Automobiles Review

Tag: B-MAX

  • Ford B-MAX Safety Tech

    Ford-B-Max-thumbAvoiding minor city incidents and bumps one Ford B-Max at a time. It’s a collision prevention system first in a compact Ford vehicle. Whether you are trailing behind someone in traffic while being rather absent minded or you are about to have an unavoidable crash, the company’s Active City Stop will be there for you to help out.

    Each year more than half-a-million people are injured in car crashes in cities in the UK, France, Germany, Italy and Spain alone. Supposedly, the Active City Stop can be useful in one out of eight of these incidents thus reducing the number significantly.

    “Low speed front to rear end collisions are one of the most common accidents in urban traffic,” said Roland Schaefer, safety analyst, Ford of Europe. “They can happen at traffic lights, intersections, roundabouts and other stop-start driving situations. You don’t have to be travelling fast to get injured. Even at speeds of just 15 km/h you can suffer soft tissue neck injury.”

    We saw the system first last year in the Ford Focus. It constantly scans the road ahead for obstacles and decides whether or not to apply the breaks when needed. The B-Max can go from 15 km/h to a full stop on its own. At the same time, collisions happening within the 30 km/h range will be greatly relieved.

    The subcompact MPV is also equipped with Ford’s Hill Launch Assist that prevents you from rolling back upon departure up a slope. A rear view camera and an overall compact structure with a great turning circle make it easy for parking as well. So, car for novice drivers or is that the future? According to Joerg Beyer, Ford Vehicle Line Director, this is the 21 century way.

    “Features such as Active City Stop are new to this sector. These technologies, coupled with “B-Max‘s compact chassis, and tight turning circle supported by carefully tuned electronic power-assisted steering, enable B-Max to be far greater prepared for the demands of even the most congested city.” he comments.

    Ford B-Max (2012)
    Ford B-Max (2012)
    Ford B-MAX Geneva 2012
    Ford B-MAX Geneva 2012
    Ford B-MAX Geneva 2012
    Ford B-MAX Geneva 2012
    Ford B-MAX Geneva 2012

    Source: Ford

  • 2012 Ford B-MAX features the new SYNC technology

    Ford_B-MAX ThumbThe so strongly awaited and anticipated new 2012 Ford B-MAX will feature class-leading technology, which will make this small family car a powerful one. Ford B-MAX makes its first public appearance at a key technology event: the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

    The reason for this is featured in the vehicle new SYNC technology: a voice-activated in-car connectivity system that takes the integration of mobile devices, voice control and convenience to a new level with extensive device compatibility and voice command in diverse languages. Moreover, the new SYNC technology can seamlessly connect to mobile devices various means: it not only includes Bluetooth, an iPod and flash drive compatible USB connection but also brings a potentially lifesaving feature in Emergency Assistance. This is the only feature of its sort which is designed to respond to a crash by using the customer’s connected mobile phone to call the emergency services directly. Ford also expects to have over 3.5 million SYNC-enabled vehicles on the roads of Europe by 2015.

    The new version of the B-MAX features the Ford Easy Access Door System which is unique for the car and integrates central body pillars into the hinged front doors and sliding rear doors to create large, unobstructed openings on either side of the car. Moreover, the B-MAX engine range delivers 15 per cent more economical motoring with class-leading fuel economy and CO2 emissions available on both the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine and 1.6-litre TDCi diesel engine.

    The firs one can develop 120PS (88 kW) and offering 114g/km CO2 emissions and fuel economy of 4.9l/100km (57.6mpg. Furthermore, Torque Vectoring Control, will improve driving dynamics and cornering control. On the other hand, the Active City Stop will help drivers avoid low-speed collisions using a forward-facing infra-red camera to detect objects in front of the car and automatically apply the brakes in case the driver fails to respond. The 2012 Ford B-MAX will make its world debut at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show in early March and later this year will go on sale in Europe.

    2012 Ford B-MAX Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle
    2012 Ford B-MAX Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle

    Source: Ford

  • 2012 Ford B-MAX to Debut at Mobile World Congress

    Ford_B-MAX Ford Motor Company executive chairman Bill Ford will unveil for the first time the all-new 2012 Ford B-MAX on 27th of February at the 2012 Mobile World Congress, which takes place in Barcelona. Ford actually is going to be the first manufacturer, which will present a car for the first time at the leading mobile industry event. In addition, the there will be also announced significant new technologies for Europe, which will be featured for the first time in the new B-MAX. As Ford promises, these innovations, will make the vehicle one of the continent’s most technologically advanced small cars. Bill Ford also will become the first automotive leader who will make a keynote speech at MWC. There, he will discuss the company’s vision for mobility in the future, which has the aim to explore the potential for mobile technology and vehicles to play more integrated roles. B-MAX will raise the bar for small vehicles in Europe, with the combination of technology and premium engineering into a compact frame vehicle. Later this year, on 6th of March at the 2012 Geneva Motor Show, Ford President and CEO Alan Mulally will introduce the B-MAX to the automotive world.

