At today's European launch, Ford rolled out eight electrified models, including the all-electric Transit, which will go into production in two years, but the main press attention was expectedly focused on the new Kuge. The third-generation crossover borrowed the C2 platform from the fourth-generation Focus and acquired a lighter posture, as it became 20 mm lower, 89 mm longer and 44 mm wider. Note that our artist almost completely guessed the look of the crossover. The new platform made it possible to reduce the Kugi's curb weight by about 90 kg, while the torsional rigidity of the body increased by 10%.
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Compared to its predecessor, the wheelbase has grown from 2,690 to 2,710 mm, making the Kuga's rear seat slightly more spacious. The volume of the trunk has not yet been named, it is only known that it can be increased by 67 liters if the rear seat mounted on a sled is moved as far forward as possible. From the driver's seat, the new Kuga is almost completely identical to the fourth-generation Focus, and, in fact, the only "chip" of the crossover is a virtual 12.3-inch virtual instrument cluster, while the diagonal of the multimedia display on the center console is only 8 inches. In addition to the main flap, a retractable transparent glass on the visor is offered, on which operational data are displayed using a projector - for example, speed and navigation tips.
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For the new Kuga, as many as three hybrid power plants have been announced. Plug-in hybrid consists of a 2.5-liter gasoline "aspirated", operating on the Atkinson cycle, an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery with a capacity of 14.4 kWh. The total power of the plug-in hybrid is 225 hp, the electric range is 50 km, and it takes 4 hours to fully charge the battery from a household outlet.
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The usual hybrid Kuga (without the possibility of charging from an external source) is also arranged, but its technical characteristics have not yet been disclosed - such a modification will appear only in 2020. And the simplest mild hybrid is built on the basis of a 150-horsepower 2.0-liter EcoBlue turbo diesel, to which an auxiliary 48-volt starter-generator is simply screwed, which gives additional power during acceleration and allows you to save fuel. A 190-horsepower version of the same diesel engine will be installed on the Kugu without a hybrid add-on, as well as a 120-horsepower 1.5 EcoBlue diesel engine and a 1.5 EcoBoost gasoline turbo engine with 120 or 150 horsepower. Predach boxes - 6-speed "mechanics" or 8-speed hydromechanical "automatic", drive - front or full, with an electronically controlled power take-off to the rear axle.
For the US market, where Kuga is sold under the Escape name, no diesel engines have been announced, but there will be a unique petrol top version with a 2.0 EcoBoost engine with a capacity of 253 hp, and a 1.5 EcoBoost engine produces a maximum of 182 hp.
The second-generation Kuga last year found 153,259 buyers in Europe, 1.2% more than in 2017, but the VW Tiguan's result is almost a hundred thousand more. The American Escape in 2018 sold 272,228 copies (-11.7%), while the leader of the SUV segment - Toyota RAV4 - found 427,168 buyers (+ 4.8%).
In Russia, 2018 will be the last full year of sales of the Kuga (13,909 units sold), as well as other Ford cars. Recall that the "blue oval" and close (as an option - sell) their factories, only the enterprise in Yelabuga, which produces Transits, will remain in service, but control over it will pass to the Russian company Sollers.
Today, the Russian press office of Ford announced unprecedented "liquidation" discounts on passenger models: in particular, Focus and Kugu can be taken at a profit of 175 thousand rubles, and the discount on Explorer is already 400 thousand rubles. “Oh, where have you been with such discounts before,” consumers groan. It was also proposed to significantly reduce prices for Focus, where this model is still being assembled, but the Ford leadership was not interested in such a popular rescue plan, since leaving Russia is only part of the previously announced one.
Let's get acquainted with the modernized Ford Kuga crossover from the first, pre-production batch. The car became more courageous, got new engines and improved electronics. Ford Sollers also listened to the comments of the Za Rulem experts.
Kuga-2017 is, in fact, a deep modernization of an already known vehicle. But Ford for some reason call it a new model.
At the entrance of the Ford Sollers plant in Yelabuga, a thin guy meets us.
My name is Mikhail Melnikov, I am a leading engineer for the launch of new models.
Mikhail shakes my hand, and in his left hand he holds the March issue of the magazine "Za Rulem", in which the pre-styling Kuga could not beat its competitors in the comparative test. Not otherwise, debriefing awaits me.
