2007 Ford Mondeo

[Edstock]

No, the "Mondy" is not going to eventually get axed, whatever that means. Could it be replaced? Sure, but why?

[630land]

Axed in place of a 'crossover' or something. Even the Euro car mags have said that the 'mid priced saloon' was shrinking in favor of entry luxury cars or cheaper Asian sedans.

 

And even at that, wouldn't eventually a D class Volvo derived platform be used for both off shore and US large cars?

[Edstock]

"Axed in place of a 'crossover' or something."

 

You really should spend some time on UK and European sites, and check out the full Ford line-up derived from the Mondeo:

 

Galaxy

 

S-Max

[Biker16]

No vehicle should be federalized on the strength of an argument as tenuous as "it's way better than the (fill in the blank)"

 

This country is not sufficiently similar to the EU to justify assumptions regarding the appeal of an EU spec product.

 

Any decision would have to weigh an estimate of the demand for a vehicle that was not, in any way, designed or engineered with feedback from this market.

 

I don't think that this point can be sufficiently emphasized (especially in this debate): no marketing studies were done, regarding the Mondeo, in the U.S. Standard and optional equipment, ride, handling, interior equipment, style, price, none of these things have been evaluated with potential U.S. customers.

 

It would be bad business to simply assume that the Mondeo would sell here.

then try this why are makes like acura, saturn, and other moving to style thier cars as "european". there is a demand on the costs where traffic is congested and drvier are aigaing through urban areas for high quality reifned and compact cars and truck that are fun to drive, and offer more than basic transportation.

 

It is a questions asked over and over again whay can' t we fill these niches with cars people actually want. Who cares where they are from, if they sell.

[Guest Sixcav]

Did anyone say import the Mondeo? Why is it assumed that just because people like the style of the Mondeo that you guys assume we have to import the Mondeo? The appeal is in the style of the car, the look of it, the image. Do you guys comprehend that at all? It's a visual thing. It has visual appeal. I don't know many other ways to put it. You can take a Fusion and rework the sheetmetal a little to have a Mondeo like appearance and bingo, instant winner. Don't tell me it can't be done because that's horseshit. Look how the sheetmetal varies just between the Fusion and the Lincoln version. It can be done. Look how many variations of Mustang body's they fit to a Fairmont chassis. Biker is right, other car companies are using a European flare or style in their body designs because it is more appealing. It looks good and customers want it. Ford can either sell what customers want or they can stick with this "Distinctive American Sytling" crap and not sell them. It's up to them.

[RichardJensen]

then try this why are makes like acura, saturn, and other moving to style thier cars as "european".

 

It is a questions asked over and over again whay can' t we fill these niches with cars people actually want. Who cares where they are from, if they sell.

1) Of course, there is a difference between styling a vehicle as "European" ('86 Taurus), and bringing over a vehicle from Europe ('88 Scorpio).

 

2) "cars people actually want" sums it up perfectly. Do sufficient people "actually want" a Mondeo? Until that question is answered, any move is irresponsible.

Edited September 26, 2006 by RichardJensen

[Guest Sixcav]

2) "cars people actually want" sums it up perfectly. Do sufficient people "actually want" a Mondeo? Until that question is answered, any move is irresponsible.

 

LMAO, Irresponsible is to assume that people don't want the european style when most of the car companies here are switching to exactly that because in fact it is what people do want.

[Biker16]

Did anyone say import the Mondeo? Why is it assumed that just because people like the style of the Mondeo that you guys assume we have to import the Mondeo? The appeal is in the style of the car, the look of it, the image. Do you guys comprehend that at all? It's a visual thing. It has visual appeal. I don't know many other ways to put it. You can take a Fusion and rework the sheetmetal a little to have a Mondeo like appearance and bingo, instant winner. Don't tell me it can't be done because that's horseshit. Look how the sheetmetal varies just between the Fusion and the Lincoln version. It can be done. Look how many variations of Mustang body's they fit to a Fairmont chassis. Biker is right, other car companies are using a European flare or style in their body designs because it is more appealing. It looks good and customers want it. Ford can either sell what customers want or they can stick with this "Distinctive American Sytling" crap and not sell them. It's up to them.

