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Detroit Preview: Ford Explorer America Concept

Everybody so excited about the Detroit auto show closing in and Ford wants to cut a little all that waiting, so they’ve unveiled the Ford Explorer America Concept. The new crossover concept has a futuristic design which abandons the classic body-on-frame construction and switches to unibody, this way reducing weight and delivering superior driving dynamics.

The concept is powered by a 4-cylinder 2 liter engine with EcoBoost technology that delivers 275 hp and 280 lb.-ft. of torque or, as a premium engine, a 3.5-liter V-6 delivering about 340 hp. Depending on engine selection, fuel-efficiency will improve by 20 to 30 percent versus today’s V-6 Explorer.

See more photos of the Ford Explorer America Concept and the full press release, after the jump.

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(Via Auto Unleashed.)

Chicago Auto Show: 2009 Ford Edge Sport Live [Chicago Auto Show]

While we already saw, the 2009 Ford Edge Sport press shots when the embargo let go, we wondered down to find the newly retrimmed Ford just hanging out for all to see. In the flesh, the Edge Sport works pretty well from a design perspective. Looks like the Edge should have been designed this way in the first place actually. Without the heavy trim colors and sporting bigger wheels to match the huge wheel wells, the Edge Sport plays the urban cruiser a little bit better.

We can't help but look on it with a little disappointment though, all that work and no additional oomph from the V6. Style has been thumping substance pretty regularly in the crossover market lately, so we're not really surprised. Doesn't make it excusable though.

(Via Jalopnik.)

Ford Brings a European Car to America By Way of Mexico

Ford Motor Co. likely will build its European-designed Verve subcompact in Mexico, a decision that says as much about the auto industry's future as it does about Ford's.

The company has all but staked its survival on the Verve, a car one top exec called a 'window into our future' when it was unveiled at the Detroit auto show last month. Ford is counting on smaller, more efficient cars to meet tightening fuel economy standards and says the Verve is the foundation for 'a global family of small cars' it will begin selling in America by 2010.

But building small, inexpensive cars in America isn't profitable and Ford - which lost $2.75 billion during the last quarter and is eliminating jobs - is doing everything it can to cut costs.

That, according to the Detroit Free Press, is why Ford will more than likely build the Verve in Mexico. Mexico has become the auto industry's India - a source of cheap, skilled labor that can crank out cars in big numbers. That is exactly what Ford needs right now, which is why the Verve - and many more American cars - may be labeled 'Hecho en Mexico.'

Ford has plenty of room at its plant in Cuautitlan. The 1.2 million-square-foot plant has two assembly lines, and one has been idle since Ford halted production of a subcompact called the Ikon in September. The Free Press says Ford brass would not comment on where the Verve will be built, but the paper makes a compelling case for Mexico.

Even with a new labor contract that allows Ford to pay starting workers a starting wage of $14.20 an hour - about half the salary of top-tier union workers - labor costs and overhead expenses are cheaper south of the border. That's why Mexico's auto industry is booming. Each of the Big Three has assembly lines rolling in Mexico, building cars like the Lincoln MKZ, PT Cruiser and Saturn Vue. General Motors is about to open a $600 million plant in San Luis De Potosi that will employ 2,000 people and build 130,000 Chevrolet Aveos a year.

Auto production in Mexico topped 2 million units last year, according to the Latin Business Chronicle. Automakers invested more than $4 billion in production capacity last year, and another $4.4 billion is slated this year as American, European and even Chinese firms open 14 new production lines. Mexico also has a well-established network of suppliers that produce $24 billion worth of parts each year.

As the Free Press notes, Ford's got a lot riding on its decision. Although the company has been slowly cutting its losses, it doesn't expect to turn a profit until 2009. Ford's turnaround depends heavily on breaking into the burgeoning subcompact market, which it abandoned in 1997 after killing the Aspire. Sales of subcompacts rose 40 percent in December, even as overall passenger car sales fell 2 percent. Small cars are the sunny spot in an otherwise gloomy domestic auto industry forecast.

(Via Autopia.)