I am your longtime reader, I have not missed a single issue since I was five! During my school years I even sent a letter to the heading "You wrote to us." A week later, Mikhail Kolodochkin from the editorial office called me and upset me: it turned out that the illustrations I sent were not suitable for printing. Well, okay, communication with him for me, a boy, was already happiness! Here we are - this is your Kuga. Isn't she beautiful?
I couldn't find an answer. Yes, Kuga has become more beautiful. But the huge mouth of the grille gave the crossover a hefty dose of brutality, masculinity. Not a beauty - a handsome man!
The bumpers, hood and head optics have been transformed - now the headlights have bi-xenon filling and are able to change the configuration of the light beam depending on driving conditions and external lighting. The rear lights and the tailgate have been adjusted, but this can only be seen against the background of the pre-styling car.
I arrived in Yelabuga long before the start of sales, so I have a car from the first, pre-production batch in my hands. As you understand, I don't know the price yet. (Prices were announced on December 8. - Ed.)
I jump into the salon. Yeah, we got by with pinpoint improvements. New three-spoke steering wheel with a more comfortable rim to grip. Instead of the usual parking brake, there was a button for the parking electromechanical brake - and there was free space for a niche with a neat sliding curtain. The ERA-GLONASS system module was registered on the ceiling. The chairs that I liked before, thanks to the elongated cushion and tucked sidewalls on the back, have become even more comfortable.
On the other hand, in the initial modifications, the display is too simple. Find a middle ground ...
The trip-computer screen in advanced versions is overloaded with information. Her abundance is dazzling in the eyes.
SYNC multimedia system has received new "brains". Ford people claim that its performance has increased by an order of magnitude, and the navigator is trained to plot a route taking into account traffic jams.
The interior design has not fundamentally changed - it still looks relevant. A button for turning on the steering wheel heating appeared on the center console. It is high time!
The climate control buttons have become larger, so now the probability of missing the desired one is minimal.
Paddle shifters (basic equipment) are one of the main acquisitions of the Kuga.
Kuga became the first Russian Ford with the ERA-GLONASS module.
-In addition, the temperature in the first stage of seat heating was lowered by two degrees, since there were many complaints about excessive heat. We are very attentive to constructive criticism and try to respond promptly to it. In your comparison test, you wrote that a car of this level must have a heated steering wheel and at least two USB ports. Receive - and sign! Scared by the abundance of buttons on the center console? Their number was reduced by almost half. They also introduced heating for the parking area of \u200b\u200bthe wipers, which turns on together with the heated side mirrors and rear window. In our climate - a necessary thing.
Michael cannot be held back. A minute later, I learned that Ford's main reason for pride was the advanced SYNC 3 multimedia system with voice control. Compared to the previous one, it is much more productive, and interaction with smartphones on Android and iOS platforms is expensive. And instead of a small display on the center console, an eight-inch touchscreen flaunts. The navigator was taught to plot a route taking into account traffic jams. Everything we love.
The basic multimedia system has a display no larger than that of the Soviet Electronics clock.
In the Trend Plus version, the screen is already more solid - with a diagonal of five inches.
There is progress in the rest of the electronics. In particular, the Active City Stop automatic braking system now operates at speeds up to 50 km / h (previously up to 30 km / h). The self-parking operator now parks the car not only parallel to the roadside, but also perpendicularly. In addition, he will help you to leave the tight parking lot - for many it is still a task. Finally, the Cross Traffic Alert system makes reversing out of the parking lot safer - warns the driver with sound and light signals if he rolls out in front of an approaching car.
In addition, we introduced the MyKey system, which allows you to program keys at your discretion. You can leave yourself an "unlimited" one, and give your wife a "prepared" copy with a wired-in speed and volume limit of the audio system, a prohibition on setting a target to the navigator while driving, and a low fuel threshold message pushed back for her own benefit.
After the upgrade, diesels disappeared from the range of engines - with a tiny demand, it is not profitable to tinker with them. The petrol 2.5-liter 150-strong aspirated engine is combined exclusively with front-wheel drive: more than half of the buyers choose such cars. 
