the ford 'b-max', on display at geneva motor show 2011, is designed as a fuel efficient compact vehicle
that optimizes its use of space to satisfy a range of consumer needs.
the car's most innovative feature is its lack of the traditional b-pillar, a stabilizing structural beam
running from roof to floor that is typically found between the front and back seating sections.
in its place, the 'b-max' features a rear sliding door that opens for extremely easy access to both rows of seats,
providing about twice the entry width of other door concepts. reinforced with boron steel in its load-bearing areas,
the door frame, when closed, latches with that of the car's conventional front door
for structural integrity likened to a 'virtual b pillar'.
scheduled for availability in european markets by early 2012,
the car has not yet been planned for an american release owing to pricing concerns.