2005 Ford Five Hundred

The new 2005 Ford Five Hundred is destined to be the flagship sedan in the Ford stable. With its clean geometric lines and stately proportions, the Five Hundred reinvents the family sedan, by adding the advantages associated with sport utility and crossover vehicles. This is accomplished by marrying the sedan body to an all-new, purpose-built crossover vehicle platform. Available is an all-wheel drive system for all-weather traction, and brisk acceleration is provided by a powerful Duratec 30 V-6 engine and continuously variable or six-speed automatic transmission are available. With the largest trunk of any Ford vehicle, and versatile, fold-down seats, the 2005 Five Hundred has a surprising amount of cargo room.

Source - Ford Media

* Ford's flagship-sedan delivers Commmand Seating™, cargo capability, versatility and all-weather confidence
* Fold-flat rear and front passenger seats (on SEL and Limited models) provide ample interior space from bumper to dashboard, allowing room to fit an 8-foot ladder
* At 21 cubic feet, it has one of the largest sedan trunks
* Available all-wheel drive for all-weather traction
* Duratec 30 3.0-liter V-6 engine and a continuously variable transmission, a pairing that optimizes performance while promoting fuel efficiency and low emissions
* Available six-speed automatic for front-wheel-drive applications offers improved fuel economy in a conventional step-gear transmission
* Energy-channeling frame and body structures protect occupants
* Optional safety package includes side air bags and industry-leading Safety Canopy™ system for protection in side impacts and rollovers

The all-new 2005 Ford Five Hundred reinvents the family car by marrying the body of a contemporary sedan to an all-new vehicle architecture. The unique combination results in an upscale four-door midsize sedan. (concept carz) It is expected to attract customers who appreciate the upright Command Seating™, flexible storage space and all-wheel-drive capability of an SÚV, but who want the comfort and drivability of a sedan. (concept carz) It seats five.

Five Hundred is available in three levels of comfort: the value-leading SE, the midlevel SEL and the top-of-the-line Limited.

Ford Five Hundred is built in Chicago, Ill.

Design

Five Hundred's authoritative exterior design, with its clean geometric lines and stately proportions, displays confidence and luxury.

Classic Ford design cues include the trapezoidal, diamond-patterned grille, the window graphic with elegant chrome surround and, of course, the blue oval Ford badge centered along the rear of the trunk lid.

Premium features include 17-inch wheels (18-inch wheels are standard on Limited), entry keypad, one-touch 'up' front power windows, plus a host of options like all-wheel drive, leather-trimmed seating with power adjustments (including power recline for the driver), fold-flat front passenger seat, reverse parking assist and moonroof.

Five Hundred is about 3 inches longer than a Taurus but roughly a foot shorter than the Crown Victoria.

Interior

Fold-flat rear and front passenger seats on SEL and Limited models translate to ample cargo space from bumper to dashboard. Furthermore, Five Hundred's efficient packaging provides more trunk space than any sedan on the market. With more than 21 cubic feet of trunk space, Five Hundred can accommodate eight full-size golf bags.

Other touches include a front-row center console storage bin large enough for a small purse and CDs, an instrument panel storage bin for cell phones and PDAs, front- and back-seat map pockets, rear-seat armrest storage, eight beverage holders and door panel storage on each door for umbrellas and other slim items.

The interior styling includes inviting materials and surface treatments – from smooth metal-plated door handles to soft-touch paint finishes and high-quality fabrics or leather surfaces. SEL and Limited models have burled wood-pattern appliqués on the instrument panel, while the SE edition features appliqués that resemble metal mesh.

Powertrains


Five Hundred combines technology under the hood to create a dynamic driving experience. An improved 3.0-liter Duratec 30 V-6 engine works in concert with its continuously variable transmission (CVT) or six-speed automatic transmission to optimize both performance and fuel economy.

