The Grand C-Max

Americans are pleading for a vehicle that handles well, is fuel efficient, and also large enough to carry the kids football gear, and other paraphernalia. The fact is that we all will have to drive smaller more fuel efficient cars in the future. There is no getting around it.

Ford’s new Grand C-Max might be the answer to the gas guzzling minivans. It was introduced last month at the Frankfort Motor Show in Germany. The Grand C-Max is smaller than a minivan, holds seven people, and rivals most fuel efficient compacts on the market today. It’s a practical combination of the compact car and the minivan. It works well for a daily commute and as a weekend family cruiser. Ford is calling the Grand C-Max a multi activity vehicle instead of a van in an attempt to avoid the mom-mobile stigma. It will have the sliding doors which indentify minivans from crossover utility vehicles, and there will likely be no advertising with the word “van” in it.

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Ford says the automobile will be built on the plans of the new global C vehicle architecture. These C- segments include compact cars such as, the Ford Focus and Toyota Corolla. Ford will introduce five and seven passenger models of the C-Max in Europe in 20010 and will bring the Grand C-Max seven seat model to the US in 20011.The US version will be powered by one of Fords new family of EcoBoost gasoline engines made to maximize power and fuel economy.

There are three rows of seats, and the middle seat can be folded down, and kept out of sight until needed. The seats will be large and comfortable. It will be small enough for commuting and large enough to carry the kids to soccer and football practice.

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Actually there are already two of these vehicles on the market in the US, one from South Korea and one from Japan. The South Korean model is the seven passenger “KIA Ronda” which is sold as a small crossover. It doesn’t have sliding doors but the concept is the same, room for family and fuel efficient. From Japan the model is “Mazda5″ a microvan with sliding doors with room for six people in three rows.

Even though the US versions is being called the Grand C-Max, it could be changed to a more marketable name by the time it hits the US.

http://quazen.com/autos/choose-your-new-car-wisely/

http://socyberty.com/history/henry-ford-and-the-motel-t/

http://socyberty.com/advise/prevent-the-theft-of-your-car/