MPV Concept from Ford

 

A concept which should reflect the up coming MPV from Ford

The iosis MAX, on display now at the Geneva Show, is a concept which, on the face of it, seems like a prelude to a future sporty MPV (or MAV - for multi-activity vehicle - as Ford likes to call it).

In fact, it isn't that at all. Ford of Europe's design chief Martin Smith admits that the iosis MAX "isn't a forerunner to a specific production vehicle". Instead it represents the next step forward in Ford's "kinetic" design language, and possibly gives an idea of what future C-segment cars (the equivalent of the current Focus and its derivatives) may look like.

The concept also has more immediate relevance than that, though. It's fitted with a 1.6-litre version of the new EcoBoost petrol engine which is due to be fitted to production Fords starting early next year. It's turbocharged and produces a maximum of just under 180bhp, so straightline performance should be present in abundance, but the main point is that it's another example of the motor industry's gradual move to small, forced-induction engines which give very impressive fuel economy and CO2 emissions in the official EU test, even if those figures are increasingly irrelevant to what owners will actually experience (see our feature on The Rise Of The Small Engine for more details).

With the PowerBoost engine, a stop/start system (also due for introduction in 2010), an "intelligent" alternator which is used only when required and a Powershift automated manual gearbox - which we tested in a Focus a few months ago - with ratios chosen specifically for economy, the iosis MAX has a projected CO2 figure of just 125g/km. That equates to combined fuel economy of just over 50mpg, making the concept comparable to a current 1.25-litre petrol Fiesta.