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Ford Escape and Kuga replacement Concept to debut at 2011 Detroit Auto Show

Ford will debut a new crossover concept in near-production form next month at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show and while the name is not yet known, this Ford Focus-based crossover will likely fit under the One Ford plan, replacing the Escape in North America and the Kuga in other markets.

There is no indication as to whether this new crossover concept will wear either the Escape or Kuga name but it has been rumored for some time that the Escape is headed out of the Ford lineup. Those rumors have been supported by shots captured of Ford Kuga test vehicles driving around the Dearborn area (the vehicle shown in the image above) but with Kuga sounding so much like Cougar, the sporty coupe from now-defunct Mercury, some question whether this is the new that would be chosen when the new Focus-based crossover is unveiled next month.

Regardless of what name Ford goes with when they unveil their new crossover concept, we can expect the new mini-ute to feature similar drivetrain options to those found in the 2012 Ford Focus from which the new crossover derives its major architecture. Like most new Ford vehicles, expect to see some EcoBoost action (presumably the 4-cylinder version) along with the presence of a hybrid drivetrain, possibly borrowed from the out-going Escape.

According to AutoWeek, this new Ford crossover is expected to hit the US market sometime during the second half of 2012 as a 2013 model and should the styling of this new model resemble the non-US issued Ford Kuga, it will offer a substantial improvement from the boxy, antiquated look of the current Ford Escape.

TorqueNews.com will be on-site for the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, bringing you unparalleled covered of the North American International Auto Show so bookmark the site now and don’t miss out on any of our in-depth coverage from Detroit’s Cobo Hall!

Check out the gallery below for a look at the Ford display from the 2010 LA Auto Show.

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