New Ford Mondeo More Than Just Good Looks

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Ford Australia today released further details of the most eagerly anticipated new model launch of 2007, the all-new European-engineered Mondeo.

Dramatic design, state of the art safety, innovative features and an attractive recommended retail price will see the new model enjoy the same success in Australia as it has already experienced in Europe.

"Mondeo will introduce new levels of style, refinement and safety to the medium size segment and set a new benchmark for how a car should drive," said Ford Australia President Tom Gorman.

"Exemplary driving dynamics is a key element of Ford DNA and Mondeo is no exception. The new model delivers an outstanding driving experience and customers will be extremely impressed with just how good the overall package is."

Mondeo is the first production iteration of Ford's exciting new kinetic design philosophy, creating a sleek and dynamic profile expressing energy in motion.

"The best way to describe kinetic design is to think about a sprinter at the starting blocks, tilting forward and poised for action – it's all about creating an athletic and purposeful stance. This is the image that the new Mondeo portrays, in motion or stationary," said Mr Gorman.

"Elements of kinetic design also apply to the interior of the vehicle and are evident in the ambient lighting, soft-touch materials and attention to detail in the cabin environment."

There are four stylish vehicles in the range including the feature laden LX, a higher specification Zetec, an economical low emission turbo diesel and the range-topping sports performance Mondeo XR5 Turbo.

All models in the range provide for an intuitive, flexible and spacious interior package, offering an intelligent use of space with exceptionally generous luggage capacity.

Mondeo LX is available as a four-door sedan and offers impressive levels of features and safety equipment as standard.

These features include an enhanced Intelligent Protection System (IPS) complemented by Anti-lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) and Emergency Brake Assist (EBA), Dynamic Stability Control and seven airbags, including a driver’s knee airbag and full length side curtain airbags.

Other innovative developments consist of a capless refuelling feature with mis-fuel inhibitor, an automatic hazard warning light and optional voice control command of Bluetooth®, audio, climate and phone control systems.

The higher specification Mondeo Zetec is available in either four-door sedan or five-door hatch and comes standard with the same IPS as appears on the LX model.

It is differentiated externally by 17-inch alloy wheels and enhanced grille and fog lamps. Features over and above the LX include a Sony premium sound system (a six-disc CD player with eight speakers and MP3 compatibility), rain sensing wipers, front and rear parking sensors, dual-zone climate control, cruise control and a leather wrapped steering wheel.

Both the LX and Zetec feature the 2.3-litre Duratec four-cylinder petrol engine producing 118kW and 208Nm, which is mated to a six-speed automatic transmission with Sequential Sports Shift.

The new Mondeo TDCi features an advanced 2.0-litre Duratorq four-cylinder common-rail turbo diesel engine that delivers on the key expectations of a modern diesel car - impressive refinement, large car performance and superior fuel efficiency.

The acclaimed TDCi diesel engine produces 96kW of power and peak torque of 320Nm from an easily accessible 1750rpm.

The stylish four-door sedan or five-door hatch comes with all the comforts found in a Zetec model and also has a six-speed automatic transmission as standard.

"The automatic provides for a smoother drive and better performance," said Mr Gorman.

"Gear changes in automatic guise become virtually indiscernible and the six-speed transmission's more efficient delivery of power to the ground is able to provide exceptional fuel economy."

The exciting new Mondeo XR5 Turbo is the sports-performance model of the range. Utilising the same 2.5-litre Duratec 20-valve five-cylinder turbo engine as appears in the Focus XR5 Turbo, it will sit alongside other XR performance variants in the Ford portfolio.

It offers the same safety and creature comforts as the Zetec and TDCi variants, but is given further visual appeal through the addition of 18-inch alloy wheels, lowered sport suspension and a performance-styled bodykit consisting of front and rear bumpers, fog lamps, and unique upper and lower grilles and rocker panel moulding.

New driver-focused technologies found in the XR5 Turbo include keyless start via a 'Ford Power' start button.

Ford's new Human Machine Interface is available across the range. Consisting of easily accessible steering wheel mounted controls and an easy to read cluster display, HMI means the driver's hands never have to leave the wheel to read relevant vehicle related information such as radio, phone and personalised settings.

The Mondeo XR5 Turbo offers an enhanced cluster display featuring a 15cm premium colour screen.

Peak power of 162kW is realised at 5000 rpm and the maximum 320Nm of torque is available from a user-friendly 1500rpm all the way through to 4800rpm.

To further enhance the sports pedigree of the XR5 Turbo, it is only available with a six-speed manual transmission.

The two petrol Mondeo powertrains deliver fuel economy of 9.5-litres per 100km, which improves to an excellent 7.3-litres per 100 km with the diesel engine.

"In the case of the diesel this equates to a range of more than 950km^, or enough to travel from Melbourne to Sydney with enough remaining to drive around once you arrive," said Mr Gorman.

In light of the impressive array of safety equipment and standard specification, the recommended retail price of all models sets a new benchmark for the segment.

The LX has a recommended retail price of $29,990, the Zetec and TDCi have recommended retail prices of $34,990 and $37,990 respectively, and the Mondeo XR5 Turbo is $41,990*.

There is also an optional 'Cruise Pack' available to LX customers to further enhance and personalise their new vehicle.

It consists of 16-inch alloy wheels, cruise control, a leather wrapped steering wheel and rear power windows. It has a recommended retail price of $1,500.

"New Ford Mondeo marks a step change for Ford in terms of design and technology," said Mr Gorman.

"With the arrival of Mondeo, Ford now has our strongest ever portfolio of imported small to medium passenger cars, giving us the ability to deliver an even greater range of desirable new vehicles to our customers."

FORD MONDEO RECOMMENDED RETAIL PRICE AND OPTIONS LIST

* All prices exclude dealer delivery and statutory charges
^Range calculated based on ADR 81/01 fuel consumption of 7.3l/100km with 70-litre fuel tank

FORD MONDEO IN DETAIL

EXTERIOR DESIGN

The design of the new Ford Mondeo has instant visual impact. The new Mondeo brings Ford's kinetic design form language and philosophy to new levels, embodying all of its key elements. Together, these create a sleek and dynamic profile that represents energy in motion and delivers a design presence that signals power and grace, setting it apart from other cars in the market segment.

Fresh Face

Immediately obvious when seen from the front is the new Mondeo’s distinctive face, which is characterised by its trapezoid-shaped lower grille, a kinetic design element that is increasingly recognised as part of the new Ford identity.

The large upper grille is flanked by prominent, swept back headlamps. Series differentiation is evident in the detail of the grilles with the Zetec and TDCi featuring a silver-painted rectangular grid design in the upper and lower grilles and the XR5 Turbo taking a sporty honeycomb grille. LX features a rectangular grid design in black for both grilles, with the upper grille surrounded by a bright chrome finisher.

The headlamps comprise the largest surface area ever used on a Ford passenger car and feature distinctive styling cues of their own.

The bonnet includes two shaped grooves in the surface which, in effect, create a power bulge, hinting at the dynamic qualities of the car. The additional bonnet height was viewed by the design team as a positive addition to the exterior design and adds to the car's muscular proportions in both bodystyles.

The smooth swept-back chamfered lines of the front bumper give the car a sense of presence, reduce the visual impact of the front overhang and serve to assist the driver when parking.

The front fog lamps are situated low down in the front bumper on Zetec/TDCi and XR5 Turbo and mirror the line of the headlamps, adding a touch of jewellery to the dramatic front end appearance.

Unique Profile

The profile of the new Mondeo gives observers the most comprehensive view of both bodystyles; a stylish and flexible five-door hatch and the classic four-door both feature a strong silhouette with the steeply raked A-pillar blending through to both bodystyles' individual rear treatments.

The raised shoulder line gives a muscular feel to the car and improves the visual stance. Another Ford exterior design signature is the use of pronounced wheel lips or arches.

Strength in the lower body is highlighted by a strong lower cut line that runs from behind the front wheel lip through both doors and into the rear wheel arch.

Visual impact in the quarter panels is maintained by a distinctive kick-up in the lower angle of the quarter light glass at the rear of the daylight opening area.

For the first time on the new Mondeo, Ford of Europe is utilising an innovative manufacturing technique known as laser-brazing. This provides a way of joining the side and roof panels together in a more aesthetically pleasing way, thereby providing a higher quality finish.

