Tag Archives: Ford

Ford Scoops up Two Wins at Fifth Annual Middle East Car of the Year Awards Ceremony

05 Thursday Apr 2018

Posted by in All About Wheels - Automotive (Cars, Car Clubs, SUV's, RV's etc), Press releases

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  • Mustang Shelby GT350 named Performance Coupe of the Year
  • F-150 Raptor secures Truck of the Year
  • Second award in a week for the F-150 Raptor, having earlier secured Wheels magazine’s Pickup of the Year

The Ford F-150 Raptor and Mustang Shelby GT350 have earned top honours during the prestigious Middle East Car of the Year (MECOTY) awards, held in Abu Dhabi earlier this week.

The Shelby GT350 collected honours as Performance Coupe of the Year, and the all-conquering F-150 Raptor crushed its opposition to be named Truck of the Year.

The awards, now in their fifth year, are the most coveted automotive awards in the region, combining the expertise and experience of 16 leading motoring journalists from the GCC and Levant, who work through multi stage nomination and scoring process to arrive at their list of winners.

“We’re thrilled to see two of the most exciting and dynamic vehicles we produce excel in the MECOTY awards this year,” said Chris Probert, Ford Middle East and Africa Director of Marketing Communications. “The Shelby GT350 is an incredible performance coupe, with a track ready chassis and high-revving 534 PS V8 engine, while the F-150 Raptor continues to be the region’s favourite out-of-the-box performance truck for off-road extremes. Both models embody Ford’s passion for performance and resonate with millions of fans around the world.”

The Shelby GT350 badge has been associated with the Ford Mustang since 1965 – and has become synonymous with high performance road and track driving ever since. The current model develops its enormous horsepower and 582 Nm torque from a 5.2-litre flat plane crank V8 (known as the Voodoo) – the most powerful naturally aspirated road-going engine in Ford history. With a redline of 8250rpm, it is also the highest revving production V8 Ford to date.

The Shelby GT350’s dynamic and adrenaline-fueled ride comes courtesy of the MagneRide Damping System, while an aluminum strut brace and coolers for the engine oil, transmission and differential all help the car to perform at its best.

The sporty interior is trimmed with aluminum, alcantara and leather. Recaro sports seats hug the driver and passengers with a mix of carbon weave cloth and Miko sueded cloth to help hold them firmly in place turn after turn.

Ford’s all-conquering F-150 Raptor added another award to its growing trophy cabinet. The purpose built off-road machine gathered the MECOTY Truck of the Year award, having been named Dubai-based Wheels magazine’s Pickup of the Year just a week earlier.

Based on the backbone of America’s best-selling truck for the past 41 straight years, the 2017 F-150 Raptor saw the introduction of a high strength aluminium body and second generation, high output 3.5-litre twin-turbo EcoBoost engine with 10-speed transmission.

Use of advanced materials saw its weight drop up to 227 kilograms over its predecessor, while the 421 PS engine with its 678 Nm torque boosted its on- and off-road performance. A new four-wheel drive system, 10-speed transmission, torque on demand transfer case and all-new Terrain Management system gives the Raptor its incredible off-road capability, while its FOX Racing Shox with 9-stage bypass damping with 48mm more suspension travel helps improve its monstrous capability beyond the pavement. Massive, second generation BFGoodrich K02 tyres with beadlock capable wheels are also designed for serious off-road work.

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How Ford Knows Which Car Colours Will Be Trending Years in Advance

17 Thursday Aug 2017

Posted by in All About Wheels - Automotive (Cars, Car Clubs, SUV's, RV's etc), Lifestyle features, Press releases, RV's etc), SUV's

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Mustang

When creating a new car colour, Ford’s designers have to look at a diverse range of societies and predict how changing moods will affect colour preferences. The designers then combine that with knowledge of how trends in design disciplines are changing to create colours that look on-trend, nearly half a decade after they were developed.

The design process starts four years ahead of a vehicle going on sale, with Ford’s designers researching trends across the major design disciplines. “Our designers regularly get together and we look at what’s happening in architecture, products and interiors,” said Emily Lai, Design Manager, Colour and Materials Design for Ford.

Once the design team has a feel for where design trends are heading, they must become social scientists. “Colour choice doesn’t just reflect your personality, it also acts as a reflection of the circumstances around you,” explained Lai. “If you’re amongst a lot of pressure and stress for example, it will affect your choices and moods.”

