Muscular and Classy, Ford EcoSport Serves up A Contemporary and Dynamic Design

[russellw]

Wearing a dynamic design form language, the all-new Ford EcoSport conveys a spirit of energy in motion with its sculpted bodylines, high-mounted trapezoidal grille, and slim headlamps

The contemporary interior appeals to the senses with its soft-touch fabrics as well as superior quality and craftsmanship

Not only are the seats on the Ford EcoSport soft enough for comfort and firm enough for long journeys, but the rear seats can also be folded and tumbled for extra cargo space

MELBOURNE, 27 Nov, 2013 – Books may not be judged by their covers but the all-new Ford EcoSport can certainly be judged by its striking good looks.

Its bold lines, contemporary shape and sophisticated interior all reflect its credentials as a capable, flexible and practical urban SUV.

The Ford EcoSport provides roomy space for five, a high driving position with outstanding visibility, a refined cabin environment engineered for quiet operation, carefully selected and matched materials, and a modern design ethos. It all adds up to make the Ford EcoSport a compelling alternative to the run-of-the-mill compact car.
The Ford EcoSport was designed for, and around, the customer with a choice of materials and the execution of the design elements all made with the end user in mind.

Evocative exterior
At first glance, the distinctive Ford EcoSport looks like it’s ready to pounce. The fluid, dynamic and refined lines of the compact SUV are clearly defined by Ford’s global design language.

A wide bonnet sweeps into sculpted bodylines, conveying a dynamic spirit of energy in motion. Modern, slim headlamps frame a high-mounted trapezoidal grille, which gives the Ford EcoSport an element of pride and a signature Ford face. The lines of the headlamps stretch towards the rear, allowing the air to flow around them and improving the SUV’s aerodynamics. At the same time, the dynamic line that stretches from the hood to the A-pillar adds to the urban SUV’s contemporary appearance.

Moving to the side, blacked out B-pillars unify the windows into one elegant shape. The muscular beltline, formed by the windows and door creases, ascends as it runs to the rear of the car, adding to the sense of movement on the vehicle.

At the back, the large rear window wraps around to the sides along with oblique tail lamps. To keep the rear profile sleek, the tailgate handle was built into the tail lamp. A small black touch-sensitive button on the tailgate handle can be used to unlock the boot.
The spare tyre, with an exclusively designed wheel and cover on the Titanium, is mounted on the tailgate as a classic SUV cue, as well as for practical reasons. This results in more available cargo space in the vehicle, and makes it easier for customers to lift heavy loads into the vehicle over the lower bumper.


Inviting interior
The inside of the all-new Ford EcoSport follows the contemporary and creative lines on the outside. Controls and knobs are ergonomically placed while soft-touch fabrics, tight gaps and the global Ice Blue dashboard illumination all reinforce superior quality and craftsmanship.

The design team paid great attention to the smallest details inside the cabin, from seat fabrics to the grain on the door trim, to create an interior that appeals to the senses.

The designers have also used insert fabrics with distinctive textures on the seats to differentiate one series from another. On the Ambiente series, they worked around the theme of “Modular” with geometric shapes. The designers used an insert fabric called “Dali”, which requires a special embossing technique to give the fabric a three-dimensional feel.

On the Trend series, the design team was guided by the idea of “Clay Art” with references to the painted pottery of China and Brazil. The designers used a microfibre fabric call “Shanghai” for an insert. Microfibre fabrics are comfortable and easy to care for because they are water-repellent and resistant to stains.

On the Titanium series, the seats are clothed in premium Torino leather with contrasting Cabernet Red stitching. “SquareFlec” is the name used for the grain used on the instrument panel and door trim, inspired by cellular structures. The scattered square shapes give the grain a contemporary look.


Supportive seats
Soft enough for comfort and firm enough for longer journeys, the seats on the all-new Ford EcoSport have been designed using Ford global standards which have been refined after intensive anatomical research. Customers will feel as though the seat is wrapping around them.

The engineers shaped the seat contours to give enough support for the thighs and from the lower back to the upper back. They focused on giving the hips more support as that will help keep the driver stable in the seat instead of sliding around in it when taking corners or changing lanes at high speeds.

The high position of the driver’s seat offers good visibility as well as easy and comfortable access to the panel's controls. The driver’s seat has four-way adjustment, along with lumbar support that can be customised to the exact millimetre to provide the precise lower back support that the driver needs. The anatomical cut-outs and side bolsters add to the ergonomics of the comfortable seat.

The rear seats are what set the all-new Ford EcoSport apart from its competitors. Unlike typical cars that use shoulder strikers to support the rear seat, the urban SUV has a free-standing rear seat. This means that passengers at the back can recline their seat for greater comfort.

Alternatively, if customers need more cargo space, they can adjust the rear seat back forward, or just fold and tumble the entire seat up for a flat load floor and spacious luggage area. With the shingle head restraints, the driver doesn’t even have to remove them before tumbling the seats. And for those who want to carry both passengers and cargo, the rear seat can facilitate that by splitting 60:40.

The engineers reinforced the rear seats and the floor with high-strength steel to meet the strictest global safety standards. All the seats have been tested to the max for durability, strength, stress as well as comfort to ensure that they have just the right level of support to cushion and hold the occupants even after extended use.

Source: Ford Media