Chicago 2008: Ford brings the Transit Connect to America

Before the demise of Ford's Windstar/Freestar in late 2006, the company - like its crosstown competitors - offered a cargo van variant of its front wheel drive mini-van for light duty commercial applications. There are many uses where businesses need something smaller and more fuel efficient than the full-size E-Series vans. It just so happens that Ford has what they felt was exactly the right vehicle in their European line-up: the Transit Connect. The Transit Connect is a front-wheel drive van with a profile tall enough to provide plenty of room for carrying lots of different stuff with easy access. At 6'8', however, is still short enough to slide into any garage. The Transit has sliding doors on both sides and rear doors that open up 180^o for easy access.

The Transit Connect is available with or without a second row seat. In the two-seater configuration, it has 143 cu.ft of space behind the front row. In Europe, Ford is currently selling about 110,000 units of the Connect annually, all with diesel engines. Unfortunately, the U.S. will again have to make do with a gas engine, in this case a 2.0L four banger which is expected to get EPA numbers of 19 city/24 highway. Those numbers are about 2mpg better than competing cargo vans from Chevrolet and Dodge and a lot better than any Ford E-Series van. At the preview before the show, Product Development VP Derrick Kuzak said that a full hybrid version would likely be too expensive for the market but a start-stop capability was being looked at. Perhaps a 1.4L EcoBoost would be a fine choice. Either way, the new van will offer some help to Ford's truck CAFE numbers to offset a few of the E-Series and F-Series trucks. The Transit Connect will go on sale in mid-2009.

(Via AutoblogGreen.)

Ford Focus RS to get 280hp tuned up inline-5

More details of the upcoming Ford Focus RS available on the net now - the latest scoop is a 280 horsepower upgraded version of the 2.5 liter inline-5 engine in the Focus ST, which makes its additional power via upgraded pistons, cams, valve springs, a bigger turbo, a larger intercooler, and a tuned up ECU.

The car may or may not get the new Ford/Volvo 6-speed PowerShift, and despite being aimed at the all-wheel drive Volkswagen Golf R32, it will be a front wheel drive car.

(Via Paul Tan's Raves and Rants on the Automotive Industry.)

Chicago '08 Preview: Ford Transit Connect rumored to arrive
click above for more high-res images of the Ford Transit Connect

We reported last January that the European Ford Transit Connect would be coming to the U.S., and now we've learned that the Euro van is expected to join the assemblage of debuts at this year's Chicago Auto Show. Speculation is that the front-wheel-drive mini-ish vans will hit showrooms as a 2009 model and come with a 4-cylinder engine. It is also said to have seating for five, but meant to compete with another, larger European transplant, the Dodge Sprinter. Since Ford hasn't even acknowledged that the vehicle will be at Chicago, it hasn't issued a price, but MSRP for the Sprinter Van is $32,150 and the Sprinter Wagon goes for $34,350. If nothing else, we're happy to see Ford's European migration this way continuing, and there's even a Transit Connect SportVan! Now if we could work on some of those passenger car offerings...

(Via Autoblog.)

Melbourne '08 Preview: Holden may upstage Ford Falcon with knockout concept
click above for a high-res gallery of the Holden Efijy concept

Despite several automakers opting out of year's Melbourne Auto Show, there's going to be a brawl on the floor for the hearts and minds of the masses. Ford is planning to unveil its full portfolio of new Falcons, something that's been almost ten years in the making. But Holden will attempt to eclipse the Falcon's reveal with a concept that might up the ante over the Efijy concept that debuted back in 2005. According to Bob Lutz, who spoke with Drive.com.au at the NAIAS, the Holden concept will 'knock everybody's socks off.'

Along with the concept, Holden's in-house tuner HSV may show off an amped up version of the SportWagon and a 7.0-liter V8-powered flagship sedan. None of this is good news for Ford, whcih has seen market share drop in Australia over the last few years as the top-selling Falcon has rotted on the vine over the last decade.

[Source: Drive.com.au]

(Via Autoblog.)

