CONCEPT: Ford Verve

[Flybrian]

Ford Verve Concept

Link to Original Article @ Motor Authority

Ford’s Verve Concept, set to be unveiled at next month’s Frankfurt Motor Show gives us a preview of the new global design theme for all future Blue Oval small cars. The new Verve is also the first of three new concept cars representing a future hatch that will be sold in Europe, Asia and North America.

The concept was penned by Ford’s design studios at Dunton in the UK with another team in Cologne, Germany, also influencing the final look. Following the theme of Ford’s ‘Kinetic Design’ previewed on the Iosis and Iosis X concept cars, the new Verve is said to be a good indication as to what the new Fiesta hatch will look like. The car features a sporty profile and is dominated by a large and aggressive grille up front and tapered back LED headlights.

The new Fiesta, which fits in the B-car segment, is due to bow in late next year. The final production model will be toned down significantly from this concept but there will be some similarities. Sharing its platform with the recently launched Mazda2, the Fiesta will get a range of petrol engines including 1.3L, 1.6L and 1.8L units plus a new turbodiesel co-developed with PSA Peugeot Citroen.

Image Gallery

[91z4me]

Like the interior, profile, and rear end. Really dislike the AM like front end.

[PurdueGuy]

The final production model will be toned down significantly from this concept

Hopefully they just mean a slightly smaller mouth, non-LED headlights, less blingy wheels, and probably a toned down interior. If they tone down the exterior lines much, it's gonna push into boring land.

That blue oval in the slotted grill really looks like a chrysler crest & wings at that angle...

Edited August 23, 2007 by PurdueGuy

[the_yellow_dart]

That blue oval in the slotted grill really looks like a chrysler crest & wings at that angle...

Yes!! It looks like a Concorde and a Fit bumped uglies.

[vonVeezelsnider]

Holy putrid colour, Batman!

[Cadillacfan]

Chevy Beat would be a good competitor to this. GM better hurry up with that.

[thegriffon]

For the Umpteenth time, the Chevy Beat is two size classes smaller than this.

[Nick]

Who decided it was a good idea to rip off Peugeot?

[Intrepidation]

The final production model will be toned down significantly from this concept

Why? Bland is not what sells cars unless you're Toyota.

[deftonesfan867]

I like it ALOT. AS long as that mouth shrinks.

[dimitri0917]

They should've put more retro cues in there. They don't need it fully retro, but the front reminds vaguely of a FIAT 500, and they shouldve went with more retro looks in the tail.

[cire]

If Ford can bring this car to market with most of the concept's design DNA intact, it will blow the doors off of most of the competition in the B segment. Watch out Scion xD, Honda Fit, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, Toyota Yaris, and Chevrolet Aveo; Ford is about to make a big splash in the subcompact market. Let's just hope that Ford properly nails the details.

Now if only Mazda will wake up and bring the Mazda2 over here.

Edited August 24, 2007 by cire

[91z4me]

If Ford can bring this car to market with most of the concept's design DNA intact, it will blow the doors off of most of the competition in the B segment. Watch out Scion Xd, Honda Fit, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, Toyota Yaris, and Chevrolet Aveo; Ford is about to make a big splash in the subcompact market. Let's just hope that Ford properly nails the details.

Now if only Mazda will wake up and bring the Mazda2 over here.

That is all only IF Ford brings this to the states. And lets face it it is a FAR nicer car than the more expensive and larger Focus, so that probably won't happen until the current 1 generation behind Focus is replaced w/ something else.

[Cory Wolfe]

That's a big grill. It could swallow a small child!

[thegriffon]

Once again, the embargo has been broken. This shouldn't have been released until the 24th.

[mustang84]

That's very contemporary European looking and nice...I hope Ford follows through and only tones down the grille slightly. It looks like something you would see in the driveway of an architecture magazine with some modernistic home in the background.

Nice job on placement of the "model"....there are guys that will stop and look at those pics just for that. :AH-HA_wink:

[DetroitNut90]

It looks hungry. Fix the front end, and it'd be better.

[toesuf94]

Since Ford sold or is selling Austin Martin...can they still use that grill?

They should not tone this thing down at all...what a neat and refreshing design compared to the Taurus and the last Festiva that was here! And the back looks like a mini Subaru B9 Tribeca. The interior looks like they shrunk the console/center stack of the NG CTS.

Edited August 23, 2007 by toesuf94

[Oracle of Delphi]

Holy putrid colour, Batman!

Hey I like purple! But I like yellow more.

[ocnblu]

The most mature car in the segment. Makes the pathetic new Aveo look like a kiddie kar. Love it!

[Windy-57]

Yeah, I like this. Ford has the uncanny ability to produce an absolutely wonderful model (Ford Edge) while putting out some real trash at the same time. It would be nice to see some more consistency from them.

