News agency headlineauto has reported that the second-generation S-MAX will share architecture, powertrains and technologies with the new Mondeo and be built alongside it at Valencia. It is expected to go on sale in 2015, along with the Galaxy.

The concept model is slightly longer and lower than the current car and appears to be quite a lot wider, with the production model expected to replicate this.

The front of the exterior is dominated by Ford's new Aston Martin-esque grille and long, slender light units. There’s also a full-length glass panel in the roof, though it's possible this may not be available on showroom cars.

The interior features high-quality materials, including Nubuck leather and carbon fibre seats that are also unlikely to make it to production.   

There’s a new folding arrangement for the “5+2” layout, with the centre middle seats disappearing into the floor to improve access to the rear, while the ultra-slender occasional rear seats store differently to those in the current car. Insiders hint that they may not be in the production version, though.

Other innovative ideas on the concept include seats which monitor the occupant's heart rate and glucose levels and which can trigger the car's active safety systems in case of an emergency

The concept also features full in-car wi-fi services for passengers and a tablet docking station in the second row, and supports the voice-activated link to smartphone apps that Ford has been introducing on production cars.