2005 Ford SAV Review

Specifications

So Why Isnt This Car Coming Here?

This has got to be the coolest family-oriented concept I have seen coming from a major carmaker since the Lexus LF-X crossover concept from a couple of years back. Of course, all the rhetoric coming from Ford about this one is that it is strictly Euro-flash. Upon its presentation last March, Ford claimed that the SAV was principally the “future Ford of Europe design direction.” This has since been reaffirmed with similar stylistic treatments for the European Focus and Fiesta.

The Ford SAV concept was displayed at the Geneva Auto Salon back in March. If youre wondering about the delay in my response time, well, you can just keep wondering. OK, maybe the next bit of information will give my real reason away. Last week, Ford confirmed that the SAV is heading for production to fill a niche between the Fusion-sized (Fusion being the North American sedan not the European crossover - sorry about the con-fusion) Mondeo sedan/wagon and the Galaxy minivan. Good enough reason to take a closer look? Thought so…

So is this SAV a bloated wagon? A shrunken minivan? A bulbous SUV? And didnt BMW coin that acronym to describe their X5, and now their new X3? Yes. It stands for Sport Activity Vehicle in Bavaria.

Despite being one of the hot market segments in Europe, North America has few examples of car-based crossovers that attempt to emulate minivans rather than minivans trying to be SUVs. Many automakers market intriguing vehicles in Europe that are a weight class below full-size minivans (I apologize for the oxymoron) with similar capabilities for five and sometimes six passengers. Mazda has actually brought one of these across the pond, dubbed Mazda5, currently available in dealerships across the nation. Other than this little mini-MPV, most often in North America we get small SUVs with all- or four-wheel drive, the latter feature only used three or four times per year when were too lazy to shovel the driveway.

But perhaps that bridge will be crossed if Mazda sees any success with its mini-minivan. The Mazda5 is truly a “mini” van. Seating for six in three adaptable rows, and based on a compact car (Mazda3) platform, it will be a smaller and cheaper (at the pumps, too) alternative to the ever-growing minivans on the road today. And being a Mazda it reportedly quite zippy (see new vehicle reviews/road test section in this publication for 2006 Mazda5).

How does the SAV relate to the 5? Well, Ford owns a large portion of Mazda, so they could make use of just about any component they wanted for the SAV, but will they? Ford of Europe already has an enlarged version of the Focus known as the C-Max, which leads many to conjecture that the SAV will up the ante in the name game to D-Max, or possibly E-Max (the letters C, D and E designating compact, midsize and large-midsize models in North American car talk). The C-Max, named for maximizing the interior space of its C-segment architecture, is probably closer in size to the Mazda5, so the SAV is more likely to simply be philosophically similar, both slotting below their respective brands minivans.

It doesnt require too great a leap of imagination, however, to assume that many of the working powertrain components could be binned from somewhere within the Ford family. In fact the SAV was, according to the press brief, “…created with the disciplines of Fords shared technology approach, which gives designers flexibility to create diverse body styles and vehicle formats.” Essentially, a game of pin the Ford tail (really nose) on the global platform donkey. Welcome to the wonderful world of platform sharing… everybodys doin it.  In Fords case it already sells the Five Hundred and Freestyle, which are based on Volvos S80/XC90 chassis architecture, the Fusion and Lincoln Zephyr, which both share the Mazda6 platform, and others. The SAV is likely to ride on the same chassis architecture that the next-generation Mondeo will be strapped to, a derivative of Fords P2 global midsize platform.

And what is the SAV, really? Its a highly adaptable and innovative vehicle targeted at small, young families who live in predominantly urban or suburban environments (no off-roading), who are looking for a vehicle with a rewarding driving experience (i.e. 15 minutes away from the soccer pitch with only 5 minutes to game time). On the practicality front, it will save you space over a conventional minivan and still allow you to shuttle the whole family - unless youre Bountiful, BCs Winston Blackmore.

In its present conceptual form it is also a sweet ride. Massive 21-inch Y-spoke alloy rims with low-profile performance rubber, brightly painted red calipers, bulging wheel arches and a gaping lower air intake, that was housed in electric orange at Geneva, all serve notice that this is a drivers car. That surround has since been toned down to a brushed metallic look to match the brake cooling intakes also knocked out in brushed aluminum, and the long slit-like air vents on the rear edge of the wheel arch. The overall teardrop shape in profile is in sharp relief to the striking detail lines and recessed, angular side panels. Its an out and out aggressive design to draw attention to Fords intention of marketing it as a sporting alternative to minivans.

And if PR is to be believed, the production version will mimic the stylistic daring of the concept. Paul Thomas, managing director, Ford of Britain, delivered this bit of hype: “Both sleek and purposeful, the Ford SAV Concept demonstrated new ideas for people- and load-carrying flexibility. The production model will stay true to the Concept vehicles intent, and be highly attractive to our customers.” I dont think “intent” covers those rims or the whip-like ground effects.

Aside from looking spectacular on the show floor and in photos, the future of family transportation is heading in the direction of adaptable seating configurations. Im not talking Stow n Go here, but rather a remote-controlled, power-operated transforming rear-seat arrangement. Yes, remote controlled! At the push of a button (on a remote), the two seats in the second row slide outward and the one third-row seat snuggles up in between for cozy close supervision within reach of the passenger-seat disciplinary adviser (Mom). Did I mention the seat transformation is controlled by remote? I havent seen anything transform like that since I donated Soundwave to a Christmas toy drive, except maybe the Scion commercials. Filling out the rear cargo area are a pair of integrated luggage modules.

Also on the interior design front, Fords styling team tried to reinforce the sporting nature of the SAV by covering all surfaces in muted gray tones complemented by more gray tones. Actually all the gray is just the backdrop for the slashes, slivers and even swaths of the same bright orange featured in the grille surround - sporting almost to the point of irritating, I would have to say. What is definitely sporting, mind you, is the flow-through center stack and console with the high-mounted transmission and the flat-bottomed steering wheel with its aluminum highlights.

Over in Europe at least, the new image is fitting, as European Ford products are noted for their sporting legacy and dynamic character, attributes that the Ford Taurus (SHO aside) never displayed, last years Five Hundred struggles to emit, and the new Fusion is, well, doing a much better job of. Showing Fords new physical identity with pride and aggressiveness, this Sport Activity Vehicle will be right at home, in Europe.

And with that last thought, excuse me here while I shed a tear… okay, Im alright now. Like many of you, knowing that Ford will most likely not share this bit of dynamic design with those of us who revere the brand for only its pickups and SUVs, and the new Mustang I suppose, I now have to console myself with the knowledge that Ford is at least putting the lessons it learns in Europe to good use, delivering products here that have had their skills sharpened on a discerning European audience, refining and debugging cars such as the next-generation Focus, and possibly the Fiesta.

I just hope the North American Ford grille and headlight treatment looks as stylish on the Focus and Five Hundred as it does on the Fusion. And Im also hoping that the upcoming Edge, the first Ford in years not to be named with an “F” word, and based on the Fusion/Zephyr architecture that will also underpin Lincolns next-generation Aviator crossover, looks as good as the SAV concept. Only time will tell… yeah, about eight weeks from now when it debuts in Detroit. Hmmm… maybe theres hope after all?