Island Lincoln Mercury is proud to partner with Ford Motor Company and the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, in their fight to find a cure.
During the Month of March Island Lincoln Mercury will make a donation in the name of the customer of $50.00 for every new Lincoln and Mercury vehicle sold in March 2010.
This donation will be eligible on any New Lincoln or Mercury vehicle purchased or leased throughout the month.
By SHINO YUASA, Associated Press Writer Shino Yuasa, Associated Press Writer – Wed Feb 3, 7:12 am ET
TOKYO – Toyota Motor Corp. has been hit by over 100 complaints in the U.S. and Japan about brake problems with the popular Prius hybrid, the latest in a spate of quality troubles for the automaker as it grapples with massive global recalls.
The Japanese company's sales are being battered in the U.S. — Toyota's biggest market — after recalls of top-selling models to fix a gas pedal that can stick in the depressed position. The new Prius gas-electric hybrid, which went on sale in Japan and the U.S. in May 2009, is not part of the recalls that extend to Europe and China, covering nearly 4.5 million vehicles.
The U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has received about 100 complaints involving the brakes of the Prius new model. Two involved crashes resulting in injuries. Japan's transport ministry said Wednesday it has also received 14 complaints since July last year about brake problems with Toyota's new Prius hybrid.
The 14 complaints included an accident in July 2009, in which a Prius crashed head on into another car at an intersection. Transport ministry official Masaya Ota said two people were slightly injured in the accident.
"The Prius driver in the accident told police that a brake did not work," Ota said. "Other Prius drivers also complained brakes were not so sharp." The complaints in Japan involve the new Prius model, and the vehicles were all made in Japan, he said.
The ministry ordered Toyota, the world's No. 1 automaker, to investigate the complaints. The other 13 cases happened from December to January 2010. Ota said the ministry has yet to receive a formal report on the complaints from Toyota.
Toyota spokeswoman Ririko Takeuchi said the company has received reports about the Prius complaints in North America and in Japan and was now looking into the matter.
Toyota shares plunged 5.7 percent to 3,400 yen ($38) with jittery investors dumping stocks in the wake of the Prius woes in the U.S. and Japan. The benchmark Nikkei stock index edged up just 0.3 percent to 10,404.33 as the drop in Toyota dampened sentiment.
"Investors were worried the latest trouble involving the Prius could get bigger. The problem could pose a bigger question on Toyota's quality and safety," said Kazuhiro Takahashi, market analyst at Daiwa Securities SMBC Co. Ltd.
Also Wednesday, the South Korean government said Toyota's local unit was recalling 444 vehicles over defects in gas pedals and floor mats.
The vehicles were made in North America, and the more than 19,000 Toyota vehicles imported from Japan weren't part of the recall, the Ministry of Land, Transport and Maritime Affairs said in a statement.
Toyota is facing growing criticism that it has not done enough to ensure the safety of its vehicles. U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood told The Associated Press Tuesday that federal officials had to alert Toyota to the seriousness of the safety issues that eventually led to the recalls.
"They should have taken it seriously from the very beginning when we first started discussing it with them," he said. "Maybe they were a little safety deaf."
LaHood also said the U.S. government was considering civil penalties for Toyota for having dragged its feet on safety concerns.
Toyota executive vice president Shinichi Sasaki acknowledged Tuesday in a Nagoya, Japan, news conference that it took prodding from NHTSA officials for the company to decide on the U.S. recall.
Toyota has long prided itself on sterling vehicle quality and assembly line methods that empowered workers to ensure faultless production.
The latest recall, announced Jan. 21, over sticky gas pedals affects 2.3 million vehicles in the U.S. alone.
Any serious problems emerging in the Prius, Toyota's flagship green car model, is certain to further tarnish its brand.
The Prius, now in its third generation since its 1997 introduction, is the best-selling gas-electric hybrid in the world, racking up a cumulative 1.6 million units sold so far, according to Toyota. Hybrids, by going back and forth between a gasoline engine and electric motor, tend to offer better mileage in slow-speed and stop-and-go driving that's common in crowded cities. ___ AP Business writers Yuri Kageyama in Tokyo and Kelly Olsen in Seoul contributed to this report.
The 2011 Lincoln MKX features a wide suite of new convenience features and technologies, led by the new class-exclusive MyLincoln Touch™ driver connect technology (standard) and available HD Radio™ technology with iTunes® Tagging capability, a first for the industry
Popular conveniences such as MyKey™, Intelligent Access with Push-Button Start and Easy Fuel® are now standard
Additional technologies – including Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning with Brake Support and Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with Cross Traffic Alert – deliver unparalleled luxury experience
DETROIT, Jan. 12, 2010 – In addition to the launch of MyLincoln Touch driver connect technology, the 2011 Lincoln MKX adds a suite of other convenience features and technologies, several of which are not available anywhere else in the midsize luxury crossover segment.
