Edge Guide

Ford Motor Co. already is offering its first cash incentives on the new Ford Edge crossover, but the automaker says the move is a testament to the new vehicle's success. Earlier this week, the company began offering $500 in dealer cash on the low-end SE model with 17-inch rims, but not on models with 18-inch rims or higher trim lines. Ford spokesman Jim Cain said the move was driven by higher-than-expected demand for more expensive models. He said 80 percent of Edge buyers are opting for the SEL or SEL Plus, leaving some dealers with too many of the entry-level versions. CLICK HERE TOR THE ENTIRE STORY.

Here's the CNN report.

FORD'S FLEXIBLE DURATEC 3.5L ENGINE Ford's new award-winning V6 engine is all about flexibility. The Duratec 35 will be used in a number of vehicles, and the plant that makes it will be a model for flexible manufacturing at Ford. Ford's Lima (Ohio) Engine Plant is producing 325,000 of the 3.5-liter 265 horsepower engines that are being introduced in the Ford Edge, Lincoln MKX and MKZ, Ford Five Hundred and the Mazda CX-9. The company projects the engine will power as many as 20 percent of its vehicles by the end of the decade. "The Duratec 35 engine is intended to be a cornerstone engine in Ford's powertrain line-up for many years to come," said Tom McCarthy, Duratec 35 Engine Systems Manager. "It is only the first step in the development of this architecture. You can expect many additional applications and technologies to follow." The Duratec 35 made headlines in January, when Ward's Auto World named it as one of the 10 best engines of the year -- the first time a debut engine received such an honor. Ward's called it a "brilliant performer" with class leading refinement. "It's a huge accomplishment for Ford," said McCarthy. "The V6 segment is one of the most highly competitive segments in the industry." During the design phase Ford engineers emphasized performance; fuel economy and low exhaust emissions, and added Ford's new 6F six-speed automatic gearbox. The transmission delivers up to seven percent better fuel economy than typical four-speed automatics, meaning the average driver will be able to skip about two fill-ups a year said Barb Samardzich, Ford vice president of Powertrain Product Development. Ford engineers gave the engine plenty of room to grow. It is flexible enough to incorporate many technologies including front- or rear-wheel-drive, hybrid capability, gasoline direct injection and turbo-injection. It is also capable of passing the Partial Zero Emission Vehicles (PZEV) standards, put in place by the state of California and considered the strictest in the country. To accommodate the Duratec program Ford invested $335 million in the Lima plant making it the company’s first engine facility in North America to receive flexible manufacturing equipment. The Lima Engine Plant, built in 1957 to manufacture the V-8 engines for the Edsel, measures 2.4 million square feet and employs more than 1,600 people. In recent years, it has won numerous awards from Ford management for outstanding quality "We have utilized a substantial number of CNC (computer numerical control) machines at our Lima facility," said Samardzich. "That allows us to be flexible and is an example of our overall manufacturing strategy for Powertrain." CNC machines help Ford to react quickly to changing production needs. The machines can be reprogrammed internally, with little or no interruption to production. In many cases, the reprogramming can be accomplished over a weekend. "The flexibility in the Duratec 35 architecture, and the ease of which we were able to set up the Lima manufacturing facilities to accommodate additional changes, are what we expect to see across Ford as we move forward," said Samardzich.

Lincoln's Budget Bling Crossover Read the entire article here.

For the record, we did not remove or edit any posts on this or any other thread on this board.

