If Ford's new iosis concept (the official name is in lower case) is anything to go by, there will be few people referring to Ford's next family saloon as the 'Mundeo'. Although it is claimed that the show car, making its debut at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show, does not actually preview a forthcoming production model, there is no doubt that we will see many elements of this concept in the Mondeo replacement.

The iosis is set to be one of the show stars thanks to its jaw-dropping good looks and radical interior. At first glance, the swoopy exterior looks ready to hit the showrooms, if more sculpted and dynamic than most of Ford's current offerings. There are elements of the Mazda RX-8 in the accentuated wheelarches, and if you squint a little, the side profile could be mistaken for that of the new Aston Martin V8 Vantage. How many family cars can make that claim to fame?

One of the more dramatic aspects of the iosis is very unlikely to ever see production on a regular production car: its angled pivoting door arrangement that gives complete, uninterrupted access to the interior. Constructed from carbon fibre to save weight, the doors are powered by ram motors that swing them upwards and outwards via a system of sophisticated hinges. They look beautiful, but would be too expensive to produce in series production. What we are certain to get is the new Ford face, which will include the inverse trapezoid air intake below the grille and possibly even the distinctive rear lights.

Inside, the iosis combines futuristic materials with next generation technology. It may not look comfortable, but is spacious and will please any tech geek! It's good to see that Ford has high expectations for its future models.

Shane O' Donoghue - 8 Sep 2005