Our prior post on the Ford Mondeo (Fusion) Vignale Concept details the Blue Oval’s attempt to posh up the yet-unreleased European sedan some two years before it’s set to finally go on sale.
I don’t have a problem with that, and in fact I think the Mondeo genuinely deserves this Vignale trim idea, as it’s always been a really good car, that was always let down by its non-premium badge and never-best-in-class interior. If only they didn’t go to all the trouble of calling something Italian to make it sound desirable and design housey.
However, I think that while Ford did buy off several Italian design houses like Ghia and Vignale, the use of their names to designate trim levels, even if they are higher-spec ones seems unjustified. In fact, Ghia was never a top trim level on newer Fords, and they could have just as easily gone with “Trend+” or something fitting, like that.
Now, this Vignale version promises to make the Mondeo a more desirable machine, and attract those more image-conscious buyers that would have otherwise bought a lower-spec Mercedes-Benz, or BMW. Make no mistake, if this rebadged Fusion is as good as its two European-designed and Genk-built predecessors, it will again be a case of badge bringing down the side, and relegating a very well-engineered and solid car to the apparent ranks of mediocrity, where it had no place.
I think that if they actually want to make it successful, and not make everything awkward and tough to understand for buyers, they really need it to function as an actual sub-brand, with its own preferably bespoke models that do away with the utilitarian Ford badges altogether – a European Lincoln? Currently, they’re throwing ideas around, and to me it doesn’t sound very clear yet….
Nevertheless, enough about that, there’s also a new batch of photos just released, trying to sell us on the idea of the Vignale-Mondeo. All of them are posted after the virtual jump.
By Andrei Nedelea
PHOTO GALLERY
