Best-in-Class Awards; Kuga, Transit Custom and B-MAX Named Top Choices for Safety
· Ford Motor Company wins three out of seven categories in Euro NCAP’s 2012 best-in-class safety awards; more than any other auto manufacturer
· New Kuga wins the SUV category after achieving a maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating and a class-leading 88 per cent for overall protection; New B-MAX is joint winner in the Small MPV category, also after achieving a five-star rating and 83 per cent overall
· New Transit Custom wins the Business and Family Vans section after becoming the first vehicle in its class to earn a five-star Euro NCAP rating and an Advanced reward, scoring 77 per cent for overall protection
Ford Motor Company won three out of a possible seven 2012 Euro NCAP best-in-class safety awards – more than any other manufacturer – with wins for new Kuga, new Transit Custom and new B-MAX.
New Kuga topped the SUV sector, Transit Custom triumphed in the Business and Family Vans class, and B-MAX was the joint winner in the small MPV category.
“Safety is a core value at Ford,” said Stuart Southgate, Ford automotive safety director. “For Euro NCAP to evaluate our vehicles and determine that they are segment leaders in their safety assessment is a wonderful recognition of the values and talent of our designers and engineers.”
Euro NCAP is Europe’s largest independent authority on vehicle safety. The awards reflect vehicle crash test performance and availability of advanced safety technologies. In 2012 new B-MAX, new Fiesta, new Kuga and new Transit Custom were each awarded a maximum five-star rating under Euro NCAP’s new crash test scoring system; and Ranger and Focus retained five-star ratings awarded in 2011, against more stringent 2012 requirements.
New Kuga achieved a score of 88 per cent for overall protection, the highest-ever rating for a mid-sized SUV. New Transit Custom achieved 77 per cent for overall protection after becoming the first vehicle in its class to earn a five-star Euro NCAP rating that also applies to the new Tourneo Custom people mover. New B-MAX achieved 83 per cent for overall protection. Ranger is the first and only pickup to achieve a five-star rating.
Last year, Ford became the first car manufacturer to achieve a total of seven different Euro NCAP Advanced rewards in recognition of a wide range of technologies that Ford has introduced across a number of vehicles.
Ford received Advanced rewards for MyKey on new Fiesta; SYNC with Emergency Assistance on new B-MAX, new Fiesta, C-MAX, Focus and new Kuga; and Lane Keeping Alert on Transit Custom. Ford previously achieved Advanced rewards for Active City Stop on the Focus and new B-MAX, plus Driver Alert, Forward Alert and Lane Keeping Aid on the Focus.
Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP secretary general, said: “Euro NCAP is recognising the efforts of some manufacturers already offering a higher level of occupant protection in their cars, but today safety means more than protecting occupants in a crash. Through the expansion of our tests and the assessment of important active safety systems, our aim is to inform and allow all road users to benefit from safe cars with advanced systems in the most affordable way, and to contribute in reducing the number of road accidents.”
