Ford is gearing up for next year’s Detroit Motor Show with an almost production-ready concept version previewing a common replacement for the European market Kuga crossover and the North American Escape SUV. According to an inside source talking to Automotive News Europe, the new compact-sized crossover model will go into production in the second half of 2012 as a 2013 model.

It seems that Blue Oval hasn’t decided yet if the current names will be dropped in favor of a single moniker, in order to create another global car in the likes of the new Fiesta and Focus models.

Moving production to the U.S. is another point on Ford’s agenda. It’s likely that the new car will be manufactured in Louisville, Kentucky, while the German factory in Saarlouis will keep the European production of the new Focus.

Bernhard Mattes, the man in charge of Ford’s German factories, told Bloomberg this week that the Kuga/Escape successor could hit Deutschland’s showrooms as early as March next year and reach other European markets by the second quarter.

Also in March, Ford will debut a Fiesta-based small minivan concept at the Geneva Auto Show, meant to replace the current European-market Fusion crossover.

By Csaba Daradics

Source: Automotive News [sub. required]

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