The Kuga Vignale remains a concept, but it’s inconceivable that it won’t make production in a form close to the car you see here.
The latest Ford Kugahas only recently been revealed, but Fordis showing its hand early by unveiling a Vignale concept based on the family SUV.
Ford’s posh Vignale sub-brand is currently limited to only the Mondeo, but more models are coming thick and fast, thanks to the brand’s press conference at the 2016 Geneva Motor Show.
The Kuga Vignale remains a concept, but it’s inconceivable that it won’t make production in a form close to the car you see here. It looks ready for showrooms, in fact, and a clear baby brother for the Edgeit sits next to in the brand’s design studio in Cologne.
The plusher SUV comes as Ford found that almost 80 per cent of Kuga's sold in 2015 were top-spec models Titanium and Titanium X models.
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The show model we saw at Ford’s Cologne design studio hints at how elements like the hexagonal grille could be integrated into the car, but designers have also used the freedom afforded by a concept to push the boundaries of what could be achieved by Ford’s production processes and suppliers. The interior, in particular, provides an indication of how Vignale’s leather trim could evolve in the near future.
Vandenberk explains that her team has used this show car to push the boundaries further and give an idea of what Vignale can do next. “You’ll see that the ‘Tuxedo’ line around the seats is even thinner here,” she says. “It’s around half the thickness of the ones on the production cars; this is difficult to do in manufacturing terms, but having it on the concept allows us to push and show the supplier what we’d like to do.”
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The same can be said for the Kuga’s paint scheme; it has the Edge’s pearlescent finish, but with more contrast in its highlights. “We’re confident this could be achieved within the current Vignale paint process,” Vandenberk explains, but she has the smile of someone who’s already had the debate with Ford’s production wizards, and won.
When it was on sale, the take-up rate of top-spec previous-gen Kugas was 70 per cent, making a Kuga Vignale an enticing prospect for the company.
What do you think of the plusher, more upmarket Kuga? Let us know in the comments below!