If I was asked to nominate...
If I was asked to nominate the most damning, scary and revealing motor industry article I"ve read all year, it would be the one my trembling hands tore from a leading American business magazine a little over a week ago. Among other things, the story said that Ford was in a mess. It"s hurting like never before. Unless things change big time, it is going down the tubes. And there"s more. Much more. At the wheel of the enterprise that has just lost .8billion (£3billion) in its last, dismal three-month accounting period, is Alan Mulally, whose corporation is forecast to burn another bn (£1.6bn) cash in the next quarter.
Judging by the cooling...
Judging by the cooling vents in the front bumper and purposeful alloy wheels, it looks like we captured a hot version in the cold, although all models will get the stylish headlights and chunky stance of the car pictured. While Ford isn"t planning to offer a specific performance model, the newcomer is expected to use the same five-cylinder engine fitted to the hot Focus ST. The stylish people carrier is also the first model based on the next-generation Mondeo platform, so other engines will be shared with the all-new family car.
The sporty MPV looks set to be one of the most desirable family models on sale, not least because of its versatile cabin. There will be both five and seven-seat versions, with both models boasting flexible interior layouts, similar to the smaller C-MAX.
The S-MAX will debut at next month"s Geneva Motor Show and hit dealers by the end of the summer. Prices are expected to range from ÷£17,000 to ÷£23,000 for the flagship model.