2011 Ford Edge blends technology, design and class-leading powertrains in revamped package

Dramatic freshening of the 2011 Ford Edge includes extensive exterior redesign, improved materials and craftsmanship on the interior, class-exclusive technology and new powertrains

Ford's advanced engine valvetrain technology - Ti-VCT (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing) - helps Edge achieve best-in-class power and torque for an uncompromised driving experience

DUBAI, UAE, October 19, 2010 - Turning heads with its bold new look and wits, the new 2011 Ford Edge is definitely making a mark on GITEX Technology Week, the region's biggest consumer technology festival in Dubai, UAE. Unveiled yesterday, Ford's crossover has already started drawing crowds of admirers with its hot new looks, and creating major show buzz thanks to its revolutionary MyFord Touch™ driver connect technology.

"The new Edge boldly states a new era in the crossover utility segment," said Hussein Murad, Ford Middle East's regional director for Sales. "Its new powertrains provide customers more choice than ever, its exterior embraces Ford's DNA, with a signature grille, bodyside brightwork, new taillamp treatment and new exhaust tips - all combining to enhance the presence of the 2011 Ford Edge. Moreover, the industry-exclusive MyFord Touch™ technology brings a whole new approach to how drivers interact with their media and phone devices as well as vehicle technology, and complements Edge's new interior.  We can see that customers in the region will fall in love all over again with the Ford Edge."

Style and technology - the hallmarks of Ford Edge since it took the midsize crossover segment by storm starting in 2006 - come together in an all-new way, offering customers even more of what they love for the 2011 model year.

"Customers told us how much they like Edge's design and dynamic driving quality," said Mark Fields, Ford's president of The Americas. "We listened and made sure the new 2011 Edge delivers that and more - including fuel economy leadership, unexpected levels of quietness, a strong new design with quality materials, and MyFord Touch driver connect technology that will change how people experience their vehicles."

Customers made the Ford Edge the No.1-selling vehicle in its segment in its first full year on the market, and more than 400,000 have been sold since its launch in late 2006. The 2011 Ford Edge now aims to redefine the segment with a wide-ranging scope of improvements.

"The new Edge demonstrates how a refresh at Ford has become more than just a few design and interior tweaks," explains Elaine Bannon, chief engineer. "We have taken every element of the Edge and completely reworked it, including two new powertrains, two new transmissions, a bold new exterior design and a completely new interior. If you add in our industry-exclusive MyFord Touch system, you have a vehicle that will continue to stand out above all the competition on the road."

Improved power; expected to be a fuel economy leader
In addition to delivering customer-focused technology, the new Edge also showcases Ford's impressive drive to bring new powertrain options to the customer. Both the Edge 3.5-liter V-6 and Edge Sport 3.7-liter V-6 use advanced engine valvetrain technology (Twin Independent Variable Camshaft Timing, or Ti-VCT) and clever control strategies to increase horsepower and torque to best-in-class levels. This beats competitors such as the BMW X5, Lexus RX350 and Audi Q5, all while delivering unsurpassed fuel economy of 27 mpg (3.5-liter V-6 highway).

The 3.5-liter V-6 produces 285 NET horsepower and 253 ft.-lb. of torque while the 3.7-liter   V-6 delivers 305 NET horsepower and 280 ft.-lb. of torque - all on regular fuel. Edge's unsurpassed fuel economy is not at the expense of power and performance. For example, the 3.5-liter V-6 with Ti-VCT technology delivers highway fuel economy that is 15 percent better than the Nissan Murano but produces 20 horsepower more.

Both engines are mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The SelectShift Automatic™ transmission is standard on the 2011 Edge SEL and Limited series, with class-exclusive paddle activation of the SelectShift standard on the 2011 Edge Sport.

In all, the Edge will go from one engine and one transmission to two powertrains - all delivering what's expected to be class-leading or unsurpassed fuel economy and class-leading power and torque for a real win-win for the customer.

New subframe mounts enhance drivability, help reduce road noise
The original Edge set numerous benchmarks in overall quietness, and that tradition continues as the 2011 Ford Edge has better wind noise than many premium vehicles. Both the front and rear subframe mounts have been upgraded, adding to the increased tunability of the suspension and improving NVH (noise, vibration, harshness). The larger rear subframe bushing's rubber volume was increased by more than 500 percent compared with the outgoing bushings, improving the isolation between the subframe and the body, which in turn helps decrease road noise.

Bold, flowing design makes Edge the can't-miss crossover
The bolder, more seamlessly flowing exterior design freshening is mirrored by a complementary interior, characterized by increased craftsmanship, improved materials and overall better execution. Improved fit-and-finish, softer touchpoints, and flexibility in terms of stowage in the cabin and throughout mark the 2011 Ford Edge.

Increased presence is announced through a bolder grille and a chin spoiler that appears more crafted. The A-pillar flows into the hood, which adds subtle undulations to create a heightened sculptural quality. The wrapping lines emphasize both the front end and the new wheel lineup.

MyFord Touch ushers in new era of interaction
The industry-first MyFord Touch driver connect technology provides a smarter, safer, simpler way to connect drivers with in-car technologies and their digital lives. It replaces traditional vehicle buttons, knobs and gauges with clear, crisp LCD screens and five-way controls like those found on cell phones and MP3 players.

Standard on the 2011 Edge Limited and 2011 Edge Sport, the MyFord Touch system displays information using two 4.2-inch full-color LCD screens flanking an analog speedometer and an 8-inch touch-screen LCD at the top of the center stack. A five-way switch on each side of the steering wheel crossbar controls the information displayed on the corresponding instrument panel screens. The screens can be personalized to display information relevant to each individual driver using a simple button click, voice command or touch-screen tap.

The steering wheel has all the necessary functions available in a very compact area, right where the driver's hand falls as he or she grabs the wheel. The five-way buttons feel familiar to anyone who has used a mobile phone or MP3 player.

2011 Ford Edge brimming with standard and class-exclusive technologies
MyFord driver connect technology headlines the list of 10 class-exclusive standard and available features and technologies for the 2011 Ford Edge, joining SYNC; Easy Fuel® (standard); SecuriCode keyless entry keypad; Blind Spot Mirrors (standard); MyKey™ (standard); AdvanceTrac® with RSC (Roll Stability Control™, standard); Adaptive Cruise Control and Collision Warning with Brake Support; Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®) with Cross Traffic Alert; and 22-inch wheels and paddle activation on the 2011 Edge Sport.

Exhibition visitors can see the 2011 Ford Edge and experience Ford's latest driver-connect technology, MyFord Touch™, through an interactive on-stand demonstration of its capabilities on a special display unit at the Consumer and Electronics section inside Sheikh Saeed Hall.

-Ends-

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 178,000 employees and about 80 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford, Lincoln and, until production ends as planned in the fourth quarter of 2010, Mercury. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit www.ford.com.

Ford Motor Company's history in the Middle East goes back to over 60 years. The company's local importer-dealers operate more than 100 facilities in the region and directly employ over 7,000 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 nearly US$1 million in grants to over 120 Middle Eastern environmental projects since 2000.

For more information on Ford Middle East, please visit www.me.ford.com or log on to our channel on YouTube located at www.youtube.com/user/fordmiddleast.

© Press Release 2010