Due to make its debut at the upcoming Frankfurt Motor Show is Ford’s stunning Evos concept. While it looks like a typical concept fantasy, the Evos is important for two reasons in particular. Firstly, it shows where Ford’s current design direction is heading, and secondly, it is said to preview the marque’s upcoming all-new Mondeo medium executive saloon.
Unwrapped in Berlin Germany earlier today the Evos Concept represents the future of Ford’s new global design language and explores future powertrain and vehicle technologies.
“The Ford Evos Concept unites three key elements which are at the core of our One Ford global product strategy: outstanding design, smart technologies and fuel economy leadership,” said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president of Global Product Development.
“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.”
The Ford Evos Concept was specifically developed to introduce the new Ford design direction. Key design elements will be applied to forthcoming Ford vehicles.
“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,” said J Mays, group vice president, Design and chief creative officer.
The Evos Concept was conceived as a dramatic fastback concept, combining a striking new profile with innovative proportions. Attention-grabbing lines conceal a new format, with a four-door, four-seat layout which combines dynamic appearance with surprising practicality.
“This is an exciting new interpretation of the fastback bodystyle, with a really innovative silhouette as well as dramatic and very modern proportions,” Mays said.
The concept’s hinged gullwing-style doors, both front and rear, provide outstanding access to the spacious four-seat cabin. The concept car is 4 500 mm long, 1 970 mm wide and 1 360 mm high, with a wheelbase of 2 740 mm.
A number of design elements seen here will contribute to an unmistakable future Ford look,” said Mays.
A trapezoidal grille mounted higher on the car and creating a confident, more premium look, will definitely been seen as the new “face” of Ford products. Bold, technical shapes, such as the extremely slim ‘laser cut’ front lamps or the dramatic graphic created by the front and rear screens connected by the thin glazed section of the roof, add a distinctive profile to the design. Sculptured flanks highlight tauter, more muscular character.
The interior has been created with driving pleasure in mind. An innovative cockpit promises new levels of driving pleasure and driver interaction. The interior architecture features clean and simple surfaces, with a muscular character to the slim upper instrument panel, enhanced by bold trapezoidal cut-outs. Contrasting these muscular forms, curvaceous cockpit display surfaces sweep down either side of the driver, providing secondary information about vehicle and info-tainment systems.
The concept features a bold red driver’s seat and the vision of unprecedented driver interaction via an advanced driver interface. The two rear seat passengers are privy to dedicated touch-screen displays to interact with the vehicle and individually adjustable sports seats.
“Both the exterior and interior of the Ford Evos Concept clearly communicate that this is a driver’s car, so that as soon as people see the vehicle, they will immediately want to get in and drive,” said executive design director Moray Callum.
Under the skin is a lithium-ion plug-in hybrid (PHEV) powertrain scheduled for introduction in North America in 2012 and Europe in 2013. Ford’s ‘powersplit’ hybrid technology allows the electric motor and petrol engine to work together or separately to maximise efficiency. Ford’s advanced PHEV technology offers an overall driving range of more than 800 kilometres using the battery and engine – more than any other plug-in or extended-range electric vehicle. The powertrain typically runs in all-electric mode before switching to charge-sustaining hybrid mode for continued fuel efficiency.
Current technology requires vehicle chassis settings to be set before production based upon the abilities and tastes of a wide cross-section of drivers and the topography of typical roads across the globe. Evos is able to foresee changing conditions, tuning handling and performance to the road ahead and the specific individual behind the wheel.
Learning driver habits and capabilities, the technology can overlay map and weather data to adjust powertrain, steering, suspension and braking systems for optimum enjoyment, comfort and safety. Because the vehicle is adaptive and honed to maximum performance based on the situation, it takes driving engagement to a new level.
