Filed under: Concept Cars, Detroit Auto Show, Sedans/Saloons, Ford
Ford to debut "post-kinetic" design language in Detroit
by Damon Lavrinc on Dec 1st 2008 at 4:57PM 
Even though Ford hasn't admitted it, we all know what's coming to Detroit. The 2010 Ford Taurus that's been spied and rendered is on its way, and although FoMoCo's design director, J Mays, won't go on the record as saying that the new Taurus will be unveiled in Motor City, he did say the automaker will show off the next iteration of its global styling theme this January.
Ford's North American and European design teams have been working together for the last two years on the successor to the automaker's "kinetic" design language that made its production debut with the Mondeo and continued with the Fiesta and Kuga. Mays calls the new theme "post-kinetic" and says it will "have the best attributes of kinetic, but ... is going to be possibly a little more simple, a little more elegant." The rendering above – "inspired" by a singular spy shot and created by Joshua Byrnes – is a good indication of what's to come, and if that's what Mays means my "simple" and elegant," we're sold.
[Source: Automotive News – Sub. Req.]
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 3)
Matt 5:03PM (12/01/2008)
Rendering looks a lot like the current Accord. Spy photo has shades of Hyundai Elantra.
Stick with kinetic, J. It's still news in the US.
Reply
Noidor 5:19PM (12/01/2008)
In other words they will make it dull and ruin it for both the European markets and of course the US.
Words like "simple and elegant" make me nervous. So what do they mean exactly? That current EU line-up is less elegant and completely overstyled?
PR and marketing people are hard at work to come up with BS excuses as always!
I don't care if they started with out Kinetic, chances are final result will end up looking like a mix between a Hyundai Sonata and Honda Accord. Hardly anything to get excited about.
Well screw them, these goofballs will never get it right in US.
devonblue4u 5:55PM (12/01/2008)
I'm with Matt and Noidor, stick with kinetic. Ford has gone down the "not invented here" road SOOOO many times before, you'd think they'd learn by now.
Or "it'll never sell here" or "it'll cost too much". How much has it cost them so far? The European Focus would have at least differentiated itself from a car initially sold nearly a decade ago.
Bold design language already looks dated, and kinetic still looks contemporary. They both hit the scene within a year of each other.
Ford North America should swallow its pride and concede to the best designs in the EU, Australia, and even Brazil, and just figure what it takes to bring these gems to market.
geo.stewart 5:56PM (12/01/2008)
moron, that looks more like it out-passats the Passat or CC on a large car.
cant wait.
new Fusion does a great job integrating the design languages so kudos to Ford.
homunculus 6:05PM (12/01/2008)
so that's what an accord with lamborghini wheels looks like!
Patrick 7:08PM (12/01/2008)
So true. Ship over US-spec replicas of the Euro Fords without redesigning them. They are fine the way they are! Redesigning for different markets is what they are supposed to go away from.
Randy 12:47AM (12/02/2008)
@matt
That does not look anything like a Honda! It actually looks good! A wee bit of Passat but it totally stands on its own 4 wheels...
seanleeforever 6:12AM (12/02/2008)
I see a Honda Accord front, from the hood to light.
please deboost me if you honestly don't see any similarity between this and the link i proved below (just googled accord and show up in the first page)
http://www.roadfly.com/new-cars/wp-content/uploads/gallery/2008-honda-accord/2008-accord.jpg
having said that, it still look like a honda accord.. nice looking though.
AKJeeper 5:06PM (12/01/2008)
I think it looks pretty good! It's a lot nicer than what we've seen from Ford US in a while.
Reply
happy_penguin 5:08PM (12/01/2008)
Pretty good nothing! It's gorgeous!
Torrent 6:35PM (12/01/2008)
I want it.
srsly. I want a Taurus.
Auari 5:07PM (12/01/2008)
I hate ford, but DAMN THAT'S HOT
Reply
AZZO45b 5:10PM (12/01/2008)
The Taurus looks GREAT... too bad the goofy Fusion face lift got out... it should have had some of this Ford corporate design look!!!
dave 5:10PM (12/01/2008)
hmmm, I don't usually do this but...
http://www.autounleashed.com/images/volkswagen_passat_cc.jpg
Reply
Auari 5:14PM (12/01/2008)
I hope your kidding..... the passat cc is a 4 door coupe
this car is up against... 3 series BMW and so on
Andrew L 5:19PM (12/01/2008)
Wrong class, the Taurus is a large car competes more with the likes of the Impala, Avalon and such
Ligor 5:36PM (12/01/2008)
it looks tons better than the UGLYFIED Passat you linked to
I
saw that car in person at the dealer the other day (went test driving - TL SHAWD, G35X, Charger AWD) and I did not even bother to drive the CC, it was that ugly
it lookes worse in peros as well
RRL 5:42PM (12/01/2008)
Damn, I was just going to post that Mays FINALLY got away from his VW roots and then you post the CC link.
I parked my rented Ford 500 next to a Passat and was shocked just how similar the two were, right down to the color.
BoxerFanatic 9:11PM (12/01/2008)
@ligor,
All of those, and you don't even mention the Subaru Legacy? Go to the source for real AWD. Legacy 3.0R Limited, or GT Limited/Spec.B
On topic, though...
That rendering is completely marginal. Just like Ford to do something right, and move on to the next wrong thing before the good stuff ever gets to the home market. And then they wonder why their sales and reputation suffer here.
Jeremy B 5:13PM (12/01/2008)
Its beautiful!!!
Oh if only it were RWD! Im still getting one!
Reply