This Ford S-Max Is A Cheap Five-Cylinder MPV With 300bhp Potential

Ford's brilliantly preposterous Focus ST-engined performance MPV can be picked up cheaply, and has epic tuning potential
This Ford S-Max Is A Cheap Five-Cylinder MPV With 300bhp Potential

Once upon a time, Ford went a bit mad. It saw its seven-seater S-Max MPV (you know, those things families bought before the crossover market went nuclear) and thought it deserved to be given the 2.5-litre turbocharged inline-five from the Focus ST.

Over 10 years on, we’re still not sure why it happened, but we still appreciate the fantastic absurdity of the performance Ford Smacks. Sure, it was far from a sales success, but we can now reap the benefits on the used market.

This Ford S-Max Is A Cheap Five-Cylinder MPV With 300bhp Potential

The 217bhp on tap allows for a respectable 0-60mph time of 7.4 seconds, and it doesn’t take much to extract more poke from the burbly five-pot under the hood. A simple, relatively conservative remap will up that figure 260bhp, and there’s the potential to push well over 300bhp into Focus RS territory if the ECU jiggery pokery is combined with supporting mods like a freer flowing exhaust and an intercooler upgrade.

A seven-seater MPV - kept stock on the outside - with around 340bhp? There’s a perverse pleasure to be had in owning such a thing, we think.

The seller might need to work on their interior shots...
The seller might need to work on their interior shots...

If you do want one, you won’t have a lot of choice. Ford - unsurprisingly - didn’t shift many of these, and as such we’ve only been able to find seven for sale in the whole country. This one is up for £3690, although the mileage is fairly high at 106,000.

Tempted?

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Comments

luke c

Putting that 5-pot into a gti would be nice

06/07/2017 - 14:48 |
6 | 0
Roadster / Tail Red

How much for only the engine? Totally not gonna shove it into a Smart Roadster…

06/07/2017 - 14:53 |
92 | 0

Totally not gonna do that.
Totally.

06/07/2017 - 15:47 |
18 | 0

The engine will outdo the chassis for sure 😂

06/07/2017 - 22:32 |
6 | 0

I trust u but you would put the roadster on the engine wouldnt u(reverse fit the engine)

06/08/2017 - 03:09 |
2 | 0

That’s actually an amazing idea!

06/08/2017 - 07:06 |
0 | 0
The Silver Paseo EL54

If it wasn’t for Volvo there would be no S-Max 2.5T, nor the Focus ST and RS.

06/07/2017 - 15:20 |
26 | 0
Tuna

Everybody is talking about getting just the engine and I am standing here thinking how cool it would be as a sleeper

06/07/2017 - 15:38 |
52 | 0
lowie t

In reply to by Tuna

Just roll up to your kids school.
And smoke some “cool dad” driving a porsche

06/07/2017 - 16:07 |
34 | 0
Anonymous

I love it when car Manufacturers put Mental engines in ordinary cars

06/07/2017 - 16:02 |
24 | 0
Anonymous

106,000 isn’t even close to being high mileage these days. As long as it’s serviced on time that’s only just run in.

06/07/2017 - 22:01 |
18 | 0
Anonymous

When you have kids but still dreaming about having a fast car. 😂

06/07/2017 - 22:31 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

Can someone please do this,it would legit break the Internet

06/07/2017 - 22:41 |
0 | 0
Anonymous

Did you know that Opel (Vauxhall in UK) had made a Zafira OPC (VXR in the UK) with 240 hp?
A “rival” with the same spirit.

06/08/2017 - 00:40 |
6 | 0
Tomislav Celić

In reply to by Anonymous (not verified)

But the S max was better. Miles better

06/08/2017 - 09:36 |
2 | 0
Anonymous

My dream car after the MX5 MK1

06/08/2017 - 01:16 |
0 | 2