At a recent Ford event in Michigan, J Mays, Group Vice President, Design and Chief Creative Officer, gave the attending journalists a sneak peak at the company’s new Evos Concept vehicle, which is due to make its global debut at next month’s 2011 Frankfurt Motor Show.
Now in all honesty, concept vehicles rarely spark any interest with me. After all, the term “concept” can be applied to a whole host of vehicles depending on which manufacturer we’re talking about. Some use the word to unveil a vehicle which is already fairly close to production as a way of gauging public opinion prior to fully committing to the design.
Others see concepts as nothing more than a mule for its designers’ imaginations to run wild with, and more often than not, these end up resembling something more suited to a sci-fi magazine or comic strip. It’s these which I have the biggest issue with, although they often supply a good chuckle.
Then occasionally we come across a man like J Mays (yes, his first name is simply J), who comes straight out and tells us the honest truth. This Evos Concept, as much as I love it, will not be built. At least, not as it’s currently presented. No, this is not so much about the actual vehicle we are seeing, but more about the general direction in which the company plans to head.
To explain that further, allow me to quote Derrick Kuzak, Group Vice President of Global Product Development, who said… “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”.
Your Ford of the future
Today’s Ford products provide owners with many personalisation options. However, the company plans to take this to a whole new level with cloud connectivity. In the future, your car will not only learn your personal preferences and driving habits, but will also seek additional data from the cloud.
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| Photo: Ford |
Now in all honesty, concept vehicles rarely spark any interest with me. After all, the term “concept” can be applied to a whole host of vehicles depending on which manufacturer we’re talking about. Some use the word to unveil a vehicle which is already fairly close to production as a way of gauging public opinion prior to fully committing to the design.
Others see concepts as nothing more than a mule for its designers’ imaginations to run wild with, and more often than not, these end up resembling something more suited to a sci-fi magazine or comic strip. It’s these which I have the biggest issue with, although they often supply a good chuckle.
Then occasionally we come across a man like J Mays (yes, his first name is simply J), who comes straight out and tells us the honest truth. This Evos Concept, as much as I love it, will not be built. At least, not as it’s currently presented. No, this is not so much about the actual vehicle we are seeing, but more about the general direction in which the company plans to head.
To explain that further, allow me to quote Derrick Kuzak, Group Vice President of Global Product Development, who said… “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”.
Your Ford of the future
Today’s Ford products provide owners with many personalisation options. However, the company plans to take this to a whole new level with cloud connectivity. In the future, your car will not only learn your personal preferences and driving habits, but will also seek additional data from the cloud.
 |
| Photo: Ford |