Ford Reveals 5-Door Fiesta

Geneva March 4, 2008 – Ford of Europe is reinventing its small car range for a new generation of customers in 2008, starting with a stylish and exciting all-new Fiesta. The car makes its global debut in both three- and five-door hatchback bodystyles at the 2008 Geneva Motor Show.

Designed and developed in Europe for sale in Europe, Asia, South Africa, Australia and the Americas between 2008 and 2010, the new Fiesta is the first major product of Ford’s new global product development process. Its stylish and dynamic flair combines with all the traditional Ford small car strengths to create a confident, contemporary introduction to the next chapter of the Fiesta success story.

The new Fiesta opens another chapter in the story of the popular Ford small car that has sold more than 12 million units since its introduction in 1976. Charismatic and individual, the new model makes major strides in craftsmanship, quality of materials and product choice while continuing to represent Fiesta’s traditional strengths of practicality, value for money, agility and safety. It also brings a host of big-car features to the small-car segment for the first time.

New Fiesta clearly embodies the hallmarks of ‘kineticdesign’, which has so convincingly infused emotion into the core of the Ford range in Europe. The Geneva debut confirms that new Fiesta will bring the most appealing elements of Verve, a trio of concept cars shown recently around the world, to production reality. It also ends speculation surrounding the name of Ford’s new-generation small car for global markets.

“This new car embodies the very essence of Fiesta – fun, vitality and emotion,” said John Fleming, President and CEO, Ford of Europe. “We know there isn’t a better name for the new model, and we have over thirty years of investment in the Fiesta brand to consider.

“We’re confident that the combination of dynamic new ‘kinetic design’ exterior, great interior design and craftsmanship, and a host of new technologies and features will provide compelling reasons for a new generation of customers around the world to take a fresh look at the Ford Fiesta. I know they will be both surprised and delighted with what they see and feel,” Fleming added.

For more, read the complete story on the Ford Fiesta at Geneva.

Source (FORD)

Ford Verve.. Coming Soon

Ford Verve is Hot and it is Coming Soon

With the North American debut of Ford’s Verve Concept, Ford announces a new vision for its future: small cars and sustainability. It shouldn’t come as a surprise to people who love Ford’s European small cars like the Ford Focus, Fiesta and Ka. “Ford’s small cars are loved in Europe and Americans love our European small cars,” says Jim Farley, Ford’s Group Vice President, Marketing and Communications. “Our global scale helps us develop and test products that we can bring to—and change—the North American market.”

Both four- and three-door Verve body styles were unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, as an introduction to a family of small cars set to debut in Europe and Asia beginning later this year and in North America in 2010. The four-door is the basis for the production vehicle that will be sold in North America. The European three- door is being shown to test market reaction to the body style. If it’s well received, it could be an added to the Verve product line.

Ford is building on decades of small car leadership in Europe as it develops new small cars for North America to appeal to customers who value technology, design and fuel efficiency. “The Ford global design team remembered, not so fondly, the econo-boxes of the 1970s and created the Verve concept as a vision of just how good a small car can be,” said J Mays, Ford’s group vice president of Design and chief creative officer. “Verve aims to ‘right’ North American buyers’ earlier small-car experiences by offering a product that changes customers’ views of small cars from ‘cheap’ to chic — and from affordable to desirable.”

You can see all the results of recent changes and improvements at Dick’s Mackenzie Ford.

Dick’s Mackenzie Ford

4151 SE Tualatin Valley Hwy
Hillsboro OR 97123
800-783-0863

503-214-5029

http://mackenzieford.com

http://dicksautogroup.com

A Portland area new Ford dealer near Beaverton Oregon.

2009 Dodge Journey – First Look

2009 Dodge Journey – First Look - Motor Trend

The 2009 Dodge Journey is the latest

Chrysler offering to make its world premiere

on an international stage, this time at the 2007

Frankfurt Motor Show. While born and raised

in Auburn Hills, Chrysler has developed what

its calling a segment redefining crossover

(aren’t they all?) with left and right hand drive

capability and a diesel option out of the gate

— underscoring its intention to send the

Journey traveling to showrooms far and wide.

Previously thought to have been called Crew, the Journey has been spied multiple times over

the past year in prototype form. Its puffed-up wagon profile is more Ford Taurus X than its hardedged

Dodge Nitro and Caliber stablemates. But it still carries plenty of Dodge’s recent design

DNA, including the crosshair grille and other noticeable touches.

Journey, which is being hailed as the melding of SUV, minivan and car, was developed using

Chrysler’s global D-segment platform. Its 113.8-inch wheelbase is about five inches longer than

the Dodge Avenger (another D-segment car) — in order to develop its available sevenpassenger

configuration. The vehicle is further underpinned by a four-wheel independent front

suspension with MacPherson struts and a multi-link rear.

Available in SE, SXT and R/T trims, Journey also shares

Avenger’s powertrain options. The standard 2.4-liter World

Engine produces 173 horsepower and 166 lb-ft of torque

and is the most fuel efficient of the bunch at an estimated

19 city/25 highway mpg.

The top-of-the-range 3.5-liter V6 is rated at 235 horsepower

and 232 lb-ft and is coupled to Chrysler’s six-speed

automatic transaxle with AutoStick.® The front-drive

Journey is also available with all-wheel drive as an option

on 3.5-liter-equipped models.