The newest Ford Mondeo has the looks to compete in any market. For citizens of the UK, pricing looks pretty affordable too, ranging from £14,995 to £24,195. Even with the dramatic makover, the price of the Mondeo actually drops by £300 versus the previous model. Ford's European midsize everything-mobile comes as a saloon, estate, and hatchback and has plenty of engine choices too. Buy a Mondeo and you can go from 1.6 litres and 110 hp all the way up to the range-topping 2.5T with 220 hp. Of course you can get a diesel too, and at only £18,395.
The £14,995 to £24,195 may sound like very attractive pricing for the Mondeo, but in US dollars it's more like $29,436 to $43,571. Big difference. The Mondeo gets its official unveiling at the Geneva show in March, but in the meantime, check out the press release after the break.
[Source: ewspress.co.uk]
PRESS RELEASE
FORD ANNOUNCES PRICING FOR NEW MONDEO
All-new Ford Mondeo launched in the UK June 2007
Model for model £300 below outgoing model
On the road prices range from £14,995 to £24,195
More standard features and impressive list of optional equipment
Four specifications: Edge, Zetec, Ghia, Titanium X and three bodystyles - saloon, hatchback and estate.
BRENTWOOD, Essex, 26 February, 2007 -- Prices for the all-new Ford Mondeo have been revealed today. They start at £14,995 (RRP on the road) for the Edge 1.6-litre 110PS five-door and rise to £24,195 for the 2.5T 220PS Titanium X estate. On average the new Mondeo is priced £300 below the outgoing equivalent models
The all-new Ford Mondeo also benefits from £700 worth of added equipment across the range including: Electronic Stability Program (ESP), Thatcham Category 1 Alarm, ISOFIX child-seat fixings, steering wheel controls for the key vehicles technologies, driver's knee airbag, 'follow me home' lighting and unique to Ford – Easyfuel. This clever new feature prevents drivers putting petrol into a diesel powered car or vice-versa. It is estimated this accidental mis-fueling affects over 150,000 UK drivers every year.
The Edge replaces the LX series and in addition to the new standard equipment, the Edge also boasts - air-conditioning, cruise control, leather steering wheel, CD stereo with MP3 connection socket seven air-bags, ABS with Electronic Brake Assist (EBA), power front windows, remote central locking, quick clear heated front windscreen, power and heated door mirrors.
Zetec prices range from £16,695 for the 1.6-litre 125PS saloon and hatchback to £20,745 for the 2.0-litre TDCi 130PS estate. Over the Edge's specification the Zetec adds 16-inch alloy wheels, front fog lights, air conditioning with dual EATC, leather gear knob and power rear windows with global window open/close. The most popular derivative is expected to be a Zetec five-door 140PS TDCi diesel which will be priced at £18,395.
Ghia prices range from £18,445 for the 2.0-litre 145PS saloon to £22,195 for the 2.5 220PS estate. The Ghia is a statement of classic luxury with a host of premium features over the Zetec including 17-inch alloy wheels, automatic headlights and rain-sensing wipers, power fold door mirrors, a Sony stereo with six CD in-dash auto-changer and 'submarine' lighting.
At the top of the range the Titanium X series emphasises modern technology with a contemporary interior including full Alcantara/leather trim. The Titanium X also offers "Ford Power" start button, adaptive front lighting with cornering lights, blue tinted glass and the new Ford "Convers+" premium instrument cluster with a 256 colour display - Ford's signature HMI technology. Prices for the Titanium X range from £21,245 for the 1.8-litre TDCi 125PS five-door to £24,195 for the 2.5 220PS estate.
The option list is also extensive, allowing complete personalisation of the car. Key options include full screen satellite navigation, tyre pressure monitoring system, sport suspension, integral rear child seats, and a sliding load-floor on the estate with a maximum load capacity of 200kg, front and rear parking sensors and rear seat DVD entertainment with integrated head-rest screens.
One further significant option for the all-new Ford Mondeo is Bluetooth with voice control; this allows a driver to stay in complete control of the car while accessing a mobile phone. This system also allows drivers to change the temperature control and audio settings via voice commands, and this option is available for only £150.
The all-new Mondeo is available to order from March - three months ahead of its launch date. Full pricing details are enclosed with this release
# # #
Ford new releases and high-resolution photographs are available
on the Ford Motor Company media website (http://media.ford.com)
Contacts: Fiona Pargeter Sarah Pope
01277 252936 01277 252957
Follow the Audi Mileage Marathon starting Monday morning
Paris 2008: MINI Crossover Concept
Paris 2008: Aston Martin One-77 (partially) revealed
Paris 2008: The GT by Citroen. No, the whole thing this time
Paris 2008: Lamborghini Estoque LIVE
In the Autoblog Garage: 2008 Chevy Corvette Z06
Autoline on Autoblog with John McElroy
Paris 2008: Le Day 1 Wrapup
Knight Rider: The Liveblog -- Season 1, Episode 2
By the Numbers - September 2008: Nobody Wins Edition
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)
purecoda @ Feb 27th 2007 9:37AM
Since when have UK prices and US prices ever corresponded just by using the conversion rate?
Tom @ Feb 27th 2007 9:47AM
Totally agree with the first post. There is absolutely no correlation between UK (or Euro for that matter) and US prices. With EU tax, my motorcycle was double the price vs. the US.
