JEDDAH, 1 March 2005 — Lincoln, Ford Motor Company’s (FMC) American luxury car is back in Saudi Arabia, following its relaunch in the Middle East. The announcement was made at an event hosted jointly by Ford Middle East (FME) and Al Jazirah Vehicles Agencies Co., the Ford and Lincoln importer-dealer in the Kingdom, at Jeddah Hilton last night.
“Lincoln enjoys a very long history and heritage within FMC as well as in the Middle East, and it’s always good to step back and reflect upon it,” said Randy Ortiz, executive director and general manager of FMC’s Worldwide Direct Market Operations. “As we look forward, we’re in one of the largest revitalizations of Lincoln in its history, and we aim to reiterate the same for this region as we bring the right product to suit the place,” he said.
The relaunch of Lincoln in the region will be further driven by the introduction of a host of new products, led mainly by the 2005 Lincoln Navigator, coupled with the launch of a widespread communications campaign throughout the region, and dealership level initiatives.
Al Jazirah Vehicles has invested in designing an area in the showroom especially for its Lincoln products and consumers. This new area within the facility alongside a full-blown integrated marketing campaign will definitely play a key role in the success of the Lincoln car in Saudi Arabia,” Al Jazirah Vehicles President Abdullah Al Kraidees said.
“We believe a 360 degree brand experience that hits all consumer touch points is one of the most effective ways to reach Lincoln customers, and the new Lincoln campaign ‘Travel Well’ does just that,” Hussein Murad, sales and marketing director of FME, said.
The all-new 2005 Lincoln Navigator is equipped with a new 5.4L, 3-valve V8 engine that boasts 335-horsepower and 400 pound-feet of torque, coupled to the unique ZF 6-speed automatic transmission. This premium transmission provides increased refinement and better fuel economy than the previous four-speed automatic. It extensive list of luxury and convenience features includes heated-and-cooled front seats, power deploying running boards, power-folding third row seats and a power liftgate.
Engineered to deliver remarkable ride quality and driving dynamics, excellent craftsmanship and purposeful luxury amenities, the Navigator created the luxury full-size SUV segment after its launch in 1997. “Today it’s more luxurious, refined and capable on- and off-road, and delivers more of everything that made the vehicle successful in the first place,” Murad added.
