New Mondeo Diesel Wagon Headlines Revised Ford Model Range

[russellw]

The introduction of a new, fuel efficient diesel powertrain for the Mondeo wagon range headlines a number of upcoming changes to Ford Australia's vehicle line-up.

A diesel Mondeo wagon will join the current MB Mondeo range in the third quarter of this year, bringing with it a new generation diesel powertrain that delivers significantly better fuel economy and improved performance.

"The Mondeo wagon has presented a compelling proposition for wagon customers since it was introduced in July last year," said Ford Australia Vice President Marketing, Sales & Service, Beth Donovan.

"Packed full of equipment and features, and sporting a spacious cargo area with generous payload capability, Mondeo wagon delivers an ideal package to serve the needs of both private and fleet customers."

The addition of a diesel powertrain will bolster the existing range of petrol Mondeo wagon models.

"Over the past 12 months there has been an increasing shift in consumer preferences for this sector of the market, with growing customer expectations for improved safety features, new technologies, contemporary styling and the option for alternative fuels," Ms Donovan said.

"In order to meet these changing customer expectations in the long term, the Falcon wagon will cease production, while the introduction of a new diesel Mondeo wagon will present a modern alternative to fulfil the needs of both private and fleet customers."

Sales of Falcon wagon will be phased out throughout the second half of 2010.

The Falcon wagon has fulfilled a unique and important role in the Ford line-up for almost 50 years, serving generations of Australian customers as a reliable family car, as well as meeting the needs of local businesses as a valued fleet vehicle.



Source: Ford Media

[#Russ#Es#]

Diesel wagon can't come soon enough. If only they released a manual version - a Titanium Diesel manual wagon would be hard to beat.

[#Russ#Es#]

Repost, my bad

[Smoke Pursuit]

Good to see they are trying to cover up the doom and gloom of Falcon wagon death yesturday..

Interesting to note no figures on new diesel?? Why bother publishing a story like that if your not going to give the consumers something to look forward too.

[xrford]

Diseasel or not i honestly dont think its going to make an impact here in Australia, however ill stand corrected if the sales figures do considerably improve from what they are now.

[Chopped]

The sedan is lucky to crack 500 sales/month. The Mondeo seems to be unloved and suffering a image problem from the previous models. (despite how good it is)

Hopefully the press will be nice to it.

[flappist]

So now Ford have a quite save, large, moderm technology, economical station wagon ideal for more than 95% of station wagon buyers.

I am sure it will not suit everyone but it is a good move I suspect.

[Smoke Pursuit]

What will all the funeral companies do?? 99% of them run Falcon wagons to cart bodies around, will a body fit in a Mondeo wagon?

Taxi Operators?

Ford were still selling 500 of these things a month with no upgrades.. Upgrade and offer 3 - 4 models you would soon double that figure.. 12,000 cars a year using 80% of the technology already invested in sedan? Get a sedan, graft a new **** end on it, or even just upgrade the AU one, new sheet metal.. and tailights. Seriously Ford obviously can't add up.

[Mr Hardware]

What will all the funeral companies do?? 99% of them run Falcon wagons to cart bodies around, will a body fit in a Mondeo wagon?

Taxi Operators?

There's no way in hell any taxi operator in their right mind will choose a mondeo wagon. They often nowadays purposely choose the egas wagon for three reasons: old tech. Taxi operators don't want new tech! It just adds expense. Egas = cheap. 4spd auto = cheap. Live rear axle = cheap. Switching to anything else would just be cutting into the already extremely poor profit margins of the taxi game, just meaning drivers will get paid less. And the taxi industry already has a huge 'pay peanuts, get monkeys' problem.

[xrford]

Last 2 qoutes are so true they should of at least brought out a limited edition sports version at the start of BF just to see if there was a market for non fleet buyers.
Instead what did they do.......sweet ******** all!.....poor form.

[snappy]

Originally Posted by bfiipursuit

What will all the funeral companies do?? 99% of them run Falcon wagons to cart bodies around, will a body fit in a Mondeo wagon?

Taxi Operators?

Ford were still selling 500 of these things a month with no upgrades.. Upgrade and offer 3 - 4 models you would soon double that figure.. 12,000 cars a year using 80% of the technology already invested in sedan? Get a sedan, graft a new **** end on it, or even just upgrade the AU one, new sheet metal.. and tailights. Seriously Ford obviously can't add up.

Im afriad you are probly correct . seems like they took the easy road witch quite often is not the best option.

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by snappy

Im afriad you are probly correct . seems like they took the easy road witch quite often is not the best option.

They took the safe option because thats all they know...

They wonder why Falcon wagon died in the last 8 years.. They deleted Fairmont option for a start back in 2002 when BA was released, offered no V8 / Turbo Option, offered no decent options as far as premium sound, leather, 17 inch alloys (you couldnt even option 17s from factory) no reverse sensor option from factory on wagon, yet sedans had it since 2002, no side curtain airbag options, no 6 seat column shift option while they still make column shift available for utes? They had the availability there, but as we know Ford hate taking risks.. Why you wouldnt use things you already have on the shelf blows me away..

With a true full lenght wagon as per what they have now with some decent options Ford could have outsold Sportswagon.. Sportswagon is not a prefered fleet vehicle, its a private buyers car who wants to look good.

[barra240t]

The Falcon wagon has finished and Ford would not have discontinued it without reasons. Instead if seeing this as doom an gloom please go take a drive in a Mondeo diesel wagon when it arrives. Do you know the Mondeo wagon has more load space and technical features the a Commodore sports wagon?

