Overseas, Ford has been working on a compact family van, and will soon bring it to the US. At the  North American International Auto Show in January, Ford will showcase the C-Max, which is based on the Focus compact car and is scheduled to go on sale late next year.

Smaller vehicles are the cornerstone of Ford's global growth plans. C-Max offers a smaller, more fuel-efficient alternative to full-size minivans, but still with seating for seven. C-Max is part of Ford's global small vehicle strategy, which includes development of at least 10 models based on the platform that underpins Focus. It also involves selling 2 million vehicles annually by 2012.

One in four new vehicles are compact, and that figure will grow to 28 percent by 2014. Experts believe one in six American buyers will buy a crossover over a larger SUV.

The C-Max also puts Ford back in the minivan market, "It's the next generation of people mover."

Engine options include a 1.6-liter turbocharged direct-injection four-cylinder EcoBoost engine, capable of producing 170 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque. This is the first time Ford is implementing this power-train in a compact North American vehicle.

Find out more about the upcoming Ford C-Max today at York Ford on 1481 Broadway Route 1 South, Saugus, MA 01906.


[INFO] http://www.detnews.com/article/20101220/AUTO01/12200327/Ford-pins-hopes-on-C-Max-minivan