You have heard of "Horse Whisper's" well, Ford has "Engine Listeners" to listen for faults on various models.

• Ford “engine listeners” perform special checks in sound-proofed cells to identify the tiniest engine issues as part of rigorous quality tests for the Ford Focus RS performance car
• Months of training ensures employees can – in less than a minute – pick up any imperfections that are then addressed before engines are fitted to the hot hatches
• Ford also uses the same test for further fuel-efficient and powerful EcoBoost engines that are used in models including Ford Focus ST, S-MAX, and Mondeo

From wine tasting to tuning concert pianos, sometimes there is no substitute for the human senses when it comes to ensuring products meet the most stringent quality tests. Now you can add engine production to that list.

In a world where product testing is increasingly carried out using high-tech devices, Ford has found that for certain tests, nothing beats a good set of ears to help ensure the all-new Focus RS hot hatch achieves optimum performance.

Highly trained production workers conduct an auditory test that confirms the perfect running of the 350PS 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine, in advance of it being fitted to the completed Ford Focus RS cars.

“This team knows what a perfectly calibrated engine sounds like and they know the tiny sounds to listen for in case there is a problem,” said Gunnar Herrmann, vice president, Quality, Ford of Europe. “Think of it like a doctor who has the most advanced diagnostic technology but still uses a stethoscope to gather vital clues to a patient’s health.” 

Employees at Ford’s manufacturing facility in Valencia, Spain, are taught to identify defects using specially prepared “faulty” engines that highlight the sound that they need to listen for. After several months of training and coaching, team members are qualified to conduct the intensive one‑minute tests in one of 18 sound-proofed cells at the end of the production line.

Should the engineers hear any rattling or whistling sounds typically associated with issues, such as a blocked lubrication passage or a damaged gear tooth, the engine is removed so that further checks can be carried out, and the problem addressed. In this way the quality of the manufacturing process also can be continuously improved.

The 350PS version of Ford’s 2.3-litre EcoBoost engine fitted to the all-new Focus RS has been specially engineered to ensure Ford’s ultimate hot hatch can cover 0-62mph in 4.7 seconds and achieve a top speed of 165mph.

Further vehicles that benefit from the scrutiny of the engine listeners in Valencia include the Ford Focus ST, S-MAX and Mondeo.

“The experience of hearing thousands of engines allows us to sense straight away when something is not working perfectly,” said Juan Carlos Rosmari, quality technician, Valencia Engine Plant. “Each different engine type has its own unique sound, and from listening to them in the test cells we get to know their individual characters – and the tell-tale signs which indicate a problem.”

Between them, Ford’s team of engine listeners carries out the test on 2,000 engines per day at the Valencia plant. Preparing engines for testing provides a natural break between the listening sessions, so that the employees can maintain full concentration on the tests over a working day.

The personal touch also can be found in other Ford quality processes such as the master crafts people who scrutinise the fine detailing and stitching of the leather trim fitted to a Ford Vignale model, or the highly skilled artisans who sculpt by hand the complex 3D shapes of new vehicles in Ford’s clay modelling studios.

“The skills of Ford employees, supported by the latest technology, help us deliver high-quality vehicles which perform better, look better, and provide outstanding durability throughout their life,” Herrmann added.

Two Mitsubishi dealerships sponsor the Rein and Shine riding school, for upwards of 600 students per month.

A riding school has received a Christmas cracker of a gift after two Mitsubishi dealerships pledged to sponsor it. The Swindon and Cirencester dealerships, which are part of the CCR Mitsubishi group, are supporting Rein & Shine Riding School in Braydon, near Swindon for the next year.  

The popular school, based at Buryhill Farm, provides lessons for 600 people a month and also hosts regular shows. The new deal has seen the creation of a Mitsubishi Arena at the centre.

The school’s Director, John McDonald, said: ‘We’re delighted to be associated with the Mitsubishi dealerships in Swindon and Cirencester. Mitsubishi are well established in the equine world through their links with the Badminton Horse Trials so this is perfect for us. We’re looking forward to working with Mitsubishi in the future.’

The 2016 Badminton Horse Trials will mark 25 years of the partnership between Mitsubishi Motors in the UK and the prestigious event.

Regional General Managers Andy Jackman and Dale Bedwell attended the riding school for the announcement about the sponsorship.

Dale, from Cirencester Mitsubishi, said: ‘We’re very pleased to be able to support a local project like this, and of course the school fits perfectly with Mitsubishi because of the history we have in the equine world. We’re looking forward to a successful relationship and we hope the school will continue to flourish as it has done.’

