The official premiere of a minivan Ford S-Max was held at the Geneva Motor Show in 2006. The car is built on the same platform as the new Ford Galaxy. However, the S-Max is positioned by the manufacturer on a young audience, therefore it differs from its “older brother” in a more compact size and body design. S-Max has become the embodiment of Ford's new approach to automotive design, which the company has received the title of "kinetic". Kinetic design is an expressive body shape with a pronounced "musculature." Using this innovation, Ford engineers tried to show energy in motion. The sleek, sophisticated S-MAX on the road reveals itself as one of the most practical and versatile vehicles.
The overall length of the Ford S-Max is 4.76 meters, height - 1.61 meters, width - 1.85 meters. The car is equipped with five seats and can carry cargo up to 1.8 meters long. The S-Max is equipped with the same passenger compartment transformation system as the Galaxy, as well as a retractable platform for loading heavy items. Outwardly, it is also not difficult to distinguish the S-Max from the older model. The novelty has a shorter rear overhang, the original form of the rear pillar and side windows, as well as the new front and rear bumpers, and the original ventilation slots in the front fenders. In addition, the S-Max is equipped with its own line of wheels, and received its own trim.
Another difference between S-Max and Galaxy is the available engines. In addition to the basic two-liter petrol power of 145 horsepower and a 140-horsepower two-liter turbo diesel, the S-Max is also offered with a new 220-horsepower five-cylinder unit of 2.5-liter, borrowed from the Ford Focus ST. The S-Max model range includes three configuration options: Core, Trend, Titanium.
The Trend package adds additional colors to the well-thought-out Core interior, adding sports touches and various innovations to it. In Titanium, you can find all those exclusive details and elements of the latest technical advances in the automotive industry, which are designed to make car trips unforgettable. Ford S-Max buyers can order a car with two or three rows of seats - the new Ford Fold Flat System (FFS) provides for a 5-seater seat configuration or a “5 + 2” configuration.
This raises the flexible organization of the interior space, demonstrated by another Ford car with the designation Max, the Ford Focus C-Max, and the letter S reflects the sportiness of the profile, driving pleasure and the styling of the trim. Stylish S-Max with its aerodynamic forms will provide you with full play in the cabin and deliver to the goal at a sporting pace. The company is positioning this minivan as a car for people who prefer an active lifestyle. The Ford S-Max is produced in Genk, Belgium, the birthplace of the Ford Mondeo. In 2010, the car has undergone a restyling. Visually, the car has changed slightly.
The sporty character of the car is effectively underlined by its renewed energetic design. Thanks to the philosophy of kinetic design, it seems that the car is moving, even if it stands still. A more aggressive air intake and LED running lights now gape in the bumper, and the taillights have a more intense ruby color and a modern look. The S-MAX in the Sport package features low bumpers, side skirts, 18-inch alloy wheels, tinted rear windows and a panoramic roof. In the salon, the sports theme found its continuation in the red stitching of the seat trim, steering wheel, door trim and gearshift lever, and the seats themselves are leather-covered in combination with alcantara.
After the upgrade, the place of the traditional analog instrument panel in all versions except the base one was taken by the HMI panel with a color screen. The front panel is made of pleasant soft plastic and decorated with panels a la piano lacquer, as well as inserts "under the carbon." The door panels are covered with leather, and in expensive versions the noble cold-white LED backlight spreads through the S-MAX cabin. Chairs with a good profile and pronounced lateral support, the driver is equipped with electric drive and memory. The back sofa consists of three equal parts, each of which can be regulated separately. Legroom is enough, the central tunnel is missing.
Under the floor of the trunk is located the third row of seats, but only the children will be comfortable in the gallery. At the same time, the amount of luggage becomes minimal - only 285 liters. By folding the two rear seats, the space becomes significantly larger - 854 liters, and if you remove the second row, the volume of the cargo hold will increase to 2000 liters. On the hood of a pair of modernized turbo diesel and a new 2-liter gasoline EcoBoost, replacing the former 2.5-liter engine from the Focus ST. Ford EcoBoost technology allows you to increase torque and power while reducing fuel consumption and CO2 emissions.
The power of the top version of the S-Max is now smaller - 203 hp against the 220 of the old engine, but the car is not equipped with a 6-step “mechanics”, the alternative of which the predecessor simply did not exist, but a six-speed PowerShift automatic gearbox with two clutches, providing ease of control, fuel economy and driving pleasure. The Sport version received a 2.0-liter turbo engine rated at 240 hp. and a maximum torque of 340 Nm. According to the passport, the 240-strong minivan accelerates in 7.9 seconds.
