Effective July 14, the powertrain limited warranty for 2007 Ford and Mercury vehicles will be five years or 60,000 miles, whichever comes first. That’s an additional two years or 24,000 miles of coverage for such components as the engine and transmission beyond each vehicle’s three-year or 36,000-mile bumper-to-bumper limited warranty. The new Ford warranties are 66 percent greater than all Chrysler Group and most GM nameplates.

For Lincoln, the powertrain coverage is now extended to six years or 70,000 miles – two years or 20,000 miles beyond the basic four-year or 50,000-mile bumper-to-bumper warranty. For all three brands, there are no deductibles for repairs, and the warranties are fully transferable to future owners at no cost.

The new Ford warranty programs are retroactive to the beginning of the 2007 model year, so customers who already have purchased a 2007 Ford, Lincoln or Mercury will automatically receive the added protection.

Ford and Lincoln Mercury also will offer complimentary roadside assistance for the entire basic and powertrain warranty period, including towing, fuel-fill and lock-out services. The Toyota, Scion and Honda brands don’t offer roadside assistance programs on new vehicle purchases, and the programs offered by the Chrysler Group, the Nissan brand and most General Motors brands expire after only three years or 36,000 miles.