At Auto China 2014, Ford Highlights Growing China Lineup with All-New Ford Escort, All-New Ford Mustang; Ford Everest Concept Hints at Future SUV

BEIJING--April 21, 2014: Ford highlights its commitment to Chinese consumers with the introduction of the all-new Ford Escort, a stylish compact car designed with Chinese customers’ specific needs in mind Ford Everest Concept shows Ford’s vision for a medium, seven-seat off-road SUV, featuring rugged capabilities and a sleek, refined design All-new Ford Mustang leads a full lineup of One Ford vehicles on display Interactive displays at the Ford stand and at the Ford Outdoor Experience highlight Ford’s quality, green, safety and smart technologies

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Moving forward with its plan to bring 15 new vehicles to the Chinese market by 2015, and building on its impressive momentum in the Asia Pacific region, Ford Motor Company is giving visitors to Auto China 2014 an exclusive and interactive look at its growing lineup of global vehicles and innovative, smart technologies.

Ford is introducing two new production vehicles. The all-new Ford Escort is being shown for the first time globally and was developed with the Chinese market in mind. Auto China 2014 is also the Chinese auto show debut of the all-new Ford Mustang. In addition to these production cars, Ford is giving a glimpse at the design direction of a future vehicle with the Ford Everest Concept.

“We are committed to delivering on Henry Ford’s promise to open the highways to all mankind,” said Alan Mulally, president and CEO, Ford Motor Company. “As we are demonstrating here today, that promise means delivering a full family of quality, fuel efficient, safe and smart vehicles to our customers in China.”

Ford’s entire China product lineup is on display at Auto China 2014, including China’s best-selling nameplate, the Ford Focus, the stylish and compact new Ford Fiesta, as well as the all-new Ford Mondeo, Ford’s full family of SUVs and two high-performance hot hatches, the Ford Fiesta ST and Focus ST.

The expanding product line has helped Ford to grow rapidly in China. In 2013, Ford’s sales in the world’s largest auto market rose 49 percent to a record 935,813 vehicles, and in the first quarter of 2014, sales rose 45 percent from a year earlier to 271,321 vehicles.

All-new Ford Everest Concept hints at future product

Auto China 2014 marks the China unveiling of the new Ford Everest Concept, a preview of a midsize, seven-seat off-road SUV that could be produced for the Chinese market by Ford’s joint venture partner, JMC.

“The Ford Everest Concept, created by our outstanding regional team in Australia, previews a bold new direction for the midsize off-road SUV segment that would allow us to serve a wider range of consumers here in China,” said John Lawler chairman and CEO of Ford China. “It’s a concept that offers beautiful design, premium refinement and rugged capabilities in equal measure. A vehicle like the Ford Everest Concept would be a great addition to our growing stable of SUVs, helping us to further strengthen our position in the rapidly growing utility segment.”

Featuring Ford’s characteristic design DNA, including a prominent inverted trapezoid grill, the Ford Everest Concept’s tough but refined appearance communicates a highly capable vehicle that is equally at home in the city or off-road, and one that is unmistakably a Ford.

All-new Escort, designed for Chinese consumers

Designed to meet the demands of Chinese consumers within the fast-growing compact car segment and built on a global platform, the all-new Ford Escort is a powerful statement of Ford’s commitment to the Chinese market and the latest proof point in Ford’s plan to bring 15 new vehicles to China by 2015.

“The Ford Escort is a perfect example of how Ford’s global approach can be fine-tuned to meet the needs of individual markets by listening to customer feedback,” said Marin Burela, president, Changan Ford Automobile. “Taking Ford’s hugely successful C-car platform as a foundation, the all-new Ford Escort puts us in a perfect position to serve Chinese customers looking for an alternative and attainable compact car.”

The stylish and unpretentious exterior houses a refined and roomy interior, outstanding safety features and innovative technologies like the Device Dock. A new way to store, mount and charge devices like mobile phones, MP3 players and satellite navigation systems, the Device Dock integrates them seamlessly into the in-car entertainment system.

