Stuart Powell Ford Lincoln Mercury Mazda

ford fusion named 2010 motor trend car of the year

 

·      The 2010 Ford Fusion is MOTOR TREND magazine's pick for its prestigious Car of the Year® award ·      The Fusion bested a field of 23 contenders - including the Toyota Camry, Honda Accord, BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class - to win the prominent award ·      Fusion is now among America's top 10-selling vehicles and the No. 1-selling domestic car ·      Ford Fusion is America's most fuel-efficient midsize sedan for both hybrid and conventional gasoline models. The Fusion Hybrid with an EPA estimated 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway tops the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway, while the four-cylinder Fusion with best-in-class highway fuel economy at 34 mpg tops the Toyota Camry four-cylinder by 2 mpg

 

 

DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 17, 2009 - The Ford Fusion - America's most fuel-efficient midsize sedan - today was named MOTOR TREND's 2010 Car of the Year^®. The award comes hot on the heels of Fusion setting record-breaking sales for 2009.

 

"Ford has proven its resilience in these tough times by delivering to market a car with broad appeal to a broad range of consumers," said Angus MacKenzie, MOTOR TREND editor-in-chief. "The Fusion range has matured into a competitive roster of midsize sedans, able to compete with sales juggernauts such as the Toyota Camry and Honda Accord. It is no surprise the Fusion now ranks in the top 10 best-selling cars in America."

 

The prestigious award from MOTOR TREND comes at a time when Fusion sales are already at an all-time high, further positioning the vehicle as a formidable contender in the competitive midsize sedan market. 

"The MOTOR TREND Car of the Year award is another testament of our commitment to delivering a world-class car lineup," said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Ford Global Product Development, who accepted the golden calipers on behalf of the Ford team. "Whether it is the best-in-class fuel economy or quality unsurpassed by Toyota or Honda, the Fusion and Fusion Hybrid are clear evidence that Ford is serious about our car lineup."

 

To win the coveted Car of the Year award, Fusion outperformed the competition - including the BMW 7 Series and Mercedes-Benz E-Class sedan - in six new categories: design achievement, engineering excellence, intended function, efficiency, safety and value. 

"The Fusion brought a vast assortment of choice that has the potential to appeal to every type of driver, from the eco-conscious to the sport-minded," said MacKenzie. "The Fusion's combination of comfort, fuel efficiency, assortment and technology made it a clear winner among our panel of judges."

 

The 2010 Fusion and Fusion Hybrid are the most fuel-efficient sedans in America. The new models offer more power; class-exclusive technologies, such as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS^®) and Ford SYNC^®; and more total passenger and luggage capacity than the Toyota Camry.

 

The Fusion lineup expanded in the 2010 model year to include all-new Hybrid and Sport models and a new selection of gas-powered engines - all paired with six-speed transmissions - that deliver even more horsepower and better fuel economy.

 

Fusion: A hit from the start

The Ford Fusion has been generating excitement among journalists and consumers alike since the nameplate first launched in the fall of 2005. In fact, the introductory model - which marked Ford's re-entry into the midsize sedan market - was a finalist for MOTOR TREND's 2006 Car of the Year award.

 

Since then, Fusion's popularity has continued to soar - and so have sales. Fusion set a sales record in April - the first full month of sales for the redesigned 2010 model and the new Fusion Hybrid - and overall sales are already at an all-time high for 2009.

 

With its quality unsurpassed by Toyota or Honda, best-in-class fuel economy, class-exclusive technologies and significant residual value improvement, the 2010 Ford Fusion is clearly delivering the key attributes that midsize sedan buyers want. 

 

"Even at a time when industry-wide sales are down 26 percent, Fusion sales continue to grow," said Ford Sales Analyst George Pipas.

 

The new Fusion Hybrid model has played an important role in Fusion's success. The vehicle delivers an EPA estimated 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway. It also offers innovative new technology - SmartGauge^? with EcoGuide - that coaches hybrid drivers to maximize fuel efficiency.

 

According to Fusion Marketing Manager Jonathan Richards, car buyers are so passionate about Fusion that they are choosing to buy the high series models - Hybrid, SEL and Sport.

 

"Data show that high series models account for 50 percent of sales," he said. "Customers are also embracing technology offerings like voice-activated navigation, SYNC and Sony^® Audio."

 

Richards says the introduction of a Sport model is also drawing praise from Fusion customers, as is the new six-speed gearbox with SelectShift^? transmission.

 

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About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 200,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Volvo. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

Stuart Powell Mazda has earned Mazda Gold Cup Certification for the year of 2009. The Mazda Gold Cup is the highest honor a dealer can receive from Mazda for their dedication to customer satisfaction.
Dealers qualify for Gold Cup Certification by meeting rigorous Mazda customer satisfaction requirements, maintaining a quality dealership image, and ensuring their sales and service staff sustains Mazda training requirements on an on-going basis.


