The NHTSA based their report on insurance claims costs. This report should generate lower insurance premiums for owners of Ford vehicles since insurance providers use this data to establish premiums.

The National Highway and Traffic Safety Administration 2010 Relative Collision Insurance Cost Booklet shows more Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles as segment leaders for lowest collision insurance cost than any other automaker. Maryland Ford Dealerships and Delaware Ford Dealerships should have this report available to help customers shopping for new Ford vehicles and help them anticipate what collision costs they might incur.

Ford Motor Company has ten segment leaders for 2009 model year categories. Some of the models include the 2009 Ford Focus, the 2009 Ford Taurus, the 2009 F-150, the 2009 F-250 and the 2009 E-350 Econoline wagon. With approximately 78% of all Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models rated better or equal to industry average in respect to collision repair costs, Ford owners are more than likely going to receive greatly reduced rates on insurance.

With these lower costs for insurance premiums and already low selling prices of Ford’s products, it has become extremely affordable to own a Ford. Ford has also reported that resale values are up 23% percent, again higher than industry average.

This is great news for Ford owners that are looking to upgrade since now getting in a new Ford is more affordable than ever. Ford Motor Company has also established a special engineering center to help reduce the cost of repairs to future vehicles meaning even more savings on models like the 2010 F-150, the 2011 Mustang and the 2010 Edge.

For more information about Preston Ford please visit http://www.prestonford.com.

Since its opening in 1975, Preston Ford has sold more Ford cars and trucks to residents of the Delmarva Peninsula than any other area dealer. Preston has been especially successful with trucks since it became the region’s “go-to” dealer for Ford F-150 trucks.

The new line of 2011 Ford Super Duty trucks is no exception. The newest Ford Super Duty trucks have lasted fewer than two days at Preston Ford before being sold to business owners and enthusiasts alike who need a tough truck that is both reliable and affordable.

With class-leading towing and payload capability and excellent fuel economy, the 2011 Ford Super Duty delivers the strength and intelligence drivers have come to expect from the best-selling line of trucks in the U.S. for the last 33 years.

The Super Duty line features two new engines: a 6.2-liter gasoline V-8 and a 6.7-liter turbo-diesel V-8. The gasoline V-8 achieves 385 hp and 405 lb-ft of torque, while the 6.7-liter leads its class with 390 hp and 735 lb-ft. The 2011 Super Duty’s towing capability reaches 24,400 pounds, while its payload capability is 6,520 pounds. The turbo-diesel can also burn B20 biodiesel, a meaningful, eco-conscious feature that can reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 15 percent, according to the Department of Energy.

The Super Duty trucks also offer a host of technological features that add value for Maryland Ford customers: an available touchscreen navigation system, Sync, Ford’s communications system, which uses voice commands to control phone calls, music and navigation, and the Ford Work Solutions system that turns an in-dash computer and wireless keyboard into a mobile office.

The 2010 Ford Super Duty was recognized with a Best Resale Value Award, which designates “the full-size car and full-size pickup as vehicles expected to hold the greatest proportion of their value after five years of ownership.”

“Rising resale values means more money in fleet customers’ pockets when it is time to sell or trade in for new vehicles,” said Charles Pecoraro, Ford residual forecast manager. “Combine these savings with lower repair and maintenance costs and lower fuel costs, thanks to our improved fuel economy fleetwide, and the cost to own a Ford product drops dramatically during the life of the vehicle, providing tremendous cost savings for large fleet buyers.”

Satisfying customers for more than three decades and continuing to be recognized for its excellence today, the 2011 Ford Super Duty series of trucks is an intelligent, cost-effective option at your No. 1 Maryland Ford dealership.

Learn More about Shopping for Maryland Ford Trucks:

For more information on the Ford Super Duty, please visit: http://www.prestonford.com

A Car and Driver Winner At Maryland Ford Dealer

The “10 Best” list is carefully crafted by a panel of 18 Car and Driver magazine editors who put 58 vehicles through a rigorous testing process at a secret base in southeast Michigan. The cars are assessed on functional performance, driving satisfaction, and value.

Car and Driver is a fan of the Fusion’s hybrid powertrain, which has beat out the competition and won over fuel conscious drivers in Maryland.

Groundbreaking Technology From Ford

The Fusion operates on both the 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine and the lighter weight nickel-metal hydride batteries. Drivers will notice a must smoother ride with the Fusion compared to other hybrids, thanks to the CVT transmission.