A clear example of this came after the 2008 financial crisis, when economic concerns drove people to worry more about the resale value of cars. As a result, conservative colours dominated vehicle sales, as buyers tended to prioritise appeal to future owners over self-expression.

The Global Financial Crisis also drove ‘safe’ colours choices as a reflection of the mood of the time. Austentacious colours would be confronting, even disrespectful to your fellow citizens

In the Middle East and Africa, the hotter climates make lighter colours more appealing. A study conducted by Berkeley Lab Environmental Energy Technologies Division and published in Applied Energy journal, proved that lighter coloured cars reflected much more heat than darker coloured cars and kept the interior as much as 11% cooler than an identical model in black. White cars also tend to hold their value better on the used car market, while blue cars tend to lose the most.

Colour choice is key. PPG Auto Coatings – one of the three major global suppliers to the automotive trade – carried out a study which showed that 60% of people said colour was a major factor in their buying decision. More than half of them said that if the colour they wanted wasn’t available in the showroom, they’d wait until it was.

“Ford’s vehicle lineup in the Middle East is very diverse, and a colour that performs well on one vehicle in one market won’t necessarily perform as well in a different country,” said Crystal Worthem, Marketing Director, Ford Middle East and Africa. “It’s a challenge that keeps us on our toes.”

Across most vehicle types, there are staple colours that don’t often change. These include whites, blacks and solid colours like reds. These colours perform consistently so aren’t often updated. But periodically, advances in paint technology make changing the colour worthwhile. Changes in car design also have an impact. “The shapes of cars and ways of using materials change, and different paints respond differently to that,” said Emily Lai. This means as car shapes become more dynamic and sporty, expressive colours will be popular for their ability to complement the exciting vehicle forms.

Sports cars lend themselves particularly well to colourful extremes. The Ford Mustang is available in a choice of bright and vibrant colours that not only tap into the car’s excitement and emotion, but also reflect its proud heritage. Grabber Blue, a colour first made available on the 1969 Shelby Mustang, is available across the Mustang line-up – as is Lightning Blue, a darker metallic hue that echoes the shades of Liquid Blue used on the Ford GT, Mustang GT350R and Raptor show cars. Both colours are new for 2017.

 

3 Things You Probably Didn’t Know About Car Colours

Colour blindness is much more prevalent in men.

An estimated 1 in 12 men globally are colour blind, while the ratio for women is only 1 in 200. Ford’s designers are regularly tested for colour acuity as their job requires being able to spot small tonal differences in colours.

Colours have meanings

Black means prestige and luxury, which is why it is common on vehicles used for business. Earthy tones like bronzes denote heritage and nature, and are increasing in popularity because of trends in jewelry and fashion. White is pure, inviting, and fresh – great for young families.

A lot of thought goes into a colour’s name

A colour’s name should reflect the design team’s thought processes. Once the colour has been produced, the team involved looks at what the effect of the colour is and how it reacts to different light sources, before choosing a suitably evocative name.

Tougher, Smarter, More Capable – Ford Ranger Pickup

10 Tuesday Jan 2017

Posted by in All About Wheels - Automotive (Cars, All About Wheels - Automotive (Cars, Car Clubs, SUV's, RV's etc), Car Clubs, Lifestyle features

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Ranger Wildtrak_0055.jpg

Being a contractor’s daughter meant that for most of my childhood, I ended up travelling in pick up vans so testing the new 2016 Ford Ranger was in my comfort zone. The model, with a bold new look is clearly set to establish new benchmarks in the light commercial vehicle segment with robust capability, comfort and advanced technology.

The tough and modern look to the new Ranger begins with an updated exterior design. The bold look certainly lends the new Ranger a powerful presence on the road, and immediately conveys a sense of capability.

A more muscular hood flows into a strong new trapezoidal grille, which connects seamlessly with the chiselled projector headlamps, accentuating the new Ranger’s width and strong stance.

The updated exterior has been combined with a stylish new interior that creates an even more comfortable, contemporary and car-like environment for the driver and passengers. Strong horizontal lines run across the width of the cab, giving a sense of spaciousness, creating a clear distinction between the upper and lower levels, and placing the focus on the central eight-inch touchscreen on the high-spec models.

What I found different and new for a pickup since I last drove one was the technology enhancements – in the new Ranger, a new dual-TFT instrument cluster provides drivers with information about the vehicle, as well as entertainment and cellphone features at a glance, which look stylish and yet practical.

