29 June 2011
New car report; Champagne taste on a beer budget.
How things have changed. Once upon a time European (British) Fords dominated the medium car sector in our part of the world. Specification level, drivability and build quality could only be described as average at best, but the travelling salesman who was the target market was grateful to have any form of company-funded transport at all, so such shortcomings were overlooked.
And once Toyotas, Mazdas, Nissans and Hondas started appearing, “fully equipped” with fancy gadgets such as air-conditioning, electric windows and power steering proper European sourced Fords went the way of the dodo in our part of the world, to be replaced by more highly-spec’d models from the Land of the Rising Sun. Even models bearing the blue oval became badge-engineered Mazdas and it seemed that we’d seen the last of the Euro Fords.
But then Henry went on a buying spree and added Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin and Volvo to the stable, setting up the Premier Automotive Group (PAG), catering for the prestige brands. The acquisitions nearly sent Ford to the wall at the time, and they’ve since divested of all but a small interest in Aston Martin.
What has emerged is a much stronger Ford Motor Company, producing true world cars of true world class quality. These days, New Zealand Ford showrooms contain proper Fords from Europe and Australia. Sure, a couple of models are assembled elsewhere in the world, but in the main, they’re lifted from drawing boards closer to Ford’s spiritual homes of the USA and Europe.
Despite the financial losses from the PAG experience it seems that the exercise wasn’t wasted, with technology borrowed from their premium brands, particularly Volvo which was the last to go East, having found its way into mainstream models. Even the Fiesta, priced in the mid $20k’s is now one of the most sophisticated little cars money can buy.
But it’s the travelling salesman who has gained the most, although it's now more likely to be his boss who is the target buyer of the latest Mondeo, as it has more gear than his German-built trade-in that had a six figure price tag when he bought it three years ago. The top of the range Mondeo Titanium in particular, being loaded with gear that is rarely standard on cars wearing more premium badges, with far greater price tags,
And like any premium car in the 21st century market place, diesel engines and double clutch transmissions are now on the menu. European Fords are back; leading the pack.
Our Mondeo Titanium test car didn’t want for anything equipment-wise.
Adaptive cruise control, speed limiter, lane departure warning, blind spot detection, heated mirrors, windscreen and seats, smart key with keyless entry and start, Bluetooth with voice control, Isofix child seat anchorages and just about every conceivable option that would add thousands to the base price of cars considered to be premium brands is standard on the Mondeo Titanium.
Even the entry level LX comes equipped with cruise control, Bluetooth and a very comprehensive list of specification.
The Euro 5 compliant 120kW/340Nm 2.0 litre Duratorque turbo-diesel engine is the only powerplant offered in Zetec and Titanium models, and if you opt for the base model LX, you get the choice of petrol or diesel power.
The diesel’s lively, flexible and incredibly fuel-efficient and the 6 speed PowerShift double clutch transmission, (much like VW’s DSG and Audi’s S-Tronic) that it’s mated to shifts quickly and positively and is an enthusiastic driver’s delight. Thanks to the absence of slippage associated with traditional fluid drive automatics, the Powershift ‘box greatly assists fuel consumption, which Ford says is just 5.6L/100km.
The Euro 4 compliant 4 cylinder 2.3 litre Duratec 118kW/208Nm petrol engine that’s standard in entry level LX models is mated to a 6 speed auto and returns fuel consumption of 9.3L/100km.
Towing capacity is rated at 1,400kg braked and 700kg unbraked on petrol models and 2,000kg braked and 750kg unbraked on diesels. Prices range from $42,990 for the base model LX hatch to $54,990 for the full house Titanium that we tested.
With a tort chassis, the driving experience is satisfying and handling is impressive without compromising the ride quality. The diesel engine is punchy and thrifty, boot space enormous and there’s plenty of cabin room.
There are plenty of mid-sized sedans to choose from at present, but in this price range there are none that tick quite as many boxes as the 2011 Ford Mondeo.