Ford's facelifted Mondeo arrives with price rises

FORD Australia has revealed price increases of between $450 and $750 for its upgraded MC Mondeo line-up, first examples of which will arrive in Blue Oval showrooms this week.

Entry-level LX and mid-range Zetec variants will be the first to become available, with Titanium hatch and wagon models to follow in December and January respectively.

As we reported last month, the mid-life Mondeo makeover brings a host of new standard and optional technologies to Ford’s global mid-sizer, which also comes with advanced new safety features and upgraded interior and exterior styling.

The most modest price rises are applied at the bottom end of the Mondeo range, with the entry-level LX hatch now opening the range $450 higher at $30,990 – $500 more than the entry price of Australia’s top-selling mid-size model, Toyota’s Camry ($30,490).

Price rises for the LX TDCi hatch and both the petrol and diesel LX wagons have also been limited to $450.

All four Zetec models – including the 2.3-litre Duratec petrol hatch ($36,240) and wagon ($37,740) and the 2.0-litre TDCi hatch ($39,740) and wagon ($39,740) – go up by $500, while the flagship Titanium models cost $750 more than before.

Ford’s new six-speed PowerShift twin-clutch automated manual transmission will come standard in variants powered by the 120kW/340Nm 2.0-litre ‘Duratorq TDCi’ diesel introduced here in May, while petrol models run a conventional six-speed automatic transmission.

The four-door Mondeo sedan - and a manual transmission - remains unavailable in Australia, as does a replacement for the flagship XR5 Turbo and its 162kW 2.5-litre petrol in-line five.

Also missing from Australia's 2011 Mondeo line-up, for now, is Ford's new 147kW 2.2-litre turbo-diesel, and both the 1.6 and 2.0-litre EcoBoost turbo-petrol variants now on sale in Europe.

While the 2.0-litre EcoBoost four will debut locally in Ford's Falcon later next year, the newer 120kW 1.6-litre engine shares its direct-injection turbo technology and, says Ford, delivers 15 per cent better fuel economy and 10 per cent more power than the 110kW 2.0-litre petrol engine it replaces.

The Mondeo 1.6 EcoBoost is claimed to sprint to 100km/h in 9.3 seconds, officially making it one-tenth slower than the 2.0 TDCi diesel. In the UK, it consumes 6.8 litres of petrol per 100km and emits 159 grams of CO2 per kilometre, compared to the diesel's Camry Hybrid-beating figures of 5.3L/100km and 139g/km.

An even more frugal Mondeo diesel will hit Europe in February in the 84kW 1.6 TDCi with idle-stop, unique aerodynamics and low rolling resistance tyres - enough to reduce combined fuel consumption to 4.3L/100km and CO2 emissions to 115g/km.

Ford debuted its facelifted Mondeo line-up locally at last month’s Sydney motor show. As we've reported, safety innovations developed by Ford’s former luxury arm Volvo and fitted as standard on range-topping Mondeo Titanium models include a camera-based lane departure warning system.

Other advanced safety features include an on-board driver drowsiness detection system, cruise control with speed-limiter, a blind spot information system (BLIS), automatic high-beam headlight selection and LED daytime-running lights.

External changes include new wheels, a new bonnet design, new upper and lower front grilles, new front and rear bumpers, revised tail-lights, mirror-integrated indicators, new tailgate and deck-lids, and a glass-mounted antenna.

Interior changes include revised décor and passenger seat lumbar support, sliding centre console cover and (from February) power rear windows in base models.

2011 Ford Mondeo pricing:
Hatch
LX 2.3 petrol (a)	$30,990 (up $450)
LX 2.0 TDCi (PowerShift)	$34,990 (up $450)
Zetec 2.3 petrol (a)	$36,240 (up $500)
Zetec 2.0 TDCi (PowerShift)	$39,740 (up $500)
Titanium 2.3L petrol (a)	$43,490 (up $750)
Titanium 2.0 TDCi (PowerShift)	$46,990 (up $750)
Wagon
LX 2.3L petrol (a)	$32,840 (up $450)
LX 2.0 TDCi (PowerShift)	$36,840 (up $450)
Zetec 2.3L petrol (a)	$37,740 (up $500)
Zetec 2.0 TDCi (PowerShift)	$41,240 (up $500)
Titanium 2.0 TDCi (PowerShift)	$48,490 (up $750)