[Smoke Pursuit]

Originally Posted by barra240t

The Falcon wagon has finished and Ford would not have discontinued it without reasons. Instead if seeing this as doom an gloom please go take a drive in a Mondeo diesel wagon when it arrives. Do you know the Mondeo wagon has more load space and technical features the a Commodore sports wagon?

Does it match BF wagon tho for size, comfort and longativity??

We have to remember that wagons are work hacks, and do hundreds of thousands of kms... I personally dont think the Mondeo wagon will sell anywhere near what Falcon does... Im sure there are plenty of bean counters at Ford that can justify their decision but they have only done it to themselves over the years with no supporting the model at a level it should be supported.

I can't see taxi operators running Mondeo wagons, nor Funeral companies as they wont be long enough for body trays.

[barra240t]

Mondeo LX tdci is the eqivilant of XT in my eyes, it should be pretty much the same dollars. I have travelled a far distance in a Mondeo and they are great on long hauls. People need to give it a chance and Ford need to Market it big time. I would love a new model Falcon but it isn't going to happen. The motor trend has changed forever and we have to deal with it.

[Chopped]

Originally Posted by barra240t

..... Do you know the Mondeo wagon has more load space and technical features the a Commodore sports wagon?

It doesn't have a V8 option.

[outback_ute]

Not that I'm trying to be negative, but I don't think a handful of sales to funeral directors would have made much difference, and now their hearses will just cost a bit more (most were stretched anyway). How many taxis were not bought at auctions? Not a huge help to Ford there.

As for talk of sports and luxury versions, they would not be credible/good enough to gain worthwhile sales numbers while based on the old leaf-sprung rear end, when the alternative sedan or Commodore wagon had IRS. The majority of people who buy a vehicle to tow get a diesel 4wd. When there isn't a Fairlane to share the floorpan it is hard to see a lwb FG wagon being realistic.

I just can't ignore the fact that the market has changed. As another thread said, it is amazing the wagon lasted as long as it did. If we were selling the number of cars they do in the US then it would be viable, but not as a fraction of a ~80,000 units per year Australian large car segment.

Edit: Mondeo wagon floor length is 1183mm with seats up, 1920mm seats down. Does anyone have figures for the Falcon?

[Elks]

I'd look at it. Then buy a territory.

[Smoke Pursuit]

It only has the luggage capacity

Falcon

Luggage Capacity (L) Petrol /E-Gas / Mondeo
Seats upright 1254 / 1174 / 1005
Seats down 2584 / 2504 / 2163

[bigdude1011]

Originally Posted by Mr Hardware

They often nowadays purposely choose the egas wagon for three reasons: old tech.

Why do they use Priuses and Honda Odysseys (Canberra Cabs owns a few) then? I don't see carbies or leaf springs in them.

Diesel Skodas are currently being used as taxis (in Australia) as well, so I don't see why diesel Mondeos would fail.

[Mr Hardware]

Originally Posted by bigdude1011

Why do they use Priuses and Honda Odysseys (Canberra Cabs owns a few) then?

The last time i saw a honda odyssey cab in brisbane, i kid you not, was when i was getting a trans rebuilt. This odyssey had only 200k on the clock and was needing a new box; quote from honda was some exorbidant figure (i can't remember what it was now, somewhere between $5k and $10k) and as such was sitting in this auto shop covered in dust it had been there so long, apparently waiting for a trans to come up from a wreck.

[Joe5619]

If only they'd bring this thing to Australia, then it would really give the Sports Wagon a run for its money

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/ford/fo...n-ar71928.html

[flappist]

Originally Posted by Joe5619

If only they'd bring this thing to Australia, then it would really give the Sports Wagon a run for its money

http://www.topspeed.com/cars/ford/fo...n-ar71928.html

145HP????

Only if the sports wagon was on its roof........

[janddbone]

I suppose the arguments that everyone has for the wagon not being needed (The same for the Fairlane/LTD, mostly!) will soon be made for the sedan when it is discontinued as well... It is just another nail...

[partsguy]

titanium wagon should look pretty similar to that, except with 18" wheels.

[flappist]

Why does anyone even bother mentioning taxis?

They are almost always bought second hand now and when there was a new "taxi pack" there was no need to use grease on any joints as nothing squeaks more or louder than a taxi owner walking.

If it was not for the law preventing it, there would still be EB falcon taxis with 20,000,000 km on them......

Ford are in business to make money not cars and they will NEVER be all things to all people.

I wonder if this is part of the reason why they seem to be is a much stronger financial position than some other brands.

[Brazen]

Is it just me or is the Mondeo overrated? Ive driven one a couple of time (admittedly not for a long time, but I gave it a good thrashing), and I dont know, I would almost describe it as average or boring.

People rave about them though, so Im sure Im just being a bit negative because I see it as a threat to Falcon. But honestly I would take a Territory over a Mondeo for handling dynamics, I think im going crazy.

The Mondeo to me just feels like a Euro Camry.

[4Vman]

Originally Posted by Brazen

Is it just me or is the Mondeo overrated? Ive driven one a couple of time (admittedly not for a long time, but I gave it a good thrashing), and I dont know, I would almost describe it as average or boring.

People rave about them though, so Im sure Im just being a bit negative because I see it as a threat to Falcon. But honestly I would take a Territory over a Mondeo for handling dynamics, I think im going crazy.

The Mondeo to me just feels like a Euro Camry.

Seems od that you'd buy or critique a mondeo if "driving experience" was high on your priority list, styling withstanding it does a pretty good job doing what it was designed to do, an auto mondeo diesel wagon is going to attract allot of interest from fleets..

[Joe5619]

Originally Posted by flappist

145HP????

Only if the sports wagon was on its roof........

I meant looks wise.

[jpd80]

Diesel Mondeo wagon will get ignored like the rest of that line.....