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@ByGorp KoLLE _ ndstar. The name conâ€" jures visions of romance and action. Never has a vehicle been so aptly named. Beaver photographer Reg Vertolli and I wentâ€"down to Florida in January to test drive the Windstar â€" Ford‘s brand new miniâ€"van â€" which is to be solely manufactured in Oakyville for all North America. _ We were not disappointed. When I did the preâ€"drive walk around, I marvelled at the seven pasâ€" senger vehicle‘s slim, smooth carâ€"like lines. Built specifically for women, parents, and empty nesters, Windstar is not what you‘d expect a miniâ€"van to look like. When viewed in person, you immediately understand why the Windstar is sometimes mistaken for an automobile. It‘s low to the ground. Nothing sticks out; everything from windâ€" shield glass to the side mirrors and door latches is flush with the Windstar‘s body. The designers have given it a pleasing, aerodynamic beauty found only on jet aircraft. The aircraft analogy works well here. On opening the front passenger door for a peek inside, I was struck by the Windstar‘s cockpit layout. It has the look and feel of a passenâ€" ger jet cockpit with all essential and necessary controls surrounding the driver at natural vision and handling points. Reg, a selfâ€"confessed miniâ€"van nut, drove the morning while I occuâ€" | pied the passenger seat. The placid grey interior invoked a quiet elegance. The floor carpet was thick and classic. _ _ Reg pointed to a small control knob at the seat side. "We can adjust the seat for comfort," he said. "I love the refinements." It was true. I was able to inflate The 1995 Ford Windstar is a longâ€"wheelbase minivan with carâ€"like ride and handling. Built at the Oakville Assembly Plant, Windstar comes in two models: GL and LX. parts of the seat so that my back and bottom conformed perfectly with the passenger chair. What luxury â€" and there was a furâ€" ther seat refinement I hadn‘t seen since my truck driving days â€" both seats had air ride capability. Driver and passenger could elevate their chairs to avoid a long, numbing, bumpy ride. The designers thought of everything in terms of occupant comâ€" fort. There were a series of air vents dotting the length of the roof interior. These allowed air conditioning and/or natural air flow to naturally invade and cool the interior, instead of blowâ€" ing it into the area from the front. Behind me, there were two plush bench seats, enough for six passenâ€" gers. Crowded, it would seem, but no. Leg room at any seat position had not been sacrificed. The Windstar was a roomy comâ€" fortable vehicle, so much so that anyâ€" body would be, happy just to sleep the whole day in it, let alone propel it down the road. Which was not a bad idea. putting North America in motionâ€"on its roads and in its industries. Thousands of consumers will get a piece of Oakville quality, and y ’Il:m: new Windstar Minivan is the latest in a 90â€"year tradition of l Oakville will share the benefits of a prospering industry. Ernst Young extends its congratulations to Ford Motor Company of Canada, Limited, for the Windstar. We are proud to share a business relationship and philosophy that goes back 70 years. = Accounting Auditing = Actuarial/Benefits/Compensation/Human. Resources (Sobeco Ermst Young) a. Corporate Finance ® Corporate Recovery Insolvency ® Forensic Litigation Accounting = Management Consulting ® Tax Zll FRNST YOUNG Windstar test drive wins over m (Photo by Riziero Vertolli) The ride was superb. I was struck by a number of things, including the degree of silence in the interior. It‘s like driving in a mobile library. Normally, you live with so much interior noise when you drive most cars, vans, and trucks. So the silence was deafening in the Windstar. In fact, Ford engineers found there were 22 holes in the Windstar instruâ€" ment panel necessary for the wiring of gauges and controls. Since each hole was a potential source for sound, the engineers proâ€". duced an instrument panel with smallâ€" er holes and which sealed sound betâ€" ter. Also, the air ride seats eliminate ride bumps â€" you literally feel like you‘re gliding along the highway. The Windstar‘s allâ€"around vision is superb. Like an aircraft, where safety is the prime consideration for passenâ€" ‘ ger flight, protection has governed Ford to produce a vehicle which allows the driver to see out of the vehicle at all points. The engine was hardly heard durâ€" ing the trip, but we both sensed the reserve of power. The Windstar is a frontâ€"wheel drive vehicle; the first Ford miniâ€"van to offer this type of powertrain. A vehicle with front wheel drive has its engine mounted over the transaxle so that the engine sides are facing back to front. This means less "joints" for the power to travel through, resulting in a package of upâ€"front power which is quicker to deliver. Thus, the Windstar has excellent traction for all weather and road conâ€" ditions, as we found out when we had to negotiate an offâ€"route bumpy counâ€" try road. Packing the engine ahead of the passenger compartment also means a roomier interior, as well as, a reducâ€" tion in internal noise levels. The Windstar packs a 155 hp Essex 3.8â€"litre Vâ€"8 engine â€" the same powerplant that drives the new Mustang and the Lincoln Continental. The Windstar also enjoys electronâ€" ic fuel injection so it gets precise fuel flow during all weather conditions. To sum up, we enjoyed our Windstar test drive immensely The vehicle has gentle looks, but it also demonstrated engine power and ruggedness of construction. The roomy interior ought to please any parent with young ones to tow, while the exterior lines should please miniâ€"van purists. Wednesday, March 23, 1994 â€" FORD â€" F7 CritlC POWERTRAIN Q Engine â€" 3.8 EFI Vâ€"6 Q Transmission â€" Electronic 4â€" speed automatic DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES Q Wheelbase â€" 3065 mm (120.7 in.) Q Overall Length â€" 5,110 mm (201.2 in.) Q Overall Width â€" 1915 mm (75.4 in.) Q Overall height â€" 1,724 mm $ (67.9 in.) Q Curb weight â€" 1,692 kgs (3,730 pounds) Q Fuel tank capacity 75 litres (16.6 Imp. Gals.) Q Cargo Capacity 4,077 litres (144 cu. ft.) INTERIOR SPACE (FRONT) Q Head Roomâ€" 998 mm (39.3 in.) Q Shoulder Room â€" 1,546 mm (60.9 in.) Q Hip Room â€" 1,470 mm (57.9 in.) ® Q Max. Leg Room â€" 1,033 mm (40.7 in.) BODY/CHASSIS Q Type of Construction â€" Unitized body and structural frame, with isolated front subâ€" frame Q Front suspension â€" MacPherson Strut with stabilizâ€" er bar, coil springs U Rear suspension â€" Variable rate steel coil/twist beam Q Steering â€" power, rack and pinion Q Brakes â€" Disc,/drum, power assisted, ABS standard CQ Wheels â€" Stampedâ€"steel 15 x 5.5 JJ four Q Tires â€" Tubeless, steel belted radialâ€"ply, all season Hits the Road. Congratulations Ford, on the introduction of the new Windstar. And thank you! Without a doubt, you are one of Oakville‘s brightest stars. We‘re proud ihat you call The Corporation of the Town of Oakville