Ford Kuga Individual

Ford is set to unleash the most powerful Kuga yet at the Paris Motor Show, as well as launching the 'Individual' package of styling upgrades for the mini-SUV.

These pictures show the hot new Kuga sporting a full Ford Individial makeover, which includes a sporty body kit, 20-inch wheels, special leather upholstery and unique interior trim. The agressive exterior takes cues from the Ford Iosis X concept, which first emerged in 2006 as a precursor to the Kuga. The trapezoidal chrome inserts in the grille are a particularly Iosis-esque touch.

The Kuga joins the Mondeo, S-MAX, Galaxy and new Fiesta as the fifth model in Ford's line-up to be included in the Individual scheme, which will be available from early 2009.

Powering the Kuga you see here is the five-cylinder turbocharged 2.5-litre engine found in the Focus ST, developing 198bhp and 320Nm of torque. The petrol unit will sit alongside Ford’s 2.0-litre TDCI engine as the second to power the SUV when it goes on sale early next year.

A six-speed manual gearbox will come as standard, though Ford’s Durashift 5-Tronic automatic transmission will be available as an option, featuring a 'sport' mode to alter shift patterns and better exploit the engine's power.

The range-topping Kuga will post a combined fuel economy figure of 28.5mpg (27.4mpg for the auto) and emit 234g/km of CO2 (244g/km).

For more on Ford's Paris plans, click here.