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New details about the future of the Ford Mondeo: C2 platform


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The loss of production volume of the Fusion raises a question over the future of the Mondeo in Europe, because they share the same platform.

 

In the short to medium term, Ford Europe is understood to have mapped the future of the Mondeo to the mid-2020s, although the picture after that remains fluid.

 

The Ford Mondeo remains a core part of our product line-up in Europe. We have upgrades coming for Mondeo later this year and Mondeo continues to deliver on its promise of great driving dynamics, leading technologies and competitive pricing, Ford said in a statement.

 

Details of the autumn upgrade are understood to include a new 2.0-litre diesel engine, codenamed Panther, which will be EU6d-compliant for the new WLTP driving cycle, with its real-world emissions and fuel economy testing, plus a new interior and tweaks to the exterior styling.

 

The interior changes are tipped to include a new dashboard moulding incorporating the Fiesta/Focus-style infotainment system with a high-set tablet-style touchscreen.

 

However, to keep the Mondeo in production to the mid-2020s, Ford Europe will have to fund developments to keep up with legislation without the volume of the US Fusion to offset costs.

 

 

 

Analysts believe Ford Europe is prepared to do this for the next five to seven years, helped by a reasonable degree of financial stability, since it has been reliably profitable for the past two years and has had a strong start to 2018.

 

But the crunch will come around 2020-2022 when Ford Europe will have to decide whether to go it alone with its own Mondeo replacement.

 

At the Geneva motor show in March, Ford Europe boss Steve Armstrong told Autocar it was too early to consider the future of the Mondeo, although he conceded that the large saloon sector continues to shrink.

 

We are constantly updating the car, from new transmission and engine options to a hybrid version and the Vignale trim. The interest is strong and we are a way off having to consider replacing it, he said.

 

A lifeline for any new Mondeo is the Focuss new C2 architecture, which is understood to be sufficiently flexible to allow multiple track widths, wheelbases and firewall heights. This allows a large variety of vehicles to be spun off a single component set, like Volkswagens adaptable front-wheel-drive MQB set-up.

 

High-cost items such as the electrical system and powertrains can be carried over from the Focus to the Mondeo. But justifying the unique development and tooling costs for a new body and interior and chassis tuning and certification costs will be a bigger challenge, as sales will be small. A planning volume of around 60,000 a year could be expected.

 

https://www.autocar.co.uk/car-news/new-cars/ford-mach-1-ev-crossover-spearhead-new-era-car-maker

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What this confirms, however, is that Ford is able to hedge its bets with the C2 architecture. If the same set of "bones" can be re-set to accommodate cars and CUVs across a wide range, Ford should have reasonable ability to react to potential market changes more efficiently...including the capacity to re-introduce a sedan or two if the market moves that way.

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imho there's a lot of MIS-information in that article

Mustang & Explorer will both be cD6, why not Mach1?

Mustang 188.3"/107.1"; think larger not smaller

Z²-w.i.c will be cD6

The next Mondeo could continue to be based on the FWD architecture

& its^ 2020my is just an update - the CD4 platform is DEAD

&

"In future, Ford strategy will revolve around an emerging-markets small car platform (Ka)"

NOPE, NOT mentioned in their aNNouncement = see

page9 Ford Uncovered Press Kit Pdf
Edited by 2b2
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Mach 1 = model E which from what i was told is a ground up chassis with electrification and Hybrid in mind...that leads me to believe the battery is basically the floorpan as in tesla etc...that in turn doesnt sound CD6 to me.

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If Mondeo moves to C2 chassis, it may help keep Fusion sales in the US even at a lower volume....Mondeo production on C2 chassis could include a run of North American Fusion models out of Valencia, Spain or Chongqing, China....

 

I've thought this too - why can't they just consolidate global midsize production at a single spot and ship it to whatever markets need it?

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.

Agree, but shouldn't be any more expensive as shipping the aforementioned Transit Connect which is also manufactured in Valencia and shipped to the US...

Theres a chance that might not happen much longer depending on what they decide to do with those 2 plants down in Mexico.
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Just remember... Ford didn't cancel the program for next gen Mondeo/Fusion. They just canceled the supplier contracts for North America and Europe...

 

Read between the lines people! There is going to be a new C2 Mondeo, and it will probably be produced at a single site... you know... the one that didn't have its supplier contracts canceled. ;)

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Off shore supply of Focus and Fusion or CUV variants as needed

While using those former plants to greater effect making higher profit vehicles

 

New versions of Explorer, Edge and Escape will only get Ford So far,

it really needs that second line of Bronco, Maverick and Mach 1 to

really shake things up in the market

Edited by jpd80
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Ford specifically said they're limiting their car portfolio to Focus Active and Mustang by 2020....so no the Fusion is still gone wether the Mondeo lives on or not. Mondeo is also trailing the Fusion by about 2 years, that puts its lifespan into 2023/24 following the MCE. The Mondeo is getting the MCE that was cancelled for the US and instead the US is focusing on minimizing costs and losses for the Fusion as they slowly shed those customers. Presumably Ford is going to start winding down incentives, production volume, fleet buys and more to start the process of getting these customers off of the books gradually instead of all at once.

Edited by Assimilator
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Valencia Assembly news May 10,2018 - Ford Europe, Steven Armstrong, yesterday left a bittersweet taste among the workers at the Almussafes plant. On the one hand, he announced that the factory will produce the hybrid version of the Mondeo wagon, which is added to the one it manufactures for the four-door body, but without clarifying the future of the model when the current one is removed, around 2022.

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