Ford Announces Sync Strategy, Price

Ford’s new Microsoft Sync in-car entertainment and communication system has a price tag, and it’s not that bad. For $395, buyers will be able to add the option onto selected Ford and Mercury vehicles and it will be standard equipment on Lincoln models.

Besides Lincolns, higher-end trims of Ford and Mercury vehicles will eventually come with Sync standard. The first models to get Sync will be the 2008 Ford Focus, Fusion, Taurus, Taurus X, Edge, Explorer and Sport Trac, and the Lincoln MKX and MKZ. Sync should start becoming available on those models before the end of the year. 

Sync has Bluetooth capability and integrates peripherals like MP3 players into the system using voice recognition software. That means you can surf through your iPod’s playlists with voice commands. It also will read text messages from your phone aloud, even translating abbreviations like LOL. Plus it’s multilingual for English, French and Spanish speakers. Check out the video below for Ford’s promotional take on the new technology.

And on a personal note, as a Zune owner, I’m excited to finally see a press photo with something other than an iPod in it.

Comments

At the end of the movie it shows names of vehicles, it lists the Ford Freestyle, and Five Hundred. Since those vehicles are basically discontinued by now, does that mean it could be added onto cars as an aftermarket item?

I think the name change was a last minute decision- after all of the updates to the Five Hundred had been addressed.

PS,
I noticed that too. I believe Sync was introduced in Detroit in January before Ford announced the name changes at the Chicago auto Show in Feb.

There are no plans that I know of suggesting this will be an aftermarket option.

This could very well make me BUY a Ford... I sell electronics and have so many...so having a system that can integrate my hella busy life into my car would be amazing!!

While moving ahead on technology with Microsoft is a strong bold move, I believe the company needs to make bolder ones; reengineer and "sync" consumer marketing, product design and engineering because the Japanese companies that originally copied our methods continue to improve upon them and dominate. If the company fails on the later, the sinking will involve more than just entertainment.

A leading strategy colleague of mine at caswellsmith.com is heading up an iniative to help the U.S auto manufacturers take-out the Japanese. The strategy involves a "reverse demming."