2007 Edge FORD EDGE CROSSOVER RECOGNIZED AS 2007 URBAN TRUCK OF THE YEAR * New Ford Edge crossover’s blend of bold design, innovative features and athletic performance wins 2007 Urban Truck of the Year. * Grammy nominated singer Kelis, star of the Ford Edge urban marketing campaign was on hand to receive the award. * Award underscores Edge as the benchmark in the red-hot crossover market. * Excitement for the Edge continues to build – with more than 40,000 dealer orders. DETROIT, Jan. 10, 2007 – The new Ford Edge – the symbol of Ford’s leadership in the fast-growing market for crossovers – has been named “Urban Truck of the Year.” Edge received the award this evening at the 2007 Urban Wheels Awards from On Wheels, Inc. publisher of African American On Wheels, Latino On Wheels and Asians On Wheels magazines in Detroit. The award winner is determined by a panel of automotive journalists from the United States. Grammy nominated singer Kelis, star of the Ford Edge urban marketing campaign and Ford’s Edge marketing manger Tracy Magee were on hand to receive the award. “The Ford Edge is connecting with multicultural buyers and the Urban Truck of the Year award confirms it,” said Francisco Codina, Ford’s group vice president, North American Marketing, Sales and Service. “The Edge delivers exactly what customers shopping in the red-hot crossover market want: great design, dynamic performance, a high standard of quality and outstanding value.” Already the fastest-growing vehicle segment in the U.S., crossovers could become the largest segment in the industry with sales of 3 million units by the end of the decade. The Edge is arriving just as Ford reported sales leadership in several other key segments, including the Ford F-Series pickup trucks, Ford Mustang for sports cars, Ford Explorer for SUVs and Ford Econoline for full-size vans. Ford’s latest product hit, the Fusion, also helped the company achieve higher car sales and market share for the second year in a row. The Right Product at the Right Time Now arriving in Ford dealer showrooms, Edge has been building buzz among consumers since its was unveiled at last year’s auto show. More than 40,000 dealer orders have been placed. During the recent holiday season, the Edge marketing campaign – including Ford’s largest ever digital media push – achieved more than 500 million consumer impressions. The five-passenger Edge features a bold design with a stylish, functional and clever interior. It is powered by Ford’s new 265-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 engine mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. Edge also features standard safety equipment including side air bags, side curtain air bags and AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control (RSC®). Other standard convenience features include a laptop-friendly center console and auxiliary audio input jack for MP3-players. In addition to optional all-wheel drive, the Edge is available with such innovative features as a class-exclusive, all-glass available panoramic VistaRoof™ giving a view of the sky for front and rear passengers.

Fixed. Sorry about that.

Ford Edge "Temptation" Commercial: Click here to view the video

Ford Edge "Wedding" Commercial: Click here to watch the video.

Ford Edge Panoramic Vista roof operation. Click here to download this clip.

Peter Horbury - Launch of the Ford Edge. .

Ford Edge coming off of the assembly line. Click here to download this clip Redfire metallic Edge coming down the line. Click here to download this clip.

Lincoln MKX Video: Pewter Clearcoat metallic Click here to watch the video.

Lincoln MKX Video: Pewter Clearcoat metallic Click here to watch the video.

Click here to read the article and view the photos. What do you think of the Lincoln MKR concept?

Ford Edge Teaser (It's coming):

CLICK HERE TO READ THE ENTIRE ARTICLE.

