Ford Mondeo with 1.5-liter EcoBoost debuts in China

Sat, 20 Apr 2013

Does the car above, posing fancifully in white, look familiar? Well, it should. Although it wears Mondeo badges in the form you see above for the Chinese market – as it does in Europe – the car is basically the same thing sold in the US as the Ford Fusion. Of course, it's what's under that shapely skin that counts.

Ford has chosen the Shanghai Motor Show as the venue with which to unveil its 1.5-liter EcoBoost four-cylinder engine. We'd heard about the engine before, but now we have a few performance estimates to share: 133 kW of power (about 178 horsepower) and 240 Nm of torque (about 177 pound-feet).

Those numbers pretty much confirm previous rumors indicating about 177 in each category, and it's right on par with what Ford's own 1.6-liter EcoBoost produces. Ford is claiming best-in-class fuel economy as well, but no specific figures have yet been provided. In any case, we'll surely have all the data soon enough, as the 1.5-liter mill is destined for the US Fusion in 2014.

Ford will also offer a 2.0-liter EcoBoost in the Chinese Mondeo that puts out 178 kW (239 horsepower) and 350 Nm (258 lb-ft). All that and more can be found in the press release below.

Ford Debuts All-New Mondeo in Asia; Flagship Redefines Segment with Premium Design, Advanced Tech and Latest 1.5-Litre EcoBoost Engine

- All-new Ford Mondeo unveiled in China; shows a striking silhouette outlined by new global design language and a high-quality interior delivering superior craftsmanship to rival premium competitors
- With a comprehensive list of cutting-edge technologies including Ford's Lane-Keeping System, adaptive cruise control, rear inflatable seat belts and SYNC® with MyFordTouchTM in Mandarin, the all-new Mondeo delivers features customers truly want and value
- The latest member of the global EcoBoost® family – a 1.5-litre EcoBoost engine – will debut on the all-new Ford Mondeo, offering first-rate fuel economy

SHANGHAI, China, April 20, 2013 – Ford continues to aggressively expand its growing lineup in China with the classy all-new global Mondeo, which rewrites benchmarks in the midsize segment with its expressive design, luxury technologies, class-leading safety and top fuel economy.

Built on Ford's global C/D-segment platform, the refined Ford flagship is one of 15 global vehicles the company has promised to bring to the country by 2015. Featuring a sleek silhouette and fresh face, the all-new Mondeo will be available as a four-door sedan in Asia.

Shown for the first time at an Asian auto show, Mondeo will be the first car in its segment, and the first Ford vehicle globally to be equipped with Ford's 1.5-litre EcoBoost® engine. The brand-new 1.5-litre EcoBoost® engine will deliver class-leading fuel economy.

"We've gone further in every aspect to bring to China the most premium Mondeo we have ever designed, developed and built," said Marin Burela, president & CEO, Changan Ford Automobile Co., Ltd. "The all-new Mondeo is designed to stir the senses and transform expectations of what a car can be. It's truly a flagship car, offering our Chinese customers class leading levels of refinement, driving pleasure and excitement. The Mondeo will raise the bar in craftsmanship, style and technology- delivering what we believe our loyal Chinese customers truly want and value."

Groundbreaking design
Ford's new global design language comes to the forefront in Mondeo's refined, elegant and highly emotional exterior. The lean side profile is sculpted to convey visual lightness, while the sophisticated front end design features Ford's new, more prominent trapezoidal grille as well as a power-dome bonnet.

The design team was guided by five elements as they sketched out the Mondeo:

- Silhouette innovation: Mondeo's sleek profile sets it apart from the powertrain/cabin/boot "three-box" designs associated with sedans
Efficiency: Thin roof pillars and character lines that sweep to the rear hint at how the Mondeo is nimble and light on its feet
- Refined surface language: Mondeo demonstrates that a tasteful, well-executed design does not require add-ons or visual clutter
- Technical graphics: Mondeo's functional design elements such as segment-first adaptive full LED headlamps, taillamps, and polished exhaust tips communicate enhanced technological capability
- New face: Mondeo embodies the next evolution in Ford's global design language

The all-new Mondeo is the first Ford to feature headlamps with LED high-beam, low-beam and signal lighting. Quicker to illuminate, more durable and energy efficient than traditional filament bulb headlamps, Mondeo's LED headlamps turn with the steering and adapt beam projection to vehicle speed – providing a greater depth of illumination at high speeds and a wider field of vision at lower speeds.

