceleration, steering our four-wheeled steed was spot-on. Each bend and turn was handled with relative ease, perhaps made more impressive by our GT convertible’s somewhat hefty 3,792 lb frame (the Coupe weighs in a little less at 3,675 lb). Of course, getting the Mustang to a full gallop is only half the battle — getting it to stop is another. Thankfully, the four-wheel power disc brakes with four-sensor, four-channel ABS provided enough stopping power when called upon, even if overly sensitive at times. It’s a nuisance we’ll happily suffer through over unresponsive brakes any day.
Style and substance
Now for those wishing to satiate their aesthetic needs, the 2013 Mustang receives a facelift to both the front and rear fascia, an imposing grille and splitter, and — our personal favorite — the Mustang’s vivid sequential LED tail lamps. As we mentioned earlier, it’s not radically different from last year’s Mustang, but provides enough refinement to please the eye. Ford also chose to add a new array of finishes on each of the Mustang’s 17-inch, 18-inch, and 19-inch wheel packages — adding even more customization to the steed’s prominent design.
Finally, the 2013 Mustang comes equipped with a 4.2-inch LCD screen nestled between the Mustang’s speedometer and tachometer. It displays Ford Track Apps, which according to Ford allows drivers to monitor a host of performance metrics such as G-force, and acceleration times in quarter-mile and 0-60 increments. Track Apps also offers drivers detailed information on braking times and automatic countdown starts.
Sadly, we didn’t get a chance to fully test this feature out while on the road (we still had to adhere to local traffics laws). But from what we gathered, it will definitely add to the already prominent track enthusiast culture surrounding the Mustang — or anyone who wishes to see exactly what this car can do.
A sound experience
For those of you who love to crank up the music while cruising the open roads, the 2013 Mustang offers a choice of two new audio systems: the Shaker and Shaker Pro system. Our particular Mustang was outfitted with the nine-speaker Shaker Pro variety, which managed to envelop every inch of our body with booming bass levels and crisp audio fidelity, solidifying an already feature-rich and quality driving experience.
Missing the mark
Of course, the latest pony to emerge from Ford’s stables isn’t perfect. While there’s no denying the 2013 Mustang’s improved performance and sharp exterior, the inside of the vehicle left us scratching our heads due to some questionable design choices. For example, while all the effort was made to implement a comfortable and smooth ride, the odd choice to place the vehicle’s drink holders right below the shifter makes it virtually impossible to rest your arm in a comfortable position when you have a beverage in tow. This wasn’t as big of a deal with our automatic model – although it was annoying – but would certainly prove to be even more awkward and uncomfortable had we driven a manual model.
Other oversights include not opting for sportier paddle shifters on the 2013 Mustang (a feature Ford included on both 2013 models of the Taurus and Flex) or an inlet for your smartphone device’s cord to run out of in the Mustang’s center console. This is particularly baffling considering Ford was one of the first automakers to provide this option in some of its other vehicles.
Not so in-Sync
Though we think Ford has one of best vehicle integration systems around with its Microsoft-powered Sync and MyFord Touch 2.0 (which isn’t available in the 2013 Mustang), it can feel awfully cumbersome – even distracting — when you’re trying to figure out where to go. In fact, Sync was unable to give us directions – via voice recognition — to all of the addresses we were given during our time with the Mustang, as well as the Flex and Taurus (which utilize Ford’s recently updated My Ford Touch 2.0). And while we expect voice recognition to be a tricky beast even in the best conditions, we didn’t fare any better entering them manually either.
Another issue we had with Sync (and even MyFord Touch 2.0) was the incessant auditory safety warnings anytime we wanted to operate the in-car entertainment system. Now, we commend Ford for its efforts in wanting to keep drivers safe and not distracted, but it certainly got old during our drive. When we weren’t constantly being harangued by SYNC’s voice system, we were equally annoyed by the fact that Ford’s in-car entertainment system would not allow us to sync a device like our iPhone or iPod while the car was in motion. That goes ditto for someone in the passenger seat. Again, we understand the safety reasons behind such a design, but we think it would be nice to at least allow your co-pilot the ability to mess with all of that while we’re driving.
Finally, there are those who will dig all the touches and refinements made to the 2013 Mustang, but true enthusiasts just might prefer waiting for Ford’s real overhaul of the Mustang in 2014 to commemorate the stallion’s 50th anniversary.
The finish line
Do all the above issues we encountered while driving the 2013 Mustang detract from the overall experience? Sure. Do they detract from the experience enough to send this thoroughbred to an early grave at the glue factory? Not in the slightest.
For every one thing the Mustang get’s wrong, which isn’t all that much, it gets two things right. From a design and engineering perspective, Ford has done an outstanding job with its latest Mustang. It’s fast, responsive, features powerful design language, and offers a vast array of bells and whistle both inside and outside the car. Distinct features like the Mustang’s high-intensity discharge (HID) headlamps and oh-so-gorgeous rear sequential LED taillamps provides a signature look to one of Ford’s oldest nameplates. And it doesn’t hurt that our 2013 Mustang GT V8 gets pretty decent gas mileage, too – roughly 18 mpg in the city and 25 mpg on the highway.
