The popular European Ford sedan nameplate finds a second lease of life in the Chinese market.
While there was a time that Ford’s Mondeo was one of the top selling sedans in Europe, the consumer shift towards SUVs however has unfortunately now meant that this once-popular blue oval model is actually one of its slowest shifting its current lineup.
So with its European sales figures numbering in the low thousands from the hundreds of thousands at its peak a decade and a half ago, it really shouldn’t come as a surprise then for Ford to recently announce for its popular sedan nameplate to be put out to pasture after its current iteration.
Ford though seems to be having some trouble retiring this popular sedan nameplate in its entirety. That is as while it is unfortunately but (almost certainly) the end of the line for it over in the old continent, the Mondeo name will nevertheless soldier on in a new three-box sedan in China.
Leaked early by the Chinese Ministry of Industry and Information before its official debut over in the People’s Republic, this new China-market Mondeo is likely to be the sedan complement to its Evos crossover currently sold over there. And it does certainly share more than a few bits with its SUV sibling, with a nearly identical front fascia and side profile.
Different to the Evos however is most apparent round its rump, with this new Mondeo adopting a more Mustang-esque rear light arrangement instead. Ford too has attempted to inject some added sportiness into this sedan with the introduction of an ST-Line trim too, which brings with its the black exterior accents and 19-inch dual-tone alloy wheels seen here.
As for what is to be driving those wheels meanwhile, it has since been confirmed that a 2.0-litre petrol four-pot delivering 245 hp and mated to an 8-speed automatic transmission will be one of the powertrain combinations available with this new Mondeo over in China. Mum is the word however in regards to the availability of any other engine options, or details on the interior too for that matter.
Seeing as this new China-only Mondeo’s 4,935 mm length is some 66 mm longer than the current model on sale over in Europe, it is therefore reasonable to expect that a more than adequate amount of space will be afforded to within its spacious cabin. Equally large too will likely be its central display, if the 43-inch combined digital instrument cluster and central infotainment screen on its Evos counterpart is anything to go by anyway.
Further information about this new Mondeo should be available fairly soon, with its debut almost certainly to be within the next few months. What is definitely all but certain though is that this once world car nameplate by Ford will now only live on as a sedan in China, while the rest of the world waits for the blue oval to unveil its (predictably) SUV successor.