A host of cutting-edge technologies are available on the new Ford Ranger to help drivers stay connected and in control. SYNC®2, the latest generation of Ford’s in-car connectivity system, gives drivers smarter and safer ways to stay connected and is standard on the new Ranger Limited and Wildtrak.

2016 Ford Ranger Pick-Up.jpg

Using natural voice commands, like “temperature 21 degrees”, “play” or “call Natasha”, the driver can control the car’s climate controls, entertainment system and phone functions more easily than ever before. An eight-inch touchscreen places more controls at the driver’s fingertips, with colour-coded corners for easy menu navigation.

The new Ford Ranger remains one of the most capable pick-ups in its class. With an exceptional 800mm water wading depth, and with 230mm of ground clearance, it is designed and engineered to handle the most extreme terrains with ease.

A robust electronically controlled transfer case allows drivers in 4×4 models to shift on the fly from 4×2 to 4×4 high via a knob on the centre console. For low-speed torque or additional downhill control, drivers can also engage low-range 4×4 gearing, while an electronic locking rear differential helps to improve traction in difficult conditions.

For extra convenience, the new Ranger features a 240-volt power socket that can be used to power a laptop computer or mobile device anywhere, from a work site to a family road trip.

The new Ranger, available in single cab, Rap Cab and Double Cab variants has impressive power, capability, and towing capacity that is made possible thanks to the latest generation of powerful, more refined and fuel-efficient Duratorq TDCi diesel engines, as well as the proven Duratec petrol unit.

The new Ford Ranger is available in a wide range of models and specification levels to cater to customer needs whether for work or play.

Ford – It’s that time of the year when all is pink

18 Thursday Oct 2012

Posted by in All About Wheels - Automotive (Cars, Car Clubs, SUV's, RV's etc), Jewellery, Fashion, Fragrance & Beauty, Lifestyle features

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My favourite warriors in Pink symbol

October is here and this is the time when Ford’s Warriors in Pink® emerge in full force to honour breast cancer survivors who have demonstrated strength and courage in their battle. Although my car or my bag often features the ‘Warriors in Pink’ items most times in the year, this month in particular we get up, close and personal with the new collection of Warriors  in Pink collection of apparel and accessories at www.fordcares.com

Breast cancer is more than a disease as it’s about people and families, whose lives are forever changed by a diagnosis. And Ford Motor Company works relentlessly every year to raise awareness and funds in the fight against breast cancer through a unique programme called “Warriors in Pink®”. Powered by Ford, the initiative is dedicated to promoting breast cancer awareness across the globe. The campaign recognises the strength and courage it takes to deal with the everyday challenges of fighting breast cancer. Warriors in Pink embodies hope, strength and courage and is about women and men finding strength within themselves,  their inner warrior, especially at a time they need it most.

I first met Sue Nigoghossian who works for Ford last year and find her an incredibly dynamic individual who passionately talks about the cause since. She mentioned to me recently how her company played a pivotal role in encouraging women to become informed and visit their doctors, educating them that early detection saves lives. In the Middle East, the disease is the number one cause of death in women and relatively low awareness rates means that women are often diagnosed with cancer at advanced stages.

I personally find Ford’s CSR work great. Recently I had a henna tattoo done reflecting 2 of the 12 Warriors in Pink symbols of hope, strength and unity in the fight against breast cancer on my hands just before a trip to Bahrain. Reaching there, I learnt of a young girl being diagnosed so I introduced her to ‘Warriors of Pink’ and gave her the scarf I had as a reminder that she had support around her.

As Sue mentions, women in our region have used henna in body art since ancient times, so it is a source of inspiration to her team at Ford to see women using henna to make such a bold statement, in a way that only our region can, in support of breast cancer awareness. The symbols are versatile, some are worn to honor those that have passed away as a result of the disease, others show a sense of solidarity and standing strong with breast cancer survivors, others to mark a commitment to life and survival in the face of the disease.

Doctors recommend that since older women are more likely to develop the disease, once women reach the age of 40, they should have an annual mammogram, in addition to monthly self-examinations.  Women under the age of 40 are advised to self-examine every three months. People concerned about any abnormalities should contact their doctor immediately.

As its October, take time to go on-line at www.fordcares.com, with 100 per cent of net proceeds from the collection goes into research of breast cancer and related support initiatives. Watch Ford Middle East’s ‘Are you a Warrior in Pink’ video to learn more about the henna campaign on www.youtube.com/fordmiddleast and www.facebook.com/FordMiddleEast. To buy the Warriors in Pink collection on-line visit www.shopwarriorsinpink.com.