Scoring yet another first among competitors, Mondeo comes with Ford's Multi-Contour Seats with Active Motion™, which contain 11 air cushions that pad the driver's and passenger's entire back – three for lumbar support, four for the seat pad and four for side support. The bottom cushion features Active Motion technology, which provides subtle, continuous massage, designed to lessen back pain on long trips.

The interior delivers exceptional levels of ergonomics and comfort, with superior craftsmanship throughout the driver-focused cockpit. A higher centre console supports the driver-centric theme and yields clever storage for items a driver wants to keep handy. Additional passenger space was designed in by moving the instrument panel toward the windshield, contributing to the cabin's airy, open environment.

Paying attention to detail, Ford also gave the interior soft-touch materials and made sure interior and exterior gaps are minimised. Extra care also has been taken to upholster or cover each edge and every surface a customer can touch. When the boot lid is opened, for example, a spring-loaded cover automatically conceals the boot latch hardware.

"With the all-new Mondeo, quality is not just about what you can see," said Burela. "It's also about what you can touch and feel."

Mondeo watches out for you
The all-new Mondeo is the first vehicle in China to be equipped with the innovative rear inflatable seat belts, which combine attributes of an airbag and conventional seat belt. These are designed to reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear seat passengers, especially children and older passengers who are more vulnerable to such injuries. In the event of an accident, the belt rapidly expands to disperse crash forces across a body area five times greater than that achieved by a conventional seat belt.

As with an airbag, Ford's rear inflatable seat belt is activated when crash sensors detect an accident. This forces compressed gas out of a cylinder housed below the rear seat, through the buckle and into the belt, which is fully deployed in less than 40 milliseconds. Unlike airbags that generate heat when deploying, Ford's rear inflatable seat belt uses cold compressed gas.

The all-new Mondeo also offers an unprecedented portfolio of driver-assist and convenience technologies based on sensors, cameras and radar that enable the car to see and respond. Mondeo can help drivers maintain proper lane position, adjust vehicle speed to changing traffic conditions, identify suitable parking spaces and help park.

Class-exclusive technologies include:

- MyKey®: This innovative feature promotes safer driving behaviour by allowing owners to limit top speed and audio volume, set speed warnings, encourage safety belt usage and ensure safety features are not disabled, when allowing use of their car
- Auto high-beam control: Preventing accidental dazzling of drivers, this feature relies on a sensor that detects oncoming vehicles and automatically switches to dipped beam, before switching back to high-beam once it detects the vehicle has passed

Class-leading technologies encompass:

- Lane-Keeping System: This three-level system alerts and assists the driver when Mondeo is drifting out of the lane, especially helpful during long drives when the driver can get drowsy. A windshield-mounted digital camera detects lane markers and the car's position on the road. If the car approaches the edge of the lane without signalling, the steering wheel vibrates to simulate driving over rumble strips. If the car continues to drift, the electric power-assisted steering (EPAS) will nudge the car back towards the centre of the lane. Persistent drifting consistent with a sleepy driver triggers chimes and warning lamp alerts for the driver to stop and rest
- Active City Stop: This feature can help prevent collisions at speeds of up to 15 km/h and help mitigate the effects of impacts at speeds of up to 30 km/h. A sophisticated light-detecting and ranging sensor that captures 15 images in the blink of an eye calculates whether traffic is slowing or has stopped and applies the brakes automatically if it determines a collision is imminent
- Adaptive cruise control: This adaptive version of traditional cruise control allows Mondeo to automatically adapt to the speed of the highway traffic and follow another vehicle at a set distance. The driver selects a desired interval to follow traffic and the desired cruise speed. The system will slow the car down if it senses slower-moving traffic ahead. This radar-based system works even in most fog and rain conditions
- Active park assist: This technology helps the driver to parallel park easily without ever touching the steering wheel. Using ultrasonic sensors, it can identify a suitable space, calculate the trajectory and quickly steer the car into the spot. The driver only has to operate the accelerator and brake pedals): This system helps the driver monitor spaces he or she cannot see. BLIS displays a visual alert in the side mirror when a vehicle enters its blind spot.
- Blind Spot Information System (BLIS®): This system helps the driver monitor spaces he or she cannot see. BLIS displays a visual alert in the side mirror when a vehicle enters its blind spot.

"The all-new Ford Mondeo has class-leading technologies worthy of a flagship car and that embody Go Further, reflecting Ford's high standards of progressiveness in automobile development and customer understanding globally, especially here in China," said Burela.

