96 Years On, Ford Continues Support of our Military Men and Women

As a leader in the automotive industry for over a century, Ford has spent 96 of those years supporting disabled military veterans. As technology and modern infrastructure evolve, so too do Ford’s methods of providing assistance to a portion of the American public that Ford Motor Company Fund and Community Service president Jim Vella feels is more deserving than perhaps any other.

Since 1996, Ford has donated 199 vehicles to DAV. “We are proud to be able to help these heroes of freedom get the critical services they need to make their lives better,” Vella said in a statement announcing Ford’s donation of 7 Ford Flex utility vehicles to DAV (Disabled American Veterans.) These vehicles will enter the fleet of DAV’s transportation network, whose volunteer drivers transport sick and disabled veterans to VA Medical Centers all over the country.

DAV members receive discounts on Ford and Lincoln vehicles, as well as a reimbursement on adaptive equipment to allow them to better access and drive their vehicles. Ford has concerned itself with assisting veterans since 1919, when Henry Ford saw the plight of soldiers returning from the First World War and hired disabled vets to build his cars.

Ford recently teamed up with BraunAbility, the world leader in wheelchair-accessible vehicles, to create the BraunAbility MXV, the world’s first wheelchair-accessible Ford Explorer. Veterans confined to wheelchairs have historically had their vehicle selection limited to vans, minivans, and the occasional pickup, but the MXV breaks ground in the field of wheelchair-ready SUVs.

The BraunAbility MXV will go on sale this fall, but the first model has already found an owner. Lance Corporal Mike DeLancey, who was left paralyzed by a sniper’s bullet while serving as a Marine in Iraq, was presented with the first-ever wheel-chair accessible SUV at a moving unveiling ceremony.

While some efforts to support veterans and people with disabilities grab headlines, Ford’s Military Appreciation program, as well as its Mobility Motoring program, provide financial assistance every day. If you are a veteran, are living with a disability, or are a caregiver for someone with a disability, we would be happy to help you find out if you qualify for a rebate on our star-studded Ford lineup!

Our All-Time Top 5 Favorite Fords in Film

Movies and cars have a long, rich relationship. They were both invented and refined at virtually the same time, and from chase-scenes to drive-in theatres, the two have become inseparable. Yet some films make such expert use of cars that the vehicles become central characters unto themselves. We have an office full of cinephiles and car-nuts, and after a lengthy debate, we are proud to present our list of the top-five Fords on film.

5) ’71 Mach 1 Mustang – Diamonds are Forever, 1971

When you think of James Bond’s cars, Ford likely isn’t the first name that comes to mind. England’s most-notorious superspy has favored Aston Martins since 1964’s Goldfinger. But when Diamonds are Forever took 007 to the United States, he flexed some American muscle in a red Mach 1 Mustang. At least 6 Mustangs were used for the film, but none are more famous than the car that went on two wheels to evade police down an alley.

4) ’71 Ford Mustang Sportsroof – Gone in 60 Seconds, 1974

Gone in 60 Seconds is an ode to the beauty of the automobile through the lens of an ambitious car thief. The film follows Maindrian Pace, an insurance investigator who moonlights as the leader of a ring of car thieves, as he attempts to satisfy an especially demanding client. Pace has to steal 48 hard-to-find cars in five days, but the most difficult vehicle on the list ends up being a yellow Mustang, nicknamed “Eleanor.” The car plays such a crucial role in the movie that it is the only Ford Mustang to receive a star title credit in a film.

3) ’68 Mustang GT 390 Fastback – Bullitt, 1968

Bullitt is in some ways still the gold standard for car movies. Steve McQueen personifies cool, and part of that reputation comes from his turn as SFPD Lieutenant Frank Bullitt. Bullitt’s pursuit of hit men driving black ’68 Dodge Charger R/T is one of the most iconic chase scenes ever, and it features close-ups of the driver for the first time in film history. The Highland Green Mustang from the film is such a cultural touchstone that Ford released a special-edition Bullitt Mustang for the 40^th anniversary of the film’s release.

