Tuesday, December 23, 2008

Fusion Hybrid "Most fuel efficient mid-size car"


DEARBORN, Mich., Dec. 23, 2008 – The all-new Ford Fusion Hybrid is now officially America’s most fuel efficient mid-size car with a certified 41 mpg rating in the city and 36 mpg on the highway, topping the Toyota Camry hybrid by 8 mpg in the city and 2 mpg on the highway.

“The new Ford Fusion Hybrid not only significantly exceeds the competition but also embodies Ford’s 100 percent commitment to fuel efficiency leadership, quality, innovation and advanced technology,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Global Product Development. “The Ford team set the bar high – to develop America’s most fuel efficient mid-size sedan – and that’s what they delivered.”

The 2010 Ford Fusion’s final fuel economy certification was completed this week at Ford’s testing laboratories in Allen Park, Mich., and the vehicle will carry an EPA label of 41 mpg for city driving and 36 mpg on the highway when it goes on sale this spring. The Fusion Hybrid, which beats even the much smaller Honda Civic hybrid by 1 mpg in city driving, can travel more than 700 miles on a single tank of gas.

To deliver the class leading fuel economy performance, Ford’s engineers spent the past three years developing in-house the vehicle’s next-generation hybrid propulsion system. It allows the Fusion and Mercury Milan hybrid to travel up to 47 miles per hour in pure electric mode, faster than the Toyota Camry and all other hybrids currently on the road. In addition, the system’s Advanced Intake Variable Cam Timing allows the Fusion and Milan hybrids to more seamlessly transition from gas to electric mode and vice-versa.

“The Fusion Hybrid’s ability to run at a much higher speed in electric mode allows drivers to maximize fuel efficiency in many driving situations,” said Praveen Cherian, Fusion Hybrid program leader. “For example, this would allow drivers to travel around their subdivision and parking areas in all-electric mode.”

Fusion’s advanced hybrid system features:
- Smaller, lighter nickel-metal hydride battery, which produces 20 percent more power than Ford’s previous hybrid system. The battery’s improved chemistry allows it to be run at a higher temperature and cooled using cabin air.


- New 2.5-liter 4-cylinder engine (155 horsepower / 136 lb.-ft. of torque), which is mated to an electronically controlled continuously variable transmission.


- Enhanced electronic throttle control, which reduces airflow on shutdowns, reducing fueling needs on restarts.


- Smart climate control system, which monitors cabin temperature and only runs the gas engine as needed to heat the cabin. It also includes an electric air conditioning compressor to further minimize engine use.


- Regenerative brake system, which captures the energy normally lost through friction in braking and stores it. Nearly 94 percent energy recovery is achieved by delivering full regenerative braking, which means only 6 percent of braking is through traditional friction brakes

SmartGauge Teaches Eco-Driving
The new Fusion Hybrid literally teaches drivers how to make the most out of their vehicle, thanks to Ford’s SmartGauge with EcoGuide. SmartGauge is a unique instrument cluster that helps coach drivers on how to optimize the performance of their hybrid.

SmartGauge with EcoGuide features two, high-resolution, full-color liquid crystal display screens on either side of the vehicle’s speedometer. The screens can be configured to show different levels of driver information, including fuel and battery power levels, and average and instant miles-per-gallon.

When set in tutorial mode, the instrument panel “grows” leaves and vines on-screen to reward fuel-efficient driving. The more leaves and vines that appear, the more efficient the driving behavior is and the more fuel is being saved. In some recent tests, automotive journalists have reported exceeding 50 mpg with the Fusion Hybrid.

The Ford Fusion Hybrid also is distinct on the outside with Ford’s “road and leaf” badges on both sides and the rear, unique 17-inch, eight-spoke wheels, and a unique engine cover. On the inside, Fusion Hybrid features eco-friendly seat fabric made from post-industrial 100 percent recycled materials and a standard 110-volt power outlet.

Fusion Gasoline Model Also a Fuel Leader
In addition to the hybrid, Fusion will be offered with three fuel-efficient gasoline engines – the Duratec 2.5-liter I-4 and enhanced 3.0-liter flex-fuel V-6 and 3.5-liter V-6 Duratec engines. Fusions equipped with the 2.5-liter I-4 engine are expected to deliver at least 3 mpg better on the highway than the Honda Accord and 2 mpg better than the Toyota Camry.

The new Fusion will be building off the strong quality reputation of the current model, which has gained important third-party accolades, and will offer class-exclusive features, including Ford SYNC™, SIRIUS® TravelLink™, BLIS™ (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross Traffic Alert and Sony-branded audio

Wednesday, December 17, 2008

New Showroom Now Open!



In line with our pledge to remain "A Generation Ahead", Dahl Automotive of La Crosse has opened the doors to the newly remodeled showroom located at 712 South 4th street in downtown La Crosse. Guests may now enjoy the convenience of shopping for a Used-Car Advantage vehicle or a brand new Ford, Subaru, Mitsubishi, or Suzuki out of one state-of-the-art showroom. Guests may now find Kyle Dulek, Jeff Krause, Tony Bottcher, and Allan Fukuda operating from the 712 South 4th Street location along with Ken Hauser, Rick Campbell, and Tong Xiong. All of our professional sales consultants are trained to assist our guests with the purchase of a new or pre-owned vehicle.

Our new showroom features open, relaxed offices to discuss all of your automotive needs. In addition, we now offer a comfortable lounge to relax in as we prepare the paperwork for your new purchase while you sip on organic, fair-trade coffee and hot chocolate. We installed the most efficient windows available and utilize pulse-start metal halide and florescent light fixtures to lessen our energy usage. With the installation of new lot lights on 3rd street, we have cut our energy usage by 30 percent!

Stop by today to check out the gorgeous new showroom and test drive the 2009 Motor Trend SUV of the Year, the all-new Subaru Forester . Also in stock is the re-engineered, 2009 Motor Trend Truck of the Year, the 2009 Ford F-150. See you soon!