In honor of the 100th anniversary of the modern-day taxi in New York City, the all-new Kia Rondo crossover is among the vehicles to be reinvented into an iconic yellow cab, as part of Taxi ‘07, a project of the Design Trust for Public Space. This new collaborative process is intended to engage design professionals in fundamental civic planning.

Automakers were challenged to incorporate practical solutions into their taxi prototypes, addressing areas such as partitions that incorporate passenger services, roof lights with improved legibility, integrated child safety seats, wheelchair accessibility and fuel efficiency.

The all-new Kia Rondo, which offers innovative design, packaging and driving dynamics, provides both drivers and passengers with a spacious, comfortable and safe ride while occupying a small footprint - an ideal combination for New York City streets. Not only is Rondo’s footprint smaller than the Ford Crown Victoria, NYC’s leading taxi, it is also more fuel-efficient.

Kia Motors America (KMA) collaborated with a consortium of NYC-based design firms led by Smart Design to build two Rondo taxi prototypes. Both vehicles were built to be safer, more accessible and more efficient than a conventional cab. The design solutions developed by Smart Design, along with Antenna Design and Birsel + Seck, have greatly improved the user experience for both the passengers and driver. Antenna Design worked to create a more legible taxi roof light, which quickly communicates the cab’s availability status in a variety of lighting situations. Smart Design with Birsel + Seck designed an interior space that keeps the driver’s belongings organized and accessible, and installed an L-shaped partition to protect the driver while creating a more open social environment for the passengers. A Bruno motorized front passenger seat for those with limited mobility as well as an integrated, fold-down child seat were added for extra passenger accessibility, comfort and safety.

EXTERIOR MODIFICATIONS
• DuPont Yellow exterior paint
• Taxi roof light with enhanced vehicle information
• Updated NYC taxicab graphics
• Safety “check” mirrors fitted to eye-level rear door leading edges
• Panoramic skylight

INTERIOR MODIFICATIONS
• Durable, eco-friendly waterproof UltraLeather seat material
• BoltaSoft waterproof vinyl floor surfaces-shaped driver clear plastic partition
• Modified center console with space organizers
• Second row integrated child safety seat
• Accented visual cues to help passengers find critical touchpoints
• Taximeter
• On-board computer with full-featured rear seat passenger information monitor with touchscreen displays
• Sirius Satellite Radio real-time traffic information delivery

Just three years ago, 70 percent of new Ford Motor Company vehicles sold in the U.S. were trucks and traditional SUVs. The rest were cars. Now, the split is nearly 50-50 as Ford rides a major consumer shift to crossover vehicles (CUVs), along with the popularity of its midsize cars.

“(Crossovers are) one of the biggest and fast growing segments in the market,” said John Casesa, managing partner, Casesa Shapiro Group. “There is an offensive reason to be (in that segment) because of the growth, but there’s also a defensive reason. If you don’t have competitive crossovers, you are going to take a lot of market share risk.”

Crossovers, largely built on car-based architectures, offer much the same utility as truck-based SUVs, but generally are more fuel efficient. CUVs have grown from 500,000 in 2000, to 2.4 million in 2006, surpassing both full-size pickups and SUVs in annual sales. And the number of CUV models has nearly tripled during the same period.

Ford predicts CUV sales to reach at least 3 million units a year by the end of the decade, challenging small cars as the industry’s largest segment.

To that end, strong sales of the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers, as well as the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ midsize cars, are critical to bolstering Ford’s U.S. retail share, which lost one point in each of the last six years. So far, the new products are delivering.

“Since June of last year, the company’s retail share has remained at a fairly constant level — around 13 percent,” said Cisco Codina, group vice president, Ford North America Marketing, Sales and Service. “One of our objectives for 2007 is to stabilize share. We are on track to do that.”

The new Edge crossover, after only three months on the market, is outperforming the Fusion, which has grown sales each month since its introduction and received numerous accolades. In fact, sales levels and transaction prices of the Edge are comparable to — and in some cases better than — those of established competitors with well-deserved reputations, says George Pipas, manager of Ford’s U.S. Sales Analysis.

