Beijing Auto Show: Ford's Fiat 500-fighting Start Concept


Debuting at the Beijing International Auto Show, Ford's Start Concept is being advertised as the first true concept from Ford in three years.

Design messiah J Mays explained the Start's slippery lines: "We didn't set out to design some sort of utilitarian concept to save the world, nor were we interested in following the competitive trend toward an overly noisy design language." Right on.

Powering the Start Concept is a 1.0 liter, 3-cylinder "near-production" Ecoboost engine. With an emissions target of below 100g/km, output comparable to that of a 4-cylinder, and a 6-speed manual transmission, the Start looks like a technological home-run. And that's before you see the sporty, minimalist, tech-heavy interior.

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