Porsche sets new quality standards

Stuttgart/Leipzig. Dr. Ing. h.c. F. Porsche AG, Stuttgart, is girding itself for tomorrow’s challenges with a forward-looking quality strategy. The growth in vehicle production, an increasingly diverse model range and technical complexity, innovative drive concepts and discerning customers’ individual expectations of premium sports cars require the continuous development of all quality criteria. That is the goal of the international quality conference for which 150 experts from the sports car manufacturer’s development, production, purchasing and worldwide sales areas are meeting at Porsche’s ultramodern Leipzig plant.

“The degree of transparency of our customised lean production processes is one of the primary guarantors of our sporty vehicles’ extraordinary product quality”, said Wolfgang Leimgruber, Porsche AG Board of Management Member for Production and Logistics. Porsche production methods are constantly being refined within a continuous improvement process, collectively by all employees. They are held up as an example in expert circles worldwide – and are even transferable to totally different industries. Mr Leimgruber said: “The highly efficient Porsche principle gives us the flexibility to deliver on our customers’ many and varied individual equipment preferences while at the same time not merely maintaining quality levels but enhancing them. This cannot be taken for granted in the industry.”

The Stuttgart-based sports car manufacturer does however depend on reliable partners. “The only way in which we can reliably achieve our objectives is if we and our suppliers adhere to the same jointly determined rigorous principles. That is why we believe in long-term partners we can cultivate and develop close ties with. At the end of the day quality does not stop at the factory gate”, explains Mr Leimgruber.

Dr. Stefan Knirsch, Director of the Corporate Quality department is pursuing a holistic approach with his strategy: “For us a perfect and fascinating product goes without saying. But that is far from being the whole story. Of all people, customers who purchase a high value vehicle expect premium quality in all aspects. Only if each customer care experience is perfect; before, during and very long after purchase as well, can brand quality achieve its full credibility.”

This is why Knirsch rigorously ties all parts of the company into a quality concept with uniform standards and objectives. He does though value individual solutions when it comes to delivery: “We engage with our customers’ different cultural needs with an empathy that rivals the precision with which, for example, we tailor our sports cars to extreme climatic differences in our more than 110 markets around the world. That too is quality.”

Contact Porsche of Delaware for more information.

Superb fuel economy and power—Porsche is expanding its Gran Turismo lineup with a Diesel and a Turbo S

A reinforcement for the sporty Gran Turismo by Porsche has arrived: the Panamera Diesel takes on the role of the long-distance runner capable of fast sprints as well. With a range in excess of 1,200 kilometers (745 miles) on a single refueling of 80 liters (21 gallons), it is an excellent choice as a remarkably economical long-distance sedan. Thanks to a fuel consumption with the optional low-friction tires of only 6.3 liters of diesel per 100 kilometers (37.34 mpg) according to the NEDC, this fi rst Porsche Gran Turismo with a diesel six-cylinder engine can drive from Berlin to Bologna—in purely arithmetical terms—on a single refueling stop. Yet the Panamera Diesel also manages short sprints with ease, as the three-liter V6 engine in conjunction with the highly effi cient eight-speed Tiptronic S delivers robust propulsive power.

With the new Panamera Turbo S top model, Porsche is raising the bar in this segment yet another notch higher. The 4.8-liter engine with bi-turbo charging produces 550 hp—ten percent more than the already very powerful engine of the Panamera Turbo. This power plant boosts the new top Panamera to record times in short bursts of speed—from zero to 100 km/h (62 mph) in 3.8 seconds with the Launch Control feature—yet fuel consumption remains at the moderate level of the Panamera Turbo. And there is still plenty of torque: with the Sport Chrono Package, up to 800 Nm in the overboost function.

Contact Porsche of Delaware for more information.

Ford Launches Virtual Showroom Featuring Fiesta and Edge for Millions of PlayStation Home Users

DEARBORN, Mich., June 16, 2011 – Ford has given millions of PlayStation® Home users the chance to experience the new Fiesta and Edge from the comfort of their own home with the launch of the new virtual Ford Showroom.

The virtual Ford Showroom launches today as a part, or space, of PlayStation Home. Ford is the first automaker to launch a space within the North American version of PlayStation Home. 
PlayStation Home is a free-to-play, dynamic social game platform developed for the PlayStation® 3 system and can be accessed by users via the PlayStation® Network.

“The Ford Showroom gives players an opportunity to check out our vehicles in an environment where most people wouldn’t expect to see Ford,” said Brian McClary, Ford social and emerging media specialist. “It’s another example of how we’re providing customers with ways to engage with Ford on their own terms in their own way.”

Users who visit the Ford Showroom will be able to view the interior and exterior of the Fiesta and Edge, experience Ford SYNC®, Ford’s in-car connectivity system, and play a game with digital rewards that include a T-shirt with the Ford logo.

“The Ford Showroom in PlayStation Home is the perfect place for people to explore, interact with and share these highly recognizable and popular vehicles,” said Amy Carney, president of advertiser sales for Sony Pictures Television. “Their SYNC technology also has strong synergies for creating highly interactive and engaging game experiences.”