2) ’73 Ford Falcon XB GT Coupe – Mad Max, 1979

Mad Max imagines our favorite kind of dystopian future: one in which cars are king. In a post-apocalyptic future in which highways are a battleground and gasoline is a precious commodity, the “Pursuit Special” Ford Falcon given to Mel Gibson’s Max Rockatansky is a star in its own right. Hailed as the last of the V8s, Max’s Interceptor is the great equalizer in a war against vicious gangs set on breaking down the last traces of civilized society.

1) ’32 Ford Coupe – American Graffiti, 1973

There is maybe no movie car that has had a greater impact on the automotive industry than the 1932 Ford Coupe from George Lucas’ cult classic about teen life in the 50s and 60s, American Graffiti. The bright yellow five-window, described as the fastest thing in the valley, was not originally intended to be a focal point of the film, but the Ford Coupe inspired moviegoers nostalgic for their youth to modify vintage cars and helped to inspire the modern hot rod movement.

At Butler Automotive, we love movies – second only to cars, trucks and SUVs – and would love to hear from you if you think our list has a glaring omission. Please like us on Facebook or drop by our dealership and let us know!

For Ford, “Go Further” is Much More Than a Motto

Ford has been producing catchy taglines longer than most automotive companies have been producing cars. Ford introduced its first slogan in 1905: “Don’t experiment: Just buy a Ford.” The evolution of Ford’s official motto is directly related to the spirit of the company’s mission; while 1905 may have found Ford eager to solidify itself as the face of the American car industry, in recent decades Ford has branded itself more confidently. Ford trucks have been proudly proclaimed as “Built Ford Tough” for over 35 years, one of the longest running slogans in the car industry.

Yet despite a proud history of evocative marketing campaigns, “Go Further,” Ford’s current company motto, is more than just a catchphrase or slogan: it is a testament to Ford’s conviction that, to quote Ford’s employee FAQ, “good is not good enough.” The recession that gripped the United States took the American automotive industry to the brink, and perhaps no manufacturer was more emblematic of that collapse than America’s most iconic carmaker. Unlike General Motors or Chrysler, Ford didn’t require a government bailout, but as a condition of the loan Ford received it had to relinquish its assets, including its iconic blue oval logo, as collateral.

But by 2012, Ford was officially back. After receiving investment-grade ratings from both Moody’s and Fitch, Ford was given back its logo, and announced its new lease on life by rebranding. The company has a recent history of ad campaigns pointing to higher aspirations, from “There’s a Ford in your future” to 2006’s “The Way Forward.” “Go Further” doesn’t aim to inspire optimism; it both promises that Ford’s recovery is complete and serves as a reminder to Ford’s employees, from top to bottom, that great effort is required to achieve great results.
And those results are showing. Ford just posted its best quarter earnings since 2000, up 44% compared to last year and 10% higher than Wall Street analysts had predicted. But Ford’s dedication to going further isn’t limited to the production and sale of premium vehicles. In 2014, Ford and Lincoln dealerships donated almost $100 million to their communities, and Ford’s Drive 4 UR Community program, inspired by the Drive 4 UR School program that has raised more than $18 million dollars for schools since 2007, donates money to community causes when people test drive vehicles.

Butler Ford chose to dedicate this year’s Drive 4 UR Community event to Ashland Community Hospital Foundation. The more than $7,400 that no-obligation test drives raised for patient care initiatives stands as a testament to what Elena Ford, global director of marketing and great-great granddaughter of Henry Ford, described as her interpretation of the company slogan: “We go further so you can.”

Top 4 Benefits of Ford’s Switch to Aluminum

Ford’s groundbreaking decision to make the switch from steel to aluminum for the creation of its 2015 F-150 created an understandable amount of buzz. After all, in 2014 the F-150 extended its reign as America’s best-selling truck and best-selling vehicle to 38 years and 33 years, respectively; why would Ford change a truck that has become the model of success in the American automotive market? Here are four great reasons:

1. Environmental Impact

Independent studies show that aluminum vehicles save the equivalent of 44 million tons of Carbon Dioxide emissions per fleet. This is due to the fact that aluminum alloys are dramatically lighter than steel. The 2015 F-150 is 700 pounds lighter than previous models, and as a result will save consumers at the pump and significantly lessen its environmental impact.