The SmartGauge with EcoGuide dual LCD cluster is truly the gem of the Ford Fusion Hybrid. A feature named Empower trains the consumer to drive more economically through green-leaf icons on the display. Maryland drivers will be more aware of the state of the batteries’ charge and current fuel mileage without any difficulty.

The Fusion also exceeds expectations in safety, with the option of a Blind Spot Information System that warns the driver of another vehicle in their blind spot and a rearview camera system.

Industry Change That Benefits The Maryland Consumer

Hybrid vehicles are more than just a trend and can be the best choice for fuel-conscious consumer who doesn’t want to lose on performance. For more information, contact Preston Ford and visit www.prestonford.com.

Preston Ford has a wonderful selection of award winning Ford cars, truck, and SUVs that offer unmatched value, efficiency and safety.  In recent months, Ford has been showered with awards honoring their achievements in design, value and efficiency.  The Ford Fusion and Ford Fusion hybrid sedans were two of Ford’s best selling models, outperformed many in its class- 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.

In the crossover SUV segment, Ford delivered in all fronts of comfort, handling, price and style with the introduction of the latest Ford Edge and Ford Escape SUVs.  Both 5-passenger vehicles offer added cargo and cabin space and the comfortable ride of a car with the handling and power of a truck. 

For truck lovers, Ford leads the industry with the best selling F series.  The F-150 truck has been the best selling pickup truck in the country for the past 32 years and counting.  Available in a distinct array of trim levels, equipment packages and broad range of cab styles, this pickup allows for a multitude of options and personal accommodations.

Maryland and Delaware Toyota owners are encouraged to visit Preston Ford in Hurlock to take advantage of this limited offer.  More information on Ford’s selection of vehicles can be found online at http://www.fordmaryland.com/

Preston Ford serving the greater Annapolis area saw record sales in 2009 for the Fusion and Fusion Hybrid.  The Fusion outperformed many in its class- 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.

Maryland Ford shoppers say the Fusion delivers key attributes that midsize sedan buyers are looking for.  With EPA-estimated 23 City/34 Hwy/27 combined mpg, Ford Fusion is at the head of its class in fuel economy.  The Fusion is also recognized for its class-exclusive technologies, such as Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) and Ford SYNC®; and more total passenger and luggage capacity than the Toyota Camry.

Preston Ford continues to celebrate the success of both the Ford Fusion and Ford Fusion Hybrid offer a large selection of both models in stock and ready for a test drive.   Prices for the Ford Fusion are newly reduced, starting at $16,995. 

Maryland Ford shoppers who would like to learn more about the 2010 Ford Fusion can visit http://www.fordmaryland.com/new-models/ford-fusion and http://www.fordmaryland.com/new-models/ford-fusion-hybrid for more information.

Ford Flex car owners in Maryland and Delaware might have a collectors item in their garage. The Friends of the National Automotive History Collection (NAHC) have predicted that, among America’s new cars and trucks launched in 2009, the Ford Flex will become the most desired by future car collectors.

Members of the organization, which supports the world-famous automotive collection at the Detroit Public Library, vote annually to predict the “Collectible Vehicle of the Future” from the year’s new American-built cars and trucks. The Ford Flex was selected from eight all-new vehicles launched in 2009.

This news will surely be welcomed by the many Ford Flex owners that purchased their cars at Preston Ford.

The award was presented to Ford executives by the Friends of the NAHC at their annual holiday reception on Thursday, Dec. 10 at NAHC quarters in the Skillman Branch Library in downtown Detroit.

The NAHC is the world’s largest public archive of automotive lore and a treasure for automotive historians, journalists and collectors. Its collection of books, manuals, photos, company histories and historic documents is open to the public.

Among recent previous winners were the 2005 Ford Mustang and 2002 Ford Thunderbird.

If you are looking to purchase a 2009 Ford Flex, Preston Ford has a great selection of used Ford Cars in Maryland.  Delware residents know that Preston is just 15 minutes from the Delaware border.

The new 2011 Ford Mustang with 305 horse power 3.7, V-6 power engine offers an impressive 30 mpg highway: unheard of in the likes of a high-performance sports coupe.  With its transformation beginning with a revised engine, improved fuel economy, aggressive high-performance exhaust system, and enhanced handling dynamics, the new 2011 Ford Mustang is sure to entice Maryland and Delaware drivers to get behind the wheel of a world class sports-coupe.

