FirstDrive: Ford MondeoDriving the new Mondeo across Europe towards Irish shores, Conor Twomeyfound that it was harder than expected to turn heads with Ford's sharper look
Car launches aren't really a very good way to assess a new car. We generally arrive exhausted after a 4am start, spend a few bleary hours behind the wheel of a left-hand-drive top-spec model in a location ideally suited to the car's driving characteristics, and leave the following morning with a belly full of rich food and an earful of marketing guff.
The Ford Mondeo is such an important car, however, we decided to do something different. We wanted to drive the very first Irish-bound car out of the factory and all the way to Ireland, getting a feel for what thousands of Irish drivers can expect as we amass 1,600km across five European countries.
Great plan, in theory, but in practice it turned out to be impossible. On the way to Dublin airport, we spot a truckload of Mondeos passing us, prompting a text message to Ford's PR representative who assured me that our car would still be the first registered car on the road in the country.
Once in Brussels we make our way to the Ford factory where we were presented with our new Mondeo - a left-hand-drive, top spec, German-registered model we'd already driven at the launch a few weeks ago.
To compound matters, our car turned out to be the 2.5-litre turbo version without satellite navigation and with only half a tank of petrol - not the wallet-saving diesel I was hoping for. €70 worth of petrol would have to be deposited in the tank before we reached Amsterdam (we found the right road eventually) where we would have to fork out another €45 to park the thing in the hotel car park. This was going to be an expensive endeavour.
The following morning we drive around a little bit to see what the locals made of Ford's new flagship model. For someone wanting to show off a car, Amsterdam's cafe culture is perfect. We're at eye level with the capuccino sippers so it's easy to see if we've caught someone's attention and, with the windows rolled down, even easier to engage them in conversation.
The only problem was, the majority of people who noticed the car were English tourists. A middle-aged gent with a posh British accent was the first to speak to us after he photographed the car as it inched along the canals.
"It's really quite elegant," he noted before sticking his head in the window and turning his nose up at our Titanium X's computerised display and metal-effect dashboard. "Does it come with wood?" he asked. It'll be a Ghia for you, then, my friend.
A few minutes later, I catch a couple of younger lads checking out the car as they nurse an early cure. "What do you think?" I enquire. "Yeah, it's not bad, is it?" says one. "Looks not half bad," said the other rather cryptically as he approaches for a closer look. Unlike the older chap, they're rather impressed with the mobile-phone-like buttons on the steering wheel that are used to operate the stereo and negotiate the on-screen menus on the LCD screen between the dials. "The interior's well nice," enthused one, "It's not like a Ford at all, is it?" You clearly haven't sat in an S-Max, then, which shares much of its interior (as well as its mechanical components) with the new Mondeo.
Frustrated by the lack of Dutch volunteers, I aim for Eindhoven where I expect there to be fewer tourists and sure enough, within minutes I'm chatting with natives Alex and Rob who noticed the Mondeo as they made their way to lunch. "It should sell well for Ford," says Alex, "Ford needed some style in its cars and this one has plenty."
Rob is looking rather dejected, however, and is currently regretting his decision to buy a Volvo S40. "I didn't think it was going to be like this inside," he explained. "This is very nice. Which diesels does it come with?" "1.8 and 2.0-litre," I reply, "but it also comes with a 1.6-litre petrol."
"Really? Who will buy this?" Sit back, gentlemen, and let me tell you a scary story about an evil monster called VRT.
Time is running out, and we need to make the ferry in Calais so we set the Mondeo's active suspension to "Comfort" (unlike most active suspension systems, this one actually works) and pegged the active cruise control at the motorway speed limit.
Unfortunately, Belgian drivers are incredibly aggressive and with the Mondeo doing its best to leave 1.8 second gaps between us and the car in front, we're constantly getting carved up by just about everything on the road. I cut the cruise and opt instead to set my own pace, no difficult task thanks to the 220hp and 320Nm on offer in this range-topping model.
IN CALAIS WE PUMP another €70 into the Mondeo's tank before lining up for our spot on the ferry. Alongside us there's a Toyota Avensis and just behind, a Volkswagen Passat. Several attempts to attract the drivers' attention comes to nothing, however, and we board the ferry rather disappointed in the lack of interest in the car.
Our disappointment only gets worse as we transverse England on our way to Fishguard, as each subsequent pit stop failed to draw a single curious look or expression of interest.
Perhaps it's the German plates or the rain that's putting them off, or maybe it's the expression on my face as the Mondeo's huge tank takes another chunk out of my savings.
Even so, this is the home of Mondeo man and yet not a single sales-rep-mobile driver, alongside which I strategically park, even gives it a second glance. I'm baffled.
Finally, I approach an Audi A4 driver and ask him what gives. "It's a bank 'oliday, mate. Nobody's on the road in this weather." Ah. I see. No wonder it's not attracting any attention. Its primary UK customer is taking a break from pounding the M25. "So, what do you think, sir?" I ask the Audi driver. "Ah, it's not bad, is it? I mean, it's a lot better than the old one. I really like what they've done with the design - especially inside."
Would you consider one, then?
"Nah, mate. It's a Mondeo, innit?" Good to see class lines drawn as deeply as ever in British culture.
The crossing from Fishguard to Rosslare was not a pleasant one. Forty-knot winds made it keel like it was perched on a see-saw, resulting in a boat-load of rather green people. When we finally disembark, the port workers seem amused. "I bet you're glad to be out of that," says one. I'm too ill to reply, let alone ask him what he thought of the car.
After another fuel stop outside Wexford we finally get to sample the all-new Mondeo on Irish roads for the first time. To be honest, it's even better than I'd expected, soaking up the bumps with the kind of composure normally reserved for luxury cars, even if tyre noise was more pronounced than I had been expecting.
The steering, controls and the driving position are all perfectly in tune with the driver, making it easily the best car in its class to drive, as well as the best appointed and most advanced technologically.
Mind you, just about every one of its main rivals will be replaced within the next year so don't expect the Mondeo to be so blatantly ahead of the pack by this time next year.
As my final piece of anecdotal research, I accost an innocent Avensis driver in a Mitchelstown petrol station to get his views on Ford's new flagship. "To be honest, I'm not much of a car person," pleaded Nigel Griffin. Perfect.
Most Mondeo/ Avensis/ Laguna/ Passat drivers are in the same boat. Nigel's impressed with the looks and space, and very taken with the interior layout. I ask him if he might consider one, and he says the words every Ford dealer in the country wants to hear: "Well, I'd like to take one for a test drive, all right."
For Ford, then, the task is clear. They simply have to get people into the showroom. The new Mondeo's looks, elegant as they are, aren't quite bold enough to draw people in, so Ford's marketing team will have to find a way to lure those Passat and Avensis customers in for a look.
Once they have a test drive they'll find it difficult not to be impressed by its quality, space, high specification, dynamics and comfort. The problem, as I found on my three-day adventure, will be getting people's attention in the first place.