Romania's trendy new people carrier

December 2012 - From the Print Edition

It′s the end of the year, and having recently celebrated Romania′s National Day in December, I thought I should introduce a car proudly manufactured here. Romania′s new sweetheart people carrier is a compact five-seat MPV based on the Fiesta, and manufactured in Ford′s plant in Craiova.
Ford invited us to test the car on a two-day trip, with all the engine range available to compare.
The designers at Ford started from a blank sheet of paper and tried to figure out ways to make the most of the present innovations in car manufacturing, for the benefit of drivers who expect functionality and ease of use from such a family-oriented vehicle.
The most striking design feature is the absence of the B-pillar, or, more accurately, its clever integration in the sliding doors. This was no easy job, as this pillar is one of the car′s most important safety elements, especially on side impact. Using information from other areas such as aerospace, Ford′s designers managed to ensure the desired protection and integrate this practical feature.
The result of this innovative design is incredibly easy access to the interior. Practical design features are present everywhere in the cabin, from the multiple storage spaces to the split-folding rear seats, which drop down to give a flat load floor. The front passenger seat also folds to create an over two meter-long space to carry your furniture.
In terms of gadgets and technological innovations, the Ford B-Max features a voice-activated SYNC communications system designed in cooperation with Microsoft that will respond to commands such as radio control, climate and phone calls.
From the engine range available at the moment, the all-new 100 or 120bhp 1.0 three-cylinder EcoBoost petrol engine stands out. This is the winner of the first ever Engine of The Year Award from Ford and is packed with innovations designed to ensure low CO2 emissions and incredible performance for such a small engine.
The older conventional 1.4 and 1.6 petrols are available too, as are 1.5 and 1.6 diesels that come with decent performance and running costs.
The price of a B-Max in Romania will be lower than in any other country as Ford tries to position this car as a mass-volume vehicle that will surely steal some of Dacia′s clients.

by Adrian Ion

Vital Statistics
Engine: 1.0 litre and 120 Hp
Torque: 200 Nm
Consumption figures: 6.0 litre urban, 4.2 litre highway
Performance: 11.2 seconds from 0 – 100 lm/h and a top speed of 189 Km/H
CO2 emissions: 114 g/km
Price for this version starts at: 13,629 Euro + VAT
Starting price for Ford B‑MAX with the 1.4 90 Hp engine: 10,806 Euro + VAT