2009 Mercury Milan

08/01/2008

Mercury

The Mercury Milan gets even better for 2009 with a new distinctive VOGA series, available AdvanceTrac electronic stability control and available SIRIUS(R) Satellite Radio, provide more value for customers.

Fashion-inspired VOGA Series

VOGA, a Spanish word that means "fashionable and trend-setting," builds on Milan's inherent smart, contemporary design by offering customers an even more expressive theme.

"VOGA appeals to the fashion-conscious customer who typically likes to have more of an emotional connection with their vehicle than the average Milan customer," explained John Starr, Milan marketing manager. "VOGA enjoyed a very successful debut on the 2008 Mercury Mariner, and we expect a similar strong reaction with Milan."

The new VOGA series is only available on Milan Premier models as an option. It comes in two unique exterior colors - Tuxedo Black Clearcoat Metallic and White Suede Clearcoat - and one interior color - Dark Charcoal Black. The VOGA package consists of:

Interior features:

Unique Cyber Carbon Grey film appliques (IP Spears and Center Stack)

Cashmere colored door trim inserts

Cashmere colored custom leather trimmed seats with tone-on-tone cashmere stitching and "VOGA" embroidered on front seat backs

Exterior features:

Chrome accent finishes on grille and rear decklid applique

Chrome accent finish on rear badging

Unique VOGA badging

17" chrome-clad wheels with VOGA cap

Unique floor mats with embroidered VOGA logo

Ambient Lighting Adds Personalization

To further enhance Milan's sophisticated individuality, the Premier Series will offer increased personalization with standard adjustable ambient lighting. Ambient lighting allows the driver to change Milan's accent lighting inside the cupholders and in the front and rear foot wells. Seven colors are available -blue, red, violet, orange, indigo, green and yellow - to match any mood.

SIRIUS Satellite Radio also is standard equipment on the 2009 Milan Premier Series.

AdvanceTrac Electronic Stability Control

Building on Milan's refined performance and handling experience, Mercury is adding available AdvanceTrac electronic stability control to help ensure customers have the benefits of enhanced capability when needed. AdvanceTrac uses a sensor to detect and measure oversteer and understeer by monitoring the vehicle's steering wheel angle versus actual yaw. When the system senses wheel side slip - the difference between the driver's intended and the actual path - engine torque is reduced and braking is applied at individual wheels to help keep the car tracking safely on its intended path.

Another significant change involves a 5-speed automatic transmission, which will be paired with Milan's 2.3-liter four-cylinder (I-4) engine as standard equipment on Milan Premier models. In fact, the four-cylinder (I4) Milan - equipped with either an automatic or manual transmission - is a U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) certified SmartWay vehicle. To earn the designation, a vehicle must satisfy minimum scores for air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. Vehicles that receive the SmartWay designation "are very good environmental performers relative to other vehicles," according to the EPA.

This powertrain also meets Calfornia's stringent requirements as a Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV).

Overall, Milan offers customers an impressive range of powertrains and driveline configurations that deliver excellent fuel economy, as certified by the EPA:

I4 with manual transmission - 20mpg city/29mpg highway

I4 with 5-speed automatic transmission - 20mpg city/28mpg highway

V6 front-wheel-drive with 6-speed automatic transmission - 18mpg city/26mpg highway

V6 all-wheel-drive with 6-speed automatic transmission - 17mpg city/25mpg highway

Milan customers also will have five new exterior colors to choose from for 2009, including Tuxedo Black Clearcoat Metallic, Brilliant Silver Clearcoat Metallic, Smokestone Clearcoat Metallic, White Platinum Clearcoat Tri-Coat and Sport Blue Clearcoat Metallic.

Milan continues to provide customers with a host of advanced safety features that contributed to the highest individual ratings from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) for frontal and side-impact crash test performance in 2008 testing.

Milan comes equipped with standard side-impact air bags for driver and front passenger, side air curtains for both first and second rows and anti-lock brakes. Other safety features include:

Ford's Personal Safety System(R). This suite of standard safety features includes dual-stage driver and front passenger air bags, thorax side air bags for front seat occupants, safety belt pretensioners, seat weight sensing system for the passenger seat and crash severity sensing.

Safety for the family. Milan has taken measures to help protect its youngest passengers with child safety locks on rear doors and the LATCH (Lower Anchors and Tethers for Children) child restraint safety system.

BeltMinder(R) for driver and front passenger. BeltMinder(R) is a safety belt reminder technology that takes over after the initial safety belt reminder stops chiming. If the driver remains unbuckled, the system chimes and flashes a warning lamp for six seconds every 30 seconds for five minutes or until the driver buckles up, whichever comes first.

Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) - Milan's tire pressure monitoring system warns a driver if one or more tires are underinflated. An active pressure sensor with a radio transmitter is mounted inside each tire. A receiver in the vehicle monitors each transmitter, and if tire pressure is not within specific limits, it will activate a visual warning light.

The Milan is built at Ford's Hermosillo Stamping and Assembly Plant in Mexico

Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 229,000 employees and about 90 plants worldwide, the company's core and affiliated automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln, Mercury, Volvo and Mazda. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit our website at www.ford.com.