DEARBORN, Mich., April 21, 2011 – The new 2011 Ford Edge, which offers a suite of innovative safety technologies, is off to a fast start and could gain even more popularity after becoming the latest Ford vehicle to earn a Top Safety Pick rating from the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (for models built after February 2011).

Ford now has 10 vehicles on the road in the U.S. that have earned Top Safety Picks, which adds to its leading number of top U.S. safety ratings.

“The new Edge is already the most popular midsize crossover and we believe this Top Safety Pick rating will generate even more interest,” said Sue Cischke, Ford group vice president of Sustainability, Environment and Safety Engineering.

To earn a Top Safety Pick, a vehicle must receive a rating of “good” in offset frontal-, side- and rear-impact crash tests and roof strength evaluations, as well as offer electronic stability control.

The Edge, which launched in late 2010, is off to a fast start with sales up 25 percent in 2011 through March – ending the month as the segment leader with 18 percent of medium crossover sales. Initial demand for the Edge’s driver-aid technologies Edge has been strong. Of the first 101,908 vehicles sold:

• 80 percent include rear view camera
• 32 percent include BLIS® (Blind Spot Information System) with cross-traffic alert

“Edge customers value safety and security,” said Eric Peterson, crossover marketing manager. “Safety features are one of the top reasons customers cite for their purchases of Edge and crossovers in general.”

Safety and driver-assist features
The new Edge comes equipped with technologies to help prevent crashes – from parking lot fender benders to high-speed collisions – by warning drivers of the potential for a crash.

“The new Edge delivers features that both help prevent a crash and help minimize occupant injuries when a crash is unavoidable,” said Peterson. “It’s a comprehensive safety story from bumper to bumper.”

Driver-aid and safety technologies include options such as:

• Adaptive cruise control, which slows the vehicle to adapt for traffic conditions and maintain a preset distance between vehicles

• Collision warning with brake support, which helps reduce speed, automatically pre-charges brakes, provides a red warning light on the windshield as well as an audible beep to help drivers stop more quickly when the system detects a collision is imminent

• BLIS with cross-traffic alert, which helps detect vehicles in blind spots during normal driving, as well as traffic approaching from the sides when reversing out of parking spots

• Tire Pressure Monitoring System, which alerts drivers when it senses tire pressure is low

• MyKey, which allows parents to limit speed and audio volume in their vehicles and is designed to help parents encourage safe driving habits in their teens

“The Edge pioneers the mainstream introduction of crash avoidance technologies with two available class-exclusive radar-based features that help detect and warn drivers of potentially dangerous situations,” Cischke said.

Structural safety and crash protection
Edge features a solid unibody construction, which provides an energy-absorbing structure to help protect occupants. Bumper-to-bumper flow-through side rails, structural design and A-pillars are designed to move crash energy away from occupants. Nearly half of the stiff shell is composed of high-strength steels, such as boron, for both increased strength and reduced weight.

When a crash becomes unavoidable, Edge relies on an array of airbags to protect occupants. Two front dual-stage and two side airbags are joined by a Safety Canopy consisting of side-curtain airbags for front and rear outboard passengers. Personal Safety System™ safety belts feature pretensioners and an energy management system with adjustable D-ring height in the first row.

Other Ford vehicles that have earned a Top Safety Pick rating include:
2011 Ford Explorer
2011 Ford Taurus
2011 Ford Fusion
2011 Ford Fiesta (when built after July 2010)
2011 Ford Flex
2011 Lincoln MKS
2011 Lincoln MKT
2011 Lincoln MKX
2011 Lincoln MKZ

The 2011 Ford Edge is EPA-rated at an unsurpassed 19 mpg city, 27 mpg highway and 22 mpg combined.

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DEARBORN, Mich., March 4, 2011 – Ford Motor Company kicks off its popular Drive One 4 UR School program today and enters 2011 with more than $5 million in funds donated to high schools nationwide since the program’s inception in 2007. The program is Ford’s most successful test-drive initiative ever executed.

Since the start of the program, more than 255,000 test-drives at more than 1,500 events in 49 states have been hosted by Ford and its dealers around the country.

The program gives participants the chance to experience Ford’s new fuel-efficient lineup of vehicles, as well as leading safety and technology features.

Ford offers 12 vehicles that lead their sales segments in fuel economy, including four vehicles with EPA certified 40 mpg or higher fuel economy ratings – a claim no other full-line automaker can match.

