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Ford engineers have subjected the new B-MAX to a series of rigorous laboratory tests to stimulate the toughest treatment children and pets could dish out, including soaking materials in milk and carbonated drinks.
Engineers soaked interior fabrics to gauge stain resistance and conducted testing with a medieval ‘mace’. Plastics were pounded by a heavy rubber ball, ten times the weight of a regulation football, and Velcro was used to simulate fabrics being snagged on bags and clothes.
Senior Materials Engineer, Ford of Europe, Mark Montgomery commented:
“By testing everything from soft drink spills to muddy boots, we’ve made sure the B-MAX interior is ready for anything. I’ve got young children myself, so I’m very familiar with the mess they can create.
“These tests make sure we’ve done everything possible to make sure the car looks as good the thousandth time that families sit in it as it does the first.”
The B-MAX’s Ford ‘Easy Access Door System’ provides unrivalled access for families and luggage through hinged front and sliding rear doors that integrate the central body pillars.
Accordingly, samples of all leathers and fabrics incorporated into the compact multi-activity vehicles interior design were tested for stain resistance and ease of cleaning following 24 hours of being soaked in liquids, and smeared with soil and grease.
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