It's been a big year for automotive in 2020, with the exit of Holden, the cancellation of international motor shows and the Australian Grand Prix due to coronavirus, and the steady decline of new car sales. In a challenging climate, it's perhaps unsurprising that carmakers are reducing their ranges, discontinuing under-performers and replacing older models with hybrids, electric cars or new creations altogether...
Despite declining interest in its market segment, the Ford Mondeo name looks as though it will live to fight on. A parts tooling catalogue spotted by Autocar on Ford's European website shows a specialist tool designed to remove the rear leaf spring from a “2022 model year Mondeo CD542”. The leaf spring design would, presumably, allow for improved hybrid or plug-in hybrid battery packaging...
Towards the end of 2019 Ford trademarked the Stormtrak name in Europe. The filing was discovered by AutoGuide, and the publication believes the name could be used on a jacked-up Subaru Outback-style wagon model, which is rumoured to be the replacement for the fourth-generation Mondeo...
Ford Australia has recalled the 2014-2019 Mondeo, over concerns about the battery. According to the company, battery acid could leak around the negative battery terminal. If copper sulphate accumulates over time, there's a chance a "low-resistance conductive layer" could form under the battery monitoring sensor, which could make the surrounding area ignite – even if the car is parked...
Ford will only offer the Mondeo in base Ambiente trim from the start of 2020, before the mid-sized hatch and wagon are removed from the line-up in the second half of the year. The move reflects "changing customer preferences including an overall shift towards SUVs", said Ford Australia communications boss Matt Moran...
Ford of Europe is believed to be developing a new mid- to large-sized crossover to go head-to-head with the likes of the Subaru Outback and Volkswagen Passat Alltrack – according to coverage out of the UK. Autocar says the Blue Oval's European division will introduce the new vehicle around 2021, and will effectively replace the Mondeo (above), Galaxy and S-Max currently available in the region...
Ford Motor Company has committed to building its Fusion sedan for at least another 18 months, confirming with outlets in the US that the nameplate will stay in production until at least 2021. As reported by industry journal Automotive News, the Blue Oval has detailed the 2020 model-year Fusion line-up, which includes the SE, SEL and Titanium trim levels – though the 243kW twin-turbo Sport variant has been dropped...
The facelifted Ford Mondeo have been unveiled at the 2019 Brussels motor show in Belgium. Subtle is probably the best way of describing this update. Up front all models gain a new front bumper, which visually joins together the lower air intake and fog light pods for a slightly sportier design. Depending on the trim and model there's also new grille inserts and alloy wheel designs to marvel at...
Ford Australia has confirmed a very mildly-updated MY18.75 Mondeo will launch at the beginning of next year, after it was spied on the roads of Melbourne this week. Snapped by our very own Mike Stevens, the bum-lifted wagon gets a new tail-light arrangement joined through the middle by a chrome strip – giving the estate-bodied Mondeo a more upmarket look at the rear...
Ford Australia is pleading with owners of its mid-sized Mondeo to have their faulty Takata airbags fixed, having already repaired "more than 60 per cent" of the 16,701 vehicles affected locally. As first reported last week, models sold from 2007-2009 and 2014-2017 could be fitted with potentially deadly inflators on the drivers side, though they wear the less-dangerous 'beta' rating...
Ford has added the 2007-2009 and 2014-2017 Mondeo to the ever-growing list of vehicles in line to have their faulty Takata airbags replaced. As with all Takata recalls, a combination of heat and humidity can make the airbag propellant in affected vehicles degrade...
