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Ford India commenced 'The Great Ford Drive' in Chennai - a two-day mega event till March 7, 2004, that offers car enthusiasts the opportunity to 'Test the Best'. In an attempt at reaching out directly to the customer, the event would allow the people of Chennai to experience the range of Ford products in an exciting fun-filled carnival environment at the Nehru Indoor Stadium, Sports Development Authority of Tamil Nadu, 116 - A - EVR Periyar High Road, Chennai - 84.

The main attraction at the event would be the opportunity to have a look at the Thunderbird, the car which was specially made for the James Bond movie, 'Die Another Day. which Oscar winning actress Halle Berry drove in the film.

The 35,000 dollar car has been specially flown in from the US to be exhibited in events like the one in Chennai.

The key events at the Ford Drive in Chennai will be:

• Unique drive experience of an SUV and luxury Cars on a specially designed test track . Display of the exciting Ford Thunderbird, the Car that was featured in the Bond movie.

• Display of Ford Vintage cars

• Fun and entertainment for the entire family

Flagging off ' The Great Ford Drive', Vinay Piparsania, Vice President, Marketing & Sales, said, "At Ford, we offer our customers a memorable and exciting experience, consistent with our "No Boundaries" brand positioning. With 'The Great Ford Drive', we have for the very first time, created an unique experience of an international class auto show with the opportunity to test drive and actually purchase the models on display. We have been in seven cities so far and the response from consumers has been terrific. Our customers thoroughly enjoyed experiencing the Ford products in this truly exciting and distinctive manner ".

"At 'The Great Ford Drive', on display and available for test drives are the Ford Ikon 1.6 SXi NXT which recently won the JD Power APEAL Award for 2003 and the Best Car Award from BBC Wheels, the Ford Mondeo and the Ford Endeavour which also won the Best SUV Award from BBC Wheels. Ford Endeavour has also been awarded the 'SUV of the Year' by the CNBC Autocar Auto Awards 2003. Each vehicle on display has a unique pavilion design and backdrop that depicts an active lifestyle with the alluring package of stylish looks and excellent drive dynamics suited for all terrains in an international quality arena. The arena is greatly enhanced by the presence of vintage cars of Ford Lineage," said Vinay.

To mark the Centennial year of the Ford Motor Company, on display at 'The Great Ford Drive' will also be a host of Ford Vintage cars, demonstrating the rich historical heritage of Ford models in India.

Jagat Nanjappa the renowned rally driver, who has won many Indian National Rally Riders Championship awards from 1986 to 1996 has designed special test tracks for the Ikon & Mondeo and the Ford Endeavour at the arena. These tracks have been laid out to offer customers an exciting driving experience, while keeping all safety aspects in mind. The tracks are approximately a kilometre long and the test drives are available on a first cum first served basis.

The test track for the Ikon & Mondeo is a tar road with special rumblers and traffic cones for the drivers to do the slalom. This would help the drivers experience the drive dynamics, suspension and the braking power of the vehicle.

Jagat Nanjappa has also created a dirt track keeping in mind the off-road capabilities of the Ford Endeavour. The track has Slush pits, Rumblers, Sand Traps, Sandy Incline, Steep Gradient, Assorted berms and Chicanes. The Endeavour's excellent ground clearance and approach & departure angles will confirm its true off-road capabilities to the customers.

Through this event, customers can not only view and test drive Ford products, but also exchange their pre­owned vehicles for new vehicles, avail on-the-spot finance offers from Ford Credit, IClCI and HDFC Banks. In addition, there will be on offer a wide range of Ford gear and memorabilia to accessorise and customize the new purchases.

Calm, Cool and Collectible -- Ford Thunderbird

Ford commemorated the first appearance of a Thunderbird in the 40-year history of the James Bond film franchise. For the 'OO7' Thunderbird, Ford felt the need to develop a vehicle that would fit Halle Berry's character to generate buzz. 'The 'OOT Thunderbird carries the James Bond mystique throughout its exterior and interior, creating an exclusive package fitting for any James Bond fan."

