The Ford Windstar has the distinction of being Ford’s first front wheel drive minivan. In fact, it was just the second minivan that Ford has ever produced after it replaced the Ford Aerostar. But the Ford Windstar is a lot different from the Ford Aerostar it succeeded—with a lot more things to offer, a lot more capability to show, and a lot more of power to prove.
The Ford Windstar was introduced by Ford in 1995. It was Ford’s first front wheel drive van and was aimed to compete with the various Chrysler minivans. It replaced the Ford Aerostar, which was rather a rear wheel drive. Production for the Ford Windstar lasted until 2003, as it was replaced by the Ford Freestar in 2004.
Upon introduction, the Ford Windstar was available in either GL or luxury LX trim. Standard for both is a 3.8 liter V6 engine coupled with a 4-speed electronically controlled automatic transaxle. A 3.0 liter engine became standard the following year, with an upgraded version of the 3.8 liter engine available as an option. The Ford Windstar was long, providing enough room and seating for seven passengers. It has the longest wheelbase in its class and has a body weight that is longer than either its rival Dodge Grand Caravan or the Mercury Villager.
A thorough redesign in 1999 made the Ford Windstar more capable and more equipped. Now offered in five models, which includes the base, Cargo, LX, SE and SEL trims, the Ford Windstar became more powerful with two brand new engine options. A 3.0 liter V6 was fitted on the base and Cargo models while a 3.8 liter unit of the same engine configuration is fitted on the LX, SE, and SEL trims. The 4-speed automatic shift continued to be the transmission unit used. A major body restyle made the interior wider while the exterior received a fresh look.
The Ford Windstar wasn’t able to achieve the success that Ford has hoped it to achieve, prompting them to replace it with the Ford Freestar. Its performance was overshadowed by the better showing of minivans manufactured by Honda, Toyota and other car manufacturers. Nonetheless, the Ford Windstar proves to be a capable and practical minivan. With a few high performance Ford Windstar parts that can be found here at Parts Train, you can make it outperform its rival minivans. For a detailed list of the parts available for your Ford Windstar minivan, feel free to browse further through our easy to navigate site.
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