Happy Easter!

#Easter #Bunny #EasterHoliday

April Fool’s Day!

#Joke #Funny #April #April2015

All-New Ford Focus RS Makes Global Auto Show Debut; Pioneers Innovative AWD and Performance Technologies

• All-new Ford Focus RS makes global debut at Geneva Motor Show; introduces advanced performance technologies to deliver the ultimate fun-to-drive experience

• Third-generation Focus RS pioneers innovative Ford Performance All-Wheel Drive with Dynamic Torque Vectoring for class-leading cornering speed and at-limit handling

• Focus RS is first RS model with drive modes – including industry-first drift mode – and launch control

• High-performance hatch features specially engineered 2.3-liter EcoBoost^® engine producing more than 315 horsepower, as well as most powerful RS brake system with Brembo front calipers

#LascoFord #Ford #FordFocusRS

Happy St. Patrick’s Day! 

#Green #St.Patrick’sDay #Irish #Magical #shamrock

Ford Telematics Delivers Innovative Fleet Management Solutions for Ford’s Global Commercial Vehicle Customers

• Ford Telematics^™ powered by Telogis^® is a next-generation cloud-based fleet management solution that helps commercial customers better manage vehicles and improve their customer service
• Ford Telematics adds new services, real-time actionable analytics and communications capabilities globally
• Ford Telematics available today for 2009 and newer Ford F-Series, Transit Connect, Transit and E-Series vehicles, as well as for Police Interceptor Utility and Sedan

Ford Motor Company introduces Ford Telematics^™ powered by Telogis^® to help fleets run more efficient operations and better serve their customers.
Ford Telematics is the next generation of the fleet management platform previously known as Crew Chief^™ powered by Telogis, which was available in the United States and Canada. The new version will be available globally and adds new features and analytics.
“Commercial trucks have to be more than delivery boxes on wheels, and innovations like Ford Telematics are critical to helping our fleet customers succeed,” said Raj Nair, Ford chief technical officer and group vice president, Global Product Development. “Ford, in coordination with Telogis, is leading the development of smart solutions for hardworking fleets so they can maximize their operations to better serve their customers.”
Ford Telematics is a suite of cloud-based applications that gives Ford customers visibility into the workday of every driver in the field. The technology is designed to provide exclusive metrics and insights for any size commercial fleet.
Ford Telematics services and features include:

• Mobile connectivity: Connects workers in the field with fleet managers to coordinate Department of Transportation compliance (including hours of service and driver vehicle inspection reports), work orders and more
• Data reporting: Ford-exclusive data and services for more vehicle intelligence, such as diesel emissions and idle time
• Workflow and information gateways: Integration with new workflows, scripted alerts and application programming interfaces that connect Ford Telematics with customer information systems to leverage data in new ways in the back office or in the field
• In-cab alerts: Provide audible driver feedback on harsh acceleration, hard braking, excessive speed and excessive vehicle idle time
• Driver scorecards: Customizable driver behavior scorecards, dashboards and optional Telogis Coach, an industry-first driver feedback mobile application for Android or iOS
• Fuel management: Fuel management reports and dashboards
• Dashboards: Ready-to-use dashboards monitor driver behavior and operations to help ensure the fleet is running efficiently and productively
• Customizable reports: Easier-to-use reports with new user interface improvements, resource filtering and more output formats

#LascoFord #FentonMI #Telematics

Mar 3, 2015 | LOS ANGELES Ford Broadens Outreach to Women Military Veterans with Workshops to Help Ease Transition Back to Civilian Life

• Ford collaborating with National Veterans Transition Services, Inc. to address challenges women face as they leave the military
• Freedom’s Sisters REBOOT Workshop is a free, three-week course for up to 25 women veterans in the Los Angeles area
• New program builds on Ford’s long support of veterans at a time when increasing number of women are transitioning out of military and back to civilian life

Los Angeles, March 3, 2015 –Ford Motor Company is collaborating with the National Veterans Transition Services, Inc. on a three-week workshop designed specifically to address the issues women veterans face as a growing number of them are returning to civilian life and a possibly uncertain future.
The Freedom’s Sisters REBOOT Workshop runs from March 9-27 on the campus of National University here. Up to 25 women veterans will be able to attend free classes five days a week that focus on employment and career, personal well-being, achieving goals.  Also included is a personal makeover session to re-establish their personal style after a career in military uniform.