The 1.5 turbo engine replaced the 1.6-liter. The power is the same, but the cooling of the air coming from the turbine is carried out in it by a liquid, not an air intercooler. Fuel consumption decreased by 7%.
The previous 1.6 liter turbo engines (150 or 182 hp) gave way to the 1.5 EcoBoost engines of the same power already known from the Focus. Reducing the cubic capacity was achieved by reducing the piston stroke. The new motors made the Kugu a little more economical. They comply with the Euro-6 eco-standards and are adapted for 92nd gasoline, while previously only 95th was required.
I have at my disposal a top 182-strong Kuga. Rides not as vividly as you expect, acceleration to a hundred takes more than ten seconds. Superfluous "horses" are lost in the wilds of the all-wheel drive and the 6F35 six-speed automatic, which was included in the basic equipment of the Kuga (there is no longer a version with mechanics, since it did not find demand). Even in sport mode, the box shuffles gears with laziness.
I was only pleased with the fact that in manual mode, the transmissions now change with the usual paddle shifters, and not with a key on the selector, which was inconvenient to use.
The old engine, when accelerated to the floor, squealed that there was urine, and the 1.5-liter one did not break down to scream. And road noises are now better muffled. Is the use of double-layer side windshields so influenced?
This is the result of the work of our specialists. The modernized Russian-assembled Kugi received additional noise insulation for the bottom, therefore, the acoustic comfort has significantly improved. You also criticized him in that comparative test ...
And Melnikov pointed his finger at our text. Nothing, nothing, constructive criticism has not bothered anyone yet - so Kuga has changed. 
The front seats are good: good profile, wide adjustment ranges, tenacious upholstery. 
I liked the practical troughs, nestled between the seat and the threshold. 
Rear passengers are spacious and comfortable. At their service - a back with an adjustable angle of inclination and folding tables. In rich versions, rear passengers are offered a 220-volt socket (left). The simpler versions have a 12-volt power supply (right) instead.
The chassis has not undergone any transformations. And it is right. Rideability has always been Coogee's strong point. In the sincerity of the steering effort, stability on the trajectory and the delicacy of the stabilization system settings, only the Volkswagen Tiguan can compete with the Kuga.
It's a pity we couldn't get a 150-strong turbo version! Judging by the technical data, it is not particularly inferior to the flagship. Therefore, I see no reason to pay extra for a more powerful modification. The motive for buying it can only be equipment that is not available for versions with weaker motors. By the way, all configurations have become richer. So, in the basic version Trend (available only with engine 2.5), in addition to power accessories, an audio system, air conditioning, heated side mirrors, seven airbags, ESP and fog lights, LED running lights, automatic paddle shifters, and a MyKey system appeared.
The ground clearance is 198 mm and the sloping bumper allows you to move confidently over difficult terrain. For complete happiness, the multi-plate clutch lock is not enough. 
The lidar of the autobraking system, now operating at speeds up to 50 km / h, is installed at the salon mirror.
Adaptive bi-xenon headlights are an option even for the flagship Titanium Plus version.
The Trend Plus version (offered with both 150-horsepower engines), in addition to roof rails, dual-zone climate control, electric heated washer nozzles, windshield and front seats, received a heated steering wheel and wiper rest zone, a parking brake button, an audio system with a larger color screen and a second USB port, and 17 ‑ inch alloy wheels.
Titanium is available with any of the offered motors. If before he added a combined trim (leather plus fabric), a keyless entry system, cruise control, a self-dimming salon mirror, light and rain sensors, a 220-volt outlet for rear passengers and tinted rear windows, now the SYNC multimedia system has been added to this list 3.
Shortly before my trip to the Elabuga plant, I got acquainted with the European version of the Kuga. With the exception of the Russian adaptation package (ERA-GLONASS, additional sound insulation of the bottom and all kinds of heating), everything is the same - both design and technology. Only the 182 ‑ strong Kuga in the sporty performance of the SL Line stands apart. Its body is decorated with an aerodynamic body kit, and the radiator grille and lighting equipment are decorated with black gloss instead of chrome. The key differences are in the suspension: stiffer springs, shock absorbers and an anti-roll bar are installed. In addition, the ground clearance is reduced by 10 mm. All this made the Kugu a little more collected and accurate in turns, but there is no fundamental difference in handling between it and the standard car. Now, if, in addition to the above innovations, Ford increased the power to at least two hundred "horses" ... However, what do we need? The Kuga ST Line will not be on sale in Russia.
