Irish Mondeo launch nears

Ford Ireland has announced the Irish line up for the new Mondeo, set to hit Irish forecourts next month.

By Robert Carry

The new model has had a range of interior and exterior design changes and also features an improved version of the TDCi 2.0 litre engine.  In line with the trend towards low emission diesel engines in the Irish market, the new Mondeo line up will consist of 6-speed 2.0 TDCi models with a range of performance levels: 115PS; 140PS; and 160PS.

Full price details will be announced closer to the Irish launch date, but the entry level model, the Style 2.0 TDCi 115PS, will have a retail price below €26,000 – a considerable decrease from the €26,650 lead-in price of the previous model which had a 1.8 100PS TDCi engine.

“We are delighted with the new revised Mondeo and are really excited about the great value proposition that the new line-up will provide,” said Eddie Murphy, chairman and managing director of Ford Ireland.  “Thanks to its great driving quality, Mondeo has been a favourite with Irish motorists since its launch and we are sure this latest model will again prove hugely popular.”

All of the manual transmission models will feature a low CO2 figure of just 139g/km, placing the car within Band B for car tax or an annual tax bill of just €156.

The new Mondeo will be available in Ireland in three trim levels – Style, Zetec and Titanium.

The specification details for each trim level are as follows:

Style: new 16" 5x2 alloy wheels; body coloured bumpers and door handles; tinted glass; electric heated body-coloured door mirrors with integrated indicators; air conditioning; front fog lights; Bluetooth Voice Control system; heated windscreen; drivers seat with electric height adjust and manual lumbar adjust; 7 airbags including drivers knee airbag; Ford 6000 series radio CD with AUX in MP3 connection; and perimeter alarm.

Zetec over Style specification: new 17" 5 spoke alloy wheels; front and rear parking distance sensors; climate control with dual zone electronic automatic temperature control (DEATC); leather steering wheel; leather gear knob; electrically operated front and rear windows; and cruise control with speed limiting device.

Titanium over Zetec: new 17" 15 spoke alloys; LED daytime running lights; Sony Radio / CD with premium speakers; Sports style front seats; Alcantara / leather seats; Convers+ instrument panel; automatic headlights and rain sensor wipers; leather soft feel steering wheel; leather wrapped handbrake cover; auto dimming rear view mirror; B pillar vents for rear seat passengers; and Thatcham category 1 perimeter and interior scanning alarm.

New technology options that are also new to Mondeo include Blind Spot Information System (BLIS), Lane Departure Warning, Driver Impairment Monitoring System, automatic high/low beam lights, and rear view camera.