: |% B! ^" k7 r b1 [ b. x. M* h6 y; D$ u : ^5 d3 ^7 w. TFord Mustang to be 1st to use soy foam in seats. t" b L! O6 {7 b y% Q
July 13, 2007/ @' T" y, V8 V8 s' D" C
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The Ford Mustang, a sports car known more for its performance than Earth consciousness, is slated to be the first production vehicle to use soy-based foam in its seats, Ford Motor Co. said Thursday. " }! R/ h4 ]9 D2 ` ) }; x; q! H8 p5 G' DFord worked with the Southfield-based seat maker Lear Corp. on the technology, which replaces a portion of the petroleum used to make foam with soybean oil. * k7 `1 n( C$ j/ f/ j- ?: s0 a( M: B9 I8 z! D3 E/ o7 O
The technology takes less energy to produce, so it emits less CO2 into the atmosphere. Soybean oil-based foam represents 6% of the materials used for the seat back and cushions, with both companies viewing it as a first step for the technology in a mass market.* f$ P% I7 y; n7 s; w( b
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The price of soybean oil also is less volatile than that of petroleum.! j4 Z: P! t+ w
" u2 h/ B3 c1 y; |9 Q- x1 ~Ford chose the Mustang because it allowed the new seats to go into production sooner -- as early as next month for 2008 models.( W4 D7 ?4 k; U; W
3 _0 g/ B/ Y+ ~9 |1 J# N/ sOne of the biggest obstacles that Ford and Lear had to overcome was the foam's smell. 2 ^* W2 q$ L0 Q- j. l3 }# Y- l9 u0 V" I
Debbie Mielewski, Ford's technical leader of plastics research, likened the smell to burnt popcorn.% l: K" s" m7 E @; U* @" q
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When hot, the foam also emitted oil fog that would have left a thin, clear residue on the windows.) c7 f* I; K" Q5 V& @& `. Q5 d
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The companies worked to make sure that "there was no difference in the product, except that it was green," in the sense of being better for the environment, said Jeff Frelich, Lear's director of research and development. % [: C* ~' P- |( z; L# F6 s 5 t/ Q# x1 {. w( @1 w4 h2 [For Ford, the use of soy is a throwback to the days of founder Henry Ford, who used it to make paint and plastics on versions of the Model T.' R8 N/ q) Z7 g# G0 B! i
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For Lear, it is evidence of innovation and progress, even as the company's ownership is in question.* D4 A( B. L+ }+ a8 ~2 `$ j7 x
7 _3 j" i! T2 nLear management wants to take the company private by selling it to Carl Icahn. Some shareholders have come out against Icahn's offer to buy Lear for $37.25 a share, up from an initial offer of $36 per share.. g, w, d: E% y) s
_; w2 U7 k: ^+ k( j2 oTwo investor advisory firms said Thursday that shareholders should reject the higher offer.4 Y8 W) h- D7 w, k c1 ]. Y
4 |/ t6 s L8 j( aThe results of a shareholder vote on the issue are due Monday.
