Ford and Top Gear Australia Revive Mad Max Interceptor with a Pair of Concepts

More than 30 years after George Miller's original Mad Max film starring Mel Gibson as Max Rockatansky hit the screens turning both the American-born Australian actor and his jet-black Ford Falcon XB GT351 coupe-based Interceptor into movie icons, Ford’s local division in partnership with Top Gear Australia magazine, has revealed two concept studies for a modern day Interceptor.

The company formed a group of designers led by chief designer of passenger cars for the Asia, Pacific and Africa region, Todd Willing. The team created several of studies that paid tribute to the styling cues from the original XB Coupe Interceptor, but ultimately, only two made the cut. The winning designs were penned by Nima Nourian and Simon Brook.

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Ford Releases Videos of the Ranger Wildtrak and B-MAX Concept in their Natural Environments

Ford's booth at the Geneva Motor Show hosted the world premieres of the Ranger Wildtrack series and the B-MAX, a pre-production concept version of the firm’s upcoming Fiesta-based small MPV. Now we have videos of both models that you can check out after the break.

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Geneva Preshow: Ford Reveals B-MAX Small MPV Study Based on the Fiesta

Scheduled to make its world premiere at the Geneva Motor Show this week is Ford's brand-new B-MAX concept that previews the firm's upcoming small MPV, designed to replace the current European Fusion and rival the Opel Meriva. Based on the Fiesta platform, the almost production-ready minivan has some striking features, the most obvious being the new door concept. It has no B-pillar and the twin doors have a conventional opening system in the front and a sliding system in the back.

By eliminating the traditional B-pillar, Ford promises best-in-class access to the cabin without compromising safety. With both front and rear doors open, the aperture measures 1.5 metres, around twice the width offered by competitors, according to Ford.

“With its unique door format and dynamic design, the B-MAX sends a strong message that customers looking for a compact, stylish and versatile vehicle will soon have an exciting new choice,” said Stephen Odell, CEO of Ford Europe. Another highlight is the lack of door handles, with the opening system being remote-controlled.

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Ford to Unveil a "Groundbreaking New Vehicle" Along with European Premieres at Geneva Show

As we're nearing closer to the 2011 Geneva Salon, automakers are providing us with more details about their plans. Today, Ford announced that it will display a number of new production and concept cars including what the company simply described as a "groundbreaking new vehicle" without getting into any specifics.

“Ford of Europe Chairman and CEO Stephen T. Odell will unveil a groundbreaking new vehicle during a Ford news conference at 14:30 on March 1 at the Ford stand,” the company said in a statement.

What Ford did reveal is that it plans to showcase an all-new version of the 2011 Ranger pickup-truck called Wildtrak, the Vertrek SUV concept that hints at the next-generation Kuga, the Fiesta RS WRC, the C-MAX Energi plug-in hybrid that will be joined by a C-MAX HEV when they both go on sale in Europe in 2013, and a conceptual all-electric version of the Transit Connect.

Furthermore, the company will display its latest powertrain enhancements including a new 114g/km CO2 Mondeo ECOnetic that combines 115HP 1.6-liter turbo diesel with start-stop technology, as well as the new Ka Metal created through Ford’s Individual programme.

“Today Ford has its strongest product line-up ever and we’ve got an aggressive plan to keep our vehicle portfolio the freshest in the industry," said Odell. “We have at least 20 new models and derivatives coming across our entire European range – from small cars to commercial vehicles – and at Geneva we will be introducing some of these.

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Ford to Unveil a "Groundbreaking New Vehicle" Along with European Premieres at Geneva Show

As we're nearing closer to the 2011 Geneva Salon, automakers are providing us with more details about their plans. Today, Ford announced that it will display a number of new production and concept cars including what the company simply described as a "groundbreaking new vehicle" without getting into any specifics.

Read more »

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Ford to Unveil a "Groundbreaking New Vehicle" Along with European Premieres at Geneva Show

As we're nearing closer to the 2011 Geneva Salon, automakers are providing us with more details about their plans. Today, Ford announced that it will display a number of new production and concept cars including what the company simply described as a "groundbreaking new vehicle" without getting into any specifics.