Dynamic Rear Styling

The new Mondeo design team made a particular effort to incorporate the kinetic design characteristics into the rear-end design of both bodystyles, while maintaining a low load height allowing for luggage to be loaded and unloaded with ease.

Both the Hatch and the Sedan feature two-piece rear lamps with honeycomb-shaped filters while the high mounted stop lamp is situated on the middle portion of the liftgate and decklid for five and four-door respectively.

Both are fitted with a body-coloured plastic cover along the lower portion of the liftgate / decklid, which serves as a relatively simple-to-repair solution in the event of a light rear end collision. It is anticipated such smart thinking in design, allowing Mondeo owners to avoid costly sheet metal repairs, will contribute to lower cost of ownership for Mondeo.

This also allowed the design team to reduce the depth of the rear bumper. As a result, the fully integrated lower liftgate and minimal bumper overhang creates a very smooth, stylish rear end on all bodystyles.

Tinted and Coloured Glass

A further innovation for new Mondeo is the use of green or new blue tinted glass to enhance the overall elegance of the premium exterior. Blue glass, which appears on the XR5 Turbo, is traditionally the domain of premium class vehicles and this is the first time it has been used on the Mondeo. Green tinted glass is fitted to the LX and Zetec / TDCi.

INTERIOR DESIGN STRATEGY

Interior Styling

The new Mondeo's kinetic design exterior language has also been carried through to the spacious interior which has been fashioned to convey a similar sense of style and premium levels of quality.

"For the new Mondeo we have improved the overall quality of the interior. The proportions are more sympathetic and it is more inviting," said Nikolaus Vidakovic, Chief Interior Designer.

"When you open the door you see a flow, an elegance. This is much more welcoming and harmonious than using heavy, harsh shapes."

By working closely with Ford's interior craftsmanship specialists, Vidakovic's team has delivered an attractive environment with a premium quality feel with improved fit and finish on all interior components.

Cockpit Feel

Drivers of the new Mondeo will find themselves in a lower and sportier cockpit driving position.

The rake of the A-pillar and front screen lends itself to the cockpit design by enveloping and involving the driver. The higher beltline and a flow-through centre console combine to enhance the cosseted feeling for front seat passengers. Front seat legroom and shoulder room have been increased by 24mm and 52mm respectively.

The raised gear shifter position – coupled with additional adjustment capability for the steering wheel and front seats – ensures that the driver can choose the most comfortable driving position and have the best possible visibility with minimum obscuration by structural or interior package elements of the car.

Wide door opening angles facilitate easy entrance and exit for passengers, while longer seat cushions have been introduced to better suit taller passengers.

Interior Package

In order to optimise the interior package and visibility, Ford's engineers developed and first used on the new Mondeo a new Computer Aided Virtual Engineering (CAVE) system. CAVE uses a combination of computers and projectors to create a virtual life-sized interior of a car. Using a specially designed rig, a real car seat is fixed into the appropriate position for the driver who can then evaluate all-round visibility as well as comfort levels for reaching the steering wheel and operating major controls.

This system proved invaluable in early customer clinics to gauge reaction to the new model and as a platform for existing Mondeo drivers to voice their opinions as the new model advanced.

It also enabled the team to make fast and cost-effective changes to a virtual representation of their designs.

The CAVE system is a good example of the many cost-effective measures that were introduced to key areas of the car's development – with added benefits for the finished product and ultimately for customer satisfaction.

Craftsmanship

New and premium levels of craftsmanship are evident throughout the new Mondeo. The careful use of piano black interior styling accents also adds to the ensemble and creates additional interest and a high quality tactile feel to key touch areas. The flow-through centre console is finished in a variety of contrasting finishes depending on series and soft-touch material is used extensively throughout the cabin to emphasise the quality and refinement of the interior.

The primary shade of the instrument panel on LX models is black ebony. Both instrument panel and doors feature additional trim accents according to series level. LX, for instance, features a dark instrument panel spear with Ebony-coloured Triton door inserts. Zetec and TDCi receive the same door inserts, but feature sporty silver IP spears (customers who order the leather trim pack received matching door inserts). The top-spec Mondeo XR5 Turbo receives brushed chrome IP spears and a matching centre console bezel. XR5 receives door inserts to match the sports leather trimmed seats.

Interior Lighting (Mondeo XR5 Turbo)

Ambient lighting, usually seen only in premium class vehicles, is included on the Mondeo XR5 Turbo. A soft amber light illuminates the area from the gear shifter to the coinbox in the centre console and is generated by two LEDs situated in the overhead courtesy lamp housing. Ambient lighting adds a touch of class to the new Mondeo and provides a soft illumination at night to help passengers operate switches or search for items in the centre console.

Additional clear lighting is used in the front footwell areas. This ambient lighting adds warmth to the feel of the car in dark conditions and also provides better visibility when getting into and out of the car.

MONDEO DRIVING QUALITY

MONDEO DRIVING DYNAMICS

The new Mondeo combines sporty driving dynamics with a refined ride and minimal noise, vibration and harshness.

The torsional stiffness of the new Mondeo has been analysed and directly compared by Ford's engineers to the previous model. In fact, the four door sedan exhibits an improvement of 116% in torsional stiffness whilst the five door hatch exhibits an improvement of 130%.

The steering system for all bodystyles and all powertrain options is rack-and-pinion with hydraulic power assistance. The 2.5-litre I5 Petrol engine uses a hydraulic pump, while all other engine options use a variable-displacement pump that creates less heat and contributes to fuel efficiency. The Mondeo has been engineered to provide the best possible steering feedback for the driver across all road surfaces and at all speeds.

Recognising that Ford has a strong heritage of acclaimed driving dynamics to live up to, the Mondeo development team has paid special attention to the car's suspension and steering system. The major features include:

• Wider track
• Optimised front suspension design
• New Control Blade independent rear suspension
• Isolated front and rear subframes
• Optimised steering system
• Control Arm Hydro-Bushings
• S-shaped springs and Dual Path Strut Mounts
• Hydraulic steering system

Wider Track

With the new Mondeo, Ford has delivered a vehicle with greater stability and improved road holding – this starts with an improved footprint on the road. The front track at 1,589mm is 67mm wider than the previous Mondeo and the rear track at 1,605mm is 68mm wider. This change supports improved straight-ahead stability, higher cornering grip and better roll control due to the reduced ratio between the centre of gravity height and track width.

Optimised Front Suspension Design

Ford has again opted for the trusted MacPherson strut front suspension system for the new Mondeo, focusing on precision and package. A design honed by Ford since the 1950s, the MacPherson strut system has been continually improved from generation to generation. The suspension subframe is extremely rigid and wide, sitting in isolating rubber mounts for enhanced ride comfort.

When addressing the elementary needs for the new Mondeo's front suspension it was necessary to achieve high lateral and camber stiffness by improved wheel bearings as well as stiffer structural suspension components and, at the same time, fine-tuned longitudinal compliance to absorb bumps. Also required were optimised suspension kinematic and elasto-kinematic characteristics in order to control intelligently the wheel position over the entire wheel travel and under longitudinal and lateral forces for an optimum handling balance.

Ford engineers also took a repeated component-by-component approach to reduce steering friction and provide compliance for optimal system performance and best steering and handling control.

The lower control arm uses hydro-bushings at the rear for efficient disturbance management, resulting in clearly enhanced rolling comfort. The arm allows the necessary aft movement of the wheels to absorb bumps whilst being extremely stiff in a lateral direction to enhance handling precision.

New Control Blade independent rear suspension

The new Mondeo uses a new version of a proven multi-link rear suspension design with a subframe mounting system featuring rubber bushings. This suspension concept uses four links to control each wheel precisely. The rear axle is a control-blade axle and consists of a

subframe, two lower and one upper suspension arms. The control blades are attached to the body via the rubber mountings.

In the new Mondeo, the system is optimised by the application of a new rubber isolated subframe for low road noise. The design of the linkage ensures that the lateral stiffness of the original system is retained.

Much like the front suspension, several rear suspension targets were set to achieve a highly robust chassis for the new Mondeo. The targets included high lateral and camber stiffness for precise handling quality and high longitudinal compliance to absorb road irregularities. Predictable handling was achieved by intensively tuned elasto-kinematic characteristics of the suspension.