“With oil nearing $100 per barrel and gasoline prices continuing to rise, consumers’ consideration for fuel economy once again is taking top billing,” said Ken Czubay, Ford vice president, U.S. Marketing, Sales and Service. “We have a great opportunity to showcase our fuel-efficient lineup at this year’s Drive One 4 UR School events, while at the same time helping schools raise money for valuable programs and activities that might otherwise be eliminated.”

Ford developed the Drive One 4 UR School program to connect dealers with local community efforts in raising up to $6,000 for high schools in a single day test-drive event. As schools continue to cut back on funding for facility improvements and extra-curricular activities, the program remains a strong fund-raising source to help schools fund valuable programs.

“This has got to be the best program on the planet,” said Frank Bonuchi, general manager, Auffenberg Ford in O’Fallon, Illinois. “I have been in dealership management for over 30 years and I have never seen a program that successfully promotes all the great things going on at Ford and the dealership, while also giving our communities around the country a much needed helping hand.”

Some of the products on this year’s Drive One 4 UR School circuit include:

•2011 Ford Fiesta – The all-new Ford Fiesta offers an expressive, vibrant design, sharp reflexes and 15 key features and technologies like SYNC®, giving it the safety, convenience and connectivity previously unseen in the small car segment. With a responsive 1.6-liter I-4 engine, advanced PowerShift six-speed automatic transmission and electric power-assisted steering (EPAS), Fiesta delivers a best-in-class 40 mpg on the highway.
•2012 Ford Focus – The all-new Focus is the most significant global nameplate and delivers smart features, spirited performance and 40 mpg fuel economy packaged in modern, European-inspired design finishes. The all-new Focus Titanium model promises to appeal to drivers shifting from larger, premium vehicles looking for sporty handling; while the high-performance Focus ST with turbocharged, direct-injected EcoBoost™ power will get enthusiasts’ hearts racing.
•2011 Ford Explorer – The 2010 North American Truck of the Year is completely reinvented and combines exceptional handling and towing capability with sleek lines and class-leading fuel economy. The all-new Ford Explorer also offers a suite of connectivity and safety features, including MyFord Touch™, terrain management system, and the world’s first rear inflatable seatbelt.
•2011 Ford Edge – With newly-redesigned exteriors, improved interior craftsmanship, and class-exclusive MyFord Touch™ driver connect technology, the dramatically refreshed 2011 Ford Edge and Edge Sport offer a unique crossover experience. Ford’s advanced engine valvetrain technology – Ti-VCT (twin independent variable camshaft timing) – helps Edge V6 achieve best-in-class power and torque with unbeatable fuel economy of 19 mpg city and 27 mpg highway.
•2011 Ford F-150 – With four powertrains—the most extensive powertrain makeover in its 62-year history, and the first EcoBoost™ truck engine, the 2011 Ford F-150 delivers best-in-class power and up to 20 percent better fuel economy. Available with SYNC® and Ford Work Solutions™ connective technology and class-exclusive features like electric power-assisted steering (EPAS), the 2011 Ford F-150 offers more choice and capability than ever.
“With all the cutbacks in school programs, Ford is to be congratulated for this,” said Ed Avansino, a test drive participant at a 2010 event conducted at Carson High School in Carson, City, Nevada.

The 2011 Drive One 4 UR School program kicks off its spring tour in March and runs through June. The program starts up again in the fall, with events taking place from August through November.
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TORONTO, Ontario, February 17, 2011 – The 2011 Ford Edge was named ‘Canadian Utility of the Year’ by the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC) at the Canadian International Auto Show.

“We are pleased to receive the 2011 Canadian Utility of the Year award from AJAC,” said David Mondragon, president and CEO, Ford of Canada. “The Canadian-built 2011 Ford Edge features industry-leading technologies that create a whole new in-vehicle experience.”

The Ford Edge was put through its paces, undergoing strenuous road and track testing by teams of skilled drivers who performed uninterrupted comparisons of each vehicle under the same conditions.

Through the evaluations of a panel of judges from AJAC’s TestFest, the 2011 Ford Edge came out as the winner.

The Ford Edge blends technology, design and class-leading powertrains in a revamped package. An industry-first MyFord Touch driver connect technology powered by SYNC® provides a smarter and simpler way to connect drivers with in-car technologies and their digital lives.

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