The Ford Windstar is a minivan that was produced and sold by Ford from 1995 until 2003. The Windstar was a replacement model for the
Aerostar, which was Ford's first minivan. The Windstar was supposed to bring more of a van feel instead of a modified truck feel to Ford minivans. Starting in 2004 the Windstar was replaced with the Freestar.
The Ford Windstar was initially available with a 3.0-liter and 3.8 liter V6 engine, but after 2000 the smaller of the two was dropped altogether as most consumers wanted the more powerful engine. The first year of the Windstar was a very basic model, but in 1996 Ford released a more detailed version of the minivan. In 1996 the 3.0-liter Vulcan V6 was made the base engine, with the 3.8 liter upgraded to 200 horsepower as an option.
In 1999 the Windstar received a makeover so that it looked more modern and sporty. The new grille and hidden window posts between the front and side doors were hidden to give the Windstar a more cosmetically appealing look. In 2001, Ford updated the Windstar again by changing the grille. The Ford Freestar eventually took the place of the Windstar, though it's simply an updated version of the most recent Windstar.