Isolated Front and Rear Subframes

Used for mounting the suspension system, the isolated front and rear subframes are one of several measures aimed at isolating noise and vibration from the car's passengers. Fine attention to detail is in evidence through the fine-tuning that the suspension bushes received and increased local stiffness of the body at the suspension attachment points. Additionally, these measures further enhance steering and suspension system performance.

Control Arm Hydro-Bushings

The control arm’s soft hydro-bushing and stiff rubber bush are designed in such a way that high lateral stiffness for steering precision and fine-tuned longitudinal compliance for minimal impact harshness is achieved.

S-shaped Springs and Dual Path Strut Mounts

The new Mondeo's S-shaped springs enable complete lateral force compensation in the dampers despite the minimal package space they require. With this design, ride comfort is clearly enhanced due to the elimination of friction in the suspension system. The inclination of the top mount against the damper axis enhances the ride and handling and supports the side load compensation, thus reducing friction. With the use of dual path strut mounts, spring and damper isolation can be tuned independently, resulting in optimal absorption of road inputs.

Hydraulic steering system

The new Mondeo utilises a rack-and-pinion steering system with hydraulic power assistance, to deliver accurate steering with positive feedback. While the XR5 Turbo uses a hydraulic pump and other models use a variable displacement pump, the principle of operation is the same in all models. A belt-driven rotary vane pump is powered by the engine, and generates pressure to assist the driver in turning the front wheels. Due to the size and grip of modern wheel and tyres, the task of steering would be extremely cumbersome without power assistance, especially at low speeds.

As the pump is driven off engine power, the level of pressure generated differs with engine speed. Hence pressure valves are necessary to control the level of assistance. Tuning these valves has, in the case of the new Mondeo, resulted in accurate, predictable steering feel and useful feedback from the steering system to the driver. Additionally, the variable displacement pump employed on LX, Zetec and TDCi models has been designed for increased efficiency and helps minimise engine load, thus aiding fuel consumption.

HANDLING CHARACTERISTICS

Producing a fun-to-drive family car requires special attention to the tuning of the suspension and steering systems in order to achieve enhanced stability. A wider track and bush attachment base combine to provide resistance to roll movements. A sophisticated MacPherson strut front and Control Blade multi-link rear set up allows for a smooth ride with superior grip and has been tuned to control and mitigate the understeer handling characteristic prevalent in many front wheel drive vehicles.

REDUCED NOISE, VIBRATION AND HARSHNESS

Significant efforts were made to reduce noise levels and improve the perceived sound quality inside the car to match increased overall refinement. The achieved low sound pressure levels and the source harmony for engine, road and wind contributions support the quality of the interior ambience. The new Mondeo provides stress-free, relaxed driving through low noise levels which enables easy communication inside the vehicle and optimum use of the internal audio equipment up to high speeds. This was achieved by detailed analytical preparation using state-of-the-art CAE tools, time spent in highly sophisticated noise, vibration and harshness (NVH) test facilities and a high number of test kilometres on both test tracks and public roads. Attention to detail was a key enabler for successful NVH development of the new Mondeo.

Sound Package Development

The basis of the premium NVH behaviour of the new Mondeo is its excellent sound package execution.

Hardware actions taken include the application of optimised engine bay absorption, the introduction of lightweight instrument panel sound insulation and the application of highly absorbing headliner material. Every attention to detail has been given to providing the new Mondeo with premium NVH qualities, even the design and sealing of the trim clips has been optimised.

In addition to the engine noise reduction, the NVH engineers have optimised the criterion used to give a combined measure of the body, sound package and the sealing to attenuate the noise radiated from the tyres.

The combined effect of all the hardware actions that have been implemented is an overall improvement in terms of noise reduction within the cabin of more than 3dB across the whole frequency range in comparison to the previous model.

Minimal Powertrain Noise, Vibration and Harshness

Designing a premium powertrain sound quality was a key area of attention in the development phase of the new Mondeo. One important goal was to achieve a high level of sound refinement that included low to medium engine speeds and at cruising conditions. At the same time a positive sound feedback from the engine during accelerating manoeuvres was achieved.

Features incorporated to meet this objective include:

• Air Intake & Exhaust Tuning: On all engine derivatives the design of the exhaust and the air intake systems have been optimised on powertrain NVH test cells to meet the interior noise sound quality targets. Shell surface stiffnesses have been optimised, internal absorption and resonators have been developed and introduced.
• Engine Mount Isolation: All engine mounts underwent a rigorous development program to improve the structure borne noise isolation in all frequency areas under all load conditions.
• Improved Body Attachment Stiffness: A major effort was made to improve the local body attachment stiffness of all powertrain and chassis mounts significantly, including exhaust hangers and suspension mounts.
• Isolated Front Subframe: The isolated front subframe attenuates the vibrational input of the side shafts and the roll restrictor into the body structure reducing the perceived powertrain rumble within the passenger compartment.
• State-of- the-art High Pressure Common Rail Duratorq Diesel Engine: A special focus of the diesel engine NVH development programme was to reduce the typical diesel knocking noise which is characteristic of all diesel engines. This has been achieved by optimising the injector hardware and the continual improvement of the engine calibration, using both powertrain NVH rigs and test drives. A multipilot injection strategy has been introduced to smooth the combustion events in the entire engine speed and load area.
• Attention to Detail: The level of detail given to improve the NVH characteristics extends to incorporate the secondary noise paths, such as cables, hoses and ducts. To give some examples, noise transmission through the gear shifter cables has been greatly reduced and power assisted steering and air conditioning lines have been tuned to suppress unwanted noises.
  Duratec 5-cylinder Powertrain NVH: The Duratec 5-cylinder exhibits excellent NVH refinement up to high engine speeds while maintaining the typical positive 5-cylinder sound character with a sporty note.

Road Noise Minimisation

The main focus of road noise development was to achieve a low noise level on all road surfaces. This includes a smooth noise and vibration behaviour while driving over smooth or rough roads as well as over impacts. The good balance between high frequency and low frequency road noise of the new Mondeo contributes to its excellent driving experience. The development work was conducted over a variety of critical road surfaces at Ford's Lommel Proving Ground in Belgium, and on public roads close to the Nürburgring in Germany. The following design features are key enablers for improved road noise elements of the new Mondeo:

• Front and Rear Isolated Perimeter Subframes: Both front and rear suspension subframes are isolated from the body structure. In conjunction with the extremely stiff body attachment points this feature allows a significant reduction of road vibration input and therefore reduced noise creation.
• Optimised Hydrobush and rear suspension tie blade bush: Large bush dimensions have been chosen to allow soft mount progression with high tuning capability for rough roads and impact excitation.

Reduced Wind Noise

The sleek exterior shape of both body styles provides a good basis to minimise the creation of flow noise on the surface of the new Mondeo.

Attention to detail is key in minimising wind noise. The Mondeo's design includes an optimised A-pillar shape, the door mirror design, the flush execution of the door seals, the concealed wiper arms and blades and the shape of the door handles.

Another area of reduced wind noise development on the new Mondeo was the task of minimising the transmission of noise from the car's surface area into the passenger compartment. In order to achieve this, particular attention was given to the door design. Improvements included making the door glass thicker and introducing an additional seal between door and body. Also, the location and design of the mirror seals have been optimised.

The positive result of such actions is wind noise behaviour comparable to that of a premium class vehicle. This significantly contributes to the Mondeo driving comfort even at sustained high speeds. The wind noise levels for the Mondeo measured in Ford's state-of-the-art aero-acoustic wind tunnel are the lowest of its vehicle class.

"Our customers will notice the benefits of our work immediately while driving the car, although they'll appreciate it most when they're at cruising speed and want to make a hands-free phone call, listen to the radio or have a conversation," said Dr Karl-Heinz Bürger.

"Whilst cruising we have improved the noise level by 2-4dB at typical highway speeds. We have a metric that looks explicitly at the ability to understand spoken language, we call it the Articulation Index. In the new Mondeo we have achieved the same Articulation Index at 3,000rpm in comparison to what we had previously at 2,000rpm."

MONDEO SAFETY SYSTEMS

SAFETY STORY

The new Mondeo comes to Australia featuring 7 airbags as standard equipment, along with sophisticated potential life-saving technologies such as Dynamic Stability Control and Emergency Brake Assist.