Performance and high out-put is what results from the new 3.7 liter V-6 engine.  The engine is designed to offer significantly more horse power than ever before and near-instantaneous response to throttle use.  Offering a smooth, quiet ride from inside the vehicle, the 2011 Ford Mustang’s high- performance sound opens up and howls when at full acceleration providing the driver with a rush of aggressive power.

Ford Mustang

 Automatic transmission models offer an increase in fuel economy from 16 mpg city to 19 mpg city and from 24 mpg highway to 30 mpg highway.  Improvements on the Mustang‘s body, power train, and chassis design contribute to these improved numbers.  The new aerodynamic aluminum construction equates to lighter weight; the electric power assist steering eliminates the drag normally produced with a hydraulic power steering; and the six speed transmission allows for lower revolutions per minute.

Preston Ford will be one of the first Ford dealers to introduce the new Mustang to Maryland and Delaware Ford shoppers. 

For more information about Preston Ford or when the 2011 Ford Mustang will be released please visit Maryland and Delaware Ford Car and Truck Dealer or http://www.prestonford.com

Overall the automotive industry’s sales are down almost 30%. “To actually have a vehicle that can sell in this economy is amazing,” states David Wilson Jr. Vice President of Preston Automotive Group. According to Detroit News, a big boost in the Fusion sales were accounted from the increase in sales of the Fusion Hybrid which now accounts to 20% of all Fusion sales. Also according to Ford Motor Company an estimated 60% of sales were from consumers who have been converting from Toyota and Honda to the Fusion hybrids.

Maryland and Delaware Ford dealer Preston Ford has seen a definite increase in sales for the 2010 Fusion and Fusion Hybrid models. Starting today Preston Ford has begun their quest to be the #1 Ford dealer in the country. As a part of their quest they have increased their inventory of Fusion and Fusion Hybrids to meet the demand of the areas consumers. Preston Ford has named their quest “The Top 100 Sales Drive.” 

For more information about Preston Ford please visit Maryland and Delaware Ford Car and Truck Dealer or http://www.prestonford.com

About Preston Automotive Group

Preston Automotive Group services the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania area with Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Suzuki, Hyundai, and Nissan brands.  The auto group carries the largest selection of new and used cars.  Additionally, the dealership services all makes and models, both imported and domestic cars with ASE certified and factory trained technicians.

To learn more, visit Dealer of Maryland and Delaware or http://www.prestonmotor.com

The airbags, which are sewn in the shoulder section of the rear seat belt, are designed to deploy outward and to the sides thus offering a wider point load of impact than traditional seat belts.  With a wider point load, chest and neck injuries are greatly reduced.  In fact, these seat belt airbags are specifically designed to give added support and protection from head and neck injuries resulting from a severe crash.

It is also believed that these airbags could also reduce the risk of passenger ejection during a rollover accident, as shown in a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  Since the introduction of the seat belt, the front seat passenger has benefited from the majority of the focus on safety.  However, with these new Airbag seatbelts, the focus for passenger safety now shifts to the back seat, “where more often than not, the occupants are our children”, states Mark Thursby, Ford Lincoln Mercury Sales Manager, at Preston Ford located in Hurlock, MD. 

Although this feature may not prove to be inexpensive, Ford will offer it as optional equipment on the new Ford Explorer for the two outboard rear seats.  In the meantime, other automakers and regulating government agencies will be keeping a close eye on consumer desire and purchasing trend for this valuable protection.

For more information about Preston Ford please visit Maryland and Delaware Ford Car and Truck Dealer or http://www.prestonford.com

About Preston Automotive Group

Preston Automotive Group services the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania area with Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Suzuki, Hyundai, and Nissan brands.  The auto group carries the largest selection of new and used cars.  Additionally, the dealership services all makes and models, both imported and domestic cars with ASE certified and factory trained technicians.

To learn more, visit Dealer of Maryland and Delaware or http://www.prestonmotor.com

The airbags, which are sewn in the shoulder section of the rear seat belt, are designed to deploy outward and to the sides thus offering a wider point load of impact than traditional seat belts.  With a wider point load, chest and neck injuries are greatly reduced.  In fact, these seat belt airbags are specifically designed to give added support and protection from head and neck injuries resulting from a severe crash.

It is also believed that these airbags could also reduce the risk of passenger ejection during a rollover accident, as shown in a study conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  Since the introduction of the seat belt, the front seat passenger has benefited from the majority of the focus on safety.  However, with these new Airbag seatbelts, the focus for passenger safety now shifts to the back seat, “where more often than not, the occupants are our children”, states Mark Thursby, Ford Lincoln Mercury Sales Manager, at Preston Ford located in Hurlock, MD. 