Watch out Tata: Bajaj to double small car fuel efficiency, Ford invests in Indian small car plantIt's just two days before the debut of Tata's $2,500 car and a major U.S. car maker blinked. Ford said Tuesday it will invest $500m in a vehicle plant in India. Ford also says a significant part of that investment will go toward making a small, inexpensive car. Ford is not alone in trying to grab headlines away from Tata.

Bajaj Autos, Indian's first and the world's fourth largest maker of three wheeled vehicles, has decided to add a wheel and is getting into the car market. 'It would be inappropriate to say that it will be priced at a lakh or two or anywhere in between because is too premature,' says Bajaj. The car, which is two to four years away, 'will set a new benchmark in terms of fuel economy and offer twice as much as the current crop of small cars,' according to Bajaj. Will increasing fuel efficiency come at the expense of more important things?

The New York Times wrote an article about Tata's $2,500 car with a compilation of the cost-cutting measures. The Times article questions the environmental claims from the company that the car would have low emissions (more precisely, that a car this cheap could maintain low emissions for the life of the vehicle). Go below the fold for the quote from the Times.

(Via AutoblogGreen.)

Ford Fiesta and Focus ST get more power

While Ford keeps on cranking out newer, faster versions of the Mustang for American customers, Ford of Europe is preparing new packages for the Fiesta ST and Focus ST hot-hatches to do the same thing.

The £950 package for the diminutive Fiesta ST pushes power up to 185 hp from its 2-liter four, which is expected to come from upgraded engine management, cylinder heads, a new camshaft and exhaust. All that adds an extra 37 hp to the standard Fiesta ST's 148, dropping a sprint to 60 down half a second to eight flat.

Meanwhile, the larger, more powerful Focus ST gets treated to a similar upgrade, worth about £1,500. This package is tipped to include a new air filter, ECU and exhaust, amounting to a similar 38-horsepower increase in power for a total of 260 that drops the 0-60 blitz down to 5.5 seconds. Thank heavens Ford sells a version of the Focus here that's just as fast. Oh, wait...

Get this: current ST owners in Europe can also get this package retrofitted to currently-owned cars, along with a full-factory warranty on the parts. Europeans, then, will just have to make do with these hot hatch packages a while longer before the 300+ horsepower Focus RS arrives in 2009, at which point Blue Oval fanboys from the U.S. will invade your countries with the intent to drive.

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(Via Autoblog.)

Here is the first photo of the production version of the Ford Kuga completely uncovered. We're not sure who the source is, but the hollywood extra has the scoop. Based on the Iosis X Concept, a production preview model debuted at the Frankfurt Motor Show this past september showing us all but a few minor trim and specification modifications. Fortunately, it appears Ford have kept their promise - judging by this photo - the only visible difference is the addition of the aluminum roof rails.

Production will start early next year at Ford's Saarlouis plant in Germany with sales beginning throughout Europe sometime during the first half of 2008. Unfortunately, since this Kuga looks pretty cool, naturally, the U.S. won't be getting it.

Related entries:

Geneva: 2008 Ford Kuga
Ford Kuga Concept
Ford Kuga UK Pricing Announced

Ford of Europe's Design team has interpreted the Company's distinctive new 'kinetic design' form language in an exciting new crossover concept - the iosis X – which makes its debut at the 2006 Paris Motor Show.

"We're calling this car iosis X as a deliberate link to our 'kinetic design' concept car lineage started last year," said Martin Smith, Ford of Europe's Executive Design Director. "The link is not just in the name – there's a strong visual relationship between the two cars, and the 'X' signals the new vehicle's crossover capabilities."

"The iosis X is an exciting five-door sports-crossover that proves we can extend the boundaries of kinetic design into a niche market vehicle,” added Smith. "It takes our 'energy in motion' philosophy even further and shows how different Ford cars will be in the future."

One of the specific purposes of iosis X is to prepare the public for the introduction of a future Ford of Europe niche model.

"There's been a lot of speculation about Ford producing a compact crossover or Sport Utility vehicle," said John Fleming, President and CEO, Ford of Europe. "The iosis X is intended to send a very strong message that we will be entering this market in around eighteen months from now, and that our new model will be both stylish and individual."

