What is it?
This is Ford's answer to the Opel Meriva - a Fiesta-based baby MPV called the B-Max. Styling-wise, it harks back to the Iosis Max - a concept car unveiled by Ford at the Geneva Motor Show in 2009. The highly practical rear doors are the biggest news, as they both slide to open and are a rarity in this segment.
Why's it here?
It's an unashamed stab at Opel's Meriva, which has had things its own way on the mini-MPV market for some time. The Ford B-Max shares its platform with the Ford Fiesta and features the blue oval's Kinetic design language. The show car's glass roof is likely to be a cost option on the finished product.
Power is expected to come from Ford's smallest EcoBoost engine so far - a 1.0-litre three cylinder unit, last seen on the Start concept at the 2010 Beijing Motor Show.
Show stopper or floor filler?
It's an all-new Ford, so it will draw attention. What's more, the company really isn't pulling any punches about the B-Max's potential to take down the Meriva. The sliding pillar-less doors apparently give the B-Max a 1.5-metre wide entrance to the cabin, which Ford describes as about twice as wide as that of competitors.
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