Ford Kuga may replace Escape

Ford director of product development, Russell Christophers, says the company is moving toward simplifying the number of platforms to improve economies of scale, which points to the move toward the Focus-based Kuga.

However, Christophers points out that the Escape had the price advantage of being made in Thailand where production costs were lower and the free trade agreement with Australia benefited imports.

"I'm not saying yes or no to the Kuga, but what the company needs to do is decrease the number of platforms," Christophers says. "The Focus C car platform can be used for a sedan, hatch, wagon, people mover and an SUV. You want to have a global platform for economies of scale, but you want to build them in the right place for the right market."

The Kuga comes with two diesel options in Europe with plans to introduce the 2.5-litre turbocharged five-cylinder petrol engine from the XR5 Focus and Mondeo.

Christophers said Australia could also start to see some of Ford's ECOnetric fuel-miser vehicles later this year.

Apart from smaller, forced-induction EcoBoost engines, the ECOnetric vehicles come with a variety of fuel-saving measures such as higher-geared transmissions, lowered suspension to reduce drag, aerodynamic body kits, low-resistance tyres and low-viscosity transmission oil.

ECOnetrics is used in Europe in Mondeo, Focus and Fiesta models. Christophers would not say which models would benefit from the technologies first.

"It provides customers with a fuel efficient car, but sacrificing some attributes such as performance because of the taller gearing etcetera," he says. "We will look at bringing them in, but I can't say in which vehicles yet."