Another favourite symbol I use when I have a henna tattoo

Warrior for a few days

04 Friday Nov 2011

Posted by in All About Wheels - Automotive (Cars, Car Clubs, SUV's, RV's etc), Art, Culture, theatre, film, Lifestyle features, Retail Therapy, Uncategorized

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I promised a friend (an ex breast cancer patient) I was going to touch on the story of the pink printed scarf I wore over my little black dress recently. I have plenty of these scarves but as I am not a morning person, I tend to assess my mood and throw whatever comes my way in the wardrobe that does not need ironing. I have never planned what I will wear a day ahead hence there are days I can be corporate, bohemian, casual, naughty and totally offbeat but hey….I tell myself that if people around me have issues with my style then they can take a hike and they certainly don’t deserve to be around me at all….its a diva code!

Going back to the pink scarf…..this was another initiative of the good people at Ford who happened to be at the ‘Bras for a cause’ fashion show where they had a henna stand with amazing symbols we could have on our body. The funky printed pink scarf to wear around our neck or hair is part of Ford’s sponsorship for ‘Race for the Cure’…an initiative to raise awareness of the fight for breast cancer.

Hence I became a pink warrior for a day…dressed in a slinky killer black dress + an eyecatching scarf from `Ford which I wore a number of times as as I breezed through Dubai in a top of the range All New Ford Explorer. (I am still getting used to the fact that this car changes the station, temperature ++++ at my every command. Now if only I could get a guy who would jump to my every command as soon as they hear my sexy voice)

When I mentioned to a friend about being a woman warrior, she immediately thought I was referring to Leonardo Vecchiarelli’s Grande Transizione, which is a cycle put together like an armed battalion. There are pictures of women warriors, dressed with the keen eye of a samurai preparing for battle but inspired by oriental empresses. Hidden amongst these females is a single male figure – the artist himself. Isn’t that every man’s dream??? This was the artist who I later discovered is behind some shoots of world class magazines. I digress and will leave you to find more about the mystique behind his work yourself!

So…as encouraged by my friend, I am now supporting the Race for Cure by buying my t-shirts, scarves what have you from Warriors in Pink online instead of shops. It feels good!

Corvette UAE Club & Road Safety

26 Wednesday Oct 2011

Posted by in All About Wheels - Automotive (Cars, Car Clubs, SUV's, RV's etc), Lifestyle features, Middle East VIPs, Uncategorized

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Our Corvette Drive in Abu Dhabi with me in car number 3

I’m having one of those roller coaster weeks…. After being extremely excited about the upcoming Corvette UAE Club meeting for which I am a board member, I now come to realise that I will probably miss most of the drive and proceedings. Instead I will only venture out for part of the event to celebrate my daughters birthday with the club members at YAS island where I hope to see a lot of fellow car enthusiasts and people promoting road safety.

I am sad about missing the main part of the road safety campaign because I have just qualified for a 2 day intensive camera course which I hope to study from a script writer’s perspective. It was something I have always wanted to do so when I had to choose between this course and the drive, it was indeed painful as I would like to be both in Dubai and Abu Dhabi at the same time. Especially as Ford Middle East has given me the most awesome, state of the art Ford Explorer to experience and be seen in and I really wanted to have a leisurely drive in it behind the corvettes to support the safety campaign :). Very excited though that I will at least make it part of the event.

For people who are passionate about road safety, this is a good time to follow the example of our club and attend the lectures organised on road safety. Members and public will be signing on a roll up presenting the campaign of not using phones while driving.

The CUC gathering is on Friday 28th Oct in Abu Dhabi 3:30pm @ the Abu Dhabi International Marine club parking opposite Marina mall. The parade starts at 5pm after the talks to go to YAS island.

Also the corvettes will have a sticker of the campaign on each car’s rear to support this noble cause. The sticker urges people not to use the phone while driving.

As a speed junkie who has reformed to now release any adrenaline energy on safety controlled race circuits, I am a strong advocate of this campaign. Lucky for us, we have the Autodrome and the YAS Marina Circuit to try our driving skills on without having to risk the lives of innocent people on the roads….speed is NOT for public roads. Its a CUC message.

* CUC’s new campaign slogan is “Your commitment, your safety” – a pretty straight forward message that urges drivers to be responsible of their own lives (not much to ask now, is it?)