“The 2011 Lincoln MKX is the perfect vehicle to launch MyLincoln Touch driver connect technology simply because the original version of this luxury midsize crossover already is brimming with consumer-focused features,” said Jason Mase, crossover marketing manager. “The new model offers more of the conveniences and features our customers expect and demand, including ones our competitors can’t match at any price.”
Industry-first MyLincoln Touch comes standard on every 2011 Lincoln MKX. This intuitive solution addresses the infotainment evolution, taking vehicle interior design into the realm of popular personal electronics devices such as laptop computers, mobile phones and MP3 players.
MyLincoln Touch includes two 4.2-inch configurable LCD screens in the instrument cluster as well as an 8-inch LCD touch screen in the center stack, five-way controls on the steering wheel – plus a new Media Hub with two USB 2.0 ports, video input jacks and an SD card reader.
MyLincoln perfectly complements Lincoln SYNC®, the award-winning voice-activated communications and entertainment system developed by Ford and Microsoft that fully integrates Bluetooth®-enabled mobile phones and digital media players into the vehicle. The latest generation is SYNC with Traffic, Directions & Information, which provides simple hands-free access to personalized traffic reports, precise turn-by-turn driving directions and up-to-date information including business listings, news, sports and weather.
Like the song? You can tag it Also new on the 2011 Lincoln MKX is the world’s first implementation of iTunes Tagging in a factory-installed HD Radio receiver. With a simple push of the “TAG” button on the radio display, the song information will be stored in the radio’s memory.
Once a song is tagged, customers will dock their iPod to the SYNC system and the “tagged” song information will transfer to that iPod. Up to 100 tags on SYNC can be stored until the iPod is connected. When the iPod is then synced to iTunes, a playlist of tagged songs will appear. Customers then can preview, purchase and download tagged songs from the iTunes Store.
One significant benefit of HD Radio technology is that the sound quality of the broadcast is dramatically better because of the digital transmission – FM sounds like a CD and AM sounds like today’s FM broadcasts. And unlike analog broadcasts, digital broadcasts aren’t susceptible to interference, fadeout and other issues.
Content not found in any other competitors New to the Lincoln MKX lineup as standard equipment is the popular MyKey programmable vehicle key. MyKey allows parents or other concerned owners to restrict certain features when in the hands of a MyKey driver. MyKey encourages safety belt usage, provides earlier low fuel warnings, engages applicable driver aid systems and sounds chimes at preset speeds while limiting audio system volume and top vehicle speed.
Other new standard content on every 2011 Lincoln MKX are remote start, Easy Fuel® Capless Fuel-Filler and Intelligent Access with Push-Button Start, which unlocks the door automatically when the driver (with key) approaches, allowing for push-button start.
Also new for the 2011 model year is the six-speed SelectShift Automatic™ transmission, which provides customers the option of a fun-to-shift manual experience.
In SelectShift mode, the transmission doesn’t second-guess the driver, giving him or her total control over gear selection and performance feel. Upshifts, for instance, are not commanded at redline, and downshifts are allowed at the lowest gear possible as defined by the engine speed.
For instance, when a lower gear is selected while descending a long downhill grade, the Lincoln MKX in SelectShift mode will hold that gear until the driver manually upshifts or returns to the fully automatic setting. To ensure safe shifting, the transmission will downshift to the lowest acceptable gear, based on a calculated maximum speed. That means if a vehicle were traveling at highway speeds, the driver could not downshift to first gear in SelectShift mode.
The innovative Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning with Brake Support leads the long list of available technologies for the 2011 Lincoln MKX. Adaptive Cruise Control allows the driver to set the vehicle’s speed and maintain it without using the accelerator pedal and warns the driver of a collision risk.
Collision Warning with Brake Support uses radar to detect moving vehicles ahead and warns the driver of danger with an alarm and warning light. The system also automatically pre-charges brakes and engages an electronic brake assist system to help drivers stop more quickly.
Other available features and technologies on the 2011 Lincoln MKX include:
Blind Spot Information System (BLIS) with Cross Traffic Alert helps detect vehicles in blind spots during normal driving as well as traffic approaching from the sides when reversing out of parking spots.
