A Small Vehicle With Big Technology
by Jeff Gilbert
WWJ AutoBeat Reporter
Ford is getting back into the minivan business with a new product called the C-MAX, which is based on the same platform as the compact Focus, but has seven seats, and sliding doors on each side.
"The C-MAX provides young families an aspiration alternative to a minivan," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of Global Product Development.
With an overall length of 178 inches, the C-MAX is smaller than the minivans that are on the road today, but Kuzak says it's pretty close to the size of the original minivans that debuted in the early eighties.
"Minivans have grown a bit since then, pretty substantially actually," he said.
Ford will show the C-MAX at next month's North American International Auto Show It will be the first application of a new technology that Ford calls, "hands-free liftgate"
This uses the same technology as push-button start, which detects the key fob in the driver's pocket. In this case, a sensor has also been placed under the rear bumper. Put your foot under the sensor, and the lift-gate starts to rise on itself.
It's one of those technologies that left observers wondering why somebody hadn't thought of it before.
"That's the greatest compliment, when you say, 'Why didn't somebody think of this before," Kuzak told WWJ AutoBeat Reporter Jeff Gilbert. "Then you know you've really struck on something that's simple, understandable and really meaningful to customers."
Ford expects the hands-free liftgate technology to quickly migrate to other vehicles.
Other technology available on the C-MAX includes curve control, that automatically slows a vehicle heading into a curve too quickly, Sync, and seats that are highly configurable.
"The middle seat folds quickly and easily and stows underneath the right hand seat, which creates access to the rear," said Frank Davis, vice president of product development for Ford of Europe, where the C-MAX is already on sale.
The C-MAX will go on sale in the United States in about a year. Its base engine will be a 2.5-liter I-4. A 1.6-liter EcoBoost I-4 engine will also be available. Ford is hoping for a fuel economy of around 40 miles per gallon.
"The hands free lift gate, the seating flexibility and the duel sliding doors are the results of some very detailed market research with young families," said Davis. "They all appreciated these smart solutions."
That research included closely observing how young families use their vehicles.
"We had team members live with young families, in their home and in their cars, and just identifying, 'How can we make this experience a bit easier, a bit happier, a bit more enjoyable for them," said Ford's Derrick Kuzak.
Ford is not yet saying where the North American Version of the C-MAX will be built.