The ultra stiff body structure, which contributes greatly to Mondeo's outstanding dynamic capabilities, has also been designed to provide superior occupant protection in the event of a crash. Computer aided engineering analysis was used to optimise the management of load paths and controlled crushing during collisions.

Safety innovations such as a horizontally stroking steering column and seatbelt pretensioners mounted to the top seatbelt retractor also contribute to the outstanding safety of the vehicle. And the vehicle's bumper, bonnet and headlight fittings were all optimised during the design stage to improve pedestrian protection.

All these safety technologies are standard on every new Mondeo.

SYSTEMS OVERVIEW

The new Mondeo features an impressive no-compromise array of active and passive safety technologies. The basic foundation for these features is the car's ultra-stiff body structure, which reduces the deformation of the passenger safety cell.

Mondeo's safety features can be classified using two categories; active and passive safety systems. Active safety systems are intended to aid the driver in avoiding a collision, while passive safety systems help protect the passengers and help reduce and avoid injuries.

ACTIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS

A number of significant safety technologies that provide new levels of driver control and accident avoidance are standard on all models in the Mondeo range. In addition to the standard Anti-Lock Braking System (ABS) with Electronic Brakeforce Distribution (EBD) all Models are equipped with a Dynamic Stability Control (DSC) system including Emergency Brake Assist (EBA) and an automatic hazard warning light system.

Finally, Zetec, TDCi and Mondeo XR5 Turbo come standard with an advanced automatic headlamps that automatically switch on the front and tail lamps with the aid of a light sensor.

In addition to the driver assistance technologies, the braking components and system have been carefully matched to the size, weight and performance of all bodystyles and powertrain options of the new Mondeo.

The brake discs at the rear have increased in diameter to 302mm compared to the previous model of 280mm. Brake friction material has been selected to provide a positive braking feel to the driver whilst being effective and providing a good length of service throughout normal driving conditions.

Anti-Lock Braking System

Anti-lock Braking Systems reduce the risk of the wheels locking and skidding under emergency braking situations, helping the driver to maintain steering control. Electronic Brakeforce Distribution operates in conjunction with ABS. When the footbrake is applied, sensors detect which road wheels are closest to locking and losing grip with the road and which road wheels could be breaking harder. EBD adjusts the vehicle's braking force to concentrate on the road wheels where it is likely to be most effective.

Dynamic Stability Control System (DSC)

DSC (also known as Electronic Stability Program) with integrated EBA and traction control (see below) is designed to automatically compensate for loss of control under extreme conditions using brakes and throttle to keep firmly on track. It detects sudden changes in steering, braking and vehicle attitude that may cause a loss of vehicle control to adjust each wheel speed and prevent skidding.

The DSC system measures the behaviour and on-road attitude of the car several times per second in order to ensure that the wheel direction, as well as the pitch and yaw of the vehicle, matches the driver's intentions. A dynamic handling map is stored in the vehicle's on-board computer, and whenever the responses from the sensors do not match the calibration supplied by the handling map, the DSC system is activated. The system is designed to intervene and restore control and stability as soon as it detects any deviation.

Essentially, DSC is a further development of ABS. However, it has access to the engine management controls and can reduce engine power if needed. The system also has the capability to brake individual wheels via ABS, which allows it to initiate the dynamic stabilising counter-measures before the car deviates from the driver's chosen line.

Emergency Brake Assist (EBA)

Emergency brake assist (or EBA) is part of DSC. It uses sensors to understand the speed and force of brake application. When the system recognises an emergency application of the brakes, EBA uses an extra pump to increase braking force to the maximum extent, bringing the ABS system into play. Maximum retardation continues until the brakes are completely released or the car stops.

EBA is designed to significantly reduce emergency stopping distances. It also helps to prevent a wide variety of impacts, especially the relatively low-impact rear-end accidents that commonly occur in heavy traffic situations.

Even experienced drivers may not apply the full available brake force in emergency stopping situations. Research has shown that the large majority of drivers brake too lightly in emergencies, and they tend to not apply full pedal force throughout the situation. Drivers also often react too late in emergencies. As a result, many valuable metres are lost – space that can help avoid accidents.

Emergency braking automatically activates EBA, which helps to mitigate human failings. The rate at which the pedal is applied dictates the way in which the system reacts. When the system detects and emergency situation, the full braking effect is applied. All of this takes place in milliseconds – considerably faster than any human can react. Tests have shown that EBA can reduce the stopping distance of most drivers by over 40 percent. Even skilled drivers' stopping distances were improved by as much as 15 percent.

Traction Assist

Traction Assist helps to improve grip when pulling away, effectively limiting wheel slip. It uses sensors to detect when either of the driven wheels start to loose their grip with the road surface and spin when the vehicle is accelerating, then it controls engine torque output and applies the brakes to reduce wheel speed just enough to regain grip.

This technology limits the spinning of the Mondeo's front wheels, especially in the wet or when turning and accelerating sharply.

Automatic Hazard Warning Lights Activation

This technology aids the driver in certain hazardous driving situations, by automatically switching on the hazard warning lights during heavy braking at about 60-70 per cent of possible brake performance. The system switches on the hazard lights as a warning to other vehicles that the car is braking sharply. This can be especially useful in low-visibility situations. The hazard lights switch off immediately after the braking manoeuvre is complete.

Automatic Front Lighting System (Available on Zetec/TDCi, XR5 Turbo)

Auto lighting is available on Zetec, TDCi and Mondeo XR5 Turbo. Once enabled, it will automatically turn on front and tail lamps when a light sensor detects a decrease in daylight. It will also turn the lights off once there is enough daylight to be driving without lamps. This feature removes the task of turning the lights on and off by the driver as conditions change.

PASSIVE SAFETY SYSTEMS

The Intelligent Protection System (IPS) is a coordinated suite of passive safety technologies. It includes the latest state-of-the-art front airbags and a new driver's knee airbag as well as side-mounted thorax airbags for the front seats plus full length curtain airbags that protect both front and rear passengers. The new Mondeo also sees improvements to the neck injury protection system.

Combined with three-point safety belts, optimised pretensioners and load limiters, anti-submarining seatframes and a horizontal stroking steering system, these features provide the passengers with a highly comprehensive safety system.

The following passive safety features come as standard on all series of the new Mondeo:

• Enhanced Ford Intelligent Protection System (IPS) with new driver's knee airbag
• Ultra-stiff body structure for a rigid safety cell
• Improved driver protection through a horizontally stroking steering column
• Retracting safety pedals
• Optimised airbag deployment
• Enhanced safety belt system with pretensioners for front seat passengers
• Advanced seat design
• Advanced neck injury protection system for front seat passengers
• High-level child protection with ISOFIX
• Designed from the outset with enhanced pedestrian protection as an objective

New Driver's Knee Airbag

A new driver's knee airbag provides several benefits to the Mondeo driver:

• Reduced driver movement: The pelvis movement of the driver is limited in a crash, thus increasing the distance between the chest and steering wheel. This minimises driver impact when the crash occurs.
• Reduced crash loads: The knee airbag assists in evenly distributing the crash loads over the driver’s body to reduce peak loads as well as injury risks to all body parts. It provides deep airbag cushioning, fast airbag deployment, earlier driver interaction, and improved load distribution
• More space: With the addition of the knee airbag, Ford's designers were able to remove some of the bulk in the driver area freeing up more space to add to the driver's comfort whilst providing additional driver protection
• Intelligent sequence: What makes the driver protection system so effective is that the knee airbag, the front airbag, the pretensioners, and load limiters all release in an intelligently designed sequence so that all safety components work in unison. The driver movement is tuned as both airbags deploy to protect the knee and head areas

Ultra Stiff Body Structure

The enhanced IPS also includes an ultra-stiff body structure and rigid safety cell. Straight rails and a well engineered load path distribution used in the front-end sheet metal are designed to absorb and transfer high-speed crash energy into the body, side structure and A-pillar, which reduces the deformation of the passenger safety cell. Due to the stiff outer waistline the side doors could be integrated into the load path, energy load during an accident is absorbed and stress is reduced in the passenger safety cell as forces are distributed rather than forcing the protection zone to collapse.

The new Ford Mondeo has a door-ring reinforcement and a B-pillar reinforcement made of ultra-high-strength boron steel to improve crash integrity. The use of ultra-high-strength steel in the A-pillar, roof side rail and rocker helps to provide a sleek, lightweight design. The combination of different high-strength steel used in the B-pillars contributes to balanced side impact behaviour as well.