Ford iosis X is very clearly a concept and is not intended to be representative of this future production model. Instead, it sets out to explore the ways in which Ford's kinetic design form language and detailing can be applied to a niche vehicle in a rugged and exciting way.

"Customers will be able to get a feel for the design direction our production model will take, and when we do reveal that model next year the relationship between it and the iosis X will be immediately apparent," Smith explained.

In a stunning concept at Frankfurt 2005, Martin Smith and his team revealed the new form language that ultimately will be applied in varying levels across Ford's future European vehicle portfolio. The original iosis presented all of the key elements of what Ford identified as 'kinetic design' in their purest form.

“The iosisConcept has been a great ambassador for Ford design,” said Smith, adding “the reception it received from the public and the media gave us the confidence to stretch our design team even further for future Ford vehicles.”

Part of the task since iosis has been to widen the audience for this new look, and to generate a heightened expectation for what Ford is going to do next and demonstrate how 'kinetic design' could translate into other market segments.

The signal for that future direction is now revealed in iosis X. This dramatic concept car sends a clear message that the look of Ford’s European products is changing. Already, elements of kinetic design are appearing in Ford's latest new production models such as the Ford S-MAX and the all-new 2007 Ford Mondeo.

But, as with its concept predecessor, iosis X is not intended to be a future Ford production vehicle.

"What iosis X does do is to move our customers' understanding of our new design language on further," Smith concluded. "It demonstrates that 'kinetic design' is becoming a consistent and enduring reality in Ford's future and it assures them that when Ford enters this particular sector of the market, it will be with an individual and dynamic product that shares much of the excitement of this Concept."

“Feel the difference” – iosis X on the outside

“One of the aspects people recognised and liked about the original iosis was the considered complexity of the forms,” observed Stefan Lamm, Ford of Europe’s chief exterior designer, before explaining that “we wanted to explore and demonstrate how kinetic design could work on a high packaged body. This was one of the challenges for us, to maintain this dramatic, emotional design language on a car like iosis X.”

Lamm and his team were keen to exploit what appears to be an emerging trend for sporting crossovers or SUVs and a movement away from the traditional two-box styling that dominates the segment irrespective of vehicle size. "This opportunity suits kinetic design perfectly – iosis X is more of a four-door coupé crossover which is very compact and emphasises Ford’s driving dynamics."

Lamm and his team wanted to move the 'kinetic design' story on while retaining all of the key elements of the form language. As a result, the chunky five-door sports coupé crossover couldn’t be more different in its stance and dimensions to the original iosis Concept, a sleek muscular four-door coupé, yet the two are undeniably linked.

"This vehicle shows how we can apply kinetic design principles to a different type of vehicle," said Martin Smith. "We’ve taken all the key themes and graphic elements first seen on iosis and morphed them into a very sporty crossover with the footprint of a compact C-segment car.”

At the front, iosis X features the bold new Ford of Europe face translated into a more rugged look to convey the strength of the vehicle.

Most noticeable are the strong inverted trapezoid elements, including a prominent lower grille section.

"The dominant lower inverted trapezoidal grille is now a really strong brand element,” commented Lamm.

Appropriately for a crossover, the lower grille has been enhanced further by reducing the upper grille to little more than a ram air intake – a horizontal slot bisected by a bright metal bar and featuring a deliberately large Ford blue oval badge that appears to be thrusting forwards from within the engine bay.

Impending pedestrian impact legislation has influenced Ford's distinctive approach to front overhang and headlamp design. The front corners are aggressively chamfered, reducing the apparent size of the overhang, while the large headlamps follow the chamfering into the front wings, resulting in a distinctive kicked back appearance.

"Rather than see the pedestrian protection legislation as an inhibitor to the design philosophy, we now treat it as a positive design attribute," said Smith. "To accommodate the required volume in the front of the vehicle we have not only chamfered the corners back, but we have included a deep offset from the top of the hood to the front wings, creating a distinctive shoulder that runs along the side of the car to the rear."