FORD EDGE LAUNCHES WITH UNPRECEDENTED REACH: 500 MILLION CONSUMER IMPRESSIONS * Excitement for the new crossover, the Ford Edge, is growing; more than 40,000 dealer orders are already in hand and an additional 65,000 people have requested more information. * Ford’s largest-ever digital marketing campaign will complement extensive TV, print and outdoor advertising to generate more than 500 million Ford Edge consumer impressions this holiday weekend. * Music by emerging performers and some of today’s hottest music celebrities, including Beyoncé Knowles, Funkmaster Flex and Kelis, will drive Edge’s TV, radio and digital ads. DEARBORN, Mich. Dec. 21, 2006 – Ford is enlisting a Grammy-nominated hip hop artist, the star of Dreamgirls, an up and coming Canadian songwriter, full-size vehicle models, extensive TV ads and the company’s biggest-ever digital marketing push to launch the all-new 2007 Ford Edge crossover, with a goal of making 500 million consumer impressions over the holiday weekend. “Edge excitement has been building all year and now it’s time to build showroom traffic,” says Barry Engle, general manager, Ford Division Marketing. “The crossover segment is hot, and we’ve got the right product at the right time.” The Ford Edge, which is now arriving in showrooms, features five-passenger seating, a powerful 265-horsepower V-6 engine and exclusive features, like the panoramic “Vista-Roof™”, all of which will be featured in the advertising. The marketing and advertising campaign will crossover into every part of consumers’ lives through Internet partnerships, TV ads and targeted print tie-ins, beginning on Dec. 24, 2006. Korean music and soap opera star Ahn Jae Wook will appear in advertising targeting Asian American consumers. * The exciting electro-pop song “Miles ‘n Miles” by Montreal-based singer/composer DEE is the soundtrack to the Edge TV commercial and the Internet home page, http://www.fordvehicles.com/edge. Since its debut on the site in mid-October, the song and wallpaper have been downloaded more than 29,000 times. * High profile Korean music and soap opera star Ahn Jae Wook will appear in advertising targeting Asian American consumers, and a dance and rock remix of his hit song, “Forever,” will be available on www.fordvehicles.com/asia. * Ford Edge is sponsoring Rolling Stone magazine’s top songs for 2006, which are downloadable, for 49 cents a song, at www.rollingstone.com/top100. * Radio commercials will feature Grammy Award-nominated artist Kelis singing her original song “Push it to the Edge.” Consumers can check out Kelis and reviews at www.fordurban.com beginning in January. * Ford Edge is also sponsoring the national contemporary gospel tour, Sisters in the Spirit, during the first quarter of 2007 and the Ebony Fashion Fair, the world’s largest traveling fashion show. * Hip hop DJ and car customization guru Funkmaster Flex will customize a Ford Edge that will appear at car customization events and concerts across the country beginning March 2007. * Ford will sponsor a sweepstakes where the winner will see Grammy Award-winner and Golden Globe-nominee Beyoncẻ Knowles perform live in Mexico. Beyonce’s music will also be available as ringtones and other downloads at www.fordenespanol.com. More than 6,600 customers have downloaded full product brochures from www.fordvehicles.com Digital Edge Drive Demands The Edge launch marks Ford’s biggest ever commitment to digital media. Already, more than 6,600 customers have downloaded full product brochures from www.fordvehicles.com. More than 29,000 consumers have downloaded the Edge wallpaper and anthem “Miles ‘n Miles” by DEE and more than 350,000 consumers have “built” Edges on Ford’s “build and price” Web site. New digital marketing initiatives include: * Custom web portal hubs on AOL and MSN that include the Net’s newest content and social network techniques are now live. * On AOL’s AIM social networking pages, Ford is allowing consumers to “Find their Edge” and learn about the exciting hot spots of their favorite cities. * Edge’s equally large presence with “Ideas from the Edge” on MSN’s Windows Local Live (www.fordedge.msn.com) highlights great restaurants, entertainment, shopping and music and an Edge Bot to answer consumer questions. * Advertising takeovers of the homepages of three of the highest trafficked sites: MSN, Yahoo! and AOL. * In the Asian market, Ford is taking over sites such as sina.com and goldsea.com with the industry’s largest digital presence ever in Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese. * A Web site that consumers can access from their mobile phone to download wallpaper, the Edge launch video and product information. * Edge brand messaging is integrated across a variety of console-based (XBox Live/Xbox 360) and PC games when connected to the Internet. For example, an Edge “billboard” may be visible on an outfield wall in the Major League Baseball 2K6 game. Edge Takes Over The Airwaves Ford will be running an aggressive schedule of television advertisements beginning Dec. 24. * The first of four Ford Edge commercials on network television appears during Ford’s exclusive sponsorship of the NFL on FOX pre-game show. * Heavy television advertising media has been purchased on Chinese, Korean and Vietnamese networks such as KSCI, Skylink, Taipei International and Saigon TV. * To reach Latin and Hispanic consumers, Edge will be featured on Unvision’s Sabado Gigante and Belleza Latina; Telemundo’s Vas o No Vas and Dame Chocolate, and Galavision’s Decorando Contigo and Mision Reportar. * In January, Dish Network users will be able to interact with a “live” area embedded within the commercial to create a dynamic consumer experience and provide a link to deeper branding/vehicle content. * Ford is working with nationally syndicated radio personalities Steve Harvey and Tom Joyner that reach millions of listeners everyday on special promotions that will include vehicle giveaways. Staff members of the show also will be driving the vehicle and sharing their experiences with the audience. Outdoor boards featuring life-size foam Edges will appear in nine major cities. Edge Outdoors * Outdoor boards featuring life-size foam Edges will appear in nine major cities, including Dallas, Atlanta, New York and San Francisco. Ford is also sponsoring urban graffiti murals and wallscapes in Los Angeles, Miami, Chicago and New York. * Leading up to and including New Year’s Eve, Ford will sponsor ABC-TV’s 585 square foot Super Sign in New York City’s Times Square – the largest curved electronic billboard in the world. More than 1.7 million people pass through Times Square every day, and more than 500,000 revelers visit on New Year’s Eve. * Larger than life Edges will be projected on nighttime urban landscapes in eight markets including Boston, Miami and San Francisco. About the Edge Bold American design distinguishes the 2007 Ford Edge in the red-hot crossover utility vehicle market – along with a dynamic driving character and innovative features. Equipped with an all-new 265-horsepower V-6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission, Edge will deliver performance, quietness and fuel efficiency. Ford Edge has impressive fuel economy of 25 mpg on the highway.

CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE.

Click here to read the entire article.

