At the Frankfurt Motor Show last month, Ford revealed plans for its upscale sub-brand Vignale and showed the world what it will stand for with a concept based on the Mondeo. However, it looks like the sub-brand will be about more than premium materials inside and flashier exteriors.
In an interview with Autonews Europe, Ford of Europe marketing boss Gaetano Thorel revealed that Vignale will offer customers a special ownership experience, including…free car washes for the car’s lifetime.
“It is very likely the customer would not have to drive to the dealership as the car would be picked up, washed and returned to him,” the executive revealed, with free car washes to be offered for the entire life of the car.
The Vignale customer will have a single contact at the dealership for any request on product or service, meaning that customers will always talk with the same person. “The Vignale customer experience is about providing help not only for product and service needs, but also assist with things such as booking a theater ticket or finding a near-by parking space,” the executive added.
Moving on to more serious stuff, Thorel said Vignale models will be priced similarly to ST models but will attract a completely different type of customer, described as “someone looking for style, comfort and dedicated services.” He added that not all Ford models would get the Vignale treatment. “The Vignale line will be offered only on models and in segments that offer clear opportunities, beginning with the new Mondeo in early 2015.”
The exec refused to say what other models will follow, but estimated Vignale will make up about 10 percent of total European sales of the nameplate it will be offered for, while overall it will represent 5 percent of Ford’s sales on the continent. As for the price, Vignale models will be about 10 percent more expensive than a Titanium model.
By Dan Mihalascu
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