New Ford Galaxy Flies in Frankfurt

The Auto Channel reported that the all-new Ford Galaxy family vehicle was previewed at the 2005 Frankfurt Motor Show. True to its concept and elegant in execution, this new Galaxy was designed to emphasise comfort and luxury while providing spacious accommodation for up to seven people.

This all-new vehicle blends Ford’s well-renowned characteristics of supreme driving quality with high levels of interior sophistication and technology. The new Ford Galaxy will sit alongside the production version of the SAV concept, which was seen at the Geneva Motor Show earlier this year.

The new Ford Galaxy on display at Frankfurt is a preview of the production vehicle and very little will change by the time the car appears in showrooms during the first half of next year. Even, the refined exterior colour of the show vehicle, known as white grape within Ford, will be available in production.

Designed for a specific customer The Galaxy is designed as a true seven seater that fulfils a very specific need in the market, something we refer to within Ford as 'first-class travel'. Ford designers have created a vehicle that emphasizes visually these key values of luxury, space and flexibility.

Side view emphasises space and luxury Full exterior surface spanning taut dynamic lines are distinct elements of the new Ford design language. On the Galaxy the high roofline is incorporated into this form language to provide the interior headroom and excellent all-round visibility expected by Galaxy customers.

The Galaxy also employs Ford's typically pronounced wheelarches and strong shoulders to provide a balanced side view that sets off the generous, glassy appearance of the passenger cabin. The 18-inch production design wheels help to provide a solid stance of the vehicle viewed from the side.

Fresh new front end look The front end of the new Galaxy has a, characteristic angled nose combined with a distinctive new Ford headlamp shape, to provide a fresh new Ford face. The headlamp units incorporate the Advanced Front Light System (AFLS), that features moving halogen lamps with 12 degrees of swivel that provide an enhanced view for the driver that is particularly useful when negotiating twisty country roads. It also provides directed lighting that assists with specific, low-speed cornering manoeuvers such as turning into driveways.

Another notable design feature at the front of the Galaxy is a split front grille. Panning the headlamps is a slim upper grilled, which is balanced by a deeper lower grille to provide a refined, luxurious appearance that entirely in keeping with the car's functional attributes.

Practical, attractive rear The generous glass area flows through to the rear of the car with a panoramic rear screen complementing the excellent all-round visibility expected by Galaxy customers.

The rear lamps on the Galaxy are angled and with clear lenses to providing a jeweled effect. The wrap around rear tail lamps are sleek and elegant but still accommodate a, practical large tailgate opening offering a low load height to ensure that customers can extract the maximum benefit from the spacious Galaxy interior.

Travelling in first class – the Galaxy interior The interior of the Galaxy is appointed with luxurious leather seats with enhanced stitch lines. The infiniti blue seats, blending with the Pewter interior, offers a uniquely elegant color mix and real wood accents add to the luxury. The slim instrument panel section possesses a dynamic break in color between the dashboard and the rest of the vehicle environment, which enhances the perception of interior space.

A key feature of the interior is the high H-point seating that provides the Galaxy driver with the expected commanding driving position. There is a sweeping flow through the center console, which features an ergonomically positioned high-mounted shifter. Combined with a new LED instrument cluster, a next generation combined audio/information system (ICE) and a new steering wheel, there is an undeniable air of purposeful luxury to the interior.

Unique Fixed Glass Roof - Another distinctive and highly useful feature on the new Galaxy is the optional fixed glass roof and adjustable roof rack. The fixed glass roof extends to just above the backrest of the second row seat, giving the passengers an open feel for the road. “What customers in this segment demand is excellent visibility,” says Smith. “The large glass surfaces in the vehicle ensure full all-around view from the Galaxy.”

Galaxy also comes with a roof rack that is integrated into the roofline.

Space and Flexibility - Utilizing the space for seven passengers, the Galaxy offers a substantial level of flexibility in a three-row configuration. A competitive advantage that the new Galaxy will have is fold flat seats. These seats will allow smart use of space behind the driver and passengers, or for business use. Though the fold flat seats provide a great deal of space flexibility, the key benefit is that the seats can always remain on board which means the configuration of the vehicle can be easily changed with one step operation with no need to remove the seats from the vehicle.

Unbeatable Powertrain Offerings - There will be a combination of three powertrains offered in the new Galaxy. Ford, long known for producing exceptional engines in terms of power, performance and fuel efficiency and emissions, will supply the new Galaxy MPV with a most impressive range of power.

2.0-litre Duratec HE petrol engine – This 16-valve, four-cylinder powerplant offers 145 PS and peak torque of 190 Nm. This powerful new I4 Duratec HE petrol engine is matched up with Ford’s proven MTX-75 5-speed manual transmission.

Duratorq TDCi 1.8-litre diesel engine – This tried and true variation of Ford’s Lynx diesel offers 125 PS and a peak torque of 285 Nm. Two proven transmissions will be available, the Durashift MTX75 5-speed manual or the Durashift MMT6 6-speed manual.

Duratorq DW 10 2.0-litre diesel engine – This high-performance diesel offers 143 PS and peak torque of 340 Nm. The 143 PS 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi version comes with Ford’s Durashift 6-speed manual transmission as standard.

World-Class Suspension - Ford engineers took a best of both worlds approach to the suspension systems for the new Galaxy MPV. A wider isolated mount subframe was used for the MacPherson-type front suspension, similar to the current Ford Mondeo and a Tie-blade rear suspension, currently in use in the Focus and C-MAX. Also, a MacPherson front suspension system is used in the latest and refined version, allowing compromise for steering simplicity. This combination will give the new Galaxy extremely nice road manners often not equated with vehicles this size.

Galaxy is also one of two new vehicles to kick off of the new Continuous Damping Control system for Ford Motor Company.

Driver Protection - The new Galaxy MPV comes equipped with the latest state-of-the-art front airbags and a new driver knee airbag as well as a side mounted thorax airbag for the front seats plus first, second and third row curtain airbags. Combine those with 3-point seat belts, intelligent pre-tensioners and load limiters, anti-submarining seats and a horizontal stroking steering system and the occupant has a highly comprehensive safety system available.

Galaxy Electric System - The electrical system design on the new Galaxy MPV was developed with the goal to increase to new levels the amount of Human Machine Interface (HMI) dialogue between driver and vehicle. With the Galaxy, a more structured approach was developed taking a multi-level approach.

2005-09-13 Please quote Autoindex.org if You use this news article!