Bill Pierre Ford

Ford has unveiled a SmartGauge dashboard system, which it says will help drivers improve their fuel economy by alerting them when they’re practicing good driving habits.

The system will basically provide feedback to the driver, with different levels of information available, ranging from the basic “Journey” mode to the more detailed “Empower.” The screen will display graphics that gauge engine performance and fuel efficiency, giving drivers more information that will help them stretch every gallon of gas even farther.

One of the issues Ford has had to deal with in developing the system is driver distraction. In earlier versions, the screen became too cluttered and required more of the driver’s attention to read than was safe. Designers solved this by moving to a “leaf-based” readout. The screen displays more green leaves when the driver is saving fuel, making it easy to distinguish between fuel-wasteful and fuel-efficient driving. Don’t believe us? Check out more images below.

The system will debut in two Ford hybrids, the 2010 Ford Fusion and 2010 Mercury Milan hybrids, which we wrote about earlier today.

Ford Performance Vehicles, otherwise known as FPV, is celebrating its fifth birthday as being the sharp end of Ford Australia’s performance stick. FPV presented itself with a gift at this week’s Australian International Motor Show in the form of a special edition FPV 5th Anniversary model. Only 200 units will be produced of the rear-wheel-drive Falcon-based birthday present, ensuring instant collector car status for the discerning Aussie buyer. The car features Alpine Silver 19-inch multi-spoke wheels, 6-piston Brembo brakes, sports seats upholstered in Nudo leather and special “5th Anniversary” decals on the trunk, ahead of the rear wheels, embossed on the front headrests and on the floormats. The FPV 5th Anniversary model will be available in Lightning Strike or Silhouette, both with striping, and starts at $71,890 in Australian dollars, which FPV says equates to $9,600 worth of extra goodies for only $5,300 more than the FPV GT sedan. So happy birthday to FPV, and we hope that Ford invites us to your rear-wheel-drive performance sedan party some time soon.