In side profile, muscular surfacing and these strong and athletic shoulders run through the car, and are underscored by a dynamic undercut line that gives iosis Xan extremely dynamic stance, further enhanced by very bold wheel lips. Air vents aft of the front wheel arches, a key signature on the original iosis, appear also on iosis X, drawing air from the front brakes.

Side doors hinge outwards at the leading edge of the front door and rear edge of the smaller back door and are designed without a ‘B’ pillar to give easy access and an uninterrupted view of the stunning interior.

“When the car is viewed from three-quarters, either front or rear, the last visual points you should see are the wheels, and that’s just the case with iosis X," asserts Lamm. "I especially like looking at the car from the rear three-quarters view because that emphasises the undercut which develops in a different direction to the original iosis, with a stronger shadow at the rear gradually fading out to the front."

As well as balancing the proportions between the upper and lower body sections, this undercut gives the car its sleek proportions, and it seems to be moving forwards even when standing still. This is further emphasised by the swooping roofline and daylight opening that has a coupé-like profile at the rear. The resulting confident stance of iosis X belies its relatively compact C-segment size.

In addition to leading the eye around each of the corners at the front, acute chamfering also serves to disguise the longer rear overhang.

"It needs to be longer at the rear otherwise the roof line would stop abruptly and the car would look quite truncated,” explained Lamm.

Rugged and dynamically formed 'skid plate' claddings on the lower part of the vehicle stand off from the body and create a very new look.

“Usually there is some dark plastic or painted, grained plastic in the rocker area," Lamm explained. "We decided to move in a different direction and designed 'skid plates' as separate elements on the car that aren’t integrated into the shape but floating on the side panels. These were inspired by the aerodynamic foils we see on the side of a Formula One car.”

At the side, these 'skid plates' fold down to act as a step for easy access into the vehicle. They are fitted with rubber treads featuring the same patterns used in the tyres.

Key elements of kinetic design are trapezoidal shapes and three-dimensional forms and the interplay between them. Whilst the inverted grille at the front is the most obvious trapezoidal graphic it appears in many other interpretations throughout the exterior: the intakes at the front, the chamfers at the base of the windscreen and rear window, within the wheels, in the ‘C’ post kink and the ridges running down the bonnet are all elements of this basic shape.

A bird’s eye view is the best illustration of iosis X’s 'three-plane plan" form but this is also hinted at within the unique wheels which Lamm considers to be the most extreme so far designed by his team. “Mixing the finishes within the wheels heightens the three-dimensional effect, especially on the perimeter castings that look as if they could almost be scooping the mud and water out of the way.”

Lighting elements have developed significantly since the original iosis, and for iosis X, the team has been able to capitalise on the use of latest lamp technology.

Both front and rear lamps deploy LEDs in a highly detailed execution featuring swept back top edges. But what excites Lamm is not just their 3-D structure but the way in which they seamlessly follow the contours of the body.

"Too many vehicles feature elements that look as if they’re attached to the surface or are poking through apertures that have been cut into the body work," clamed Lamm. "That’s not the case with iosis X. The lamps appear to be formed as one with the surface, which gives a terrific 3-D effect and, if you look at the rear lights, you can see obvious links to the new S-MAX and Galaxy.”

Wing section door mirrors housing spotlights are mounted high up on the ‘A’ pillars while the rear fog lamp runs the width of the car above the rear skid plate that also floats away from the bodywork.

There was intense debate about the car’s colour before the team arrived at their final choice.

Unusually for this class of vehicle, iosis X is finished in an icy, brilliant white chilled further by a blue 'flip' effect in the paint finish which is set off by twin silver stripes running the length of the bonnet and etched into the glass roof.

“Most products of this type tend to be modern interpretations of moss green or greys. We thought it would be fun to do iosis X in a sheer white. That's appropriate for us as we have a history of using white to good effect - think of the GT40s and rallying Escorts – and the current Fiesta ST is very popular in white with blue racing stripes,” Smith said.