Edge’s conquest rate, its effectiveness at capturing competitors’ customers, is 41 percent, a figure Codina calls “very high.” Meanwhile, Lincoln’s MKX is outselling the Acura RDX and both Infinity FX models.

Altogether, first quarter sales of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury crossovers climbed 29 percent, the largest increase of any major automaker in the nation’s fastest-growing segment.

With Edge, MKX, a new Ford Escape and Mercury Mariner, the new Taurus X coming later this year and the new Ford Flex scheduled to hit dealerships in the summer of 2008, the company will have six crossover vehicles among its Ford, Lincoln and Mercury brands.

Casesa calls the new Edge and Lincoln MKX “very competitive crossovers.” And he is very optimistic about the Flex.

“I think the Flex will be an extremely effective entry and probably with greater market potential than Edge because of the spacious interior packaging and the third-row seat,” explained Casesa.

Consumer demand for the Fusion, Milan and MKZ continues to grow in their second full year of production. Fusion sales were up 33 percent through the first quarter of 2007, while Milan sales climbed 34 percent. MKZ also experienced a sales increase. Fusion’s conquest rate has been running in the mid-40 percent range. Furthermore, Fusion and Milan both posted best-ever sales months in March.

“Often, when you see a new product get off to a good start in its first year, it begins to sputter in the second year,” said Pipas. “Fusion, Milan and Zephyr are in their second year, and we still haven’t found their ceilings.”

Ford’s car lineup with be further strengthened this year when the new Ford Taurus and Mercury Sable debut this summer and the redesigned Ford Focus hits the market this fall.

“This is the best product lineup I’ve had to work with in years. We still have challenges, but we’re seeing light at the end of the tunnel,” said Codina. “We’re introducing new products that consumers are excited to buy.”

The quality of Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles is virtually equal to that of Toyota and Nissan, according to the first quarter 2007 model-year Global Quality Research System (GQRS) report.

Ford, Lincoln, Mercury brand vehicles are at 1456 TGWs compared with Nissan at 1457 and Toyota at 1453 TGWs per 1,000 vehicles.

“Our latest performance continues a trend that has seen Ford Motor Company significantly improve vehicle over the last few years” said Bennie Fowler, vice president, Ford Global Quality. “We have more work to do, but there is no question that Ford Motor Company builds world-class vehicles. We can compete with anybody.”

Ford Motor Company reduced its corporate TGW rate by eight percent, bettering the overall industry improvement of two percent.

The Mercury Milan and Ford Fusion swept the first two spots for TGW leadership in the highly competitive mid-size car segment, which includes the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. At 910, Milan had the lowest TGW level of any Ford product. Fusion recorded 1066 TGW.

Two other company models achieved segment leadership in TGW: the Ford Shelby GT500 (Sports Car) and Ford Expedition EL (Large Traditional Utility). The Lincoln Navigator leads in both TGW and customer satisfaction for the Large Premium Utility category. The Navigator and Expedition EL have customer satisfaction scores of 85 percent, tops among all Ford Motor Company vehicles.

“Our new products are launching with excellent quality, which is the result of improvements in both manufacturing and product development processes,” said Fowler. “That proves we’re doing the right things.”

Honda’s 1313 TGW was best in the survey.

First quarter 2007 model-year GQRS data was gathered from customers who registered new vehicles from Sept. 2006 through Nov. 2006 and owned their cars and trucks for three months. The new Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossover vehicles and F-Series Super Duty were not included in the research.

GQRS surveys have historically tracked J.D. Power studies.

Ford Motor Company is once again giving other automakers a reason to be green with envy. The Ford Escape Hybrid ad featuring Kermit that debuted during the 2006 Super Bowl was recognized by IAG Research as the “Most Effective Automotive Ad–Non Luxury” during a ceremony at the opening of the New York Auto Show.

