Ford Releases Pictures Of Its New Minivan

DEARBORN, Md., Dec. 20 (UPI) -- U.S. automaker Ford Motor Co. released photographs of its new C-Max minivan Monday, four years after tossing in the towel in the minivan market.

Ford said the C-Max will make its public debut at the North American International Auto show in January in Detroit, the Detroit Free Press reported.

"We think customers are going to love the C-Max's combined technology, convenience and functionality in such a tidy overall footprint," said Derrick Kuzak, Ford's group vice president of global product development.

The C-Max, designed as a small, fuel-efficient, seven-passenger car, can also be opened with a kick.

The C-Max has sensors under the bumper. At a demonstration for the media, Frank Davis, vice president of Ford of Europe, took two swipes under a bumper with his foot, which popped open the liftgate.

"We simply walk up to the vehicle, and with a quick leg motion underneath the vehicle, we trigger two sensors. These sensors open the liftgate automatically," he said.