The CVT is standard on all-wheel-drive and some front-drive versions of the Five Hundred. It uses two variable-size pulleys – one for input from the engine, the other for output to the drive wheels – connected by a steel link belt. It varies the effective sizes of the two pulleys to meet the driving demands of the moment. Electronic powertrain controls, including a sensor on the electronic throttle, constantly monitor the demand for power. When more torque is needed for acceleration or maintaining speed up a steep hill, the transmission seamlessly responds by creating the right drive ratio from an infinite number of possibilities, allowing the Duratec 30 engine to operate at optimum performance.

Both transmissions offer wide spans from the lowest to the highest drive ratios. That translates into strong off-the-line acceleration, as well as high fuel efficiency on the highway.

Ride and handling


Five Hundred's innovative combination of powertrain and chassis technology makes it a joy to drive.

The available all-wheel drive system, currently used by Volvo, delivers power to the wheels, creating a capable, smooth ride in a variety of conditions, such as uneven pavement, potholes, slippery surfaces and anything that compromises traction.

On all-wheel-drive models, innovative, self-leveling shocks sense ride height and use energy from the vehicle's motion to raise the shock to the desired ride level. The system ensures that if the sedan is ever taken off pavement with a loaded trunk, it will maintain optimal ride height.

Dual-piston aluminum front brake calipers and large front and rear brake rotors provide strong stopping power and fade-free performance. Five Hundred's fully independent suspension, stiff body structure and precise rack-and-pinion steering further contribute to confident ride and handling.

Safety and Security

Rear-impact performance is so advanced that it is designed to meet proposed future federal crash standards. ( posted on conceptcarz.com) Side-impact protection comes from a combination of available air-bag technology and structural features that safeguard occupants from intrusion by channeling crash energy away from the passenger compartment. An innovative cross-car beam 'Space Architecture' under the front seats reinforces the structure between the B-pillars, while directing energy away from passengers to an engineered failure point under the center console. The two-row Safety Canopy™ system with rollover sensor and air curtain bags provides peace of mind. It provides protection not only in certain side collisions, but in rollover events as well.

Frontal impact performance will meet the revised Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard 208, which requires the restraints system to automatically adjust to the front-seat passenger. The air-bag controller uses occupant classification sensing to determine if the seat is occupied, and if so, whether the passenger is an adult, a child or a child in a child safety seat. Air-bag deployment is tailored – or altogether suppressed – to provide the proper protection.

Major Equipment and Options

SE includes: Continuously variable transmission, four-wheel disc brakes with ABS and traction control, 17-inch painted aluminum wheels, chrome trim on fascia and grille surround, power folding exterior mirrors, interval wipers, keyless entry keypad, painted body-side moldings, power windows and locks, six-way power driver's seat, split fold-flat rear bench seat, rear-seat arm rest with cup holders, two 12-volt power points, AM/FM stereo with single CD player, air conditioning, carpeted front and rear floor mats, seatback map pockets, tilt steering wheel with speed control, driver and passenger front air bags, occupant classification system and passive anti-theft system.

SEL adds: Six-speed automatic transmission (FWD only), 17-inch aluminum wheels, automatic headlamps, fog lamps, chrome body-side moldings, heated exterior mirrors, air-conditioning ducts in rear of front console, AM/FM stereo with six-disc in-dash CD changer, eight-way power driver's seat, two-way power front passenger seat, automatic dimming rearview mirror, fold-flat front passenger seat, leather-wrapped shift knob and steering wheel with audio controls, message center with electronic compass, wood-grain appliqué on center stack and console, anti-theft perimeter alarm and remote perimeter lighting.

Limited adds: 18-inch bright aluminum wheels, chrome exterior mirrors, bright grille, Audiophile audio system with six-CD changer and subwoofer, analog clock, heated driver and passenger seats with leather seating surfaces, cargo net, Homelink®, memory function for driver's seat and exterior mirrors and four-way power passenger seat.

Source - Ford