DUBAI, 25 February 2007 — Ford Motor Company is driving to be the leader in the crossover segment and dominate the market seen to reach 3 million sales by 2010.
Ford’s new crossovers, the Ford Edge and the Lincoln MKX — soon to be launched in the Middle East, were prominently displayed in the recent Detroit motor show and received good reviews and customer response.
“Crossover Utility Vehicles are increasingly becoming popular in the US and we anticipate the same reception in the Middle East as soon as we roll out Lincoln MKX and Ford Edge,” said Hussein Murad, sales and marketing director of Ford Middle East. “Initial feedback on these two models is overwhelming and we are confident we will be attracting a younger group of customers to our showrooms.”
What makes CUVs attractive in today’s market is that they offer nearly all the passenger- and cargo-carrying capabilities of an SUV, but in a smaller, more fuel-efficient, fun-to- drive package. CUV owners still get the feeling of driving an SUV but less the bulk. In the US, Crossovers topped SUV sales for the first time in 2006, driven partly by gas prices. Crossovers attract customers who were previously sedan owners looking for spacious and flexible interiors of the traditional sport utility vehicle or SUV owners hungry for more fuel-efficient and maneuverable vehicles.
The Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX will be available in the UAE starting March.