Ford Edge of Illusion: Unique outdoor marketing campaign features life-size Edge sculptures The all-new 2007 Ford Edge has created quite a lot of excitement since its arrival in December and it will be generating a different kind of excitement for commuters in nine of America’s largest cities when they catch a glimpse of the new Edge teetering precariously on the edge of a large billboard. Not to fear. The 3D billboards are part of a marketing campaign that will include 75 billboards in total nationwide. The nine 3D boards will be installed in Atlanta, Chicago, Dallas, Detroit, Houston, Los Angeles, New York, Philadelphia and San Francisco. The remaining boards will be a mix of a two-dimensional version of the 3D boards and traditional billboards. Each of the nine Edges is hand carved from Styrofoam. When the shape is finalized the foam Edge is painted with Urethane giving the foam a hard outer surface that can be sanded and painted. "The 3D models are attention-grabbing and really drive home the point that Ford has an all-new crossover called Edge," says Dave Sanabria, SUV/CUV Marketing Communications Manager. "The cool thing about the 3D model is that we've pushed the limits of traditional outdoor boards and we've taken it to the next dimension – literally." Each 3D Edge is actually a full-size scale foam model, created by MMT, the designers of the artwork for the billboards. MMT specializes in large-format visuals. World Series fans may have seen the large image of a baseball crashing into Detroit’s Renaissance Center. MMT has done similar building murals as large as 75,000 square feet. Prop Art of Detroit, Michigan is sculpting the 3D Edge models in their downtown studio. The company has spent the last twenty years supplying clients with unusual three-dimensional display properties including the giant purple octopus that drops from the rafters of Joe Louis Arena, home to the Detroit Red Wings hockey team. Wheels, tires and side mirrors are made separately. Here the wheels and tires have been sprayed with Urethane and are being finished before painting. The Styrofoam chassis is built around the structural steel framework that will attach the Edge to the billboard. The nine 3D Edge models are hand carved from Styrofoam. Prop Art artists, work from photographs of the actual vehicle, blocking in the basic shape by gluing four-inch thick sheets of foam together then carving the shape of the body and details like the distinctive three-bar grille from the foam. The finished foam bodies and the extraneous parts like wheels, tires and side mirrors, which are made separately, are sprayed with Urethane, creating a hard surface that can be sanded smooth and painted. When finished, the bodies are primed black and sent off to a local bump shot where they are painted in factory correct Blazing Copper with chrome three-bar grilles and chrome 18" wheels. “It’s important to have the proper wheel styles, details and colors,” says David Paschke, Account Director for MMT, “The billboards may spur potential customers and you want the vehicle to representative of what's available.” Once the bodies are complete, they are fitted to a urethane-sprayed Styrofoam chassis. It's built around a steel support structure that includes the mounting structures and the hookups that will allow cranes to lift the vehicles into position. The wheels and tires are added last along with real windshield and back window wipers, the only true Edge parts on the models. Each Edge 3D model takes about three weeks to complete and weighs about 600 pounds without the steel structure and nearly 1,200 pounds fully built and ready to install. They come complete with an engineering certification; a requirement from many billboard companies, assuring that each foam sculpture will stay put. One of the nine Edges has been shrink-wrapped and waiting to be crated before shipment to Atlanta, Georgia. “These were built with a lot of extra detail with the intent of being repurposed, says Paschke. “A lot of time if they’re being done just for billboards we don’t have to put in a lot of detail. But Ford wanted to be able to reuse these, so we added as much detail as possible.” Ford’s foam Edge fleet will spend about four months aloft before accepting their next, yet undetermined assignment.

CLICK THIS LINK FOR THE TUTORIAL.