In the 2006 spot, Ford teamed up with Kermit the Frog, one of America’s most loveable characters, to celebrate the advertising launch of the greenest and most fuel-efficient SUV on the earth, the Escape Hybrid.*

The 30-second spot, developed by Ford’s advertising agency, JWT Team Detroit, features Kermit and his encounter with the Escape Hybrid in the great outdoors.

The award was accepted at the ceremony by Barry Redler, Ford SUV group marketing manager. “The Super Bowl spot established Ford’s efforts to highlight one of its most innovative products, the Escape Hybrid,” said Redler. “It is gratifying to know that our consumers are responding to our strong marketing efforts.”

The Ford Escape Hybrid is still the cleanest and most fuel-efficient SUV in the world, combining the fuel economy and emissions benefits of a “full” hybrid with the go-anywhere capability, toughness and spaciousness of the Ford Escape - America’s favorite small SUV.

Ford Motor Company redefines the modern American family journey with the introduction of the 2009 Ford Flex, a full-size crossover that sets a new standard for style, features, functionality and comfort in the U.S. industry’s hottest segment.

“The new Ford Flex crossover is a game-changer. It’s the first vehicle of its kind that combines seating for seven, interior spaciousness and surprising features with a striking design that looks great on the road and at home for today’s modern American families,” said Mark Fields, Ford’s president of The Americas, as he revealed the new vehicle at the 2007 New York International Auto Show. “The Flex builds on Ford’s leadership in crossover vehicles, which is the fastest-growing part of the auto market today.”

On sale in the summer of 2008, the Flex is arriving as crossovers continue to outpace even the remarkable growth of SUVs during the 1990s and minivans of the 1980s.

Last year, crossovers surpassed traditional SUV sales for the first time, and they are trending toward annual crossover sales of 3 million units by the end of the decade. Such growth likely will make crossovers the first or second largest vehicle segment in the U.S.

“Flex is another example of Ford creating more of the products that our customers really want,” Fields said. “Ford intends to define crossover vehicles this decade just as we did SUVs in the 1990s.”

The Flex joins the Edge and Taurus X in Ford’s expanding crossover lineup. Ford’s success with crossover utility vehicles is substantial. In March alone, the company’s U.S. crossoversales were up more than 40 percent over last year - led by the success of the new Edge.

Redefining the Family Journey
Bold, expressive design and exclusive innovations define the new Flex.

“The Ford Flex has the power to move people emotionally as well as physically,” said J Mays, Ford’s group vice president of Design and chief creative officer.

“This crossover has been created for people who know it’s the journey - not the destination - that matters most,” Mays added. “Its upright, upscale design, versatility and clever touches allow Ford Flex to stand out in an increasingly crowded sea of crossovers.”

The Ford Flex brings to production the Ford Fairlane concept vehicle that turned heads at the 2005 North American International Auto Show in Detroit.

“Flex is following in the tire tracks, so to speak, of Ford vehicles like the Taurus, Explorer and Mustang. It’s the next iconic Ford,” said Peter Horbury, Ford’s executive director of Design for The Americas. “It shatters today’s image of people movers.”

Flex’s signature exterior design includes:
Ford’s signature chrome horizontal three-bar grille, which builds on the family “face” that defines the Ford Edge and Taurus X crossovers, as well as the Ford Fusion sedan.

• A unique, all black “greenhouse” - defined as the windshield, rear and side windows, and the pillars separating and connecting them to the roof. The design brings together seamlessly the body with the available multi-panel roof. Customers can pair a White Suede or Silver roof option with one of Flex’s 10 available exterior colors or choose a body-color roof.

Standard 18-inch or available 19-inch bright aluminum wheels, which plant the new crossover firmly on the road.

Flex’s integrated rocker panel design, which eliminates the need for customers to step over the rocker panel when getting in and out of the vehicle.

Edge-inspired taillamps, which are outlined in chrome. Flex Limited models have LED taillamps and a brushed satin finish metal appliqu spanning the center of the liftgate.

