Report: Ford to reveal Vignale sub-brand with special Mondeo in Frankfurt

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Ford, UK, Design/Style, Luxury

Ford Mondeo will be the first Ford to receive upscale Vignale treatment.

Ford says that 10-15 percent of its customers in Europe want their cars to be set apart from regular Fords – even those wearing the top Titanium X trim – and the Blue Oval will answer them with the Vignale sub-brand. The new brand proposes a more upscale look and a much-improved dealership experience, Autocar reports. The Vignale Mondeo will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show to kick off the new endeavor.

The first Ford to receive the Vignale treatment will be the 2015 Mondeo, a Euro-only model, followed by the new S-Max and Edge. The Vignale Mondeo is set apart visually from other Mondeos by a chrome grille and chrome door handles and mirror caps. Mondeo badging will be deleted – only Vignale badging will make an appearance.

The interior will get a more upscale flavor, as well, with quilted leather seats and door trim and leather covering the instrument panel, center console and steering wheel. A Vignale-badged storage drawer will be installed in the trunk, and in-car Wi-Fi is available.

Roelant de Waard, Ford of Europe’s sales boss, says the Vignale sub-brand is aimed at customers who don’t have a lot of free time, are “independent thinkers” and want to feel special, Autocar reports, so visual treatments aren’t the only features Vignale cars will get. Owners also will have a Ford dealer contact assigned to them and receive exclusive services, such as free car washes at the dealership for the life of the car.

There’s no word if Vignale Fords will come to the US, but our guess is that they won’t – at least not right away.

Ford to reveal Vignale sub-brand with special Mondeo in Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Sep 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Ford to reveal Vignale sub-brand with special Mondeo in Frankfurt

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Ford, UK, Design/Style, Luxury

Ford Mondeo will be the first Ford to receive upscale Vignale treatment.

Ford says that 10-15 percent of its customers in Europe want their cars to be set apart from regular Fords – even those wearing the top Titanium X trim – and the Blue Oval will answer them with the Vignale sub-brand. The new brand proposes a more upscale look and a much-improved dealership experience, Autocar reports. The Vignale Mondeo will debut at the Frankfurt Motor Show to kick off the new endeavor.

The first Ford to receive the Vignale treatment will be the 2015 Mondeo, a Euro-only model, followed by the new S-Max and Edge. The Vignale Mondeo is set apart visually from other Mondeos by a chrome grille and chrome door handles and mirror caps. Mondeo badging will be deleted – only Vignale badging will make an appearance.

The interior will get a more upscale flavor, as well, with quilted leather seats and door trim and leather covering the instrument panel, center console and steering wheel. A Vignale-badged storage drawer will be installed in the trunk, and in-car Wi-Fi is available.

Roelant de Waard, Ford of Europe’s sales boss, says the Vignale sub-brand is aimed at customers who don’t have a lot of free time, are “independent thinkers” and want to feel special, Autocar reports, so visual treatments aren’t the only features Vignale cars will get. Owners also will have a Ford dealer contact assigned to them and receive exclusive services, such as free car washes at the dealership for the life of the car.

There’s no word if Vignale Fords will come to the US, but our guess is that they won’t – at least not right away.

Ford to reveal Vignale sub-brand with special Mondeo in Frankfurt originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 03 Sep 2013 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2013 Ford Taurus design points the way for next Falcon, Mondeo

Filed under: New York Auto Show, Sedan, Wagon, Ford, Australia, Design/Style

2013 Ford Taurus

2013 Ford Taurus – Click above for high-res image gallery

If you’ve been wondering exactly what Ford has in mind for the next-generation Falcon, look no further than the recently revealed 2013 Taurus for a few clues. Ford design guru J Mays has officially made it clear that the look of the sedan will be transposed onto several of the automaker’s other products, including models like the Mondeo and Falcon. The crew from Go Auto spoke to Mays at the New York International Auto Show last week where the designer said that the corporate look will still allow each model to flex its character.

