The Ford S-MAX was earlier given one of the most prestigious automotive awards in Germany – the ‘Auto 1 of Europe’ Award. The award was given by AutoBild, Germany’s biggest automobile magazine, along with its 23 sister publications in Europe. A jury, which is composed of leading auto specialists, was also chosen to weigh and determine which vehicle is the most deserving vehicle of the said award.
In addition to the aforementioned award, the Ford S-MAX crossover was also given an individual trophy for the minivan category. The said award is for its unmistakable “kinetic design.” The awards are the latest accolades for the crossover. Earlier, the vehicle was crowned the ‘Car of the Year 2007.’ Further, the model has taken over 15 national or individual magazine awards Autobild’s ‘Design Award 2006.’
John Fleming, the President and CEO of Ford of Europe; and Bernhard Mattes, the Chairman of the Management Board at Ford Werke GmbH, accepted the Auto 1 awards from Dr. Andreas Wiele, the Chairman of the magazine division. The awarding happened at Axel Springer AG, in the course of the Auto 1 Gala Event at Espace Sécheron in Geneva.
The jury made worldwide assessments within several participating countries. In Germany alone, over 210,000 AutoBild readers participated. In whole, about 40 million readers throughout Europe had been invited to choose their favorite cars.
Prior to the final choice was given, the dominant models from every country underwent yet another round of tough tests at the hands of a specialist jury. These tests were undertaken at the test facility of the tyre manufacturer Bridgestone in Aprilia near Rome, Italy. The jury is composed of 24 managing editors, five technology specialists and racing drivers – Walter Röhrl, Christina Surer, Mattias Ekström, Filipe Albuquerque and Paul Belmondo. In this final round, the Ford S-MAX crossover emerged as the winner. The model outshined famous competitors like the BMW X5, Mercedes CL, Opel Corsa, Volvo C30 and the VW Eos.
“This is amazing news and these awards fill us with pride. Together with the other awards that have been won by the Ford S-MAX this most recent accolade shows that this vehicle has touched a nerve with the public and the specialist media,” said Fleming.
Fleming added, “For us, this is further proof that our renewed emphasis on dynamic new items that connect emotionally with buyers is making a positive contribution to Ford of Europe’s company success. We are confident that the all-new Ford Mondeo will continue this momentum and generate similar interest and enthusiasm when we launch this summer.”
The Ford S-Max features angular headlights, a narrow grille, and a big trapezoidal “mouth” below the bumper. It offers numerous engines that include the 2.5 L Duratec turbo I5, 2. L Duratec I4, 1.8 L Duratorq TDCi I4, 2. L Duratorq ZSD TDCi I4, and the 2. L Duratorq ZSD TDCi I4.
Moreover, one of the main selling points of the crossover is the “FoldFlatSystem,” which permits the second and third-row seats to fold flat into the floor. The parts accessories of the automobile are updated to pave way for a powerful and remarkable car. Its Volvo siblings are also undergoing careful planning and manufacturing to protect its reputation for safety and top quality. Like the Ford S-Max’s parts, the Volvo fan blade and other auto parts are watchfully enhanced to bolster the efficacy of the vehicle.
