‘Impressive,’ and ‘Cool’
· Ford’s all-new B-MAX wins “AUTOBEST 2013” award
· Jury of 15 leading automotive journalists from countries in central and eastern Europe praise all-new B-MAX as “cool,” 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine as “incredible,” and vehicle quality as “impressive”
· All-new B-MAX is first Ford to win the award; achieves 830 points to finish ahead of Skoda Rapid (736 points) and Peugeot 301 (662 points)
The all-new Ford B-MAX has won the “AUTOBEST 2013” award, presented by leading automotive journalists from 15 countries in central and eastern Europe.
The all-new B-MAX was hailed as “cool” by the jury and praised for its “incredible” 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine; its “impressive” quality; and its ingenious Easy Access Door System. B-MAX is the first Ford vehicle to win the AUTOBEST award.
“B-MAX is a brilliant, intelligent new car,” said Ilia Seliktar, president of AUTOBEST. “It is the first car without a B-pillar, but with two B-pillars in the doors. This award shows to European customers that a best-buy car can also be cool.”
Jury members from Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Croatia, Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine rated each competing vehicle according to 13 different attributes including purchase price, fuel consumption and design. Scoring 830 points, the all-new B-MAX finished ahead of the Skoda Rapid (736 points) and the Peugeot 301 (662 points); seven of the 15 jurors named Ford’s compact multi-activity vehicle as their overall winner.
“The all-new B-MAX has really changed what customers can expect from a compact car,” said Barb Samardzich, vice president, Product Development, Ford of Europe. “This prestigious award is a testament both to the ground-breaking work of our product development teams, and the outstanding quality achieved by our new manufacturing site in Romania.”
The surprisingly powerful 120 PS version of the 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine – “International Engine of the Year” – achieves class-leading CO2 emissions of 114 g/km and 4.9 l/100 km (57.6 mpg)*. B-MAX also offers best-in-class 1.5-litre and 1.6-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engines; the 95 PS 1.6-litre engine delivers CO2 emissions of 104 g/km and 4.0 l/100 km (70.6 mpg).
B-MAX’s Ford’s Easy Access Door System provides unrivalled access for passengers and luggage through hinged front doors and sliding rear doors that integrate the central body pillars. Better connected than any vehicle in its class, B-MAX also features Ford’s voice-activated, in-car connectivity system, SYNC, with Emergency Assistance, designed to assist the occupants to call for help in the event of a crash.
In September, the all-new B-MAX was awarded the Autonis Award for the “Most Beautiful Minivan of 2012” by readers of the German magazine Auto Motor und Sport. It has also earned a maximum five-star Euro NCAP rating from independent crash test authority Euro NCAP.
* AUTOBEST organization is the only international independent jury focusing on the best-buy choice for mainstream customers. This year, AUTOBEST jury members come from 15 countries in Europe, and represent a virtual market with more than 300 million people. The member countries are: Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Cyprus, Croatia, Former Yugoslavian Republic of Macedonia, Greece, Hungary, Poland, Romania, Russia, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Turkey and Ukraine. For more information, visit www.autobest.org.
** The stated fuel consumption and CO2 emissions are measured according to the technical requirements and specifications of the European Regulation (EC) 715/2007 as last amended. The results may differ from fuel economy figures in other regions of the world due to the different drive cycles and regulations used in those markets.
