The company formed a group of designers led by chief designer of passenger cars for the Asia, Pacific and Africa region, Todd Willing. The team created several of studies that paid tribute to the styling cues from the original XB Coupe Interceptor, but ultimately, only two made the cut. The winning designs were penned by Nima Nourian and Simon Brook.
By eliminating the traditional B-pillar, Ford promises best-in-class access to the cabin without compromising safety. With both front and rear doors open, the aperture measures 1.5 metres, around twice the width offered by competitors, according to Ford.
“With its unique door format and dynamic design, the B-MAX sends a strong message that customers looking for a compact, stylish and versatile vehicle will soon have an exciting new choice,” said Stephen Odell, CEO of Ford Europe. Another highlight is the lack of door handles, with the opening system being remote-controlled.
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The compact-sized model is based on the underpinnings of the Focus hatch and is powered by Ford's 1.6-liter turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine featuring start and stop technology for improved fuel efficiency.
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Residing in that enormous region of "in-between" is a small company called Fiberglass Freaks in Logansport, Indiana, but they're not your average car shop. In fact, you could say they're one-of-a-kind.
Owned and operated by Mark Racop (the "what guy") and Jeff Sandberg (the "how guy"), and staffed by six full-time and eight part-time employees, Fiberglass Freaks is much like Harley Davidson; they sell dreams. In the case of this unassuming small-town Indiana garage, however, they're giving people the opportunity to own a real 1966 Batmobile.
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The news comes from a Ford source in Europe who told Automotive News that production of the Fiesta MPV will begin by the end of next year at Ford's factory in Craiova, Romania. A Ford of Europe spokesman essentially confirmed the news by telling the publication that “It is a B-segment vehicle and will go into full production early in 2012.”
So Seth Rogen and Jet Li are remaking it as a comedy, which is...good? Anyways, the Chrysler Imperial is back, reprising the role it played in the '60s original. Which is fine, but I think it should have had a bit of a remake as well. No, I'm not saying it should be replaced with a Chrysler 300C with green tinted headlights (God forbid).
What I think it should be replaced with is this: Vaughn Gittin Jr's RTR-X Mustang from the 2010 SEMA Show. Here are four reasons why:
"If you're a Mustang enthusiast looking to set your Mustang apart from others, SEMA is like going into a toy store full of inspirational imagery," said Melvin Betancourt, Ford design manager.
One of the customized Mustangs will be a 2011 GT model prepared by Ford Vehicle Personalization with parts from the firm's accessory catalog. These include a rear pedestal spoiler, rear quarter window louvers, side scoops and a billet grille – all finished in a liquid silver color, plus 18-inch machined liquid silver wheels. Hit the jump for details and pictures on the rest of the SEMA-bound Mustangs.
The big difference here is shaping to be extra output in a traditionally showy hot-hatch package, or a sleek and sophisticated ride with potentially less power. But first, a joke: what would a diesel Ford Focus ST be called? Think about it.
Based on the five-door version of the new Focus, the ST is visually differentiated from its regular brethren through a dare-we-say (and not in a positive way), tuner-like bodykit.
The styling package includes a new front bumper with a 'gaping mouth' grille and additional air ducts, side skirts, a larger roof spoiler and a rear apron with air vents and central exhaust pipes. The show car is finished in a new color Ford calls 'Tangerine Scream' while the ST also gets a set of beefy 19-inch alloy wheels wrapped in 235/35 ZR 19 rubber.