A report from the Disabled American Veterans in September 2014 said that the country’s nearly 300,000 female veterans face greater challenges than their male counterparts when they re-enter civilian life because they experience the rigors of deployment and reintegration differently.
As a group compared to men, women veterans are less likely to be married, and are more likely to be single parents and unemployed. In addition to higher rates of homelessness, they also often face gaps in medical care for women’s health issues as they enter a veterans system geared toward treating males. These issues are expected to grow as the number of women veterans increases. Women are expected to comprise 11 percent of the veteran population by 2020, up from 9 percent now.
“These brave women have served and sacrificed to defend our freedom, and yet there are few programs that address their unique needs as they return to the home front and to their families,” said Pamela Alexander, director of Community Development, Ford Motor Company Fund. “It’s another opportunity to say thank you, while also helping them make a successful transition.”
As Women’s History Month gets underway in March, Ford is providing support for the workshop in conjunction with the National Veterans Transition Services, a San Diego-based nonprofit dedicated to assisting veterans in adjusting to civilian life. The group has been running REBOOT workshops for all veterans since 2010.
“We designed this program to meet the unique needs of women, and the training builds upon the participants’ military training, skills and experience,” said Maurice Wilson, co-founder, REBOOT Workshop and retired Navy Master Chief Petty Officer. “The workshop addresses the professional, social and personal aspects of life, along with connections to community resources that could also be of help.”
Freedom’s Sisters REBOOT Workshop takes its name from Ford’s earlier support of the Freedom Sister’s traveling exhibition, which celebrated the life of women civil rights pioneers, as well as present-day women who are making a difference in their communities. Several current members of the Freedom Sisters from the Los Angeles area will serve as mentors for the women’s’ REBOOT workshop in Los Angeles.
Women veterans and the wives of combat veterans can learn more by visiting www.nvtsi.org/women-veteransspouses.
Ford’s support of military veterans dates back more than 90 years, when Henry Ford organized a cross-country caravan of 50 Model T Fords to take disabled veterans to the 1922 national convention of the Disabled American Veterans in San Francisco. Since 1974, Ford and Ford Fund have provided more than $8 million to veterans’ organizations. Today, Ford employs more than 7,000 veterans plus hundreds of active military personnel, reservists and guardsmen.

Ford Adds 1,550 Jobs to Support Demand for All-New F-150; Hundreds of Entry-Level Workers to Attain 'New Traditional' Status

• Ford is adding 1,550 new jobs to its Kansas City Assembly, Dearborn Stamping, Dearborn Diversified and Sterling Axle facilities to meet growing demand for the all-new 2015 F-150 – the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever
• As part of Ford’s commitment in the 2011 UAW-Ford collective bargaining agreement, approximately 300 to 500 workers – the first group of “new traditional” employees – will transition in the first quarter, based on attrition and growth, to $28.50 an hour 
• The entry-level agreement has enabled Ford to invest more than $6.2 billion in its U.S. plants and hire more than 15,000 hourly UAW members – up from the 12,000 jobs that were promised by 2015 in the contract agreement
• In January, Ford F-Series had its strongest sales month since 2004; F-150 sits just 12 days on dealer lots – turning faster than any other Ford vehicle