 

you would not want a one size fits all solution but two cars that are targeted at different points of the market.

 

think like this the mondeo and fusion will be based on the same archtechture, can be build at the same plant with the same compnents, demand would determine product mix and you could have your cake and eat it too.

[Biker16]

2) "cars people actually want" sums it up perfectly. Do sufficient people "actually want" a Mondeo? Until that question is answered, any move is irresponsible.

 

The questionis how many can be sold per year? Richard it is not irresponsible, we are saying what others have been thinking, you can keep your head in the sand and believe that this is 1986, and european cars don't sell here. or you can understand that the differences between euroepan cars and american cars has shrunk, and the american preferences have changed o be more inline with european tastes, and Vice-versa.

 

the old mondeo was:

186in long

108.5 wheelbase

71in wide

56in tall

 

fusion

190in long

107.4 wheelbase

72.2 in wide

57in tall

 

very close

 

the question is can you sell 180,000 EUCD based vehicles in the US. Smax, galaxy, mondeo, Volvo, land rovers.

[RichardJensen]

you can keep your head in the sand and believe that this is 1986, and european cars don't sell here

1) Since when is insisting that credible research should support a decision to import the Mondeo 'keeping my head in the sand'?

 

2) At what point in 1986 WEREN'T people buying Volkswagens and Peugeots (even) and BMWs and Maseratis and Ferraris and Lamborghinis and Jaguars and Aston Martins (and even Lagondas) and Mercedes and Audis and Porsches, and Alfa Romeos (even)? The problem is when an AMERICAN car company decides to sell European cars.

 

The insistance that research into whether the car buying public would pay a premium for a Euro-spec Ford is a mere formality that may be dispensed with is absolutely irresponsible. Past experience has more than adequately proved that, in my opinion. How many sure fire hits has Ford tried to foist on the market? How many of them succeeded?

[630land]

"american preferences have changed o be more inline with european tastes,"

 

$!@#!# Europe

 

I should have thought of this before, duh!!! [smack]

 

It has already been proven that the Mondeo would be 50 megaton b-o-m-b, >> the Jaguar X Type!!!

 

It had AWD, "the works", and even a 'pedigree' name tag. It has dragged Jag into the mud! It is up there with in auto history as the Caddy Cimarron, M-B C hatchback, and Lincoln Versailles.

 

So, to summarize, Ford actaully has some 'real European Fords' to sell, and is still trying to unload them. Where are the "300 million people" who are dying for Mondeos"???? If anyone suggested that "Ford should sell new Mondeos" now, they'd get a big "WTF"?

 

 

Before any personal attacks, remember,"nothing personal, it's just car business".

Edited September 27, 2006 by 630land

[waymondospiff]

It has already been proven that the Mondeo would be 50 megaton b-o-m-b, >> the Jaguar X Type!!!

 

Before any personal attacks, remember,"nothing personal, it's just car business".

 

Nothing personal, but the X-Type bombed not because of the Mondeo chassis. The X-Type engines were lackluster & came with easily confused transmissions. The interior was an absolute joke - cheapness everywhere. But, sales were not too bad, albeit below expectations, for the first two or so model years. The problem has been a lack of investment since the launch. The 2007 X-Type rolling off the line in England is based on the 2000 Mondeo. And it hasn't been significantly updated, a terrible sin in the "subluxury" category.

 

It's not the chassis that holds back the X-Type.

 

And anyway, the 2007 Mondeo is all-new and improved.

 

Scott

[silvrsvt]

I dunno why everyone is creaming there pants over what Ford has in Euro, I spent the past week in the UK, spending most of my time cabbing in Ford products over there. I was totally unimpressed by the C170 Focus wagon, I didn't see any major improvement over the 02 SVT Focus in the quatitly of the plastics in the interior (one of the major complants of US products), the only thing that looked different is the texture pattern was different, but it was the same friggen plastic! I got a ride in a Mondeo Taxi, and was pleasently suprised to find the EXCACT same textured black plastic thats found in my Mustang on the doors! Though the most impressive was that I was able to fit into the backseat of the Mondeo with my buddy up front who is also 6'2 and I fit into the back seat with no problems, since this was a major complant of the old Contour. I got a ride to the airport in a Galaxy and I do have to say I was really really impressed with the dash, it reminded me of what you would find in a Infinity or Acura here in the States.

