Click image to enlarge
Sometimes, you have to wonder if Ford really favors Europeans over Americans. After all, look at the product portfolios. Sure, we have the Mustang and the trucks, which are great, but Europe wins pretty much everywhere else. The Mondeo tops the Fusion, their Focus is worlds better than the bizarre-looking thing we're about to get, and now they've announced that Europe's receiving a small crossover that's likely to make Escape look ponderous by comparison. Obviously derived from the Iosis X concept, that car is the Ford Kuga, and while the name's not the greatest (sounds like a Bostonian saying "Cougar"), the sketch above shows a very sporty-looking ride that applies the Ford of Europe "kinetic design" philosophy to a 4x4 crossover. Assuming it's similarly-sized, Kuga is to Escape what Mondeo is to Fusion. That means the Europeans win and we lose. Again.
The car will debut in September at the Frankfurt show and go on sale throughout Europe in 2008. Follow the jump for Ford's press release. We've also included a gallery of the 2006 Iosis X concept below.
[Source: Ford]
PRESS RELEASE:
Ford of Europe's model range will have an all-new addition early in 2008 – The Ford Kuga. A preview model of the production vehicle will be presented to the press and public at the 2007 IAA Frankfurt Motor Show, which opens on September 13.
"With the launch of the Ford Kuga, we will keep the promise that we gave at the Paris Motor Show 2006: to develop a stylish new model based on the stunning Ford iosis X concept car in less than two years," said John Fleming, President and CEO, Ford of Europe.
Ford's European Design team has applied its exciting 'kinetic design' form language to introduce a compact and distinctive new 4x4 crossover to the Ford portfolio.
"We recognised that image-conscious customers for this kind of vehicle want a very individual car in which impressive on-road capability blends seamlessly with substantial off-road ability," said Martin Smith, Executive Design Director for Ford of Europe.
"Kuga will stand out from the crowd by offering the visual excitement of 'kinetic design' and the on-road driving quality that customers of cars like the Ford Focus, the S-MAX and the new Mondeo have come to expect from us," added Smith.
The Ford design team is also releasing its first official styling sketch of the new model.
"Kuga is adventurous and distinctive, and we wanted to highlight this in our first official image," Stefan Lamm, Ford's Chief Designer for Exteriors, commented. "We believe that there is a role for a more athletic and charismatic vehicle that marks a departure from the norm, in the same way that the award-winning Ford S-MAX carved out new territory for an MPV."
The all-new Ford Kuga will go into production early in 2008 at Ford's Saarlouis plant in Germany. It will be launched across Europe from Spring 2008.
"I'm really excited that we are adding the Ford Kuga to our growing product range in Europe," said Fleming. "It represents the continuation of our design-led commitment to add emotion and desirability to our cars and we expect it to bring even more new customers to the blue oval brand as we continue our product-led transformation towards sustained business success."
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Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
iQuack @ Jul 19th 2007 3:36AM
Seems to be one Ford car introduction after another that's not for U.S. buyers.
I thought the U.S. was the largest car market on Earth and that Ford, as a U.S. company, would make a car or 2 that people here wanted to buy. Well, maybe not.
Instead, we get boring trucks and SUVs along with the Lincoln Town Car, a renamed Taurus (bland 500) and a Mazda 6 in drag (Fusion) and a Focus that's 8 years old.
If Ford left the U.S. market it would be no loss at all.
Stuart @ Jul 19th 2007 5:48AM
All euro fords are designed, developed and produced in europe. All american ford are designed in america. Alan Mullaly's goal is to have one world wide brand with the same products sold world-wide like toyota.
Ford doesn't have to make the best car to sell in america because americans will probably buy them either way through their patriotism for ford. In europe things are different and customers only purchase the best cars so ford has to make the best car to sell more of their customers.
Nellydesign @ Jul 19th 2007 11:40AM
Frankly, outside of the truck arena, or Southeastern Detroit, there is no "Ford Patriotism". And if people were "buying them anyway" don't you think Ford NA would be doing better than they are right now?
The truth is that in the not too distant future Ford will be a global brand with a lot more product sharing across the pond. I know it sucks to say "just be patient" but... OK, not sure how to end this statement.
Frankly I'm not sure how long Ford of North America has to wait before people tire of being patient.
Val @ Jul 19th 2007 12:06PM
Regardong the Toyota global portfolio: it is not entirely global. They have their own european design center in France, which designed the last 2 generations of euro-corolla and the avensis, and the RAV4. There is no camry in europe, although the new corolla looks pretty much the same, although smaller. And in Australia and Japan they sell a few vehicles thet nobody else gets. Same goes for Honda and Nissan, look at the different versions of the accord or altima. Though Lexus is selling the same cars worldwide. And a 3series BMW is the same everywhere, as is an E-class. All in all, there must be some difference in tastes, otherwise manufacturers wouldn't go through all the trouble (and lets not forget fuel prices and taxation by engine power or displacement in europe and japan)
Carl @ Jul 19th 2007 6:59PM
You made good points until that last line. That is just way off base and dead wrong. It would be a huge loss to lose Ford in the U.S. regardless of your bias against Ford.
iQuack @ Jul 19th 2007 10:53PM
Well, the workers would assemble cars for some other manufacturer and an old name would disappear, but times change.
