Ford Vertrek Concept

Ford Motor Company today unveiled its vision for a sleeker, sportier and more stylish compact sport utility vehicle (SUV) at the 2011 North American International Auto Show. The Ford Vertrek concept previews the company’s ambition for a next-generation, global compact SUV that could lead the industry in both design and fuel efficiency.

The Ford Vertrek concept is based on Ford’s global C-segment platform, which includes the all-new Ford Focus range launching early in 2011 in North America and Europe, plus the latest C-MAX and Grand C-MAX multi-activity vehicles. It represents the vision of the company’s top design and engineering talent on how best to attract and satisfy future sport utility vehicle customers around the world.

“Vertrek concept is a no-compromise solution we feel utility vehicle customers will embrace around the world,” said Derrick Kuzak, Ford group vice president of Global Product Development. “It is a revolution compared to what is typically seen in this segment in North America and is a stylish evolution compared with products outside North America. This new design is sleeker and more fuel efficient and delivers the capability, including people and cargo volume, customers demand globally.”

The Ford Vertrek concept combines the best of Ford’s distinctive European kinetic design styling and driving quality with outstanding levels of cargo space, trailer-tow and off-road capability for North America, promising a vehicle that meets the needs of next-generation compact utility vehicle customers around the world.

The sleek appearance of the Ford Vertrek concept has been honed aerodynamically to help support the program target of class-leading fuel economy and low CO2 emissions and complement the high-tech powertrain solutions Ford envisions.

Ford preliminary data show that a production vehicle based around the Vertrek concept would be at least 5 percent more aerodynamically efficient than current comparable Ford North American and European models, such as the Escape and Kuga.