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J.D. Power and Associates 2010 Initial Quality Study is based on responses from more than 82,000 new 2010 model-year vehicle owners after they have driven their new vehicles for three months. It measures problems per 100 vehicles and was based on November through February registrations.”

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“Wow,” you say, hoping to dispel the tension between you and the law enforcement officials in the front seat. “This is a really nice police car.”

“We get that a lot,” says Officer O’Brien.

He tells you the all-new, purpose-built Ford Police Interceptor sedan exceeds the durability, safety, performance and fuel economy of the industry’s leading police car – the Ford Crown Victoria.

He adds that Ford, the police vehicle market leader for 15 years, specifically designed and engineered an all-new Police Interceptor to handle the rigors of police work, including industry-leading powertrain, safety and technology innovations.

“Nice,” you say, temporarily forgetting that you’re under arrest.

You learn that Ford will also add a second Police Interceptor to the lineup, a utility vehicle to provide customers a choice of the best vehicle to suit their needs. More details will be released in the third quarter of this year.

“Very cool,” you say, thinking everything’s going to be a-okay.

To develop the all-new Police Interceptor, Ford engineers worked hand-in-hand with Ford’s Police Advisory Board of law enforcement professionals, which provided input on key vehicle attributes such as safety, performance, durability, driver comfort and functionality.

“That was very thoughtful of them to do that,” you say.

“You don’t know the half of it, buddy,” O’Brien says as the car pulls up to the station.

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• Acoustic laminated glass combined with a soft instrument panel and expandable foam baffles in the pillars to help absorb noise and make the interior quiet
• Three door seal levels for wind and traffic noise isolation • Acoustic headliner absorb to absorb sound
• Reinforced decklid for increased stiffness and reduced squeak, rattle and road noise
• New front inlet air induction system to improve linear sound quality

These features are attributed to a very quiet ride resulting in added comfort and as crazy as it sounds (no pun intended) when a car is this quiet, it feels better. So, how do you bring an interior quietness test to the plate after tests with gravel trucks spewing out rocks or head to head quarter mile racing? You bring in a jet engine and let’er buck!

The Jet Engine Sound Test

Missed our previous posts? Check out the other shocking articles, such as:

V8 Audi vs V6 Taurus – Catch Up or Catch Me If You Can?

Pure Bliss – Ford Taurus vs Infiniti M45X

The World’s Most Innovative Full Size Sedan (The Gravel Truck)

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Selected by unbiased expert editors from CNET (www.cnet.com) at the 2010 International CES, winners are recognized as having the hottest products in their respective technology categories for their unmatched innovation and creativity and their ability to excite consumers and help them explore a world gone digital. CNET editors reviewed hundreds of entries, as well as scoured the 2010 CES show floor for products to consider for the prestigious award.

The nine categories include Digital photo and video; Car tech and GPS; Cell phones and smartphones; Computers and hardware; Gaming; Green; Home Theater; MP3 and portable video players; and Televisions. In addition, there were awards given for the Best in Show product and People’s Voice, given by the thousands of online viewers who cast their votes.

Videos of the winners and finalist products can be found at http://www.cnet.com/ces.

About MyFord Touch

“Each year, CNET editors spend hundreds of hours on the show floor to find the hottest technologies that will drive industry trends for the coming year and beyond. Ford was chosen from thousands of products at the show and demonstrates the innovation to be honored with one of our ‘Best of CES’ award.” – Scott Ard, Editor in Chief of CNET

MyFord Touch is the all-new driver interface launching later this year on new Ford products. The interface retains the traditional car interior layout that has existed for decades – instrument cluster in front of the driver, center stack dividing the dashboard – and adds even more voice control plus full-color LCD screens for much of the visual information presentation. We’ll be seeing this technology land at Capital Ford in what’s guessed to be 10 months with the 2011 Edge and Lincoln MKX.

The information presented is customizable by the driver using a combination of voice controls, touch-screen technology and five-way cell phone-style buttons mounted on the steering wheel.

MyFord Touch displays information using two 4.2-inch full-color LCD screens flanking an analog speedometer and an 8-inch touch-screen LCD at the top of the center stack. A five-way switch on each side of the steering wheel crossbar – similar to the one found on most mobile phones and MP3 players – controls the information displayed on the corresponding instrument panel screens. Check out a slick video from edmunds.com showing off MyFord Touch.

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All-new diesel and gasoline engines are key reasons why the 2011 Ford F-Series Super Duty maintains best-in-class towing and payload and adds enhanced off-road capability. Managing the increased horsepower and torque is the all-new 6R140 heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed transmission, which delivers power quickly and seamlessly while maximizing fuel economy.

