2007 Ford Five Hundred

Overview

For 2007, the flagship sedan of the Ford brand offers an all-new chrome package and SIRIUS satellite radio, in addition to offering a navigation system and heated seats on SEL models. Five Hundred also will be equipped with standard front-seat-mounted side air bags, as well as Ford’s innovative Safety Canopy side air curtain system shortly after the 2007 model-year launch.

Two new exterior colors, Alloy Clearcoat Metallic and Dune Pearl Clearcoat Metallic, are available in the 2007 model year.

Five Hundred is available in two trim levels — SEL and the top-of-the-line Limited. Five Hundred is built in Chicago.

Design and Equipment

With its clean geometric lines and stately proportions, Five Hundred’s exterior design 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 a standard entry keypad on the door, one-touch up-down front power windows, standard 17-inch wheels on SEL models and standard 18-inch wheels on Limited. Five Hundred is available with a host of options such as all-wheel drive, leather-trimmed seating with power adjustments, reverse sensing and a power moonroof.

Several packages are new for 2007 SEL models. The interior convenience package includes fog lamps; an in-dash, six-disc CD player; dual electronic temperature control; an automatic lamp; and an outside-temperature display. The interior power package includes eight-way power driver seat and adjustable pedals. The Limited convenience package includes memory adjustable pedals, a universal garage door opener, reverse sensing and a trunk cargo net.

The new chrome package is available on SEL and Limited models. The package includes 18-inch, eight-spoke, chrome-clad wheels and a chrome mesh grille. Both features are available as stand-alone options.

The Five Hundred interior brings sport utility-like Command Seating to the premium sedan segment, giving drivers and passengers a clear view of the road but with the low step-in height of a car. Occupants sit up to 4 inches higher than in other sedans and benefit from best-in-class overall legroom for front and rear seats.

Fold-flat, rear- and front-passenger seats on SEL and Limited models offer 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 up to eight full-size golf bags.

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

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

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Powertrain and Chassis

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

The six-speed transmission is standard on front-wheel-drive models, while the CVT is standard on Five Hundred AWD. The CVT 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 from the lowest to the highest drive ratios. That translates into strong acceleration, as well as high fuel efficiency on the highway.

The available all-wheel drive system automatically delivers power to all four wheels, creating a capable, smooth ride in a variety of conditions, such as uneven pavement, potholes and slippery surfaces.

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 optimal ride level.

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

Ford Five Hundred has earned top, five-star ratings for front- and side-impact performance in government testing, as well as the highest available, “Good” rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety for frontal-offset, side-impact and rear-crash performances.

Beginning later in the 2007 model year, Five Hundred will be equipped with standard front-seat-mounted side air bags, as well as Ford’s innovative Safety Canopy side air curtain system.

Those excellent test results stem from a well-designed structure and dozens of innovative safety designs, including a patent-pending steering column that tailors its rate of collapse to the driver’s size and safety belt use. A cross-car beam 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.

Ford’s Personal Safety System ® is standard, and the available two-row Safety Canopy™ system with rollover sensor and air curtain bags provides protection not only in certain side collisions, but in rollover events as well.

Major Features and Options

SEL includes: six-speed automatic transmission (FWD only); 17-inch aluminum wheels; bright painted grille; halogen headlamps; air-conditioning ducts in rear of front console; AM/FM audio system with CD; six-way power driver’s seat; two-way power front-passenger seat; split fold-flat rear bench seat; two 12-volt power points; 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; tilt steering wheel with speed control; Personal Safety System ® and SecuriLock™ passive anti-theft system.

Limited adds: 18-inch bright aluminum wheels; heated chrome exterior mirrors with puddle lamps; Audiophile audio system with six-CD changer and subwoofer; analog clock; dual electronic automatic temperature control; eight-way power driver’s seat; heated driver and passenger seats with leather seating surfaces, four-way power passenger seat, and memory function for driver’s seat and exterior mirrors.

Options include: AWD with CVT; family entertainment system; SIRIUS satellite radio; leather seating surfaces; heated seats; power-adjustable pedals; moonroof; navigation system; reverse sensing; traction control; chrome mesh grille; Limited convenience package; chrome package; safety package; safety and security package; interior power package and interior convenience package.