All-New 2007 Ford Expedition EL Debuts at Orange Bowl Tailgate Tour

IRVINE, CA - September 7, 2006: The all-new 2007 Ford Expedition EL will make its public debut in Miami at the University of Miami vs. Florida A&M football game on September 9. The Expedition has grown larger and more capable than ever before, as rising gas prices have made the full-size SUV market smaller and more competitive.

As the interactive consumer displays at the Orange Bowl Tailgate Tour will show, the Expedition offers core SUV buyers more towing capability, more torque, and more cargo space -- and is aggressively targeting competitors like the Chevrolet Suburban.

The event will take place at Miami Orange Bowl Stadium, and will begin at 3PM for the Media and at 4PM for the general public.

The redesigned 2007 Expedition and all-new, extended-length 2007 Expedition EL go on sale just as full-size SUV sales are down 20 percent from a year ago -- in part due to the high cost of gas.

Ford Motor Company anticipated this market shift, as buyers that don't need the full capability of a large SUV are moving to vehicles that better meet their needs, such as the Ford Freestyle and new Ford Edge crossover utilities.

However, a significant number of buyers remain in SUVs because they use their vehicles regularly to tow, or carry significant amounts of people and cargo. To compete in a market that offers a fewer number of customers, and an increased emphasis on capability, Ford redesigned the Expedition with class- leading 9,200 pounds of towing, class-leading torque, and an extended-length Expedition EL with 24 more cubic feet of cargo.