Description
Introduced at the 2006 North American Motor Show, the Edge was a mid-size SUV built on the same platform as Ford Fusion.
The SUV revolution started when people understood that they don't need an MPV that will struggle in the winter conditions and won't add much-needed safety. It is true that an MPV offers much more room and usually, they can fit seven passengers with ease. But there are not too many families with more than 4 people in the house.
The Edge featured a bold design for its era. The front fascia offered three-bars chrome grille and a specific shape for its headlights. The tall beltline and narrow windows made the car look smaller than it really was. In the back, two exhausts were poking underneath the rear bumper.
Inside, Ford installed a sedan-inspired dashboard, with a center stack that hosted the infotainment unit and the climate controls knobs. Since the car was bigger than a regular sedan, there was a gap between the center console and the center stack. On the base versions, the Edge was offered with cloth seats for all five occupants. As an option, it was offered with leather seats and contrast stitching. The reclining rear seatbacks were installed to make the long journeys more comfortable.
The only engine available for the 2007 Edge was a 3.5-liter V6 unit, mated to a 6-speed automatic. It was offered with either a front- or all-wheel-drive. The transmission didn't feature a manual mode.
Press Release
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.
