Future Models - Ford 2010 Mondeo
First look: Mondeo debuts Falcon’s hi-po turbo four
New-look medium: Europe's 2010 Mondeo gets kinetic front and rear-end styling cues.
High-output turbo petrol and diesel fours emerge in Ford Europe's facelifted Mondeo
28 June 2010
By MARTON PETTENDY
FORD has unveiled a comprehensive midlife makeover for the Mondeo in Europe, led by a new high-output EcoBoost 2.0-litre four-cylinder turbo-petrol engine that should become the Falcon’s answer to Holden’s 3.0-litre SIDI Commodore next year.
Europe’s 2010 Mondeo, which will make its worldwide premiere at the Moscow motor show on August 25 before going on sale in the UK in October, will receive a raft of other upgrades including new 'kinetic-look' exterior and interior styling, a larger new 2.2-litre turbo-diesel engine, a trio of new fuel-saving measures, expanded PowerShift transmission availability and an array of new high-tech features.
Ford Australia announced in May that it will release an upgraded Mondeo range here in October, headlined by the fitment of an improved 120kW/340Nm 2.0-litre ‘Duratorq TDCi’ turbo-diesel across no fewer than six hatch and wagon model variants. matched with a six-speed double wet-clutch automated manual transmission for the first time.
As part of its push to gain more private buyers as well as fleets in the wake of the Falcon wagon’s demise, Ford revealed full pricing almost six months ahead of the 2010 Mondeo’s launch in Australia, where the 118kW/208Nm 2.3-litre four-cylinder petrol engine, paired with a conventional six-speed automatic gearbox, will continue unchanged.
However, Ford won’t say which, if any, of the latest newer elements within Europe’s facelifted mid-sizer will make it to Australia – or when.
As we’ve reported, while the four-door sedan version of Ford’s latest MB-series Mondeo will remain unavailable in Australia, the most efficient (LX TDCi hatch manual) variant will return Toyota Camry Hybrid-beating fuel consumption of just 5.9L/100km, but remains shy of the petrol-electric Toyota in terms of CO2 emissions with a minimum output of 157g/km.
Now, however, Ford of Europe has revealed a trio of further ‘Econetic’ fuel-saving measures that combine with 83kW, 103kW and 120kW versions of the 2.0-litre Duratorq diesel to also deliver a Camry-beating CO2 output of 139g/km in six-speed manual guise, regardless of body style.
They include Smart Regenerative Charging, Ford Eco Mode and, in a Ford first, a BMW-style electronically controlled Active Grille Shutter system to reduce aerodynamic drag and aid engine heating/cooling efficiency.
Apart from debuting a more powerful 176kW version of Ford’s new EcoBoost four-cylinder engine that is expected to make its global rear-wheel drive debut in the Falcon in 2011, the freshened Mondeo will also debut a larger new 2.2-litre TDCi turbo-diesel four that slams down 147kW, making it the most powerful Duratorq diesel engine ever.
However, to prevent the Mondeo encroaching too far into Falcon territory, we expect neither the 2.2-litre Duratorq nor the 176kW EcoBoost engine will extend to Australia’s Mondeo – at least for now - although the latter is tipped to power the next-generation Focus RS – possibly matched with a rear axle-mounted electric motor.
For the record, Ford says the most powerful 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine to date is targeted to return CO2 emissions of 179g/km in all Mondeo body styles.
That makes it as clean-burning as the 149kW/300Nm version of the direct-injection turbo four launched in the Mondeo, S-Max and Galaxy earlier this year, and in line with Ford’s claim that EcoBoost technology reduces fuel consumption and emissions by up to 20 per cent compared to similar-capacity traditional petrol engines.
Ford’s vice-president of global powertrain engineering Barb Samardzich announced a 172kW/325Nm version of the company’s EcoBoost turbo-four last July. It is expected to undercut the 3.0-litre Commodore V6’s 9.3L/100km ADR 81/02 combined fuel consumption figure by about 1.0L/100km in the first four-cylinder Falcon next year.
Europe’s Mondeo already offered Ford’s new six-speed PowerShift double wet-clutch transmission in concert with the uprated 2.0-litre TDCi and 149kW EcoBoost engine, and now the Ford-Getrag double-clutch auto will be standard with both EcoBoost engines for the first time and optional with the two most powerful 2.0-litre TDCi engines in Europe.
Visually, the newest Mondeo will be differentiated by a new front bumper with a narrower and more heavily chromed ‘Kinetic’ style grille and LED daytime running lights, plus a revamped rear-end with revised tail-lights.
Ford has not revealed the facelifted Mondeo’s interior, but speculation is it will present a new centre console, revised door handles and a central overhead console with ambient lighting.
New interior features – at least in Europe - are said to include LED courtesy lights, an upgraded satellite-navigation system and an optional 265-Watt amplifier connected to a 17-litre subwoofer, while high-tech new Mondeo options include lane departure warning, automatic high-beam and blind spot monitoring systems.
“The Ford Mondeo is already a very strong package and, with the significant design changes and in particular the comprehensive array of new technologies we are introducing, we have no doubt that the new model will strengthen Mondeo's position as the flagship Ford model in our European line-up,” said Ford of Europe chairman and CEO John Fleming.
“This is the smartest, safest, most environmentally friendly and best quality Mondeo we have ever launched, and it completes the regeneration of our C-D segment range in 2010."
In line with the overall new-car industry, Mondeo sales were 20 per cent up in Australia during the first five months of this year, helping the Blue-Oval mid-sizer gain a larger 8.1 per cent share of the mainstream mid-size segment, in which it still lies fourth behind the Camry, Mazda6, Subaru Liberty and Honda’s Accord Euro.
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