[Biker16]

I dunno why everyone is creaming there pants over what Ford has in Euro, I spent the past week in the UK, spending most of my time cabbing in Ford products over there. I was totally unimpressed by the C170 Focus wagon, I didn't see any major improvement over the 02 SVT Focus in the quatitly of the plastics in the interior (one of the major complants of US products), the only thing that looked different is the texture pattern was different, but it was the same friggen plastic! I got a ride in a Mondeo Taxi, and was pleasently suprised to find the EXCACT same textured black plastic thats found in my Mustang on the doors! Though the most impressive was that I was able to fit into the backseat of the Mondeo with my buddy up front who is also 6'2 and I fit into the back seat with no problems, since this was a major complant of the old Contour. I got a ride to the airport in a Galaxy and I do have to say I was really really impressed with the dash, it reminded me of what you would find in a Infinity or Acura here in the States.

 

 

The door panels on the mondeo are soft while the mustang is hard. th texture may be the same but the materile is different.

 

 

The C170 Focus had the same dash material, the doorpanels are slightly different. the armrest have athicker padding.

 

did you see any C1 Focuses?

[Biker16]

1) Since when is insisting that credible research should support a decision to import the Mondeo 'keeping my head in the sand'?

 

who has researched this? Ford hasn't. acura has, infinfti has, lexus has, why hasn't ford?

[silvrsvt]

The door panels on the mondeo are soft while the mustang is hard. th texture may be the same but the materile is different.

The C170 Focus had the same dash material, the doorpanels are slightly different. the armrest have athicker padding.

 

did you see any C1 Focuses?

 

 

Biker, I touched it and it was hard, just like the Mustang

 

I couldn't swing a dead cat and not see a C1 Foci LOL, though I didnt really get a close look at the interiors on them.

 

I have a photo of a C-max next to a Pre-02 Explorer I need to post.

[RichardJensen]

who has researched this? Ford hasn't. acura has, infinfti has, lexus has, why hasn't ford?

Infiniti sells in the U.S. primarily, none of its vehicles are Euro-spec anything. They are designed primarily with the U.S. market in mind.

 

Lexus is barely registering as an entity in Europe, where they are trying to pass of the American version of upmarket JDM Toyotas.

 

Acura imports ONE Euro-spec vehicle: the TSX. Everything else is U.S. spec.

 

As far as researching it is concerned, I consider it a moot point (just my opinion, independent of what the research would reveal). The U.S. will move to EUCD2 within a comparatively short time period (relative to the time involved in setting up EUCD1 production here), and then it will all be sunshine, lollipops, and rainbows.

[630land]

Detroit News had good article about European market today. Look it up. Don't assume it's a 'rose garden'.

 

The SUV is hot over there, looks like "handling in the twisties" is not what they want anymore. Also, Ford may have good stuff, but their market share dropped to 10%, and VW has 20%.

 

Also, all of EUR has overcapacity, 25%. Sound familiar??

 

Should do some homework before assuming Europe is the "kingdom of cars".

 

The idea of Ford trying to sell Mondeos here is as blind as thinking they should only sell more RWD BOF cars. So, on here we got the "Panther mafia", and the "EuroTrash Mafia". LOL

 

 

Case closed, Mondeo stays in EUR!

Edited September 28, 2006 by 630land

[Biker16]

Biker, I touched it and it was hard, just like the Mustang

 

I couldn't swing a dead cat and not see a C1 Foci LOL, though I didnt really get a close look at the interiors on them.

 

I have a photo of a C-max next to a Pre-02 Explorer I need to post.

 

 

Took this picture in 2001, of the door of a Mondeo.

 

The upper is soft the lower is hard. this may have changed during the last redo in 2003.

 

 

this is what I do to all cars. ^ the european Focus 2001, the door panel is softer than the US panel.