We are expecting the Kuga to be available in all wheel and front wheel drive. Consumers will also have the option to opt for the gasoline or diesel engine. Ford promised us the all-wheel drive Kuga will have “impressive on-road dynamics coupled with substantial off-road ability.”

The Kuga will be the first crossover that will be designed and developed in-house by Ford of Europe. The Kuga will be released next year in Europe. Ford has not stated if we will see the Kuga in the U.S.

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There’s no information on what type of power the Ford Verve would have if produced, but it won’t be much. These cars are built for economy, and now looks. Ford is emphatically behind this concept’s design, and Ford of Europe stayed fairly true to concepts like the Mondeo sedan when it came time to build the production version. More photos below.

Its defining characteristics include; slim headlights, SUV-like profile, large wheels
ridiculous features. The Verve is the first of three concepts that show what the next small car from Ford might look like.

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This is a vehicle that seeks to change the way that you and I think about Ford by being thoroughly thought out, pleasantly executed and different enough to generate strong opinions, all of which took place on the show floor. The Flex is that it’s a luxury large crossover vehicle (GMC Acadia/Hyundai Veracruz-sized) that is based off the architecture that underpins the Ford Edge and Lincoln MKX.

It receives the same Duratec 35 engine and six-speed automatic transmission that powers the ovoid two-row crossovers, and will be available with all-wheel drive. The Flex will beassembled at Crossover Central, otherwise known as Oakville, Ontario, alongside the Edge and MKX. With that out of the way, let’s have a closer look at this interesting new Ford.

The Ford reps chuckled at the thought of whitewall tires, chrome wheel caps and faux wood exterior trim with a surfboard on the top, but you’d better believe that a customizer somewhere has blueprints ready. The most impressive aspect of the Flex is the detailing of the head and tail lamp bezels. Their complexity is at a level some would have never expected to see from a regular Ford production car.

Where the exterior may evoke memories of long-distance travel in thefamily station wagon, the interior is as much a delight for kids as it is for techno-savvy buyers. Immediately, all eyes will fall on the swooping center console that borrows much from Volvo’s S40/V50, especially the slick multimedia navigation system. If the interface and menus are as stylish as they are on this demonstrator, you can easily see Ford’s system becoming a favorite for auto critics and owners alike.

Many of the quality and innovation changes that Ford pledged to make on future carscan be found on the Flex. It’ll have a capless fuel filler system like the Ford GT, eliminating the screw cap on the fuel tank, and a panoramic roof that provides light for all three rows of passengers. The Flex also has a proper refrigerator mounted in the second row between the seats that can chill drinks faster than the fridge in your kitchen.

While the feature content of this crossover is just about unbeatable, the best part about Ford’s new direction is how serious the brand is on improving the ambiance of the interior. Soft mood lighting is great to have in any car, but the ability to change colors is even cooler. Likewise, the ice blue backlighting of the instruments is better than the harsh, eerie green and red of past. Though the Flex wasn’t a fully finished production car, it gave a resoundingly positive impression for the materials used, the tight tolerances and improved fit and finish.

Even as a crossover, the Flex does not have any issues carrying more than five passengers; the third row is usable by people six feet in height. Access to that third row isn’t bad either, thanks to a power tilt and tumble second row, but because of the Flex’s low-ish profile, crouching is necessary. Otherwise, the rearmost row is far from the child-only seating areas of an XC90, a Q7 or an X5; even with the second row bench at its most rearward position, there’s a good amount of knee room and under-seat foot room.

For Ford, its experience with the minivan can probably be likened to the vitality of a doornail, but nevertheless the spirit in comfort and practicality lingers on heavily in the Flex. I don’t know if the Flex is going to redefine what a people-mover should be in the same way that the Dodge Caravan did in the minivan sector, but it will definitely get more people thinking about different ways to move a family around while avoiding a conventional SUV or minivan. Too bad we’ve got to wait until summer of 2008 before getting a chance to slip behind the wheel.

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Inside things get a bit wackier. A rather gauche all-black interior has low, bucket seats and even the headliner finished in “belt leather”. Head restraints hang from the roof, rather than extending from seatbacks. The dash is straight out of the ’70s muscle car playbook: all squares and rectangles. Back-seat riders get experimental inflatable seat belts.

Interceptor’s engine, like its chassis, is based on the current Mustang. It’s a 400-horsepower 5.0-liter V8 upgraded with sports and racing parts that Ford dubs “Cammer,” after the high-power, large valve, overhead cam engines that propelled its race-winning cars in the mid-60s an appropriate association for the Interceptor.