Although this feature may not prove to be inexpensive, Ford will offer it as optional equipment on the new Ford Explorer for the two outboard rear seats.  In the meantime, other automakers and regulating government agencies will be keeping a close eye on consumer desire and purchasing trend for this valuable protection.

For more information about Preston Ford please visit Maryland and Delaware Ford Car and Truck Dealer or http://www.prestonford.com

About Preston Automotive Group

Preston Automotive Group services the Delaware, Maryland, Virginia and Pennsylvania area with Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Mazda, Suzuki, Hyundai, and Nissan brands.  The auto group carries the largest selection of new and used cars.  Additionally, the dealership services all makes and models, both imported and domestic cars with ASE certified and factory trained technicians.

To learn more, visit Dealer of Maryland and Delaware or http://www.prestonmotor.com

Remember that Reese’s Cup TV commercial from the ‘70s in which Robby Benson of Ice Castles fame is walking down the street eating peanut butter from a jar and collides with Happy Days’ Donny Most who is eating a chocolate bar? That’s right: they get two great flavors in one bite.

Imagine that concept applied to automotive crash protection technologies and you’ll get Ford Motor Company’s latest safety innovation – the world’s first automotive inflatable seat belts, which combine attributes of traditional seat belts and air bags to provide an added level of crash safety protection for rear seat occupants.

The advanced restraint system is designed to help reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear seat passengers, often children and older passengers who can be more vulnerable to such injuries.

Ford will introduce inflatable rear seat belts on the next-generation Ford Explorer, which goes into production next year for the North American market. Over time, Ford plans to offer the technology in vehicles globally.

Safety and Comfort 

Advances in air bag inflation and seat belt construction methods have enabled Ford and its suppliers to develop inflatable seat belts that are designed to deploy over a vehicle occupant’s torso and shoulder in 40 milliseconds in the event of a crash.

In everyday use, the inflatable belts operate like conventional seat belts and are safe and compatible with infant and children safety car and booster seats. In Ford’s research, more than 90 percent of those who tested the inflatable seat belts found them to be similar to or more comfortable than a conventional belt because they feel padded and softer. That comfort factor could help improve the 61 percent rear belt usage rate in the U.S., which compares to 82 percent usage by front seat passengers, according National Highway Traffic Safety Administration data.

How Inflatable Seat Belts Work

In the event of a frontal or side crash, the inflatable belt’s increased diameter more effectively holds the occupant in the appropriate seating position, helping to reduce the risk of injury.

Vehicle safety sensors determine the severity of the collision in the blink of an eye and deploy the inflatable belts’ air bags. Each belt’s tubular air bag inflates with cold compressed gas, which flows through a specially designed buckle from a cylinder housed below the seat.

The inflatable belt’s accordion-folded bag breaks through the belt fabric as it fills with air, expanding sideways across the occupant’s body in about the same amount of time it takes a car traveling at highway speed to cover a yard of distance.

The use of cold compressed gas instead of a heat-generating chemical reaction – which is typical of traditional air bag systems – means the inflated belts feel no warmer on the wearer’s body than the ambient temperature. The inflatable belts also fill at a lower pressure and a slower rate than traditional air bags, because the device does not need to close a gap between the belt and the occupant.

The inflated belt helps distribute crash force energy across five times more of the occupant’s torso than a traditional belt, which expands its range of protection and reduces risk of injury by diffusing crash pressure over a larger area, while providing additional support to the head and neck. After deployment, the belt remains inflated for several seconds before dispersing its air through the pores of the air bag.

What People Are Saying

“Ford’s rear inflatable seat belt technology will enhance safety for rear-seat passengers of all ages, especially for young children who are more vulnerable in crashes. This is another unique family technology that builds on our safety leadership, including the most top safety ratings of any automaker.”
– Sue Cischke, Ford Group Vice President of Sustainability, Environmental and Safety Engineering

“Ford is pioneering inflatable seat belt technology to help enhance crash safety protection, while encouraging more people to buckle up with a more comfortable belt.”
– Paul Mascarenas, Ford Vice President, Engineering, Global Product Development.

“It’s a very simple and logical system, but it required extensive trial and error and testing over several years to prove out the technology and ensure precise reliable performance in a crash situation.”
– Srini Sundararajan, Safety Technical Leader for Ford Research and Advanced Engineering