Ford Edge

DETROIT, Jan. 8, 2006 (FCN) -- When it comes to design, Ford Motor Company is on the offensive.

The plan of attack began with the Ford Fusion and continues at the 2006 North American International Auto Show with the debut of the 2007 Ford Edge, a vehicle designed to be a standout in the red-hot U.S. crossover market.

"Edge underscores the bold, American design direction for all Ford vehicles going forward," said Mark Fields, executive vice president, Ford Motor Company, and president, The Americas. "We expect Edge to make waves in the crossover market this year just like Fusion did for midsize cars last year."

Both the Edge and the Fusion reflect the new face of Ford. In translating "bold" and "American" feelings into sheet metal, Edge designers expanded upon Fusion's three-bar chromed grille, said Peter Horbury, Executive Director, Design, North America.

"That signature front end is all about bold, American design," Horbury said. "When you see that vehicle coming down the road, you're going to know instantly when you see it that it's a Ford."

Fields says that distinguishing Ford vehicles from other brands through strong, innovative designs is a key aspect of the company's plan moving forward.

It's a smart strategy, according to Jim Hall, vice president of Industry Analysis, AutoPacific. Hall says that in today's crowded car market, companies like Ford can't afford to be too conservative.

"You have to establish yourself as a distinctive make," he said. "You have to make your cars stand out and then make sure they continue to stand out in subsequent generations."

In order to make a car stand out, Hall says the vehicle has to strike an emotional chord with consumers.

"If everybody just 'likes' your car, it's going to be tough for them to commit to buying it," he said. "You want people to be so enthralled with your car that they don't think about anything else. You have to be noticed, and you have to be desirable. And that comes down to design."

`Fields says Edge's bold design make it "both distinctive and unmistakably a Ford."

"It's about emerging a winner in the 'Big Six Shootout' - and the winners will be the companies that know their customers best and create products and the experience that sets them apart from the competition," he said.

Several iconic Ford vehicles have captured consumers' hearts and minds, due largely to their distinctive design. Horbury plans to gauge consumer reaction to the Edge at NAIAS, hoping the vehicle will be similarly evocative.