Ford B-Max announced

Replacing the underwhelming Fusion – based on the previous Fiesta – the B-MAX is designed to appeal to buyers who are downsizing by offering sharp styling and a luxury interior. 

Key to this is the ‘pillarless’ bodyshell, which does away with the conventional B-pillar by integrating it into the front and sliding rear doors. Engineers have achieved this by using ultra-high-strength boron steel in the doors and special safety interlocks between those panels and the body structure. 

The removal of the B-pillar gives an impressively large opening measuring more than 1.5 metres wide. This makes accessing the B-MAX a breeze, while the front and rear doors can still be opened independently. Although no production details have been officially confirmed, this layout will feature on the showroom-ready car.


"Sliding doors give us a unique selling point," vice president of marketing, Ford of Europe, Paul Thomas told Auto Express. "Customer clinic results told us we had to have them on the B-MAX. They appeal to people with children and older people because of the access to the rear."

The unit was first shown in the Start concept at the Beijing expo in 2010, and features direct injection, intelligent variable valve timing and a single turbocharger.

In the B-MAX it drives the front wheels through Ford’s six-speed twin-clutch Powershift gearbox. Stop-start helps keep emissions below 90g/km and ensures fuel economy of around 70mpg.

The newcomer will also be offered with more conventional petrol and diesel engines seen in the Fiesta range. Production is set to take place at Ford’s Craiova plant in Romania, and the B-MAX is likely to be priced from around £12,000 to £18,000 – slotting in just below the larger C-MAX line-up, which starts at £17,195.

While the B-MAX is primarily aimed at European markets – and isn't strictly a global car under the One Ford banner – it is expected to be sold in South America and Far Eastern markets.

---