Available entertainment-related technology includes THX®-II Certified Car Audio System. THX-II Certified Car Audio System produces sound quality comparable to a THX Certified Home Theater, delivering digital sound to the system’s 14 strategically placed speakers.
Available Gen II ambient lighting allows drivers to choose among seven colors with five intensity settings for interior accent lighting.
The lighting highlights the interior details but also creates a sense of equilibrium and comfort at night by softly illuminating and defining the complete interior environment. Cupholders, front door map pockets, door release handle pockets, the media bin, console bin and footwells can be highlighted with ambient lighting, adjustable in intensity to reflect – or soothe – any mood or moment.
Other available convenience features include rear camera; adaptive HID (high-intensity discharge) headlamps, which rotate according to speed and steering inputs to allow greater visibility around turns; rain-sensing wipers, which detect moisture on the windshield and activate automatically; a new power tilt-and-telescope steering column, which sets the location of the steering wheel based on memory selection and telescopes to aid ingress/egress when the door is actuated; and a new heated steering wheel.
“The 2011 Lincoln MKX is a technology showcase with convenience and entertainment features and technologies our customers want and our competitors can’t match,” Mase said.
Ford Motor Co. said U.S. auto sales rose in October from a month earlier as the industry probably rebounded from the drop in demand that followed the so-called cash for clunkers program.
“The roller coaster is pretty much over,” Ken Czubay, the U.S. sales chief, told reporters today at Ford’s headquarters in Dearborn, Michigan. “People aren’t all of a sudden popping Champagne corks, but they are feeling on the bubble of being more stable.”
Industrywide October sales of cars and trucks ran at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 10.3 million, based on the average of 9 analyst estimates compiled by Bloomberg. The rate was 10.6 million a year earlier.
Sales at a pace of 10 million or more would make October the first month this year to top that mark without the benefit of the government’s clunkers incentives, which ran from July 27 through Aug. 24. September deliveries slumped after the U.S. rebates drained demand and depleted dealers’ inventory.
“Industry sales of light vehicles appear to have continued their steady recovery since the post-clunkers trough of last month, benefiting from improved vehicle availability, and from higher incentive spending and marketing activity by the automakers,” Brian Johnson, a Chicago-based analyst with Barclays Capital, said in a note to investors Oct. 28.
While Czubay didn’t project Ford’s results for the month, he said the second-largest U.S. automaker was “pleased” with its performance and that it was still “too close to call” whether sales would rise from a year earlier
We are very pleased to share with you some great results from the Consumer Reports’ 2009 Vehicle Reliability results that were released yesterday afternoon. Consumer Reports' press release reads: Ford has secured its position as the only Detroit automaker with world-class reliability.... About 90 percent (46 of 51) of Ford, Mercury, and Lincoln products were found to have average or better reliability.
The Consumer Reports survey measures vehicle quality in the first three years of service. The results show Fusion and Milan having better reliability than Toyota Camry and Honda Accord, and MKZ beating Acura TL and Lexus EX.
Not only do we continue to deliver consistent, strong initial quality results, but we can now claim excellence in long-term reliability. Superior craftsmanship is helping Ford establish a track record for reliability, while beating our Asian peers in the process.
· Ford already holds the top spot in initial quality for having the fewest number of defects of any full-line manufacturer and is on par statistically with Toyota and Honda. Ford also is equal to Toyota in the percentage of customers satisfied with the quality of its products. [RDA Group’s quarterly GQRS results]
· Superior reliability is the key to changing customer perceptions about our products. Fusion is helping to drive this change.
Ford is challenging long-held beliefs that only Asian or luxury manufacturers lead in long-term durability and reliability. This is no longer true, making this a very good time for consumers to consider Ford when considering their next purchase decision.
Two years ago, the Fusion was on the cover of the newsstand issue announcing the 2007 Consumer Reports’ Reliability Survey results. At the press conference, David Champion, auto test director for Consumer Reports, talked up Fusion and Milan's superb reliability results, but cautioned that the "real test" is how well the cars would perform over a three-year period. Now they have their answer. Long-term reliability is critical to strengthening our brand and developing greater levels of trust with car buyers.
DEARBORN -- Debbie Santiago is turning off the lights when she leaves a room. Frances Ruiz is avoiding plastic water bottles in favor of an aluminum bottle. And Kameel Zakaria is using a rain barrel for watering his garden. These are just a few of the more than 15,000 people who have shared "green" lifestyle tips on the new "Fusion + Hybrid" Facebook app called "You Speak Green" - the latest example of Ford's campaign to engage consumers on their own terms. Social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and YouTube are more popular than ever. That’s why Ford has increased its presence in the digital space to better enable an open dialogue with consumers about sustainable lifestyle choices in which personal transportation can be both environmentally responsible and fun.