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About the same size as Ford’s new Edge crossover, the concept takes the streamlined fuselage look of an Airstream and combines it with a touch of X-1 rocket plane from The Right Stuff and an interior that’s straight out of Kubrick’s cult classic 2001: A Space Odyssey. Too bad they didn’t go for an authentic Airstream-style riveted aluminum body it’s regular old steel.

But Ford Advanced Design boss Freeman Thomas says they went one better by working with suppliers to come up with the first application of a unique reflective paint that looks exactly like aluminum. “We did include 12 rivets in the body just to pay homage to Airstream’s iconic construction,” explains Thomas.

A prize goes to the first show-goer to spot where they are. If the neon-bright orange paint that frames the windows looks familiar, Thomas says it’s the same color as Chuck Yeager’s legendary Bell X-1 high-altitude rocket plane that’s on display in the Smithsonian.

“My memories of Airstreams have always been seeing the NASA astronauts arriving at the launch site and stepping out of their Airstream trailer,” he explains. You climb aboard through a roof-hinged, power clamshell door that runs two-thirds the length of the body. Lipstick red fabric covers the lounge-like seating that wraps around the cabin. Up front, driver and passenger sit in retro, pod-shaped captain’s chairs that swivel to face rearwards.

The focal point of the cabin is this wild, cylindrical LED video screen that can project everything from DVDs to virtual ‘mood’ effects, like a log fire and lava lamp. Taiwan-based DynaScan Technology Inc. makes giant versions for malls and exhibitions, but this is the smallest unit they’ve ever created.

Powering the crossover of tomorrowland is a plug-in hydrogen hybrid fuel cell. But instead of it being used to drive the wheels, as in a typical fuel cell vehicle, its sole function is to recharge the lithium-ion battery pack. This, in turn, powers electric motors which turn the wheels.

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Based on the 2003 Ford Police Interceptor, which this year receives major ride, steering and handling upgrades for today’s law enforcement officer, the Interceptor concept adds dramatic styling cues and tests new technologies to advance police work in the new millennium. “The Interceptor concept is a true professional law enforcement tool for the future,” says Chris Theodore, vice president, Ford North America Product Development. “It’s designed to look intimidating and perform its duties with unparalleled skill and unwavering bravery.”

The Interceptor concept is no rookie. It is a seasoned veteran building on the success of the police cruiser of choice, the Ford Police Interceptor. Based on its performance, predictability, reliability and durability, the rear-wheel-drive Police Interceptor commands approximately 80 percent of the police cruiser market in the United States and has for several years.

One look in the rearview mirror will leave would-be law-breakers with a feeling of dread as the Interceptor concept moves into view. The front end features a one-of-a-kind push/pursuit beam that extends beyond the normal bumper of a police car. The structural beam is constructed of a reinforced polymer. Mounted to the front beam is a high-strength stainless steel and cast aluminum push bar used for assisting stranded vehicles.

When the bad guys feel confidence in fleeing and pose a risk to public safety, the Interceptor concept’s push/pursuit beam can become an offensive tool in the skilled hands of a well-trained officer. With a properly executed push in the corner of the vehicle, the beam can be used to force a fleeing suspect’s vehicle into a spin. This technique is used to disorient a fleeing suspect and disable their vehicle thus avoiding a high-speed chase scenario.

Mounted to the side are innovative search mirrors, with integrated front-facing halogen searchlights combined with the side view mirrors. The searchlights swivel up, down and from side-to-side freely and are operated remotely from within the cabin. The search mirrors provide officers the full functionality of traditional A-pillar mounted searchlights without the need to bore holes in the car’s A-pillar. The results include a more ergonomic control mechanism inside, better quality and fit, improved vehicle aerodynamics and great looks.

Under the hood is the heart of the Interceptor concept. Its modular 4.6-liter, 4-valve V-8 engine produces 300 horsepower and 300 pound-feet of torque. “The modular 4.6 is basically the same engine we use in today’s Crown Victoria, Mustang GT and Police Interceptor,” says Theodore. “But the modularity of these engines allowed us to add performance enhancements to match the personality of this extreme law enforcement machine.”

One of the most important benefits of the V-8 for police work is the exceptional launch characteristic it provides at the low end. Of course, the engine performs well at high speeds. However, like personal cars, most police cruisers have speed-limiting electronic governors installed to ensure safety. The V-8 in the Interceptor concept allows it to go from a standstill behind a billboard to the bumper of a speeder in a matter of seconds.

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