corporate responsibility and Grupo Antolin of Spain were granted an award for excellence in their business framework principles.
Global supply-base expansion For the fourth consecutive year Ford has exceeded its sourcing goals for its ‘Supplier Diversity Development’ programme. Ford aims to source at least 10 per cent of its US purchases from minority, women and veteranowned businesses. In 2013 Ford purchased $6.5 billion in goods and services from minority-owned suppliers. Ford encourages its diverse suppliers to expand their business operations globally and enhance their competitiveness in the global marketplace. “For over 35 years, Ford has been committed to growing and strengthening its relationships with its diverse suppliers,” said Carla Preston, Supplier Diversity Development Director. “Through our Supplier Diversity Development programme, we are contributing to the greater good, leading to new opportunities for economic expansion and job growth globally.”
34 Industry Europe
Mustang heralds new models for Europe One of the most eagerly awaited events in the motoring calendar this year was the launch of the all-new Ford Mustang, which was showcased in Lisbon, Portugal, at the Champion’s football league final in May this year. The first 500 of the 2015 Ford Mustang Models destined for Europe were reserved in just 30 seconds. This is the first time in Ford’s long history that the Mustang has been sold across Europe. “We knew that there was huge excitement building for the new Ford Mustang coming to Europe, but the response during the UCL cup final was overwhelming,” commented Roelant de Ward, Ford’s vice president in Europe for marketing, sales and service. The latest Mustang offers an impressive line-up of engines, including the Shelby GT500, which is the most powerful production V8 engine in the world. This supercharged 5.8L engine is capable of more than 200 miles per hour on the track. There is also a 305 horsepower V6 and a 5.0L version that pumps
out a potent 420 horsepower and 390lb-ft of torque. All these advanced engines are mated to Ford’s advanced six-speed transmissions. Other European ‘trail-blazers’ include the new Ford Fiesta ST with its aggressive styling and a performance to match that achieves 0–62 in 6.9 seconds and a top speed of 139mph (224km/h. Another newcomer is Ford’s Ecosport, which is a smart, powerful and fuel-efficient vehicle that features SYNC with AppLink that enables you to access your smart-phone’s apps on the move. It’s an entirely new type of SUV.
Smart solutions Smart technology solutions are to be found throughout Ford’s extensive product range and the most recent of these innovative, high–technology products is its ‘advanced steering technology’ which improves ‘steering feel’ at all speeds, making the vehicle easier to manoeuvre and more enjoyable to drive. The new steering technology is housed entirely within the steering wheel
