Production Ford B-Max MPV Revealed, Will Debut at 2012 Geneva Show

Ford's new 2013 B-Max MPV will debut in production form at the upcoming Geneva auto show, one year after the concept version appeared at the same event. The good news: its styling is nearly unchanged from the handsome concept, and Ford managed to preserve the wide, B-pillar-less apertures from the show car. The not-so-good news, at least for American fans of tiny vans, is that the B-Max will be a Euro-only offering. As the "B" in its name implies, the B-Max is based off of Ford's B-segment Fiesta model. As is the case with the larger C-Max and the C-segment Focus, the B-Max is basically a taller version of its related hatchback with more interior room. About its lack of B-pillars: To ensure crashworthiness in side impacts, Ford incorporated the necessary crash structure into the doors themselves. This isn't the first instance of such structural technology making it into the affordable-vehicle arena; vehicles like the Mazda RX-8, Honda Element, and several extended-cab pickup trucks beat the B-Max to the punch, although that doesn't make the feature any less useful or practical. The B-Max will be powered by Ford's new turbocharged 1.0-liter three-cylinder EcoBoost engine, as well as a variety of small diesels. It goes on sale on the Continent later this year. from Car and Driver Blog http://blog.caranddriver.com

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