Advanced Horizontal Stroking Steering Column

This feature adapts the stroke direction to the driver’s impact direction, thus allowing for more effective energy absorption from the steering column. The amount of intrusion into the cabin is reduced as the column moves away from the driver under load instead of stroking down axially. The steering column strokes away for nearly 90mm in the horizontal direction. Tilt and telescopic comfort adjustment to enable all drivers to tailor the steering wheel position is not impeded by this safety feature.

In combination with the knee airbag, the horizontally stroking steering column offers a comprehensive safety system for drivers of the new Ford Mondeo. In the event of a crash the benefits are threefold:

• Increased driver survival space: The comfort adjustment is directional, decoupled from the crash stroke. During a high-speed frontal impact, the steering column strokes horizontally and thereby increases the driver’s remaining survival space
• Advanced energy absorption and stroke length: This leads to improved management of head and chest load levels during impact
• Steering column load limiting function: The steering column also offers a load limiting function for the driver’s legs in case of an impact of the knee to the steering column

Safety Pedals

The pedals in the new Mondeo have been engineered with a retraction mechanism so that they give way upon intrusion during a crash.

In case of an intrusion, the lightweight pedals will be pressed against the lower cross beam and then will fold away from the driver’s feet. A foam pad and a heel catcher serve a dual purpose: they provide additional protection and a comfort-able rest for the driver’s left foot both in left and right hand drive versions.

Optimised Airbag Deployment

Much care has been taken to create a state-of-the-art airbag system that offers protection to the passengers in a wide range of impact scenarios.

Dual front airbags and thorax side airbags for driver and front passenger are standard on the new Mondeo as are the curtain airbags protecting both seat rows in case of a side impact. The driver's knee airbag also appears as standard equipment on all models.

The window curtain airbag system allows the airbag to be positioned between an intruding obstacle and the passenger’s head and shoulder even if the distance in between has already become very small in the impact. The addition of the driver's knee airbag to the new Mondeo raises the total number of airbags to seven.

The onboard computer systems tailor the airbag deployment depending on the collision. Exhaustive testing means that car speeds are referenced to different obstacles in order to provide early interaction between the passengers and the airbag in the event of a collision. Within 30 milliseconds of a fire signal being delivered to the airbags, they are inflated.

Safety Belt System

The advanced safety belt system fitted to new Mondeo utilises several key safety features. Front safety belts have pyrotechnic pretensioners and load limiting retractors that tighten to reduce body movement in the event of airbag deployment. The retractors control the force applied to the safety belt wearer's chest upon impact.

Pretensioners have conventionally been positioned on the safety belt buckle. Ford's safety engineers have analysed this closely and have developed the system further by placing the pretensioners onto the vertical retractor. The advantage is that when deployed, any slack in the belt is removed more efficiently with a retractor pretensioner rather than a buckle pretensioner. This gives enhanced restraint to the upper torso which is where it is immediately needed. This alteration is also visually preferable as the pretensioners are hidden in the car's B-pillars and therefore not visible to the passengers.

The finely tuned interaction of airbags, load limiters, adjustable safety belt anchors, anti-twist belt material, and optimised belt routing all combine to maximise passenger protection.

Advanced Seat Design with anti-submarining bases

The new Mondeo seats were designed and built with comfort, safety, ergonomics and style in mind. Both the driver and front passenger seat have a beltminder which audibly alerts the front seat occupant when their safety belt is not being worn whilst the car is moving. In addition, the density and structure of the seat foams guide the passengers in the event of a collision.

The seats have anti-submarining bases to help prevent passengers sliding beneath the safety belt in an impact. By limiting the movement of the seat's occupant, the anti-submarining base also enhances the protection offered by seatbelts, airbags and other safety systems which operate on the passenger during a collision.

Advanced Neck Injury Protection system

With Mondeo's new Advanced Neck Injury Protection system, the advanced headrest frontal shape and active mechanism lead to minimal relative movement between head and upper body during low speed rear impacts. Early guidance keeps the head and neck free of impulsive movement, resulting in less neck strain. Three components are critical to the success of the system:

• Headrest designed for optimum protection of all passenger sizes, including a headrest locking feature
• An active protection system that minimises relative movement between head and neck by the headrest pushing towards the head during a rear impact
• Seatback foam which allows controlled guidance of the passenger

PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION

Ford of Europe's design team has worked closely with the company's safety engineers to deliver a stylish design that meets all of the latest pedestrian protection legislation.

Internal tests are used to assess initial designs for pedestrian safety – lower leg to bumper, upper leg to bonnet edge, child head to bonnet, and head to bonnet top and windscreen. Six separate features are used by the new Mondeo, all with the objective of alleviating pedestrian injury:

• The car's body is elongated by the use of additional foam in critical areas. A foam layer in front of the bumper steel structure absorbs leg impact energy
• A sloping bonnet line allows for greater space between the bonnet, the engine block and the engine ancillaries. The bonnet design adds to the compliance of the requirement for softness. The inner structure is a highly engineered honeycomb design that adds to the absorbent properties to reduce energy
• A lower leg stiffener is introduced to the lower part of the Mondeo bumper system. The plastic element collapses in a specifically designed manner to reduce the angle of the knee bend during an impact
• Headlamp design and construction enables the headlamps to break away easily in the case of impact with a pedestrian
• Special brackets have been developed for the windscreen wiper spindles. Under moderate loads they retract into their fixings for further energy absorption thus becoming less of a hazardous point
• The front wings are also held in place by specially designed and manufactured fixing brackets. These are intended to break away in the event of a collision.

SECURITY

Perimeter Alarm

A perimeter alarm is fitted to Zetec, TDCi and XR5 Turbo models. The perimeter alarm serves as a deterrent to unauthorised access to the vehicle through the doors and bonnet, whilst also protecting the audio unit. By drawing attention to any attempted unauthorised access to the vehicle, the alarm reduces the likelihood of theft of items or components from the vehicle or any attempt to move the vehicle.

Remote central double locking

The new Mondeo features a remote central double locking feature, accessible through the flip-key mounted remote buttons. With all doors closed, the central locking feature can be used with a single press of the button to lock all vehicle doors. The vehicle's indicators flash twice to confirm the vehicle is locked. Likewise, a single press of the unlock button will unlock all doors on the vehicle. And this feature can be reprogrammed so that only the driver's door is unlocked when the remote unlock button is pressed. In either case, the indicators will flash once to indicate the vehicle is unlocked. An automatic relocking function will lock all vehicle doors 45 seconds after the vehicle is unlocked if no doors are opened in the meantime.

Double locking is achieved by pressing the lock button twice within three seconds, or by turning the key in the door lock to the lock position twice in three seconds.

Additionally, a global opening and closing function (see right) allows the driver to unlock all doors and lower all windows, or lock all doors and close all windows, by holding down the appropriate lock or unlock button for three seconds. Pressing the lock or unlock button whilst the windows are opening or closing will halt their progress.

Immobiliser – Passive anti-theft system

The passive anti-theft system (PATS) is designed to protect the vehicle from being driven away by unauthorised persons. An electronic code (transponder) is added to the mechanical key and each time the vehicle is started this code is read. If the code equals one of the codes programmed to the vehicle, the engine is allowed to start. If the code does not match, the engine is not allowed to start. The PATS feature is operational when the ignition is in the 'Run' or 'Start' position.

MONDEO PERFORMANCE AND ECONOMY

Perfect Choice for Performance and Efficiency

Mondeo will offer customers a choice of three powertrains including a fuel efficient Duratorq diesel, new 2.3L 4 cylinder Petrol and the range-topping 162kW 2.5-litre Duratec 5-cylinder petrol unit as used in the Focus XR5 Turbo.

Key advancements in the powertrain line-up for the new Mondeo include:

• Dual-mass-flywheel matched systems technology.
• Upgraded hi-tech electronic engine management systems together with an electronic throttle for precision torque control every millisecond.
• Highly efficient integrated radiator/intercooler/condenser heat exchanger packages.
• The Duratorq diesel engine employs sophisticated high pressure multiple injection techniques to smooth out the combustion process, controlling cylinder pressure rise rates and providing the ultimate in smooth NVH and clean emissions performance.

