Ford Motor Company used the recent Frankfurt Motor Show to unveil plans for its C-Model series in North America. The automaker unveiled five-seat and seven-seat versions of its fuel-efficient C-Max series for observers at Frankfurt. The Ford C-Max is slated to reach the United States by December 2011 with a global sales goal thereafter of two million units per year. Ford is relying on the C-Max platform as the basis for its next generation of cars around the world.
The heart of the Ford C-Max is a 1.6-liter, four-cylinder EcoBoost engine designed and produced in England. The EcoBoost engine runs smoothly and cleanly thanks to direct injection and turbocharging features added over time. Ford claims that the EcoBoost engine would reduce both fuel use and carbon dioxide emissions by 20% compared to traditional engines. The C-Max’s release in 2011 will represent the first use of the EcoBoost engine in a production vehicle. North American drivers will be able to choose Ford’s PowerShift six-speed automatic transmission to further decrease fuel consumption.
Ford headed off concerns about the C-Max as a family vehicle by incorporating advanced safety and comfort features. The seven-seat version of the C-Max features three rows of seats with a folding middle seat to allow passengers to enter the third row. Ford added semi-automatic parallel parking to the C-Max to help drivers avoid fender benders while parking in urban areas. The C-Max contains blind spot detection and power child locks to protect the entire family from dangers on the road. Ford is going beyond industry standards for safety not only to pass safety tests but to market the C-Max to American families.
The introduction of the C-Max models at Frankfurt is part of Ford’s One Ford strategy for greener vehicles worldwide. The drive train and safety features used in the C-Max will spawn ten models for worldwide distribution according to Ford representatives. Ford’s emphasis on the C-Model series dovetails with the reintroduction of the Ford Focus in an effort to attract drivers interested in small vehicles. The Ford C-Max is a small step forward for the automaker’s efforts to decrease fuel consumption and emissions within its ranks but an important step nonetheless.
