Jalopnik: s-max

Ford To Build Euro Models Stateside, Reports Wall Street Journal

Andrew Stoy — Mon, 21 Jul 2008 10:40:00 EDT

A Saturday Wall Street Journal report claims Ford is working up plans to retool its North American assembly plants to build a number of European models. Ford hasn't confirmed the report, but it is expected to announce the shift during its second-quarter earnings conference on Thursday. While the paper mentions only the Mondeo specifically, conventional wisdom has the Euro Focus and possibly a C-Max/S-Max joining it. We'll take one with a diesel and 6-speed stick, please. [WSJ via Automotive News (Sub. Req.)]

Could Ford Retool Truck Plants To Produce Euro Fords?

Matt Hardigree — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 14:40:00 EDT

We hear many car-related rumors on a daily basis, but there's one that came across our desk today that's quite the whopper. Website Autosavant is claiming their sources within Ford are saying that three of the four plants shuttered after Ford's dramatic reorganization will be retooled to produce popular European models like the Ford Kuga and C-Max. From the Autosavant piece:

Our sources at Ford say that Mr. Mulally has already made the decision to convert at least three truck/SUV production facilities in North America as soon as possible to produce Ford models currently sold in Europe, where Ford is renowned for its small cars. The timeline Mulally prefers, according to insiders, is "yesterday". He has made up his mind and is pushing forward.

Why we're taking this rumor with an Expedition-sized grain of salt below the jump.

1. It's expensive
Retooling is not cheap. We don't have an estimate for what it would cost to convert three Truck/SUV plants into full-time small car production, but it doesn't take a room of accountants to figure out that it would be an incredibly large investment involving establishing and expanding supplier relationships.

2. Ford is already moving in that direction
Ford is already working out its plans to build Fiestas in Mexico for North American consumption. We'd also point out the Ford Transit Connect is on its way over, as well.

3. Inferior American Ford Focus is selling fairly well
Though the American Ford Focus is inferior to the European Focus, it's still selling well, especially with SYNC-equipped models. Plus, the 2011 Ford Focus is going to be C1-based, as we already know.

4. It's not a horrible idea
Though we liked the 2009 Ford Flex, we're not overwhelmed with Ford's short-term battle plan. The company seems to be doing a slightly better job of prepping for the future, but prescience isn't exactly a quality we associate with the automaker.

With all that being said, it could happen. It isn't the craziest thing we've ever heard, but we're not holding our breath. [AutoSavant]

Ford S-Max Spotted on the Mean Steets of Detroit

bwojdyla — Mon, 03 Dec 2007 09:30:00 EST

After being berated for the crappy quality of my pictures here, and here, and many other times, I've decided to upgrade to a Lumix FZ18 from the three year old Exilim that had horrible fading, limited dynamic range, and no optical zoom. The ironic part is that though this new piece of kit takes gorgeous pictures, the first you'll be seeing from it are full 18x zoom at speed looking through a mirror. So, in a word, crap. Nonetheless, look what we found running up and down Detroit's Woodward corridor this weekend, a Ford S-Max, fully kitted with chassis data collection equipment. We caught it sprinting through the the bougie neighborhood of Palmer Woods on it's way to making one of the many loops north to south we witnessed this weekend. We haven't heard anything yet about a true minivan replacement for the ill fated ~~Wind~~Freestar, but given the direction of GM's Saturn strategy lately, one wonders if the Blue Oval is thinking of taking a cue from the General and importing Euro product. Far be it for the progenitor of automotive standardization to do so again 90 years after it was considered de rigeur, that would just be madness.

Ford S-Max in the US

Mike Spinelli — Tue, 28 Aug 2007 15:35:15 EDT

Overseas models continually pop up on US streets, often as the chosen rides for homesick diplomats, sometimes as cross-border jobbies from Canada or Mexico and frequently as test vehicles fielded by automaking engineers. Since there's been talk of Ford CEO Allan Mulally being quite hot to bring some of Ford Europe's finest kinetic designs to the US, spotting an S-Max MPV on the streets of LA may be enough to get tongues wagging. Of course the unfavorable exchange rate makes such a prospect of a Euro-built Ford import unlikely. Now, if FoMoCo sets up an S-Max werks in Mexico, LA will be maxed out inside a year. (Thanks to Rick Rubin for the def tip.)

