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A lot of little enhancements add up to a big change over time, and Ford's 2010 vehicle lineup is a testament to that fact. Since the 2005 model year, Ford has made gradual improvements to their vehicles and, helped by the recent introduction of their EcoBoost engines, can now boast a 20% increase in overall brand efficiency in a short 5 year time period. But they're not going to stop there. Ford has set a goal of a 35% improvement over the 2005 model year by 2015, and considering what they have planned, that is definitely doable.
The 3.5-liter V6 EcoBoost engines that Ford has recently introduced, and which will be available on a range of 2010 models, definitely helped that efficiency rating. Next year, when the company introduces a new four-cylinder 2.0-liter EcoBoost powertrain, that efficiency will make another big step forward. Also, the company is planning on offering two electric vehicles in 2011, a Ford Transit Van EV and a Focus EV, that will further increase their brand-wide improvements.
It is not just big new technologies that have helped Ford to increase their efficiency ratings, however. A lot of the improvement is the result of small, gradual changes. For example, their Variable Intake Cam Timing technology, which is available on their 3.0- and 3.7-liter V6 engines (there's a variant of the tech on the 2.0-liter EcoBoost) results in more low-end torque and better fuel efficiency.
The real star of the show, however, is the 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid. Thanks to a lot of good press, the Fusion Hybrid has been attracting a lot of customers to the Ford brand. Recent numbers indicate that 54% of people who bought the new Fusion Hybrid had never owned a Ford vehicle before. And, 66% of buyers were coming out of foreign brand vehicles.
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