Ford St. Thomas Assembly Plant Begins Production

* The Ford St. Thomas Assembly Plant is now the only plant in the world producing the Lincoln Town Car, a leader in the chauffeured transportation industry in North America.
* Renowned for its quality, the Lincoln Town Car was named the first car in history to receive the U.S. Government’s highest five-star safety ratings for four years in a row in all five categories (2003 – 2006).
* The Lincoln Town Car, along with the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis also produced at the St. Thomas Assembly Plant, are flexible fuel vehicles (FFV) capable of operating on ethanol fuel.

The keys to the first Lincoln Town Car to roll off the assembly line at St. Thomas Assembly plant near London, Ontario were presented today to local Ford Lincoln dealer Bruce Dumouchelle.

"A new chapter in the history of the St. Thomas Assembly Plant has started as we’ve proudly begun producing the Lincoln Town Car" said Mark Boldin, plant manager of the St. Thomas Assembly Plant. "The Lincoln Town Car is an outstanding vehicle in regards to safety with many best in class attributes – and we’re pleased to add it to our portfolio of vehicles"

The Ford St. Thomas Assembly Plant opened in 1967 with the Ford Falcon as its inaugural product, and has since produced more than 10 different models including the Ford Fairmont, the Mercury Zephyr and the Ford Escort. Since 1984 the St. Thomas Assembly Plant, a 241,548 square metre (2,600,000 square foot) facility, has been the global source for the Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis – now joined by the Lincoln Town Car.

Lauded for its attention to quality, environmental responsibility and commitment to the community, the St. Thomas Assembly Plant and its employees have earned numerous awards. Similarly, the Lincoln Town Car has been highlighted for high customer satisfaction and excellent safety ratings – for example, the Lincoln Town Car was the first car in history to receive the U.S. Government’s highest five-star government safety ratings for four years in a row in all five categories (2003 – 2006).

"The employees here at the St. Thomas Assembly Plant have always held quality as a top priority" said Scott Smith, CAW plant chair at St. Thomas Assembly Plant. "That same pride will be built into each Lincoln Town Car produced here"

The St. Thomas Assembly Plant and the Lincoln Town Car also play a roll in Ford’s commitment to sustainability and the reduction of dependence on fossil fuels - Ford plans to continue delivering products capable of running on renewable fuels, such as ethanol. Ford has more than five million flexible fuel vehicles (FFV’s) on the roads today globally. Ford currently offers a total of 14 flexible fuel vehicles in various markets globally, and the Lincoln Town Car, Ford Crown Victoria and Mercury Grand Marquis are among that group.

In 1981 the Lincoln Town Car was introduced as its own line and has seen re-designs for the 1990, 1998 and 2003 model years. Each time the Town Car has been refreshed the goal has been to enhance qualities that define the vehicle – roominess, ride, comfort and safety – as well as adding some unexpected luxurious touches such as a THX-certified audiophile system.

"The Lincoln Town Car is a dominant player in the chauffeured transportation industry here in North America" said Mark Boldin, plant manager of St. Thomas Assembly Plant. "The overall quality of the Town Car coupled with its reliability, tradition of a smooth ride and superb comfort, has secured a loyal customer base which has long experienced excellent customer satisfaction"