| Click to Enlarge |
|
|
|
|
Ford SYNus
Here's one concept car we don't expect to see on the streets of London in the near future. You may think that you are looking at pictures of a next-generation armoured security van, but no, this is Ford's vision of the (American) city car of the future: the SYNus concept.
Despite appearances, the SYNus is only a mite (in US terms anyway), as it is based on the platform of our very own Ford Fiesta. It does seat four passengers; even if the two in the back must feel a little claustrophobic (or safe if you believe the car's hype). In place of a rear window and hatch is a door that wouldn't look out of place in the vault of your local Natwest. Inside is a widescreen television; presumably to keep the occupants entertained during traffic jams, rebel coups and the suchlike. In which case, the combination lock driver's door will also come in handy.
Questionable style aside, it is refreshing to realise that Ford envisages smaller cars even in American cities, while the idea of diesel-powered small cars could take longer to catch on with our friends across the Atlantic. The powertrain fitted to the SYNus is more sensible than the rest of the concept, being powered by a 2.0-litre turbocharged diesel engine, as fitted to the current Mondeo, though the concept can run on bio-mass diesel, a by-product of agricultural waste and even chip fat. Perhaps it would work in England after all!
With direct access to millions of never before issued registration numbers and some of the most desirable historic number plates in the world.