Pay attention, internet. This fastback four-door has been built as an early example of Ford's new design after its current crop of Kinetic-themed cars are consigned to history.
Alas, it won't reach production. And it resolutely isn't the new Capri, despite some internet correspondents wishing it was. It does, however, allow us some early theorising on the look of the manufacturer's international output over the next five years.
One thought: more of the same with some added Citroen? The inverted trapezoidal front grille thing, which is hangs off the front of Fiestas and Focii has been hoiked higher up, the blue oval's a bit smaller, and the lights are thinner. Though we're not holding our breath for a begullwinged C-Max.
Ford's been pretty vocal about its use of technology since last year's Paris Motor Show, and its researchers have been busy since. There's something called "driver wellness", which monitors the pilot's heart rate through the seat and adjusts the driving experience accordingly.
There's also lots of talk of cloud-connected lifestyles. This new, fancypants tech plumbs into all of your iThings, local news networks and your driving habits to provide "a personalised and seamless experience as the driver transitions in and out of the car."
Paul Mascarenas, chief technical officer and vice president of Ford Research and Innovation, says: "The car gets to know you and can act as a personal assistant to handle some of the usual routines of a daily commute. It could automatically play the same music or news program that was just streaming at home, or heat or cool the interior to an ideal temperature before the driver gets in without having to be requested by predicting departure time based on his calendar."
How long we'll have to wait for this to reach production remains to be seen, though...
Derrick Kuzak, group vice president of Global Product Development, adds: "With its compelling design and innovative technology experience, this is a clear demonstration of the exciting vision we have for the Ford brand. While you will never see this car on the road, the next generation of Ford products around the world will display many of the distinctive design ideas and advanced technologies it showcases."
“One Ford” is increasingly being put into action, and it is paying dividends to Ford with increased profits and sales. For the first time since its introduction, the Focus is the same car in the United States as Europe.”One Ford” is realigning models and designing core models to be sold in all international markets. This has made introducing a unifying global design theme important.
The Iosis Concept from a few years back was introduced to preview Ford’s “Kinetic” design language. However, implementation of design strategies was haphazard; Ford North America pursued a divergent design centered around a bold, brash look and a three-bar grille. That look won’t work everywhere, and the Ford Evos Concept premieres Ford’s “first truly new global design language.”
Evos is the new face of Ford. Like Kinetic, the look is toned down in comparison to North American Ford design; goodbye to the three bar grille. A trapezoidal grille features instead
The Evos is meant to evoke a more premium appearance. It isn’t particularly innovative or groundbreaking; we see hints of Aston Martin (and that is no bad thing). On the Evos Concept the look works beautifully; everything flows and surfaces are done very well with a simplistic purity.
Simply put, we like the Evos. The question is how this will translate over to Ford production models. No doubt the details and lines work on the Evos, but we’ll see if production cars designed in the mould of the Evos will manage to pull it off as effectively. It is a tall order. Hopefully Ford will be able to create the right balance of beauty and distinctiveness.
Summing it up, J Mays, Ford group vice president and Design and Creative officer, says that “We wanted the Ford Evos Concept to give a clear message about where Ford design is heading – shaping vehicles that are fun to drive, have a strong premium visual appeal, and above all, are stunningly beautiful.”
Ford has been pushing the envelope with technology recently, and the company looks to continue that leading technology position. The Evos Concept explores the possibilities that can be had with a vehicle that is connected to the cloud, the driver’s smartphone, and therefore the driver’s habits. There is no information on when the first vehicle inspired by the Evos Concept will debut. There is word however that the Evos could be a pretty close (minus fanciful elements) preview of a new Ford coupe on its way. Stay tuned!
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment