Click Here to Comment at The Motor Portal Blog!!     NEW FORD KUGA SET TO DRIVE RETAIL SALES   BRENTWOOD, Essex, 8 May, 2008 – The launch of Ford's new crossover, the Kuga, will strengthen the appeal of the blue oval, which has seen popularity rise by over six per cent with private car buyers. The Ford Kuga goes on sale next month in the expanding compact 4x4 segment. With the lowest CO2 emissions in its segment, the Kuga is expected to be another winner with retail customers. Ford Focus and Ford Mondeo are prominent among the models bought by almost 57,700 private buyers so far this year – an increase of 6.3 per cent compared with last year. Figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT) show a total for market leader Ford of 130,120 cars and 33,634 commercial vehicles registered so far this year. Retail demand by 57,700 private customers reflects a switch of some registrations from the corporate fleet sector, which takes the balance of Ford's car registrations. For example, the retail sector now accounts for 80 per cent more Mondeo sales than a year ago. Ford commercial vehicles, led by its flagship Transit model, have been named best van range by Van Fleet World magazine. The Ford Transit range boasts a 30 per cent share of all medium commercial registrations. Sales of Ford's low CO2 vehicles are also growing. In April the increase in registrations of sub-120g CO2/km vehicles compared with April 2007 was 1,057. The segment leading Ford Focus diesel accounted for the most sub-120 g registrations at 1,796, while total Ford Focus diesel sales in April were 3,744. So far this year (to the end of April) sub-120g Ford registrations have increased by 2,798, compared with the same period last year. Roelant de Waard, Ford of Britain chairman and managing director, said: "Our successful series of new model launches is continuing with Ford Kuga which, along with our other low carbon vehicles, delivers style with a green conscience."             FIRST FORD KUGA ROLLS OFF THE SAARLOUIS PRODUCTION LINE     Produktion Ford Kuga: Endmontage des Ford Kuga, Endkontrolle im Ford Werk Saarlouis.     SAARLOUIS, Germany, February 26, 2008 – Production of the all-new Ford Kuga, Ford of Europe's first entry into the highly competitive crossover market, began today at the Ford plant in Saarlouis, Germany. The company plans to build around 45,000 examples of the new model in Saarlouis this year – equivalent to nearly 10 per cent of the plant's annual production volume. Altogether Ford invested a very significant amount in new manufacturing technology to support Kuga production at Saarlouis. Sales of the Kuga will progressively begin across all European markets a little later this year. “A distinctive 'kinetic design' exterior, Ford's acclaimed on-road vehicle dynamics and premium-like quality are just some of the highlights Kuga will bring to the fast-growing crossover market segment,” remarked John Fleming, President and CEO Ford of Europe. The Kuga is the fourth model to be launched at Saarlouis in the past 12 months. It follows the new Ford C-MAX in March 2007, the new Ford Focus in December 2007 and the new Ford Focus ST earlier this month. And with the introduction of the Kuga, Saarlouis now manufactures for the first time three different model series at the same time – Focus, C-MAX and Kuga. The Ford Kuga is being built exclusively in Saarlouis and around 84 per cent of production will be exported to a total of 32 different countries. The five largest sales markets are Germany, Italy, Great Britain, France and Spain. With 6,600 employees, the Ford plant in Saarlouis is the largest employer in the Saarland. A further 2,000 people are employed at the neighboring supplier park which supports the plant. More than eleven million vehicles have been produced by Ford in Saarlouis since the start of manufacturing there on January 16, 1970. The Ford Escort (more than 6.5 million), Ford Capri, Ford Fiesta and Ford Orion have all been built there in the past. And the Ford Focus since 1998. In 2007 a total of 392,413 vehicles rolled off the production line in Saarland. This is expected to increase to 425,000 vehicles in 2008.     KUGA'S THE CROSSOVER KING   Innovative Kuga Crossover will be revealed at Frankfurt Motor Show Inspired by the iosis X Concept revealed in Paris 2006 On-road Focus DNA with 'intelligent' AWD for substantial off-road ability Powered by Ford's efficient 2.0-litre 136PS TDCi engine BRENTWOOD, Essex, 05 September, 2007 – Ford's product portfolio is expanding again – and in another new direction.  The new Ford Kuga is an exciting AWD crossover that combines style with technology and promises impressive on-road dynamics coupled with substantial off-road ability.     On sale in the UK summer 2008, the new Ford Kuga will be unveiled to the public at next week's Frankfurt Motor Show in near production form.  This trend-setting newcomer takes many of its design ideas from the iosis X concept shown at Paris Motor Show last year. Combining elements of SUV and estate car design with a coupé-like profile in a package similar in size to a Focus hatchback, the Kuga is the latest showcase for Ford's acclaimed kinetic design.     The Ford Kuga will boast an intelligent all-wheel-drive system which contributes positively to normal road use and helps give an almost sporty dynamic ability for those who want to use it cross country. Kuga's powertrain will feature Ford's established and fuel efficient 2.0-litre, 136 PS Duratorq TDCi common-rail diesel engine, mated to the slick Durashift six-speed manual transmission.  Further details of the Kuga powertrain will be released closer to launch in early 2008. Adopting many of the styling cues from Ford's iosis X Concept, and finished in the same unique "Ice White" body colour with the bold wheel arches filled with the same 19 –inch alloy wheels, the Kuga has poise and presence. The athletic look is highlighted by bold features such as the trapezoidal front grills, rising belt-line and kick-up of the rear window graphic and the dramatic swept back headlamp shapes. For the production Ford Kuga the roof profile of the iosis X Concept has been adjusted to a slightly higher silhouette offering comfortable accommodation for five people. Practicality is a key attribute and the luggage compartment is accessed via a split tailgate. Together with the divided rear lights this ensures the maximum full load width is available for loading and unloading. Inside, fine leathers and striking orange piping dominate. The Ebony interior is set off by a centre console and details in the door which also feature the piano-white finish from iosis X. A hint of the technology coming in Kuga, and other future Ford models, is seen in the new Blaupunkt navigation system which incorporates a 7-inch colour display to also show images from a rear view camera incorporated into the tailgate       FORD KUGA: A STYLISH, ALL-NEW ADDITION TO THE FORD RANGE FOR 2008 The Ford Kuga     COLOGNE, July 19, 2007 – 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."         ,.