Model U taps the cream of the crops

“Green” isn’t a new phenomenon in the auto industry.

Henry Ford, inventor of the Model T and founder of the auto company bearing his name, experimented with recycling decades ago by producing a concept car with a body made of soybeans.

The drawback, the story goes, was that cattle were attracted to the concept. But it seems appropriate that as Ford Motor Co. prepares to celebrate its 100th anniversary this year, it has developed an environmentally friendly car that uses soybeans as well as corn and sunflower seeds.

Building on the heritage begun with the Model T, Ford has unveiled the Model U for this year’s auto show circuit. The concept vehicle is expected to draw attention to the role Ford played in the first century of the industry and the innovative role the automaker hopes to take in the second.

One example of such innovation is the Model U’s supercharged hydrogen internal-combustion engine, which emits only water vapor.

The automaker says the car is designed “to be good to you and good for the world by representing how using and producing personal transportation can have a positive effect on the planet instead of just minimizing negative effects.”

As with founder Henry’s soybean car, some materials in the Model U come from plants. For example:

* The fabric in the canvas roof and carpet mats is derived from corn.

* The rubber tires use corn-based fillers.

* The polyurethane seating foam and the tailgate’s polyester resin reinforced with fiberglass are made from soybeans.

* The lubricating oil is made from sunflower seeds.

The four-door, four-seat Model U, which looks somewhat like a Jeep Willys, boasts other “green” features.

The body, for example, is finished with a new process called UV-cure clear coat. Clear coat is the transparent top coating over the color that gives a vehicle its shine and protects the paint from damage. Regular paint and clear coat must be baked dry in ovens that consume fuel. UV-cure dries in ultraviolet light. In theory, the Model U could dry while being parked in the sun.

In addition, most interior features -- mirrors, sun visors, sound systems and seats -- slip into slots. So when buying a used Model U, you can replace damaged or missing items with those from older vehicles.

“Some of these concept features might not come to fruition for years to come,” if ever, said David Wagner, Model U technology project manager.

“But this is an important first step,” he said, in coming up with a vehicle to test the feasibility of new technology.

“Our centennial offers us an opportunity to reflect on our past accomplishments and look ahead to create a vision of future success. Model U is an exploration of that future vision,” said William Clay Ford Jr., Henry’s great-grandson and today the automaker’s chairman and chief executive.

The Model U also offers other features considered feasible for Ford’s second century:

* A retractable canvas roof, windows, tailgate, trunk and hood that are power-operated.

* A voice-activated navigation system. Instead of pushing buttons to program a course, the user can say, “Dodger Stadium,” and the system would map the route.

* The ability to convert the four-door sedan into a four-door pickup, using power controls to retract the top and lower the windows and deck lid. For a longer open cargo bed, the second-row seats would move forward in floor slots.

* Adaptive front lighting with lamps that automatically illuminate a wider area when the driver needs to see more, as at rural intersections.

* Night vision that uses infrared heat imaging to see objects ahead regardless of weather or darkness.

* Cameras in the outside mirrors that allow the driver to see “around” other vehicles. If the driver is preparing to make a left turn but his or her view is blocked by a vehicle across the intersection, a dash-mounted TV screen shows whether it is safe to proceed.

* A pair of cameras mounted in front that detect the distance and speed of objects and can warn the driver in time to prevent collisions.