With approximately 11,000 kids reaching driving age each day, it’s no wonder that car companies are designing  vehicles that appeal to younger demographics of drivers. The Ford Verve is the latest sleek, compact car from the Dearborn-based automaker that has attracted the attention of a younger audience.

Although right now the Verve is only available in the UK, it will be making its way across the pond and into our local dealerships in 2010. By that time, approximately 33,000 more “kids” will have their driver’s licenses and a slightly older crowd will be starting to purchase cars. So far, nearly half of this age group have chosen cars from the compact options rather than the larger models. Ford is counting on that and, as a result, the company plans to market the Verve to a younger crowd.

According to Jim Farley, the automaker’s vice president of marketing and communications, “Ford’s European-based cars are a great fit for this generation of drivers.” That’s because it boasts not only an outside that is compact and sleek but also an inside with all the gadgets and whatchamacallits that today’s generation is accustomed to having. Cell phones, Internet and MP3 players aren’t just luxuries to kids today but are necessities. And Ford has taken those gizmos into consideration when designing the Verve.

Analysts say that by 2012, the growth rate of small cars will increase by at least 25 percent. That means another 3.4 million units available just in the compact vehicle market. Ford hopes to be a leader in that niche market by releasing several new lines of small cars by 2010 for the widespread consumer market. The Verve is the company’s flagship compact model and will likely continue to be the forerunner in the line of smaller Ford vehicles.

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