Montreal — Ford and the FrancoFolies are enjoying an 11-year marriage. The American automaker has been the main sponsor of the world’s largest French music festival all this time and, for 2010, the fiesta will involve, you guessed it, the new Ford Fiesta!
From June 10 to 19, about a million spectators will crowd the various scenes surrounding Place des Arts in downtown Montreal. "Compared to the Montreal International Jazz Festival, the FrancoFolies attract younger fans and women in particular," explains Christine Hollander, Communications Manager at Ford of Canada. "Combining the event with the launch of our hip new Fiesta makes perfect sense."
Together, the car and the festival are kicking off the summer on a high note. The former officially arrived in Canadian showrooms on Monday.
A golden opportunity for Ford
The Fiesta is an extremely important vehicle for the blue-oval brand, which is making a comeback to the small car segment after leaving in 1998 (remember the Ford Aspire?). "It’s a crucial move to increase our market share," claims Bertrand Lessard, General Manager for the Quebec Region.
Just look at the stats. In Canada, sub-compact cars represent 16 percent of all vehicles sold and half of those are finding takers right here in La Belle Province. The top contenders include the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Nissan Versa and Kia Rio, not to mention the upcoming Mazda2.
"The opportunity is too good to pass up. We had to showcase the Fiesta in front of all these fans," adds Mr. Lessard. "With the Fiesta, Ford will once again prove to be an interesting alternative for small car buyers, just like we’ve always been for pickup truck buyers."
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| Ford Canada President David Mondragon (left) and Regional Manager Bertrand Lessard introduced one of the Fiestas specially dressed for the FrancoFolies.(Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |
From June 10 to 19, about a million spectators will crowd the various scenes surrounding Place des Arts in downtown Montreal. "Compared to the Montreal International Jazz Festival, the FrancoFolies attract younger fans and women in particular," explains Christine Hollander, Communications Manager at Ford of Canada. "Combining the event with the launch of our hip new Fiesta makes perfect sense."
Together, the car and the festival are kicking off the summer on a high note. The former officially arrived in Canadian showrooms on Monday.
A golden opportunity for Ford
The Fiesta is an extremely important vehicle for the blue-oval brand, which is making a comeback to the small car segment after leaving in 1998 (remember the Ford Aspire?). "It’s a crucial move to increase our market share," claims Bertrand Lessard, General Manager for the Quebec Region.
Just look at the stats. In Canada, sub-compact cars represent 16 percent of all vehicles sold and half of those are finding takers right here in La Belle Province. The top contenders include the Toyota Yaris, Honda Fit, Hyundai Accent, Nissan Versa and Kia Rio, not to mention the upcoming Mazda2.
"The opportunity is too good to pass up. We had to showcase the Fiesta in front of all these fans," adds Mr. Lessard. "With the Fiesta, Ford will once again prove to be an interesting alternative for small car buyers, just like we’ve always been for pickup truck buyers."
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| Visitors can experience what it’s like to drive the sporty Fiesta through realistic racing simulators. (Photo: Luc Gagné/Auto123.com) |