Ford Invests a further £1.8 million in their Driving Skills For Life Scheme in Europe.

• Ford invests £1.8 million to train 5,000 more young Europeans in 2015, increases Ford Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) investment to £4.7 million since launching in 2013
• The Ford DSFL program will be extended to 11 countries this year, with training taking place for the first time in Denmark, the Netherlands, and Turkey
• In Europe, car crashes are the leading cause of death in 18 to 24 year olds. Ford has so far trained more than 6,100 young drivers in Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, Russia, Spain, and the U.K.
• Ford DSFL offers free-of-charge, hands-on training that covers hazard recognition, vehicle handling, speed/space management, and distraction awareness
• The Ford training also highlights phone and social media distraction and drinking and driving; special “Drink Driving Suit” shows students how alcohol impairs abilities
• Ford DSFL has provided training to more than half a million people globally through hands-on and online tuition since first being launched 11 years ago in the U.S.

Ford Motor Company today announced it will invest another £1.7 million in 2015 to provide free driver training to a further 5,000 18-24 year olds from across Europe. Ford of Europe has now committed a total of £4.7 million in training through its acclaimed Ford Driving Skills for Life (DSFL) program since 2013. 

This year, Ford will offer free training for the first time in Denmark, the Netherlands, and Turkey as well as continue successful training programs in the U.K., Belgium, France, Germany, Italy, Romania, Russia, and Spain. Ford of Europe has now committed a total of £4.7 million for DSFL training in Europe since 2013.

Ford has received a highly positive response from the more than 6,100 18 to 24 year olds across Europe who have already completed the Ford DSFL driver training. Car crashes are the leading cause of death for Europeans in that age group*. 

Ford’s free, hands-on training covers skills including hazard recognition, vehicle handling, and speed and space management. The program also highlights the risks of distractions such as texting and taking selfies at the wheel, as well as the dangers of drinking and driving.

“Too many young adults are dying in car crashes caused by a combination of inexperience and poor decision making,” said Jim Graham, manager, Ford DSFL. “With this new £1.7m investment in young driver training for 2015, we can provide a further 5,000 young people with the skills and knowledge that could save their lives.”

Ford was the first car manufacturer to introduce free comprehensive advanced hands-on driver training for newly licensed drivers. In the 11 years since it was launched in the U.S., Ford DSFL has provided training to more than half a million people globally.

For DSFL, Ford has teamed with leading safety organisations including the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, the charity for road safety - BRAKE and the AA Driving School in the U.K., Association Prévention Routière in France, Deutscher Verkehrssicherheitsrat in Germany, the ACI in Italy, Road Safety Russia in Russia and Dirección General de Tràfico in Spain.

Training is designed to address some of the leading factors in young driver crashes. This includes showing students how they might recover from a slide, emergency braking techniques, and how to scan the road ahead for trouble. 

Attempting slow speed manoeuvres in a closed environment while using a mobile phone shows how distraction affects driving performance.

Last year, Ford introduced training to specifically highlight the dangers of taking selfies and other social media activity at the wheel, and employed a special “Drink Driving Suit” to show the degree to which consuming alcohol impairs abilities.

Consisting of tunnel-vision glasses; ear muffs, wrist and ankle weights; and padding to elbows, neck, and knees; the “Drink Driving Suit” makes even simple tasks – such as walking in a straight line – much harder; and demonstrates how much more difficult a more complex activity like driving becomes under the influence of alcohol.

In 2014, Ford also published the results of two surveys that showed more than one in four young people have taken a selfie while driving,** and that most young drivers in Europe report either have driven while drunk, or have seen friends drink and drive.***

Nearly all who attended 133 Ford DSFL training sessions in 27 venues across eight countries said afterwards that they felt more confident as a result of the training and would recommend the program to a friend.

“Newly qualified drivers still have so much to learn about safety on the road so we strongly urge young drivers to take advantage of Ford DSFL training,” Graham said. “It’s fun, free, informative, and because we constantly re-evaluate what we teach, it’s always relevant.”

Further details about the Ford DSFL program in the U.K. and to register interest in future training please see:https://forddsfl.co.uk/dsfl-contact

Bentley looks to the future with skills development programme.

• Growing workforce skills and craftsmanship expertise
• Training islands launched for ‘near the job’ training
• Skills passed on through use of training mentors

Bentley Motors has announced it will launch a new Upskilling programme, strengthening its focus on training and development, a significant step in the company’s people and development strategy.

The new programme will broaden, develop and enhance the skills of Bentley colleagues. The luxury car brand is investing in new training tools and facilities to grow its current workforce, recruiting people to focus on core competencies within the business – Wood, Body and Trim and Engine – and redesigning its apprenticeship scheme.        