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1955 Ford "Beatnik" Bubbletop Custom Concept going up for Auction

Making its way down to Florida for RM Auction's annual Amelia Island event on March 2, is this 1955 Ford "Beatnink" Bubbletop custom concept inspired by futuristic design studies from the 1950s. Despite its name, the Beatnik is a fairly new creation built by Gary “Chopit” Fioto. It is based on the body of a 1955 Ford model but rides on a modifies chassis of a 1988 Lincoln Town Car and is powered by a Chevrolet 350-cubic inch small-block V8 engine.

The brand mixing doesn't stop there as Fioto used a variety of components from Cadillac, Chrysler and Lincoln, including the canted quad headlights. The front bumper was adapted from a '59 Cadillac, while the rear bumper was fashioned from the front bumper of a '58 Cadillac. In addition, the finned taillights are sourced from a 1960 Chrysler. However, the front and rear fenders, the door skins and the entire rear section of the car were all hand formed.

The one-of-a-kind model, which took four years of hard work to create, also features a bespoke interior complete with an aircraft control yoke-inspired steering wheel and a rounded dash pod as a tribute to the late 1950s and early 1960s concept cars from Detroit.

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1955 Ford "Beatnik" Bubbletop Custom Concept going up for Auction

Making its way down to Florida for RM Auction's annual Amelia Island event on March 2, is this 1955 Ford "Beatnink" Bubbletop custom concept inspired by futuristic design studies from the 1950s. Despite its name, the Beatnik is a fairly new creation built by Gary “Chopit” Fioto. It is based on the body of a 1955 Ford model but rides on a modifies chassis of a 1988 Lincoln Town Car and is powered by a Chevrolet 350-cubic inch small-block V8 engine.

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Ford Vertrek Concept Live from Detroit [Photos and Video]

Unveiled at the 2011 Detroit Auto Show, the Vertrek Concept previews Ford’s next global compact SUV, set to replace both the European Kuga and North American Escape models. While it’s not so different compared to the Kuga, the concept car is certainly more modern than the current Ford Escape.

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Ford Vertrek Concept Previews Next Escape and Kuga SUVs

These are the first official photos of Ford's Detroit Show-bound Vertrek concept study, which previews a common replacement for the European market Kuga crossover and the North American Escape SUV.

The compact-sized model is based on the underpinnings of the Focus hatch and is powered by Ford's 1.6-liter turbocharged EcoBoost petrol engine featuring start and stop technology for improved fuel efficiency.

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Holy Bat Race! To the Batmobile, Carscoop!

Since the beginnings of hot-rodding and customization, the world of modifying cars has been a realm in which car fans could express themselves in an almost uncountable number of ways. It plays host to a broad spectrum of possibilities; ranging from minor appearance items like headlight eyelashes and spoilers to fully coach-built supercars like James Glickenhaus's Ferrari P4/5 and Michael Stoschek's recent tribute to Lancia's Stratos, it's a vast space filled with five-dollar accessories, million dollar showboats, and everything in between.

Residing in that enormous region of "in-between" is a small company called Fiberglass Freaks in Logansport, Indiana, but they're not your average car shop. In fact, you could say they're one-of-a-kind.

Owned and operated by Mark Racop (the "what guy") and Jeff Sandberg (the "how guy"), and staffed by six full-time and eight part-time employees, Fiberglass Freaks is much like Harley Davidson; they sell dreams. In the case of this unassuming small-town Indiana garage, however, they're giving people the opportunity to own a real 1966 Batmobile.

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Holy Bat Race! To the Batmobile, Carscoop!

Since the beginnings of hot-rodding and customization, the world of modifying cars has been a realm in which car fans could express themselves in an almost uncountable number of ways. It plays host to a broad spectrum of possibilities; ranging from minor appearance items like headlight eyelashes and spoilers to fully coach-built supercars like James Glickenhaus's Ferrari P4/5 and Michael Stoschek's recent tribute to Lancia's Stratos, it's a vast space filled with five-dollar accessories, million dollar showboats, and everything in between.