The flagship Titanium Plus version can only be equipped with a 182-horsepower engine. As before, the list of equipment includes a leather interior, an electrically adjustable driver's seat, a panoramic roof, mirrors with illuminated space around the door and an electric folding drive, a contactless trunk opening function, an enlarged rear spoiler. And from the new - a self-parking operator, adaptive bi-xenon headlights, a rear-view camera, a navigator. For this version, only one additional option is offered - the package of electronic assistants.
In full ammunition, the updated Kuga is perceived as nobler and more luxurious than its predecessor. During the modernization, she got rid of many shortcomings, and in the next comparative test she will have a chance to win back.
The American engineering company Ford Motor Company assembles and manufactures Ford vehicles. It was founded in 1903 by Henry Ford with investments from five partners, which totaled 28 thousand dollars. This is the fourth record-holder in terms of auto production in the world during the existence of the corporation.
Now the automobile giant has moved to the third position in terms of production in America (1 step for General Motors, the second for Toyota) and ranks second in Europe, second only to the Volkswagen brand.
The headquarters is located in the USA, Dearborn, Michigan. It is the main manufacturing country for Ford cars.
New development strategy
The year 2000 became a turning point. The new manager is A. Mallali, whose idea was to launch a mass assembly of global cars common to all markets. He carried out a restructuring under the slogan "One Ford", where the first car produced (2006) was the Ford Focus III. The strategy returned the profit to the concern.
The company has three departments - Ford Asia Pacific, Ford North America, Ford of Europe. Before Mallali's restructuring, each department produced its own range of cars.
Plants of the auto concern
The factories where the brand's cars are assembled are located in various countries of the world. In 2010, there were about 30 of them:
- USA - 8 factories in the states of Illinois, Ohio, Michigan, Missouri, Kentucky.
- Brazil - specializes in Ford Cargo trucks. The main supplier of cars to the markets of Argentina and Venezuela. In 2018, the share of production decreased by 9%. The plant is under threat of closure.
- Belarus - the village of Obchak "Ford Union", about 25 thousand cars a year. This number does not cover current needs. The country imports cars from Russia.
- Germany - Saarlouis plant. The plant's productivity covers 80% for more than 70 countries of the world, including Australia and New Zealand.
- Canada - one machine-building plant
In addition, production has been established in Thailand, Vietnam, Taiwan, India, Great Britain, South Africa, China, Spain, Belgium, Russia and other countries.
Ford in Russia
Cooperation with Russia began in 1907.
Until March 2019, Ford in Russia had factories in the Leningrad Region, Naberezhnye Chelny and Yelabuga.
So far, sedans from the European branch of Werke prevail for the Russian market. These are the Fiesta, Focus, Mondeo, C-MAX, S-MAX, Kuga models.
At the same time, since 2011, "Fiesta" is also sent to the open spaces of the United States. "Focus" is no longer supplied to other European markets, and its analogue is produced in the USA. Mondeo (in the US Fusion) differs from the American choice of engines. The C-MAX has its counterparts in North America, while the S-MAX is not represented in the US at all. These two models are designed for the European market only.
"Kuga" (in America Escape) and "Ford Explorer" differ from their European counterparts in design, content and details. This is the only model range of the American market in Russia.
For 2017-18, the best-selling model is the Ford Focus.
Enterprises for the manufacture of Ford in Russia
Since March 2019, Ford has closed all factories, shutting down production of all models except the Ford Transit.
Before the closure, the production looked like this:
In Vsevolozhsk the final assembly of the car was carried out. This is one of the first enterprises to produce foreign cars. He specializes in Focus and Mondeo models. This is the only plant where all types of bodies are assembled.
In 2011, the world learned about the merger of Ford and the Russian auto corporation Sollers under the denominator Ford Sollers. The project cannot be called successful, since in August 2018, the company recalled 3,968 Focus, Mondeo, Kuga, C-Max series cars sold from 2011 to 2016. The reason was the deterioration of driving characteristics and cases of disconnection of clutch parts, cracks in the clutch disc, malfunctions in the gearbox, a general decrease in vehicle speed, and cases of fire.
