08/04/2013 16:00
Ford has ramped up production on its Kuga model by ten per cent in order to cope with growing demand for the smart utility vehicle across Europe.
The American manufacturer expects 100,000 units to be built this year, which will be the first time the volume hits six figures.
UK car buyers have been helping to drive the trend, as some 8,000 orders have been placed since the vehicle was launched. This has been boosted largely by families looking to make the switch from an SUV to a standard saloon vehicle.
"The new Kuga is a smarter SUV that offers a comprehensive array of technologies including the segment-first hands-free tailgate, and debuts Ford’s global intelligent all-wheel-drive system," said Roelant de Waard, vice president of marketing, sales and service at Ford of Europe.
Ford has revealed that it expects to shift over one million SUVs across Europe over the next six years, which will mean the vehicles account for ten per cent of all auto sales.