The Ford event redux: I wore flats for this, friends. Please pay attention.

A week ago, I asked you to tell me what you want in a car. I promised that I would pass your comments along when I met with the people from Ford and toured the plant. You came through and darlings, I kept my promise,  with your smart and savvy suggestions. I was so pleased that the many representatives from the company paid rapt attention at the What Women Want event. They wrote your stuff down, lovelies. On dry erase boards and big pads of paper. It was serious stuff.

Quite honestly, I went to this event both excited and skeptical. I was thrilled to spend the day with a group of amazing women bloggers -- some of whom I know well, some of whom I met that day but have admired for ages, and some of whom I was introduced to for the very first time. I was happy to see a car plant -- so far out of my realm and speaking to a geeky, techie part of me that I don't often reveal. I was also interested to hear what Ford is up to and, frankly, why as a woman I should care.

Then there was the skepticism. I am willing to listen but I am also a label-reader, a researcher, a person who was raised by her father to never opt for the bullshit unnecessary warranty. I went in to the event with that attitude -- open and also analytical.

I loved being surprised right out of my skepticism. I adored oohing and ahhing over engines and the nice talking lady in the Sync system. I also loved being able to tell the higher ups who sat down with us what worked for me (and you) and what didn't.

I won't go on and on here. This isn't a commercial, by any means. But I do want to share a little of what I saw and tested and was pleased to know is going on far before we ever inhale that new car smell.

First, after touring the assembly plant and seeing cars being pieced together, witnessing the safety protocols taken in each step, and watching men and women work hard on the details we never have to consider when we drive our kids to preschool or race over to Costco or try to drive at a reasonable speed in 5-inch platforms, I think each driver should see this before they ever buy a car. It made me appreciate greatly how much goes into making these (I can't believe I am going to admit this) incredible machines. Plus, it is just so effing cool to see car doors flying in a line across the ceiling.  In my goggles and yellow safety vest and headphones**, I stood and stared in awe (even if Grace D did try to get me to show more cleav to the worker guys...GRACE!...they are working!).

Second, I never considered how important it is to have sustainable materials inside the car. I was blown away by the biotech team at Ford (all women -- woot!) and the efforts they are making and the success they've had making the interior of the car more eco-friendly. Who knew coconut hair could be used as a filler to reduce the amount of plastic in rubber fittings? Or that soy-based foam is already used in many of the seats? I can only get so worked up about V8-type things, but Lil E and I spend so much time getting in, sitting in, and getting out of the car. Sustainability there really speaks to me. And, no one really needs all that foamy plastic up in their business anyway.

Third, automatic parallel parking shocked me. I am a hard sell here, friends. I am an urban grrrl and I believe every person needs to be a great parallel parker. Not just adequate -- damn good. So I didn't really know how I'd feel about letting the car do the work for me. But when the nice lady who lives behind the dash told us that there was a parking space detected to the right and that we'd fit in it, and then proceeded to do a kick-ass three-point parking jobby, I changed my mind. And for the dad record, just as I heard my father's voice chiming in my head, "Cut it! CUT IT!"...well, the car whipped the steering wheel around on its own. Impressive.

Fourth, I will always want the most expensive car. The one with the refrigerator in the back and the glass roof. The one that feels like I am driving on a stick of butter and costs as much as a year of medical school. Regardless, it was so fun to get behind that gold-plated (not really) wheel. And as much as I loved driving that bad boy, I also admit that the new Taurus is (shht!) pretty sexy. Especially when, as CityMama noted, it's all Diddyfied with white leather and whatnot.

It was a fabulous day. In part that was because I thought of myself as a driver, not just a mama hauling a kid and 14 Obi-Wan Kenobi figurines to a play date or as a single layyydayyy heading out for dinner and a drink (OK, maybe two). It was fun to be there with other women who were as excited and skeptical as I was and to hear our voices and questions and opinions above any man's. Even the one yelling, "Cut it! CUT IT!"

** My camera ran out of juice. I am not as much of a techie geek as I pretend. I do not have a photo of me in that factory vest and goggles. Boo.

Comments

[Scott Monty]

Jess, thank you so much for coming to the event. I'm glad we were able to give you some insights into what so many people take for granted, and that we turned your head a little bit.

And a HUGE thanks for humoring us by wearing flats for the day. That and no cleavage for the line workers - what a bummer. ;-)

I hope we'll have a chance to keep you looped into what we're doing at Ford. And feel free to stay in touch if you have any questions.

Scott MontyGlobal Digital CommunicationsFord Motor Company@ScottMonty on Twitter

[Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass)]

Scott, you sly dog, talking about cleavage and cars in my comments section! Thanks for stopping by. I will now text and DM you obsessively.

[Fake Scott Monty]

If there's any smell you should be inhaling, it's that new vinyl smell - my specialty. Don't pay any attention to what that goody two-shoes Scott Monty says. Everyone knows *I* run the show.

So break out those 5-inch platforms and get your motor runnin' so you can pick me up and take me out for another night on the town. God knows I can't do stuff like this http://www.flickr.com/photos/adriennevh/3756408783/in/pool-1146736@N24 myself - I don't have any legs.

Fake @ScottMonty

[Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass)]

Oh my God. Where are my keys?!

[Azucar]

Any time you wear flats over heels it means some serious shiz is going down. I hope Ford appreciated your sacrifice.

[Stelle Courney]

Not every woman would want to spend a day picking out the parts of a car's engine. But looking at it in another perspective, could be quite educating. It's always better to know more about that machine we use to drive the kids to school, if only for our knowledge and our safety.

[Vannessa Gabbett]

Everyone's on the lookout for the best cars these days! Even women have caught up to the chase… It's good to know that the car industry is growing together with the demand of people. Of course, it grows as the demand increases.