“It’s not a pure white, because that would make the car look pretty heavy," explained Lamm. "The paint we have created features a blue 'flip' effect that changes tone with light and helps describe the forms and shapes in the car."

Inside iosis X - Optical Impact

Ford's interior design team, led by Nikolaus Vidakovic, have created a dramatic and exciting interior for iosis X.

“We started with all of the positive elements from the original iosis project, and evolved these to deliver even more visual interest and drama that you might not expect from a crossover,” Vidakovic explained.

The interior is dominated by a new 'interlocking bridge' centre console structure inspired by modern helicopter cockpit design. The large console dives down from the instrument panel dividing the front and rear pairs of seats and dominating the interior before dramatically sweeping upwards at the rear and into the roof.

"Think of a Scorpion's tail!" added Vidakovic.

The rear section of this console has a practical side to it as well, as it provides a support and opening mechanism for the one-piece rear hatch in place of traditional hinges. It also provides a secure location for the spare wheel.

A central overhead panel contains personal lighting for the front and rear occupants plus ambient lighting and an entertainment screen for rear passengers. It also houses three passenger grab handles which would traditionally be located on the cant rails above the doors.

Twin glass roof panels flank the central overhead console, and these are complemented by a totally unique new feature – a solid glass floor beneath the drivers and passenger seats which offers a most unusual view of the terrain below.

“Because this is a rugged crossover rather than a four-door coupé, we needed to make different interior design decisions," Vidakovic said. "At the front, you have the usual functional elements you need to control a car, but when you go rearwards we introduce elements more appropriate to this type of vehicle such as lighting and storage features.”

The slim instrument panel is a further development from that in iosisand some elements of this theme will undoubtedly feature in future Ford products.

New technology has allowed the interiors team to locate hardware for the information, entertainment and heating, ventilation and air-conditioning systems remotely away from their controls. This has dramatically freed up space under the instrument panel, creating a floating centre console and offering a greater feeling of spaciousness. It also allowed the team to develop a range of practical storage facilities that customers could choose from, allowing them to tailor that area for their own needs.

A similar section in the rear console opens up the floor space for the back seat passengers.

The slim instrument panel flows through into the door lines, creating a dramatic cockpit feel for the front seat occupants. Facing the driver is a radical steering wheel developed from that used in the original iosis, featuring orange perspex sections and contrasting white 'piano' inserts.

The controls in iosis X employ soft touch screens and touch sensitive controls in the centre stack.

The main instruments present themselves in the form of a pair of orange illuminated transparent foil dials that create a deep 3-D effect, and are housed in individual goggle-like binnacles. Between them is a Ford HMI screen that allows easy driver control of navigation, advanced cruise control or other vehicle settings.

Although iosis X is not intended to be a mechanical prototype, it is fitted with an electronic sequential gear change control in the centre console. Its innovative design is similar to that found on many computer games consoles, and fits snugly into the palm of the hand. Surrounding the gear shifter is a series of soft touch buttons for dynamic controls, including suspension and traction settings.

Air vents, which are usually a dominating feature of any fascia, have been subtly disguised with fine mesh blending them into their surroundings.

“We’ve spent a lot of time developing this mesh over the years,” revealed Vidakovic. “It took a lot of work to get it right so that the mesh wouldn't vibrate or restrict air flow to the passengers.”

Orange mood lighting, created by light emitting diodes and light pipes, illuminates the interior. However, not much lighting is needed in a car that features not only frosted glass panels in the roof (to continue the twin silver stripes from the bonnet over the roof) but also a glass floor.

“We wanted to create the feeling that driver and passengers are connected to the outside world and can see their surroundings more clearly," Vidakovic said. "The glass floor is absolutely unique in a vehicle, like those that you get in boats which allow their passengers to look into the ocean. In this case, occupants will be able to see the elements beneath them as they travel.”

The glass floor also led the design team to develop a unique mounting system for the front seats with runners either side of the glass panels. The added benefit to this is that it gives the rear seat passengers more foot room beneath the front seats.

