The Ford Versailles was a large family car sold between 1991 and 1996 in Brazil and Argentina. It was a version of the Volkswagen Santana sold in the 1990s, when Ford and Volkswagen shared models in South America through the Autolatina joint venture.
Ford Versailles at a glance
| Maker | Autolatina, built at Volkswagen’s São Bernardo do Campo plant |
|---|---|
| Sold | 1991–1996, in Brazil and Argentina |
| Replaced | Ford Del Rey in Brazil, the local Sierra in Argentina |
| Base | Volkswagen Santana |
| Bodies | two- and four-door sedans, plus the Royale estate |
| Engines | 1.8-litre VW standard, 2.0-litre optional |
| Fuel | petrol or alcohol |
| Top trim | Ghia, 2.0 only, with electronic fuel injection |
| From 1993 | fuel injection available on the GL |
| Estate | Ford Royale, a three-door at first |
This page is based on English Wikipedia only.
History of the Ford Versailles
A Santana with a Ford face
The Versailles took over from the Ford Del Rey in 1991 for the 1992 model year, and in Argentina it replaced the locally built Ford Sierra. Its design differed from the Santana in using Ford’s corporate front-end treatment, somewhat squarer tail lights and more upright D-pillars. Like the Santana it was sold as a two- or four-door sedan, and as a station wagon called the Ford Royale. Both cars were built at Volkswagen’s plant in São Bernardo do Campo rather than at a Ford factory.
Engines and equipment
The GL came as standard with a 1.8-litre Volkswagen engine or an optional 2.0-litre, both available in petrol or alcohol-powered versions. The top Ghia model received only the 2.0-litre engine and could be ordered with electronic fuel injection, and from 1993 fuel injection also became available on the GL.
The Royale
The estate version was at first offered only as a three-door, even though the Volkswagen Quantum on which it was based came with five doors; it was said that Volkswagen did not want the Royale to be available as a five-door because it would have threatened the popular Quantum. In 1995 and 1996 Ford did offer a five-door version of the Royale. The Versailles disappeared when the Ford and Volkswagen partnership in Brazil came to an end.
Design and features
- Rebadged Santana: a Volkswagen design with Ford front-end styling.
- Petrol or alcohol: both engines sold in either fuel version.
- Ghia trim: the 2.0-litre top model with fuel injection.
- Royale estate: three-door at first, five-door from 1995.
Ford Versailles versions
- Versailles GL 1.8: the standard model.
- Versailles GL 2.0: the optional larger engine.
- Versailles Ghia: the top trim with fuel injection.
- Ford Royale: the estate version of the same car.
The Versailles replaced the Brazilian Del Rey and its estate version was the Royale, in the same range as the Verona. More Ford vehicles are in the Ford collection.
Sources
- Ford Versailles, English Wikipedia: origins, design, engines, Royale
