| Go to any car dealership and you can be certain you'll | | | | a drivers' airbag across the entire range. This forward |
| come across a used Ford Mondeo - it is a fact as | | | | thinking from Ford meant it topped many safety test |
| inevitable as the world being round or water being | | | | standings and appealed to companies not wishing to |
| wet. Supplies of Ford cars are plentiful - used Ford | | | | give their staff death traps and of course families. |
| especially so - with competitive pricing and popular | | | | Sales rocketed and it was named European Car of |
| styling just two features of a car company making | | | | the Year in 1994. |
| arguably the best cars it ever has done. | | | | One criticism was that the styling was still more |
| There are two histories the used Ford Mondeo sitting | | | | cardboard box than Monet. A facelift in 1996 |
| on the forecourt could have in its logbook. The first | | | | addressed this to such a degree, that only the doors |
| history would reveal a mid-thirtysomething salesman | | | | and roof remained the same as the Mk I model. The |
| with many motorway journeys under his belt (and | | | | corporate Ford oval was incorporated into the front |
| many corporate lunches too no doubt). His suit jacket | | | | grill giving the car a more curvy and playful look. Still |
| having been lovingly hung up in the back as it | | | | no Monet but the palette was starting to take shape. |
| accompanied him on his travels and sales pitter | | | | The facelift was as well-received as Jackie Collins' and |
| patter. The second life the car could've had would be | | | | this helped boost sales further although the additional |
| the all purpose, all conquering family pet. Muddy | | | | outlay from Ford did mean specification levels |
| football boots, furniture from Ikea and mountains of | | | | dropped, meaning wheel trims were back and alloy |
| glitter from a night out would all have come into | | | | wheels were consigned to the optional extras order |
| contact with the Mondeo. | | | | form. |
| Whether the car comes with life history 1 or history | | | | Over the next four years, with Ford's European |
| 2, it doesn't matter. Either way the car would've | | | | fortunes taking a drastic u-turn for the better and as |
| faithfully carried out it's duties and has only appeared | | | | the new space-edge Ka and Focus models were |
| on the forecourt because either: a) salesman didn't | | | | being launched, the Mondeo was suddenly in need of |
| sell enough and was sacked, b) salesman sold lots | | | | another shot of botox. As the new millennium |
| and was given a new Mondeo, c) family had another | | | | dawned, so did the Mk III Mondeo - the car that |
| child and bought a people carrier. A good buy on all | | | | more than likely stands before you at the used Ford |
| accounts then, but before you decide on which | | | | dealership. Although it was in the same design club as |
| colour to go for, let me fill you in on the birth of the | | | | the Ka and Focus, it wasn't considered part of the |
| Mondeo and how it made Ford's accountants' life | | | | 'New Edge' Ford design and therefore sat in the |
| expectancies rise dramatically. | | | | corner of the club looking restrained. A more |
| Replacing an institution is tough. Whether you're | | | | expensive, Volkswagen Passat inspired interior is the |
| singing Freddie Mercury's parts for Queen, acting | | | | stand-out feature, which looks expensive because it |
| James Bond in the latest film, or playing rugby instead | | | | is. |
| of an injured Johnny Wilkinson for England, you'll be | | | | Combined with further safety enhancements including |
| more closely scrutinised than the original. And so was | | | | the excitingly titled 'Intelligent Protection System' |
| the case with the Mondeo. Entering the showrooms | | | | (IPS) which was a system that basically decided for |
| in 1993, the new car replaced the much-loved | | | | you which life-saving features to use in the event of |
| granddaddy, the Ford Sierra. Despite its global | | | | a crash. It was the most popular large family car for |
| market, the European arm of Ford was | | | | its entire 2000 - 2007 life-cycle. It is too early to |
| haemorrhaging money and had developed the | | | | comment on the latest Mk IV model, although it did |
| unenviable reputation of making cars the accountants | | | | find its way into the latest Bond film 'Casino Royale' |
| wanted. This resulted in poorly built vehicles that | | | | for a brief scene, before being swiftly replaced by |
| were as interesting to look at as a Monet in a | | | | Bond's orginal Aston Martin DB5 (what did I say |
| cardboard box. | | | | about following an institution?) |
| Things started promisingly (not for the accountants | | | | To summarise, the Mondeo may be the most popular |
| mind) as the Mondeo shared very little in the way of | | | | vehicle of its class and therefore buying one will result |
| parts or design with its appalling 90's predecessors | | | | in you being as unique as a Manchester United |
| the Escort and Orion - resulting in high development | | | | supporter, but it has sold in it's droves for a mutlitude |
| costs. Top pub quiz fact: it was the first car to have | | | | of good reasons. The choice as they say, is yours. |