Ford Custom Vinyl Graphics
With the launch of the 2011 Fiesta, Ford’s put an emphasis on customization, primarily in the form of interior amenities and infotainment. But as we learned during our First Drive, the range of modifications won’t be limited to the inside – Ford’s making exterior graphics packages available for its new B-segment player, and the Fiesta won’t be the only model from the Blue Oval to don custom vinyl.
Ford’s added the Mustang and F-150 to the range of vehicles you can coat in a custom wrap, with over 50 available designs ranging from the predictable flames and matte black racing stripes to the decidedly more feminine flowers and bubbles.
If you click on over to FordCustomGraphics.com you can start creating your own 3M Scotchprint wraps, and within the next few months the entire Ford line-up can be had with multi-colored vinyl to suit every available taste. So if your black-on-white Flex isn’t standing out from the crowd at the soccer field, you can add a smattering of camo and a dash of “faux diamond plate aluminum look” to spruce things up. All of it will be available at a fraction of the cost of a custom paint job and will carry a three-year/36,000-mile warranty when it’s installed by a certified Ford dealership. Hit the jump for the details and check out the gallery below for a few designs.
BUBBLES, FLOWERS AND FLAMES: New Ford website lets customers customize their vehicles
* Ford is making it easy, cost-effective and fun for Ford owners to turn their car or truck into a unique personalized ride with custom vinyl graphics
* With nearly 50 designs to choose from for each vehicle, the custom vinyl graphics offer the look of a custom paint job at half the cost; available through www.fordcustomgraphics.com
* Ford custom graphics are launching with the new Ford Fiesta and will soon expand to include graphics for two of the most customized cars in the country – the Ford Mustang and F-150; the program will later roll out with customization options for all Ford vehicles.
DEARBORN, Mich., June 2, 2010 – A new website is making it easy, cost-effective and fun for Ford owners to turn their car or truck into a unique personalized ride with vinyl graphics that offer the look of a custom paint job at half the price.
The website – www.fordcustomgraphics.com – launched in November with vinyl wrap designs for the new Ford Fiesta is now expanding to include graphics for two of the most customized cars in the country – the Ford Mustang and F-150 – and later will offer customization options for all Ford vehicles.
“Ford knows that customers want a vehicle to be all their own,” said Jim Abraham, Ford’s Licensed Accessories manager. “The Ford Custom Graphics website complements our strong accessory portfolio and enables customers to put a personal stamp on their vehicle.”
All it takes is a few clicks of a computer mouse.
“You click on your vehicle and its exterior color, select the graphics you like, and then the website will show you exactly how the designs will look on your car or truck,” explained Abraham.
Approximately 50 designs were created specifically for each vehicle. All are available in a variety of colors and sizes and were designed with the target customer in mind.
People interested in the hip, new Ford Fiesta, for example, can choose from cool, fun designs like bubbles, arrows, dots and flowers. Mustang and F-150 customers will have an entirely different portfolio to choose from.
“Mustang owners might prefer race-themed graphics like stripes, flames or matte black accents, while our F-150 customers might like something a little more rugged like camouflage or a faux diamond plate aluminum look,” said Abraham. “The neat thing about the website is that we’re tailoring the designs to our customers.”
According to Abraham, the website will continue to evolve over time to meet consumer demand and expectations.
“The whole idea behind the program is to offer our customers new ways to personalize their vehicle and provide a new exterior look throughout the ownership experience,” he said. “In order to do this, we are going to keep revising the available graphics packages to give customers fresh new ideas to choose from.”
Without giving away too much detail, Abraham says that consumers can look forward to seeing custom graphics that leverage some Ford corporate sponsorships along with other categories like green driving.
Ford Custom Graphics: The look of custom paint at half the cost
Ford Custom Graphics offers customers the look of custom-painted designs, but without the expensive price tag, according to Tom Stemple, chief executive officer of Original Wraps, Inc., a provider of “on-demand” custom graphics to the automotive industry and the company that developed the website for Ford.
“Vinyl wraps are typically half the cost of custom paint work,” he said. “Another advantage is that they can be easily removed if the customer wants a new design or decides to sell the vehicle. Paint is permanent, and custom-painted vehicles are often much more difficult to resell.”
In addition, all of the custom graphics feature 3M Scotchprint® On-Demand quality vinyl. They are professionally installed at Ford dealerships and include a three-year/36,000-mile limited warranty.
Vehicle personalization: Have it your way
Forty years ago, if you wanted to personalize your vehicle you hung a pair of fuzzy dice from the rearview mirror or slapped a trendy sticker on your bumper. Today, the automotive aftermarket has grown into a $31.85 billion industry and includes everything from grilles and custom body kits to interior accents and performance parts.
With cool products – like custom graphics and a variety of other vehicle accessories – Ford is aiming at a larger slice of the aftermarket pie.
“We are doing everything we can to be on the leading edge of trendy new product offerings, and the idea of on-demand custom graphics is a great example of that,” said Abraham.
According to Sheryl Connelly, manager of Ford Global Trends and Futuring, the growing interest in vehicle personalization mirrors a broader societal trend.
“The one-size-fits-all model isn’t really relevant to today’s consumers, and it’s not necessarily a desire to stand out from the crowd. It’s more a desire not to be lost in the masses,” she said. “People are personalizing everything – cell phones, computers and clothing – and it’s no different with automobiles.”
Lifting edge of graphic with plastic razor blade
peeling vinyl by hand
removing adhesive
