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Carsales Staff10 Oct 2014
NEWS

RHD Mondeo launched in UK

Ford's important new mid-size family car breaks cover in Europe – with a hybrid option on the table
Mondeo, the car that Ford Australia is banking on to retain Falcon family buyers from 2017 and beyond, has just been presented to the media in Britain. 
The new model is basically the same car sold in North America as the Fusion, but badged differently in other parts of the world – and naturally in right-hook configuration for the UK. 
Ford has launched the right-hand drive Mondeo in Britain with the widest range of drivetrains in the history of the nameplate, including a hybrid variant. The petrol/electric model features an Atkinson-cycle 2.0-litre petrol four-cylinder, matched to two electric motors – one providing motive power and the other regenerating power for the 1.4kWh lithium-ion battery situated behind the rear seats. In combination with the electric drive motor, the hybrid Mondeo develops 138kW and consumes fuel at the rate of 5.6L/100km, in accordance with the NEDC combined-cycle test. Spokesman for Ford Australia, Wes Sherwood, has indicated to motoring.com.au that the hybrid variant is unlikely to be considered for Australia
Neither will all the conventional engine options necessarily reach Australia. Despite winning the International Engine of the Year award for three consecutive years and boasting fuel economy of 7.8L/100km, the 1.0-litre EcoBoost three-cylinder is unlikely to get a start in the local-spec Mondeo, which is due to arrive here next year. 
The other engines made available in the new Mondeo are 1.5- and 2.0-litre EcoBoost petrol fours – the latter a conventional Otto cycle engine – and diesel engines displacing 1.6 and 2.0 litres. Ford is offering the 2.0-litre TDCI (diesel) engine in three states of tune; 110kW and 132kW versions will be available from launch and a 154kW high-output version will be introduced next year (2015), when the company will also release all-wheel drive variants. 
Once again, we're unlikely to see the all-paw models joining the local range, but the twin-turbocharged diesel – rated at 450Nm – could be a tasty addition to the local range. 
"The new high-powered TDCi diesel engine follows the downsizing trend we've led with our EcoBoost petrol technology. Smaller engines deliver better fuel efficiency and emissions, and we claim the power back with advanced technology," said Andrew Brumley, chief engineer, Ford Engine Programs. 
"Twin sequential turbocharging delivers the seamless performance consumers want every day in all conditions, and makes turbo-lag a distant memory."
The lower output 2.0-litre diesels are supplied in Europe with a choice of six-speed transmissions, a conventional manual or an optional 'PowerShift' Getrag dual-clutch unit. And the 2.0-litre petrol EcoBoost engine – developing peak power of 177kW – seems like an appropriate choice too, coupled with a six-speed automatic transmission. 
Ford is promoting the car as technologically advanced, feature-rich, and dynamically better than the current Mondeo still on sale here. According to British press material released overnight, the Mondeo boasts a new platform, more sophisticated rear suspension, a class-leading climate control system, 'high-quality' interior, adaptive LED headlights, Active Park Assist and SYNC2 infotainment/telematics technology with 'natural' voice control. 
"The new all-new Mondeo uses Ford's latest innovation and technologies to deliver the most refined and user-friendly Mondeo driving experience yet," Ulrich Koesters, vehicle line director for Ford of Europe, was quoted saying in the press release. 
"From systems that guide drivers hands-free out of parking spaces at the start of journeys to seats that deflate to allow easy exit at the end, the Mondeo is focused on the occupant from start to finish."
By virtue of the new platform and adoption of lightweight materials throughout the car's structure, Ford has reduced the new Mondeo's weight by 25kg. 
"The weight saved during development has been carefully re-invested into fuel-saving features such as aero-shields and Auto-Start-Stop technology; comfort and convenience features; and a stronger and safer body structure," Koesters said. "We've improved the strength of safety relevant areas by 40 per cent, and verified the performance with thousands of computer simulations and more than 180 real-world crash tests."
The new platform not only contributes to weight saving, but is also 10 per cent torsionally stiffer than the superseded model's. This enhances the car's driving dynamics, with Ford claiming the new Mondeo sets a new segment benchmark.
SYNC2 incorporates Emergency Assistance and runs through the user's mobile phone, connected by Bluetooth. 
"We have developed SYNC 2 so it is simple and intuitive for drivers to use, and it seamlessly switches between touch screen and voice commands," said Christof Kellerwessel, chief engineer, Electronic and Electrical Systems Engineering, Ford of Europe. "Drivers will be able to control more in-car systems than ever before, while keeping their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel."
Key safety features for the new car include Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, which engenders its own unique set of challenges during the car's development phase, as other manufacturers have also found.
"The real world testing was an important part of the development," said Gregor Allexi, active safety engineer, Ford of Europe. "Pedestrians come in all shapes and sizes, and adopt an infinite number of postures. We covered more than 300,000 miles that included an extremely wide range of people and potential situations."
Badged as 'Fusion', the Mondeo has been kicking goals in the USA, with Ford reporting that in fashion-conscious California, the new Fusion is growing sales volumes at double the rate of the mid-size market segment as a whole. 
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