Some of the chief benefits of developing the hybrid won't appear in Ford's ledger this year. Rapid and virtual prototyping. Computer simulation. Streamlined bureaucracy. Making an SUV hybrid also puts the company one step closer to the industry's holy grail: mass-producing a car powered by a hydrogen fuel cell -- no gas required or emissions released.
But those are still years away. For now, there's a vehicle to manufacture and deliver to showrooms, where the waiting list at some dealerships is 80 people long. If the automobile is everything it's cracked up to be, if it avoids recalls and begins to restore the luster of Ford's once golden reputation, then the members of the hybrid team will have earned a new title: not simply researchers and engineers, but Escape artists.
Chuck Salter is a Fast Company senior writer based in Chicago.
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June 7, 2008 at 3:58pm by Ralph Paglia
To: All Ford and Lincoln Mercury Dealers - June 5, 2008
Subject: Ford and Lincoln Mercury Digital Advertising Program
BACKGROUND:
The recently launched Tier 3 Co-Op program includes Digital as an eligible component for reimbursement. In an effort to provide your dealerships the best Digital Advertising solutions currently available, we are pleased to announce the Ford and Lincoln Mercury Digital Advertising program.
This program leverages our relationships with Top Internet providers to offer you exclusive digital advertising opportunities and incentives. In addition, for those dealers who would like additional support, we have partnered with ADP to offer a complete digital advertising solution including training as well as management of your digital advertising.
This program is simply about giving your dealership new advertising options, and offers will be constantly updated.
PROGRAM MATERIALS
Materials for this program, as well as the current advertising offers available for June, are posted to the Lead Management portal within FMCdealer. For more information, go to FMCdealer, Select "Lead Management & Reporting" link, and then "Home Portal". A link to the Digital Advertising manual is under "Recent Updates" and will take you to the Training aids page where you must select "Show all". The guide is under "Job Aids".
QUESTIONS
Contact the Digital Program Headquarters at 866-206-3995 or email us at Digital@flmdmc.com
ENROLLMENT
An online enrollment form for Ford and Lincoln Mercury dealers to participate in this program has been set up at: http://www.flmdigital.com/
NEXT STEPS
Ford and Lincoln Mercury Dealers who would like to receive a proposal from the Ford, Lincoln and Mercury Digital Advertising Program for Dealers can complete the online enrollment for an initial Search Engine Analysis at no charge to the dealer at: http://www.flmdigital.com/