Press Release
Chassis
Improvements Underneath: Chassis improvements felt in the seat
The 2006 Mountaineer not only ushers in the second stage of the Mercury design renaissance it launched in 2002, it also advances the sport-utility suspension revolution it helped pioneer. The 2002 Mountaineer was among the first body-on-frame sport-utility vehicles to use an independent rear suspension (IRS). For 2006, Mountaineer comes with an all-new trailing-arm IRS architecture that addresses the way people drive in the real world.Improvements to the 2006 Mountaineer go far beyond what you can see and touch. Mercury engineers started with the very underpinnings of the Mountaineer: its chassis. A revamped, stronger frame, the new IRS setup, all-new front suspension components, bigger brakes and improved steering combine to enhance the comfort, safety, quiet and capability of the 2006 version.
Increased Rigidity: New, stiffer frame for quiet, controlled ride
If a vehicle's frame is the equivalent of a house's foundation, the 2006 Mountaineer is built on a solid footing.The 2006 Mountaineer frame is much stiffer than the already robust frame it replaces due to increases in thickness and section height. It provides a 63 percent increase in bending rigidity and a 55 percent increase in torsional rigidity.
The owner benefits due to increased vehicle-frame stiffness range from a smoother ride with better road feel, crisper handling and steering response to improved strength and crashworthiness. Once the stronger, more rigid frame was developed, engineers could improve the vehicle systems it supports ??????????????????????????????????????? from suspensions to powertrains, braking to steering, and just about everything in between. One area where major gains were made was in the vehicle's attachment points. Body-mount brackets, for example, are now 169 percent stiffer than on the previous Mountaineer.
Impact Damping: New IRS and monotube shocks decrease impact harshness
Why trade one type of independent suspension for another? Because a more efficient means of packaging can result in enhancements that can easily be seen and felt while cruising the turnpike or commuting in the city.The independent rear suspension in the 2006 Mountaineer now features a trailing-arm setup and is more compact than its predecessor.
In addition, increased frame and front suspension stiffness mean the suspension bushings can be tuned a bit softer than before. These new front and rear bushings, along with all-new monotube shocks at all four corners of the vehicle, deliver a more refined ride and increased handling performance without the loss of road feel.
Drivers will notice other improvements, too. The 2006 Mountaineer enjoys a 27 percent reduction in the transmission of sound from impacts with such things as tar strips and as much as a 35 percent reduction in tactile vibration from touch points such as the steering wheel while driving on a rough road.
Show Stoppers: Bigger brakes return surer stops, 13 percent boost in payload
Suspension revisions allowed for geometry changes that translated into increased smoothness. Better still, it facilitated the move to new, bigger brakes ??????????????????????????????????????? which helped boost Mountaineer's payload rating by as much as 13 percent.
Variable Assist: New power steering for improved feel and response
Because a Mountaineer needs to be as capable in a congested parking lot as it is along a country back road, an all-new steering system makes maneuvering in tight quarters easier. Mountaineer utilizes a new variable-flow steering pump and revised tuning that reduces steering efforts by 15 percent in a parking lot, yet retains a firm, responsive feel and confidence while cruising at highway speeds.
Safety
Safe and Secure: Helping keep Mountaineer at the head of its class
Mercury engineers built the new 2006 Mountaineer on a solid foundation and equipped it with class-leading safety technologies to keep it one of the safest vehicles on the road. The team employed a variety of active safety features to aid in crash avoidance, as well as several cutting-edge passive safety features when an accident cannot be prevented. The 2006 Mountaineer's frontal-crash safety performance is designed to meet 2010 regulatory mandates, some four full years ahead of the requirement.
Stay on Track: Standard AdvanceTrac???????????????????? with Roll Stability Control????????????????????????????????
The accident with the best outcome is the accident avoided. The 2006 Mountaineer's responsive steering, stout brakes and overall vehicle stability help it react as quickly as the driver. Starting with an all-new frame, the 2006 Mountaineer safety story begins with a platform that is 55 percent more torsionally rigid and 63 percent more rigid to bending forces. This stiffer chassis, combined with a revised front suspension and an all-new trailing-arm independent rear suspension (IRS), improves road feel and handling reflexes to help drivers confidently steer around road hazards.Optional all-wheel drive (AWD) plus standard safety features like AdvanceTrac???????????????????? with Roll Stability Control???????????????????????????????? help the driver maintain control during emergency avoidance maneuvers.
