Take Another Excursion After The Summer Holidays Says Ford

Brand new SUV to go on sale this Autumn

Contact: Marwan Baydas
Tel: 9714-327767 extn 230
Mobile: 97150-6534709

Dubai, United Arab Emirates, July 28, 1999 - While most people are looking forward to their summer vacation, Ford Middle East and North Africa is firmly focused on an Excursion this Autumn. That is the time when the company's all-new heavy duty sport utility vehicle (SUV) - the 2000 model Excursion -- will join the ranks of its SUV line up.

The Ford Excursion will offer a new choice in the heavy-duty SUV segment for the growing number of buyers who need to carry a large number of passengers (up to nine) as well as a large amounts of cargo if required. The vehicle features unmatched interior space, power and torque, and builds on the company's pledge to offer cleaner, safer and more efficient vehicles. Prices also are expected to be highly competitive.

"Excursion offers more space and convenience for passengers, more utility for activities, while at the same time setting a bold new standard for styling, safety and environmental care," said Bob Martin, managing director, Ford Middle East and North Africa. "The Excursion is the ideal vehicle for holiday trips."

Just like its size, Excursion has made a big impact everywhere it has gone on show. The vehicle goes on sale in September in North America and soon after in the Middle East.

Built on the Super Duty F-Series platform, the Excursion redefines the large SUV. With seating for nine people in three rows and plenty of luggage capacity, and powered by a 6.8-litre V-10 engine, the biggest SUV in Ford's line-up is engineered to provide occupants with a quiet, smooth ride but also to handle the toughest jobs.

While longer, wider and taller than the competition, at less than 7 feet tall, including the low-profile roof rack, and less than 20 feet long, Excursion still fits into a standard-size garage.

Environmentally, Excursion will also make a positive statement. It will offer greater fuel efficiency than two average full-size sedans combined - what it would take to haul nine passengers and their cargo.

"Customers will discover that Excursion is versatile, to meet a broad range of local market needs," says Martin. "It has a large towing capacity - up to 10,000 pounds and a payload capacity of up to 1 ton. Furthermore the vehicle offers more horsepower and torque than the competition and optional four-wheel drive with electronic shift-on-the-fly capability."

The heavy-duty SUV segment is a fast-growing one in North America as customers demand more from their vehicles. Martin believes the Middle East also offers exciting sales prospects.

The Ford Excursion features a number of product innovations:

• Putting safety first, Excursion features dual front air bags and a Ford first below-bumper beam (BlockerBeam™) to help prevent a car from sliding under Excursion in the event of a frontal collision.

• Excursion will join the line-up of other Ford sport utility vehicles, mini-vans and pickup trucks in meeting Low Emission Vehicle (LEV) standards on all engines.

• Nearly one-fifth of Excursion is made from recycled materials - steel, aluminium, rubber and plastic. More than 80 percent of the SUV is recyclable by weight at the end of its automotive life.

• Underscoring Ford's commitment to the environment, Ford also is launching a test fleet of propane Excursion vehicles that are Super Ultra Low Emission Vehicles (SULEV). These are the first propane vehicles to meet SULEV standards - California's strictest emissions standard for trucks.

# # # Ford's Middle East and North Africa Office is located in Dubai, UAE and is part of Ford Motor Company's Worldwide Direct Market Operations. From this base the company supplies a full line-up of products for all GCC, Middle East and North Africa customers with vehicles which include small, medium and large cars, 4x4 sports utility vehicles, mini vans and trucks.....

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