New car news

27 February 2006 - 11:00

Ford unveils new seven-seaters

Ford is in seventh heaven at Geneva this year.

The big buzz on its stand is a pair of seven-seat MPVs that will be on sale soon and show the way forward for the company's next models.

The S-Max is Ford's take on the sporty MPV and it will even be offered with the 217bhp, five-cylinder engine from the Focus ST.

With two fold-away seats in the third row, the S-Max offers versatility with a sharp drive and is based on the same platform that will underpin the next Mondeo.

Other engines in the S-Max will be shared with the new Galaxy that sits alongside the S-Max at Geneva.

Both will use a 143bhp, 2.0-litre petrol engine and a 1.8 turbodiesel with 123bhp, while the Galaxy is also set to receive a 99bhp version of the 1.8 diesel.

The Galaxy is a full-sized MPV and has seven seats, which Ford says will be generous enough to accommodate a full load of adults and still leave some space for luggage.

Both of Ford's new MPVs arrive in the UK in June with a £16,767 starting price for the S-Max and £20,000 for the Galaxy.