Ford Employee Pricing Incentives with our Jeremy Koch

Gas Saving Tips

Replace air filters. When the engine air filter clogs with dirt, dust and bugs, it causes your engine to work harder and your car becomes less fuel-efficient. Replacing a clogged air filter could improve your gas mileage by as much as 10 percent. It's a good idea to have your engine air filter checked at each oil change.

Don't top off. Any additional gas is just going to slop around or seep out. Stop pumping at the first indication that your tank is full when the automatic nozzle clicks off.

Tighten up that gas cap. Gas will evaporate from your car's gas tank if it has an escape. Loose, missing or damaged gas caps cause millions gallons of gas to evaporate each year.

Maintenance. Be serious about auto care. Always follow the manufacturer-recommended maintenance. The car's designed to run a certain way. If you neglect it, it won't be as efficient.

Nitrogen. Nitrogen replaces normal air in the tires and will save up to 10% in fuel costs in a year! This reduces corrosion inside wheel rims, tread wear, blowouts/avoidable collisions and it maintains consistent pressure levels. For more information on the Nitrogen please visit their website. www.pro-techseal.ca

Check Tire Pressure. Driving with just one tire under-inflated by 2lbs results in consuming approximately 2 weeks more of fuel per year and reduces your tire’s life by 6-9 months. 70% of vehicles have at least one tire with an inflation problem.

Ford's F-Series Super Duty lives up to its reputation

There's competition aplenty in virtually every vehicle classification, but nowhere is it more cutthroat than in the heavy-duty truck department. Within the past year, all three domestic brands have issued all-new or heavily revised editions of their top-dog pickups, all featuring bulked-up powertrains, increased load ratings and leading edge comfort and safety features. Despite the battle, Ford says it has been the frontrunner for the past three decades. The sales numbers would certainly back up that claim.

Although the sheetmetal and box sizes remain mostly unchanged, the one area that differentiates new from the so-yesterday SD is a more prominent "power dome" hood along with a bolder grille and front bumper.

Combined with a set of extra-large headlamps, the SD imparts a dominating sense of robust strength that continues to be its hallmark. Says exterior design manager Brad Richards, "The SD is not a bashful vehicle by any means."

Gasoline-engine:

·         A new 6.2-litre V-8 rules the roost with 385 horsepower and 405 pound-feet of torque.

Diesel:

·         For major muscle and sinew, the SD can be fitted with a brand new Ford-developed 6.7-L V-8 turbo-diesel that generates 390 h.p. and 735 lb-ft. of torque.

·         Selecting the turbo-diesel will give you a payload capacity of 2,840 kilograms and a fifth-wheel towing capacity 12,000 kilograms.

o   In addition, you can now order a factory-installed fifth-wheel hitch that will let you start pulling your yacht or mobile mansion right now.

·         Connected to a six-speed automatic transmission. Plus there's a newly available "Live Drive" power take off (PTO) unit, consisting of an extra transmission output gear that can control accessories such as a snow plow, tow-truck lift or even a dump-truck-style box.

Options:

·         Trailer-sway

·         Roll stability control

·         Hill Start Assist keeps you from rolling backward while stopped on an incline

·         Hill Decent Control holds the SD at a set speed while traveling down a steep grade.

·         New option prevents the lockup of the trailer's binders when the anti-lock program of the SD's brakes kicks in.

 Byline: Malcolm Gunn at the Calgary Herald

Ford planning to develop three-cylinder engine

Ford is shifting gears in its push to wring out greater fuel savings with the development of its smallest engine ever.

The No. 2 U.S. automaker said it will introduce a 1.0-litre, three-cylinder engine within the next two years. The engine will have the same performance as the widely used four-cylinder engine, but would save more fuel and lower emissions, Ford said.

"We just keep trying to find fuel economy improvements," Derrick Kuzak, Ford's head of product development, said Thursday. "The only way you keep doing that is by finding new technologies and attention to detail."

Engines of this size are seen in smaller cars and motorcycles. Kuzak said the engine is "clearly aimed for small cars."

Ford also said Thursday it would develop its own hybrid transmission and is planning an eight-speed transmission.

The move comes as automakers are developing more advanced powertrains and shaving weight from their vehicles to meet tightening U.S. standards regarding fuel economy.

By the 2016 model year, automakers' cars and trucks must get 35.5 miles per gallon on average, according to new U.S. fuel economy standards. Vehicles made by the top 14 automakers for the 2010 model year averaged 22.5 miles per gallon.

The three-cylinder engine will be used in Ford vehicles worldwide, although Ford did not specify which models.

Byline: Deepa Seetharaman
Calgary Herald