Ford is causing a lot of buzz with its second generation of Edge, slated to be launched as the 2015 model. This car will utilize modern automobile technology to its fullest, setting the bar and offering a hopeful glimpse of the future of driving.

Exceeding some of the other technologically advanced cars on the market, the Edge will feature the newest engineering achievements in what is called “Driver Assist Technology.” Bells and whistles such as a Collision Warning System, Active Parking Assistance, Adaptive Power Steering and a 180-degree rear view camera are designed to promote safety and ease in the vehicle’s day-to-day use. Many of these features are controlled from a fancy 10-inch touch screen monitor or via hands-free voice activation.

The Active Parking Assistance is one of the more remarkable features, utilizing a whopping 12 ultrasonic sensors to aid the driver in multiple scenarios. For example, in perpendicular parking, the car will not only scan for suitable parking spots, it will also steer the car into position. Incredibly, all the driver has to do is accelerate, brake and shift.

The car uses similar methods to deal with parallel parking, much to the joy of those who struggle with this often-botched maneuver. All a driver has to do is drive slowly, and the car will alert the driver to stop when a suitable parking spot is found. When it’s time to go, park-out assist will help a driver squeeze out of a parallel park, signaling when the car gets too close to another vehicle.

Other new safety features include inflatable seat belts, glove box mounted air bags and a hands free liftgate. There is also the optional Lane Keeping System that uses front-mounted cameras to scan the road. These cameras alert the driver by vibrating the steering wheel if the car starts to drift out of lane.

The BLIS (Blind Spot Information System) with Cross-Traffic Alert uses two hidden rear-mounted sensors to warn the driver about vehicles in blind spots. Adaptive Cruise Control can automatically slow the car down if it detects that traffic ahead is reducing speed. The vehicle’s suspension has been redesigned to cut down on noise and movement from road bumps.

The new Edge also receives a serious external makeover. The car is being built on Ford’s solid and reliable 2013 CD4 Platform. Mimicking the design of the wildly popular Fusion, the grill and headlights have been updated and the entire body has aerodynamic smoothness, looking more like a big, roomy luxury car than a boxy sport wagon. There’s a sleek BMW-style air-curtain on the front bumper, and the wheel wells look like soft clouds above the tires.

Hitting dealerships early next year, the Ford Edge will come in four styles, SE, SEL, Sport and Titanium, and three engine configurations: a 2.0 liter V4, a 2.7 L V6 and a 3.5 L V6.

When everything is on the line, it’s the coach’s job to lead a team to victory. All of the hard work and effort over the past couple of weeks, months, or even years all comes together to create a group of committed individuals ready to work hard and take home a win.

Life at a car dealership is similar. Instead of a coach, management takes up the torch, working with employees to create a successful team. For Alex Perdikis, managing partner at Koons of Silver Springs, coaching his team has resulted in big wins and public recognition. According to Perdikis, preparation is a key ingredient for any winning dealership.

Perdikis was no stranger to sports and hard work. He worked hard as a linebacker for the University of Richmond before succumbing to a spinal injury that kept him off the field. Despite being absent from the game for his senior year, he still walked away with lots of knowledge that propelled him to success in the future.

In the same way that athletes spend time practicing and improving their skills, employees at a dealership work together to improve their processes and offer customers the best experience possible. For Perdikis, being prepared means showing up to morning meetings with a game plan, discussing the best possible leads of the day and giving direction to everyone in attendance.

In reality, Perdikis took over a losing team. When he became managing partner in 2011, the dealership had only been acquired the year before and it was struggling. Sales were low and the profit margins were small. Today, the dealership sells almost twice as many cars as it did back in 2011.

Recently, Alex Perdikis Koons of Silver Springs was named Automotive News “40 Under 40.” Every year 40 individuals are honored for their achievements at various dealerships across the United States. He was honored because of the turnaround he headed up at the Koons’ Ford-Mazda dealership.

Since the transformation of the dealership, Perdikis has been seen as a leader in more ways than one. Aside from the dealership success he has engineered, he has also worked hard to become a business leader in the community. In April, he joined other Ford dealerships in recognizing the month as Distracted Driving Awareness Month. In June, he finished up his work as the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s Man of the Year fundraiser, bringing in $146,000 to help with research and treatments.

It isn’t just about coaching a group of individuals on how to handle car sales. Instead, Perdikis is working to become a coach that leads by example, balancing out his time between his family, work and the community around him. There is more to any coach than just winning. There is a bigger picture that needs to be considered. Whether helping to get the kids ready for school in the morning or enjoying a game of golf in the afternoon, Perdikis strives for excellence.

Alex Perdikis has become a driving force in the automotive industry and his contributions to both business and charity have not gone unnoticed. The 39-year-old dealership owner has just been honored with the accolade of being named one of Automotive News “40 Under 40” best young managers within the industry.

The “40 Under 40” is an annual recognition program that honors America and Canada’s 40 top achievers in the new car dealership sphere who are under the age of 40. Nominations from both regions are evaluated and the top performers are identified from a selection of those who have enjoyed major success in the automotive industry. The dynamic team of 40 chosen to receive the prestigious accolade are then profiled in the July issue of Automotive News, a leading weekly publication that covers all happenings in the automotive industry.

Alex Perdikis Koons history goes back more than two decades, and since he took over the struggling Silver Spring dealership, he has successfully created a thriving business that continues to grow. Alex is credited with taking the beleaguered Mazda-Ford dealership and turning it into Jim Koons Automotive’s second most successful franchise in the entire 16 store nationwide network, and he continues to promote his store via his charitable work and sporting involvement.

Since Alex took over the Silver Spring dealership, he has grown sales from the approximately 39 Mazdas and 56 Fords sold back in 2010 to an average of 60 Mazdas and 100 Fords a month. He has also pushed up the sales of pre-owned vehicles and sells more than 120 month, in comparison to the 52 previously sold. Employing over 100 people, Alex Perdikis Koons dealership doesn’t just focus on sales of new and pre-owned vehicles: it also stocks parts and offers a full in-house service.

His Silver Spring dealership is also renowned for treating its vast employee base extremely well and in 2014, for the fourth year in a row it was voted “Best Place to Work” by the Washington Business Journal. Alex’s commitment to service is evident in everything he does and his contribution to both the motor industry and a selection of charities has been astounding.

In just under four decades, he has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for those less fortunate and was recently elected as candidate for the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society’s Man and Woman of the year program. His public profile has helped him not only grow his extensive automotive business and to boost Koons sales figures, it’s also been put to good use in a philanthropic way and it seems that Alex is no stranger to accolades that are very well deserved.

Alex now joins the “40 Under 40” hall of fame and is definitely one of the industry’s top performers in every sphere, and his passion for the motor industry is evident in everything he does.