Ford Expedition Sales Reach One Million
BUENA PARK, Calif., June 13, 2001 – Ford Expedition sales have
reached the 1 million mark, and Ford Motor Company is celebrating
this milestone by honoring the delivery of the one-millionth vehicle
to the local Orange County customer who purchased it.
Ford officials are commemorating this event today at Ken Grody Ford,
by presenting Sgt. Jim Banks, of the Buena Park Police Department,
with the one-millionth Expedition and honoring both Banks and Grody
with personalized plaques. Expedition Marketing Manager, Doug
Walczak, and California Regional Marketing Manager, Stu Smith, will
be on hand for the event.
“I am pleased that the one-millionth Expedition sold is from this
region,” said Smith. ” It gives us an opportunity to thank a loyal
Ford owner and a wonderful dealer. This event is great on both a
personal and professional level.”
In May, Expedition was named the segment award winner for Best
Full-Size SUV in the J.D. Power and Associates Initial Quality
Study. The J.D. Power Initial Quality Study is considered the
automobile industry benchmark of quality for vehicles during the
first three months of ownership. This honor is in addition to
Expedition’s being the only SUV to earn a double five-star rating in
U.S. governmental frontal crash testing performed by the National
Highway Traffic Safety Administration.
“Southern California is a huge market for Ford SUVs – and Expedition
is leading the pack, ” said Grody, principal of Ken Grody Ford. “It
is an honor that my dealership made such a significant sale and made
it to a loyal Ford owner, Sgt. Banks.”
Ken Grody Ford has been serving the Buena Park community since 1974
and is Orange County’s highest volume Ford dealership. The
dealership was awarded Ford Motor Company’s Blue Oval certification
in February 2001, signifying its commitment to complete customer
satisfaction.
Expedition Customers
Reaching this milestone would not
have been possible without loyal Expedition customers who have
continued demand for the SUV.
Banks, a 13-year veteran of the Buena Park Police Department and a
resident of Brea, Calif., is one such customer. Earlier this month,
Banks was flown to the Michigan Truck Plant, where the Ford
Expedition is built, to join an employee celebration and watch his
new vehicle roll off the assembly line. Banks has owned two
previous Ford vehicles and has purchased each of them from Ken Grody
Ford.
“I recently purchased a boat and needed something more appropriate
to haul it around with,” said Banks. “Of all the SUVs we looked at,
Expedition offered the room and power to fit our needs.” He
quipped, “I never imagined my purchase would turn out to be so
significant.”
“Jim’s purchase is a prime example of the strength of our No
Boundaries SUV lineup,” said Walczak, Expedition marketing manager.
“He is a loyal Ford owner and Expedition will allow him to enjoy his
favorite activities including hiking, camping and towing his boat.”
Expedition Features
Ford Expedition, introduced in 1996
as a 1997 model, is the best-selling SUV in its segment – outselling
its nearest competitor by more than 370,000 units over the last five
years.
For 2001, Expedition is expected to continue its leadership by
offering the functionality, safety, security and comfort that
full-size SUV customers demand and have come to expect from a Ford
SUV. From weekday use to weekend chores, Expedition offers the
towing, interior roominess, power and maneuverability to deal with
the toughest driving situations.
“Expedition is the ultimate adventure SUV,” said Walczak. “True to
the ‘No Boundaries – Ford Outfitters’ lineup of SUVs, Expedition
provides the capabilities to experience the real outdoors in comfort
and control.”
The 2001 Expedition offers exceptional towing and payload, seats up
to nine passengers, and still fits in a standard sized garage.
Combining all of this with an impressive list of safety features,
Expedition is for those who do not want to trade off comfort or
style for utility and off-road ruggedness.
Expedition has the power and capability to take on the great
outdoors with ease. Outstanding towing and payload capacity, proven
TritonT engines and a comprehensive list of performance and handling
features make Expedition perfect for adventurous, ready-for-anything
customers.
Expedition gives customers both space and flexibility. With the
third-row seat removed and the second-row seat folded down, it
provides best-in-class cargo volume (based on the current accepted
SAE standard) with 110.7 cubic feet of cargo space.
Expedition offers optional front-seat side-impact air bags that
provide enhanced protection for the head and torso in a side-impact
collision. A Second-Generation Driver and Front Passenger Air Bag
Supplemental Restraint System provides added protection in a frontal
collision.
Base pricing for the Expedition begins at $30,855 for XLT 4×2 and
$33,725 for XLT 4×4. Expedition Eddie Bauer model pricing begins at
$37,265 for 4×2 and $41,410 for 4×4. All pricing listed includes a
destination and delivery charge of $715.
The No Boundaries lineup of Ford SUVs is the most comprehensive in
the industry. Featuring Escape, Explorer Sport, Explorer Sport
Trac, four-door Explorer, Expedition and Excursion, the No
Boundaries lineup offers customers the broadest array of SUV
products in the industry to meet their needs.
Ken Grody Ford is located at 6211 Beach Boulevard, Buena Park,
California.
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