Blog

Ford Motor Company, including Ford and Mercury vehicles, and Volvo Cars were the sponsors of Los Angeles radio station KABC 2nd Annual Clean-Air Car Showcase. Using The Block at Orange in Orange County, California as the venue, KABC, Ford and Volvo attracted Southern Californians interested in their new green offerings. While Ford showed the hybrid Escape and Mariner SUVs, other vehicles on display were almost-as-clean PZEV powered vehicles. Ford also brought its fuel cell Focus down from Sacramento for the day.
I decided to mosey on down to The Block to see what the Showcase was all about. When I got there at about 2PM, the morning haze had burned off and the temperatures were approaching 80. Wow, are these VehicleVoice folks dedicated!

There were vehicles on static display with folks there to discuss their merits with mall passers-by. After completing an insurance waiver, people who were interested were given the opportunity to drive the vehicle accompanied by Ford and Volvo dealer personnel.

All of this was designed not only help Ford and Volvo convert lookie-loos into prospects, but also to educate the typical Southern Californian about the merits of clean-air technology. Naturally, the hybrids got most of the attention and a common question was “Where do you plug it in?” Ford has been selling PZEV vehicles in California for several years and is expanding availability of these very, very clean gasoline powered vehicles.

John Clinard, Ford’s Western Regional Public Relations Manager
The 1st Annual Clean-Air Car Showcase was held in 2005 at the 3rd Street Promenade in Santa Monica. Ford Motor Company and Toyota Motor Sales were the principals in the 1st Annual event. As a low-key, relatively low expense event, Ford has found this an effective way to leverage its resources to get the word out to the public.