New Ford S-Max for Europe only

A new Ford S-Max is due in 2014 and, unlike the new Mondeo itll be based on, it will be produced for Europe only.

The new Mondeo, revealed at the Detroit motor show yesterday, will be virtually identical in all markets, as part of the One Ford strategy to produce global models.

However, at an exclusive preview of the new Mondeo, Ford executives told What Car? that the next S-Max wont be sold in the US, so will be developed exclusively for European markets.

MPVs have limited and diminishing appeal to US buyers, so the practical option developed from the same platform is likely to be a crossover/SUV-style vehicle for US buyers.

The next S-Max is due on sale in 2014, and is likely to be revealed in concept car form within the next 18 months. Its expected to stay close to the current cars sporty-but-practical ethos and will use the same range of engines as the new Mondeo. The seating system is likely to be a development of the current cars folding set-up.

Our sources also confirmed that a separate but closely related Galaxy is due at the same time and that Ford is not considering combining the two cars into one new model.

As with the current car, the next Galaxy will share many parts with the S-Max, but have a higher, longer body for more interior space.