The mystery of the Mondeo. It could just be the title of a story written by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, but of course it isn’t. Still, an automobile Sherlock Holmes would come in handy to unravel the mystery. These spy photos show a new Ford prototype, reminiscent of both the Mondeo and the Chinese Evos.
With which model Ford will fill the gap that the Mondeo will leave after its departure in March 2022, is still a big mystery. In any case, the concept of the Evos (photos 9 to 13) developed and produced in China by the Changan-Ford joint venture is an interesting one. Like the C5 X with which Citroën is, in a sense, returning to the C5 and Mondeo segments, the Evos is a crossover-like liftback that Ford hopes will win over customers who find a sedan too traditional and an SUV too tall. The Evos will not come to Europe, Ford announced shortly after the Chinese introduction of the model. Later an Evos-like prototype surfaced in Europe and now a similar test model has appeared in front of our spy photographer’s lens in the United States, a car that makes things even more complicated.
The Ford Evos (China) clearly has a different window and roof line.
The test model caught is still fanatically in the stickers, but in particular the nose and butt are less heavily camouflaged than those of the test sample caught in Europe. The front looks straight from the Evos, but the rest of the car resembles the body shape after nothing to do with that Chinese car. This mysterious Ford is more a traditional sedan than the Evos. The roofline runs more than on the Evos in a smooth line primal in the rear window and the windows are not identical to that of the Evos, which is especially clear at the rear door and the side window placed behind it. In addition, the rear lights of this test model are completely different from those of that Chinese model. The three knotted taillights have three vertical elements that are very reminiscent of the ones on the back of the Mustang Mach-E, although the tailpipes at the bottom of the rear give away along with the ‘Caution, Fuel Drain’ stocker on the rear bumper – if they are real – that this is not an all-electric model.
Ford mystery caught. Mondeo facelift for China?
It has long been clear that Ford is not making a traditional hatchback, sedan or station wagon from the Mondeo successor. It is therefore unlikely that this is the car with which Ford will follow up the Mondeo in Europe and its Fusion brother, cut from the American supply range some time ago. In addition, the front of this test model – just like that of the Evos – is completely in line with that of models intended for the Chinese market such as the Equator (Sport).
Ford Mondeo (China)
That brings us back to the Mondeo, which is also for sale in China and is sold there next to the Evos (photos 14, 15 and 16). The Chinese Mondeo has been out of step with the European model for a while now. For example, over the years the car has been given the front and rear of the American Mondeo – the Fusion – and recently the Chinese branch of Ford pressed a huge vertical touchscreen into the center console of the model. Another possibility is that the Ford Ford is a thoroughly facelifted – or perhaps completely new – Chinese Mondeo that is only subjected to test work in Europe and the United States and that with its new nose and buttocks should visually match the Evos better. and Mustang Mach-E.
Ford Mondeo (China)
For the time being, it seems that the Kuga and Mustang Mach-E will take over from the Mondeo from March 2022. Ford will not miss the outgoing Mondeo in Europe, the Mustang Mach-E has already overtaken the car in the European sales statistics in a short time.
– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl