On the heels of ArtPrize, we found this article from Ford Social on what makes for great design in vehicles timely and interesting. Just like Grand Rapids’ public art festival, Artprize, some designs seem to capture the imagination of the public above all others. Over the years at Borgman Ford, we’ve we’ve watched the strategic design team roll out many iconic hits. Check out this article to learn about the “One Ford” philosophy of design, then stop by to drive one 😉

By Tori Tellem

What makes a particular design great? OK, that’s sort of a trick question, because design is very subjective. Take art: Two people can look at a painting and have a very different reaction to it.  Two people can look at architecture, and one may have an emotional connection while the other feels nothing. Styles of clothing either appeal or don’t.

Now think about the challenges with car design. It’s got all of that — it has to look “right” to the eyes, cause an emotional connection and be appealing. Then it’s about making that “look” speak to the masses, and often on a global scale. Your vehicle needs to not only stand out in the crowd, but also make that crowd think about buying the same vehicle for themselves. It’s also about creating an iconic design, recognizable worldwide, easily identified even by those who don’t own one.

“Great design is defined by purpose, simplicity, emotion and, above all, honesty,” explained Freeman Thomas, Ford Director of Strategic Design. “Great design must have a soul and a philosophy. Ford is about great design.”

The One Ford philosophy about design has to do with vehicles sharing characteristics that will appeal to consumers on all continents. “I consider the Stahl House, the 1965 Ford GT40 and the 2014 Ford Fusion Energi to be three significant representations of these values,” explained Freeman. Stahl House, which is considered an iconic example of modern architecture, has much in common with Ford. “Its design transcends social class. It was a case study about creating affordable housing with aspiration. Its simplicity is humbling,” Freeman said. Ford vehicles have simplicity in design,  yet also push boundaries.

The concept of Ford design is to create that appeal, no matter how the vehicle will be used. Whether consumer-oriented or for motorsports, mpg or mph — the vehicle needs to have a design that strikes a chord and gets attention. Freeman also said, “It’s about looking at something and feeling as though it’s so much more. The Fusion Energi is a car that visually looks so premium and so expensive. It is a plug-in hybrid so it is explicit in its conscience and purpose, yet it has that irrational desire – it’s a gorgeous car.”

At Borgman Mazda, we hear a lot about awards, some of which are given out based on more solid criteria than others. This one, the Kelley Blue Book 5-Year Cost to Own awards, seems like one that new car shoppers should pay attention to.

The cost of a car goes far beyond what you pay for the actual metal, leather and rubber at the point of purchase. Fuel, insurance, maintenance and repair costs, and the cost of fees from the state and financing will all weigh on your wallet while you own the car. That’s not even taking into account the biggest cost: depreciation, or the amount of money you lose based on what your car is worth years from now versus the day you bought it.

KBB tracks these sorts of things, and they’ve compiled a list of winners for 2013 models. On the brand level, Mazda has earned the 5-Year Cost to Own award for having the lowest overall projected five-year totals. Read the rest of this entry »

At Borgman Ford, we’re excited to announce that our manufacturer is being featured in Fast Company’s annual Most Innovative Companies issue. The magazine, which hit the stands today, honors leading businesses, including Apple, Amazon, Google and Target along with such rising newcomers as Square, Fab and Tumblr. Ford Motor Company is the only full-line automaker named to the 2013 list. Nike ranks No. 1 following the release of two major innovations, FuelBand and Flyknit technology.

Fast Company editors highlighted an array of recent efforts by Ford, including the opening of a Silicon Valley Lab in Palo Alto, Calif. in June 2012 where Ford engineers can collaborate with some of the best and brightest technology minds.

Among the innovative features already available in Ford vehicles, the award-winning SYNC® connectivity system enables drivers to stay connected with the latest mobile technology using voice commands so that hands can stay on the wheel and eyes on the road. The all-new 2013 Ford Fusion offers one of the industry’s most complete suites of advanced driver assist systems, including adaptive cruise control and the Lane Keeping System all in an affordable midsize family sedan. Ford researchers are also hard at work on future systems including a driver workload estimator to help drivers manage stressful situations on the road. Read the rest of this entry »

Want to know how Ford is making its vehicles greener? How about what future technology is currently in the works? Or what new Ford vehicles will be taking to the roads this year?

Well, now’s your chance to ask!

We’re sending some Ford Social citizen journalists to Ford HQ and behind the scenes at the 2013 North American International Auto Show (Jan. 19 – 26). They’ll be talking to experts and getting their hands on some of the latest technology. Think of them as your line of communication to the bigwigs at Ford—getting an insider point of view that they’ll soon be sharing with everyone at Ford Social. Including you.

Here’s the thing: We want you to choose the assignments! So if there’s anything you’ve been dying to know, something you have a passing interest in, and whatever falls in between—ask away. We’ll be assigning questions from the community to our citizen journalists to investigate while they’re in Detroit and Dearborn.

So maybe you want to know more about how Ford uses sustainable materials in its vehicles? Or about what goes on behind-the-scenes to develop the latest safety features?

Tell us what you want to know—big or small, car or truck, innovation or history. Just post your questions in the comments below! And if you’d like to be a Citizen Journalist too, signup here.

Register now for your chance to attend the PBR Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas – and go home with a brand-new 2013 F-150 with EcoBoost.® This is truly a once-in-a-lifetime prize package:

• One Grand Prize Winner

  New 2013 F-150 with EcoBoost

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NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Sweepstakes ends 10/13/13. See Official Rules for details. ©2013 Ford Motor Company.

We want to take a moment to thank the generous donors who’ve rallied to help wounded marine Robert Thrailkill Jr. finance a vehicle with assistive-devices, and to let others who might not have heard his story know how they can help. Thrailkill is returning to Michigan next week after two years of rehab at Bethesda after losing his legs in an IED explosion in Afghanistan. Donations can be made at Borgman Ford Mazda or online at Semper Fi Fund (please be sure to specify Thrailkill’s name.) If you missed it, here’s the story from FoxNews17:

Story by Mitch Fick, FoxNews17
Robert Thrailkill, Jr. has spent the majority of the past 25 months in a rehabilitation center in Bethesda, Maryland. He remembers exactly what happened on October 26, 2010. He was serving as a Marine combat engineer in Afghanistan. He was checking buildings that day.

“I was investigating a little pile of dirt,” Robert told FOX 17 in a phone interview Tuesday afternoon.  ”And when I knelt down and uncovered it, I found an IED right there and then went I went to stand back up and I turned to my left, I triggered – what I believe to be – a secondary. And that’s when I got blown up.”

Robert lost both his legs in the explosion. He’s been rehabbing in the DC area ever since.

He moves back to his homestate on December 2. He’ll be joining the Grand Rapids Sled Wings, an adaptive hockey team.

But to get where he needs to go when he’s back home, Robert needs a truck.

He was back for a visit earlier this fall and stopped into Borgman Ford-Mazda in Grandville. That’s where he met sales manager Scott Gibbons. Read the rest of this entry »