Ford C1 platform
|
|
The C1 (or Volvo P1) is Ford's global compact car automobile platform. It replaces Ford's C170 platform and Mazda's BJ platform. The C1 platform debuted with the European Ford Focus C-Max MPV in early 2004. It will be extended as the EUCD for future midsize cars.
The C platform was designed in Cologne, Germany as the "C Technologies Program". 30 engineers each from Mazda, Ford, and Volvo worked to combine the small-car engineering from all three automakers.
The platform is designed for either front- or all wheel drive. It is very adaptable, though, and will be stretched as the EUCD for use in future Volvo vehicles. It was even modified for rear wheel drive to create the Ford D2C platform for the next Ford Mustang. Volvo's plans call for all of their cars to be C1, EUCD, or D3-based in the coming years.
Among all of the cars, the floorpan is different, but the front- and rear-subframes, suspension, steering, braking, safety, and electrical components are shared.
Vehicles currently using this platform include the following:
- 2004 Mazda Mazda3
- 2005 Ford Focus (European - American Focuses will continue on the Ford C170 platform)
- 2005 Volvo S40 sedan
- 2005 Volvo V50 station wagon
Future uses of this platform include:
EUCD
The long wheelbase "C1-Plus" version of C1 will be called EUCD internally. It was chosen by Ford's European operations instead of the Mazda-designed CD3 platform due to the large number of components shared with the smaller C1. Another factor was reportedly the inability of the CD3 to accept Volvo's straight-5 engines.
Future uses of this platform include:
- 2007 Land Rover Freelander SUV
- Volvo XC50 SUV
- Volvo XC60 SUV
- Volvo C70 coupe/convertible
- Volvo S60 sedan
- Volvo V70 station wagon
- Next-generation Ford Escape/Mazda Tribute
- 2009 Ford Mondeo
- 2009 Ford Galaxy
- 2009 Jaguar X-TYPE
See also
Current Ford platforms:
- B3 - subcompact FWD (ex: Mazda Mazda2)
- C1 - compact FWD (ex: Mazda Mazda3)
- CD2 - small SUV AWD (ex: Ford Escape)
- CD3 - mid-size FWD/AWD (ex: Mazda Mazda6)
- EUCD - mid-size FWD/AWD (ex: next Volvo S60)
- D2C - sports RWD (ex: Ford Mustang)
- P2/P3 - full-size pickup (ex: Ford F-Series)
- U2/U3 - full-size SUV (ex: Ford Explorer)
- T1 - large SUV (ex: Ford Expedition)
- V2 - minivan (ex: Ford Freestar)
- VN - full-size van (ex: Ford Econoline)
- D3 - full-size FWD/AWD (ex: Volvo S60)
- DEW98 - mid-size RWD (ex: Lincoln LS)
- Panther - full-size RWD (ex: Ford Crown Victoria)
- VH - sports RWD (ex: Aston Martin DB9)
External links
- C Technologies Program (http://www.autoweek.com/article.cms?articleId=6619)
- AutoWeek article on EUCD (http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=102308)