Walk down most any city street or peak inside most any company break room and you are bound to find empty plastic bottles lying around. Same can be said for trash cans, desks, bedroom floors and even the sidelines of athletic fields. In short, they are everywhere. But now, thanks to Ford, at least some of those bottles will find a new, environmentally-friendly home. Where exactly will that home be? In the floor of the 2013 Ford Escape.

Yep, you heard right. We did say "in" not "on" the floor. After a simulated, five-years of testing, Ford is ready to install its latest vehicle carpet made from 25 20-ounce plastic bottles. In order to make sure your feet don't go through the floor, the automaker has put the innovative carpet through extensive durability tests. Trials were done using the Taber 5150, a machine that bears resemblance to a record player and spins pieces of the tester material while two weights rub against it. The 10-15 minute process creates the same amount of wear and tear as five or more years of use.

According to Laura Sinclair, a Ford materials engineer, polyester fibers created from bottles are intermixed and run atop each other which creates a "spaghetti-like" effect. This nonwoven mix coupled with a cast foam backing forms a durable carpet that reduces both road noise and negative environmental impact. Sinclair also notes, "It's a good use of recycled product and keeps it [plastic bottles] out of landfills." ¹

While consumers must wait at least until next year to test the eco-forward carpeting for themselves, the current 2012 Ford Escape offers many innovative features as well. A handsome chrome grill and available 17-inch chrome-clad aluminum wheels give it a striking appearance while a park assist system and advanced center-mounted information display keep it modern. The SUV is powered by a 240-hp Duratec V6 engine and gets a 25-mpg highway fuel-economy rating.

Whether you'd like to test drive the 2012 Ford Escape or are holding out for the next model, Jerry's Ford Leesburg invites you to contact us with any questions you may have. Or, simply talk to us in person at 847 East Market Street Leesburg, VA 20176. We are dedicated to making your new Ford shopping experience as easy as possible.

Source: ¹ http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=35466