Interior Quality
Inside, Ford Flex delivers textures, features and functionality - including segment exclusives - that create an ideal atmosphere for discerning customers and their families.

“More than 90 percent of crossover customers make their vehicle purchases based in part on the overall quality of interiors,” said Kate Pearce, Flex marketing manager. “When they see the Flex’s exterior, they’ll be intrigued. When they see its interior, they’ll fall in love.”

Flex’s interior provides a level of craftsmanship inspired by fashion and furniture design, with modern materials and soft touch points.

Details include tweed-like fabric for the base-level Flex SE’s seats, with inserts in a miniature houndstooth. Meanwhile, the Flex SEL features a soft insert with a more pronounced grain on the seat bolsters, while the Flex Limited features unique diamond-pattern perforations on the leather seat inserts. Contrast stitching also is available on leather seats and the center console.

Quiet, Confident Ride
The Ford Flex’s chassis was designed to be capable, including more than 4,000 pounds of towing capacity, while still delivering the quiet, confident ride that crossover customers demand.

“A quiet ride is no longer a luxury,” said Gary Boes, Flex chief engineer. “It’s something that customers have come to expect from their vehicles and equate with quality. Flex has been engineered from the onset with reduced noise, vibration and harshness in mind.”

Engineering advancements include a new independent rear suspension system (IRS) withunique geometry that allows for better tuning to deliver a broad range of capabilities without compromising the interior package. Interior noise was minimized by using sound-deadening materials in the dash panel, headliner and under the carpeting.

In addition, a 6-millimeter thick windshield helps reduce wind and powertrain noise, while specially selected tires make road noise nearly unnoticeable.

Cool Features Built Right In
Flex is set apart from other vehicles thanks to a long list of surprising features. They include:

Class-exclusive refrigerator, mounted between the second-row captain’s chairs. Unlike competitors’ systems that merely keep cold beverages cool, the Flex’s available compressor-driven refrigerator can cool up to seven 12-ounce cans, four half-liter bottles or two 20-ounce bottles from room temperature to 41 degrees in just more than two-and-one-half hours. That’s 40 percent faster than a standard home refrigerator.

Multi-Panel Vista Roof. It not only brightens the interior, it gives Flex occupants seated in each row their own special skylight.

• Second-row, best-in-class legroom, including class-exclusive adjustable and removable footrests. The Flex’s second-row seats fold and tumble to provide access to the third-row and fold flat into the floor for added cargo space. An available one-touch system folds and tumbles the second row.

Seven-color programmable ambient lighting. Flex owners can choose interior lighting to fit their mood. With this feature - which also is being introduced on the 2008 Ford Focus - customers use a dashboard switch to change the lighting on two LEDs mounted on the front console, two on the footwells and two around the cupholders.

• Capless fuel filler system. This exclusive feature eliminates the likelihood of forgetting to put the gas cap back on after fueling. It also saves time by doing away with unscrewing and replacing a fuel-filler cap and provides a better seal, cutting down the emissions of smog-forming vapors.

Ford Sync, Ford’s industry-exclusive, voice-activated hands-free in-car communications and entertainment system. This available system fully integrates mobile phones and digital media players into the vehicle. The Sync in-car communications system was developed in collaboration with Microsoft and will be offered exclusively on Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles later this year.

Ford’s next-generation navigation system, featuring voice recognition technology and more than 150 hours of music storage. Users can browse the music jukebox via touch-screen or by using voice recognition. They can also create custom play lists and burn CDs for storage on the system’s hard drive. The system also integrates the climate control and SIRIUS Satellite Radio into one easy-to-use, smudge-resistant, 8-inch touch-screen display. Premium AM/FM/MP3 audio systems also are available with a six-CD changer, auxiliary jack to accommodate MP3 players and the latest generation DVD entertainment system with a large 8-inch, drop-down screen.

