The new Ford Edge has been named “Urban Truck of the Year” at the 2007 Urban Wheel Awards organized by
On Wheels, Inc., publishers of African Americans On Wheels, Latinos On Wheels and Asians On Wheels in Detroit.
The award winner is determined by a panel of automotive journalists from the United States. Grammy nominated singer Kelis, star of the Ford Edge urban marketing campaign and Ford Edge marketing manager Tracy Magee were on hand to receive the award.
“The Ford Edge is connecting with multicultural buyers and the Urban Truck of the Year award confirms it,” said Francisco Codina, Ford’s group vice president, North American Marketing, Sales and Service. “The Edge delivers exactly what customers shopping in the red-hot crossover market want: great design, dynamic performance, a high standard of quality and outstanding value.”
Already the fastest-growing vehicle segment in the U.S., crossovers could become the largest segment in the industry with sales of 3 million units by the end of the decade.
Hussein Murad, Sales and Marketing director of Ford Middle East said: “There is much to look forward to when Edge arrives in our showrooms across the Middle East. We anticipate this model to create great interest and excitement from the youth across the region just as it is in the US.”
The Edge, available in Ford dealerships by the end of March adds to Ford's utility vehicles lineup, which is today the largest ever offered in the region. For 2007, Ford offers the Edge (crossover UV), Escape (compact SUV), Explorer (mid-size SUV), Sport Trac (Sports Utility Truck), Expedition (full-size SUV) and the Expedition EL (extended wheelbase). Currently, no other manufacturer matches the diversity of the Ford lineup in the Middle East which enjoys a 60-year heritage in the region.
The five-passenger car features a bold design with a stylish, functional and clever interior. It is powered by Ford’s new 286-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 engine mated to a class-exclusive six-speed automatic transmission.
Edge also features standard safety equipment including side air bags, side curtain air bags and AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control (RSC®). Other standard convenience features include a laptop-friendly center console and auxiliary audio input jack for MP3-players.
In addition to optional all-wheel drive, the Edge is available with such innovative features as a class-exclusive, all-glass available panoramic VistaRoof™, that is 30 per cent larger than the usual sun-roof, giving a view of the sky for front and rear passengers.
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Notes to the editor:
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures and distributes automobiles in 200 markets across six continents. With about 300,000 employees and 108 plants worldwide, the company’s core and affiliated automotive brands include Aston Martin, Ford, Jaguar, Land Rover, Lincoln, Mazda, Mercury and Volvo. Its automotive-related services include Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford’s products, please visit www.fordvehicles.com.
Ford Motor Company’s history in the Middle East goes back to nearly 60 years. The company’s local importer-dealers operate more than 55 facilities in the region and directly employ more than 4,000 people, the majority of whom are Arab Nationals.
Ford Middle East is also a responsible corporate citizen in the region, with the Ford Motor Company Conservation & Environmental Grants, a grass-root level program that has offered USD600,000 in grants to over 75 Middle Eastern environmental projects since 2000.
