Kick and “Open Sesame” Liftgate for both the Upcoming Ford CMAX and Escape

[xcel]

Women are going to go nuts over this one!

Wayne Gerdes - CleanMPG - Nov. 2, 2011

Remember the Ford C-MAX write-up earlier this year that will offer not only SYNC, MyFord Touch and HD Radio but also the industry-exclusive hands-free liftgate?

You Wanted a 1.6L Ford EcoBoost, You Got It! In the C-MAX

What the hell is a hands free liftgate? It means when your arms are loaded with groceries, boxes, presents or whatever else you can imagine, and you have the keyless entry/hands free liftgate option, you lightly kick the rear bumper with your shoe, boot, sandal or whatever and the liftgate “magically” and automatically opens.

I saw it in action at the Ford Preview just prior to the 2011 NAIAS and it worked fantastic!

Well now Ford will be offering this trick setup on their all-new upcoming Escape. The small SUV will be the first to use what Ford is calling (uniquely named verb I might add ) “gesture-based” technology – similar to that found in video games – to open the rear liftgate. A gentle kicking motion under the center of the rear bumper activates the system and raises the liftgate without the need to fumble for a key. The same kicking motion closes the hatch as well.

The new 2013 Escape will makes its North American debut at the 2011 Los Angeles Auto Show and with this ingenious inclusion -- one is one of the best ideas I have seen come from any auto manufacturer – Ford’s R&D teams deserve a massive amount of kudo’s.

The hands-free liftgate uses two sensors in the rear bumper to detect a person’s shin and kicking motion. The system safeguards against accidental opening by being programmed to open with leg motions – not when an animal runs under the car or when the vehicle hits a bump on the road.

The liftgate height can be programmed or adjusted manually to meet specific customer needs.

Ford C-MAX - Hands Free Liftgate

Jason Sprawka, Escape Brand Manager:

“The hands-free power liftgate is yet another innovative Ford technology that makes customers’ lives easier as owners will be able to load their vehicle without ever having to set packages or gear down.”

The hands-free liftgate builds on Ford’s Intelligent Access push-button start. In laymen’s terms, a simple proximity key so many of us have become accustomed to the past few years thanks to the Prius. It allows customers to unlock and start their vehicles without having to take the key out of their pocket or purse.

The all-new 2013 Escape

The all-new Escape goes on sale next spring, building on the success of almost 2 million Escapes sold since 2000.

While Ford continues to insist the Escape is an SUV, it is based on the company’s C-sized Focus platform, which is a uni-body so small CUV may be the better description. I am really not sure it will arrive with a frame or not but nonetheless, the Focus platform is a good one with both excellent ride and handling and low NVH.

EcoBoost

In addition, the more important thing about the all-new Escape will be its fuel economy prowess thanks to the availability of the 1.6 and 2.0L EcoBoost ICE’s.

Ford’s 1.6L EcoBoost engine in the new Escape is expected to deliver higher highway fuel economy than the current 31 mpg rated Ford Escape Hybrid, which by all appearances is still set to disappear.

When equipped with the 2.0L EcoBoost, the all-new Explorer will have better fuel economy than competitors’ V6 engines while providing better performance. If the new 2.0L follows in Ford’s previous iterations, expect 240 HP and 270 lb-ft. of torque to be available just as it provides in the 2.0L EcoBoost equipped Ford Edge.

While this is just a reference to what the 2.0L EcoBoost may be capable of in the upcoming 2013 Escape if geared correctly, the 2012 Ford Edge with its brand new 2.0L EcoBoost allowed the following on a city/suburban RT loop just yesterday in West Chicago.

2012 Ford Edge with 2.0L EcoBoost


50 + mpg? Diesel like FE indeed!

Let us hope the 1.6L EcoBoost will provide the same for some fortunate soul and his or her brand new 2013 Escape

The Escape will be built at Ford’s Louisville Assembly Plant in Kentucky, where the company has invested $600 million to retool the facility and is in the process of adding 3,100 jobs to launch two new shifts of Escape production by the end of next year.

[PaleMelanesian]

Originally Posted by xcel

The liftgate height can be programmed or adjusted manually to meet specific customer needs.

That's a nice touch. I hope it has enough adjustment range. I'm not short, but Honda thought I was when they built the Odyssey.

[laurieaw]

and women will like this? wayne, wayne, wayne.....

will it also pop open when you are tailgated? LOL

[xcel]

Hi Laurie:

Originally Posted by laurieaw

and women will like this? wayne, wayne, wayne.....

will it also pop open when you are tailgated? LOL

It will shoot flames out the back under that condition but I failed to mention that feature in the story

Wayne

[Mendel Leisk]

I was actually thinking of this feature when I got back to our car a few nights back, holding a salad bowl, 2 slrs, and one or two haloween related items.

[rfruth]

Hope the C-Max Energi has this, I can think of quite a few times when this would come in handy.

[rfruth]

Wonder what the C-Max Energi MSRP will be - when will we know, at NAINS (aka the Detroit auto show ) ?

[WriConsult]

Don't get me wrong: there are times when this would be REALLY nice to have. Sometimes I've got a full load of grocery bags and would like to not set them down on wet pavement while I fumble for my keys and/or reach for the tailgate handle.

But would I buy it? Hell to the no! It adds expense, weight, complexity and maintenance cost. I'm glad this will remain an option -- one which (like SyncNavTouchMyFord, upgraded headlights, leather, nannyish faux-safety systems and automated parallel parking for the lazy and spoiled) I will NOT opt for, preferring instead to let others buy, subsidizing lower-priced base models for me.

[PaleMelanesian]

Automotive Relativity, again. Add me to the "nice, but no thanks" list.

[RedylC94]

Originally Posted by WriConsult

But would I buy it? Hell to the no! It adds expense, weight, complexity and maintenance cost. I'm glad this will remain an option --

I agree. However, modern cars are full of stuff which add those same drawbacks, and which used to be options, but now are either standard, or so common that people (not just racer-boy magazine writers) ridicule the few base models not so encumbered.