Ford’s exclusive second-generation door-entry keypad . Housed within the vehicle’s black B pillars, the flat-panel, backlit keypad eliminates the need for door-mounted buttons and gives customers the ability to unlock doors, disarm the alarm system and disable the auto-lock function by entering a five-digit code.

Powerful V-6 with AWD
Flex is powered by Ford’s award-winning 3.5-liter V-6 engine and is mated to a fuel-efficient 6-speed transmission. The powertrain is expected to deliver more than 260 horsepower, 245 lb.-ft. of torque and good fuel economy.

Flex’s available intelligent all-wheel-drive system is tuned to provide confident driving in all weather conditions. Intelligent AWD uses an active, on-demand electronic center coupler to allocate a precise amount of torque from front to rear - up to 100 percent to either axle. The system also can anticipate wheel slip before it happens.

Safety Families Demand
Flex comes equipped with features that reflect Ford’s commitment to keeping customers and their families safe and secure. The new crossover’s body structure has been optimized with side intrusion beams in the doors, strategic use of high-strength boron steel and specially designed, energy-absorbing interior door trims.

Other safety advancements include:
Rear back-up camera. Mounted in the bottom of Flex’s liftgate badge, the available camera is activated when the vehicle is shifted into reverse, giving the driver a view of what’s behind the vehicle. The system works in conjunction with the vehicle’s reverse sensing system and uses the navigation screen as a display.

AdvanceTrac with RSC (Roll Stability Control). This system can predict a vehicle’s path, using a sensor to measure oversteer and yaw by monitoring the vehicle’s speed, throttle position and steering wheel angle. When the system senses wheel slip or the loss of traction, it applies braking where needed to keep the vehicle safely on its intended path.

Ford’s Personal Safety System. This suite of safety features includes dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags, thorax side air bags for front seat occupants, safety belt pretensioners, seat weight sensing system for the passenger seat and crash severity sensing.

Ford’s exclusive Safety Canopy side curtain air bag. Designed for all three rows, this feature utilizes roll-fold technology to efficiently deploy the air bag when an occupant’s head is resting against the side glass. In the event of a crash, the roll-fold bag will deploy between the occupant’s head and the side of the vehicle.

Ford’s BeltMinder safety belt reminder for driver and front passenger. Flex also comes equipped with such standard features as child safety locks on the rear doors, the trunk LATCH system and Ford’s tire pressure monitoring system.

As many of our readers are aware, over the weekend a video of a 2008 Ford Super Duty shooting flames from its exhaust appeared on the Ford Doctors Diesel Technician Site and YouTube.Ford safety spokesman Dan Jarvis told PickupTruck.com today that, “The video is definitely one of the three trucks we described last week (see below, in the original story). It was sent to us by one of our dealers in Canada, where two of the trucks in the recall were located, and it illustrates why we took action so quickly. We wanted to alleviate any potential safety concerns about this issue right away.”

Although not 100% certain of the cause of the fire seen in the video, Jarvis said the truck in the 75-second clip is probably the Super Duty that was started in very cold temperatures (approximately minus 20 to 30 F). Its engine wasn’t given enough time to briefly idle and lubricate the turbocharger in the freezing weather before the truck’s operator drove off, resulting in a blown bearing seal in the turbo and a leak of combustible fluid (likely oil) into the pickup’s DPF.

Jarvis also gave an update on one of the other trucks that had a leaking fuel injector, which caused another instance of flaming exhaust. After shutting off and restarting the motor the problem causing the leak in the injector resolved itself without requiring any further maintenance. It was likely caused by some sort of obstruction that was removed upon the engine’s restart.

Asked about what this recall could mean to Ford’s launch of the all new 6.4-liter Powerstroke diesel and 2008 Super Duty, Jarvis said, “This is a great engine. We know it’s reliable. We’ve had a few minor cases with individual engines and we’re taking very fast action to fix them, and we’ll continue to be transparent with any actions we take.”

And when asked about if Ford had initiated this recall because this problem might be occurring in a sample population greater than the three trucks originally referenced by Ford, Jarvis stated, “We think these three trucks are very rare cases. We’re not seeing this in any other vehicles in the field.”

