Ford EcoSport, Kuga, Explorer & Focus ST: Beijing 2012

Ford EcoSport debuts at Beijing

Ford has debuted the EcoSport, new Kuga and Explorer SUVs as well as the new Focus ST at the Beijing Motor Show.

Ford make no secret of their ambitions for the marque in China and have put on a show at Beijing with the Chinese debut of the Fiesta-based EcoSport, the new Ford Kuga, the Explorer SUV and the new Focus ST.

The Ford EcoSport is the little urban warrior SUV based on the new Fiesta platform we revealed back in January when it debuted at the Delhi show.

Planned originally as a compact SUV for emerging markets – and being built in China – it now seems almost certain it will arrive in Europe by 2014, once Ford has upped the specification a bit to suit European tastes.

Also on show is the new Kuga we saw at Geneva in the Spring (and which our Colonial Cousins will have seen earlier as the Ford Escape) and the new Ford Explorer – a car we don’t get in the UK (but should).

Ford have also taken the Focus ST to China, the first ‘performance’ Ford to be introduced in China. Interestingly, word on the floor at Beijing is that Ford weren’t up for discussing the new Focus RS.

Whether that’s so it doesn’t deflect from the performance credentials of the ST, or whether Ford is backtracking on a new Focus RS, we don’t know.

But four new models for China is a good showing by Ford and a reflection of its importance.