New Ford Flex More Technology, better Fuel Economy
Published Saturday, 10 December, 2011 by Greg Benson. Categories: New Inventory, News.
New Ford Flex Brings More Technology, Better Fuel Economy, Modern Sophistication to Seven-Passenger Crossover
- The latest three-row, seven-passenger Ford Flex offers comfort and advanced technology in a distinctive package, including sleek new front end and modern interior
- New Flex features the latest MyFord Touch® system, new safety and driver-aid features such as adaptive cruise control, Ford's Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) as well as push- button start, rear inflatable belts, rain-sensing wipers and active park assist
- Under the hood, Flex is equipped with a standard 3.5-liter Ti-VCT V6 that delivers 20 more horsepower and projected 1 mpg better fuel economy, or the popular and fuel-efficient 3.5-liter EcoBoost® V6 engine
DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 8, 2011
- Fans of the Ford Flex have even more to love next year with an
upgraded model with a sleek new look and even more technology to make
driving safer, easier and more fuel-efficient.
"Flex
appeals to people who want to stand out from the crowd and has the
highest retention rate of any vehicle in the Ford lineup," said Mark
Fields, president of The Americas. "With technologies not found in other
full-size utilities, even better fuel economy and a more modern,
sophisticated look, we're offering people even more reasons to choose
Flex with the new model."
The seven-passenger,
three-row crossover - which debuts at the Los Angeles Auto Show this
month - comes equipped with the new generation of MyFord Touch,
rear inflatable belts, collision-avoidance technologies, rain-sensing
wipers, keyless entry, first-row heated and cooled seats, power-fold
mirrors and an optional new Appearance Package. Plus, the base 3.5-liter
engine is projected to deliver 1 mpg better fuel economy on the highway
and in the city, with 20 more horsepower.
Enhanced technology
The
new Flex features SYNC® with the new generation of MyFord Touch®,
making it easier to manage information, control features and adjust
settings.
"We've listened to our customers and
have improved what they love about MyFord Touch," said Kenneth
Williams, systems integration engineer. "In this upgrade, the screens
have a cleaner, clearer display. The words on the screens are larger and
easier to read, the pressable areas on the screen look more like
buttons, and we have made the functions clearer for faster navigation.
"What
separates MyFord Touch is that there are multiple ways for customers to
manage and control what they want through voice commands, menus
accessed through the steering wheel controls, touch screen, buttons or
knobs - whatever they prefer."
MyFord Touch
includes two 4.2-inch screens in the instrument cluster and an
eight-inch screen in the center stack. The feature pairs with the latest
version of SYNC.
The base SYNC package includes:
- Hands-free, voice-activated calling via a Bluetooth®-connected mobile phone or USB-connected digital music player
- 911 Assist?, the automated emergency calling service that is free for the life of the vehicle
- Vehicle Health Report, the on-demand diagnostic and maintenance information service
Enhanced safety and driver-aid technology
The
new Flex is equipped with the automotive world's first production rear
inflatable belts to offer improved comfort and protection for rear seat
passengers. Last month, this safety innovation was named a Breakthrough
Product Award winner by Popular Mechanics, part of the magazine's seventh annual Breakthrough Awards.
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.
Advances
in airbag inflation and safety 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.
The new
second-row belts operate like traditional safety belts in everyday use
and inflate when sensors indicate a collision event. Each belt's tubular
airbag inflates with cold compressed gas, which flows through a
specially designed buckle from a cylinder housed below the seat.
The
new Flex also boasts available radar-enabled adaptive cruise control
(ACC) and collision warning with brake support and Blind Spot
Information System (BLIS®) with cross-traffic alert. These technologies
help drivers avoid potential accidents using radar to detect the
relative position of other vehicles and warn the driver with a
combination of visual and audio alerts.
The
ACC technology uses advanced radar to scan for vehicles in front of Flex
at 20 times per second. The sensor can detect vehicles up to 150 yards
away and detect speed changes as small as ¼ mph. When the system is
activated, it functions like normal cruise control with the exception of
being able to slow down the car when vehicles in front are detected to
be slowing down. When traffic has cleared, the vehicle resumes the set
speed. Four distance settings accommodate a range of driving styles and
road conditions. The driver can set distance, speed and the time gap
between vehicles.
Fuel economy bolstered by engines, technologies
Under the hood, Flex's new base engine delivers even more efficiency and performance with the addition of twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) to the 3.5-liter V6.
