FORD cuts its own path WITH BEST WARRANTY, roadside assistance package of ANY FULL-LINE AUTO COMPANY

Ford cuts its own path with bold designs, more standard safety features, straightforward pricing and now the best warranty and roadside assistance packages of any full-line manufacturer.

No-deductible, fully transferable powertrain limited warranty on 2007 Ford and Mercury vehicles is now five years or 60,000 miles – 66 percent better than all Chrysler Group and most GM nameplates.

Lincoln’s 2007 powertrain limited warranty is now six years or 70,000 miles – up to 20,000 miles and two years longer than Cadillac’s.

Ford to offer complimentary roadside assistance, including towing, fuel and lock-out service for the entire warranty period – services not offered by Toyota and Honda.

New for the 2007 model year, Ford has made side air curtains or its advanced Safety Canopy system with rollover sensor standard equipment on 13 vehicles.

Five additional Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products available with all-wheel drive for 2007.

Ford continues to roll out straightforward pricing – new 2007 Ford Expedition to be the only full-size SUV priced under $30,000 offering standard three-row side curtain air bags.

America’s Car Company

Effective July 14, the powertrain limited warranty for 2007 Ford and Mercury vehicles will be five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. That’s an additional two years or 24,000 miles of coverage for such components as the engine and transmission beyond each vehicle’s three-year or 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty.

For Lincoln, the powertrain coverage is now extended to six years or 70,000 miles – two years or 20,000 miles beyond the basic four-year or 50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. For all three brands, there are no deductibles for repairs, and the warranties are fully transferable to future owners at no cost.

The new Ford warranty programs are retroactive to the beginning of the 2007 model year, so customers who already have purchased a 2007 Ford, Lincoln or Mercury will automatically receive the added protection.

Ford and Lincoln Mercury also will offer complimentary roadside assistance for the entire basic and powertrain warranty period, including towing, fuel-fill and lock-out services. The Toyota, Scion and Honda brands don’t offer roadside assistance programs on new vehicle purchases, and the programs offered by the Chrysler Group, the Nissan brand and most General Motors brands expire after only three years or 36,000 miles.

Performance, Efficiency and Quality

Behind Ford’s move to adopt longer powertrain warranty coverage is one of the industry’s most comprehensive engine, transmission and all-wheel drive development programs.

In 2001, Ford launched the new Duratec four-cylinder engine family, which now powers more than 4 million Ford and Mercury products including the Ford Escape Hybrid and the partial zero emissions (PZEV) Ford Focus, Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan.

In 2004, Ford introduced its first six-speed automatic transmission to optimize power delivery and fuel economy. Six-speed automatics are now used in 12 different 2007 Ford, Mercury and Lincoln products, including the soon-to-be launched Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers.

The Ford 4.6-liter, 3-valve MOD V-8, which was launched in 2004 and now powers the Ford Mustang, Explorer, Explorer Sport Trac and Mercury Mountaineer, has been named one of “Ward’s 10 Best Engines” by Ward’s AutoWorld magazine.

This year, Ford will launch the all-new 3.5-liter Duratec V-6 in the 2007 Ford Edge, and the Lincoln MKZ and MKX. This engine delivers more than 260 horsepower with exceptional durability, refinement and fuel economy. It will power as many as one in five Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles by 2010.

“Over the past five years, we’ve almost completely revamped our entire lineup of engines and transmissions, but it’s just the beginning,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president of Powertrain for Ford Motor Company. “We’re extending our offerings of flex-fuel vehicles, building more hybrids, adding more six-speed transmissions and developing new technologies to give customers more power and efficiency.”

Ford also is consolidating its position as the all-wheel drive leader, with all-wheel drive models of the Ford Fusion, Mercury Milan and Lincoln MKZ sedans launching this year, along with the all-new Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX crossovers.

Demand for the option will be fueled in part by owners leaving the SUV segment who don’t want to sacrifice the security and traction of all-wheel drive. Ford research shows that 50 percent of luxury buyers and 73 percent of current SUV drivers want either all-wheel drive or four-wheel drive in their next vehicle.