The main Sollers plant in Yelabuga was opened in 2012. He produced Ford Kuga, Explorer and Ford Transit commercial vehicles. The target audience of Ford Transit is Russian corporate and government consumers. The minimum cost for a car of this class is 1,590,000 rubles.
In St. Petersburg, there are official Ford dealers, where you can undergo maintenance, order service and buy a car at the lowest price. There is also a catalog with a wide range of authentic machine parts.
What does the future hold for Ford in Russia and Europe?
Analysts predict a reduction in the staff and production of Ford in the Russian market. The main prerequisite is that the concern was forced to recall about 1 million vehicles worldwide. This is a compulsory measure associated with defective Japanese airbags TM "Takata", which resulted in the death of 20 people.
There are several reasons for this:
- In Europe and the world, the demand for a range of minivans has dropped significantly.
- In a number of other countries, environmental requirements are being tightened, which also entails the consequences in the form of unprofitability of a number of Ford models.
- In the open spaces of the car market, new competitors appear that can compete with the auto concern. As a result, Ford was forced to take action and revise its policy of producing and distributing auto products.
Directly, this will affect the car plant in Vsevolozhsk. The company's assets are falling relentlessly. Over the past 10 years, the share of production has dropped significantly. Considering that the share of cars as of 2018 for the Russian market is 2.9% (which is approximately 360,000 cars per year, which left the assembly lines of Yelabuga and Vsevolozhsk). Even during periods of productivity, the enterprise has not been able to reach a profitable level. In the fall of 2018, the company lost about $ 282 million.
The restructuring project will also affect the plant in Naberezhnye Chelny. It is supposed to stop production of Ford Focus, Mondeo, Fiesta, Eco Spot models. Russians can buy these models only through import by official distributors. The final fate of the plant will be decided in the spring of 2019.
Similar changes are coming across the entire European network of the auto concern. Consequently, Russia is one of the few European countries that currently does not need to import TM Ford cars. At the same time, she herself is a significant exporter to the EU.
Since its inception, the company has come a long way of formation and mergers. During the wars, it produced army trucks, jeeps, other military mechanisms and wheeled vehicles on conveyors. The main product remains the production of cars for the consumer market.
A world-renowned automaker, Ford is implementing a unified quality control and standardization system at all of its manufacturing plants. The main European plant for the production of American cars is located in Saarlouis (Germany). The Americans started building the plant in 1996. It is considered one of the largest engineering complexes in Germany. The plant employs about 6.5 thousand workers and more than a thousand robots, all of them work in three shifts. Together, 1,650 cars of different models are assembled at the enterprise every day. Almost 80% of all assembled vehicles are exported to more than eighty countries around the world, including New Zealand and Australia. But, many Russian motorists are interested in where they assemble Ford Kuga for the Russian Federation?
Assembling the model for Russia
The first generation of Ford Kuga for Russian consumers was assembled in 2012 at an enterprise in Elabuga (Republic of Tatarstan). And in 2013, the second generation of the American crossover rolled off the assembly line.
The Ford Kuga assembly plant for the Russian market also produces:
- FordTransit
- FordExplorer
- FordTourneo
- FordS-Max
- FordGalaxy
- FordEcoSport 2015.
However, it was the Kuga model that Russian motorists accepted the warmth, because in addition to the low cost (due to production in the Russian Federation), each potential owner is waiting for a car with low fuel consumption and a modern, aggressive design.
In the Russian segment, this American crossover is in great demand. Since, machines that meet all quality control standards come off the Tatarstan conveyor. The components and materials with which the Kuga is equipped are checked many times before assembly.
But, even in the case of this model, car owners cannot avoid minor problems. A Russian-assembled Ford Kuga noticed some faults in the electronics:
- errors occur that can drown the engine
- the turbine will have to be repaired after covering several hundred kilometers
- the crossover has suspension problems.
For our consumers, Kuga cars were equipped with a 2-liter diesel engine with a choice of 140 and 163 horsepower. Also, there are crossovers with a gasoline 1.6-liter power plant (175 hp). In the basic version, the car is paired with a six-speed manual gearbox. And optional extras include a six-speed dual-clutch robotized gearbox. For the Russian buyer, both all-wheel drive and front-wheel drive models are available. Each vehicle has independent suspension and variable power steering. The manufacturer offers as additional options:
- a roof with a panoramic view
- leather interior trim
- automatic braking system
- automatic valet
- heated windshield
- navigator and rear view camera
- eight-inch touchscreen multimedia system
- xenon and more.
