Will we ever get the real passenger version or Tourneo?

[palmtree]

I am very interested in this van. However, I don't need the extra roof height and I would like side windows in the back (like the Tourneo in Europe). Has anyone heard whether or not we will get the Tourneo?

Thanks

[madlock]

I certainly think it's possible, but this may be one of the areas where the North American market simply differs too greatly from Europe.

With Grand C-Max on its way (and presumably a non-Grand C-Max potentially easily made thereafter), it would probably make better sense for Ford to focus its passenger-carrying attention on those vehicles with inherent passenger-carrying traits rather than further derivations of Transit Connect for the retail market, at least in the short term. On the other hand, Ford has recently shown its Transit Connect Taxi Concept, which is essentially the Tourneo Connect painted yellow.

Any decisions Ford makes will likely be relatively conservative and very deliberate given their relative cash position and the fact that there' no real expansion of the marketspace expected for the foreseeable future. Unless a new product is likely win additional sales from competitors, Ford is likely to avoid any endeavor that's likely to cannibalize its own sales, only at greater expense.

[john01]

What is a Grand C Max?

[isellford]

[/url]C-Max Mk I was the first product to use the Ford C1 platform, also used by the Ford Focus Mk II and the compact MPV Premacy/Mazda5. Its internal code name is C214.

It seats five passengers and has a large amount of cargo space, which can be increased by folding the rear seats flat. Some models feature diagonally sliding outer rear seats. It also shares the control blade independent rear suspension from the Focus.

Critical Knowledge:

• Shares platform and powertrains with redesigned 2012 Ford Focus
• Focus C-MAX offers 7-passenger seating and sliding side doors
• EcoBoost turbocharged 4-cylinder engine
• Front-wheel drive
• Available blind-spot information system
• Available power rear tailgate
• Possible semi-automatic parallel parking system
• On sale in North America for 2012

Introduction

When Ford President and CEO Alan Mullaly arrived in Dearborn several years ago to steer the ailing company toward greater fortunes, the conversation probably resembled a talk with a teen-aged son or daughter:

Mullaly: Why does Ford build different cars for different markets around the world?

FoMoCo: I don't know.

Mullaly: It costs a fortune to design, develop and market all these different vehicles. Do you know how much we could save if we stopped all this nonsense?

FoMoCo: I don't know.

Mullaly: Americans love European cars, and pay a premium for them. Why didn't we bring the redesigned Focus here in 2005? And why isn't the Fiesta in the lineup to battle the Honda Fit, Nissan Versa and Toyota Yaris?

FoMoCo: I don't know.

Mullaly (slapping his forehead): Bring the European cars to Americans, now!

Mullaly's "One Ford" vision is becoming reality. The Transit Connect, designed to serve commercial needs on narrow European city streets, is already on sale in the U.S. Next up is the Ford Fiesta subcompact, followed by a redesigned 2012 Ford Focus, the full-size Transit commercial van, and a global replacement for the Fusion family sedan.

We're also getting the vehicle shown above. This is the 2012 Ford Focus C-MAX (Grand C-MAX in Europe), which has seven seats in a 3-row, 2/3/2 configuration. It's got sliding doors on each side, the seats fold to create a flat load floor, and it's about the size of a Mazda5. Ford wants you to call it a multi-activity vehicle, or MAV—not a minivan.

"The Focus C-MAX will be great to look at, great to sit in, and great to drive," said Derrick Kuzak, group vice president, Ford Global Product Development. Let's hope so.

[john01]

Hey that was a detailed answer thanks. You have any pics? Thanks, John

[isellford]

just google search Ford C-Max

[madlock]

just google search Ford C-Max

Actually, one must google search "Grand C-Max", as it's the 7-passenger version coming to North America. The C-Max is a 5-passenger standard wheelbase version that will be available outside North America.

[cmarvel]

just google search Ford C-Max

I rode in a C-Max in France last summer and loved its size and crisp handling. It got me started thinking about buying one as a replacement for my aging Mazda MPV – a 2002 model, now with 112K trouble-free miles. The advantage over the Transit Connect is the third row seat which I can use to transport my grandkids.

Ford is taking its sweet time getting the C-Max version to U.S. I believe that's because the market niche for this product has never gotten fair play in the American automotive press. Consumer Reports is probably the leader in the “bigger is better by golly” niche bias. That shows up consistently in its year by year evaluations of my MPV. Every review begins with some kind of a statement that my van is different in its maneuverability, ease of people hauling, flexible seating, and fun. But the conclusion is always that the MPV lacks the cargo capacity of a Honda Minivan, Chrysler Town and Country and Toyota Sienna and therefore not to be preferred to those models. If you want to speculate about why the magazine equivocates this way year after year, I think the reason is that the magazine doesn't deal with uniqueness very well. Perhaps when Ford brings the C-Max to the U.S. i n late 2011 there will be enough other models of C-Max size for the magazine to feel more comfortable in its evaluations. In that case, the C-Max should shine.

I think the C-Max will be a solid seller in the States. And that the niche potential is solid as well. If you doubt this, try going to your local Craigslist and look for used Mazda MPVs (from 2000 forward). They are fairly scare and hold their price pretty well.

Let's hope that Ford doesn't modify the preview look too much of the North American model. If you want to see it, google Ford C-Max Iosis.

And for more background go to this link: http://media.ford.com/article_display.cfm?article_id=30972

[madlock]

Ford is taking its sweet time getting the C-Max version to U.S. I believe that's because the market niche for this product has never gotten fair play in the American automotive press.

The timing of bringing Grand C-Max (only the 7-passenger version will be coming to North America) is more to do with logistics than potential market reception. It's one of the many vehicles based on the global Focus platform; and North American production will coincide with the bringing-online of North American production and tooling for the core Focus platform which will help Ford to rapidly develop flexible production of the many variants and sustain them profitably even at relatively low volumes if need be.

Ford is leaving North American 5-passenger hauling to its traditional vehicles. Grand C-Max allows them to fit the piece of the puzzle they deliberately forwent with Flex by making it a crossover devoid of any "minivan" features. Ford was seeking to accomplish two things; it wanted to firmly establish itself in the large crossover space and divorce itself from its weak history it left itself with its "Star" family of vans.

It works very well that Grand C-Max can now be simultaneously introduced as a new vehicle (rather than being perceived as the evolution of a weak category) and in the very cost effective manner of the global Focus platform's wholesale North American introduction.