Ford B-Max goes in to production

The Ford B-Max – Ford’s long overdue replacement for the Fusion – has gone in to production in Romania before going on sale in Europe in September.

The Ford B-Max is the long-awaited replacement for the very ancient Ford Fusion which finally, a year on from the B-Max Concept – arrived at this year’s Geneva Motor Show in production guise.

Thankfully – because the B-Max concept as so convincing – Ford has managed to deliver a production B-Max that carries over almost all the features of the concept with just a few minor things – like more sensible wheels and proper door handles – marking the production B-Max out from the concept.

Ford are convinced that the B-Max will fill an ever increasing portion of the car market, and claim that 40 per cent of large car owners in Europe looking to down-size and 20 per cent of small car owners looking for more space, making the new B-Max a bit of a no-brainer.

Ford has even coined an awful phrase for its B-Max customers – Citsumers – who are mature, urban and sophisticated and want cars that fit with their ‘Flexible, compact lifestyles’. Nothing like flattery to persuade a demographic.

But daft marketing-speak aside, the B-Max does look good and does offer flexible accommodation and the promise – especially with the new 1.0 litre 3-pot EcoBoost engine – of a zippy little city car with decent economy that’s actually good to drive. Not that we’ll find out if the reality matches the promise for a while yet.

The new Ford B-Max goes on sale in the UK in September 2012.