    2012 Ford B-MAX
    2012 Ford B-MAX

    B-MAX is a promising new vehicle, which will bring a unique Easy Access Door System with central body pillars integrated into the sliding rear doors to provide unrivalled access for passengers and luggage. Moreover, it will be powered by a versatile engine range, which will include the new 1.0-litre 120PS EcoBoost petrol engine and the 1.6-litre TDCi diesel engine. Both are expected to offer class-leading fuel economy and CO2 emissions.

    2012 Ford B-MAX with unique Easy Access Door System
    2012 Ford B-MAX with unique Easy Access Door System

    Source: Ford

  • 2012 Ford B-MAX’s Easy Access Door System

    Ford B-Max Thumb2012 Ford B-MAX features unique Easy Access Door System which will bring to its customers unrivalled ease of access. In particular it integrates the central body pillars into the doors of its multi-activity vehicle and thus creating 1.5-metre wide unobstructed openings on either side of the car. The development of the concept, the designers spent several days observing drivers in their daily routine. Hence, they got the understanding, what exactly will customers really want from a compact car. Engineers then start producing a safe and practical vehicle which is in alliance with those needs. What they did is that they moved the high-strength body-structure from the central body pillars and integrated it directly into the doors. This ensures high level of crash protection in the event of a side impact. Up to five times the strength of conventional mild steel is delivered through special ultra-high-strength steel. This is used in key parts of the body and doors, thus creating an extremely strong and stiff structure without adding extra weight.

    In addition the process involved intense testing and analysis at every stage. More than 1,000 detailed computer simulations were conducted over three years to optimize side impact crash performance. In addition, the B-MAX interior is packed with features which take optimal advantage of the new Easy Access Door System. The rear seats and the front passenger seat, for instance, can be folded flat. In this way it creates a large, convenient load platform, which can accommodate everything from bicycles to flat-pack furniture.

    The All-New Ford B-MAX will make its first appearance in Geneva next month. Eventually, it will go for sale later this year.

    2012 Ford B-Max
    2012 Ford B-Max
    2012 Ford B-MAX
    2012 Ford B-MAX

    Source: Ford

  • Ford B-MAX delivers Best-In-Class Fuel Economy and CO2 emission

    Ford_B-MAX ThumbThe new Ford B-MAX compact multi-activity vehicle achieves best-in-class fuel economy and CO2 emissions for both the diesel and petrol versions. The new 1.0-liter EcoBoost 120PS (88 kW) petrol engine and the 1.6-liter TDCi 95PS (70 kW) diesel engine both beat the rivals on fuel economy and on CO2 emissions.

    Obviously, the all-new Ford B-MAX which is going to make its debut this year is setting a new standard in its class. To be more precise, the new B-MAX, powered by 1.6-liter TDCi delivers 104 g/km CO2 emissions and 4.0 l/100km (70.6mpg). The B-MAX with a 1.0-liter EcoBoost petrol engine (120PS/88 kW) will offer 114g/km CO2 emissions and fuel economy of 4.9 l/100km (57.6mpg). All B-MAX’s petrol rivals trail behind with 134-149g/km CO2 emissions and 5.7 l-6.4 l/100km fuel consumption. The goal of Ford here was to redefine the segment through technology and ingenuity, which includes delivering the very best fuel economy.

    Furthermore B-MAX features also a range of technologies which help reducing the fuel consumption and the CO2 emissions. They include: Auto-Start-Stop, which automatically shuts down the engine when the vehicle is at idle; the Ford Eco Mode driver information system, which helps drivers adopt a more economical driving style; Gear Shift Indicator, to highlight the most efficient gear changing points; and Smart Regenerative Charging, which charges the battery at the most economical points in a journey.

    In the production of the all-new B-MAX was featured a brand innovative approach to door construction, which resulted in wide-open access for drivers, passengers and luggage. It includes the center pillars integrated into the doors themselves. The B-MAX was also designed with high quality materials, which are rarely to be found on an affordable compact car, together with flexible-seating and class-leading load-space.

    The all-new B-MAX will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March and go on sale across Europe later this year.

    Ford B-MAX - A Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle
    Ford B-MAX – A Compact Multi-Activity Vehicle
    2012 Ford B-MAX
    2012 Ford B-MAX

    Source: Ford

  • Ford B-Max at Geneva

    Ford-B-MAX-2012-thumbGood news for family people as Ford are planning to unveil a production-ready B-MAX at the upcoming Geneva Motor Show. It is a debut that comes exactly one year after the concept debut at the previous Geneva Show. The multipurpose vehicle will come with a sensible, clever drivetrain lineup and an even more clever design.
    The innovative 1.0 EcoBoost petrol unit we talked about a few days ago, will be available for the B-MAX range and so will be the Duratorq TDCi diesel plants. Sales in Europe are expected to start later this year.
    Ford CEO and President Alan Mulally himself will drop the curtain at the unveiling. Also present, will be the chairman and CEO of Ford Europe Stephen Odell who already sounds excited enough:

    “The B-MAX combines an exciting, innovative design with features that only previously have been found in bigger cars,” said Odell. “It’s a brand new car that responds to the needs of an increasing number of customers who want much more from their small cars.”

