Motoring: Set to make a marque

The Ford Mondeo has been wired for high tech - it is the first ever Ford to be designed entirely by computer. With several awards, including Britain's Best Fleet Car in May this year, under its belt, this car is bound to make heads turn

The Mondeo name may be unfamiliar to the motoring public of the UAE as it has only recently been introduced to the country following the change of franchise holders and despite having sold more than 2.6 million units in over 60 since its introduction in 1993. Mondeo has also won no fewer than 17 industry awards including 'European Car of the Year' in 1994 and Britain's 'Best Fleet Car' in May 2002.

So Mondeo comes to the UAE with an impressive track record and with a strong challenge to its competitors in the medium size C/D passenger car segment of the local market. Ford no longer offer large cars in the European markets and therefore the Ford Mondeo is their flagship range in Europe.

The latest version of Mondeo for 2003 is the first ever Ford to be designed entirely by computer and the space-age technology cut 13 months from the normal development period of a new model. All Mondeos come to the Gulf from Ford's factory in Belgium at Genk, where they have been building cars and vans for over 35 years, so they should know what they are doing!

The result of computer-aided design has been a very handsome looking car.

It seems to be just right in all the important external areas and with none of the quirky styling cues that will quickly date some competitors currently on sale here.

I have a simple reaction test that I use on initial contact with a car or model I am unfamiliar with. That initial contact could produce one of three basic reactions:

- Negative - not sure about this one
- Neutral - seems OK, but convince me
- Positive - wow, this is nice

The Mondeo falls easily into my third category with the words 'Very, very' as a precursor!

Interior

The interior of the Mondeo is just as pleasing to look at as the exterior.

There is a huge amount of user-friendly features in the interior of the Mondeo from an ergonomic layout of the controls for the driver to anti-trap power windows to an exterior rearview mirror with a slight concave shape in its aspheric glass for a broader field of vision to stowage bins in the door panels that are wide enough for 1 litre drink bottles, stowage slots for coins and credit cards and lots, lots more.

Power and performance

The power unit of the Mondeo is a 2.0 litre, 16 valve, DOHC, 4-cylinder, petrol engine with sequential EFI and producing 151 bhp and maximum torque of 190 Nm. The choice of engine size was dictated by the tax laws in some European markets that still represent major markets for Ford.

Fuel economy is indeed a consideration for all motorists and the Mondeo's performance is quoted at 8 litres per 100 kms on the 'combined' European driving cycle fuel consumption tests.

Driving impressions

The car we drove was a top-of-the-range Mondeo Ghia. Ghia is the name of a famous Italian automotive design house that has been associated with Ford of Europe for many years in the production of top-of-the-range versions of Ford models. As I have previously mentioned, my initial reaction to the Mondeo as 'Wow, this is nice' and after driving the car I have no reason whatsoever to change that view. The car drives exceptionally well in all aspects. The driver's seating is comfortable and all controls fall easily to hand.

The Mondeo drives very smoothly and the gear changes up and down are seamless with virtually no shift shock even under fast acceleration. The suspension is firm yet extremely supple and offers an exceptionally comfortable ride for the passengers. Lane changing at speeds close to the legal limit are completed with no lurching around and with a sense of complete and safe control of the car. Cornering at high and low speeds is with a minimum of body roll...

We carried out some heavy braking tests on a deserted old road and found Ford's claim of exceptional braking capability to be true and correct. The ABS held the car in a straight line, with no wheel skidding, and we stopped far sooner than I expected, thanks to the large disc brakes front and rear and the application of the Emergency Brake Assist system. Top marks!

Summary

After spending two days with the Mondeo Ghia, I had become attached to the car and would happily recommend it to anyone looking for a medium size family or business car. It is spacious inside and very user friendly, has a contemporary and elegant appearance, a range of features second to none in its class, has a wide range of safety features including dual stage driver and front passenger airbags and excellent driving dynamics.

It is an exceedingly nice car and as price for the Mondeo Ambiente version starts at only Dh49,999 and the three Mondeo Ghia versions starts at Dh54,000, the 2003 Ford Mondeo range represents exceptional value for money!

Exterior

The external appearance when viewed from the side suggests a contemporary and very elegant 'cab forward' style that helps to generate more cabin space for the occupants. It also helps to give better forward visibility for the driver. Both front and rear wheel arches have a neat 'bulge' and the large wrap-around rear light clusters (including twin halogen reversing lights) add a touch of colour to the side view. Our test car had a pair of fog lights neatly located low down in the front spoiler... The large front light unit has Xenon headlamps for excellent night driving capability.