By Design: Ford Vertrek

FRONT 3/4 VIEW 1. The headlamps are mere slits, but they wrap around nicely to define the corners at night and add visual length to the ensemble. 2. Practicality yields to style. The extreme windshield slope won't be much appreciated by drivers at night in bad weather. It'll also be hard to clean inside but will look good in the showroom. 3. No, it's not a Prius, but the low-drag roofline associated with that car is rapidly becoming ubiquitous because it works. 4. This dark plastic blade under the nose lets the painted surfaces above seem slimmer than they would be in a single color. 5. The corner intakes are a lot bigger than they need to be, but they enhance the impression of toughness that appeals to many SUV buyers. So why not? 6. Mitsubishi established huge, perfectly round wheelhouses as a hallmark of SUVs long ago, and they've been followed by almost every automaker since. This iteration is simple, clean, and strong. 7. The slim-spoke wheels are almost lacy, certainly not what you'd want for heavy-duty off-roading but perfectly suitable for supermarket runs. 8. There is a lot going on at sill level in the Vertrek, some having to do with the slide-out running boards. Look for the lines to remain but not the elaborate mechanism. 9. These high-resolution digital-sensor mirror replacements will not be on the forthcoming production Kuga/Escape, but they will be with us someday. 10. This little hook allows the rising line of color separation to reestablish itself as a horizontal element, improving the stance and set of the body to the rear wheels.