2. Durability

Much has been made in recent weeks of the public notion that steel is a sturdier material than aluminum alloys, but as is so often the case, perception simply does not match reality. Unlike steel, aluminum doesn’t rust. And while the Man of Steel may dominate the page and screen, real American heroes trust aluminum with their life; the aluminum found in new F-150s is similar to that of U.S. military Humvees.

3. Safety

The aluminum F-150 outperformed its steel predecessor in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s annual safety rating, earning an overall five-star rating. While some of the F-150’s steel-paneled competitors were also awarded the NHTSA’s highest possible rating, others, like the Ram 1500, were deemed less collision-ready.

4. Performance

Finally, utilizing lighter-weight aluminum alloys allows for cars with improved acceleration, breaking, cornering, and handling. The 700 pounds the F-150 shed between 2014 and 2015 make for a big truck that is remarkably easy to drive.

While competitors will likely continue to attack the use of aluminum in the F-150, consumer interest in greener, safer, more durable, and better performing vehicles means that Ford will likely not be the last company to make the move to aluminum. Once again, Ford has proven that innovation and customer satisfaction go hand in hand.

Ford Donates Out-of-this-World Mustang

In a month in which NASA’s New Horizons probe completes its 3-billion-mile voyage to Pluto, Ford is paying tribute to the Space Program’s history and contributing to its future with the unveiling of its 2015 Apollo Edition Mustang. This one-of-a-kind Mustang will be auctioned for charity next week at AirVenture, the annual aviation celebration hosted by the Experimental Aircraft Association (EAA) in Oshkosh, Wisconsin.

For the eighth year running, Ford has unveiled a one-off, aviation-themed Mustang to honor American innovation in the aerospace industry and benefit EAA youth education programs. While last year’s offering, a fighter-jet-inspired 2015 Mustang, raised $200,000 at auction, the Apollo Edition looks poised to surpass even that mark.

As if a 627 horsepower V8 engine and a custom black, white, and red paint job reminiscent of the Saturn V rocket that launched Apollo 11 into orbit weren’t enough to entice bidders, the Apollo Edition Mustang features LED underbody lighting to recreate “atmospheric re-entry.”

“The Apollo program delivered astonishing innovations in technology and achieved a national goal of landing the first human on the moon. The entire program was extraordinary — one of our nation’s greatest technological achievements,” said Edsel B. Ford II, a member of the Ford board of directors and great-grandson of Henry Ford. “With this year’s stunning Apollo Edition Mustang, we salute that spirit of American ingenuity with the quintessential American automobile — Ford Mustang.”

The Ford Mustang and the Apollo Program both trace their roots to the early 1960s, and with any luck, Ford’s loving homage to the American space program will help a new generation of aviation enthusiasts take flight. The July 23 auction will benefit a number of youth aviation education programs, including Young Eagles. To date, the Young Eagles First Flight program has provided over 1.9 million kids with the opportunity to take a free flight alongside a pilot and see how a plane works firsthand.

Drive 4 UR Community a Success!

We did it! We helped Asante Ashland Community Hospital Foundation achieve their fundraising goal through our Drive 4 UR Community event held this month. All monies raised will support initiatives to enhance patient care which will impact our community in so many ways!

We had beautiful weather,  three diverse food trucks, FREE 16 oz drinks to the first 300 people from the HUMAN BEAN, three AMAZING local bands, and therapy dogs! All people had to do was test drive a Ford, and Ford Motor Company donates $20 per person to Asante Ashland Community Hospital.

It was an amazing day filled with food, fun and community. Helping our community is what it’s all about and we feel privileged to have been a part of it. ‪

F-150 Earns Highest Possible Crash Safety Rating EVER

The innovative Ford F-150 SuperCrew has earned the government’s highest possible crash safety rating –  adding to the F-150’s strengths as the toughest, smartest, most capable F-150 EVER.