Data suggest that social media sites are increasingly one of the best ways to reach out to consumers. According to Nielsen Company research, the total minutes spent on social networking sites in the U.S. has increased in 2009 by 83 percent year-over-year. Total minutes spent on Facebook increased nearly 700 percent year-over-year, growing from 1.7 billion minutes in April 2008 to 13.9 billion in April 2009, the most recent month reported.
The new Ford Fusion “You Speak Green” Facebook app is designed to encourage people to talk about ways to live sustainably and features a vine graphic that grows with each new eco-conscious comment, demonstrating the power of a collective effort through recycling, water conservation and other actions. Its design was inspired by the Fusion Hybrid’s innovative SmartGauge™ instrument cluster, which uses a similar leafy vine that grows as the motorist drives more fuel efficiently.
The app, which Ford created in collaboration with Wunderman-Team Detroit and social technology provider Vitrue, is an interactive component of the online “We Speak Car” campaign (http://www.fordvehicles.com/2010fusion/) that debuted in March. Since the app’s mid-July launch, more than 104,000 Facebook users have downloaded it to their profile pages and 15,000 have posted tips.
“The user response to the Fusion Facebook ‘You Speak Green’ app has been outstanding," said Adam Barrow, Ford digital marketing analyst. "By providing users tools to support and amplify their self expression and their point of view, we veer away from being intrusive and start to build a true relationship. That relationship will build brand awareness and consideration in an authentic way.”
Another example of Ford’s groundbreaking social media outreach is its support of the Fiesta Movement campaign to promote the company’s sporty, savvy new small car through social media agents. Agent postings have garnered significant numbers on social media sites, including more than 3.5 million YouTube views (http://www.fiestamovement.com/), more than 440,000 Flickr views and more than 2.7 million Twitter impressions.
Since its introduction, SYNC has helped rocket Ford to the forefront of automotive technology by seamlessly integrating your Bluetooth-enabled mobile phones and digital media players. Now, SYNC is poised to take a significant leap forward with the introduction of two all-new features: Vehicle Health Report (VHR) and 911 Assist.
With VHR, drivers are able to monitor the condition of their vehicle and work closely with their local dealership to help keep their vehicle operating at its peak potential.
VHR combines data from multiple sources to communicate diagnostic recall and maintenance information. The result is an easy-to-understand report that can be accessed on www.syncmyride.com. What's more, VHR makes scheduling a service appointment simpler than ever by integrating with Genuine eService on the drivers preferred dealership website.
In certain vehicle crashes, occupants may be unable to place a call to a 911 Operator if assistance is required. With 911 Assist, customers gain a peace of mind knowing SYNC can assist them in connecting with emergency personnel.
If a driver or passenger using 911 Assist to connect to a 911 Operator chooses to evacuate the vehicle, the call can be transferred to their mobile handset without having to hang up and redial. The call will continue through the handset when the vehicle's ignition is turned OFF and the door is opened.
VHR and 911 Assist represent a significant value since neither system requires an additional monthly subscription fee or usage charge outside of your monthly phone bill. For potential new Lincoln and Mercury owners, these features represent even more reasons to select a SYNC equipped vehicle.
For more information on SYNC, VHR and 911 Assist, stop by the dealership and speak to a Sales Specialist or call 321-452-9220
Jaguar has now launched the industries first broadband multimedia magazine specifically for Apple iPhone and iPod Touch users.
The largest Broadband 2.0 Video Network, 29HD Network, developed this unique spin on the traditional website for Jaguar. By going to www.jxfphone.com , iPhone and iPod Touch owners can experience the new Jaguar XF like never before. The broadband magazine features the XF in vibrant photos and dramatic videos, all cropped to perfectly fit the portable devices displays and take full advantage of their widescreen format.
With just a tap of the screen, users can flip through the dynamic photos of the broadband magazine, each of which also features an accompanying video that can be viewed with another tap. All content is editorial based and will be updated regularly as the Jaguar XF release date approaches.
Standard Safety features from Lincoln MKX include:
Power four-wheel disc brakes with an anti-lock braking system (ABS)
Secure-Lock passive anti-theft system
Perimeter anti-theft alarm system
Remote keyless entry system
Tire pressure monitoring system
Keyless entry keypad
A Personal Safety System is also an optional package on the New Lincoln MKX. VisitIslandLincoln Mercury or log on to http://www.islandlincolnmercury.com for further information about top safety and true care and complete details on your favorite Lincoln vehicles!