The 'OO7' edition has an unique white leather interior and a distinctive Coral paint scheme to match the Thunderbird driven in the Ford-filled Bond film 'Die Another Day' by actress Halle Berry. The Coral paint -- similar to the Sunset Coral hue offered on the 1956 Thunderbird -­also matches the color of Berry's attire in the film.

Like all 2003 Thunderbirds, the 'OO7' edition also features a number of performance enhancements, including:

. New variable intake camshaft timing for the 3.9-litre DOHC V-B, which helps boost horsepower from 252 hp to 280 hp while simultaneously improving fuel economy. Electronic throttle control for improved powertrain response and refinement. A SelectShift five-speed automatic transmission that can be shifted like a manual transmission, but without a clutch.

The limited edition 007 Thunderbird stands out from other 2003 Thunderbirds with its Coral body finish and a Performance White removable top, and chrome 21 - spoke, 17-inch wheels match the A-pillar and trim accents.

Over the years the Ford Thunderbird has earned its place in U.S. history as an icon of automotive technology.

When the Thunderbird was introduced in 1955, it was a two-seat car with clean styling, creature comforts, and V8 refinements.

In 1955, the Thunderbird was available with a 193-212 horsepower, 292 cubic-inch V8. In 1956 and 1957 the Thunderbird was available with a 215-340 horsepower 312 cubic-inch V8 or the original 292 cubic-inch engine.

In 1958 the Thunderbird was transformed into a four-seat car. It had boxy lines, a wide-pillar roof, and was classified a personal luxury car.

Although the 1955-1957 two-seat roadsters had been very popular, many people wanted the convenience of a car with more passenger and cargo room. The revamped Thunderbird was an instant success, and it was named Motor Trend Magazine's Car of the Year.

In 1961 the Thunderbird went through yet another restyling and the all-new body shell featured a pointed front nose, modest fins above the traditional round taillights, quad headlamps recessed in oblong housings, and much softer roof lines for the hard-top versions. The interior featured a dash that curved at its outboard ends to blend in with the door panels, and the first ever "Swing Away" steering column. The 1961-1963 T -bird had a 390 cubic-inch V8 available and it put out 300-340 horsepower.

The 1976 Thunderbird was the biggest and most luxurious Thunderbird ever.

In February of 1983, Ford sweetened the pot when it unveiled the Thunderbird Turbo coupe. The release of the turbo coupe turned a lot of heads. The car was available with a 2.3 litre, turbocharged four-cylinder engine mated to a five-speed manual transmission. At the same time the turbo coupe was introduced, Ford also added the 5.0 litre V8 model.

The 1987 bird was aerodynamically restyled and had a redesigned front end that featured flush-mounted headlights and a new grill. As a result of redesigning, the roofline was swept back, the rear deck-lid was raised, and the taillights were redesigned.

A completely new Thunderbird hit the streets in 1989. A longer wheel based, wider stance Thunderbird would now feature a new independent rear suspension.

The three models available for '89-90 were: Thunderbird, Thunderbird LX, and Thunderbird Super Coupe. The Super Coupe featured a 215 horsepower Super-charged V6 with dual exhaust, four-wheel disc brakes, and special side and rear end ground effects treatments.

The All New 2002 Thunderbird features modernised design elements from the '55-'57 and '61­'62 Thunderbirds. These elements were to include porthole windows, a hood scoop, rounded headlamps, tail lamps and fog lamps, and the Thunderbird's trademarked badging.

The concept car, which was originally deemed the '2001 Thunderbird Concept,' was in production and had everyone talking. So much so, that Motor Trend Magazine named the all-new Thunderbird the Motor Trend Car of the Year for 2002.

Like the Mustang, this popular line of Ford automobiles is surely one of America's most treasured classics and will be for many years to come.

RR