The 2015 F-150 SuperCrew has earned a five-star Overall Vehicle Score in the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s New Car Assessment Program, due to 31 new safety-related innovations developed by the Ford truck team.

“The five-star safety rating is a terrific example of One Ford collaboration and innovation,” said Raj Nair, Ford group vice president, Global Product Development. “Our truck team worked together for years to deliver this accomplishment, using an unprecedented combination of advanced materials throughout the all-new F-150. The 2015 model is engineered to be the safest F-150 ever, which matters to customers who depend on this truck to not only get the job done, but also get them safely home.”
All-new F-150 safety features include an advanced restraint system with dual-stage airbags, Curve Control – a technology that will slow the vehicle when it senses the truck is going too fast for a particular curve, and available inflatable rear safety belts in SuperCrew models – a segment-first innovation. It also features a slew of driver assist technologies, including several class-exclusive features such as adaptive cruise control and active park assist.

As we all know, safety starts with the foundation of the vehicle: the frame. Engineers added an extra crossmember and increased the use of high-strength steel to improve stiffness, durability and safety – while also helping reduce the frame’s weight by up to 60 pounds.

“The team had to invent new ways to manage crash energy, because advanced materials like high-strength steel behave differently,” said Matt Niesluchowski, Ford truck safety manager. “We found that changing certain shapes led to a weight reduction, while also improving crash performance.”

Safety engineers also developed a patented 12-corner front crush horn. What is a front crush horn? It’s used to dissipate more energy in a front impact. This uncommonly- shaped structure helps manage crash forces so the frame buckles in a predictable manner. This helps to  keep those forces away from people in the cabin. This is just one of the 31 new safety-related transformations the team developed to make the F-150 safer during collisions.

So, what’s up with all this talk of the aluminum alloy body? What IS it exactly? Is it REALLY safe? It’s actually high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy and it’s amazing in both safety, durability and fuel economy.

Safety-wise, the truck’s cab features hydroformed roof rails that constitute a cage-like structure around the doors, extruded roof bows to provide lateral strength across the top of the cab, and extruded rocker rails near the bottom to reinforce lower body strength.

How various parts of the truck were joined also yielded safety improvements. In many cases, welding was not the most effective way to join parts, so the team developed and patented methods to connect parts using high-strength adhesives. This resulted in structural strength equal to or greater than traditional welds.

This stunning feat of engineering is also no slouch in the fuel efficiency department. It includes the highest EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of any full-sized gasoline pickup on the market, plus best-in-class towing and payload ratings. The F-150’s increased performance and fuel efficiency is due to a whopping 700-pound weight savings through the use of high-strength steel in the frame; high-strength, military-grade, aluminum alloy in the body; and smart engineering by innovators over at the Ford truck team.  

The inventive new truck can tow up to 1,100 more pounds and haul up to 530 more pounds than the 2014 model, and it has the highest EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of any full-sized gasoline pickup on the market.

When equipped with the available 2.7-liter EcoBoost^® engine, the all-new F-150 4×2 returns EPA-estimated fuel economy ratings of 19 mpg city, 26 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined. Actual mileage will vary.

We have many stunning new F-150’s to choose from – why not test drive one of these ingenious new vehicles and see what all the talk is about!

There’s Nothing Better Than Roush Performance Mustangs

There’s Nothing Better Than Roush Performance Mustangs! Spring in Southern Oregon brings sun filled days and the temp’s are in the 70’s – there’s nothing better than feeling the excitement of the season from the road in a Roush Mustang.

This is the opportunity the local Mustang club, the Oregon Street Stangz  from Klamath Falls,  experienced this week. They checked out our beautiful array of Roush Performance Mustangs as well as our inventory of heart-pumping 2015 Ford Mustangs. Performance Specialist, Drew Bechard, was on hand to answer performance related questions for the crew (he’s our go-to guy for Roush performance questions!)