All-wheel drive provides additional traction and grip in all weather conditions, wet and dry, or when the vehicle is not in contact with a smooth road surface. On paved roads during normal driving, the electronic AWD system constantly monitors all four wheels. If and when any of the four wheels lose grip, the system instantly and seamlessly reacts to reduce torque bias to the wheels that are slipping and increase it to those with grip.
Ford's world-class AdvanceTrac???????????????????? with Roll Stability Control???????????????????????????????? has been enhanced to go far beyond typical electronically assisted traction systems. AdvanceTrac???????????????????? helps drivers avoid skidding and fishtailing by selectively applying braking to the appropriate wheels and immediately modifying engine power to help maintain control. In addition to yaw stability control, AdvanceTrac???????????????????? has been expanded to work in an entirely new dimension described as "roll." In other words, the system utilizes information from an added roll-rate sensor to monitor vehicle roll motion, and then actively modifies lateral forces on the tires to reduce vehicle rollover potential.
Roll Stability Control ????????????????????????????????: Leveraging the power of multiple control features
AdvanceTrac???????????????????? with Roll Stability Control????????????????????????????????, developed and used exclusively by Ford Motor Company, is an additional software module and roll-rate sensor that builds upon traditional anti-lock brakes (ABS), traction control and yaw stability control (otherwise known as electronic stability control or ESC) systems. This system should not be confused with other stability systems, which do not include a separate roll-rate sensor. Roll Stability Control???????????????????????????????? communicates with the embedded roll-rate sensor for feedback on a variety of vehicle dynamics measurements. During an accident-avoidance maneuver (such as an abrupt lane change), Roll Stability Control???????????????????????????????? coordinates the actions of all of these components to help stabilize Mountaineer. If the RSC system detects that the vehicle is near a roll condition, it automatically applies countermeasures like reducing engine power and/or applying brakes to one or more wheels. Ford's AdvanceTrac???????????????????? system with Roll Stability Control???????????????????????????????? will be offered on more than 500,000 Ford, Lincoln and Mercury sport-utility vehicles for 2005. Ford hopes to make this innovative system more widely available by offering it to all automotive competitors.
New Safety Technologies: Extra levels of protection for driver, passenger
For 2006, Mountaineer comes standard with new adaptive driver and passenger dual-stage front air bags with "can venting," which allows the bags to deploy to varying stiffness based on the occupant's size and relative position to the bags during a collision.Also standard are driver- and front-passenger side impact air bags mounted in the seat that further protect the occupants' chest in the event of a side collision. Front- and second-row passengers are further protected by the available Safety Canopy????????????????????????????????, side air curtains that deploy in a side-impact collision and if an impending rollover is detected. Mountaineer's side air curtains feature a segment exclusive "roll-fold" technology that allows the curtain to slip between the window and a passenger's head if they are leaning against the window at the time of deployment in a rollover event. Safety Canopy???????????????????????????????? side curtains remain inflated for several seconds after deployment to enhance protection.
Also new for 2006 is the front passenger-side Occupant Classification System and adaptive air bag tether that allows for variable shapes of the bag based on the passenger size. Plus, an adaptive steering column offers a multi-level stroke load resistance providing the driver an added level of crash protection. Interior door panels have been redesigned with energy absorbing trim and arm rests and relocated door pulls to further enhance protection in side impacts.
Think Fast: Crash-sensing computer makes the most of all safety features
Mountaineer's new advanced crash-sensing computer now receives more information than ever, and has more features available to tailor restraint devices for an occupant. In the milliseconds it takes for an impact to occur, Mountaineer's crash computer is interpreting data from a multitude of sensing devices that measure vehicle motion, as well as occupant conditions.Mountaineer's crash computer receives information about the occupant's seat position or weight, and whether they are buckled up, to adjust air bag deployment and adaptive features accordingly. Similarly, the crash computer uses the same information to activate safety belt pretensioners, which remove slack in the front safety belts, and adjusts the amount of seat belt restraint best suited for the conditions. On the perimeter of the vehicle, multiple front and side sensors provide critical information that enables the crash computer to determine the type and severity of crash (front, side, rollover, etc.) and which restraint system or combination of systems should be deployed to enhance protection for the specific occupants.
