he Ford B-MAX debuted in concept form at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year and now we've got our first look at how the production model is shaping up.
The good news is that very little has changed since the car was first unveiled. Not only is the styling almost completely unchanged but the rear sliding doors and B-pillarless body shell has been carried over too. This has been achieved by using ultra-high-strength boron steel in the doors and special safety interlocks between those panels and the body structure.
The B-MAX is based on the Ford Fiesta, but is around 10cm longer and taller than the hatchback, freeing up more space in the cabin.
Under the bonnet, this will be the first production car to get the company’s hotly anticipated three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol engine.
The unit was first shown in the Start concept at the Beijing expo in 2010, and features direct injection, intelligent variable valve timing and a single turbocharger.
In the B-MAX it drives the front wheels through Ford’s six-speed twin-clutch Powershift gearbox. Stop-start helps keep emissions below 90g/km and ensures fuel economy of around 70mpg.
The newcomer should go on sale eary next year with a price-tag starting at around £13,000.
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