Their journey eventually lead them down the long, fun and winding road to‪ Paschal Winery, where photos opp’s were a must. Thank you Oregon Street Stangz, for bringing some of your own awesome ‘Stangz’ for us to admire and for checking out our new shipment of one-of-a-kind Roush Performance Vehicles.

Check out “Stangz” Facebook page HERE and check us out if you want an amazing American beast of car. Additionally, we’re the only‪ Roush dealer in all of Southern Oregon and Northern California!‪Come check out our breathtaking inventory today!

High Performance “Industry-First Drift Mode” in 2016 Ford Focus RS

The 2016 Ford Focus RS “drifted” into the hearts of racing enthusiasts when it was unveiled at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this month. The Ford Performance Team really outdid themselves with this new Focus RS, introducing a variety of advanced high performance technologies such as selectable drive modes – including industry-first drift mode, as well as launch control.

With a 2.3-liter EcoBoost^® engine delivering an excess of 315 horsepower, the high-performance road car features the most powerful Ford RS braking system ever. Its dramatic exterior design offers optimized aerodynamics and cooling, with 9 percent less drag than the previous Focus RS.

“The all-new Focus RS is a serious machine with high-performance technology and innovative engineering that sets new benchmarks for driving exhilaration on the road and track,” said Raj Nair, Ford Motor Company group vice president, Global Product Development.

“The RS line has a proud history of technical breakthroughs that have migrated to mainstream Fords to benefit all of our customers,” he added, “and the new Focus RS is no exception. It’s a great example of our passion for innovation through performance, and creating vehicles that make people’s hearts pound.”

Just in case you’re wondering what “RS” stands for, it’s the common acronym for “Rallye Sport.” This high-performance hatch is the third-generation Focus RS, following models launched in 2002 and 2009. It’s the 30th car to wear the legendary RS badge, following the 1970 16-valve Escort RS1600, 1985 turbocharged Sierra RS Cosworth with awesome aerodynamics and 1992 Escort RS Cosworth with four-wheel drive. The 2016 Focus RS was developed by a small team of Ford Performance engineers in Europe and the United States.

This all-new Focus RS is the first RS model that will be sold in North America – produced for all markets at Ford’s manufacturing plant in Germany. Manufacturing is slated to begin late this year. We expect these heart-pumping RS’s to drift into our dealership later this year or early 2017.

“The new Focus RS represents Ford at its passionate best – delivering innovation, unmatched driving dynamics and stunning performance that was previously only available with high-priced performance luxury marques and exotics,” said Jim Farley, Ford Motor Company executive vice president and president, Europe, Middle East and Africa. “We are acutely aware of the benchmarks we’ve set ourselves with RS performance models through the years, and rest assured that this new car raises the game to a new level.”

“Just as important is the fact that with technologies such as EcoBoost,” he added, “we are able to demonstrate how an innovation that powers almost every car in our range can also be the heartbeat of our finest performance cars.”

Gymkhana and World Rallycross star Ken Block was brought on as a consultant on the all-new Focus RS, and joined the Ford Performance team on the Geneva Motor Show stand earlier this month. Check out this heart-pumping video of Ken Block testing out this awesome new Focus RS!

 

Butler Ford Open House/Owner’s Clinic features food, fun & sun!

Our first Ford Open House/Owner’s Clinic of the year was a success, thanks to the myriad Butler staff and our loyal Ford customers who attended.  We love getting to know our customers, hearing fun stories about their experiences with their new vehicle and answering all their questions. Barbara and Joe B. purchased a gorgeous 2015 F-250 in October, which they recently took on a Christmas trip to visit their daughter, son in law and three grand kids in Forks, WA. Here’s what they had to say about the drive up there:
“We love that we don’t have to worry about the back splash from semi-truck trailers in the rain during the winter! The cabin is up high enough that you’re not blinded by the water! So different than our Prius!” said Barbara. “We also love that you can actually fit three car seats in the back seat comfortably! And the kids are up high enough so they can see out the windows, so they’re happy and quiet. You definitely have some happy campers here!”