Residing in that enormous region of "in-between" is a small company called Fiberglass Freaks in Logansport, Indiana, but they're not your average car shop. In fact, you could say they're one-of-a-kind.

Owned and operated by Mark Racop (the "what guy") and Jeff Sandberg (the "how guy"), and staffed by six full-time and eight part-time employees, Fiberglass Freaks is much like Harley Davidson; they sell dreams. In the case of this unassuming small-town Indiana garage, however, they're giving people the opportunity to own a real 1966 Batmobile.

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Ford to Unveil New Concept Model for Kuga and Escape Successors at the 2011 Detroit Motor Show

Ford is gearing up for next year’s Detroit Motor Show with an almost production-ready concept version previewing a common replacement for the European market Kuga crossover and the North American Escape SUV. According to an inside source talking to Automotive News Europe, the new compact-sized crossover model will go into production in the second half of 2012 as a 2013 model.

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Ford to Unveil New Concept Model for Kuga and Escape Successors at the 2011 Detroit Motor Show

Ford is gearing up for next year’s Detroit Motor Show with an almost production-ready concept version previewing a common replacement for the European market Kuga crossover and the North American Escape SUV. According to an inside source talking to Automotive News Europe, the new compact-sized crossover model will go into production in the second half of 2012 as a 2013 model.

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Ford Planning Fiesta Minivan Concept for Geneva Show, Production Model with Sliding Doors to Follow in 2012

Ford is getting ready to premiere a concept version of a Fiesta-based small minivan at the upcoming Geneva Salon next March. The design study will act as a pilot for the production vehicle that will follow in early 2012 and will replace the current generation of the European market Fusion, which is based on the previous Fiesta.

The news comes from a Ford source in Europe who told Automotive News that production of the Fiesta MPV will begin by the end of next year at Ford's factory in Craiova, Romania. A Ford of Europe spokesman essentially confirmed the news by telling the publication that “It is a B-segment vehicle and will go into full production early in 2012.”

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Ford Planning Fiesta Minivan Concept for Geneva Show, Production Model with Sliding Doors to Follow in 2012

Ford is getting ready to premiere a concept version of a Fiesta-based small minivan at the upcoming Geneva Salon next March. The design study will act as a pilot for the production vehicle that will follow in early 2012 and will replace the current generation of the European market Fusion, which is based on the previous Fiesta.

The news comes from a Ford source in Europe who told Automotive News that production of the Fiesta MPV will begin by the end of next year at Ford's factory in Craiova, Romania. A Ford of Europe spokesman essentially confirmed the news by telling the publication that “It is a B-segment vehicle and will go into full production early in 2012.”

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LA Show 2010: Ford Displays Tuned 2012 Focus Hatchbacks

Three personalized Focus models will also be on display at Ford's 2010 Los Auto Show stand, giving visitors an idea of how they could improve their stock rides. The cars received a makeover consisting mostly of visual enhancements from Ford Vehicle Personalization, FSWerks and 3dCarbon.

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LA Show 2010: Ford Displays Tuned 2012 Focus Hatchbacks

Three personalized Focus models will also be on display at Ford's 2010 Los Auto Show stand, giving visitors an idea of how they could improve their stock rides. The cars received a makeover consisting mostly of visual enhancements from Ford Vehicle Personalization, FSWerks and 3dCarbon.

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LA Show 2010: Ford Focus Race Car Concept

Making its world premiere in LA today is the Focus Race Car Concept that will form the base for the Blue Oval's next global touring race car. Powered by a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the new racing model will get its first shot on the tarmac at the 2011 British Touring Car Championship.

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LA Show 2010: Ford Focus Race Car Concept

Making its world premiere in LA today is the Focus Race Car Concept that will form the base for the Blue Oval's next global touring race car. Powered by a 2.0-liter EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder engine, the new racing model will get its first shot on the tarmac at the 2011 British Touring Car Championship.

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