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Paris 2008: Ford Kuga Individual

Sunday, October 5th, 2008

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Click above for high-res gallery of the Ford Kuga Individual

When we put the production Ford Kuga next to its progenitor, the Iosis X show car, on our test drive in Belgium, we couldn’t help but feel a little disappointed. The Kuga is a fine looking cute-ute, but lacks the aggressive styling that made the Iosis X such a show stopper. Ford promised to close the gap a little with the Individual version of the Kuga, launched here in Paris.

The Kuga joins Individual versions of the Ford Mondeo, Fiesta, S-Max and Galaxy, offering overseas buyers a host of luxury options you’d normally find on higher-end automobiles. The interior trim in particular goes a long way towards addressing some of the incoherence we mentioned in our review as well. Along with the leather and stuff, the Kuga Individual gets a revised exterior package that evokes some of the touches from the concept car, like aluminum intake fascias, 20″ wheels and ground effects. The latter gives the Kuga a more road-skimming look as opposed to the Iosis X’s jacked-up stature, but it’s a nice touch all the same. The best part, however, could be the new engine option: the same Volvo-sourced turbo five from the hot Focus ST, albeit detuned to 200hp. Check out the photos in the gallery below to see the updated Kuga Individual from the Paris show floor.

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Click above for more shots of Ford Kuga Individual

Ford of Europe has an Individual Program that’s been rolled out for a number of old world offerings, and now the Kuga gets its turn in the wardrobe room. Inspired by the Iosis concept from 2006, the new body kit and 20-inch wheels clothe a specialized interior for the Kuga Titanium that features Ebony Nappa and Bond leathers with contrasting piping and high-gloss Piano White fixtures.

Down in front, the Kuga will benefit from a new 2.5-liter, 5-cylinder Duratec Turbo with 200 hp and 236 lb-ft of torque that comes out of the Focus ST. It should add some sporty to the spaciousness while returning 29 Imperial mpg. This gas engine is 64 hp up on the standard offering, the Duratorq TDCi diesel. Another first for the Kuga, it can be shifted with an optional 3-mode, 5-speed automatic transmission.

On another note, the Duratec puts out a more energetic sound thanks to new exhaust tuning. The Individual program and powertrain options will be available from the beginning of 2009, and the first Kuga Individual showcasing what customers will be able to do goes on display at this week’s Paris Motor Show. In the mean time, check out the gallery of high-res photos below.

[Source: Ford]

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First Drive: Ford Kuga (Euro-spec)

Thursday, September 18th, 2008

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Click above for high-res gallery of the Euro-spec Ford Kuga

The grass, they say, is always greener on the other side of the fence. Though that often appears to be the case, most of the time it isn’t. Dearborn’s new “One Ford” initiative promises that we’ll soon be able to stop gazing longingly across the ocean at what the company offers overseas buyers, as Ford endeavors to integrate its global product line-up into one cohesive range for every market around the world. In the case of the new Fiesta, that’s a good thing. Less so with regards to the Kuga. Follow the jump to read why.

Photos Copyright (C)2008 Noah Joseph / Weblogs, Inc.

Continue reading First Drive: Ford Kuga (Euro-spec)

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