2011 Ford F-150 Earns IIHS Top Safety Pick

DEARBORN, Mich., May 12, 2011 /PRNewswire/ --

• 2011 Ford F-150 SuperCrew has been named an IIHS Top Safety Pick for models built after February 2011. Ford now has 11 vehicles on the road that have earned Top Safety Pick ratings

• Ford F-150 features a number of safety and stability systems including Safety Canopy® side curtain airbags, AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™), SOS Post Crash Alert System™ and trailer sway control

• The Ford 3.5-liter EcoBoost™ V6 engine represented 35 percent of 2011 F-150 pickup truck sales in April; incoming F-150 EcoBoost orders tracking at more than 40 percent reflect strong consumer demand

• Ford F-150 is America's best-selling truck for 34 years

The 2011 Ford F-150 SuperCrew is building on Ford's safety leadership by earning a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for models built after February 2011.

Ford now has 11 vehicles on the road in the U.S. that have earned Top Safety Picks, which adds to its leading number of top U.S. safety ratings. To earn a Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must receive a rating of "good" in offset frontal-, side- and rear-impact tests and the new roof strength evaluation, as well as offer electronic stability control.

"Safety ratings are important markers customers can use to evaluate vehicles, so we are proud Ford has the most top U.S. safety ratings of any automaker ever," said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering. "The F-150's innovative safety technologies and this new Top Safety Pick award further demonstrate Ford's commitment to safety."

Crash protection

New safety features for the 2011 Ford F-150 include a seat-integrated shoulder belt for the front middle seat and a head restraint for the second-row middle seat. The F-150's standard safety features include an advanced safety structure with high-strength steel and six standard airbags.

Other standard Ford F-150 safety features include:

• Dual-stage airbags for driver and front passenger
• Safety Canopy® side curtain airbags
• Front seat-mounted side airbags
• AdvanceTrac® with RSC® (Roll Stability Control™)
• Four-wheel ABS brakes
• SOS Post Crash Alert System™
• MyKey®
• Trailer sway control

Other Ford Motor Company vehicles that have earned a Top Safety Pick rating include:

• 2011 Ford Edge (built after February 2011)
• 2011 Ford Explorer
• 2011 Ford Taurus
• 2011 Ford Fusion
• 2011 Ford Fiesta (built after July 2010)
• 2011 Ford Flex
• 2011 Lincoln MKS
• 2011 Lincoln MKT
• 2011 Lincoln MKX (built after February 2011)
• 2011 Lincoln MKZ

Sales momentum

The F-Series was the best-selling truck in America for the 34th year in a row and the best-selling vehicle – car or truck – for the 29th year in a row.

Demand for the fuel-efficient EcoBoost engine in the F-150 has increased each month since launch. One in four Ford F-150 pickups sold in March was powered by a 3.5-liter EcoBoost™ V6. In April, EcoBoost F-150 sales ran at about 35 percent. In the F-150, the EcoBoost engine with its 365 horsepower and 420 lb.-ft. of torque provides best-in-class towing capability of 11,300 pounds combined with up to 20 percent fuel economy savings.

About Ford Motor Company

Ford Motor Company (NYSE: F), a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 166,000 employees and about 70 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

SOURCE Ford Motor Company