I Think Ford Copied BMW's Key From A Decade Ago
Photo: Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik
I just had a 2024 Ford Maverick Tremor dropped off for a week of testing, and when I was handed the key I was taken aback by how familiar it seemed. This was very odd considering the fact I’ve never tested a Ford before – therefore I’ve never seen the key. However, I just couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d used it before.
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Photo: Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik
I took the car to my folks’ place in New Jersey for a long weekend of 4th of July fun, and when I went to put the key on their keyholder, I noticed something. You see, my mother drives a 2014 BMW X3, and the moment I saw her key hanging there, I figured out why the Ford key seemed so familiar to me. Readers, I don’t know how this happened, but it sure as hell looks like Ford just straight-up reused the key BMW was using a decade ago.
As it turns out, after doing some research (read: it was pointed out to me by parts-sharing savant Bozi Tatarevic on Twitter) both of these keys were built by the same supplier: Continental. That explains why they are so similar, but it doesn’t explain why Ford wouldn’t bother to do very much else to distinguish its key from something BMW was making over a decade ago.
Look at the layout of the buttons – never mind that they’re both metallic. Unlock is on top, then lock in in a circle in the middle. At the very bottom is a long panic button. The only difference is the button above which is a remote start button on the Maverick and a trunk popper on the X3. They’re even pretty much the same shape
Photo: Andy Kalmowitz / Jalopnik
Even their overall shape is the same – they’re both slightly curved rectangles. Look within those rectangles and you’ll see a slightly glossy rectangle that surrounds the buttons, and the key ring is mounted in the exact same place on both keys.
OK, I know this is just the way the automotive world works, but damn it…I think I wish Ford did a little more to update their keyfob to make it different from something that was around 1o years ago.
