2008 Ford Five Hundred SEL

2008 Ford Five Hundred SEL Photo Gallery

Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL
Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL
Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL
Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL
Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL	Ford Five Hundred SEL

(from Ford Motor Company Press Release)

    The Ford Five Hundred began life three years ago as a new kind of sedan, one that married the comfort and size of a sedan with the utility of a SUV. The new kind of sedan met with respectable but not stellar reviews and sales.

    Customers are beginning to sit up and take notice and sales are being driven by the best of all marketing tools - word of mouth.

    "Our greatest supporters are current owners," said Robert Parker, Ford car marketing manager, adding that word of mouth is definitely driving its sales.

    The Five Hundred had to find its market, which turns out to be the fabled baby boom generation. Sales data shows the full-size sedan is quietly winning over aging middle-income customers with the average age of 56 years. Now, the Five Hundred is beginning to create buzz with slightly younger buyers, the so called pre-boomer set. "We're targeting people in their mid-40s, people who are married and middle income," Parker said. "These are people who are in transition, with children getting older, and they're looking for alternatives to an SUV."

    Parker noted that the Five Hundred's commanding seating position, which allows for easier ingress/egress and better visibility than other large sedans, contributes to the vehicle's appeal to people moving away from SUVs.

    Additional selling points, according to customers are good fuel economy, the cargo capacity large enough to carry eight full sets of golf clubs and available all wheel drive (AWD).

    So far, Ford's research shows customers are pleased with the Five Hundred, particularly the sedan's interior design. Also high is satisfaction with the Five Hundred's quality, backed up by the Five Hundred's high showing in this year's AutoPacific quality survey.

    To keep the Five Hundred's momentum going for 2007, Ford's flagship sedan offers an all-new line-up consisting of SEL and Limited models. All models offer SIRIUS satellite radio and a navigation system. Heated seats (standard on Limited) are now available on SEL models.

    Premium features include a standard entry keypad on the door, onetouch up-down front power windows, standard 17-inch wheels on SEL models and standard 18-inch wheels on Limited.

    Several packages are new for 2007 SEL models. The interior convenience package includes fog lamps; an in-dash, six-disc CD player; dual electronic temperature control; an automatic lamp; and an outside-temperature display. The interior power package includes eightway power driver seat and adjustable pedals. The Limited convenience package includes memory adjustable pedals, a universal garage door opener, reverse sensing and a trunk cargo net.

    The new chrome package, available on both SEL and Limited models, includes 18-inch, eight spoke, chrome-clad wheels and a chrome mesh grille. Both features are available as stand-alone options.

    An added bonus to the 2007 updates and competitive pricing is Ford's new five year/60,000 mile warranty with complimentary roadside assistance.

    From the beginning, the Five Hundred was designed for maximum safety, incorporating advanced structural elements from Volvo to protect the passenger cabin. The Five Hundred earned five-star safety ratings in all four categories of government crash tests as well as the highest available, "Good" rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for frontal-offset, side-impact and rear-crash performances.

    Ford's Personal Safety System is standard, and the available two-row Safety Canopy system with rollover sensor and air curtain bags provides protection not only in certain side collisions, but in rollover events as well.

    Beginning later in the 2007 model year, Five Hundred will be equipped with standard front-seat-mounted side air bags, as well as Ford's innovative Safety Canopy side air curtain system.

    Five Hundred is powered by a 203 horsepower V-6 that is mated to a standard six-speed transmission on front-wheel-drive models, while AWD models get a continuously variable transmission (CVT). Both transmissions are engineered to optimize fuel economy.