Filed under: Car Buying, Green, Ford, Earnings/Financials
Ford offering employee pricing plus bonus incentive on fuel efficient vehicles
It's tough to be in the auto selling business these days, as evidenced by all of the big deals that automakers are offering to move their metal before the end of the year. Ford has already announced that it would be offering an "Employee Pricing Plus" incentive, and now details of the plan have come to light. Not only can you get the price employees pay, but Ford is also offering additional cash back on many of its models. Or you can get bonus zero-percent financing for 36 months plus the employee price instead of cash back if you choose one of Ford's nine most fuel efficient models in their class. Even the new 2009 F-150, which gets up to 21 mpg when equipped with the SFE package, joins in the zero-percent financing deal. Other models with the financing deal are the Focus, Flex, Fusion/Mercury Milan, Escape/Mercury Mariner (minus the hybrids, naturally) and even the MKS and MKZ from Lincoln. Sure, it's a gimmick that's meant to help sales, but it's tough to complain about a good deal on a new car, right?
[Source: Ford]
PRESS RELEASE:
FORD OFFERS BRAND NEW BONUS INCENTIVE FOR FUEL-EFFICIENT VEHICLES PLUS EMPLOYEE PRICING
* Ford, Lincoln and Mercury are announcing a new plan to offer employee discount pricing plus additional cash back for customers who purchase a range of 2008 or 2009 Ford, Lincoln or Mercury cars, crossovers or trucks between Wednesday and Jan. 5
* Zero percent financing for 36 months will be offered as an additional 'plus' for buyers of the company's most fuel-efficient 2009 cars, crossovers and trucks
* Ford Credit provides additional $500 Ford Credit Bonus Cash on most Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models
DEARBORN, Mich., Nov. 18, 2008 – Ford is offering a first-ever bonus incentive tied to fuel-efficient vehicles, extending an extra benefit to customers beyond "Employee Pricing Plus" deals it's already offering across its 2009 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicle lineup.
Customers who buy one of the company's nine most fuel-efficient Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicles will be offered the bonus incentive of 0 percent financing from Ford Credit for 36 months in addition to Employee Pricing. The fuel-efficient vehicles include:
* Ford Focus, delivering up to 35 mpg: The sporty small car comes equipped with a standard 2.0-liter, I-4 Duratec 20 engine producing 140 horsepower and mated to a five-speed manual transmission or a four-speed automatic transmission.
* Ford Fusion, up to 29 mpg: The current model of this mid-size car is a leader in driving dynamics, offering up 29 mpg on the highway, with the front-wheel-drive Fusion's 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine.
* Ford Escape, up to 28 mpg: Equipped with a new 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine, six-speed automatic transmission and front-wheel drive, Ford Escape delivers best-in-class fuel economy in the small SUV segment with 28 mpg highway/20 mpg city.
* Ford Flex, to up 24 mpg: With front-wheel drive, the Ford Flex offers unsurpassed fuel economy in its segment – up to 24 mpg on the highway. Even with standout fuel economy, Flex offers creature comforts and room for up to seven passengers.
* Mercury Milan, up to 29 mpg: Mercury's most fuel-efficient car delivers up to 29 mpg on the highway, courtesy of it 2.3-liter, four-cylinder engine.
* Mercury Mariner, up to 28 mpg: New, 171 hp, 2.5-liter four-cylinder engine with intake variable cam timing enhances fuel economy and performance, gaining 2 mpg in highway fuel economy when equipped with the new six-speed transmission.
* Lincoln MKZ, up to 28 mpg: Equipped with Duratec 3.5-liter V-6 engine, the Lincoln MKZ features a premium six-speed automatic transmission with standard electronic stability control.
* Lincoln MKS, up to 24 mpg: Powered by a new 3.7-liter V-6 engine, this Lincoln MKS powertrain has been derived from the proven 3.5-liter V-6 found in the Lincoln MKX and MKZ, which was voted one of Ward's 10-Best Engines for 2007 – and delivering fuel economy among the best in its class.
* New F-150, up to 21 mpg: Unsurpassed fuel economy in the full-size pickup segment delivering up to 21 miles per gallon highway with F-150 SFE "superior fuel economy" edition.
Note: 2009 F-150 not included in the "Employee Pricing Plus" program – but is eligible for the special 0 percent financing offer tied to the company's most fuel-efficient models.
"Ford is bullish on fuel economy," said Ken Czubay, Ford's vice president of Sales and Marketing. "Each new and significantly freshened vehicle we've brought to market in the past year has the best or among the best fuel economy in its segment, and we want to provide customers an extra reason to drive one of these high-quality, fuel-efficient cars, crossovers and trucks."
