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New Ford Kuga arrives in the guise of 2012 / 2013 Ford Escape

The 2013 Ford Escape arrives - the 2012 Ford Kuga The reveal of the new Ford Escape ahead of the Los Angeles Auto Show this week may not have the Kuga badge on its boot, but it is – bar a few tweaks and engine changes – just what we’ll see in Europe as the 2012 Ford Kuga. Based on the European-designed Ford Vertrek concept, the Ford Escape replaces the old-fashioned North American escape with a very European take on a compact SUV, but one that benefits from much more room to accommodate average Americans. The Ford Kuga / Escape is the next instalment in Ford’s plan to unify its models around the world.

Art Center Summit 2009

The Art Center Summit, now in its third year, has finally seen the rest of the world catch up with its preoccupations. Initially conceived in 2006-07 to bring government, academic, and business leaders to Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, CA, to discuss issues related to mobility and sustainability, the summit has benefited from the financial turmoil that has recently gripped the world. Previously, the event was highly speculative and appealed mainly to designers working in the advanced mobility community; this year, the summit occurred against a backdrop of meltdown in the US auto industry, chaos in the global financial sector, and a growing realization - supported by the incoming Obama administration - that energy and transportation policy will form a key part of a Green future.

Nissan expands Beijing studio

With the expansion of the Chinese market, the country's position in the automotive industry is increasingly important. Homegrown design elements look set to enhance brand competitiveness, while the on-the-ground knowledge garnered by Chinese studios is becoming invaluable feeding back into global companies. It's clear therefore that Nissan Design China (NDC) will play an increasingly important role in Nissan's global design network.