Under the hood, Flex's new base engine delivers even more efficiency and performance with the addition of twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT) to the 3.5-liter V6.
The
upgraded 3.5-liter Ti-VCT V6 engine provides 285 horsepower - an
approximate 20 horsepower increase from the previous engine - and 255
lb.-ft. of torque. The new Flex also is projected to deliver 1 mpg more
fuel economy, with projected fuel economy of 18 mpg city and 25 mpg
highway.
This efficient V6 allows precise,
variable control of valve overlap, or the window of time in which both
the intake and exhaust valves in an engine are open at the same time. By
adjusting overlap continuously, the engine can operate at optimum
settings for peak fuel economy or peak power output as conditions
demand.
The popular 3.5-liter EcoBoost®
V6 remains on the new Flex, bringing the fuel economy of V6 engines
with all-wheel-drive capability and V8-like performance of 355
horsepower and 350 lb.-ft. of torque.
A key contributor to EcoBoost fuel efficiency is direct injection of gasoline. This system precisely delivers a fine mist of fuel directly into each cylinder for optimal performance, economy and emissions.
EcoBoost
engines are fundamental to the Ford strategy of providing
technologically advanced, high-output, smaller-displacement powertrains
that deliver exceptional fuel economy and uncompromised performance for
millions of drivers around the world. By 2013, more than 90 percent of
Ford's North American lineup will be available with EcoBoost technology.
Ford holds more than 125 patents on its EcoBoost engine technology.
Both engines are mated to a six-speed SelectShift Automatic® transmission.
The
SelectShift advanced gearbox offers the driver a choice between fully
automatic operation and manual control. With SelectShift with EcoBoost,
paddle shifters are integrated into the steering wheel spokes. Intuitive
to operate, a squeeze back on either paddle will deliver an upshift,
while a gentle push forward on either paddle will induce a matched-rev
downshift. SelectShift won't second-guess the driver with an override
shift; manual control is truly manually controlled. The thumb shift is
new for 2013 with the standard engine models.
Both
engines also are made more efficient with EPAS (electric power-assisted
steering). EPAS improves fuel economy approximately 4 percent and
reduces emissions while improving steering performance primarily because
the steering system is powered by an electric motor connected to the
vehicle's battery, instead of engine-mounted hydraulic pump steering
systems.
In addition, the new Flex's battery
management system operates the vehicle's power supply system in a more
economical manner to save fuel. The system:
- Allows the alternator and system voltage to be controlled based on battery condition, vehicle operating state and electrical load status
- Provides feedback to the vehicle regarding battery condition for active load management and battery diagnostics
- Monitors battery temperature (higher voltage in lower temperatures, lower voltage in higher temperatures), extending the battery life
Fresh new look, touches - inside and out
Flex's new front end rounds out the previously boxy edges, creating more visual harmony between the front and the rest of the vehicle. The signature Ford blue oval has been removed from the front, which now solely bears the Flex badge.
Flex's new front end rounds out the previously boxy edges, creating more visual harmony between the front and the rest of the vehicle. The signature Ford blue oval has been removed from the front, which now solely bears the Flex badge.
In the rear, Flex now has standard dual exhaust and available rear appliqué.
Inside
the Flex customers will find a modern, sophisticated driver zone with
new clusters, steering wheel and electronic finish panels, as well as
new seat trim and foam.
Class-exclusives include the available second-row refrigerated console and the latest generation of MyFord Touch with SYNC.
Appearance Package and paint, wheel choices
Also new is an Appearance Package on Limited and SEL models that includes an available two-tone roof and mirrors, 20-inch machined aluminum wheels with painted pockets, leather seats, unique door trim panels and other interior upgrades for a truly distinctive, premium look and feel.
Also new is an Appearance Package on Limited and SEL models that includes an available two-tone roof and mirrors, 20-inch machined aluminum wheels with painted pockets, leather seats, unique door trim panels and other interior upgrades for a truly distinctive, premium look and feel.
The new Flex comes in nine exterior
colors, including three new colors for the 2013 model year: Ruby Red,
Deep Impact Blue and Kodiak Brown. Customers also can choose from
body-color roofs, or two-tone with white, gray or black available on the
Appearance Package.
Six wheel styles are available for Flex as well.
Production
The Ford Flex is built at Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario, Canada.
The Ford Flex is built at Oakville Assembly Complex in Ontario, Canada.
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