Galaxy of eco cars at Ford

Jan 31 2010 Stewart Smith

Galaxy of eco cars at Ford

FORD'S top selling vehicle range secured almost 17 per cent of the UK's total 2009 market for the blue oval, making one in six new vehicles a Ford.

This figure is within two per cent of its 2008 total and with rising confidence in the future Ford has announced that its popular S-MAX and Galaxy ranges have been upgraded and they will be on sale within weeks.

The 2010 S-MAX and Galaxy are the first cars to be available with Ford's all-new, high efficiency, 2.0-litre 203 bhp EcoBoost petrol engine. This joins new 115bhp and 163bhp 2.0-litre Duratorq TDCi diesel engines, with a new 140bhp version arriving in the UK later.

Additionally, the latest Ford PowerShift double wet-clutch transmission system is available for the first time on Ford's large car range; it will be standard equipment with the EcoBoost petrol engine and optional with the 2.0 140bhp and 2.0 163bhp diesel.

Outwardly the new S-MAX includes a strongly sculptured bonnet and all-new front facia. Also new are the front grille and a lower front bumper which includes LED daytime running lights on high series models.

New Galaxy also features a re-designed front section, grille, new-look fog lights and chrome insets.

The new S-MAX and Galaxy are Ford of Europe's first vehicles to feature the new Blind Spot Information System. This radar-based technology warns drivers of vehicles in their blind spot area.

Prices are expected to start at around £18,500 for the S-MAX and £23,800 for the new Galaxy.

For 2010, Ford has also introduced the Focus ECOnetic, and its new technology includes the first production application of the Ford Auto-Start-Stop system which helps the popular Focus to achieve 74.2mpg on a combined run and its low CO2 emissions, at just 99g/km, means it attracts no road tax.