Ford
India will introduce the latest version of its luxury sedan Mondeo by calendar
end with a hope to garner a better market share in the D-segment. Sources
say the car is already undergoing homologation formalities at the ARAI and
would be ready for launch in December.
The Mondeo that has been appreciated by one and all has however failed to
generate a good response in the market. This particular statement holds
true especially for the diesel variant which was recently phased out. The
petrol Duratec too has in the recent past just managed to do 10 odd units
on a monthly basis where the competition in the shape of the Honda Accord
and Mercedes Benz C-Class have done reasonably well with sales touching
200 and 100 units respectively. Other cars in the segment include Toyota’s
Camry and Hyundai’s Sonata which too haven’t been doing too well
with monthly sales of 30 units apiece.
The new model which would in all probability be introduced only in the petrol
version, gets a revised front end with new chrome grille, headlamp cluster
and a slightly redesigned front bumper which houses the newly shaped fog
lamps. The rear too has been redesigned, the most significant change here
being the design of the tail lamps that are reminiscent of the C-Class Mercedes
Benz. The rear bumper too has been restyled a bit, as has the rear boot
lid, which now carries a horizontal crease in the centre.
The 4-cylinder DOHC 2.0-litre engine that develops in excess of 143PS and
a torque of 190Nm would power the Mondeo. So what can we expect from the
new look Mondeo? Fresh styling with the same old performance and handling
characteristics, which makes this car probably one of the best driver’s
cars in the country. Also an aggressive price tag should certainly help
the Mondeo hold its own in this highly competitive arena. |
November 2004