If you own a 2008 Ford Super Duty with a 6.4-liter Powerstroke diesel engine and would like to see if your pickup is included in the recall, you can enter your VIN at Ford’s recall information website or contact the Ford dealer where you purchased your truck.

PickupTruck.com talked with Ford spokesman Dan Jarvis this morning to learn more about the Super Duty recall and its accompanying software patch to prevent fiery exhaust events from occurring. Here’s how it will work and what it could mean to drivers with a leaking engine component that allows combustible fluids to enter the exhaust system and become trapped in the diesel particulate filter.

“This software fix will recalibrate the engine’s PCM (power control module) so if it senses that temperatures have climbed too high in the DPF it will begin a gradual reduction of fuel and air flow to the engine to help bring the temperatures back down,” says Jarvis.

It should be noted that the software patch WILL NOT fix the root cause of any oil or fuel leak in the motor caused by faulty hardware.

In describing driver awareness and action during a ‘powering down’ scenario, Jarvis said the following, “(The driver) will see a message on their instrument cluster that they need to pull over to the side of the road. Within five to ten seconds, the engine will begin to lose forward power and the driver will need to pull off and stop to wait until the DPF has cooled down. The vehicle will not lose power steering or power braking during the power-down and it won’t stop all together. Drivers should have enough time, if they are on the freeway or a bridge, to pull off to the side and shut the engine off. After the DPF cools down the driver can restart the vehicle, and then we recommend that they take the vehicle to a dealer for service.”

When first announced yesterday, it was unclear if the problem occurred only during DPF regeneration (see below, in original story) or at any time while driving. Jarvis states, “the problem could occur at any time, not just during regeneration, because the exhaust temperatures in the DPF are hot enough that any fluids could ignite (during normal driving). Hot weather or normal DPF operation will not trigger the power down. Only if there are burning hydrocarbons in the DPF is the temperature going to get hot enough to trigger the power down.”

Jarvis emphasized that in order for the phenomenon to happen, something in the engine has to be leaking. At least one of the cases was caused by, “a driver in Canada who might not have let the engine warm up when it was about 20-degrees below zero, causing a crack in the turbocharger.”

2008 Ford Super Duty owners with Powerstroke engines can receive the flash upgrade to their PCM at their Ford dealer. The operation takes about 3 minutes to modify the engine logic. Letters from Ford will be sent to owners, and dealers are calling to notify recent purchasers of the recall.

“We’re moving immediately on this, and we’re proactively notifying NHTSA of the recall,” says Jarvis, “because we think it’s the right thing to do.”

Not sure if this will throw gasoline, er rather, diesel on the fire in Ford’s ongoing dispute with Navistar, but the Associated Press is reporting a recall and stop sales notice for all 2008 Ford Super Duty pickups with new 6.4-liter Powerstroke mills under their hoods amid accounts of fire emitted from the truck’s dual exhaust pipes when combustible fluids have found their way into the diesel particulate filter (DPF). The DPF plays a critical role reducing soot and particulate matter from the Powerstroke’s exhaust system.

AP quotes Ford Spokesman Dan Jarvis as attributing the sources of the flammable liquids to leaky high-pressure fuel injectors in two trucks and a cracked turbocharger shaft in a third vehicle.

Some 37,000 trucks impacted by the recall will receive a software upgrade to reduce engine load when temperatures in the soot trap get too high.

It’s unclear how, or if, this fix will affect engine performance during driving, or if the problem is limited only to periods when the DPF is ‘regenerating’ and very small amounts of diesel fuel are added to the exhaust stream to burn off particulates caught in the DPF - causing the fluid to ignite. We’re waiting to hear back from Ford with additional information.

All 2007 model year and up diesel powered heavy duty pickups from Ford, General Motors, and DaimlerChrysler use new diesel particulate filters, with regenerative cleaning solutions, to meet strict federal and state emissions regulations requiring a 90% reduction in soot over 2006 model year levels.