Creating a transmission to serve both diesel and gasoline engines in a Super Duty application is a challenging proposition because the gearbox needs to deliver the substantial low-rpm torque produced by the diesel engine and efficiently use the higher rotational speeds of the gasoline engine. The solution was to use a proven architecture, but adapt it for heavy-duty use.

Lepelletier powerflow: New application of tried-and-true system
Ford’s 6R140 TorqShift transmission uses a Lepelletier-style powerflow, which is a proven technology in rear-wheel-drive vehicles but not typically used with larger diesel engines. A key benefit of the Lepelletier architecture is that it reduces the complexity in connecting the gearsets and clutches. The six speeds require only five clutches, and the speeds of the clutches relative to one another are low, increasing the efficiency of the system.

To handle the torque of the 6.7-liter Power Stroke V-8 turbocharged diesel, Ford strengthened the system by employing a unique powder-metal carrier in the compound Ravigneaux planetary gearset. The carrier consists of four pressed powder-metal components sinter-brazed together to form a rigid, power-dense structure. This solution ensures robustness and makes the architecture compatible with both the diesel and gasoline engines. A Ford-patented rocker one-way clutch is integrated with the carrier and helps improve 1-2 shift quality through the gearset.

A deep first gear ratio and two overdrive gears create a wider ratio span. This, combined with available lower axle gear ratios and a control system that automatically selects the most efficient shift schedule, provides an outstanding combination of pulling power and fuel economy.

Six-speed gearbox offers best of automatic, manual transmissions
The 6R140’s heavy-duty TorqShift six-speed transmission balances convenience and control by automatically shifting during routine operation and also allowing complete manual control. It features SelectShift Automatic transmission functionality, which includes both Progressive Range Select and manual functions.

With Progressive Range Select, a toggle on the shift lever allows the customer to reduce the range of available gears while in Drive. When the customer “taps” down into Range Select mode, the display shows the available gears and highlights the current gear state. This feature allows the driver to limit use of upper gears when heavily loaded or while towing on grades.

For full manual function, customers also can pull the shift lever into “M” for manual mode and use the same toggle switch to select the gear desired. The display will show the selected gear, and the control system will lock the torque converter and hold that gear for a full manual transmission feel.

Looking for more? Learn more about Ford’s TorqShift technology. This link will allow you to download a tech spec PDF.

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Super Duty customers rely on their trucks. Whether its on the farm or the construction site the Super Duty is a real work horse. In Regina, at Capital Ford it’s always been the case with our Super Duty customers to go through all the details. The majority of Super customers have lots of technical questions and expect a great deal of information which we’re always ready and eager to provide. Recently we had a customer comment about wanting to “meet the man who engineered this thing” so we thought we’d do our best to introduce him.

Like the new 2011 F-Series Super Duty, Chris Brewer is the right choice as the vehicle’s chief engineer. His background includes degrees in engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) and business from The Wharton School (University of Pennsylvania), plus he’s a native of Texas – the epicenter of tough trucks.

“Yeah, yeah, I sound like a Super Duty commercial,” Brewer said with a laugh. “But I really enjoy being part of the Super Duty team. No other Ford vehicle has such a diverse set of customers – retail, ‘fleet-tail,’ fleet and commercial accounts – who buy a wide range of trucks from work trucks to chassis cabs to high-end Lariat and King Ranch pickups.

”Serving all those customers in a challenging economic environment isn’t easy, but Brewer draws on his acumen in engineering and business to help deliver the best Super Duty possible. He started his career at Ford on the business side, working as a product planning analyst between his first and second years in business school.

“I found that I really enjoyed working on what’s easily the world’s most complex consumer product, and came back to Ford full-time after business school,” Brewer said.

Super Duty attributes mirror engineer’s talents
Brewer stays busy away from Ford watching and coaching his kids’ soccer games, going to a park or pool with his family or heading out to a baseball game. He has been to more than 30 Major League parks (past and present) and hopes to get to all of them someday.

In his spare time, Brewer also plays duplicate bridge, a form of bridge where skill, rather than luck of the draw, determines success: just like the new Super Duty.

“Super Duty customers are diverse and demanding,” Brewer said. “They absolutely depend on them for their livelihood – in many cases it’s literally their office. The 2011 Super Duty has more capability than ever before and is ready to exceed the expectations of our customers.”

Brewer lives in Ann Arbor, Mich., with his wife and four children – three girls and a boy ranging in age from 8 to 3. He describes himself as low-key but intense, and someone who likes to have fun while getting the job done.

Sound like any trucks we know?

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