Ford S-Max spotted in LA — is it on...

Ray Wert — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 10:40:00 EDT

Ford S-Max spotted in LA — is it on its way to the US? [Autoblog]

More on Ford Europe's US Transplants: S-Max Could Be Coming

Mike Spinelli — Mon, 29 Jan 2007 08:48:46 EST

According to Automotive News Ford Europe's new influence on the US brand could include an exported S-Max minivan/MPV, the well-considered hauler that snagged the European "Car of the Year 2007." New chief bossman, Alan Mulally declined to offer details on which new models from FoMoCo's profitable on-continent division will wind up on US soil, though the European Transit Connect small commercial van has already been confirmed as an over-and-comer. No word yet on the Mondeo, the Ford Europe product many Jalopnik readers want to see imported (second to the Focus, ST, natch). But the books aren't closed quite yet. – Mike Spinelli

Jalopnik Poll: Which Ford Europe Product Should FoMoCo Bring to the US?

Mike Spinelli — Thu, 07 Dec 2006 07:55:37 EST

UK-based trade mag Just-Auto yesterday reported FoMoCo is considering bringing models from Ford Europe to the US market, a practice the company has employed in the past to fill holes in its stateside line. Among models it's considering are the Mondeo, Focus, S-Max, and Galaxy minivan, which many Jalopnik readers agree are more appealing than their counterparts (if any) in the US. So which ones should they bring? The much-coveted Euro Focus, which shares its underpinnings with the Volvo S40 and Mazda3? Maybe the S-Max, a higher-performance version of the Galaxy minivan? How about the Tourneo utility wagon (young, quirk-addicted parents call the front desk)? Maybe something else? Enough with the talk. Take our poll already.

[via Motor Authority]

Ford's S-Max Takes Car of the Year, Somewhere Else

Mike Spinelli — Mon, 13 Nov 2006 16:20:18 EST

Sadly, Ford's Bold Moves(TM) don't involve bringing the S-Max MPV to the states. And that's a gol darn shame, considering the newest of Ford Europe's "kinetic design" structures was just awarded "Car of the Year 2007" by a panel of 58 of the continent's ~~sexiest~~ automotive journalists. In addition to being an attractive take on the one-box, seven-seat, utility wagon segment, the S-Max was also called out for its safety performance (i.e., NCAP gave it five stars for adult occupant protection) and features (e.g., adaptive cruise control, active suspension and automatic collision avoidance). No doubt Euro Ford's becoming the company's standout division, but can its design and technology influence trickle Westward to Detroit? Full stop. – Mike Spinelli

Jalopnik Precast: Enzo Driver, Ford's European Minivans, Other Stuff

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 11:35:52 EST

On today's Jalopnik Precast, Spinelli and Farago wonder if there's a connection between the Swedish mafia and the recent wreck of a Ferrari Enzo in California, and if there is indeed a Swedish mafia. Also, there's something about Ford minivans, or whatever they're called in Europe.

Jalopnik Precast, February 22, 2006 [via Odeo]

Ford's SAVvy European Minivans to Debut in Geneva

Mike Spinelli — Wed, 22 Feb 2006 07:27:50 EST

With room for seven and a turbocharged, 217 hp five banger right out of the European Focus ST, Ford's S-MAX minivan (pictured) courts Europe's lead-footed footballer-moms, while its larger Galaxy sibling (after the jump) targets their violin-recital-enduring half-sisters. Both small minivans (MPVs?) will show up in Geneva, where a year earlier, Ford unveiled the SAV concept to which the S-MAX owes its life. The Galaxy replaces a previous model jointly developed with Volkswagen (see also: Sharan). Americans won't likely see anything like these before the end of the century.