How it works
A player directs the person he or she controls – called an avatar – to enter the Ford Showroom, then receives a virtual T-shirt with the Ford logo for the avatar and for just walking in the door.
The avatar walks around the showroom and views the Fiesta and Edge. A virtual Ford representative greets all avatars and introduces them to the vehicles and games. Avatars are encouraged to get inside a vehicle to experience a version of its interior with true-to-life detail such as the location of key controls.

“Special attention has been given to the details of the vehicles so that users get as close to a showroom experience as possible,” said McClary. “We want users to really feel like they are inside one of the vehicles.”

Users have the opportunity to pair a virtual mobile phone, already in the car, with SYNC. Once paired, the SYNC system will start and a game menu will appear. They will be able to play three quests: Music Quest, Turn-by-Turn Quest and Phone Quest.

In Music Quest, avatars plug in an MP3 player and receive audio instructions that lead to a mini-game in which players take part in a music-based activity. If completed successfully, players receive a SYNC-branded virtual MP3 player with docking station that they can take to their own PlayStation Home apartment.

Turn-by-Turn Quest requires players to follow a map that leads to a puzzle that must be completed in order to win a holographic digital globe furniture item. Phone Quest requires players to use a virtual phone to receive clues about how to find the last challenge, which is a logic puzzle. If completed, the user wins a virtual SYNC-branded hooded sweatshirt with a glowing logo.
Following completion of the three quests, players will be instructed to return to the Ford Showroom where they will receive the grand prize of a virtual digital picture frame with the SYNC brand on it.

“The purpose of Ford participating in PlayStation Home is not only to educate users, but to help entertain as well,” said McClary.

PlayStation Home was developed by Sony Computer Entertainment’s London Studio for PlayStation 3 on the PlayStation Network. It is available directly from the XrossMediaBar under the PlayStation Network. Membership is free and requires only a PlayStation Network account. Sony said in December the number of PlayStation Home users had grown to 17 million.

PlayStation is a registered trademark of Sony Computer Entertainment Inc. The user is responsible for all applicable Internet fees.

Some services or features may require additional fees.

Contact Winner Ford of Dover for more information.

Fantasy baseball fans can now catch the latest stats, courtesy of their car

DEARBORN, Mich., June 16, 2011 – With baseball season in full swing, die-hard fantasy team fans who are also Ford owners can get weekly player updates in their vehicle on-demand and hands-free through Ford SYNC® with Traffic, Directions and Information Services.

Using a properly paired Bluetooth®-enabled phone with an active SYNC Services account, Ford owners can receive weekly player updates to find out who’s hot and who’s not. Once connected to Services, the driver simply says “Sports,” then “Baseball” then “Fantasy Update.” The weekly leaders in both the American League and National League are then read out aloud, along with hitting statistics including batting average, home runs, RBIs, stolen bases and runs scored. Pitching statistics include records, saves and strikeouts.

“It’s been estimated that nearly 7 million people play fantasy baseball, and all of them scramble to get any kind of information about the very best players they should be putting in their lineups,” said David Gersabeck, SYNC Services product manager. “This is all about giving our customers what they want. The Fantasy Update feature on SYNC gives our customers fantasy baseball updates quickly and concisely using easy voice commands.”

No longer do fantasy baseball players need to pore through pages of statistics and articles to find out who they should be adding – and dropping – from their fantasy team. SYNC Services users simply press the voice button and say the command “Services” to access a wide range of cloud-based on-demand voice-activated features and information, including turn-by-turn navigation, business search, traffic, news coverage, sports reports, weather forecasts and even horoscopes and stock prices. The most recent additions to the Services network include movie listings and travel information, offering a direct connection to 150 airlines, 50 hotel chains and 11 of the largest rental car companies in the U.S.

SYNC Services also offers portability because the service is mated with the user’s Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone, not the vehicle, and therefore can be used in select 2010 model or newer Ford and Lincoln SYNC-equipped vehicles.

Vehicle owners even can dial up SYNC Services when on the move outside the vehicle, accessing the voice-command portal, which provides free access to information that network service providers usually charge additional fees for.

For more information, visit Winner Ford of Dover.

New Ford Focus Electric Keeps Its Cool When the Temperature Heats Up

DEARBORN, Mich., June 13, 2011 – When the mercury starts to rise, people have all sorts of ways for cooling themselves down: sprinklers, lemonade and ice cream all come to mind. But the engineers at Ford have developed a system that cools the lithium-ion battery in the all-new Focus Electric and keeps it working at its prime, even in the hottest of conditions.

Extreme temperatures can affect an electric vehicle’s battery performance and reduce its range. That’s why Ford will use an advanced active liquid-cooling and heating system to regulate the temperature of its lithium-ion battery packs, which are designed to operate under a range of ambient conditions.

“If the battery became too hot, we would have to limit the use of energy to protect it. The liquid cooled system allows us to reduce those constraints and get the most out of the battery,” said Dave Fabricatore, Thermal Program Management team engineer. “We’re helping owners by making sure their battery is always ready to go regardless of the weather.”

