July 28, 1999 – (United Arab Emirates) Take Another Excursion After The Summer Holidays Says Ford

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.