But while I believe...
But while I believe their intentions are honourable, I wasn"t so impressed with their method of protest. Didn"t anybody tell these keen-but-naive activists that by aimlessly driving around the motorway network in circles in work time they had to purchase even more fuel than normal, thereby giving the Chancellor more money? Also, they gave up a valuable weekday, which might have been better spent earning a few quid.
But the significance...
But the significance of the picture goes further than simply looking inside the new people carrier. The S-MAX is the first Ford to be based on the platform of the next-generation Mondeo, and the top-selling family hatchback will have a very similar dashboard design to that seen in the mag.
Revealed in concept form at last year"s Geneva expo, the S-MAX will be available in five or seven-seater guises. The stylish interior features a dashboard dominated by a bold centre console, trimmed here in aluminium.
As with the smaller Focus C-MAX, the S-MAX has a gearstick mounted higher up the dashboard than on a conventional hatchback, and Ford has made a real feature of the handbrake. It"s the first time the blue oval has fitted an aircraft-inspired handle - something Renault drivers will be familiar with.
The steering wheel buttons visible in this spy shot are also a new design, giving the driver fingertip control of the in-car entertainment systems. Due to go on sale in the UK at the end of the summer, the S-MAX will cost from around ÷£17,000, with flagships priced nearer ÷£23,000. The engine range will be shared with the new Mondeo, but a hot version of the MPV will be powered by the Focus ST"s five-cylinder unit.