JAN 11, 2016 | DETROIT
CONSUMERS CAN NOW SHARE A VEHICLE IN NEW FORD CREDIT LINK PILOT LEASING PROGRAM
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Consumers can lease a Ford vehicle together through new Ford Credit Link pilot
Digital tools let groups keep in touch, plan, track vehicle use and make payments
Consumers have more access to Ford vehicles with solutions like Ford Credit Link – which allows people to share lease costs



DETROIT, Jan. 11, 2016 – Thanks to a new Ford Motor Credit Company leasing pilot program, families and small groups of friends and neighbors can now share a Ford vehicle.

Ford Credit Link – a pilot for Ford Credit customers in Austin, Texas – is aimed at consumers who don’t need a vehicle full time, but would like access to their own set of wheels.

Starting next month, Ford Credit is offering leases on Ford vehicles to self-organized groups of three to six people.

“People already are sharing everything – from books to homes,” said David McClelland, Ford Credit executive vice president, Marketing and Sales. “We’re seeing the potential for a shift from a single consumer paying for a single vehicle to several people sharing costs and benefits. Ford Credit Link makes Ford vehicles more readily available to people who may not want or need their own vehicle but have mobility requirements that must be met.”

That could include households with multiple licensed drivers, neighbors with intermittent needs for a special vehicle such as a pickup truck, or friends, coworkers and college students.

How it works
Lease groups can reserve drive time, check vehicle status, keep up with maintenance, communicate with each other, view their account, and make payments through a vehicle plug-in device and app.

The 24-month group leases will be available at three Austin dealerships – Covert Ford, Leif Johnson Ford and Maxwell Ford.

“Austin is a progressive city with a rich demographic mix. It has effective public transportation, and consumers who use various mobility options but may not need a full vehicle lease to meet their transportation needs,” said McClelland. “This combination makes Austin a good place to test Ford Credit Link.”

The pilot supports Ford Smart Mobility, the plan to take the company to the next level in connectivity, mobility, autonomous vehicles, the customer experience, and data and analytics.