Ford Motor Company of Canada is betting its new Ford Expedition will roar to the front of the pack in the full-size sport utility vehicle segment.

The Expedition replaces the Bronco on the Ford roster and will be going head-to-head with General Motors’ Yukon and Tahoe vehicles.

The new entry is built on Ford’s full-size F150 truck platform which makes it wider and longer than Ford’s compact-sized sports utility vehicle Explorer.

The Expedition has four doors and will be available in four-by-four or four-by-two drive configurations and two models: the xlt and the upgraded Eddie Bauer edition.

Mike Scarlett, Ford truck communications manager, says Expedition has several advantages over its principal competitors including larger towing and payload capacities, larger wheels, and a number of features not available on the gm products, including four-wheel disc brakes with abs and optional nine-passenger seating.

Scarlett says he expects the Expedition to attract car buyers interested in both small and large vehicles.

‘We expect it to take [buyers] from the compact sports utility segment and from gm’s larger Suburban. Because of its safety features, we also expect it will attract women,’ he says.

Although the public introduction for Expedition is slated for October 2, when Ford’s new model year begins, advertising will kick off with a tv campaign in early September during the Canadian Open golf classic.

Most of the advertising will be produced in Canada by Ford agency Young & Rubicam, but two of the 30-sec. tv spots will be adapted from u.s. creative.

The print campaign will be uniquely Canadian as will direct mail and radio.

Scarlett says there will likely be some cross-promotions for the Expedition launch but plans have not yet been finalized.