Cut-price imports from...
Cut-price imports from China – which for years have enabled drivers to reduce their running costs without compromising road safety – are set to soar in price as a clutch of economic reforms put the country’s competitive advantage on the skids.
Just a week after Auto...
Just a week after Auto Express revealed exclusive pictures of the sporty D-MAX people carrier, the mag"s photographers snapped its bigger sibling, the Galaxy. They caught the disguised prototype undergoing testing in Germany, along with its smaller brother - and these pictures give the best indication yet of the blue oval"s strategy behind the two new models.
Clearly taller than the D-MAX, the Galaxy is a pure MPV to rival Renault"s Espace for interior space. A large glass area and deep sides show the height of the new people carrier, which has door mirror-mounted indicator repeaters similar to those on the D-MAX. As with the current Galaxy, designers have opted for normal rear doors over sliding openings for both cars. But the D-MAX"s tapering roofline and angled hatch are nowhere to be seen on the Galaxy. Instead, the bigger MPV features a square body for added space in the third row of seats.
The Galaxy debuts at September"s Frankfurt Motor Show before going on sale here in May. The flagship model is likely to be powered by the 2.7-litre V6 diesel, which Ford has developed in conjunction with PSA Peugeot Citroen.
However, the D-MAX isn"t due until later in 2006. It"s based on last March"s Geneva show car, the SAV, and shares the Galaxy"s engine range - although the Focus ST-sourced 2.5-litre turbo will be exclusive to the D-MAX. The smaller carrier comes as a five or seven-seater.