Ford Grand C-MAX: Early Unveiling for 7-Seat LWB Version of C-MAX

Official photos of the long-wheelbase version of Ford's all-new C-MAX compact minivan that receives the Grand moniker circulated on the net today. Due to be revealed alongside the five-seat C-MAX at the Frankfurt Motor Show, the Grand C-MAX gets a 150mm boost in length to make room for a third row of seats that can accommodate two more passengers, while Ford also equipped it with a pair of sliding doors at the back to provide easier access to the rear seats.

Ford's new five- and seven seat MPVs are based on the underpinnings of the next generation Focus that is expected to be launched in 2010. Both models will be offered with the company's all-new EcoBoost 1.6-liter turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine.

The image gallery also provides us with our first glimpse of the car's interior, with the dashboard (same for both MPVs) featuring a similar design language - though somewhat more cluttered, to the European market Mondeo. Unless Ford plans to surprise us, buyers should expect to see the same console sans a few minor changes, on the 2011MY Focus.

FoMoCo's new Renault Scenic and Grand Scenic rivals are scheduled to go on sale in Europe during in mid-2010.

Via: Autoblog.nl & WCF

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2010 Ford Focus C-MAX: Reader Discovers Official Pics on USA Today

No sooner that we posted our article on the all-new 2010 Ford C-Max that included spy shots of the 7-seater model with the sliding rear-doors and a Carscoop reader discovered two official images of the 5-seat version on USA Today's website. You can check out the photos in all their glory by clicking here and here.

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All-New 2010 Ford C-MAX Revealed: Based on Next-Gen Focus, Offered in Two Body Styles

UPDATE: Ford just came out with official photos of the five-seater version of the 2010 C-MAX minivan confirming that it will indeed be offered with the firm's new 1.6-liter EcoBoost direct injection four-cylinder petrol engine. Full details will be released during the Frankfurt Show press days.

We've just been tipped off that Ford will swipe the covers off the all-new 2010 C-MAX minivan by the end of this week as the automaker seeks to get some additional publicity before the world premiere of the model at the forthcoming Frankfurt show. The new compact-sized MPV is based on the next-generation Focus platform with its styling loosely inspired from the Iosis MAX concept car that was displayed at the 2009 Geneva Salon in March.

According to Carscoop sources, Ford has followed in the footsteps of Renault and Citroen with their respective Scenic / Grande Scenic and C4 Picasso models by developing two different body styles for the C-MAX, one for the five seater version and another one for the larger and more practical, seven seater model.

While we're patiently waiting for Ford to green light the release of the first official images, we've added a full set of spy shots of the seven-seater model. Unlike the base C-MAX with five seats and conventional rear-doors, the seven-seater version features a pair of sliding rear doors that promise to improve access to the rear seats.

It is believed that Ford will premiere its newly developed 1.6-liter Ecoboost turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine on the new C-MAX that will also be available with numerous other normally aspirated petrol and turbo diesel units.

The new Ecooboost engine will eventually make its way on other Ford models in Europe such as the Mondeo and the next-generation Focus range.

Sales of the new C-MAX models are expected to start in Europe in mid-2010.

As for North America, even though Ford has confirmed that the U.S. will get the all-new, next-gen Focus model in 2010, there's no word if the range will also include the C-MAX.

Official Photos of 5-Seater 2010 Ford C-MAX

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Spy Shots of 7-Seater 2010 Ford C-MAX

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New Ford Focus RS Chipped to 340-Horsepower by GGR

With the arrival of the new Ford Focus RS Mk2 tuners across Europe are readying various improvements for the hot hatch that leaves the factory with a 300 HP 2.5-liter turbocharged inline-five linked to a six-speed manual gearbox that transfers power to the front-wheels. One of the first upgrades to hit the market comes from Ford specialist Graham Goode Racing (GGR).

The 'RS340' engine tuning package for the Mk2 Focus RS consists only of an ECU upgrade with firmware modifications and software reprogramming.

According to GGR, the kit adds an extra 40-horsepower and 73 lb-ft boosting total output to 340-horsepower at 5,600 rpm and 397 lb-ft or 538Nm of maximum torque at 3,100 rpm. GGR did not release any acceleration figures for the tuned Focus RS.

The ECU upgrade is priced at £435।00 including VAT and is covered by a 12 month / 30,000 mile breakdown warranty.

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Ford Won't Build New Focus in Australia after all

In a surprise announcement, Ford Motor Company's Australia division said that it has abandoned its plans to build the next generation Focus at its operations outside of Melbourne. The company originally intended to manufacturer around 40,000 units of the C-segment model each year, with 15,000 of those destined for markets outside Australia. Instead, Ford said that it will spend around $230 million AUD to develop new engines for its Falcon and Territory models (see details here).

"After assessing the global requirements and costs of producing the next Focus in Australia, Ford determined that the changing economic conditions meant it could not make a business case for profitably manufacturing the car," the company said in a statement.

Marin Burela, President & CEO of Ford Australia, said: "Although difficult, this is the right decision for Ford Australia." Ford claims that the decision to not make the Focus in Australia will not result in any job losses.

According to media reports, Ford has now decided to import the Focus to the Australian market from Thailand.

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Limited Run Ford Focus X Road Compact SW Goes on Sale

Ford's European arm has announced the Dutch market launch of the Focus X Road special edition model that was first seen this past April at the AutoRAI motorshow in Amsterdam. Built in a limited run of only 300 unit all of which are destined for The Netherlands, the 'tough' looking Focus Station Wagon is priced from €25,175 or at today's exchange rates, $35,800.

Based on the Focus Station Wagon and available exclusively with a 125-horsepower 1.8-liter four-cylinder engine that can run on either regular unleaded gasoline or bioethanol (E85), the X Road features a special off-road bodykit with unique front and rear bumpers, protective trim on the fender arches and sides plus aluminum underbody skid trays. The car's looks are rounded off by a set of unique 17-inch alloy wheels.

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Geneva Show: Ford Iosis MAX Study Hints at new Focus and C-MAX

Pride of place on the Ford Geneva Show stand went to the Iosis MAX concept car that essentially previews the looks of the next generation C-MAX compact minivan that is due in 2011 as well as of the 2010 Focus. The four-seater MPV features a dramatic exterior and interior treatment based on a fresh interpretation of Ford's kinetic design form language.

"Our designers have stretched themselves beyond the two previous iosis concepts, and have applied to a MAV," said Martin Smith, Ford of Europe's Executive Design Director. "The iosis MAX proves that cars in the compact MAV class can have emotive, dynamic styling without sacrificing their traditional virtues of practicality or efficiency – something that the larger and revolutionary S-MAX has already demonstrated."

The Iosis MAX also showcases new door opening concepts, lightweight materials, advanced aerodynamics, and a preview of the European development of Ford's global EcoBoost petrol engine technology that will hit the market in 2010.

In particular, the Iosis MAX is powered by a 1.6-litre 180HP four-cylinder turbocharged petrol engine from Ford's new EcoBoost engine family. The engine is coupled to a 6-speed PowerShift double-clutch automated manual gearbox with ratios tailored to deliver maximum fuel efficiency.

In addition, the concept features a new Auto-Start-Stop system which is also due for production in 2010. Ford claims that simulations predict that the concept vehicle could achieve CO2 emissions as lows as 125g/km.

[Source: Carscoop]

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