Interesting in every sense, the Ford Kuga crossover, capable of boasting excellent driving and dynamic characteristics, has won the hearts of thousands of residents of the CIS countries. Many people, just throwing a cursory glance at him, immediately caught themselves thinking: "I want this car for myself." However, before buying this handsome man, it will not be superfluous to find out where the Ford Kuga is still produced and which assembly is better to purchase in order to get only positive emotions from driving.
Where is Ford Kuga made?
Initially, the American auto giant Ford created this car specifically for the European and CIS markets, as its answer to the Nissan Qashqai, which is no less popular in our area. The first representatives of this model left the assembly shops of the Ford Motors plant located in Saarlouis (Germany). However, the sharply increased demand for the new product forced the manufacturer to think carefully about expanding the sphere of influence. Without thinking twice, the company's management decided to launch its "full-scale offensive" from Russia. The Sollers plant in the city of Yelabuga (Republic of Tatarstan), where some of the company's other models are already successfully assembled, was chosen as an ideal springboard for the start of mass production of Kuga.
At the same time, the company actively began work to "conquer" the Western market, setting up the production of its brainchild on the basis of the production facilities of one of its factories in Louisville (USA).
In 2012, in Yelabuga, cars were assembled according to the principle of large-scale assembly from the so-called. "Car sets", but after one year the production was transferred to the full cycle technology (body welding, painting, final assembly), which greatly improved the quality of the product. Since then, cars assembled in Tatarstan meet the demand for them not only in Russia, but also in neighboring countries, not inferior in quality to their "brothers" assembled on the European conveyor.
What's the best build?
This manufacturer is very sensitive to the quality of the product. Such a large and eminent company as Ford simply cannot afford to put on the market a kind of "Coogie", or any other car from a wide range of its models. The company's management is well aware that reputational losses are much worse than financial ones, so the Tatar conveyor is 100% in line with the auto giant's strict standards. Each part installed on a future car goes through many stages of control, which practically excludes deterioration in the quality of the finished product.
However, contrary to the assurances of Ford Motors, some owners note some drawbacks inherent in cars assembled for Russia:
- Electrical problems, as a result of which the car can stall for no apparent reason;
- The turbine is sometimes not capable of serving even thousands of kilometers (changes under warranty);
- Slightly stiff suspension, emitting dull sounds when driving over bumps.
However, those copies that were assembled for the markets of other countries, but were imported into the Russian Federation on their own, also cannot boast of incredible reliability and the highest build quality. So, the versions of Ford Kuga for the USA are completely unsuitable for domestic roads, and the quality of their paintwork and anti-corrosion treatment of the body is significantly inferior to the Russian one.
Therefore, if you are seriously thinking about buying a Ford Kuga, then feel free to buy a Tatar-assembled car, because the manufacturer has incorporated some features into its design that allow it to feel comfortable in the harsh conditions of Russian operation. In addition, winter equipment is an almost exclusive option, set specifically for the Russian consumer.
How to determine the country of the Ford Kuga manufacturer?
If you are facing an "American", then it will not be difficult to distinguish it from a European or Russian assembly, because these versions of the model are characterized by the following distinctive features:
- The speedometer is double digitized (miles and kilometers per hour);
- In the menu, you can switch from Celsius to Fahrenheit;
- Different design of the headlight switch;
- A spherical section is installed in the side mirrors;
- Yellow section in head optics;
- Chrome trim on the tailgate.
But to distinguish the European assembly from the Russian visually will not work. Here the VIN code will come to the rescue, in which the first 3 characters will indicate the country of manufacture of a particular car:
- "Z6F" - the car is assembled in Elabuga (Russia);
- "WF0" - the home of the car is the plant in Saarlouis (Germany).
But, as we said above, there is no fundamental difference between the "domestic" and European assemblies, so you can safely buy any of them.
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Whose build of Ford Kuga is better and in what configuration was last modified: December 6th, 2019 by Administrator