Companies that are out of touch should have the right to fail as well as succeed. How horrible is it that Studebaker, Packard, Nash, Hudson, Kaiser, Willys, Crosley, etc. are gone?
And it's not just car companies that disappear. How about banks: Crocker, First Interstate, Chemical Bank, Continental of Illinois, Great Western, Home Savings, and on and on and on.
It's called progress, and maybe Ford's time has run out.
Nick @ Jul 19th 2007 3:54AM
Things like this make me really not care anymore if Ford crumbles and dies, at least in America. Look at a few of the Europe exclusives from past to present: Escort RS2000, Escort Cosworth, Mondeo, Focus RS, Focus ST, hell the whole Focus line has been far and wide favored in Europe while North America has been shafted entirely.
Then you have the Australian branch of Ford as well which has turned out some pretty desirable cars along the line.
Jake B @ Jul 19th 2007 4:23AM
Cry all you want, at least Europe isnt cool enough for our Ford Ranger, IT ROX! *throws up*
Mattias @ Jul 19th 2007 4:31AM
Oh, yes, we are not cool enough for your kind of Ranger. :-D We get the new one instead:
http://www.ford.co.uk/ns7/ranger/rgr_0608_photos/rgr_0608_ext_gal/-/-/-/-#
Jake B @ Jul 19th 2007 4:37AM
So the british cant take jokes either? Sheesh.
Yaroukh @ Jul 19th 2007 7:30AM
Mattias, I think the post you're replying to was sarcastic
Landy @ Jul 19th 2007 5:10AM
The situation is, that Ford of Europe has painfully learned that you can't fool your customers: A new model has to be a NEW model! Ford US still thinks that their customers a dumb idiots who won't notice the difference between a new model and a minor facelift of the old crap...
Due to the fact that facelifts are cheaper, they hope for easy money without investing anything in a really new car.
This system has worked for decades in the US - and now the guys from Ford Dearborn are not willing to accept that things have changed... What they call 'Bold Moves' may be translated as 'Doing nothing and hope for the best'.
GatorLCA @ Jul 19th 2007 6:07AM
I don't think you'll see many Super Duty's over there in Europe so if we ditch all the massive pick ups (which will be never), maybe we can get some new models. Instead, we're inundated with god knows how many trimmed up pick-ups and every variation Special Edition Mustangs.
I think the only model that had some flair lately has been the Edge (yet another SUV)
Mattias @ Jul 19th 2007 6:36AM
@Gator: Yes, the Edge is a nice car. Roomy and plushy. Ford Europe probably could some here, if the engines were "europized". Drop in the 2.2l PSA-Ford Diesel (6 speed manual, 156 to 170hp), the 3.0l V6 diesel (automatic, 205hp) and the Volvo I5 (230hp, manual or automatic) and you have a great car for those who do not like or want the Mondeo.
Not all American Fords are bad, but sometimes they stop using their brains halfway to a good car.
Nellydesign @ Jul 19th 2007 11:44AM
I can honestly say that there are many people WITHIN Ford who are crying out for something more than facelifts. Mainly from the design community. But it always seems to come back to money. I think Mulally is the guy to make that change, but it's going to take time.
Gary Lowe @ Jul 19th 2007 6:20AM
Is anyone ever going to ask the obvious question? When is J Mays, the one shot design wonder going to be terminated. If his design and management skills were half as well developed as his ego, Ford North America would be looking alot better than it is
Brian @ Jul 19th 2007 6:59AM
When he runs out of tracing paper...
psarhjinian @ Jul 19th 2007 7:15AM
Ford and GM still think that their biggest competition is each other and they design accordingly. Both companies pay very close attention to each other and have for years. There's corporate momentum here that's hard to stop, and it's resulted in a myopic product line-up for a long time, with each company making a car just good enough to compete with each other. Toyota et al "didn't really exist" to GM or Ford until it was much too late.
Ford of Europe doesn't have the luxury of that kind of complacency. They have to compete with six or seven other manufacturers in a hypercompetitive market where no one has marketshare momentum and cannot take things for granted.
Mark Lee @ Jul 19th 2007 7:21AM
I was told internally that this thing is coming to the US as the new Escape. Although it seems awfully early to be replacing the 08 escape. My guess is that it won't be sold here for another year at the very least.
FK @ Jul 19th 2007 7:28AM
Mark : Your internal source is wrong. The next escape is slated for 2013.