Ford's S-Max->ke1415 MPV is widely regarded as one of the Blue Oval's->ke31 most popular and successful models. Back in 2007, it even won the prestigious Car of the Year award in Europe, which goes to show that the reach of the S-Max knows no geography.

Now that the current model is long in the tooth, Ford is ready to unveil a successor at the 2013 Frankfurt Auto Show->ke235.

Called the S MAX Concept->ke169, the vehicle is less of an actual concept than it is a preview of the future production S-Max model. Not that there's anything wrong with that because one look at the concept and you're immediately pining for the production version to come out sooner than later.

In addition to adopting the modern global design language of Ford, the S Max Concept also makes use of new some nifty new features from Ford's SYNC system while also boasting of an interior that should make its customers happy.

Click past the jump to read more about the 2014 Ford S MAX Concept

Exterior

Don’t sweat the concept tag attached to the S MAX Concept because one look at it and you can immediately tell that it doesn’t look much of a concept but a stylized version of a production model that could be out on the road sooner than later.

Having said that, the new look of the S MAX Concept is still a noticeable departure from its predecessor. It’s been redesigned to accommodate Ford’s new global design language, specifically the use of a high-mounted grille and the swept-back headlamps. Carefully observe the lower fascia and you might notice a more pronounced bumper that adds a touch of sportiness to an SAV not known for such agile descriptions.

Even the overall shape of the S MAX Concept looks pretty impressive. The continuous arc that stretches to the roof and slopes downward as you reach the rear end is a nice surprise. The sweeping front bonnet sharply complements the raked front screen while the feature line running along the side casts an illusionary length and masculinity that you normally wouldn’t associate with a car like the S Max.

Interior

One thing you won’t have any problems on the S MAX Concept is interior space. There’s plenty of it once you step inside; enough to comfortably seat at least five people with the option of more space, thanks to the Thin Seat Technology used by Ford in the third row of seats, enabling the seats to be raised and lowered in a single action with minimum effort.

Ford also did a good job in not falling into the temptation of excess when it comes to concepts. The center console noticeably lacks the plethora of buttons and controls that are usually standard on concepts. Don’t get us wrong; fewer buttons are a good thing.

A Dual-View Display that makes use of Ford’s all-too famous SYNC system sits atop the center console and flanked by A/C vents. The display delivers different images to the driver and front passenger using the same screen, ensuring the former receives important information without being distracted. Move south and the controls are neatly spaced, with some probably thinking that there’s too much emptiness around it.

Even the door panels were smartly designed and even – surprisingly to us, at least – comes with leather lining. Combine that with the touches of carbon fiber detailing for the sculptured seats and you get a cabin that really has a more high-class feel to it.

Performance

The Ford S MAX Concept is set to be powered by the same 1.5-liter EcoBoost engine that the 2014 Fusion will have under its hood. That engine can produce around 178 horsepower and 177 pound-feet of torque, good enough to hit 60 mph in around 9 seconds to go with an estimated top speed of 120 mph.

Ford SYNC's New Features

Much has been made about Ford’s SYNC system and to those that have lauded the technology for a seemingly all-encompassing set of features will love the additional things it can do with the S MAX Concept.

The usual features are still all there, but for this particular concept, Ford added a few items that could well worth be your time and attention. Most of these additional features seem to focus more on improving or at least raising awareness of a driver’s health and well-being.

Ford's ECG Heart Rate Monitoring Seat records the driver's heart rate, delivering long-term heart activity data that would otherwise need to be recorded at hospitals. Should there be a problem, the system, through SYNC, immediately alerts remote medical experts of the problem, or in really serious cases, trigger active safety systems to take over in a case of emergency.

In addition to the ECH Heart Rate Monitoring Seat, SYNC also connects with a Glucose Level Monitoring that can warn parents if a sleeping child in the rear seats suffers a diabetic episode.

These new features may not sound all that sexy, but they could prove to be important in dire and serious circumstances.

Pricing

No details have been revealed surrounding the S MAX Concept's price, but if it becomes a precursor to a future production S-Max, you can expect that model to retail at around $28,000.

Competition

For a car that already has a Car of the Year award under its belt, the S Max still has its fair share of competition, not the least of which includes an equally new MPV that features its own brand of new styling.

2013 Citroen C4 Picasso

The new Citroen C4 Picasso was built on Citroen's new EMP2 platform that makes it more compact that the previous generation. Don't be fooled by the smaller dimensions because the MPV can still carry a full-sized family with no problems.

Adding to the appeal of the new C4 Picasso was the dynamically-styled front end that distinguishes itself thanks to the new look chevrons and slim LED daytime-running lights.

Citroen hasn't released the performance numbers for the new C4 Picasso but we expect it to be in the range of the S MAX, with a slight edge probably going to the French model.

Conclusion

As a concept, the S MAX Concept looks pretty sweet. We're just not sure how much of it will be translated to the next generation model. We hope that Ford decides to build on to the concept instead of taking bits and pieces from it, but ultimately, we're pretty interested in how the transformation takes place once the production model is ready to make its debut.