Entertainment just a command away
The all-new Mondeo offers the latest iteration of Ford's award-winning, industry-exclusive SYNC® communications and entertainment system, which enables voice-activated communication through a driver's mobile phone and interaction with the car's audio system.

Available in English and Mandarin, SYNC with MyFord Touch allows the driver to interact with vehicle systems such as climate control, radio and CD player through voice commands, an eight-inch colour touch screen, as well as a conventional button.

SYNC with MyFord Touch helps reduce the potential for driver distraction through voice-controlled functionality, allowing drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road.

As an added bonus for customers in China, rear passengers can select and control the music from the audio buttons in the centre armrest at the back. They can even move the front passenger seat forward for more legroom at the touch of a button on the side of the seat.

Brand-new global EcoBoost engine
The new 1.5-litre EcoBoost engine will debut on the all-new Ford Mondeo. It is the fifth and latest member to join Ford's global family of EcoBoost engines, which includes a 1.0-litre three-cylinder, 1.6- and 2.0-litre four-cylinders, and two 3.5-litre V6 variants.

EcoBoost is Ford's global franchise for delivering the fuel economy customers demand along with the outstanding performance they expect. By the end of 2013, nearly 80 percent of Ford's global nameplates will be available with EcoBoost, with approximately 1.2 million of these turbocharged engines expected to be on the road globally.

Ford's EcoBoost technology, which holds more than 125 patents, combines direct fuel injection, turbocharging and variable valve timing to enable a downsized engine to gain fuel economy by up to 20 percent over larger engines with no loss of performance. It also delivers up to a 15 percent reduction in CO2emissions

The 1.5-litre EcoBoost engine is projected to produce 133 kW of power at 6,500 rpm and peak torque of 240 Nm from 1,750 to 4,500 rpm. It includes an integrated intake manifold and water-cooled charge air cooler, which allows for a more efficient feed of air into the engine, and a clutch-controlled water pump that delivers fuel efficiencies by reducing the warm-up time of the engine. EcoBoost also features specific technologies to reduce noise, vibration and harshness, delivering an engine that is quiet and refined.

Other than the 1.5-litre EcoBoost powerplant, the all-new Ford Mondeo also will be available with the 2.0-litre EcoBoost engine, which serves up 178 kW of power at 5,500 rpm and 350 Nm of peak torque at 3,000 rpm. Both engines will be mated with Ford's fuel-efficient six-speed automatic transmission.

Safe and smooth
Available with up to seven airbags, the all-new Mondeo is designed with customer safety in mind. Engineers increased its body strength by 10 percent, using ultra-high-strength steels such as boron, which also reduced overall weight for improved fuel economy.

Ford also debuts an all-new premium-level integral link suspension configuration on Mondeo to improve ride comfort and noise reduction, especially for passengers in the rear. Combine it with the electric power-assisted steering, and Ford Mondeo becomes a joy to handle and drive, with a dynamic character that will please a well-seasoned enthusiast and increase the confidence level of less-experienced drivers.

Interior quietness on the all-new Mondeo reaches a new level with acoustic underbody shields and weight-saving sound-absorption material – both minimise road and powertrain noise while boosting aerodynamic efficiency to help save fuel. A full-perimeter bonnet seal takes the Mondeo all the way to the top of its class in giving drivers a quiet ride.

The new Mondeo also is equipped with Ford's Emergency Assistance, which provides peace of mind and reassurance to both driver and occupants. This free service utilises the driver's mobile phone and – using SYNC – is designed to automatically inform emergency services via a dedicated call centre in the event of an accident.

About Ford Motor Company
Ford Motor Company, a global automotive industry leader based in Dearborn, Mich., manufactures or distributes automobiles across six continents. With about 171,000 employees and 65 plants worldwide, the company's automotive brands include Ford and Lincoln. The company provides financial services through Ford Motor Credit Company. For more information regarding Ford and its products worldwide, please visit http://corporate.ford.com.

Ford's wholly owned subsidiaries, joint ventures and investment in China include Ford Motor (China) Limited, Ford Motor Research & Engineering (Nanjing) Co., Ltd., Ford Automotive Finance (China) Ltd., Changan Ford Automobile Co., Ltd.,Changan Ford Mazda Engine Co., Ltd. and Jiangling Motors Co., Ltd.
For more information regarding Ford's products, please visit http://corporate.ford.com and www.ford.com.cn

By Jeremy Korzeniewski