From what we’ve seen and driven, Ford isn’t resting on its laurels with the 2013 Mustang. Ford has taken the time to deliberately engineer a great pony car that raises the standard for others like the Challenger and Camaro to aspire to. From what we’ve experienced with the 2013 Mustang, Chevrolet and Dodge have their work cut out if they want to catch, let alone tame, the Blue Oval’s stallion come this spring.
Monday, March 19, 2012
Check out awesome service specials at Ford Fairfield
Friday, March 16, 2012
Kate, thanks for your positive review
"HATE HATE HATE car shopping. would rather eat glass.
SO I had expectations for a totally not-great day when we went shopping for a 3rd car that will sit a vacation home.
Not wanting to haggle and deal with the nonsense, we sorted out particulars over the phone before going AND much to my surprise- the actual car we talked about was there with a lease at the exact price we talked about. Mark ROGERS helped us and couldn\'t have been better. No pressure, no upselling. just the car we wanted. YAY.
Other than the place being busy and having to wait a long time for the financial part of the transaction to be concluded it was a great experience and I\'d go there again for sure."
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Visit Ford Fairfield and take advantage of amazing pre-owned specials
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
Ford Adds MyFord Touch, Advanced Engines to 2013 SuperDuty Trucks
Available with an F-250, F-350, or F-450 cab, the Super Duty also boasts an advanced "Productivity" digital system that Ford introduced in 2011 and has been refining ever since. The system automatically detects whether you've properly attached your trailer and gives you advice on how to attach it, if necessary. The Productivity helper also keeps profiles on all your trailers to track their mileage and fuel economy (both average and real time).
II. New Engines The heavy trucks also feature a brand new pair of engines -- a 6.2-liter V8 gas-burning engine and a 6.7-liter Power Stroke diesel engine. Ford has employed some novel engineering techniques in the new engines -- for example, traditionally in large V8 engines exhaust is on the outside of the "valley", where as intake is on the inner track. Ford reversed this, putting the exhaust inside the valley, an approach that shorts the distance to the turbo and offers better heat isolation. The cumulative result is better responsiveness, vital when towing heavy, potentially dangerous loads. The new engines offer a fuel economy improvement of roughly 20 percent. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency does not track fuel economy in heavy work vehicles, so there's no official numbers, but Ford says fuel economy can reach the low 20s when the driver is load-free. Performance when hauling loads will likely dip to 8 to 10 miles per gallon.
Both engines have alternative fuel options -- the 6.7L diesel can handle biodiesel blends up to B20, while the 6.2L gas-burner is capable of running on ethanol blends up to E85. For natural gas fans, a retrofitted 6.2L compressed natural gas (CNG) version is also available. III. The Road Ahead Driving a heavy truck isn't for everybody, but Ford appears to be leveraging its impressive portfolio of technology even in this very purpose driven market niche. Bria Rathsburg, F-Series Super Duty Marketing Manager brags, "[The new Super Duty] has a distinct appearance and a long list of features to deliver a superior experience. Along with that it has all of the capability F-Series trucks are famous for."
That's good news for Ford in a market where it's seeing increased competition from General Motors Comp. (GM) and Chrysler. It's not exactly a level playing field -- its rivals, freed of having to pay taxes can deeply invest in research and development, while Ford is forced to surrender a major part of its earnings to Uncle Sam. That said, Ford appears more than ready to rise to the occasion.
Monday, March 12, 2012
Save big on new vehicles at Ford Fairfield
Friday, March 9, 2012
Visit Ford Fairfield and enjoy our featured vehicles
Wednesday, March 7, 2012
Great pre-owned specials are here at Ford Fairfield
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Ford Focus Electric Certified Most Fuel-Efficient at 110 MPG equivalent
Focus Electric has a highway mpg equivalent of 99 miles per gallon. The car has been certified by the EPA to offer 105 MPGe combined, beating the Nissan Leaf by 6 MPGe, according to Ford, while offering what the automaker calls more motor power and more standard features.
The EPA-approved Focus Electric label also certifies that the car has a range of 76 miles on a single charge. The average driver drives 29 miles a day, according to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics website.
The approved label also will say customers could save $9,700 in fuel costs over the course of five years compared with the average new vehicle. Comparative savings could go even higher if the current trend of rising gas prices continues, Ford says. In California alone, the cost for a gallon of gas rose 20 cents in a seven-day period that ended last week.
Monday, March 5, 2012
Check out great new vehicle specials at Ford Fairfield
Friday, March 2, 2012
Visit Ford Fairfield and enjoy our Featured Vehicles
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