Alfa"s 159 won the Best...
Alfa"s 159 won the Best Design prize, with the chairman of judges George Emmerson commenting: "It"s a tough marketplace and Alfa is pitching for very high stakes with the 159. But it just looks wonderful, and it"s a great car to drive as well."
The next Mondeo will...
The next Mondeo will take cues from the SAV 5 concept displayed at the Geneva Motor Show. The MPV is said to be the first in a series to reveal Ford"s fresh family face.
The Mondeo gets the SAV"s angular headlamps and oblong tail-lights, while there are elements of the new Focus in its profile, with a low roof, narrow window line and high sides. And it is closer to production than you"d think. There are already several test mules running round, disguised under the bodyshells of other Ford cars such as the Galaxy and Focus C-MAX. The Mondeo will debut at the Paris Motor Show in September next year, before going on sale in January 2007.
In the meantime, a roadgoing version of the SAV is set to appear. Based on the Geneva show car, it"s likely to be badged Mondeo D-MAX and will replace the Galaxy. However, there"s still some speculation within Ford as to whether or not the Mondeo name will remain. While the badge has been hugely successful for the firm, detractors on the inside say it doesn"t have a premium image, and will cheapen the end product. A final decision on the name will be made this year.
One thing that"s for definite, though, is that the new machine will be a fine car to drive. The original model redefined family saloon handling when it debuted in 1993, and then it raised the game even further when the current variant appeared back in 2000. This time, though, the car will not use a conventional platform. Instead, it will have what the blue oval describes as its Flexible Vehicle Architecture.
This relies on interchanging various components such as steering and suspension set-ups, as well as the option for the chassis to be front, rear or four-wheel drive. The new structure"s possibilities are endless, and it"s already earmarked for the next Volvo V70, S60 and S80, Jaguar"s X and S-Type re-placements and Land Rover"s Free- lander. Engines will also be shared with-in Ford"s Premier Automotive Group, meaning the next Mondeo will get powerplants from the Volvo range including the 2.4 and 2.3-litre five-cylinder turbos from the S60 and V70. The Focus"s 2.0 and 1.6-litre petrol motors will also appear, plus the 2.0 TDI. In addition, a flagship diesel is on the cards, using the 2.7 V6 found in the Land Rover Discovery and Jaguar S-Type.
The Mondeo will be offered in saloon and hatch format, along with a spacious estate, while Ford has yet to rule out a coup탩.