Ford’s Mondeo finally open to taking orders
2014-11-14 06:03:50
After one of the longest gestation periods in recent automotive history, Ford has now opened its order books on its new Mondeo. In the UK, the new Mondeo will be available as a 4-door saloon (but only with a hybrid powertrain), the more familiar 5-door hatchback and an estate which has been especially developed for Europe. The Mondeo will reach UK dealerships in December and will start from £20,795.
The new Mondeo was originally unveiled way back at the 2012 Paris Motor Show. However, the closure of the company’s production facility in Genk, Belgium as part of a major cost-saving drive, has resulted in a two-year delay. The new Mondeo will be built at its new production facility in Valencia, Spain.
Like the company’s Fiesta and Focus models, the Mondeo embraces Ford’s latest design language. This means it inherits the now-familiar trapezoidal grille and angular light clusters. The overall design of the new Mondeo is sleeker and more sportier than the model it replaces.
Inside, the all-new Mondeo feels more upmarket with higher quality materials adopted throughout. The dashboard is dominated by a large 8-inch colour touchscreen which will display navigation, infotainment and in-car data. Ford’s Synch2 system features voice control and Bluetooth connectivity and has the capability of being used as a WiFi hotspot for up to eight devices.
Ford has promised a dynamic driving experience.
From launch, petrol engines will include a 1.5-litre EcoBoost and 2.0-litre EcoBoost engines whilst diesel ECOnetic units will include 1.6-litre and 2.0-litre variants. A petrol electric hybrid will be a first for a Mondeo too, combining a specially-developed 2.0-litre petrol engine and mating it to a 1.4kWh lithium-ion battery pack. The petrol engine range will be joined early in 2015 with Ford’s award winning, fuel-efficient and surprisingly powerful 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine. This engine has been named the International Engine of the Year on no less than three occasions – an unprecedented achievement.
Power outputs for the engines have not been confirmed by the company, but it has confirmed that the 1.0-litre EcoBoost unit will emit less than 130g/km of CO2. Meanwhile, the 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine is the same unit as that which is used in the hot Focus ST. The 1.6-litre diesel engine has anticipated CO2 emissions of 94g/km whilst the 2.0-litre ECOnetic diesel unit will deliver an anticipated 107g/km. Having been optimised for fuel economy and low noxious gas emissions, the petrol-electric hybrid will deliver a predicted 99g/km and is the first hybrid-electric vehicle that Ford will manufacture in Europe.
All models will get standard-fit 6-speed manual gearbox, but some engines will get a 6-speed Powershift automatic transmission either fitted as standard or available as an option.
A separate all-wheel drive variant of the Mondeo will join the line-up during the spring of next year.
Safety is a huge feature of the new Mondeo. It debuts a new pedestrian technology that could help reduce the severity of accidents or help drivers avoid them all together. Dubbed Pedestrian Detection, the system is able to identify people already in the road or detect those who could cross the vehicle’s path. If necessary, it will then automatically apply the brakes if the driver does not respond to warnings. The sophisticated system achieves this by continually analysing information collected from a windscreen-mounted camera coupled to a radar located in the bumper and checks it against a “database of pedestrian shapes”. This helps it to distinguish people from other roadside scenery and objects.
Whilst Pedestrian Protection is perhaps the most technologically-advanced system on the Mondeo, it is not the only safety system and is one amongst a vast raft of new features and improvements detailed by Ford that will enhance the all-new Mondeo. Indeed, Pedestrian Protection is a part of the Adaptive Cruise Control package that introduces Active Braking. This system can autonomously apply the brakes – even full braking force if necessary – to help the driver mitigate or avoid a rear-end collision.
An advanced version of the company’s Active Park Assist which also features Perpendicular Parking is also available. This enables the driver to detect suitably-sized parallel parking spaces and reverse hands-free into spaces parallel to the road and side-to-side with other cars. This system will be supported by both Park-Out Assist - which helps drivers to exit parallel parking spaces – and Side Parking Aid, which delivers an on-screen visual representation and audible warning of obstacles to the sides of the vehicles, as well as to the front and rear.
Ford’s driver assisting Active City Stop collision avoidance system readies the brakes if a potential impact is detected and if the driver doesn’t respond, will automatically apply the brakes at up to 25mph.
Finally, a Lane Keeping Aid applies steering torque to guide the vehicle back into lane if the system detects that the car is drifting.
Joe Bakaj, vice president of product development at Ford of Europe, told first4auto: “The all-new Mondeo is a significant new chapter for one of Europe’s best-known vehicles with a history dating back more than 20 years. Mondeo will make high specification and premium features accessible to even more drivers, including our industry-first Inflatable Rear Seatbelt and Ford’s first LED headlights in Europe.”
This is an abridged article especially prepared by First4Auto on behalf of EcoCars4Sale.
Reported By
Andrew Merritt-Morling
Chief Editor