ENGINES

2.3L Duratec-HE 16V four cylinder DOHC

The new 2.3-litre Duratec HE 118kW 4-cylinder petrol unit is coupled to the new Durashift 6-speed automatic transmission featuring a Sport mode and Sequential Sport Shift. This changes gear at higher engine revs and also allows the driver to adjust their individual driving style by changing to manual mode for a more involved driving experience.

This new engine to the European line-up offers 118 kW at 6,500rpm and a peak torque of 208Nm at 4,200rpm with torque over 190Nm between 2,000 and 5,800rpm.

Containing an abundance of engineering expertise, attributes of this engine include:

• Light Metal Alloy Cylinder Block: The 2.3-litre light metal alloy cylinder block is bolted on to a ladder-type, cast-aluminium bedplate to strengthen the main bearing architecture. This provides the five crankshaft bearings with solid support, which together balance shafts to give smooth performance at high revs.
• Chain-driven Overhead Camshafts: The camshafts act directly on tappets controlling four-valves per cylinder linked to a variable intake valve timing system. The intake camshaft can be continuously fine-tuned over 30 degrees to deliver more useable torque and a better 'driveability' throughout the entire rev range. It also leads to improved fuel consumption and cleaner emissions over the entire load range across all operating conditions.
• Engine Management System: The Visteon electronic management system controls intake cam-variation, electronic throttle position, ignition timing and fuel injection calibration. The end result is better throttle response, improved engine power development and very smooth and responsive vehicle control under all conditions.
• Knock Control: The engine knock control system adjusts spark timing and cylinder pressure to deliver best performance from 95 octane petrol. However, the engine has been calibrated to operate with varying fuel octane ratings to optimise engine power output and protect engine durability, and will safely run on 91 RON petrol.

2.0L Duratorq TDCi 16V four cylinder

The Ford Duratorq common-rail diesel engine fitted to the new Mondeo minimises emissions and conforms to the European Stage IV emission standards. The technology deployed to achieve these high standards includes a new combustion system and new fuel injectors. Ford's 'coated' Diesel Particulate Filter – c-DPF – is fitted to the Duratorq engine. The internal surface of the filter is coated with a catalyst to enable oxidation of particulates in the filter. This innovation to the first-generation DPF removes the need for a liquid additive and therefore makes the c-DPF maintenance-free.

The acclaimed 2.0-litre Ford Duratorq TDCi diesel engine produces 96 kW and offers torque of 320Nm in a range from 1,750rpm to 2,240rpm.

96kW is produced with Ford's new Durashift 6-speed automatic transmission and features a Sport mode for drivers to change to manual mode for a more involved driving experience.

The cylinder head is made of aluminium, while the block is made of cast iron. This 2.0-litre unit uses latest generation common-rail injection technologies to balance and refine the engine's combustion acoustic characteristics to new, low levels.

Single and twin pilot injections are used, together with split main injections, to smooth out the combustion process for more progressive and more complete combustion. This technology simultaneously optimises emissions and acoustic behaviour.

"We have optimised and refined the diesel injection combustion process, so we have five injections that we can give in one combustion stroke," explains Dr Jens Ludmann. "We can differentiate the time between the injections, depending on the rpm and load to the engine, the engine temperature and the air intake temperature. The quantity of injections and the time that elapses between them has been finely calibrated. To devise this system we have a matrix that is multi-dimensional to take into account all of the variables. This combustion process gives our customers a truly refined diesel engine with fantastic NVH levels."

2.5L Duratec 20V Duratec five cylinder DOHC

This engine delivers 162kW at 5,000rpm and an impressive peak torque of 320Nm from 1,500 all the way through to 4,800rpm.

This high-performance, 20-valve, all-aluminium, DOHC design is mated to Ford’s highly successful Durashift M66 6-speed manual transmission, which features triple-cone synchromesh for the lower gears. It is quick, responsive, and operates smoothly for driving enjoyment.

This impressive performance does not, however, come at the cost of economy. Combined fuel consumption figures show that the new Mondeo consumes just 9.5 litres of petrol per 100 kilometres.

This exciting performance engine contains a wealth of engineering expertise. Features that enhance the 5-cylinder engine include:

• Light Metal Alloy Cylinder Block: The 2.5-litre light metal alloy cylinder block is bolted on to a ladder-type, cast-aluminium bedplate to strengthen the main bearing architecture. This provides the six crankshaft bearings with solid support, which is very important because of high operating bearing loads for turbocharged engines.
• Belt-driven Overhead Camshafts: The camshafts actuate tappets controlling the four-valves per cylinder linked to a dual independent variable valve timing system. The camshafts can be continuously fine-tuned (50 degrees intake, 30 degrees exhaust side) delivering more useable torque and a better driveability over the whole rev range. It also leads to improved fuel consumption and cleaner emissions over the entire load range across all operating conditions.
• Engine Management System: The Bosch ME 9.0 electronic management system allows independent cam-variation, hydraulic valve operation, turbo boost, electronic throttle position, ignition timing and fuel injection calibration. The end result is a better throttle response, improved engine power development and very smooth and responsive vehicle control under all conditions.
• Turbocharger: The compact and lightweight turbocharger is designed to be fully integrated. It is cast in one piece along with the exhaust manifold, resulting in increased thermodynamic efficiency.
• Knock Sensors: The engine knock sensors adjust spark timing and cylinder pressure to deliver high-level performance from 95 octane petrol.
• Intercooler: Placed in front of the radiator, the heat exchanger cools the warm air exiting from the turbocharger unit, operating with efficiencies up to 77%, reducing engine air inlet temperatures from 150°C to 35°C.

TRANSMISSIONS

6 Speed Sequential Shift Automatic – AWF21 (LX, Zetec and TDCi)

The AWF21 is a fully automatic, electronically controlled six speed automatic transmission developed by AISIN AW. It has two planetary gearbox units, the rear of which has a Ravigneaux planetary gearbox. Drivers can choose between normal and sports mode gearshift programs. In 1st, 2nd and reverse gear the engine torque is limited to 400 Nm. This 6-speed automatic transmission is designed for a maximum input torque of 450 Nm.

Drivers have the option of selecting manual and sports modes. Select manual shifting to shift manually through the forward gears. Push the selector lever forwards to shift down and pull it backwards to shift up. Activate sport mode by moving the selector lever to position S. Sport mode will remain active until you shift manually up or down the gears.

This feature enhances the driving experience by enabling the driver to have complete control of the transmission for occasions when manual gear selection is preferred over the automatic function. Certainly this transmission is well matched to Mondeo's role as a vehicle both involving and effortlessly comfortable to drive. For instance, the driver may choose to change gears manually when touring the countryside or towing a boat, but leave the transmission in the automatic mode when making the daily commute to work. This is also ideal where regular drivers of the same vehicle have different transmission preferences.

Engine 2.3L 4 cyl Petrol and 2.0L Diesel

M66 Manual Transmission (Mondeo XR5 Turbo only)

Designed by German transmission specialist Getrag, the M66 6-speed manual transmission is fitted to the Mondeo performance leader, the XR5 Turbo. The unit is a short and compact design weighing 55 kilograms. Its four shaft design features a single input shaft and three output shafts. All gears, including reverse, have synchronizers:

• 1st/2nd gears have triple synchronizers
• 3rd gear has a double synchronizer
• 4th/5th/6th and reverse gear have single synchronizers

The six speeds afford a wide spread of ratios, which in turn delivers surprising fuel economy. Each gear has high torque capacity (maximum torque capacity of 400Nm) and the shifter system operates via a cable shift mechanism. Clutch operation is via a hydraulically operated self adjust clutch system, while a dual mass flywheel is also fitted to the transmission.

Engine 2.5L I5 Petrol

COMFORT AND CONVENIENCE

SEATING AND INTERIOR VERSATILITY

Improved Second Row Comfort

Second row Mondeo passengers benefit from heightened levels of comfort and features which contribute to the limousine-like qualities of the new Mondeo.

Wind, road and powertrain noise has been specifically addressed with the result that front and rear passengers can now enjoy a conversation more easily across the cabin's length without the need to raise their voices.

A 12 volt powerpoint, positioned at the rear of the flow-through centre console, allows rear passengers to use or charge additional electrical devices whilst on the move.

On the Mondeo LX, Zetec and TDCi, the second row passengers also benefit from a second row courtesy lamp, whilst Mondeo XR5 rear passengers have reading/map lights.