As Ford ramps up production of the all-new F-150, the company today announced it will add 1,550 new jobs across its Kansas City Assembly, Dearborn Stamping, Dearborn Diversified and Sterling Axle facilities in the first quarter of 2015. The new jobs will support production and growing customer demand for the recently launched 2015 Ford F-150.
With these new jobs, Ford has reached its entry-level allowance outlined in the 2011 UAW-Ford collective bargaining agreement. As a result, approximately 300 to 500 workers – the first group of “new traditional” employees – will transition, based on attrition and growth, from their entry-level wage of $19.28 an hour to their new wage of $28.50 an hour. The majority of these employees work at Kansas City, Chicago and Louisville assembly facilities.
“Thanks to stronger than expected customer demand, we’re adding 1,550 new workers to support additional F-150 production,” said Joe Hinrichs, Ford president, The Americas. “These jobs are further proof that customers recognize the all-new F-150 as the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever. We sell every truck we can build, and we plan to build more.”
Of the 1,550 new jobs, 900 are allocated for Kansas City Assembly and 500 will be added between Dearborn Stamping and Dearborn Diversified, with the remaining 150 jobs going to Sterling Axle. These jobs are in addition to the more than 5,000 hourly jobs Ford added across its U.S. manufacturing facilities in 2014.
“This is very exciting news and these additional jobs will have an impact in communities all across our nation,” said Jimmy Settles, UAW vice president and director, National Ford Department. “This also represents a major milestone for employees hired under the entry level agreement, as many will now begin to convert to ‘new traditional’ wage status, as negotiated in the 2011 collective bargaining agreement.”
The entry-level agreement negotiated as part of UAW-Ford collective bargaining has helped improve Ford’s competitiveness and enabled the company to invest more than $6.2 billion in its U.S. manufacturing facilities. Ford has hired more than 15,000 hourly UAW members – exceeding its goal of creating 12,000 hourly jobs in the United States by 2015.
Toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 ever
The all-new F-150 is the toughest, smartest and most capable F-150 ever – boasting a military-grade, aluminum-alloy body and high-strength steel frame, and shedding up to 700 pounds for a lighter, more efficient truck than any previous F-150.
These weight savings lead to customer benefits regardless of model configuration or engine choice. The innovative new truck can tow up to 1,100 more pounds and haul up to 530 more pounds than the 2014 model, and has the highest EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of any full-size gasoline pickup on the market. When equipped with an available 2.7-liter EcoBoost^® engine, the new F-150 4x2 has EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. Actual mileage may vary.
Numerous groundbreaking features debuted in the all-new F-150, including these class-exclusives:

• 360-degree camera view uses exterior cameras to create a bird’s-eye view of the truck to help drivers park, maneuver in tight spots, and navigate narrow roads and trails
• Integrated loading ramps enable easy loading of ATVs, motorcycles and mowers
• BoxLink^™ cargo management system combines metal brackets and custom cleats to secure a variety of accessories in the cargo box – from ramps to storage bins to bed dividers
• Trailer hitch assist adds a new rearview camera feature that incorporates a dynamic line based on steering wheel angle in the display to help customers line up their truck and trailer with no spotter or need to exit the vehicle
• Remote tailgate allows for tailgate to be locked, unlocked and released with the key fob

To manufacture the all-new Ford F-150, the truck team designed an innovative process that includes the latest in advanced materials and in forming and joining technologies.
The new manufacturing process called for the overhaul of both Dearborn Truck and Kansas City Assembly facilities. Dearborn Truck saw its largest manufacturing transformation in decades wherein legacy manufacturing equipment was replaced with the latest in production technology. Changeover at the facility was completed last fall. Kansas City Assembly is currently undergoing a similar renovation that is scheduled to be complete in early 2015.
Combined, the two plants will have capacity to produce more than 700,000 trucks per year for availability in 90 markets globally.
F-150 is part of Ford F-Series, celebrating its 38th straight year as America’s best-selling truck and 33rd straight year as America’s best-selling vehicle. Ford sold 753,851 trucks in 2014.
The all-new F-150 is off to a tremendous start. In January, Ford F-Series had its strongest sales month since 2004, which was the company’s best sales year for the F-150 ever. In the first month of 2015, F-150 sat just 12 days on dealer lots – turning faster than any other Ford vehicle. In addition, more than 1 million people have built and priced F-150 configurations on Ford’s website.