The Plan
Beginning Wednesday and running through Jan. 5, Ford, Lincoln and Mercury are making their highly prized employee discount pricing even more attractive through the "Employee Pricing Plus" program.
The special incentive not only offers customers employee pricing on most 2008 and 2009 Ford, Lincoln Mercury models but will additionally offer up to $6,000 cash back. Alternatively, if customers select one of Ford's most fuel-efficient vehicles, they will have the option for 0 percent financing for 36 months. For example:
Excluded from the Employee Pricing Plus plan are 09MY F-150, 08/09MY Escape/Mariner Hybrids, 08/09MY Shelby GT500, F-Series chassis cabs models and E-Series cutaways models.
"Now is the best time to buy one of our Ford, Lincoln or Mercury vehicles," says Czubay. "The Ford Employee Pricing Plus program offers customers an unparalleled value on Ford's fuel-efficient, technology-leading, high-quality lineup."
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Sharone 9:27AM (11/19/2008)
Not too many desirable vehicles in Ford line-up. F-150 is just great, everything else is meh.
Might as well buy from a manufacturer that will be around in a few years, like Hyundai, Toyota etc.
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Randy 1:25PM (11/19/2008)
You're an idiot. Not only for such an untrue and unfounded statement, but because you're biased in every sense of the term!
I officially believe there are now treason-ite import posters on all forums that do nothing but try to detract from pro American consumption of automobiles!
Rick 9:34AM (11/19/2008)
The story title reads: Ford offering employee pricing plus bonus incentive on fuel efficient vehicles.
Yet they show two guzzlers in the picture. Does the right hand know what the left is doing?
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TigerMil 9:45AM (11/19/2008)
Oh, they'll declare chapter 11 before they do it, but someone needs to remind all their idiot MBA's of the concept of minimizing losses rather than maximizing profits...and apply it on each model rather than using the whorish profits on SUVs and pickups to finance the rest of their model lineup.
No bailout until the UAW contracts are broken.
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Dan 12:10PM (11/19/2008)
Using whorish profits from the big truck based lines to subsidize rental/student sales of their crapbox cars kept CAFE happy.
TigerMil 9:49AM (11/19/2008)
"Excluded from the Employee Pricing Plus plan are 09MY F-150, 08/09MY Escape/Mariner Hybrids, 08/09MY Shelby GT500, F-Series chassis cabs models and E-Series cutaways models."
THIS is exactly why they will go under. The cars people WANT to buy Ford will screw you. And they will supply the vaseline for their dealers to do it with 'market adjustment.'
Well, I've got news for all of you: The 'market adjustment' for buyers is happening now...and it isn't pretty.
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Dryloch 10:14AM (11/19/2008)
We have a fleet of Ford Vehicles at my company and with the exception of the Explorer/Mountaineer they have been very reliable. To say that there are no decent models at Ford is not fair at all. The Taurus/Sable gets mid to high 20s in fuel economy on the highway and these are not small vehicles. They are comfortable and have tons of room in them.
Ford Edge is another winner. I had to pull teeth to get people out of Explorers and into Edges instead but they all end up being very happy they switched. The Edge can go toe to toe with any of the mid size SUVs in my opinion. The Sync system on these vehicles is another big plus. Once you have it you really appreciate it.
The Escape and Mariner were on hard times a few years ago as far as being out of date but with the 2009 models they have fixed the ride, put better engines in them, and added the Sync system. These have also been extremely reliable for us.
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Travis 10:29AM (11/19/2008)
Looks like a great deal. Now if only Ford made a product that I'd actually want to drive....
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Swede 12:25PM (11/19/2008)
"Built FORD tough"?
LOOOL.
Ford pays my salary but I mean come on...
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Brn 3:37PM (11/19/2008)
You're fired.
Swede 3:46PM (11/19/2008)
I knew that already, and I must say I'm not in any way bothered about it.
Rick 8:37PM (11/19/2008)
That zero percent fianncing needs to be MUCH longer than 36 months. That would be higher than a lease rate which is how some people afford these cars.
You need zero percent for 48-52 months if they want to trigger sales.
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Brn 10:43PM (11/19/2008)
Leases aren't really an option right now. If someone wants to give me an interest free loan for three years, I'm not going to complain about it.
Rick 8:37PM (11/19/2008)
That zero percent fianncing needs to be MUCH longer than 36 months. That would be higher than a lease rate which is how some people afford these cars.
You need zero percent for 48-52 months if they want to trigger sales.
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Randy 6:14AM (11/20/2008)
I tried http://www.FordCost.com for the Ford Employee Pricing Plus deal and it rocked. The Employee pricing was cool and the plus was better. Good deal.
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