[media.ford.com: Press Release]

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) has awarded Ford Motor Company 16 “Top Safety Pick” ratings, besting Honda’s second-place tally of 13. The latest vehicle to earn this rating is the new 2009 Ford F-150, which was bestowed with the highest rating for front and side impact tests and in evaluations of seats and head restraints. Ford has been aggressively implementing safety technologies, across its vehicle lineup, such as the exclusive AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control). Electronic stability control is a required feature to qualify for IIHS’s Top Safety Pick.

Business Week: Ford Tops All Automakers For Safety Ratings

Automotive News: Study: Ford leads in top safety picks

Roy O’Brien Blog: Ford tops safety awards list for 2009, has 16 winners

eGMTech: Ford gets a total of 16 IIHS Top Safety Picks, Honda still in second place

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

Few things are more American than the Ford Mustang. And fittingly enough, the winner of the “Mustang Stories” online contest is U.S. Army Specialist Kory Chesher, a member of the 1st Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division serving in Iraq. Online voters selected Chesher’s story from the top 25, giving him the grand prize of a new 2010 Ford Mustang GT Coupe. Chesher describes his relationship with the Mustang as “20 years of love, addiction and obsession.”

Insane Mustang Forum: Soldier serving in Iraq wins “Mustang Stories” contest, trip to LA Show

Motor Trend: U.S. Soldier in Iraq Wins 2010 Mustang in Ford’s “Mustang Stories” Contest

freep.com: Inside Detroit autos: Iraq soldier to return home to prize

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

The 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid and 2010 Ford Fusion Sport have been chosen to be the official pace cars of the Ford 400, the NASCAR Sprint Cup season finale and the final race of Ford Championship Weekend at Homestead-Miami Speedway on Sunday. The 2010 Fusion Hybrid will be the first hybrid electric vehicle ever to lead the field to the green flag at a NASCAR Sprint Cup event.

Both the Fusion Hybrid and Fusion Sport will be decked out in NASCAR-inspired camouflage paint schemes.

LA Times: Ford Fusion hybrid leads NASCAR (kind of)

Auto Blog Green: Ford Fusion hybrid to pace final NASCAR race of the season

Motor Authority: Ford Fusion Hybrid to be the first-ever hybrid pace car in NASCAR Sprint Cup

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

Ford’s unique orchestra made up entirely of instruments constructed from Ford Focus car parts, was used in the company’s latest TV advertising campaign. The Focus car parts orchestra has now recorded a charity track, played a gig in the Royal Albert Hall and is going on tour – all to raise funds for the Teenage Cancer Trust.

Teenage Cancer Trust: Focus Music on the Move

Daily Record: Travis stars to play at Teenage Cancer Trust gig

Brand Republic: CONSUMER CAMPAIGN: Ford plays on TV ad’s popularity

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

The highly-anticipated new James Bond adventure, ‘Quantum of Solace’, features a cameo appearance from Ford’s fresh-faced new model, the all-new Ford Ka. The ‘Quantum of Solace’ Ka is unique with metallic gold paint and an exclusive exterior graphics and interior trim combination.

Detroit News:

Reuters: License to economize: Ford Ka gets Bond debut

cnet News – Crave: Ford Ka: A ride for all Bond girls

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

On April 23rd, 2008, Ford Motor Company announced it had built the 9 millionth Mustang. The GT Convertible Mustang is heading west to be delivered to a dealership in Iowa.

The Ford Mustang, approaching its 45th anniversary on April 17th, 2009, is one of the most widely recognized vehicles in the world. Today, one of every two sports cars sold in America is a Ford Mustang. The Mustang is also Ford Motor Company’s longest-running nameplate. Mustang was introduced on April 17, 1964, at the New York World’s Fair.

Los Angeles Times: Nine million Mustangs and counting

Auto Blog: The 9 millionth Mustang rolls off the assembly line

Stang Planet: 9,000,000th Ford Mustang sold in Iowa, owner revealed

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

The car that put the world on wheels, the Ford Model T, is celebrating its 100th anniversary in 2008, and a year-long series of celebrations have been planned to honor the iconic vehicle. Celebrations began when Ford featured a pristine collection of historic Model Ts from across America at the prestigious Amelia Island Concours d’Elegance.

Ford Motor Company, with support from Ford Motor Company Fund, is the title sponsor of the largest Model T centennial celebration in the world.

AOL video: Model T Centennial Motorcade

freep.com: Model T fête marks century Metro Detroit

Detroit News: Model T drivers, fans celebrate car’s 100th birthday

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

Ford is further expanding its ‘smart’ features for truck customers, announcing today a collection of industry-exclusive technologies for F-Series trucks and commercial E-Series vans that will help make business owners more productive and successful.

Ford Work Solutions delivers four innovative features: an in-dash computer that provides full high-speed Internet access and navigation; Tool Link, a Radio-Frequency Identification (RFID) asset tracking system; Crew Chief, a fleet telematics and diagnostics system, which allows small fleet owners to efficiently manage their vehicles, quickly dispatch workers to job sites and keep detailed vehicle maintenance records; and, Cable Lock security system that discourages theft of expensive tools too large to fit in the cab.

Popular Mechanics: Ford Work Solutions Puts Full-Scale PC and Three More High-Tech Innovations in Trucks: Live at the 2008 Chicago Auto Show

PickupTrucks.com: First Look: Ford Work Solutions

Car and Driver: Ford Work Solutions for F-series Pickups – Auto Shows

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

Ford Motor Company continues to build on its award-winning Ford SYNC™ in-car connectivity system. In 2008, SYNC expanded to nearly all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury cars and trucks, and new features were announced including the “911 Assist” feature that will help drivers connect with emergency assistance in the event of an air bag deployment.

Kicking Tires: Ford SYNC 2.0: Now With 911 Assist

Consumer Reports: Ford offers a free alternative to OnStar

[media.ford.com: Press Release]

The petrol FG Falcon sedan range was awarded the maximum five-star safety rating with a total score of 34.6 points (out of a possible 37 points), giving it the highest score ever recorded by a locally-produced car in Australia. This positions the FG Falcon at the forefront of vehicle safety in Australia, with the recently released all-new model generating a higher point score than many significantly higher-priced, premium European vehicles with established reputations for world-class safety.

The Age: Falcon gets five-star crash rating

Drive: Falcon makes history with 5-star crash protection rating

New Zealand Herald: Safety first … and last