“Even as the Ford Focus remains the best-selling nameplate in China, we recognize that many consumers in China are looking for something else in a compact car,” said Luo Minggang, executive president, Changan Ford Automobile. “The Ford Escort is the answer to the question of what these consumers really want and value in a car for themselves and their families.”

Year of the Horse with the all-new Ford Mustang

Chinese auto enthusiasts have a chance to get up close and personal with the latest version of Ford’s iconic pony car for the first time at Auto China 2014, as the sleek and sophisticated all-new 2015 Ford Mustang makes its Chinese auto show debut in the Year of the Horse.

The all-new Mustang was designed using classic features from the car’s five decades in production – including the tri-bar tail lights, shark-nose front end, elongated hood and muscular rear – while incorporating Ford’s global design DNA to make a contemporary vehicle that is uniquely Mustang.

The redesigned fastback features a level of interior craftsmanship never before seen in a Mustang. Real aluminum finishes, premium leather, aircraft-inspired toggle switches, rotary knobs and analog gauges deliver exceptional functionality and a one-of-a-kind driving experience.

The vehicle is based on an all-new platform and will be available in China with two engine options: a powerful and fuel efficient 2.3-liter EcoBoost, and a 5.0-liter V8 featuring improved airflow, upgraded internal parts and a new charge motion control intake manifold.

To introduce the Chinese audience to the legacy of the Ford Mustang, visitors to the Mustang Zone and the Ford booth will be encouraged to pick out their favorite Mustang models from the pony car’s storied past and take souvenir magazine-style pictures.

Indoor and outdoor interactive displays

Complementing the wide range of global vehicles on display, Ford is providing visitors to Auto China 2014 the opportunity to interact with exhibits that display the quality, green, safety and smart aspects of Ford’s vehicles and technologies.

In addition to the full line of EcoBoost engines – displayed in China for the first time – the Drive Green exhibits highlight Ford’s continued contribution to the environment through increased fuel efficiency and use of sustainable materials.

Visitors can feel Ford’s EcoBoost technology first-hand with the EcoBoost Fan Face experience. While two high powered EcoBoost fans blow visitors’ hair back, a camera snaps a picture that they can share through social media. Visitors can also interact with a sustainable material display that showcases how designers are incorporating sustainability into the lifecycle of every car, beginning with manufacturing.

The Smart Touch Table introduces visitors to Ford’s cutting-edge SYNC and SYNC AppLink technologies, and allows consumers to control their favorite smart phone apps through voice commands at a testing station.

Visitors also have the opportunity at two exhibits – the Ford Mondeo Quality Zone and the EcoBoost Penny Presser – to make commemorative key chains they can take home.

Ford is emphasizing its commitment to safety with an interactive navigation game, demonstrating how Ford’s smart SYNC Emergency Assist – now available in Mandarin – can be a crucial tool in emergency situations, automatically connecting drivers with emergency operators in the event of a serious collision.

Generating energy and excitement at the Ford stand, Ford is also showing daily interactive performances on the Ford Smart Wall highlighting the quality design of the all-new Ford Escort, the small but powerful three-cylinder EcoBoost engine, the cutting-edge Active City Stop safety feature, and the Active Park Assist smart technology.

In addition to the displays at its indoor stand, Ford has an outdoor interactive zone located just outside of the venue. After registering at the site, visitors can walk through the Ford Innovation Journey, to learn about Ford’s smart and safe technologies, and can build a vehicle tailored to their needs in a fun and interactive way.

Visitors to the Ford Innovation Journey can also participate in a unique visual experience that uses motion sensing technology and Heads Up Display (HUD) image projection by Leap Motion inside a Ford Focus to introduce many of Ford’s exciting smart technologies. The three-minute experience highlights Ford’s Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Active City Stop, SYNC, SYNC AppLink, and other in-car technologies.

The 1,485-square-meter outdoor space also has a junior driving zone, giving kids the chance to drive toy models of Ford cars, as well as a SYNC AppLink and Emergency Assist showcase, a green screen souvenir photo opportunity and a Ford merchandise shop.

Auto China 2014 runs from April 20 to April 29 at the China International Exhibition Center in Beijing.