Bentley’s member of the board for Human Resources, Dr Ariane Reinhart, said: “The automotive industry moves at such a fast pace it’s vital that we not only bring fresh thinking into the business, but we continually develop our own talent. We are working on the next generation of Bentleys and it’s important that our colleagues share the same commitment to performance, quality, and engineering excellence that our cars possess.  

      

“That’s exactly why we are investing in our new Upskilling programme, to ensure we help our colleagues be as good as they can be, with every opportunity to develop their skills. The introduction of training islands, taking advantage of the expertise of master trainers and adopting a dual education approach are just some of the tools we will use to ensure a strong skills base continues throughout the business.”       

Ten uniquely designed training islands will be introduced within Bentley’s main production facility, which last year manufactured a record 10,120 cars, to provide ‘near the job’ training.  These islands will take colleagues away from the usual ‘on the job’ process, with training undertaken by a number of training mentors, experts in their field.  

In addition to mentors, Bentley will introduce master trainers, skilled colleagues who will develop and deliver training curriculum to the company’s latest apprentice intake, passing on skills to the next generation, keeping competencies within the business. 

51 apprentices will join Bentley in September, the largest intake in a decade. 40 of these will be part of a new dedicated manufacturing scheme focused on strengthening core skills as Bentley builds up to the introduction of the Bentley SUV, in 2016.

Bentley’s new manufacturing apprentice approach sees the application of dual education; a tailored practical and theoretical method to vocational training based on competence profiles and dedicated placements within chosen professional areas in Manufacturing.           

Looking ahead even further, Bentley is playing a crucial role in bringing a University Technical College (UTC) to Crewe in 2016. This new college will offer an exciting and inspiring education for young people seeking a pathway to employment and further education.        

The collaboration with UTC Crewe forms the next step in Bentley’s focus on talent development and continuous improvement. Bentley already offers trainee programmes, including apprenticeships and graduate schemes, around 150 work experience placements each year and has an established school liaison programme providing workshops in local schools.  

Bentley was also recently named as one of Britain’s Top Employers for the third year running by the Top Employers Institute. Highlighted was Bentley’s dedication to the personal development, working environment and employee culture of the 3,700 colleagues who work at the Crewe headquarters.  

Land Rover offers kids the chance to go off-road

• ‘Start Off-Road’ gives youngsters the opportunity to get ahead of the game from behind the wheel of the Range Rover Evoque
• Driving lessons include climbing and descending hills, negotiating ditches and ridges, and water crossings
• Helps to develop a strong foundation of driving skills for future years

Land Rover has developed a unique new driving programme for youngsters – Start Off-Road.

The scheme allows 11-17 year olds to get behind the wheel of a Range Rover Evoque and experience true off-road driving, teaching them skills and techniques that they will go on to utilise throughout their future years both on and off road.

Participants have the chance to experience driving techniques including basics such as steering, braking and reversing, as well as more advanced skills such as climbing and descending hills, crossing ditches and ridges, negotiating ruts, wet grass and mud, and even crossing water.

Statistics show that younger drivers pick up new skills easier and are more open to learning good driving habits. By instilling the basics in them at an early stage it is hoped that they will gain invaluable experience for later in life.

Each student receives a personalised Log Book in which to record progress so that when they come again – to the same venue or another venue – they pick up where they left off.

As well as providing participants with an invaluable set of skills the course is also unique in offering youngsters the chance to experience the renowned capability of the Range Rover Evoque, lauded for both its off-road and on-road ability.

Each Range Rover Evoque is fitted with dual controls for safety as well as an automatic gearbox, and a dedicated team of instructors are on hand to take participants through every scenario. Parents can also take part in the activity.

Pilot courses are being run at four locations throughout the UK:

• Chavenage House – Gloucestershire – Sunday 13th October
• West London Shooting School – Middlesex – Saturday 2nd November
• Duncombe Park – North Yorkshire – Sunday 29th September; Sunday 27th October; Sunday 24th November
• Rockingham Castle – Leicestershire – Sunday 6th October; Sunday 10th November
• Ragley Hall – Warwickshire – Saturday 19th October; Sunday 17th November

David Saunders, General Manager Land Rover Experience, commented: “The Land Rover Start Off-Road programme is designed to offer youngsters something unique that they wouldn’t usually be able to experience. Not only is it a fun day out, it also teaches an invaluable skill set to youngsters before they can even obtain a license. It helps instill confidence in them, gives them a head start and should help make for proficient driving in the future.”

For further details visit http://startoff-road.com/