How it works
The vehicle uses an integrated cooling system to keep the different systems in the vehicle at their optimal operating temperatures. The air conditioning system is actually used to refrigerate the coolant going to the battery using a “chiller,” so as the coolant passes through the chiller, it’s brought down to the temperature that the battery requires. Temperature sensors placed all over the vehicle let the cooling system know when it needs to kick into action.

The cooling system can even work when the car is charging, so it can help reduce the charge time in hot climates because the battery will be kept at a desirable temperature. 

“Batteries can heat up when they’re charging or being used, and it’s made worse by ambient temperatures,” said Fabricatore. “Controlling the temperature lets us deliver the best range and power for the customer, while improving the longevity of the battery.”

Focus Electric will launch in late 2011 in 19 pilot markets.  The liquid cooled battery system will serve as another distinct advantage the Focus Electric will have over other air-cooled all-electric vehicles, especially in the warmer initial launch markets.  These warmer weather pilot markets include: Atlanta, Austin, Houston, Los Angeles, San Diego, Orlando, Fla., Phoenix and Tucson, Ariz., Raleigh-Durham, N.C. and Richmond, Va.

The power of choice
Electrification is an important piece of Ford’s overall product sustainability strategy, which includes the launch of five electrified vehicles in North America by 2012 and in Europe by 2013. Ford launched the Transit Connect Electric small commercial van in 2010 and will launch the all-new Focus Electric later this year. In 2012, these models will be joined in North America by the new C-MAX Hybrid, a second next-generation lithium-ion battery hybrid and C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid. This diverse range of electrified vehicles allows Ford to meet a variety of consumer driving needs.

Contact Winner Ford of Dover for more information.

New sustainability report shows how the Blue Oval is going green

Dearborn, Mich., June 15, 2011 – Ford is offering the public a comprehensive look at the company’s progress on environmental and social issues with the release of its 12th annual Sustainability Report.

The 2010/2011 report, titled “Blueprint for Sustainability: Driving Change,” provides updates on the company’s progress in key areas of operations, product enhancements on vehicle safety and societal concerns including water usage and supply chain management. The report also designates areas in which the company deems as critical issues going forward.

“The Blueprint for Sustainability encompasses a wide range of efforts at Ford to provide sustainable transportation around the world,” said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president, Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. “Ford is committed to reducing the environmental impact of its products and facilities, supporting positive social change and ensuring economic viability for long-term growth.”

Sustainable progress
During 2010 and early 2011, Ford achieved or committed to the following:
Environmental:

• Reduced CO2 emissions from 2010 model year U.S. and European new vehicles by 10.5 percent and 8.1 percent, compared to the 2006 model year
• Reduced CO2 emissions from Ford’s global operations by 5.6 percent on a per-vehicle basis, compared to 2009
• Set a goal to reduce facility CO2 emissions 30 percent by 2025 on a per-vehicle basis
• Offers 12 vehicles with best-in-class fuel economy and four models with at least 40 mpg – a claim no other full-line automaker can match
• Delivered initial units of Ford’s first all-electric vehicle – Transit Connect Electric. In 2011, Focus Electric will be sold in 19 pilot U.S. markets. In 2012, Ford will begin producing C-MAX Hybrid, the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid and another next-generation hybrid. The same suite of vehicles will be delivered in Europe by 2013

Safety:

• Announced that the 2011 Ford Fiesta was the first vehicle in its class to achieve an Insurance Institute for Highway Safety Top Safety Pick and leads its segment in National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program (NCAP) ratings
• The 2012 Focus earned a Top Safety Pick rating – the 12th Ford vehicle to do so – from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety and a maximum five-star overall safety rating in Euro NCAP tests.
• Invested $1 million to expand its Driving Skills for Life teen driver education program from nine to 15 states
• Continued its intelligent vehicle research that will allow cars to talk wirelessly with one another using advanced Wi-Fi signals, cellular technologies and global positioning systems to help reduce accidents and congestion

Societal:

• Listed water as one of the top sustainability concerns; Ford aims to reduce 2011 global water use by 5 percent per vehicle compared to 2010. This is in addition to the 49 percent per vehicle reduction since 2000.
• Trained suppliers in systemic solutions to working condition challenges and assessed 130 supplier factories around the world for compliance with Ford and legal requirements. Ford global totals now exceed 1,649 suppliers trained and 709 assessed
• Helped establish a common industry guidance and reporting format for greenhouse gas emissions to be used by global automakers and Tier 1 suppliers

In drafting the report, Ford worked with a team from Ceres, a coalition of investors, environmental groups and other public interest organizations working with companies on sustainable business practices. The Ceres stakeholder team is an independent group of individuals drawn primarily from the Ceres coalition and represents a range of constituencies that have expertise in environmental, social and governance issues.

Ford issued its first Sustainability Report in 1999 to address the company’s initiatives regarding social, economic and environmental issues. This year’s complete report can be found at www.ford.com/go/sustainability.

Ford Fourth of July Sales Event

Philly 4th of July Sales Event from Anna Monahan on Vimeo.