New Ford Edge Crossover To Arrive Loaded With Standard Safety Equipment

* Ford Edge crossover includes standard side air bags, Safety Canopy™ air curtain system with rollover detection and AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control

* Vehicle safety among top priorities for potential car and truck buyers

DEARBORN, MI - May 3, 2006: When the all-new Ford Edge arrives in dealerships later this year, it will offer the freshest choice to consumers in the hot crossover market and come loaded with an impressive array of standard safety features.

The Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX will offer Ford’s exclusive AdvanceTrac® with Roll Stability Control (RSC ®) system, seat-mounted side air bags and Safety Canopy™ air curtain system with rollover detection – all as standard equipment.

Industry data indicates safety remains a top priority among potential buyers. In fact, 88 percent of all new vehicle buyers say safety content plays an important role in purchase decisions. A vehicle’s safety content ranks third among customers’ top purchase reasons, preceded only by quality/reliability and price/value for the money.

Ford recently announced that 2007 models of the Ford Fusion and Mercury Milan will offer side air bags and air curtains as standard equipment beginning this summer, further underscoring the company’s commitment to safety. “These changes are sure signs that Ford is on offense and fighting back,” says Cisco Codina, Group Vice President, North America Marketing, Sales and Service. “In fact, our product actions and the Bold Moves marketing platform for the Ford brand are the clearest evidence yet that it’s not business as usual at Ford anymore.”

Edge also comes standard with Ford’s Personal Safety System, which includes dual-stage driver and front-passenger air bags, a driver seat position sensor, passenger seat occupant classification sensor, load-limiting safety belts retractors and pretensioners. Edge also features an energy-absorbing steering wheel and knee bolster for the driver and an energy-absorbing glove box for the passenger.

“Edge’s confident handling helps drivers avoid accidents, especially when paired with the industry-exclusive AdvanceTrac ® with Roll Stability Control (RSC ®),” says Stephen Kozak, Ford Safety chief engineer. “Should an accident occur, Edge features a comprehensive package of passive safety features to help protect people inside the car.”

With its unique combination of styling, capability and driving dynamics, Edge is the perfect complement to Ford Motor Company’s expanding CUV lineup. Equipped with an all-new 265-horsepower 3.5-liter V-6 engine and 6-speed automatic transmission, the new Ford Edge will deliver performance, quietness and fuel efficiency. Edge also offers several customer-friendly features such as an MP3-player audio input jack, center console laptop storage, class-exclusive panoramic Vista Roof™ and a fold-flat front passenger seat for added flexibility.

“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. “Edge also is packed with Ford innovation – from its panoramic glass roof and laptop-friendly center console to fuel-saving engine and advanced safety features. We expect Edge to make waves in the hot crossover market this year just like the Fusion did for midsize cars last year.”