"We are pleased that Stuart Powell Mazda shares our conviction for providing our customers with the best sales and service experience in the industry." explains James O'Sullivan, President and CEO of Mazda North American Operations. "Earning Mazda Gold Cup certification is a significant achievement, and we applaud the efforts of all of the dealership personnel who helped the dealership earn this award."

Headquartered in Irvine, California, Mazda North American Operations (MNAO) oversees the sales, marketing, and customer service support of Mazda vehicles in the United States, Canada, and Mexico through more than 850 dealers.

William Goggin, a 2009 graduate of Boyle County High School-FFA, has been awarded a $1,000 scholarship by Stuart Powell Ford and Ford Motor Company.  William Goggin parents are Teresa Goggin and Joseph Goggin of Danville.  Goggin plans to study Agricultural Education.

The Built Ford Tough Trucks FFA Scholarship Program is designed to recognize FFA members' talents and accomplishments while encouraging their future academic achievements.

The scholarship is one of 452 scholarships awarded this year by Ford Division, Ford Motor Company fund and Stuart Powell Ford to FFA members who are high school seniors planning to attend college in the fall of 2009, as well as current collegiate students.  This program is a part of Ford's overall commitment to the National FFA Foundation.

Stuart Powell Ford is proud to support FFA and the Built Ford Tough Trucks FFA Scholarship Program.  Ford has supported the National FFA Foundation since the first F-Series truck was introduced in 1948, and has sponsored the Built Ford Tough collegiate scholarship program since 1997. To date, the program has awarded $5,556,000 in scholarships to 5,566 FFA members throughout the country.  Ford knows the value of hard work, and believes that hard work should be rewarded.  Educating aspiring young  people to become the leaders of tomorrow is just another way of ensuring a successful future.

April 25, 2009

 

KENNY STRATTON JOINS STUART POWELL FORD IN DANVILLE

 

Stuart Powell Ford, Lincoln, Mercury and Mazda, is pleased to announce the addition of Kenny Stratton as a Sales Consultant to their Sales Staff in Danville.

 

Kenny is well known in Mercer County and has 15 years of Ford sales experience, along with being a licensed Real Estate broker and homebuilder.

 

Kenny and his wife Nancy Phillips, live in Harrodsburg and have a one son, McKinley, who is a Senior at Mercer County High School.

"If I can't find a way to do something, I make a way," said Powell, whose first job as a 15-year-old was pumping aviation fuel and cleaning plane windshields. By age 16, he qualified to handle a Piper J-3 Cub, a classic one-engine yellow plane of the era. His first solo flight took off from a tiny airstrip. "Just an open field, really!" for which he has worked actively for four decades to expand into a two-runway airport that handles corporate jets and is now named Stuart Powell Field. "Aside from selling and servicing vehicles, my passion in life is trying to develop the airport," he said.

Assisting community growth through a vital transportation link is just one of the lifelong Kentuckian's contributions to his area. Powell and the Ford dealership he started in Lancaster, Ky. in 1960 also support the Salvation Army, Centre College and many other organizations, including the local library, The Community Arts Center, The Regional Medical Center and his church.

"I get great satisfaction from helping people," explained Powell. "It's a way to leave a mark on the world. See, I believe in the saying "You never stand so tall as when you stoop to help somebody else.

"Powell, a former mayor of Lancaster, Ky., applied government experience and business discipline to earn grants that helped Danville?s open field become a regional airport with a 5,000-foot runway for small jets. Economic development and employment benefit significantly from the airfield expansion that Powell engineered as chairman of the Danville-Boyle County Airport Board since 1968.

"We have a dandy, first-class airport for a city of our size, and it?s mainly because of Stuart," said Danville Mayor Hugh Coomer. "And that?s very important to us right now as a draw for industry.

"In September 2007 the Kentucky commissioner of aviation designated Powell as General Aviation Board Chairman of the Year. At the same ceremony, the Ford dealer also received a Kentucky Ace award for his commitment to aviation, education, safety and development.

In Danville, Powell's community outreach also embraces the Salvation Army, for which he has served as an advisory board member since 1976. His support helped build a Thrift Store, a gymnasium and administrative offices that serve a five-county area. Powell's dedication inspires employees to supplement the dealership?s contributions.

"Stuart has been a pillar in our organization. He has done so much for the community through Salvation Army," said Capt. Zach Bell, leader of the local chapter. "He is heavily involved in the community, and it comes from his heart."

"I like challenges," said Powell. "I enjoy seeing something that looks difficult get accomplished."