Spied Up Date: 2011 Ford C-Max

It's been eight months since last we spied the updated Ford C-Max, and my, how things have changed. In the intervening months, the C-Max has grown itself some new sliding doors and a completely new tail.

The biggest, and probably the most important difference to be gleaned from these new spy photos is that of the rear doors. When last we saw the C-Max, it had standard rear doors and a more sharply sloping roofline, making it look more like a hatchback and less like a minivan. Now, it's sporting a pair of sliding rear doors and a more boxy rear end, making it far more similar to a minivan than a hatch. Indeed, it's beginning to look a lot like the Mazda5, which it shares a platform with. A key difference between the two, though, is that the C-Max will reportedly seat seven rather than the six that the Mazda5 holds, though the middle seat in the rear will likely be reserved for small children only.

The other significant change has come to the rear end. Where our last spy shots revealed a split-folding rear gate with separate glass and tailgate elements, the C-Max now appears to have a single-piece lift gate. Along with the new rear entry, the C-Max has picked up a fresh set of tail lights that more closely resemble those of a sedan than the long, tall lenses that stretched up the D-pillars to the roof of the last C-Max we saw.

While not many specifics are known yet, our sources tell us that the new C-Max is still over a year away from its debut and won't been seen in production form until the 2010 Paris Motor Show next fall. We're told that powertrains are unlikely to change, meaning several sizes of Ford's Duratec four-cylinder gas engine will be offered as well as several sizes of the Duratorq four-cylinder diesel. Some minor tweaking may be in order, though, to improve efficiency and fuel economy.

Of course, that's for the European model. Our sources indicate that the C-Max is still on for America and last we heard, it may well be built at Ford's small car plant in Wayne, Indiana, to compete with its platform mate, the Mazda5. If it does, the Duratec engine is a solid bet and it's possible Ford's new EcoBoost turbocharged four-cylinder could find its way under the hood as well. The diesel engines, unfortunately, are far less likely to make it across the pond.
Thanks to: Motor Trend