Ford fanatics from around the world will gather in the hills of south central Pennsylvania beginning Friday, June 1, to celebrate the 13th annual Carlisle All-Ford Nationals, sponsored by Carlisle Events. One of the largest gatherings of its kind, the gathering at the Carlisle Pennsylvania Fairgrounds brings together a wide range of enthusiasts to celebrate the best products, old and new, from Ford, Lincoln and Mercury. The show routinely draws over 50,000 people, nearly 600 car clubs and approximately 2,500 show vehicles.

Ford Motor Company will have a big presence at the weekend event as well, with display vehicles, one-of-a-kind concept cars, spokespeople and, for the first time, available test drives of current Ford, Lincoln and Mercury products. The test drives and special display vehicles will be centered around the Gate 1 Building, in the southwest corner of the fairgrounds.

“This annual event brings together some of the biggest Ford enthusiasts in the country,” said Ford Regional Manager Peter Fong. “From our point of view, this event is a perfect opportunity to tell our success story and help rev up Ford fans everywhere.”

Ford Interceptor and Reflex Concepts make Carlisle Debut
For the first time, Ford will be sponsoring a special “showroom” at the annual Carlisle event. Located in the Gate 1 Building, the showroom will feature current Ford, Lincoln and Mercury vehicles as well as two noted concept cars, the Ford Interceptor and Ford Reflex.

The Ford Interceptor debuted earlier this year at the North American International Auto Show (NAIAS) in Detroit. It is a modern, all-American sedan concept that combines “Built Ford Tough” attitude with the sporty elegance of iconic Ford sedans from the 1960s. The Interceptor concept is motivated by a Ford Racing 5.0-liter V-8 Cammer engine that delivers 400 horsepower and runs on E-85 ethanol. The concept is a pure sedan that speaks to performance car lovers everywhere.

The Reflex, which originally bowed at NAIAS in 2006, is a concept that proves small cars can be bold, American and innovative. Reflex appeals to the “small is big” trend in America today. With an advanced diesel-electric hybrid engine and new-generation lithium-ion batteries, the Reflex showcases fuel-efficiency as well. A production version could deliver up to 65 Miles per gallon. In all, it is a technological wonder, with solar panel-powered headlights, integrated child seat, inflatable rear safety belts and an interior quieted by scrap Nike athletic shoes.

Andreas Nilsson, a design manager in Ford's advanced design studio, will be at the event on Saturday to provide insight and background on the two Ford design concepts.

Hybrid Technology debuts at the All-Ford Nationals
In addition to the two concepts, the 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid will also be featured at Carlisle this year. This marks the first time Ford has highlighted a hybrid electric vehicle at the annual show, which traditionally caters to classic and collectible cars.

With the launch of the Escape Hybrid in 2004, Ford became the first company to offer a full-hybrid SUV for sale in the U.S., and the first to build a full-hybrid vehicle in America. To date, Ford has sold roughly 45,000 Escape Hybrids.

Launched in January of this year, the 2008 model Escape Hybrid is all-new inside and out and features updated software in the control system to improve the transition between gasoline and electric operation. The transition from all-electric to gasoline power to a combination of the two is now even more seamless and virtually imperceptible to the driver.

Gil Portalatin, a hybrid specialist from Ford’s Research and Advanced Engineering team, will be available at Carlisle to discuss hybrid technology and the new 2008 Escape Hybrid.

New Product Test Drives
For the first time ever, Ford will be hosting a new-product test drive at the Carlisle All-Ford Nationals. Ford products available for test drives will include the hot-selling Ford Edge, the new 2008 F-Series Super Duty, the best-selling Ford F-150, the all-wheel-drive Fusion sedan and the 2008 Ford Escape and Escape Hybrid. The test drives will be conducted in the morning and afternoon on Saturday, June 2, leaving from a point near the Gate 1 building.

Ford Experience Tour Rolls into Carlisle
The Ford Experience Tour will also be setting up shop at the All-Ford Nationals this year. The nearly 4000 sq. ft. display features a number of new Ford products and provides consumers a chance to experience some of the newest Ford technologies. The interactive site will feature a number of free giveaways – including Ford Edge backpacks and Fordvehicle.com hats – and chances to win $100 American Express gift cards. Visitors will also be able to enter a nationwide sweepstakes to win any new Ford product valued up to $45,000.