Fuel-Efficiency and a Class-Leading Drive
· New Kuga mid-size SUV volume production begins today at Ford’s plant in Valencia, Spain, for delivery to dealerships across Europe
· New Kuga offers segment-first technology including hands-free tailgate; debuts Ford’s new global active all-wheel drive system for class-leading handling
· Ford will over the next few years leverage its global leadership in SUVs to extend its European line-up to include Ford EcoSport and Ford Edge
Ford today begins volume production of the all-new Ford Kuga SUV at its assembly plant in Valencia, Spain, with deliveries to dealerships across Europe to follow soon.
New Kuga offers segment-first technology including hands-free tailgate; class-leading handling with Ford’s new global intelligent all-wheel drive system and enhanced Torque Vectoring Control; and introduces Ford EcoBoost petrol engine technology to the European SUV market.
Ford has sold more than 300,000 Kugas since launching the first generation model in Europe in 2008. New Kuga heralds the start of Ford’s delivery of a comprehensive SUV lineup in Europe. It will be followed by the arrival of the modern and innovative EcoSport, Ford’s entry into the small SUV segment, and the Edge – a larger, more premium crossover that is a success in North America and other markets.
“The first-generation Kuga was a successful vehicle that customers really loved. The all-new, second-generation Kuga is a smarter, more fuel-efficient and even more fun to drive SUV,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe. “Ford has a deep heritage and expertise in SUVs that we plan to fully leverage in Europe starting with the all-new Kuga.”
Ford plans to leverage its historic leadership in SUVs in North America and other regions around the world to quickly expand its line-up in Europe; and has said it expects to sell more than one million SUVs in Europe in the next six years with SUVs accounting for 10 per cent of all Fords sold in the region by 2016.
New Kuga offers a choice of 150 PS and 180 PS 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engines, and 140 PS and 163 PS 2.0-litre TDCi Duratorq diesel engines. AWD models are available with Ford’s PowerShift transmission; and all engine variants achieve CO2 emissions of less than 180 g/km*.
A range of driver assistance technologies including the parallel parking aid Active Park Assist, and sensor-based Blind Spot Information System, which indicates with a warning light in the door mirror that a potential hazard is in the driver’s blind spot, will also be available.
The all-new Kuga features 82-litres more boot-space than the current model, while the rear seats fold flat at the touch of a button.
The smart Kuga AWD system pre-emptively reassesses conditions 20 times faster than it takes to blink an eye, readjusting the AWD power split to give the driver the best blend of handling and traction. Dynamics and cornering control are improved by the introduction of the Torque Vectoring Control system first found on the new Focus.
Ford’s advanced voice control, device integration and connectivity interface, SYNC, also will be available from launch. It will include Emergency Assistance, which upon detecting airbag deployment or activation of the emergency fuel shut-off within the car, uses the on board GPS locator and Bluetooth-paired device to set up an emergency call and provide GPS co-ordinates, in the local language, for the emergency response.
Prices for the new Kuga in Europe will be released soon with customers able to place orders before the end of the year.
* The stated fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are measured according to the technical requirements and specifications of the European Regulation (EC) 715/2007 as last amended. The results may differ from fuel economy figures in other regions of the world due to the different drive cycles and regulations used in those markets.
