RE: Ford dresses for success: Time For Tea?
Discussion
Fords sell because they are (since 1990s) excellent cars. Not because of brand or status. But because they are usually better than the equivalent Renault, VW, Audi, Vauxhall, Peugeot etc
Whether the top model is a Titanium X, Ghia or Vignale, it means you are getting a well kitted out car on an invariably excellent platform.
But what annoys me about the quest for 'premium-ness' is the fact that that are all focused on dealer experiences. I hate going to a BMW, Audi or Porsche service centre, where a receptionist takes you to a consultant who takes you to desk based technician who has never seen under the bonnet of a car. You are then forced to wait 2hrs whilst they charge you £200 for an oil change and a run through the car wash.
That's why I use independents, and that's why Ford are barking up the wrong (fake wooden) tree.
Ford is a no-bull brand. I would buy a Mondeo Vignale because I think it is better value, better driving and better equipped than, say, an Audi A4 S-Line. Not because I can sit on the Velour Sofa in one corner of Dagenham Motors whilst the Popular Plus owners sit on wooden chairs.
Whether the top model is a Titanium X, Ghia or Vignale, it means you are getting a well kitted out car on an invariably excellent platform.
But what annoys me about the quest for 'premium-ness' is the fact that that are all focused on dealer experiences. I hate going to a BMW, Audi or Porsche service centre, where a receptionist takes you to a consultant who takes you to desk based technician who has never seen under the bonnet of a car. You are then forced to wait 2hrs whilst they charge you £200 for an oil change and a run through the car wash.
That's why I use independents, and that's why Ford are barking up the wrong (fake wooden) tree.
Ford is a no-bull brand. I would buy a Mondeo Vignale because I think it is better value, better driving and better equipped than, say, an Audi A4 S-Line. Not because I can sit on the Velour Sofa in one corner of Dagenham Motors whilst the Popular Plus owners sit on wooden chairs.
DanBMW said:
Can't see how its going to work as well as Lexus/Infiniti as they have no reference to Toyota/Nissan on them. Where as this still has the standard Ford badge and just has Vignale written on it, so it's just a ford with some expensive options.
Exactly what I was thinking. This is not a sub brand its a trim level!Back in the day if you had a Ghia badge on your Ford it was 'top of the range'. X-pack was more of a body package (spoilers etc) but was another addition to top of the rangeness.
A Mk2 Granada 2.8i Ghia X Executive was the top of the tree, the Granada was a proper executive car (for its time) but was also available in poverty spec 2.0, a 2.3 or 2.5 D or even rarer Turbo D (Peugeot engine from a 504).
It was a step up from a Cortina or Escort & something to 'want'.
That all stopped when Ford started giving you a choice of Fiesta, bigger Fiesta & slightly bigger than that Fiesta.
A Mk2 Granada 2.8i Ghia X Executive was the top of the tree, the Granada was a proper executive car (for its time) but was also available in poverty spec 2.0, a 2.3 or 2.5 D or even rarer Turbo D (Peugeot engine from a 504).
It was a step up from a Cortina or Escort & something to 'want'.
That all stopped when Ford started giving you a choice of Fiesta, bigger Fiesta & slightly bigger than that Fiesta.
Not sure that "Vignale" is going to help much because people will see it as another version of Ghia - which most recently was sold to the guy who wanted to be seen at the golf club with something better than a Zetec, but comfy rather than sporty.
The really sad part about this is that the Mondeo/Focus etc are really good cars and many times have qualities better than their German competition in terms of everyday comfort and handling. Very poor image however. The Mondeo is a remarkable car for the money - better comfort than Audi/BMW etc, good performance, refinement and economy, high equipment levels - and more exclusive than a BMW 3 series! Unfortunately its a dying breed as the Mondeo is a bit big for a family car (but not as big as an MPV) and companies are now supplying more Focus sized cars to their younger executives as the senior ones lap up the Audi/Merc/BMW ranges.
In modern Britain, the Mondeo doesn't fit as well as it once used to. Which is a shame because it is a damn good car.
The really sad part about this is that the Mondeo/Focus etc are really good cars and many times have qualities better than their German competition in terms of everyday comfort and handling. Very poor image however. The Mondeo is a remarkable car for the money - better comfort than Audi/BMW etc, good performance, refinement and economy, high equipment levels - and more exclusive than a BMW 3 series! Unfortunately its a dying breed as the Mondeo is a bit big for a family car (but not as big as an MPV) and companies are now supplying more Focus sized cars to their younger executives as the senior ones lap up the Audi/Merc/BMW ranges.
In modern Britain, the Mondeo doesn't fit as well as it once used to. Which is a shame because it is a damn good car.
Have just bought a 156k black diesel Mondeo Estate.
Cheap, fast, spacious, goes round corners.
Unadorned, chrome grille soon to be satin-black.
This Vignale is the opposite - an uber-chromed tartmobile.
Ugh.
Cheap, fast, spacious, goes round corners.
Unadorned, chrome grille soon to be satin-black.
This Vignale is the opposite - an uber-chromed tartmobile.
Ugh.
Edited by beasto on Thursday 5th September 21:37
Edited by beasto on Thursday 5th September 21:38
Nope Range Rover classic drug dealer version
Jasper Gilder said:
Didn't this used to be Ghia - or did Ford wreck that with Chavdom
Bloody good thing Henry II never bought Ferrari or we'd have the Ferrari Mondeo
This demonstrates a company with a marketing and design arm which is bankrupt of ideas and trying to find the future in the past
What next - the Mondeo Radisich?
Bloody good thing Henry II never bought Ferrari or we'd have the Ferrari Mondeo
This demonstrates a company with a marketing and design arm which is bankrupt of ideas and trying to find the future in the past
What next - the Mondeo Radisich?
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