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January 13, 2008
Ford Reveals Small-Car Vision for North America
In the U.S., small-car sales are predicted to increase by more than 25 percent through 2012.
Small cars and crossovers are the only vehicles with projected near-term growth in the U.S.
Photo: North American Verve Concept Sedan.
DETROIT, Jan. 13 -- Ford Motor Company is revealing the Verve, a concept vehicle that makes clear the vision for the new small cars Ford soon will introduce in North America.
New Ford Verve small car concept showcases the style, technology, premium materials and more substantial content that will set it apart from other offerings when Ford's new small cars go on sale in North America in 2010.
Photo: Ford Verve Concept (European) Sketch
According to Ford, the Verve is bold and sophisticated -- to help it clearly stand out from other small cars on the road. Ford is building on decades of small car leadership in Europe as it develops new small cars for North America to appeal to increasingly savvy customers who value technology, design and fuel efficiency.
Both four- and three-door Verve body styles are being unveiled at the North American International Auto Show in Detroit, as curtain-raisers to a new global family of small cars set to debut in Europe and Asia beginning later this year and in North America in 2010. The four-door is the basis for the production vehicle that will be sold in North America. The European three- door is being shown to test market reaction to the bodystyle -- as a possible additional small car for the North American market.
Photo: The Ford Verve Concept (European 3-Door) Design Team
The Verve concept has been developed with Ford's new global product development strategy that better leverages the company's global strengths. Globally, Ford is building on its European small-car expertise to stake a bigger claim in this critically important segment.
• Small Car Popularity Skyrockets in North America
Momentum in small-car sales is outpacing overall industry growth worldwide. Globally, small car sales would grow from 23 million units in 2002 to an estimated 38 million in 2012. That's nearly 45 percent of the total expected 85-million unit industry, a level never before achieved. In the U.S., sales of small cars likely will grow by 800,000, or 25 percent -- to a record 3.4 million units by 2012.
In fact, small cars and crossovers are the only vehicles with projected near-term growth in the U.S.
Driving the growth in the U.S. market is a group of young people aged 13 to 28 years -- dubbed "Millennials." Today, this group stands 1.7 billion strong worldwide and will represent 28 percent of the total U.S. population by 2010.
As a group, Millennials embrace eco-friendliness, stay in constant touch using modern technology and demand best-in-class products from around the world. This group will grow from representing 19 percent of the driving public in 2004 to amassing 28 percent in 2010.
Every day, 11,000 Millennials in the U.S. come of driving age. When it's time to buy their first car, nearly half of this group shops the small-car segment.
Ford Verve concept demonstrates that largesse is no longer the price of admission for a delivering a premium driving experience.
The North American Verve sedan, painted in Rouge Red, has been modified slightly from its European and Asian counterparts -- most notably in its front fascia. |GlobalGiants.com|
Source: Ford Motor Company
Edited & Posted by the Editor | 1:08 PM | Link to this Post
