Ford Makes A Bold Statement In China And Expands Its fashionable

Ford Motor Company today formally announced China production plans for the third generation Ford Mondeo at Changan Ford Mazda Automobile’s (CFMA) Chongqing plant later this year. The sleek and bold car known for its appearance in the new James Bond movie, ‘Casino Royale’, was unveiled during a press conference at the Ford stand, revealing its ’kinetic design’ pedigree and sophisticated technology.


Mei-Wei Cheng, vice president of Ford Motor Company and chairman & CEO of Ford Motor China, said, “Our stand features a number of vehicles that show-off Ford’s cutting-edge ’kinetic design’ philosophy and engineering excellence, highlighted by the unveiling of the exciting new, third generation Mondeo. ”


Kinetic Design Family Dazzles on Ford Stage

Ford’s ’kinetic design’ concept is a flexible brand DNA that is literally shaping the company’s future design philosophy. From its Ford of Europe origins, this ’energy in motion’ styling has begun to appear on several of Ford’s newly introduced vehicles. It debuted in China at the 2006 Beijing International Auto Show, and new vehicles like the Mondeo are continuing to dazzle Chinese consumers during the Shanghai exhibition.


Martin Smith, executive design director, Ford of Europe, said, "The third generation Mondeo raises Ford’s ‘kinetic design’ language and concept to a new high, and allows people to fully experience its energy in motion.”

The ’Car of the Year 2007’ Ford S-MAX is on display at the Ford stand for the first time as a production vehicle in China. This all-new star product from CFMA features the three great characteristics of Ford’s innovative kinetic design, precise driving dynamics, and outstanding space and flexibility, and perfectly fuses them into an all-new market segment – the SAV (Sport Activity Vehicle).


Making its Asian debut at the Ford stand is the sleek, 5-door iosis X sport crossover concept car from Ford of Europe, the sister vehicle of the iosis concept car that was showcased at last year’s Beijing Show. The iosis X exudes Ford’s ’kinetic design’ concept, and shows how Ford’s forward looking design and engineering can be extended into a niche market vehicle.


Complete Ford Focus Line on Display

Ford is using Auto Shanghai 2007 to showcase the full line of its immensely popular Focus, including the 2007 Focus 5D and sedan, European-imported Focus ST, Focus WRC race car – winner of the 2006 World Rally Championship, and last year’s China Circuit Champion Focus race car.


With its stylish exterior, extraordinary handling, and wonderful driving experience, the Ford Focus has been a huge success with Chinese consumers since its launch in 2005. With sales of 78,430 units in 2006, the Focus was the driving force behind the doubling of CFMA’s sales figures. Focus has maintained hot sales in the first quarter, totaling 20,482 units, and 24.3 percent year-on-year increase.


David Thomas, General Manager of Changan Ford Mazda Automobile Sales Company said, "The 2007 Focus at this Show, which hit the market in March, is a completely remodeled car. CFMA was quick to react to the increasingly individualized needs of consumers, and we’re now seeing how enthusiastically consumers are pursuing this model.

The 2007 Focus is also a perfect illustration of the connection we’re making with our customers through our ‘Make Every Day Exciting’ brand campaign.”


The Focus ST, which first appeared on Ford’s 2006 Beijing Show stand, features a potent, turbo-charged Duratec ST, 2.5 liter, 5-cylinder engine that delivers an impressive 225PS. Equipped with a slick-operating 6-speed manual gearbox and capable of a top speed exceeding 240 km/h (150mph), it needs only 6.8 seconds to accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h (6.5 seconds from 0 to 60 mph). This performance data firmly places the Focus ST in the league of high performance sports cars.

The fuel-efficient and environmentally friendly 2008 Ford Escape Hybrid SUV on display features a “full” hybrid gas-electric engine, meaning that it can run on 100 percent electric power at up to 30 mph. The Escape Hybrid automatically switches between pure electric power, pure gasoline engine power or combined operation of the two to maximize efficiency and performance, and helping deliver fuel consumption of 15-17 km/l in normal city driving conditions. Its exhaust emissions can even reach Partial Zero Emissions Vehicle (PZEV) standards.

The Ford Shelby GR-1 concept springs from a long line of Ford performance project cars and is undoubtedly one of the most contemporary and dramatic front-engine, two-seat, fastback supercars. Its athletic design features a long hood that blends seamlessly into the teardrop-shaped cabin with a fastback roofline and falling upper fender line, making it appear in motion, even when it’s standing still. This one and only, extremely spiritual American car represents Ford’s long standing dream of a high-end, limited edition professional super car.


The Giugiaro Mustang concept car, a stunning one-of-a-kind interpretation of Ford’s iconic muscle car, will give Chinese car fans a glimpse at classic automotive elegance, with its perfect combination of American and Italian styling. The car’s interior represents an Italian interpretation of American individuality. The exterior is more streamlined than its Mustang predecessors, with a tapered end that reflects the style of southern European designs.


Thomas concluded, “By implementing a sound business strategy, and continuing to introduce leading edge technologies, first-class designs and excellent products, CFMA has become one of the leaders in the China market. Our new ‘Make Every Day Exciting’ brand campaign is something that will help us communicate all these elements to our customers, and further enhance the relationship between Chinese consumers and Ford’s brand, products and services.”