Somewhat confusingly, the Ford Iosis X Concept shown at the 2006 Paris Auto Show has nothing in common with the original Iosis Concept shown at 2005's Frankfurt Show. The Iosis name was used again because the two concepts share Ford's 'kinetic design' form language. But where the original was a svelte coupe, the addition of an X to the name turns this new concept into a tall, rugged, five-door crossover.
Perhaps a better name would have been the Ford IROC X concept, because the design--especially in the rear three-quarter view--shares more than a slight resemblance to Volkswagen's IROC concept, which also made its public debut at the 2006 Paris show.
Its styling is quite radical, but the message is clear from Ford: expect to see a compact crossover from Ford in the next eighteen months, possibly incorporating some of the Iosis X's styling elements. Some of them, like the pillarless suicide doors, aren't likely to make production, of course.