The third chapter in the Iosis saga takes things a step further: in terms of how it evolves kinetic design – a genuine renaissance for Ford Europe’s image – and in its dynamic interpretation of the MPV genre, taking the same approach adopted by the earlier S Max. The Iosis Max is a concept in every sense of the word, a concentrated ensemble of forward looking ideas.
Undoubtedly, its forms give a hint of what the future C-Max will look like, which will be unveiled during the second half of the year and is due to reach showrooms in early 2010. But it doesn’t seem as close to the final result as, for example, the Verve did to the Fiesta. It remains true, rather, to the nature of the Iosis family of concept cars: from the September 2005 original, a veritable milestone for kinetic design, to the Iosis X from a year later, which introduced genes subsequently transferred to the Kuga.
The result of five months’ work in collaboration with the coachbuilder Coggiola, which fabricated the show car, the Iosis Max aims to banish forever the perception of the MPV as a characterless box. “We wanted to put forward a dynamic interpretation of the MPV” explains Martin Smith, executive design director for Ford Europe, “while simultaneously demonstrating the compatibility of our design ideas with a vehicle that must still retain its traditional virtues of practicality and or efficiency. For instance, we focused particular attention on the C pillars, which are key in creating an impression of speed even when the car is standing still. This is also a critical area from an aerodynamics standpoint, which is why we have introduced two flying buttress elements to channel the air: they work in conjunction with the tail spoiler, with wings sprouting out laterally from a central mount, to clean up the air flow and reduce turbulence.”
(The article continues in Auto & Design n. 176, page 27)
The article continues in Auto & Design no. 176
