Iosis X: the lowdown
Meet one of the Paris Motor Show’s most flamboyant stars: the Ford Iosis X. It’s billed as a crossover concept vehicle which builds on the genes laid down by last year’s Frankfurt star, the Iosis. The Iosis ultimately morphed into the new Mondeo, as featured in the November issue of CAR magazine (out 2 October). And the production version of the Iosis X is due to hit showrooms in 2008, to take on Japanese soft-roaders such as the Toyota Rav4.
How it looks
Think Judge Dredd on a skiing holiday and you’ll have the Iosis X ethos pretty much nailed. Like its predecessor, the Iosis X experiments with Ford’s new ‘kinetic design’ language with its bold, sculpted detailing and strikingly clean surfaces, as pioneered by Ford Europe’s executive design director Martin Smith. The challenge, says Ford, has been to develop ‘kinetic design’ on a high-packaged body – something they’ve achieved and then some.
Chassis and engine
Despite its apparently super-sized proportions, the Iosis X is derived from the Focus-sized C1 platform. Drive can be sent to all four wheels, which suggest the production car will share the Volvo S40/V50’s all-wheel drive system. Gunnar Herrmann, Ford Europe’s vehicle line director, told CAR Online a 2.0-litre petrol and diesel engine would be available from launch. A six-cylinder option isn’t planned, though it’s thought the 2.5-litre five-cylinder engine (as seen in the Focus ST) would eventually make an appearance. A hybrid – seen as an essential option in a segment often lambasted in the current eco-aware climate – is also on the cards. The best is saved for the driving dynamics, however. Herrmann claims the Iosis X will re-write the segment’s handling rulebook much like the Focus did on its launch.
The inside story
The Iosis X’s side doors open Mazda RX-8-style to reveal no B-pillars and acres of room. But expect five-doors on the production car. Each occupant gets their own individual bucket seat which looks both comfy and tough enough to shrug off an avalanche on Everest. A bold centre console bisects the entire cabin, while the materials have a strong mountain climbing feel.
What’s next?
Ford plans to have a production car based on the Iosis X in the showrooms for 2008.’There’s been a lot of speculation about Ford producing a compact crossover or sport utility vehicle,’ says John Fleming, president and CEO of Ford Europe. ‘The Iosis X is intended to send a very strong message that we will be entering this market in around 18 months from now.’ Ford expects to shift a minimum of 60,000 units per year in Europe, citing this as realistic in the face of competitors reaching 100,000 sales. It’s too early for exact prices, though Ford pointed somewhere just north of the priciest Focus. Expect a price around the £18k mark, to take on Toyota’s Rav4 and the new Honda CR-V.