Mays said that the design was heavily influenced by vehicles like the Audi A6 and that the new trapezoidal grille design on the 2013 Taurus will allow the vehicle’s face to be easily applied to a range of products. Even so, don’t expect to see exact carbon copies across the dealer lot. Mays made it clear that the design can be modified to deliver everything from an aggressive visage to a more subdued look.

Gallery: 2013 Ford Taurus

2013 Ford Taurus2013 Ford Taurus2013 Ford Taurus2013 Ford Taurus2013 Ford Taurus

[Source: Go Auto]

2013 Ford Taurus design points the way for next Falcon, Mondeo originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 27 Apr 2011 18:21:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Spy Shots: Next-gen Ford Mondeo spotted testing

Filed under: Spy Photos, Sedan, Ford, Design/Style

Spy Shots: Next-Generation Ford Mondeo

Next-gen Ford Mondeo spy shots – Click above for high-res image gallery

Ford is hard at work on the next generation of its Mondeo mid-size sedan. Spy photographers caught a snow and camo-covered version of the new mid-size sedan as it waits to be shuttled to its next testing location. The car shows hints of adhering to Ford’s Kinetic design language, and we expect the front-end to – ahem – focus in on that style.

The next Mondeo will serve as a true global vehicle like its smaller Fiesta and Focus siblings. Lincoln and Ford will use the upcoming Mondeo as the guts beneath both the Fusion and MKZ skin. Rumor has it that this future Mondeo will also be offered as a wagon and four-door fancy-coupe, as well.

Gallery: Spy Shots: Next-Generation Ford Mondeo

Spy Shots: Next-Generation Ford MondeoSpy Shots: Next-Generation Ford MondeoSpy Shots: Next-Generation Ford MondeoSpy Shots: Next-Generation Ford MondeoSpy Shots: Next-Generation Ford Mondeo

[Source: CarPix]

Spy Shots: Next-gen Ford Mondeo spotted testing originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 04 Apr 2011 17:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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2011 Ford Mondeo gets spiffed up

Filed under: Sedan, Europe, Ford, UK

2011 Ford Mondeo at sunset

2011 Ford Mondeo – Click above for high-res image gallery

When a car comes with a 48-page press release, well, you know its maker has some special things in mind for it. The 2011 Ford Mondeo, in five-door and wagon styles, is just such a car, with The Blue Oval calling it “the most stylish and technologically advanced Mondeo ever.” Visually, the car’s main lines haven’t changed, but the details have been made sharper: a sleeker front bumper with new LEDs and more aggressive lip, the twin character lines down the side, the chrome trim all around the windows and the new chiseling in the rear valance.

Inside is the familiar story of upgraded materials wrapped around new techno bits. Ambient LED illumination falls from overhead, where also resides a new woven headliner. Driver aids include Lane Departure Warning system, Auto High Beam, Driver Alert, Smart Regenerative Charging and Active Grille Shutter, which opens and closes the grille aperture automatically to promote either cooling or increased aerodynamic efficiency.

Under the hood are new engines, including the Mondeo’s first crack at Ford’s 237-horsepower, 2.0-liter, four-cylinder EcoBoost. That will be an option alongside the current, 203-hp version. There’s also a reworked 2.2-liter Duratorq TDCi diesel putting out 197 hp, the most powerful such engine yet.

It goes on sale as soon as next month at the same starting price as the current Mondeo, £17,295 ($26,842 U.S.), although the Titanium trim gets bumped up £200 to £19,945 ($30,958 U.S.). Follow the jump for an abridged version of the presser, and take your time perusing our huge gallery of high-res photos below.

Gallery: 2011 Ford Mondeo revealed

[Source: Ford]

Continue reading 2011 Ford Mondeo gets spiffed up

2011 Ford Mondeo gets spiffed up originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 27 Aug 2010 14:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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