New Ford B-MAX’s Easy Access Door System

June 29, 2012 - PRLog -- The all-new Ford B-MAX – the versatile multi-activity vehicle which will be debuting at Roy Chapman Ltd later this year – is due to provide a game-changing solution with its ingenious hinged front doors, and sliding rear doors, providing unrivalled access for passengers and luggage.

Ford’s Easy Access Door System integrates the central body pillars into the doors of its multi-activity vehicle to create 1.5-metre wide unobstructed openings on either side of the car and reduce everyday motoring stress.  Most rear door openings provide around half that space; the Opel Meriva’s rear-hinged rear door offers maximum access less than 0.7 metres wide.

In developing the concept, a team spent several days observing drivers in their daily routine to understand exactly what customers really wanted in a compact car.  Engineers then took on the challenge of producing a safe and practical vehicle that would meet those needs. They moved the high-strength body-structure from the central body pillars and integrated it directly into the doors to ensure excellent crash protection, particularly in the event of a side impact.

Special ultra-high-strength steels, which provide up to five times the strength of conventional mild steel, were used in key parts of the body and doors to create an extremely strong and stiff structure without adding extra weight.

The process involved intense testing and analysis at every stage. More than 1,000 detailed computer simulations were conducted over three years to optimize side impact crash performance, each simulation taking 24 hours to complete and using the equivalent computer-power of eight high-end PCs. These simulations were then tested in the real world through a further 50 physical side impact crashes.

“We are really looking forward to this new model from Ford.  The rear seats and front passenger seat can be folded flat to create a large, convenient load platform, to accommodate everything from bicycles to flat-pack furniture more than 2.3 metres long”, said Justine Chapman, Director at Roy Chapman Ltd.  “We believe it will create new opportunities for us, from customers who have previously favoured the Vauxhall Meriva or Citroen Picasso.

For further information or to pre-book a test drive, please contact: Justine Chapman on tel: 01442 871234 or send an email to: justine@roychapman.com.