CUV Confirmed

Ford Motor Co. confirms it will build a version of the SAV concept cross/utility vehicle that debuted at the Geneva auto show in March.

The auto maker will launch the CUV as a C/D-segment entry that squeezes between the Mondeo sedan and Galaxy van in the Ford of Europe lineup, says Geoff Polites, vice president-marketing, sales and service. “We intend to bring the SAV to production in 2006,” he says.

It will be built at Ford's Genk (Belgium) Body and Assembly plant, where the Mondeo is produced, but could get a different name.

He says the multipurpose appeal of the SAV, which likely will be underpinned by the new Mondeo architecture currently under development, will mirror the success enjoyed by the Focus C-Max, which debuted in 2003 and won critical acclaim, while attracting new buyers to Ford.

Additionally, Polites touts the success Ford of Europe now is seeing following years of red ink and market share declines.

“We are one of only a few manufacturers who have grown share in Europe since 2000,” he says, pointing out Ford's European unit rode its increased sales to profitability in 2004, earning $114 million, and posted another positive performance in the first quarter ($59 million).

Ford expects to be profitable in 2005, with earnings flat compared with year-prior.

While the auto maker intends a marginal boost in Western European market share this year, Polites promises Eastern Europe and Turkey will be where the real action is.

In Russia, the market has more than doubled from 110,000 units annually in 2002 to 354,000 in 2004, while Ford's share increased from 6.1% to 11.1% over the same period.

In Turkey, Ford's share has surged from 11.3% in 2000 to 16.4% through May 2005.