Ford Mondeo production for Europe ended after 29 years.
The latest example – a gray sedan – rolled off the production line in Valencia, Spain, on Monday April 4, images posted on Linkedin by a production engineer confirm.
Launched as Ford’s first “world car”, the Mondeo arrived in 1992 and lasted over four generations.
It was historically one of the brand’s leading global models, but its market share has declined in the face of the growing popularity of SUVs. In the UK alone, Ford sold over 86,500 units in 2001, but that figure has fallen to only 2400 units in 2020.
A Ford spokesperson told Autocar that the main reason for the Mondeo’s discontinuation comes down to “changing customer preferences” and that Ford is “evolving our range of passenger vehicles in Europe to meet changing customer needs as we move towards an all-electric future.”
A fifth-generation Mondeo has been unveiled but will be built in China and sold exclusively there as demand for sedans in the world’s biggest car market remains strong.
While the Mondeo is set to retire, Ford’s UK passenger car range only includes the Fiesta and Focus in the non-SUV B and C segments.
Questions remain as to what will happen when the two sedans reach the end of their life cycles in 2023 or 2024. Ford’s European lineup will be all-electric by 2030, and it’s unlikely to launch any new ones. purely ICE short-term models. until this time.
Before that, however, Ford will offer all models in Europe with a plug-in hybrid powertrain option by mid-2026, so the Fiesta and Focus could return as PHEV-only offerings before the brand does. becomes fully electric.
In line with its electrification goals, the company has announced that its Valencia plant will build the 2.5-litre Atkinson cycle hybrid petrol engine used for the Kuga, Galaxy and S-Max from late 2022. The engine is currently built in Chihuaha, Mexico. .
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Source: www.autocar.co.uk
This notice was published: 2022-04-06 16:23:00
