UPDATE: Ford just came out with official photos of the five-seater version of the 2010 C-MAX minivan confirming that it will indeed be offered with the firm's new 1.6-liter EcoBoost direct injection four-cylinder petrol engine. Full details will be released during the Frankfurt Show press days.

We've just been tipped off that Ford will swipe the covers off the all-new 2010 C-MAX minivan by the end of this week as the automaker seeks to get some additional publicity before the world premiere of the model at the forthcoming Frankfurt show. The new compact-sized MPV is based on the next-generation Focus platform with its styling loosely inspired from the Iosis MAX concept car that was displayed at the 2009 Geneva Salon in March.

According to Carscoop sources, Ford has followed in the footsteps of Renault and Citroen with their respective Scenic / Grande Scenic and C4 Picasso models by developing two different body styles for the C-MAX, one for the five seater version and another one for the larger and more practical, seven seater model.

While we're patiently waiting for Ford to green light the release of the first official images, we've added a full set of spy shots of the seven-seater model. Unlike the base C-MAX with five seats and conventional rear-doors, the seven-seater version features a pair of sliding rear doors that promise to improve access to the rear seats.

It is believed that Ford will premiere its newly developed 1.6-liter Ecoboost turbocharged four-cylinder gasoline engine on the new C-MAX that will also be available with numerous other normally aspirated petrol and turbo diesel units.

The new Ecooboost engine will eventually make its way on other Ford models in Europe such as the Mondeo and the next-generation Focus range.

Sales of the new C-MAX models are expected to start in Europe in mid-2010.

As for North America, even though Ford has confirmed that the U.S. will get the all-new, next-gen Focus model in 2010, there's no word if the range will also include the C-MAX.

Official Photos of 5-Seater 2010 Ford C-MAX