RE: Ford shows off new Mondeo

[peter pan]

Must admit it looked a bit like an inflated focus at first glance, which is not a critiscim, I really like the shape of the current car and regardles of price or badge Mondeos are a very good car. Just hope the new one is ok, and a pity its not quite the same as the concept car. If they had produced that, it would definately have been a winner.

[appletonn]

Hmm, hasn't translated well from the concept, I don't think.

Looks far too Mazda 6/bland curves/big arches/small wheels/ride height too high/body too 'heavy' over back wheels....

Apart from that, I love it....

I had a current shape 2 litre petrol Mondy for about 6 months before i got the Teutonic thing, and I have to echo other people's comments about the drive - superbly weighted controls, great steering feel, nicely adjustable chassis (lift off oversteer on wet roundabouts if you try) togther with a very roomy and practical interior made it by far the best drive compared to its competitors, in much the same way thatthe MK1 Focus was night and day ahead of its rivals when it came to driver appeal.

But maybe, the discerning, driver-appeal type punters all want a posh badge these days...?

Would be shame to see it flop, but I just don't think the looks have it.

[knightly]

when the hell will ford get back into the BTCC.......fords and the mondeos images have both been badly tarnished over the past years, they need to convince the UK market they are serious about their cars.......my impression of ford at the moment is just a cheap poor quality car, cost saved to hell and back, that is expensive to service, certainly nothing to boast about to your mates, or anything that I would want to wash on a sunday........they need to drastically raise thier image.....the WRC is doing wonders for the Focus image.......why not bring it on with the Mondeo in the BTCC

[shar2]

I certainly like the estate version over the others, but even they are ok. Will be having a look at one when I need to get rid of the Laguna. Can't stand the looks of VAG products, even if they are quite well made, especially the massive grills the Audi's have these days. I really hope that these cars will help with the turnround that Ford need, even though, as others have said, I thought the European divison was doing ok.

[jvaughan]

Estate for me too.

But .. as Ive just bought a Mondeo ST I wont be having a new Mondeo for a few years

[notthehamster]

How long can this Cortina/Sierra/Mondeo family car thing go on? Surely buyers are moving on, now that there aren't hundreds of thousands of company car owning reps in Britain any longer. Nissan have got the message, abandoning the sector altogether. And other companies have recognised that to win sales, you need cutting edge design. Come on Ford, sackloads of near useless electronic gizmos and committee-grade styling are not a winning formula.

[Oddball RS]

Sweet baby Jesus, is it only me that thinks its as dull as ditch water? how can you make a brand new car that looks like its 12 months old?

As for the engine line up, reverse engineering? they move us on how?

[plfrench]

knightly said:

when the hell will ford get back into the BTCC.......fords and the mondeos images have both been badly tarnished over the past years, they need to convince the UK market they are serious about their cars.......my impression of ford at the moment is just a cheap poor quality car, cost saved to hell and back, that is expensive to service, certainly nothing to boast about to your mates, or anything that I would want to wash on a sunday........they need to drastically raise thier image.....the WRC is doing wonders for the Focus image.......why not bring it on with the Mondeo in the BTCC

I agree with you about them needing to raise their profile, a point proved by your perception of Ford's which is completely removed from reality. The Mondeo, Focus, S-Max, C-Max, and Galaxy are all very well built and do not feel cheap or poor quality when compared with anything else in their class including VW's.

I think the changes to the BTCC regs to whatever it is going to be called now would be the ideal opportunity for a return to saloon car racing.

Edited by plfrench on Wednesday 14th February 17:03

Edited by plfrench on Wednesday 14th February 17:03

[ED965]

notthehamster said:

How long can this Cortina/Sierra/Mondeo family car thing go on? Surely buyers are moving on, now that there aren't hundreds of thousands of company car owning reps in Britain any longer. Nissan have got the message, abandoning the sector altogether. And other companies have recognised that to win sales, you need cutting edge design. Come on Ford, sackloads of near useless electronic gizmos and committee-grade styling are not a winning formula.

What do you mean there are not thousands of company car owning reps anymore?
Look at the motorways it full of them..........BMW 3 series though
This is why this car has suffered poor residuels and not really cheap in the first place, well over £20k for a good spec.