Owen @ Feb 27th 2007 10:05AM
That car should be the new Taurus, NOT the 500. Yeah, I know it's smaller than the Taurus ever was, but if they want good, attractive product to match up with a name with some equity, then Mondeo-Taurus. The only thing that would make me think differently would be if they brought this over as a Murcury, and pull a GM, where Saturn = Opel, and Murcury = Ford Europe. Hey, what they heck, they're both planets (or a poison in the latter case).
D-Dog @ Feb 27th 2007 10:31AM
That wagon is sweeet! Too bad I can't buy one.
SN @ Feb 27th 2007 10:41AM
Why is the gauge in MPH? Isn't KPH the dominant measurement on the other sie of the pond? Is this a hint? I sure hope so.
Bill @ Feb 27th 2007 10:44AM
1) Why the hell don't they sell a car like this in the US? This would compete very very well against the japanese/koreans.
2) Ditch the taurus name. People don't want it. Make it a new product, with a new look, to represent the new design philosophy.
Hell when they showed this car in "Casino Royale" I thought to myself "That's not a half bad looking ford... of course it'll never make it to america."
Thats what's wrong with all the domestic auto makers. They know how to make a good car but they sell them in all the wrong regions. The Holden's from australia look awsome too... too bad we dont get them here.
BB @ Feb 27th 2007 10:49AM
Couple of points. The first echoes Tom's comment re: tax -- UK prices INCLUDE VAT @ 17.5%. The second answers SN's comment re: MPH vs KPH -- the UK still uses MPH. Sorry to dash your hopes!
Phil L. @ Feb 27th 2007 10:51AM
They did sell it in the US: It was the Contour, from '95 through '00.
My '95 GL V6 Duratec is still a lot of fun to drive. When I look at new cars, I come to the conclusion that I still can't beat its combination of usefulness, excellent driving dyanmics and reasonable cost.
Ford could have saved themselves lots of time by simply upsizing the Contour to more directly compete with Camry/Accord - instead of dumping the Contour, watching the old Tarus slowly die, and then finally create the competent Fusion - and one-size-up Five Hundred (a.k.a. New Taurus). See the Nissan Altima's transition from compact to mid-size for a lesson in how this can be done.
Hamud @ Feb 27th 2007 11:07AM
That's such a sweet car. And please, stop making direct currency exchange, is well known that things don't work that way.
KKop @ Feb 27th 2007 11:08AM
As has been stated many times before, on this and other autoblog postings: don't compare prices by simply converting currencies!
Yes, UK still uses MPH. Europe uses km/h (not KPH)
boldchrome @ Feb 27th 2007 11:25AM
Ford needs a kick in the arse. This fabulous product isn't available in the US because of what? A committee of watered down critics who don't get the fact that domestic preferences have changed. No longer are the days of the Galaxie and Fairlane. People want style at an affordable price, enter the Mondeo.
I'm sure it would be extremeley difficult to get it federalized, but maybe the marketing whizzes should get off their colective butts and smell the coffee. Automobiles with the "Dave Face" don't inspire, don't perform, and certainly don't sell.
Rico @ Feb 27th 2007 11:27AM
The wheel is on the left side and the gauge is in MPH. This might me the hint we're looking for: the new Mondeo for the US!
Thomas @ Feb 27th 2007 11:52AM
Bring this car over here to the USA NOW as a MERCURY with no Ford counterpart to help sales and to give Mercury a car of its own in the USA...
Kyle @ Feb 27th 2007 11:56AM
If Ford can make cars like that in the UK why can't they make cars like that here in the U.S.A.
Also i agree with post #13 thats a great idea.
Tal @ Feb 27th 2007 12:54PM
If #8 is correct(I have absolutely no reason to doubt the Mondeo predecessor was called the Contour in the U.S.) then I hope there have been some drastic improvements made over the years.
If memory serves me correctly, I imagine it was dropped from Fords' lineup because evolved into a not so good of a car as did its' Mercury twin, the Mystique. It was apparently a very good driving, handling, comfortable european auto but the quality and reliability declined.
There is a tremendous amount of competition in the $ range 29-43K.
This has to be a totally different car than the Contour.
ruggels @ Feb 27th 2007 1:02PM
Is it just me, or is this the first set of press shots of a new car with a thrown CEL on the dash, NICE!
ocnj179 @ Feb 27th 2007 1:17PM
@ 12. It could just be the one being released in Mexico.
Robert @ Feb 27th 2007 2:17PM
Dear Alan -
This is a nice car. Invest $100 million to make it U.S. ready and sell it for $22.5-32.5k as a Mercury. You could probably push through 40-50k units. Not huge, but I bet you'd make back your $100 million pretty quickly, build brand equity and then sell 65k-75k the next year at $23k-$34k.
I know that the next Fusion will be based on the EUCD platform, but I don't want to have to wait until 2011 to see that beautiful engineering in an affordable package.
PS - when you bring this car, please include the I-5. Why does Europe get the better engines AND better cars?
fd @ Feb 27th 2007 2:19PM
Where do you see MPH in those shots?
All indications are metric: speedo= km/h, tank radius= km, temp= celsius.
But nowadays they start to convert those electronically between metric & english system, at the push of a button or preference in the menu, so no biggie.
ttruck @ Feb 27th 2007 4:06PM
Totally agree with No#3 Owen, this should be the new Taurus. If Ford was smart they would scrap the 500 and bring this car to the states, but continue to build it overseas so the quality will still be there, because if its built in the states the US Ford management will just screw it all up.