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Automotive Intelligence - the web for automotive professionals and car enthusiasts |
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July 4, 2007 This Week:
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This is the third year in a row that Mustang has received an APEAL award, having garnered the Sporty Car segment award in 2005.
Three other Ford Motor Company vehicles ranked second or third in their segments: Ford Explorer Sport Trac is 2nd; Lincoln Navigator is 3rd; and Mazda CX7 is 2nd. Additionally, most Ford Motor Company brands improved or maintained their performance from last year’s APEAL study. The new Edge is the first vehicle in its segment to offer an all-glass roof, which was inspired by architectural trends toward greater use of glass in wall-to-ceiling windows, the Vista Roof serves as a large front moonroof and a rear skylight. The interior makes ingenious use of space, delivering maximum flexibility and functionality. The available EasyFold electro-mechanical seat release switch drops either of the back seats at the touch of a button for easy cargo loading. An innovative use of materials and technology has produced a crossover with luxury-vehicle interior quietness.
As in last month’s J.D. Power and Associates IQS study, Ford’s recently launched vehicles turned out a solid performance in APEAL. Ford received 14 total vehicles ranked in the top three in their respective segments, including five highest-ranked segment awards, in J.D. Power and Associates IQS study released on June 6. Many of those vehicles were recently launched. J.D. Power and Associates IQS and APEAL are among the recent third-party metrics to demonstrate Ford’s quality improvements. In April 2006, RDA Group of Bloomfield, Mich., released the Global Quality Research System report (GQRS) showed Ford in a statistical dead heat with Toyota and just behind Honda. The GQRS report, an analysis of “things gone wrong” (TGW) in new vehicles as measured by customers, is commissioned quarterly by Ford to study customer feedback. Ford improved its TGW rate by 8 percent, besting the industry average improvement of 2 percent. “The lineup is growing stronger, and the Ford team’s efforts are paying off,” Fields said. “We’re working to deliver our plan, and creating quality cars, trucks and crossovers for our customers is a key part of it.” Photos: Ford (June 28, 2007)
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