And, this isn't production yet. Ford also has a real knack for taking a wonderful concept and making it garbage in production. (Flex)

[smk4565]

The lower grille is too big, and it looks a little like a jelly bean, but other than that the car looks fantastic. The headlights are great, looks a lot like the Mondeo in front which is a good thing. This car and the Mondeo both look more expensive than they are. Ford could have some success with this styling theme, I don't know why they don't style some cars like this here, the Fusion looks pretty good, but the Focus and Taurus are ugly. I am not a big Ford fan, but I'd like to see them improve, rather than Toyota and Honda just continually crushing them.

[Cadillacfan]

For the Umpteenth time, the Chevy Beat is two size classes smaller than this.

Calm down man. I'm talking more about the styling. If GM could put that on the next Aveo, it would be a good competitor.... also, are you sure this is two class sizes and not one? The Beat would replace the Spark(one step below the Aveo) and the Fiesta would be Aveo sized (B-Class vehicle).

[K-1]

The most mature car in the segment. Makes the pathetic new Aveo look like a kiddie kar. Love it!

Umm... this isn't even close to being a production vehicle. It's due for some major watering down.

[regfootball]

If Ford can bring this car to market with most of the concept's design DNA intact, it will blow the doors off of most of the competition in the B segment. Watch out Scion Xd, Honda Fit, Kia Rio, Hyundai Accent, Toyota Yaris, and Chevrolet Aveo; Ford is about to make a big splash in the subcompact market. Let's just hope that Ford properly nails the details.

Now if only Mazda will wake up and bring the Mazda2 over here.

Detroit based decision makers rarely show the ability to move in the correct direction in terms of making quick work of opportunity.

As others say, it will likely get watered down, too.

IF it came here in less than 18 months as shown in these pics, then yes, it will be a HEEYOOGE hit.

My advice to Mullally and Bill would be to get this damn thing in showrooms ASAP.

That said, aside from the Iosis, as a Ford fan, I am quite on the fence regarding this 'kinetic' design thing they have going on right now. Aero is dead, this is simply Bangle-ized aero. And Bangle has been overdone.

That said, its highly distinctive, Ford invented aero in the past, and its well done in this concept and probably would find many fans here aside from EU, despite how on the fence I am about it. Basically, this IS design, and Ford needs to score some style points. No one in the US is selling this look right now. It is a brand differentiator.

I would strongly advise Bill and Alan to have this concept at Detroit and LA auto shows. the pub from the design alone will score major points with the press.

Edited August 24, 2007 by regfootball

[sciguy_0504]

It's nice for a compact but the Aston Martin design shouldn't be so cheapened. The front is like a Chinese rip-off. The rest of the car is nice, though. The interior is surprising for a Ford.

[thegriffon]

Calm down man. I'm talking more about the styling. If GM could put that on the next Aveo, it would be a good competitor.... also, are you sure this is two class sizes and not one? The Beat would replace the Spark(one step below the Aveo) and the Fiesta would be Aveo sized (B-Class vehicle).

The Spark is the next smaller car than the Aveo in the GM Daewoo lineup, but there is a larger class of vehicles (A-segment) between the Spark and Aveo not produced by GM, although they continue to sell vehicles in that size produced by Suzuki.

B-segment: Aveo, Colt, Fit, Fiesta, Corsa, 207, Clio, Rio, Mini Clubman, C3 etc.

A-segment: Mini, March, Swift, Sirion, Vitz, Ka, C2 etc., and the taller Materia, Agila, Modus, 1007 and Cube MPVs

A0-segment: 500, Spark, Picanto, Charade, Panda, Twingo, C1, 107 etc.

[thegriffon]

The most mature car in the segment. Makes the pathetic new Aveo look like a kiddie kar. Love it!

That's because it's not a new Aveo, it's just an MCE. The new cars in this segment are the Renault Clio III, Fiat Grande Punto, Peugeot 207, Opel Corsa and Hyundai Accent, against which the new Fiesta is just playing catch-up. Other than the fancy startrek-meets-Nokia center console, it's not anything special in that crowd.

BTW, I have Realvideo of the concept being built+soundbites at AutoReport.

[Robert Hall]

The side window treatment reminds me of the Mazda CX-7 and CX-9 for some reason...I like the color (would love to see a Mustang in that color). The grille is a bit over the top, though (trying to outdo Audi and Peugeot?)

[ZL-1]

I hope Ford doesn't tone it down too much.

[91z4me]

[Delta Force79]

I can't believe I actually kinda like this thing...The AM grille is way too obvious, but other than that, it looks pretty sweet. And one I don't like Ford's stylng in recent years and two I am not a hatchback fan.

[AxelTheRed]

Not bad, but knowing Ford, they'll water it down too much.