Windstar Moms Celebrate Ford's New Arrival on Mother's Day
8 May 1998
Windstar Moms Celebrate Ford's New Arrival on Mother's Day
DEARBORN, Mich., May 8 -- "Mom's" the word on the 1999 Ford
Windstar team. More than 30 moms, 20 with children under three, are
celebrating the arrival of their latest addition to the family -- the new 1999
Windstar.
As key members of the product development team, these "Windstar Moms" are
involved in several engineering areas including safety, ergonomics, electrical
and fuel systems, product design engineering and climate control. Their input
as mothers resulted in a number of family friendly innovations.
One Windstar Mom helped bring to market Windstar innovation -- "sleeping
baby lights." This system allows the driver to open any door without shining
overhead dome lights in a sleeping child's eyes, but activates lower
footlights to help guide mom and dad in the dark.
"It would never fail, whenever I would come home after dark and open the
door while Brenna was sleeping, the dome light would shine directly into her
eyes and really startle her," said Martha McMahon, lead electrical systems
engineer and mother of 1-year-old Brenna Catherine. "Being a mom has given me
insight on improving and creating features on the Windstar that are valuable
to both parents and children."
Joan Scheske wants to keep her children, Alyssa and Lily, as safe as
possible. As a crash development engineer, Joan has played a key role in
Windstar's double-five-star crash rating. As a result of her team's efforts,
Windstar currently has the government's highest rating for frontal crash
tests, five stars, on driver and passenger sides. It is also one of Insurance
Institute for Highway Safety's (IIHS) top choices for performance in a 40 mph
frontal offset crash test.
The 1999 model focuses on continuing this list of safety accomplishments.
The new Windstar is designed to achieve a five-star rating, for the fourth
year straight. Side air bags will also be an option. A new headliner and
interior pillar trim have been engineered to meet new federal safety standards
for interior head impact protection.
"At work I am committed to making the Windstar as safe as I can and at
home I am committed to keeping my family safe," Scheske said. "And, of
course, I drive a Windstar."
Cynthia Hodges, mom of 2-year-old Jane and 5-month-old Edward, is a
chassis product design engineer for the Windstar. Most of her work focused on
fuel system design. The new Windstar will have the largest capacity fuel tank
in the minivan class -- 26 gallons.
"Now that I'm a mom, I am amazed at how often I end up running late trying
to get somewhere," Hodges said. "Between grabbing strollers, snacks, toys and
the kids, I am always short on time. A larger fuel tank means less trips to
the gas station for busy moms like me."
According to Mary Ellen Heyde, vehicle line director, almost half of
Windstar buyers are women with children -- and women influence the buying
decision in more than 80 percent of minivan purchases.
"Input from the moms on our product development team is especially
critical to producing a family friendly minivan," Heyde said.
The 1999 Windstar will be unveiled Thursday, May 14, at Ford Motor
Company's annual shareholders meeting in Cincinnati, OH.
SOURCE Ford Motor Company
