FRANKFURT , 23 August 2007 – Ford Verve Concept – a bold and colourful concept car to be revealed at the 2007 Frankfurt Motor Show – gives the first hints of Ford’s future small-car design vision.

The significance of the Ford Verve Concept is that it’s the first physical evidence of the design direction for an all-new small Ford since it was announced earlier this year that the European arm of the company’s global Product Development group is taking the design and engineering lead in creating a new small-car portfolio for major world markets. The Ford Verve Concept is the first of three concept vehicles which will debut in key regions – Europe, Asia and North America.

“Ford Verve Concept is presented here in Frankfurt as a bespoke concept car to generate reactions while our production plans are taking shape,” said John Fleming, President and CEO of Ford of Europe. “Our Design team took an unrestrained approach to how our future small cars could look, and this eye-catching concept was one of the results. If we get the reaction we expect, I’m certain that the team will incorporate elements of this advanced design vision into our final production design. This will make the next generation of small cars from Ford very compelling indeed.”

“Ford Verve Concept is clearly our most expressive form language yet,” said Martin Smith, Executive Director of Design for Ford of Europe. “Bold, even radical, it demonstrates the dynamic possibilities for expressing Ford’s kinetic design philosophy in a small car that is a chic, modern and individualistic statement for a sophisticated, fashion-aware generation.”

Finished in rich colours and distinctive materials inspired by the world of fashion and cosmetics, the Ford Verve Concept was created by a team of designers from Ford’s studios in Dunton, England, and Cologne, Germany.

Story by Ford