Ford C-MAX official pictures

By Jack Rix

03rd September 2009

Ford is turning desirability up to the max! These are the first official images of Ford’s new C-MAX – the most stylish family car ever to wear the blue oval badge. And Auto Express has all the details ahead of its world premiere in Frankfurt next week.

Taking its inspiration from the stunning iosis MAX concept revealed in Geneva earlier this year, the latest adopter of Ford’s popular kinetic design language takes a leaf out of the Kuga, Mondeo and Fiesta’s book by managing to look like it’s moving, even at standstill.

With it’s swooping coupe-like roofline, swept back headlights and sculpted body panels it’s the car that proves it’s possible to mix style with the C-MAX hallmarks of comfort, space and practicality.

A sliding rear door provides easy access to the rear seats and prevents costly mishaps in tight supermarket car parks, while the C-MAX will be the first Ford to receive a brand-new 1.6-litre turbocharged direct-injection EcoBoost unit. It’s a development of the powerplant fitted to the iosis MAX show car, which produced 178bhp, but thanks to stop-start technology emitted just 125g/km – and Ford claims these figures are feasible in the production car, too.

Under the skin it will be the first car to be based on Ford’s new C-segment platform. Essentially a re-engineered version of the current Focus’ chassis, it should ensure that the C-MAX heads straight to the head of its class for driver involvement. And its road manners should tell us plenty about the how the next-generation Focus, due in late 2010, will drive thanks to the shared underpinnings.

Customers will have to wait until the second half of 2010 before the C-MAX hits showrooms, but we’ll bring you a more extensive set of images and all the details that matter as soon as they're unveiled in Frankfurt on September 15.

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