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Ford's New B-Max. (Shouldn't it be called B-Min?)

By Rain Noe - March 2, 2011

in Object Culture

Ford has yanked the sheets off of their forthcoming B-Max minivan, which is set to make its official debut at the 2011 Geneva Motor Show. (Concept drawing, above; production model, below.) The design of the tiny three-cylinder van is notable in that it completely lacks B-pillars, those important structural elements featured in every minivan just aft of the front seats; Ford has compensated by strengthening the doors with Boron and designing special hinges to be sure the doors stay fastened together in a crash, maintaining the structure needed to absorb an impact. The result is a more airy feel in the cabin, at least with the doors open.

We suspect the B-Max will be Europe/Asia only; Americans, alas, just don't do three cylinders.

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Scott Hunter

13 years ago

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One fo my favorite cars ever was a three-cylinder -- a Subaru Justy. It had an engine a man could pick up, but it had so much zip it felt like driving a go cart. And it got 38-40 mpg. Of course, the exterior was made of that thin gum wrapper tin foil and likely wouldn't do well in a collission with a grasshopper. I'd still be interested in an American unit of this minivan.
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