The seats themselves are highly complex and have been designed specifically with the rigours of cross country or light off-roading in mind, featuring more supportive padding in the upper back section and integrated seat belts.

“We’ve bought trapezoidal elements and themes into the interior to link with the exterior, whilst the interior sheet metal and piano white surfaces are also links with the bodywork to create a harmonious entity,” concluded Vidakovic.

Colour and Trim - Creating sophistication

“As our intention with iosis X is to stretch Ford's new design language further and introduce the next phase of execution and implementation, we wanted to echo this in the colour and material design strategy," explains Ruth Pauli, Chief Designer for Colour and Trim. "This means a new emphasis on quality and detailing, touch and surface design.”

As with the first iosis, Pauli and her team have taken extreme sports as the inspiration for the materials and effects seen in the iosis X's dramatic four-seater cabin.

“A friend of mine is very keen on extreme winter sports like heliskiing and ice climbing and after visiting a sports equipment fair in Munich we came away with a lot of inspiration as to how we were going to fashion the interior,” said Pauli.

Colours and textures in iosis X are very cool and fresh, contrasting the darker atmosphere of the original iosis. The similarity between the two comes in the athletic and sporty approach, with the emphasis on premium feel in iosis X, and realised in detail elements such as the seams, stitching and combination of materials.

For inspiration, Pauli and her team studied all the best quality ski equipment, including boots, helmets, body protection, goggles, gloves and the latest carbon skis as well as visual clips of personal music systems and fashion accessories. The result is crisp, fresh and young.

Traditional materials have their place too. Considerable use has been made of the finest European Nubuck and aniline leather available in Europe and the keen eyed will notice a subtle shift in tone of the blue used in the cabin.

"What we’ve selected here is a more subdued and sophisticated blue, which we then combine with very strong fluorescent accents, and orange highlights," explained Pauli. “This is a distinct change from Ford’s corporate blue, which is very bold and strong, very classic."

While most of the automotive world is using piano black for its interiors, Pauli's team has gone in the opposite direction using high gloss piano white on the centre console and in the steering wheel.

“We think white is a very strong theme from a product design standpoint and we have applied it to both the exterior and interior. We’ve given the white elements a sophisticated sportiness to show depth and quality of colour," Pauli explained.

"Inside, we have combined the white, high gloss piano finish with metal elements, contrasted with darker, premium leathers that really add a new level of sophistication to the materials story."

The result is a contrast between cold and warm textures that’s also enhanced by metallic elements in the interior to create tension in the material and colour combinations.

"We’re developing different textures and finishes to redefine a modern crossover interior," remarked Martin Smith.

A quartet of high end sports seats with integral seat belts provides the driver and passenger with high levels of comfort and support. All combine four different materials that were inspired by the technicality of skiing gear that Pauli and her team found so interesting.

The unique seats feature an aluminium skeletal structure and look as if they have been modelled from a human torso. They are clad in a combination of leathers and a complementary woven material specially created for this application with contrasting stitching. With its chain-link weave and coarse texture, its richness of detail gives it an almost 3-D appearance, whilst its coarse texture ensures it will provide plenty of grip for the occupants.

This theme is echoed in the inner door panels and across the instrument panel, where new technical materials and neoprenes are used as highlights or details. The major tactile areas of the doors and fascia are covered in leather to achieve a premium ambience to the interior.

The floating centre stack is a combination of piano white, translucent orange perspex to highlight new technology detailing and premium grade soft blue-grey hide.

By using piano white in the interior, there is a direct link to the car’s exterior both visually and emotionally.

As with the interior colours and details, it was snow and ice that inspired the exterior colour developed by Pauli and her team.

“If you look into tunnels of ice you see silvers and powdery whites and that’s reflected in iosis X exterior colours," Pauli notes. "This creates a technical, powder snow look and is enhanced by silver stripes contrasting with the cold blue flip of the paint."

“We believe that, for the first time, we have developed design elements that echo the free spirit of skiing and what’s associated with it," Pauli concludes. "Skiing can be a really emotional experience – the kind of experience we want people to enjoy when they enter the iosis X environment!"