Pulling into Hopwood...
Pulling into Hopwood Park services near junction two of the M42 in Worcestershire, he couldn"t believe his luck when this prototype of the forthcoming Range Sport parked up - and Andrew was quick to pull out his camera. Unfortunately, he wasn"t able to get a shot of the cabin because the driver was still inside.
While the Galaxy has...
While the Galaxy has been a fixture in Ford"s line-up since 1995, the S-MAX is a "first" for the blue oval. It slots into the range beneath its big brother and above the Mondeo estate, providing family buyers with a sporty alternative to a traditional people carrier.
Despite looking similar to the new Galaxy, it is 69mm lower, and only the distinctive front headlamps and bonnet are carried over. The S-MAX can be identified by its extra pair of bumper-mounted foglights, air vents behind the front wheels and a tapering roofline.
To back up those looks, the maker"s advanced active suspension set-up promises car like dynamics, with adjustable dampers tuned to prevent body roll and control dive under braking.
The high-performance theme continues inside, with the centre console and dashboard getting a metal finish. The seven-seat Fold Flat System (FFS) ensures the S-MAX is also a practical choice, and there are 26 stowage compartments dotted around the cabin.
But Ford, keen to keep a secret or two for the show, has refused to release rear interior pictures just yet! What we can tell you is that with the seats folded there"s a two-metre long load bed and, as with the Galaxy, an optional sliding floor boosts practicality.
Adaptive Cruise Control (ACC) with Forward Alert (FA) and a collision mitigation device will debut on both cars. These radar-based aids allow drivers to set a predetermined distance between themselves and the vehicle in front, with the brakes and throttle being used to automatically maintain a safe distance. Knee airbags and a tyre pressure mon-itoring system further boost safety.
There"s also a high-mounted gear-lever, airline-style handbrake and fingertip controls for the stereo, plus a huge panoramic glass roof.
Under the bonnet, there"s a choice of two diesel and two petrol engines. The flagship model will share the 218bhp 2.5-litre five-cylinder used by the Focus ST. This turbocharged unit will be mated to a six-speed manual gearbox.
Entry-level petrol power comes fromthe 143bhp 2.0-litre Duratec, while the pair of diesel units are 1.8 and 2.0 TDCi variants, giving 123bhp and 138bhp respectively. Both the oil-burners are available with a six-speed gearbox.
Expect prices to start at around ÷£17,000 and rise to as much as ÷£23,000 for the top-spec version.