Ford Versailles
The Ford Versailles name has been used for two different automobiles: between 1954–1957 in France and between 1992–1996 in Brazil
France
The former Ford SAF plant in Poissy, acquired by Simca in 1954, manufactured a large car called the Simca Vedette. This was a descendant of the late 1940s/early 1950s Ford Vedette, and was also marketed as Ford Vedette in the Netherlands, Germany and Sweden until 1957. It was available in four versions, each of which was also marketed with a separate model name - Trianon, Versailles, Régence and Marly - hence the "Ford Versailles" appearing in some markets.
Brazil
In Brazil, the Ford Versailles was a version of the Volkswagen Santana sold in the 1990s when Ford and Volkswagen shared models in South America in a joint venture known as Autolatina. It replaced the Ford Del Rey in 1991, and was available as a sedan (with two or four doors) and station wagon called the Royale, with only three doors, even though the Volkswagen Quantum on which it was based was available with five doors. (It was alleged that Volkswagen did not want the Royale to be available as a five-door model, as this would have posed a competitive threat to the popular Quantum.). In 1995 and 1996, Ford also sold a five-door version of the Royale. It was also sold as the Ford Galaxy in Argentina (not to be confused with the European MPV of the same name), where it replaced the Ford Sierra. Both the Versailles and the Galaxy were eventually replaced by the Ford Mondeo.
See also
- Lincoln Versailles, an upmarket version of the 1970s U.S. Ford Granada
- Volkswagen Apollo
- Volkswagen Pointer
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