Ford to show off greener Edge

Next week, Ford Motor Co. will unveil the 2011 Ford Edge at the Chicago Auto Show -- its latest product freshening and the first to feature a new, four-cylinder version of its fuel-saving EcoBoost engine.

The latest version of Ford's popular midsize crossover also will be the first to feature the company's new MyFord Touch system, which replaces most of the traditional analog gauges, switches and knobs with full-color computer screens and touch-sensitive buttons.

The body of the Edge is new from the windshield forward, but the biggest change is under the hood. In addition to the current 3.5-liter V-6, the 2011 model will offer a 2.0-liter four-cylinder EcoBoost that delivers the same power as a 3.0-liter V-6 with significantly better fuel economy, according to sources familiar with Ford's plans.

"It's a pretty heavy face-lift. It's more than what you'd normally do with a mid-cycle freshening," said analyst Jim Hall of 2953 Analytics LLP in Birmingham who has seen the new Edge. "Usually, automakers just change up some of the plastic."

He said the new front-end is more reflective of Ford's European styling, which is rapidly migrating to most of its U.S. products as the company consolidates its global lineup.

The money saved by that consolidation is what makes major mid-cycle changes like this possible, said analyst Erich Merkle of Autoconomy.com in Grand Rapids.

"They're making the investment in the product, and it shows," he said. "They're making their product cadence a lot faster than anyone else in the industry."

Manufactured at Ford's Oakville Assembly Plant in Ontario, the Edge was seen as a critical vehicle for Ford when it was launched in late 2006 as a 2007 model. Since then, it has become the best-selling vehicle in the midsize crossover segment.

Ford would not comment on the new Edge or on its plans for the Chicago show.

Merkle said the new Edge also will be quieter and more comfortable than the current model.

"Everything you can see, feel and touch will be noticeably better than its predecessor's," he said. "But the underlying architecture will remain the same. It's a good strategy."