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