Ford Concept Cars - Thinking Ahead
Ever since the Model T Ford broke new ground in the 1908, Ford has experimented with new designs, styles and concepts in cars. Unlike many concept cars that appear at motor shows like Frankfurt, Tokyo and Detroit; Ford has concentrated on developing new cars for the mass market.
That doesn't mean to say they don't let themselves drift of into wild fantasy. Take the 1952 Ford Concept that made jaws drop when design sketches first appeared. This fin tailed monster (pictured left) never got off the ground but, in 1954, something very close to it did - the Ford Lincoln Futura (pictured right).
Look familiar? It should. By the mid 1960's, the Futura had become the vehicle of choice for Bruce Wayne and Dick Grayson - aka Batman and Robin.
The Ford Lincoln Futura, although it was 12 years old by the time the caped crusader climbed into the drivers seat, was still considered to be ahead of its time. It featured all sorts of gizmos that other car manufacturers only dreamed about. Things like Air Conditioning, AM Radio, push button automatic gearbox, radial ply tyres and an early form of SatNav - well a fancy compass really. The car was built at the Ghia studios in Turin and intended for volume sale but this never came about. Whilst the car attracted huge praise and admiration it was just too far ahead of its time. Most Americans, when asked in research, just imagined it would be far too expensive for them. Fortunately millionaire Bruce Wayne could afford this Ford and added a few extra accessories like Turbo-electric Drive, Bat-Light Flasher, Mobile Phone, Batscope, Anti-theft System, Anti-fire Control System, Emergency Bat Turn, Reverse Thrust Rockets, Ejection Parachutes, Bat-Ray Projector, Computer and a special luminescent paint. Just the sort of stuff you find in a Ford Fiesta these days.
But apart from those historic flights of fancy, Ford is also working constantly on new mainstream volume cars.
Cars like the new Ford Verve. A small car that uses what Ford designers call 'Kinetic Design'.
This is just a fancy term for cars that are great to drive.
It covers every aspect of the car from seating to visibility to the position of switches right through to chassis design and the position of the engine.
In the past, car designers and car engineers worked apart. The designer would come up with the looks and pass it on to the engineer.
The engineer would then moan about the design and change it to fit his engineering solution.
Yet another Ford Concept that looks set to hit the showrooms soon, is the Ford Kuga. A stylish and dramatic 'Cross-Over' vehicle that combines off-road and on-road capabilities to be better degree than the normal 4x4 SUV's that patrol our high streets. This concept was known as the IOSIS X when it was first shown at the Geneval and Frankfurt motor shows. On both occassions, the IOSIS X concept was a major hit. Production was commissioned and the IOSIS X re-emerges soon as the Ford Kuga. The showroom version remaining true to the original concept
At Ford, designers and engineers work side by side to achieve this Kinetic Design solution that ensures that the car is designed from the first to last bolt to be great to drive. The proof of the pudding is the first two cars to be built with that approach. The Ford S-Max and New Ford Mondeo. Both have won Car Of The Year awards and both have been highly praised by the motoring press and customers.
If you want a taste of what Kinetic Design means, give Phil, Gary or Jeanette a call on 01543 414451 and book a test drive.