FORD UNVEILS TRIO OF VEHICLES FOR NEW YORK AUTO SHOW, INCLUDING MOST POWERFUL MUSTANG AND F-150

• New, limited-edition vehicles developed with hip hop guru Funkmaster Flex and hot rodder Chip Foose will join the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR – the most powerful Mustang to ever – at the 2007 New York International Auto Show.

• 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR roars to life in spring 2008.

• 2008 Ford F-150 Foose Edition hits the streets in early 2008.

• 2008 Ford Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition to launch in fall 2007.

• Ford’s customization business continues to grow: up 50 percent in 2006.

Ford unveiled three new limited-edition models today – the Shelby GT500KR, the F-150 Foose Edition and the Ford Expedition Funkmaster Flex Edition – all of which are making their public debut at the 2007 New York International Auto Show. The trio of vehicles, including the most powerful pickup and most powerful Mustang ever from Ford, demonstrates how the company is leveraging key partnerships to create exciting new products.

“Marrying great Ford products like Mustang, F-150 and Expedition to strong partners like Shelby, Foose and Flex creates vehicles that are irresistible to customers who want to make the boldest statement they can,” said Cisco Codina, group vice president of North America Marketing, Sales and Service. “We are seeing more demand for special wheels and accessories and, of course, from-the-factory packages like the new Eddie Bauer Taurus X and Harley F-150s.” Ford research indicates that 62 percent of full-size pickup truck buyers purchase accessories for their vehicles, and 73 percent buy parts through their dealer. Truck buyers spend an average of $1,700 in accessories. Roughly 30 percent of crossover utility vehicle buyers purchase accessories, and they are more likely to make accessory purchases at the dealership.

Ford’s overall customization business grew 50 percent in 2006 and could potentially double its business again in the next two years, driven by factory-customized products and a hard focus on wheels, appearance packages and electronics such as DVD players and navigation systems.

“This is really a fashion industry,” says Peter MacGillivray, vice president, Marketing and Communications for the Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA). “Consumers want to put their personal stamp on everything they buy – from personalized rings to build-a-teddy-bear – and everybody knows that ‘you are what you drive.’”

2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR:

Launching next spring, the 2008 Ford Shelby GT500KR model features a 5.4-liter supercharged V-8 with a Ford Racing Power Upgrade Pack that boosts engine output to an estimated 540 horsepower.

Produced in a limited edition of 1,000 units, the Shelby GT500KR coupe comes with a custom carbon composite hood with scoops and stainless steel twist-down hood pins, a lower front air dam with chrome-trimmed functional brake ducts and large 14-inch Brembo front brakes. The suspension has been modified with an emphasis on race-inspired handling.

Drawing inspiration from the classic 1968 KR model, the Shelby GT500KR also features 40th Anniversary exterior badging, unique striping and a distinctive interior with Carroll Shelby-signature embroidered seats and a 40th Anniversary numbered dash plaque.

Bilstein announces the release of their new BTS systems for 2005 and later Ford F-250/F-350 4WD Super Duty pickups. These new BTS systems include replacement front coil springs and two 5100 Series shocks. This system raises the front of the truck by 2.25”, increases wheel travel and vastly improves overall handling characteristics.

Bilstein 5100 Series monotube gas pressure shocks are based on Bilstein’s world famous, race inspired monotube gas pressure shock absorber technology. These shocks also feature high capacity digressive pistons and split valving specifically tuned for lifted truck applications. The result is better control and more precise handling, especially when combined with the matching rear 5100 Series shocks that are also available for Super Dutys.

This new Bilstein BTS system has a MSRP of $409.00, which includes the two front coil springs and two 5100 Series shocks. The matching rear 5100 Series shocks carry a MSRP of $84.99 each.

These new F-250/F-350 4WD 5100 Series shocks not only provide superior performance characteristics, but also come with a lifetime aftermarket warranty. Bilstein designs and manufactures shocks for most cars, trucks and SUVs.