Ford’s most innovative sedan, the all new Taurus, has been voted ‘Car of the Year’ by leading Arabic language automotive magazine Saudi Auto.

According to the magazine, the award is given to the most outstanding new car sold in Saudi Arabia and the Gulf markets, as voted by an independent jury of professional automotive journalists.
 
“This is quite a coup for Ford Taurus and we thank Saudi Auto and jury members for recognizing our flagship sedan as its 2010 Car of the Year. This is the first major Award for the Taurus in the Middle East, but based on the car’s ability to turn heads and win fans, we are sure it won’t be the last,” said Larry Prein, Ford ME’s managing director.

Bakur Azher, publisher and editor in chief of Saudi Auto, and jury member of the Car of the Year award said, “Ford Taurus is quite simply a great car.  Up against some tough competition, it stood out for its driving performance, affordability, safety, and industry-leading technologies that are usually only available in premium models. For us, Taurus was the clear victor.”

The Taurus features an impressive set of standard and available industry-exclusive technologies that add convenience, connectivity, safety and value for customers.

These include adaptive cruise control, collision warning with brake support, intelligent access with push button start, MyKey, blind spot information system with cross traffic alert, rain-sensing wipers, EasyFuel capless refueling, Ford Sync that provides voice-activated telecommunications and entertainment connectivity, navigation system, Sony audio system, multi-contour seats with active motion and a second generation SecuriCode keyless entry keypad, the company statement said.

With all the improvements in design and technology, the hot-selling 2010 Ford Taurus is commanding impressive results at auction in the US, posting an average 39 per cent increase in resale value – or $7,100 – over the 2009 model, it added.

According to the company, the resale value of the new Taurus after one year now surpasses that of one of its strongest competitors, the 2010 Toyota Avalon.

Key contributors to the residual value improvement of the sedan are the design, quality, customer satisfaction and state-of-the-art technology offered with the 2010 Ford Taurus, it added.-TradeArabia News Service