The Ford Galaxy was a seven-seat car built by Ford of Europe from June 1995 to April 2023. A large MPV, it was the first Ford-brand MPV produced and sold outside North America, and unlike the American Aerostar it had four conventional doors, in line with the Renault Espace.
Ford Galaxy at a glance
| Maker | Ford of Europe |
|---|---|
| Production | June 1995 – April 2023 |
| Class | large MPV, seven seats |
| First Ford MPV | outside North America |
| First generation code | V191 |
| Joint venture | AutoEuropa, Palmela, Portugal |
| Twin models | Volkswagen Sharan, SEAT Alhambra |
| Volkswagen engines | 2.8 VR6 petrol, 1.9 TDI diesel |
| Ford engines | 2.0-litre I4 DOHC, later 2.3-litre 16-valve |
| Gearboxes | VW AG4 automatic, Ford VXT75 five-speed manual |
| Later platform | shared with the Mondeo and S-Max |
| Generations | three |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only.
History of the Ford Galaxy
A Volkswagen under a Ford badge
The first Galaxy was a joint venture between Ford and the Volkswagen Group, built at the AutoEuropa plant in Palmela, Portugal and badge-engineered into three vehicles: the Ford Galaxy, the Volkswagen Sharan and the SEAT Alhambra. Production started in May 1995. The car used mostly Volkswagen Group mechanicals, most notably the 2.8-litre VR6 petrol engine from the top Golf models and the 1.9-litre TDI diesel; the only initial Ford engine was a 2.0-litre four derived from Ford’s I4 DOHC unit, joined later by a 2.3-litre 16-valve version first seen in the facelifted Scorpio, mounted transversely rather than longitudinally. The VR6 model could be ordered with four-wheel drive, which did not return on the second generation.
Ford and VW parts together
All the Volkswagen-sourced engines carried Ford badges on their rocker covers despite being VW Group designs. Every automatic gearbox was a Volkswagen AG4 unit, while manual cars used a VXT75 five-speed, a version of Ford’s MTX-75 adapted for transverse engines. The interior mixed components from both companies, with a instrument pack and most switchgear from the Volkswagen Golf and a curved fascia moulding of Ford design that recalled the Mondeo.
A best seller despite criticism
In 1999 a Top Gear magazine survey rated the first Galaxy the least satisfying car in the United Kingdom, yet 12,233 people had bought one the previous year, twice the market share of its nearest rival according to a company spokesman, and in Britain it outsold the Volkswagen Sharan and was the best-selling MPV. Later generations moved to a platform shared with the Mondeo and the S-Max, and the model line sat between the Connect and Custom versions of the Tourneo and Transit family. The Galaxy remained in production until April 2023, in its third generation.
Design and features
- Joint venture: built in Portugal with the Volkswagen Sharan and SEAT Alhambra.
- Mixed engineering: VW engines and automatics with Ford manual gearboxes.
- Four side doors: a conventional MPV layout rather than the American van shape.
- Seven seats: the large MPV role above Ford’s smaller people carriers.
Ford Galaxy versions
- Galaxy Mk I (1995–2000): the AutoEuropa car with VW Group engines.
- 2.8 VR6: the top petrol version, available with four-wheel drive.
- 1.9 TDI: the Volkswagen turbo-diesel.
- 2.0 and 2.3 16V: the Ford four-cylinder engines.
- Second and third generations: on the Mondeo-based platform, built until 2023.
The Galaxy shared its later platform with the Mondeo and sat above the Fusion in Ford’s MPV range. More Ford vehicles are in the Ford collection.
Video: Ford Galaxy road test
Video by ADAC on YouTube.
Sources
- Ford Galaxy, English Wikipedia: joint venture, engines, gearboxes, market
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