    It’s the design that gets us though. Ford say that the B-MAX boasts a class-leading load-space and flexibility, a highly configurable environment and clever pillar design but what we really can’t get enough of are the sliding rear doors which bring to mind other clever MPV’s such as the Peugeot 1007 and the bigger brother, Ford C-MAX.

    Ford B-MAX (2012)
    Ford B-MAX (2012)

    Source: Ford

  • New Turbo 1.0 EcoBoost for Ford Focus

    Ford-EcoBoost-Turbo thumbl21st century tech thinking seems to be something along these lines: “smaller is better”. Just thing about the many product advertisement campaigns that use the words “slim” or “nano” or even just putting “lighter” as a quality. Ford are aware of that and have developed a new engine within the consumer-friendly EcoBoost range – a 1.0 Litre, 3-cylinder, turbocharged petrol unit that, on paper, is just as powerful as a standard 1.6 litre one. Yet the economy figures that go with the engine (that is to be placed in a Focus) are worthy enough to make any diesel engine in the world green with envy.

    Around 200 engineers in the UK (At Dunton and Dagenham) were tasked to work on an engine that is remarkably frugal while delivering sharp and refined performance seen in all Fords so far. The end result is a small (“A4 sheet of paper” small) powertrain that goes into the 5-door Focus and delivers either 100PS or 125PS, depending on customer choice – the first one has a combined economy cycle of 58.9mpg and 109g/km of CO2 emissions. The 125PS however is the one to go for as it has a barely noticeable drop in the economy performance (56.5mpg) and yet it has more power to move around in the not-so-light Focus shell. Carbon emissions on that one are 114g/km. Peak toeque is170Nm (200Nm with overboost) and is available between 1,400 and 4,500rpm.

    Ford EcoBoost 1.0 litre engine
    Ford EcoBoost 1.0 litre engine

    Graham Hoare, European executive powertrain director based at Dunton, said:  “This is the third addition to our acclaimed EcoBoost engine family.  Joining the 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre EcoBoost engines which span 150PS to 240PS, this 1.0-litre EcoBoost signals a new era of downsized, super frugal engines for the sub-130PS segment.  During development our UK engineers focused on improving thermal efficiency and reducing friction of the engine’s internal moving parts, especially during warm-up.”

    The new Ford Focus array consists of vehicles priced from £13,995 on the road. The EcoBoost engine is priced £250 (on the road) more than the 1.6-litre 125PS engine. The freshmen, single litre is also expected to feature in Ford C-MAX, Grand C-MAX and all-new Ford B-MAX later this year.

    Ford EcoBoost 1.0 litre engine
    Ford EcoBoost 1.0 litre engine
    Ford Focus will carry the 1.0 EcoBoost
    Ford Focus will carry the 1.0 EcoBoost

    Source: Ford

  • 2012 Ford B-MAX 1.0 EcoBoost

    Ford will add all-new 1.0 litre EcoBoost three-cylinder petrol engine to the model line-up. The engine is developed in Europe and it is the smallest one Ford has ever built. Furthermore, the manufacturer confirms that its next generation of hybrid vehicles, including the C-MAX in 2013, will have a Ford-designed, engineered and built transmission.

    The 1.0 litre EcoBoost has the same performance as a four-cylinder, but with much higher fuel economy and lower emissions.

    “No one has ever built a three-cylinder engine quite like this.It’s one of the most technically advanced and efficient engines we’ve ever designed,” commented Joe Bakaj, vice president of Global Powertrain Engineering.

    “The new engine introduces many new technologies that could be part of the DNA of future Ford engines.”, he added.

    The all new 1.0 litre EcoBoost will be offered with the 2012 Ford B-Max, but full details of the new power unit will be released in September at the 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.

    Innovative efficiency solutions:

    • An offset crankshaft that reduces friction
    • An advanced, Ford-designed split cooling system that allows the cylinder block to warm up before the cylinder head. Faster cylinder block warm-ups save fuel, especially in cold weather
    • An exhaust manifold cast into the cylinder head. The one-piece assembly lowers the temperature of the exhaust gases. This enables the engine to run in a wider rpm band with the optimum fuel-to-air ratio. The new design also saves weight and allows the engine to operate more smoothly
    • EcoBoost technologies, such as turbocharging, direct-injection and twin independent variable camshaft timing (Ti-VCT)

    Ford B-MAX

    2012 Ford B-MAX
    2012 Ford B-MAX

    Source: Ford