May 19. 2009 -- dawn of a new era at FORD!

[68fastback]

You have to love this company -- their sense of history and tradition ...and what they choose to celebrate.

This also gives a better indication of just how important EcoBoost is to Ford's near-term future.

These three releases from Ford Media today (click on each heading for details):

A NEW ERA DAWNS FOR FORD WITH START OF ECOBOOST ENGINE PRODUCTION AT STORIED CLEVELAND PLANT

• Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 becomes the first Ford manufacturing site to produce advanced fuel-efficient EcoBoost engines
• Ford invests $55 million to retool and reopen Cleveland Engine No. 1; 250 jobs have been added to the plant to produce the new engines
• EcoBoost uses gasoline turbocharged direct-injection technology for up to 20 percent better fuel economy, 15 percent fewer CO2 emissions and superior driving performance versus larger displacement engines
• EcoBoost will first be available this summer on the 2010 Lincoln MKS, Lincoln MKT, Ford Taurus SHO and Ford Flex, expanding availability to 90 percent of Ford’s nameplates by 2013

FORD TAPS NEW MANAGER TO OVERSEE CLEVELAND SITE, ECOBOOST PRODUCTION

• Charles Binger, 19-year Ford veteran, named plant manager for the Cleveland site which includes Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 and No. 2 and Cleveland Casting
• Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1 retooled to become the first Ford manufacturing site in the world to produce EcoBoost engines
• Ford's EcoBoost engine technology, which combines direct injection and turbocharging, is the cornerstone of Ford's commitment to deliver affordable fuel economy for millions

FACT SHEET: CLEVELAND ENGINE PLANT NO. 1



Plant Information

• Plant name: Cleveland Engine Plant No. 1
• Location: Brook Park, Ohio
• Employment: 250 (210 hourly; 40 salaried)
• Products: 3.5-liter EcoBoostTM V-6 engine for Ford Flex, Ford Taurus SHO, Lincoln MKS sedan and Lincoln MKT crossover
• Year opened: 1951
• Site size in acres: 93
• Plant size in square feet: 1.6 million
• Product history: More than 35 million engines, including the renowned 351 Cleveland series and 24.3 million engines in the popular 302 and 5.0-liter V-8 family

-Dan

[VaporDude]

That Cleveland plant has been a work horse for Ford over the years. The new Eco-Boost engine promises to be one of the best in the current market. It looks like Ford is their part in trying to help out the economy and environment. It also looks like they are ahead of the curve for the new regulations that are coming out for 2016.

[68fastback]

I see today Ford embraced the new standards. Of note, imo, is Ford's focus on ONE NATIONAL STANDARD which California is still trying to subvert. Fragmanted standards cost the automakers a fortune -- money that could be going to meeting real challenges.

To show how out of touch with reality some in Washington are, the revised standards for 2016 were originally being written on an individual vehicle basis, not CAFE average, which just shows a total lack of understanding of the challenges. Even as a fleet average, 35.5 by 2016 will be a real challenge but it would seem Ford is as well positioned as any OEM for this.

This is Mullaly's statement that Ford released this morning on the proposed 2016 NATIONAL standard -- with no state/regional conflicting standards permitted -- which remains to be seen.

NOTE TO EDITOR: The following is a statement from Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally regarding President Barack Obama's announcement of one national standard for fuel economy:

WASHINGTON, D.C., May 19. – “We are pleased President Obama is taking decisive and positive action as we work together toward one national standard for vehicle fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions that will benefit the environment and the economy. Today’s announcement signals the achievement of a crucial milestone – an agreement in principle on a national program for increased fuel economy and reduced greenhouse gases. This national program will allow us to move forward toward final regulations that all stakeholders can support. We salute the cooperative efforts of the Obama Administration, the state of California, environmental groups and others that played a constructive role in this process. The framework of the national program will give us greater clarity, certainty and flexibility to achieve the nation’s goals. We will continue to work with the federal agencies to finalize the standards that we are committed to meeting.”

[Ebonee Princess]

Thank you for the info