FORD EDGE MARKS FIRST CONQUEST SALES By Daniel Wallace, FCN Detroit radio talk-show host Mike Stone is among the first customers to take delivery of a Ford Edge, the all new crossovers that have begun arriving at Ford dealerships across the country. Stone turned in his 2004 Cadillac CTS before picking up his Edge at Tom Holzer Ford here Thursday. The Edge is a finalist for the North American Truck of the Year award which will be presented on opening day of the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, "I wanted something new, something American and most important, something that was going to take on this Michigan snow," said Stone, who ordered his Edge SEL nearly three months ago. Styling also drew Stone to the Edge. Chrome accents, contrasting-thread stitching on its leather seats and 18-inch chrome-clad or aluminum wheels are among the distinctive styling features attracting customers, according to sales associate Brian Burke of Tom Holzer Ford, who sold the vehicle to Stone. Burke says more than two dozen pre-orders have been placed for the Edge at his dealership even though there were no Edge vehicles on-site to test drive. "I can't think of another vehicle that has generated more excitement," Burke said. "This reminds me of the 1986 Taurus, when Ford came out with something that was totally different in style. And like the Taurus, the Edge takes on different (and unique) styling." Stone drove his new Edge straight to work and reported that both its acceleration and handling are impressive. The Edge comes with a 265-horsepower, V-6 engine, mated to a six-speed automatic transmission. The result is an ideal combination of performance and fuel efficiency. "I like it a lot. It's got better pick up than I thought. It actually handles the road and hugs those curves pretty well," said Stone after his first drive. He added that he likes its SUV-like roominess and appreciates its car-like ride. James Murphy of Farmington Hills, Mich., walked into the dealership's showroom to check out the Edge just as Stone was completing his paperwork. Murphy drives about 40,000 miles a year and is considering trading in his Nissan Murano, a vehicle squarely in the Edge's competitive sights. Prior to owning the Murano, Murphy drove a Lexus RX 300. "Finally, there's an American car I like," Murphy said while peering through the tinted glass of a showroom model. "It's been a while since there was an American vehicle where I've liked everything about it. It's a good-looking car that I'm really considering." According to Ford sales analyst George Pipas, crossovers will outsell SUVs for the first time in 2006 with 2.4 million units sold compared to 2.1 million SUVs. By 2010, crossover sales should reach about 3 million, while SUV sales slide to approximately 1.75 million, he said. The Edge has more horsepower and torque than any other car in its class. It features a versatile center console that has enough storage space for a laptop computer and comes standard with AdvanceTrac and Roll Stability Control. The SE model has a base MSRP of $25,995.

FORD EDGE FINALIST FOR TRUCK OF THE YEAR! An international group of automotive journalists has selected the Honda Fit, the Saturn Aura and the Toyota Camry as finalists for the 2007 North American Car of the Year. The Chevrolet Silverado, Ford Edge and Mazda CX-7 are finalists for the 2007 North American Truck of the Year. The winners will be announced at NAIAS 2007 on Jan. 7. The awards are unique in the United States because - instead of being given by a single publication, radio or television station - they are given by 49 automotive journalists from the United States and Canada. The awards are designed to recognize the most outstanding vehicles of the year based on factors that include innovation, design, safety, handling, driver satisfaction and value for the dollar. To be eligible, vehicles must be “all new” or “substantially changed” from the previous model. Steve Laughman, a partner at Deloitte & Touche, was responsible for counting the ballots, which jurors sent directly to the accounting firm. The results were announced today at a news conference during a luncheon held by the Detroit Economic Club and NAIAS. However, Laughman remains the only person who knows the winners, which will be announced January 7th at the North American International Auto Show. Although the winners are disclosed at a news conference at NAIAS, the show does not give the awards. The jurors represent outlets such as the Toronto Star, Car and Driver magazine, AutoWeek, The Chicago Tribune, MotorWeek, USA Today, Autoline Detroit, Edmunds.com, Road & Track magazine, the San Jose Mercury News, Consumer Guide, the Boston Globe, Automotive News, Popular Mechanics and Fortune. Last year the 2006 North American Car of the Year was the Honda Civic, and the 2006 North American Truck of the Year was the Honda Ridgeline. Domestic automakers have been named “North American Car of the Year” six times. Japanese cars have won three times. European cars have won four times. Domestic automakers won “North American Truck of the Year” eight times, Japanese automakers have won three times (Honda and Acura took two of those) and European automakers have won twice. In the totals above, Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep are counted as domestic automakers. Volvo and Mercedes-Benz are included in the European category, even though Volvo is owned by Ford and Mercedes is part of DaimlerChrysler. While more than 60 new vehicles were eligible jurors finally voted on 11 cars and 15 trucks. Nominees for the 2007 North American Truck of the Year Acura MDX Acura RDX Audi Q7 BMW X5 Chevrolet Tahoe/Suburban Dodge Nitro Ford Edge GMC Acadia Honda CR-V Hyundai Santa Fe Jeep Wrangler Mazda CX-7 Saturn Vue Green Line Toyota FJ Cruiser Nominees for the 2007 North American Car of the Year Chrysler Sebring Dodge Caliber Honda Fit Infiniti G35 Jaguar XK/XKR Lexus LS 460 Mercedes S-Class Nissan Altima Nissan Versa Saturn Aura Toyota Camry

Off topic for the Edge, but good news for the Lincoln brand: Read the entire article here.