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Trend-Spotting on a Global Scale; How Ford Designers Tailored All-New Kuga to Suit Customers Worldwide Ford design team builds cross-continental appeal into all-new Kuga by studying differing demands of customers from around the world Ford experts employ colour, design and spatial solutions that reconcile differing global preferences; for lighter interior colours in Asia but darker ones in Europe; for larger vehicles in North America but more compact ones in Europe Everything from climbing shoes to furnishings provide inspiration for broad trim and colour palettes that are then tailored to suit regional tastes and demands Ford Kuga. FORD ESCAPE FORUM– Ford designers employed trend-spotting on a global scale to ensure the all-new Kuga meets the needs of the customers – wherever they are in the world. Ford experts identified the varied and often conflicting worldwide tastes to deliver cross-continental appeal for the company’s first global compact SUV. This included reconciling the popularity of larger vehicles in North America with a European preference for more compact cars; and accommodating the popularity of lighter interior materials in Asia with a tendency for European buyers to go for darker shades. It also meant employing colour, design and spatial solutions to create the finished product as well as ensuring a degree of market-specific customization. The inspiration for trim and colour palettes came from sources as diverse as climbing shoes, make-up, jewellery and furnishings. Models are then offered on a regional basis to ensure the design and colours correspond to customer demand. “Great design can turn an object that you need to have, into an object you love,” said Chris Bird, design director, Ford of Europe, who is responsible for colour, material and vehicle personalisation. “That is why we put so much thought and feeling into cars like Kuga, making them appealing and relevant no matter where our customers are. “For example, size-perception is different in each region,” he added. “More customers in Europe and Asia now choose compact SUVs as an alternative to conventional niche products like coupes. In North America there is a growing trend to downsize, but our customers there still want to combine style and space, so it’s important to get that balance. “We made this work by collaborating closely with our engineering colleagues on details including getting the size of the wheels just right and incorporating Ford’s kinetic design in the exterior dimensions.” The positive impact of a global approach can be seen from the increased focus on the experience of rear seat passengers, directly influenced by the discovery that smaller vehicles are used more for chauffeuring in China than in Europe and North America. Colour preference too is a source of regional difference.'' In Europe and other global markets, the Escape is marketed as the Ford Kuga. “In Asia, lighter interiors are more desirable,” said Ulrike Dahm, colour and trim supervisor, Ford of Europe, who specialises in Asian markets. “Many people live in huge cities where space is at a premium, so having a light and airy interior is seen as luxurious. In Europe, colours and trim take a lot of influence from the tech industry and are generally darker. Gloss black is a popular choice.” The design team has to ensure colour and trim palettes are broad enough to meet regional tastes, fit Ford’s design DNA, and are concise enough to be production and cost efficient. But this is no barrier to creativity. “Influences for colours and materials come from all sources, from fashion and furnishings to make-up and jewellery,” said Serife Celebi, colour and material design supervisor, Ford of Europe. “I always talk about trainers, but if you look at the textures and colours used in climbing shoes, they’re really fantastic.” All-new Ford Kuga will launch with a global colour called Ginger Ale, a subtle green hue to reflect its active outdoor capabilities, but with rich, sophisticated tones to harmonise with the slick urban environment where many models will find a home. “Choosing the right colours is crucial, wherever the car is being sold,” Celebi said. “Ginger Ale is stylish enough to suit urban landscapes across the world and still have a playful edge. Developing colours that suit the character of a vehicle is much like knowing what colours suit your body shape.” The Kuga’s sleek new silhouette has seen Ford respond to awareness customers around the world are becoming both more demanding and more aware of design. Erika Tsubaki, design supervisor, Ford of Europe, ensures the company identifies and responds to changes in behaviour by acting as a “trend scout”. “Customers everywhere are more design-savvy now and recognize the importance of a car that looks more aerodynamic and efficient,” said Tsubaki. “But they’re not just satisfied with ‘good enough’. It has to be stylish as well as affordable. Independent of region, the car must also fulfill the purposes that they need it to.”
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Ford’s Stylish and Spacious All-New Kuga Stars at Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan Ford shows stylish all-new Kuga at world renowned furniture and design event Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan Advanced and spacious all-new Kuga compact SUV features a hands-free automatic tailgate activated by kicking below the rear bumper, rear seats that fold flat at the touch of a button, and an increased 82-litres boot space Kuga also comes with intelligent all-wheel drive and Torque Vectoring Control systems for improved driving dynamics FORD ESCAPE FORUM– The all-new Ford Kuga is today on show at the Salone Internazionale del Mobile in Milan, one of the most prestigious global furniture and design events in the world. The event will showcase the evolution of Ford’s Kinetic design on the popular compact SUV platform, highlighting its new spacious, high quality interior. It also will give attendees the opportunity to see its technical advances first-hand. These include the introduction of a hands-free automatic tailgate, which can be opened and closed simply by kicking a foot under the rear bumper. “Innovative technologies like the hands-free automatic tailgate clearly sets new Kuga apart from its competitors,” said Ford of Europe Chairman and CEO Stephen Odell. “But more importantly they provide customers with everyday advantages. All-new Kuga is more spacious, dynamic and capable than the current model, which continues to be popular with our European customers.” Ford’s voice-activated in-car connectivity system SYNC also will be available on Kuga. It features Emergency Assistance, which enables SYNC to help occupants place a call to the emergency services directly in the event of an accident. A range of driver assistance technologies will also be offered on Kuga, including the parallel parking aid , and sensor-based , which indicates with a warning light in the door mirror that a potential hazard is in the driver’s blind spot. The all-new Kuga features boot-space with an increased capacity of 82-litres, while the rear seats fold flat at the touch of a button. Ford of Europe’s executive design director, Martin Smith said: “We’ve evolved the vehicle to incorporate more space and a faster silhouette, a more precise execution and a higher quality feel.” From the initial design, new Kuga was engineered to be as visually appealing up close as it is from a distance with spaces between panels no wider than 0.5mm. The craftsmanship inside emphasises feel and touch through use of a soft instrument panel and soft door upper roll. Particular attention was paid to deleting exposed fasteners on moving parts like tailgate, sun visors and glove box. A Sony branded audio system with premium speakers and surround sound also will be offered. The smart Kuga all-wheel drive (AWD) system assesses road conditions 20 times faster than it takes to blink an eye, readjusting the AWD power split to the wheels to give the driver the best combination of handling and traction. Driving dynamics are also improved by the introduction of the Torque Vectoring Control ( ) system first offered on the new Ford Focus. Engines available on Kuga include 140PS and 163PS versions of Ford’s popular 2.0-litre TDCi diesel engine, with Ford PowerShift automatic gearbox as an option. Kuga will also offer the powerful yet fuel efficient 1.6-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, already available in Ford Focus and C-MAX. The Kuga will be available in Europe and Asia in late 2012, the Escape-badged version for the North American markets will be in dealerships this summer.