Heated front seats (XR5 Turbo and Zetec/TDCi with optional leather trim)

To further assist passengers in keeping comfortable in winter or driving with the windows down, both the driver and front passenger seats are heated, each with their own controls. This feature keeps occupants extra warm in winter, for instance when the seats have become cold after the car has been parked outside. Controls on the instrument panel allow driver and passenger to adjust the heating separately.

Interior Versatility

The second row of seats in both bodystyles features a 60/40 split seat back and cushion. The seat backs fold forward to allow larger, more bulky loads to be transported. In all cases it is not necessary to remove the headrests of the rear seats to fold them forward.

Fitted with a mini-spare wheel, the five-door hatch model has a luggage capacity of 1448 litres when in two-seat mode, while the closed luggage compartment of the four-door sedan has a generous capacity of 535 litres.

Four tie-down points are located across the rear floor area in both bodystyles. These help to reduce noise levels of items moving around when travelling and optimise safety by offering the facility to tether loose items. Hooks have also been integrated on the inner trim panels of the load area.

When the second row seats are folded forward to maximise the load area on the five-door hatch, they form a flat area without an awkward step to negotiate luggage over or around.

Stowage and Connectivity for Life’s Necessities

The new Mondeo provides ideally-proportioned storage spaces for items such as CDs, keys, sunglasses, sweets and other items often found in a car's interior.

Large pockets run the full length of the front doors and can comfortably hold a 1.5 litre drinks bottle. The glove box has been enlarged by approximately 10 per cent and can easily carry drinks cans. A bin is mounted in the rear of the centre console, accessible to rear occupants.

The Mondeo models feature a 3.5mm auxiliary connection socket as standard. This is located within the glove box and allows for the connection of portable audio devices to the car's entertainment system.

Significant additional stowage is located within the armrest of the flow-through centre console. This has been moulded and divided into two separate areas: the substantial lower compartment offers integrated slots for holding up to seven CDs, while the upper tray is ideal for storing loose change. In addition, a dedicated stowage area next to the steering wheel is ideally located for storing a mobile phone handset whilst on the move.

CLIMATE CONTROL SYSTEM

Advanced Ventilation and Air Conditioning

A more powerful ventilation system has been adopted, which features more and larger ventilation openings with the Mondeo XR5 Turbo model fitted with additional B-pillar ventilation openings offering greater control for rear seat passengers.

Dual zone climate control (Zetec, TDCi and XR5 Turbo)

Dual zone Electronic Automatic Temperature Control (DEATC) is standard on all models except LX where manual air conditioning is fitted. The DEATC system features individual temperature controls for the driver and front passenger. Using dash-mounted digital controls, the driver and passenger can adjust their climate zones separately.

Blower fan speed, air temperature and air distribution are controlled to quickly achieve and maintain the targeted interior temperature and a pleasant ventilation of the passenger compartment. The heating or cooling demand for the cabin is determined by sensors which measure the interior conditions. Occupants can choose a target interior temperature, which they adjust separately on the driver and passenger side. 22°C is recommended for best overall comfort.

Manual adjustment of air distribution and blower speed is possible, but it is recommended to leave the system in AUTO mode, and the climate control as been designed to handle all climatic conditions and all vehicle operating conditions. Therefore, manual adjustment is not necessary after a cold start in winter or when turning on a heat soaked vehicle in summer. The system responds automatically to these detected conditions to achieve the target interior temperature quickly.

Allergy-Friendly Interior

Ford leads the industry in providing car interiors that are certified as allergy friendly. The first cars worldwide to receive the “Allergy-Tested Interior” Seal of Approval were Ford Focus and C-MAX. The renowned German TÜV Rhineland Group – an independent testing and assessment organisation – tested and certified both cars in 2005. This certification has been confirmed by the British Allergy Foundation.

For TÜV certification, production vehicles are subjected to extensive analysis, including testing of the passenger compartment’s air quality for the concentration of organic substances such as formaldehyde, phenols, phthalates and solvents. Ford aims to expand this initiative continuously with new models, and the new Ford Mondeo will be tested according to stringent TÜV criteria.

INSTRUMENT PANEL

Human Machine Interface

The new Mondeo features as standard the next generation of Ford's advanced Human Machine Interface (HMI) system. In this system, functions have been extended and improved, bringing vehicle interaction and systems control to a new level.

The new Mondeo HMI system features two main components:

• Toggle Switches: Two toggle switches are prominently placed on the steering wheel (see right). Both toggle switches are simple to operate with push directions of up, down, left and right. Each selection is confirmed by pressing 'ok' in the centre of the toggle switch.
• Instrument Cluster Display: LX, Zetec and TDCi receive the standard HMI whereas the Mondeo XR5 Turbo introduces the Ford Convers+ premium cluster display.

Situated in the centre of the instrument cluster, the HMI display screen gives concise and clear information in the driver's field of vision. The Standard cluster (above) uses a monochrome display with red illumination, a combination usually found only in premium cars in this class, while the Ford Convers+ offers a 15cm full-colour premium cluster display.

Using a four line display, the Standard Cluster Level gives clear data for the trip computer, information messages and vehicle setup features. The user can select one of 11 languages and configure the system to meet their personal taste for key criteria such as the layout of the clock display. The dot matrix monochrome screen measures 114 pixels by 78 pixels (or 48x33mm) and can display the following information and warnings:

Additionally, the cluster features 24 LED 'telltales', symbols which provide information or warning to the driver:

The ultimate cluster display is the new Ford Convers+ system, standard on Mondeo XR5 Turbo. This system features a 15cm (5.8" with 256 colours) colour display screen positioned between a specially designed speedometer and rev counter, and provides the same information and functions as the Standard cluster but in addition gives the driver visual control of the multimedia and audio functions, including auxiliary input.

Being simple and intuitive to operate, all levels of Ford's new HMI system follow strict, straightforward and logical rules and combine critical areas of ergonomic development to optimise the interaction of the driver with the vehicle features, comfort and entertainment systems.

Keyless Start (Standard on Mondeo XR5 Turbo)

The Mondeo XR5 Turbo is equipped with keyless start as a standard feature. As the driver enters the car with the fob about their person, three internal antennae detect its presence, which is the first part of a simple procedure the driver uses to start the engine and drive away. The keyless start feature completely removes the need for a conventional rotary ignition barrel. The off, accessory, ignition on and engine crank positions have been incorporated into the single 'Ford Power' button. Ergonomically positioned adjacent to the steering wheel near the top of the flow-through centre console.

The electrical protocols of the system have been devised so that when the three antennae have detected the matching fob unit and the infra-red signals are correct for the ignition switch to crank, a pedal must be depressed for the engine to start as the 'Ford Power' button is pressed. This sequence protocol reduces the risk of a child inadvertently starting the engine.

If on-board functions such as heater controls, wipers and audio functions need to be used without the engine running, the car can be placed in 'accessory' mode prior to the brake pedal being depressed. This corresponds to a conventional rotary ignition switch being turned to the second position and allows control of the accessory functions without the engine running.

The 'Ford Power' button is also used to switch off the engine. The 'Ford Power' button needs to be pressed and held for two seconds, or to receive three short presses in a two-second timeframe, in order to stop the engine when the car is moving. If the car is completely stationary a single brief press of the Ford Power button is sufficient to stop the engine.

Audio and Communication Systems

Two different audio systems are available in the Ford Mondeo range. The LX comes standard with the Ford 6000CD. The Sony 6 stack, fitted to the Zetec, TDCi and Mondeo XR5 Turbo has MP3 compatibility and offers 40 radio station presets. Radio station memory buttons have increased in quantity from six to twelve, and these now provide the dialling feature when Bluetooth® is optioned.

For safe and convenient telephone control when on the move, an optional Bluetooth®

hands-free telephone and voice control system is also available. The Bluetooth® feature is compatible with both in-dash stereo radio/CD players.

In line with Ford's holistic approach to system integration, all of the audio equipment is able to communicate with Ford's new HMI system and can also be operated via voice control when this option is selected.

In keeping with the new Mondeo's premium levels of interior craftsmanship, both audio units have been designed to support the vehicle's enhanced interior ambience and quality levels. The smooth integration and positioning of the units within the flow-through centre console coupled with their high quality red, monochrome or full-colour readouts, provide evidence of this approach.