[notthehamster]

[quote=plfrench]The Mondeo, Focus, S-Max, C-Max, and Galaxy are all very well built and do not feel cheap or poor quality when compared with anything else in their class including VW's.

I fully agree with your comments regarding Ford quality. I have only owned two Fords, a Mondeo and a Focus. Both have been totally reliable and handle well, something which could not be said of three Golfs, a Nissan, and a Vauxhall. It's just the shape of the tin bits.

[thirsty]

plfrench said:

Case of Deja-Vu here... I'm sure this was up a couple of days ago!! I assume Autocar and thus Haymarket didn't like the fact the PH was going to beat them to it on running a piece with this weeks Autocar not due out till today!!

Yeah ... no kidding ! What happened Ted? I responded to this story several days ago, and it, along with my reply disapeared !

[agent006]

notthehamster said:

How long can this Cortina/Sierra/Mondeo family car thing go on? Surely buyers are moving on, now that there aren't hundreds of thousands of company car owning reps in Britain any longer. Nissan have got the message, abandoning the sector altogether. And other companies have recognised that to win sales, you need cutting edge design. Come on Ford, sackloads of near useless electronic gizmos and committee-grade styling are not a winning formula.

There are still plenty of buyers out there for mid size hatches and saloons. People who need mroe space than a Civic/Focus but haven't got enough budget for a passat/a4/3 series. Although everything seems to be going up these days. I remember when Mondeos used to be cheap, i bet these will start at £17k+.

[tomtvr]

Needs a lot more power - just look at the Vectra VXR with 280bhp - also could do with AWD - Fords sister companies Jaguar, Volvo and even Mazda can offer power to all the wheels.

A 6 cylinder derv is also a must, the 155ps version (assuming they offer it here) is a very good engine but ultimately it needs a more powerfull range topper.

Looks seem ok, as with all modern saloons the wheels look too small. Strangely the estate looks better.

I do think this will be a very good car though.

[whiters]

I've never seen such a mix of curves, angles, creases and gaps. I wouldn't say it's a ugly, but it does look like it was designed by a bunch of blokes who nearly agreed with each other, but not quite.

[hiccy]

Reminds me of an NSU Ro80, from the back mostly, but from the front a bit too.

Hope it succeeds a lot better than the NSU did though; my dads had four Fords in a row now, a couple of Probes (I told him to buy a 200SX!), an ST200 (I bought the Nissan, he was jealous )and recently an ST220 and I have to admit, I'm thoroughly impressed by the 220: well made, very comfortable, fast, quiet except when giving it beans, economical on a run, reasonable servicing costs, decent performance.... kinda like a 5 series without the badge tbh. Probably more reliable too.

Seems crazy to talk of Ford being in difficulties, but in this shallow badge-driven society, core values like, umm, "value" don't really count for much anymore I guess.

[deadlym]

Bar the 2.5T, what a crap selection of engines. So many and so little difference between them.

I imagine those 1.6 petrols will be lovely in such a barge.

[flamingm0]

I quite like Mondy's having had two in the past, BUT, oh dear God no, tyre pressure sensors, garghhh! The most pointless gadget on car. They just cause grief as they _always_ go wrong.

[peter pan]

Allways had a bit of problem, thinking about going into a Ford Dealership, and saying I would like a Probe please!........ even more frightening when the dealer starts putting on some surgical gloves!

[peter pan]

I used to be a fan of Vauxhalls, and havehad several cavaliers and astras, including the new shape vectra and astra (P.s the first cavalier was a very very good car for its time) But the handling of the latest vectra is truly awfull `as in barge in gale' when compared to the handling of the Mondeo, as is the indicator arm that vauxhalls now fit. I have come dangerously close to ripping the f*cking thing out of the steering column and throwing out it of the window on many occasions. Dont even get me started on the heating demisting controls, whoever designed those wants the sharp application of a pineapple somewhere down south.

[german tony]

collateral said:

Styling is a bit of an odd mix of Jag and Volvo.

Why you would you buy this over a Passat (more power and a German interior)?

Recently did some work at a Ford supplier in Germany. They make some of the placcie bits in the interiors of the current range of Fords. They also make very similar parts for VW & Audi, in the same factory. On the older, less precise machines.

Thus the concept of superior German interiors is somewhat out-dated.