Auto News 5

I don't know if Alan Mulally's "One Ford" idea is as coruscating as Ford PR says, but it does make sense not to build two completely different vehicles for exactly the same market niche. Ford used to do that in Europe, with multiple British and German models having separately tooled engines, gearboxes, and body shells. Ford now builds two very similar but unrelated vehicles in the compact SUV category: the Kuga in Europe and the Escape in America. A third, slightly different Escape is also built in Taiwan for Asian markets. That's obviously too many, and the Vertrek concept from the Detroit show gives us a glimpse of a true Mulally-mobile. The Vertrek is meant to prefigure the all-but-identical Kuga and Escape coming soon. Styled in Cologne, Germany, where Stefan Lamm leads all the C-segment (Focus-size) design teams, the convincing Vertrek exterior is by Croatia-born Kemal Curic, a seven-year Ford of Europe veteran who moved to Dearborn, Michigan, early this year. Freeman Thomas, himself one of the brightest sparks at Ford, is lavish in his praise of Curic's creativity, which speaks volumes. When one designer extols another, you know there's an exceptional talent. The interior, by Australian Dennis Sartorello, is equally convincing, although in the long tradition of concept cars, it is likely to be toned down (and cheapened) for production. The glass roof may or may not be available, but the rest of the car is pretty much what you'll be able to buy quite soon.

CURRENT MILES: 23,056
MONTHS IN FLEET: 10

The second-generation Cayenne is a wholesale improvement over the first-generation car, which was a pretty sweet thing itself. From behind the wheel, it feels significantly lighter, tighter, and more energetic. The steering is light but incredibly precise, the ride is plush yet firm, and the grip and body control are absolutely amazing for an SUV. Of course, this top-spec Turbo model has power and torque in spades, so when you gun the accelerator, the Cayenne sprints forward with effortless ease and speed. Addictively so, I might add; I think I'd be having a few roadside chats with the Michigan State Police if I drove one of these every day.