In these times of global economic trouble and environmental concerns, the auto industry is pushing into the future with great power and force not before seen in the history of the automobile. This kind of fierce drive towards an ideal, this unique and specific brand of futuristic utopianism which is being fostered by the climate of technological innovation within a context of high minded social ideals, has the tendency to create an atmosphere where certain qualities, up until then taken for granted, are lost. Style. Expression. Class. These are elements which have been essential to the automobile since its inception, but have been largely forsaken, at least by much of the North American design firms, in the past few decades.
Most fictional concepts of a positive future have everything of the former(innovation, high technology, a complex social idealism) and nothing of the latter(style, expression, class). Why is it that the visionaries so often feel that we have to have one at the exclusion of the other? In a free and vibrant society we want our outward possessions to say something about who we are and the role which we intend to play in a particular time and place. Just as clothing says something very subtle, or sometimes less subtle, about someone’s approach to life and the day to day things, so someone’s choice of vehicle should communicate the same thing. If one feels like a cobra and dresses like a rebel, then driving a Ford Focus may create some cognitive dissonance. Enter Dodge.
Dodge has taken it upon itself to reinvent the notion of a finely designed expression of attitude in its current lineup. A large pickup can have attitude, but it is only through a brute show of force, where Dodge has taken the harder road, one in which they take practical, average sized everyday drivers, and infuse them with a sense of style and statement that has been too often lost on the design studio’s cutting room floor. Dodge had essentially cornered the market on practical yet styled aggression until Ford’s release of their new concept vehicle, the Ford Evos(pictured above).
The Ford Evos stands upon the very cutting edge of eco-efficiency and driver friendly technological innovations, but what gets us excited here at Vroom is the exterior design. This car has class…and style…and expression…and aggression. This is a car for those who appreciate the art of a great design, someone who loves great engineering as well as the nuances of a well executed aesthetic form.
This is very refreshing to see from an American company like Ford, a brand which, in recent years, has transformed itself entirely for the better. Under CEO Allan Mulally, the formerly sinking Ford has shown itself to be one of the greatest stories of turnaround in the history of American industry. The only thing lacking was the fine art of style, a well executed exterior design, but the new Ford Evos concept vehicle has shown us that Ford is done with the bland and the safe, and that they are a company that is moving with confidence into a positive automotive future.
Phoenix Valley auto enthusiasts can view and test drive any current production model Ford at any Phoenix Valley Ford dealer. Phoenix Valley auto enthusiasts should plan on attending the Phoenix Arizona International Auto Show to learn about the most recent concepts and innovations from Ford and the rest of the auto industry, taking place at the Phoenix Arizona Convention center over Thanksgiving weekend.
That is one sleek looking Ford. It looks like a cross between an Infiniti and a BMW. Very stylish and I love the front headlights.