All new Mondeo models feature a 3.5mm ‘aux-in’ socket in the glove box for easy connection of portable audio and MP3 devices.

Bluetooth® and Voice control

An optional voice controlled hands free phone kit is available to order on all Mondeo models. Using Bluetooth® technology, it synchronises with the driver's Bluetooth®-compatible mobile phone to allow the driver to place and receive calls through the car's audio system. The system is completely wireless, so the mobile phone can stay in the driver's pocket or bag. And voice control means the driver can do all this without taking their hands from the steering wheel.

The voice control functionality extends to the audio and climate control systems. Voice recognition enables operation of the audio system without the need for the driver to divert attention from the road ahead in order to change settings, or receive feedback from the system.

Whenever you issue one of the defined commands with the system active, the voice recognition system converts your command into a control signal for the audio system. The user's inputs take the form of dialogues or commands. The system uses announcements or questions to guide the user through these dialogues.

The voice control system allows the user to control the following vehicle functions:

• Phone
• Radio
• CD player
• Climate control

To use the system, the driver presses the VOICE button on the audio control stalk, or depresses the MODE button until the system answers with a beep. Then, using a natural speaking voice, the driver can issue a range of voice commands to adjust settings and navigate menus.

Cruise control (Standard on Zetec, TDCi and XR5. Available on LX as part of an option pack)

Cruise control is optional on Mondeo LX and standard on all other Mondeo models. Using buttons on the steering wheel, the driver can control their speed when travelling at more than 30km/h. The ON, OFF, SET +, SET -, CANCEL ("CAN") and RESUME ("RES") buttons allow the driver to set a safe speed which the vehicle will hold without the need for pressure on the accelerator pedal.

The driver can add speed using the accelerator. With their foot removed from the accelerator, the vehicle will return to the set speed. Pressing the brake pedal or the CANCEL button turns the cruise control off. However, the system will retain the speed that you previously set.

OTHER CONVENIENCE FEATURES

Electrochromatic rear view mirror (XR5 Turbo only)

The electrochromatic interior rear view mirror automatically dims when hit by glaring light from behind so the driver has clear rear vision at all times. Most commonly this occurs during night driving when the headlights of following cars cause glare in the rear view mirror. This can limit the clarity of the image in the rear view mirror and can also distract the driver if it reflects into their field of vision while they are looking at the road ahead. The function is automatically deactivated when reverse gear is selected.

Follow-me-home lighting

For added safety and to allow you to move easily from your parked car to your home at night, Mondeo features a handy Follow-me-home lighting system. The system allows the vehicle's headlights to remain on for a short period once the engine has been turned off, the vehicle vacated and the doors locked. This provides the driver and occupants with extra light at night, to see their way from the vehicle to the front door.

To use the follow-me-home lighting system, the driver should switch off the ignition and pull the direction indicator lever fully towards the steering wheel to turn the headlights on. The lights will stay on for 30 seconds once the last door has been closed.

Ford Easyfuel Capless Refuelling

The new Mondeo is the first Ford production model to feature the company's award-winning Easyfuel capless refuelling system.

Benefits to the system are twofold; first, the lack of a conventional cap that needs to be removed prior to fuelling the car means that drivers have fewer things to touch, reducing the likelihood of fingers becoming tainted with fuel.

Secondly, a significant breakthrough in the development of this feature has been the creation of a special fuel inhibitor. This provides major protection against misfuelling at the fuel pump. The fuel filler neck aperture has been specifically designed around the different sizes of fuel nozzle, and Ford has engineered the system to allow only a nozzle that matches the corresponding fuel type of the car to open and enter the filler neck. This protects against both petrol and diesel misfuelling.

The use of mechanical devices around the nozzle opening and a special flap at the top of the fuel filler neck operate together to seal the opening and provide the same assurance that the system is as secure as when a properly fitted separate cap is used on conventional filling systems.

Initially shown as a concept technology at the Frankfurt Motor Show in 2005, the Ford Easyfuel system was awarded 'Idea of the Year Award' in the UK's Autocar Magazine 2005 Awards.

Front and rear parking sensors

To support drivers when parking, a set of front and rear parking sensors are fitted to Zetec, TDCi and XR5 Turbo models. The system features four parking sensors in the front bumper and four in the rear. These sensors are always activated or deactivated together. The parking aid is per default off. To switch the parking aid on, press the switch in the instrument panel or select reverse gear. The parking aid switches off automatically when you exceed 16km/h.

The sensors sequentially transmit short ultrasonic pulses, then listen for the echo reflected from the detected object. An electronic control unit connected to each of the sensors calculates the distance to the object and triggers a warning tone in the cabin.

The parking aid will emit an intermittent tone at a distance of up to 180 cm between the obstacle and rear bumper, 80 cm between the obstacle and front bumper and 60 cm to the side. Decreasing the distance accelerates the intermittent tone. A continuous tone will start at a distance of less than 30 cm. Separate speakers at the front and rear of the cabin help the driver to understand where their front and rear bumpers are in relation to any detected objects.

Rain sensing wipers

Zetec, TDCi and XR5 Turbo models come standard with rain sensing windscreen wipers. The rain sensor can be switched on or off. When the driver switches the autowipers on, the wipers will not cycle until water is detected on the windscreen. The rain sensor will then continuously measure the amount of water on the windscreen and adjust the speed of the wipers automatically. A rotary control built in to the windscreen wiper stalk allows the driver to adjust the sensitivity of the rain sensor.

Without having to control the operation of the windscreen wipers, the driver is free from this distraction and can focus solely on driving. This is especially useful during rain or changeable weather conditions.

MANUFACTURING & ENVIRONMENTAL COMMITMENT

Ford Genk Gears up to Deliver New Mondeo

The assembly plant in the Belgian city of Genk has seen a long line of successful Ford models over the decades, including the Transit, Sierra and Escort. Genk has also been the manufacturing home to the Mondeo since its original launch in 1993.

Comprising 345 acres, the site at Genk has been manufacturing vehicles since 1964 and the plant is ideally situated to benefit from the local road and rail infrastructure. Two supplier parks at the site play a pivotal role in maintaining production throughput and providing just-in-sequence delivery of parts to the assembly lines.

Before initial steps were taken to build prototypes, Ford's special C3P Virtual Series System was used extensively.

The C3P system uses an integrated computer based toolset for modelling and information management. C3P – now an essential part of Ford's computer based product development system – is an integration of design and analysis tools within a single collaborative environment. The term 'C3P' is derived from four key elements:

• CAD – Computer-Aided Design
• CAM – Computer-Aided Manufacturing
• CAE – Computer-Aided Engineering
• PIM – Product Information Management

This bundle of technologies allows engineers to address design and packaging issues as well as cross-carline interfaces with computer-generated models.

Another enormous benefit from C3P is that by replacing the physical prototypes with the digital mock-ups, time to market and development costs are significantly reduced. The transition phase in stepping up production of the new Mondeo from the prototypes and initial build phase has already seen a reduction in assembly time from the previous Mondeo to the new model. Each car takes approximately 25 percent less time to build.

"This is an amazing achievement considering the additional electrical complexity in comparison to the previous Mondeo model," said Dr Jens Ludmann. "To reduce the build time while maintaining our strict quality standards is the kind of accomplishment any manufacturing plant would be proud of."

A key development in the technology used to build the new Mondeo is the utilisation of laser-brazing. Conventionally, the side panels and roof are welded together, leaving a joint that is traditionally covered with a plastic trim. With laser-brazing, the roof and bodysides can be joined together more effectively and without a visible join for a high quality appearance. This technology is new to Ford and was fundamental in helping to deliver the new Mondeo's expressive design and high levels of craftsmanship.

"On the roof you can't see any joins, it looks like one big panel," said Dr Jens Ludmann.

Sustainability as an Integral Part of the Business

Sustainability plays a key role in Ford Motor Company's policies. The development and integration of a sustainability management system encompasses the pursuit of improved air quality and fuel efficiency during the vehicle's life cycles, together with built in recoverability at the time they have completed their useable life.

Ford Motor Company is committed to socially and environmentally responsible manufacturing. Each manufacturing plant has a workforce dedicated to the task of analysing the use of energy and resources to identify and make suggestions that are adopted as working practice and policy to make improvements.

Ford cars are the first and only vehicles that received the German TÜV organisation