Ford iosis: First Look

Motoring Channel Staff - 15/9/2005

Ford has unveiled the striking iosis concept car – a vehicle that defines an exciting new design direction for Ford of Europe.

Building on the style of the Ford SAV Concept shown at the Geneva Motor Show earlier in 2005, the iosis demonstrates Ford's new 'kinetic design' philosophy, which made its debut at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show.

It also showcases how you can squeeze not just two but four gull-wing doors into a vehicle. Take that Mazda RX-8.

The dramatic angled pivoting door arrangement features doors constructed from carbon fibre for lightness. The doors are powered by rams that swing them upwards and outwards via a system of sophisticated hinges that ensure additional support isn’t required when the doors are open.

There are no conventional door mirrors on iosis either. Mounted in the rear valance is a camera to complement those on each door. Even the exterior cameras are works of art: pieces of precisely machined aluminium, swept back to further underline the car’s visual appearance.

Ford's latest design concept also shows that there are some very talented designers in its European studios, and given the chance to let their ideas roam free, the results can be mesmerising. The iosis could well be the next RX-8, though it is larger than the Mazda sports car, and not likely to reach production either.

"iosis is more than just a show car, it is sending a message about how Ford of Europe's future design will be defined," says Martin Smith, Ford of Europe's Executive Design Director.

"It sends a bold message because our future products will be bold."

Iosis is an alchemic term referring to the final stage of the transformation of base metal into gold, and Ford has chosen to emulate the Mercedes-Benz owned micro car company smart in spelling iosis in lower case.

Designers now have the freedom to develop very different models and designs from shared component sets and the iosis demonstrates how the same component set used for the SAV Concept shown at Geneva can be applied to an entirely different type of vehicle.

In the case of iosis this design language is applied in its most muscular form as expressed by the full surfaces spanning taut, dynamic feature lines.

Strong shoulders supported by sharply defined undercut lines further support this muscular stance.

To emphasise the athletic proportions of the body the principal surfaces are precisely sculptured, which is most evident from above when a clearly defined three plane plan view can be identified. At the front this elimination of imprecise rounded forms has the effect of visually shortening the front overhang.

On the iosis, the new face of Ford is represented by the familiar Ford graphic of an inverted trapezoid air intake, in this case placed below a bold, chromed grille.

Strongly drawn lamp/illumination graphics at front and rear are further identifiable elements with the headlamps also echoing the upward tick seen in the DLO. The precise detailing of the rear lamps and the chamfered lower corners of the rear glass combine to form another clearly identifiable graphic that defines the rear of the car.

Grounding the concept car are new wheel designs with styling cues drawn from the graphic elements seen elsewhere on the car. On the iosis this feature is expressed in a typically strong way with 20-inch wheels, milled from solid aluminium billets, featuring a contrasting polished and anodised finish that accentuates their three dimensional design.

The strong sculptural forms, clearly recognisable graphic elements and fine detailing that are defined so strongly on the iosis prototype will be applied in varying ways on all future Ford of Europe models.

The interior design of iosis follows the dramatic themes of the exterior, while retaining an inviting ambience. The unique angled pivoting door arrangement gives complete, uninterrupted access to the interior, and ensures there is an instant visual link between the interior and exterior.

All the sections from the instrument panel through to the centre stack and through to the console reflect the dramatic forms of the exterior. The instrument panel itself is a slim and complex form that sweeps around the front occupants of the vehicle.

These forms are complemented by a selection of trim materials and colours that interprets the dynamic sporty exterior in a particularly modern way. By combining futuristic materials such as rubber and aluminium with luxurious materials, like leather, an ambience has been created that matches a technical character with sophistication.

An ultra modern steering wheel fashioned from solid aluminium with contrasting orange glove leather grips and a graphite metallic leather airbag pad is matched by the Focus World Rally Car inspired sequential gear shifter.

Together they embody all the themes running through the interior: contemporary craftsmanship, high quality materials and a touch of surprise-and-delight technology, with the starter button mounted beneath a flip lid on top of the shifter.

The driver's cockpit is dominated by a prominent instrument binnacle housing a cluster of analogue instruments. Their chronograph precision is balanced by a high definition LCD display, reconfigurable for the navigation system or views from three rearward facing cameras.

Eye-catching seats with skeletal frames featuring a ribcage and vertebrae structure are fashioned from aluminium and formed rubber. Separating the front seats is a 'flying bridge' centre console. The air vents featured on the fascia and the centre console have a twist control that unfurls the vanes in a way that mimics those of a jet fighter’s afterburners.

Another surprising feature of the interior is the extensive use of electroluminescent foil to illuminate the doors and ceiling. In addition to being very package-friendly, it emits a gentle, even light and can be cut into any shape.