The Ford Mondeo is a bit like the custard cream of cars, everyone recognise them but few of us really get that excited about them. The car has never been known for having the wow factor to put it simply. The latest offering from Ford promises to change that with a new premium offering that propels the Mondeo into a new league.
Ford Vignale is a a new way of thinking by the global car giant and offers more than just a vehicle. Vignale is a said to be a lifestyle that centres around your car but extends much further than that. The first of the Ford fleet to get the Vignale treatment is of course the trusty Mondeo (soon to be followed by the S-Max later this year) and takes the current chassis with all the bells and whistles – even the process used to apply the paint has been changed to give a deeper shine and extended durability!
When you buy a new Vignale car, it will be a bit like joining an exclusive club. You will use a dedicated Vignale area within the Ford Store (special Ford dealership of which there will be around 55 cropping up across the UK in 2015). You’ll build a personal relationship with the sales manager (although I am not sure I personally would want or need that but it is a nice touch) as well as having access to a ‘one-stop’ support number available 24 hours a day to answer any queries and offer advice.
Central to this new premium product is the desire to make life smooth and hassle free for the vehicles owner, for example when your car needs a service Ford will collect and return it (fully washed). You can also pop into your local Ford Store at any point to have your Vignale vehicle washed at no extra cost. It is nice to learn too that these benefits will continue onto the car’s second owner, an unusual but rather nice touch.
The car itself is ultimately a super-dooper version of the already top range Mondeo Titanium X. Inside you will find a lot of leather (110% more than the existing top spec model) pretty much everywhere you touch in fact is covered in the soft but highly durable Windsor leather.(also found in Bentley’s). The seats themselves has also been designed with an airflow system that keeps you cool or warm as desired, and depending on the spec you choose has a built in massage function.
So is the name badge worth the extra cash? Well I have no doubt that this is a great car, it drives well, it appears solid and has lots of features and luxury touches but there is no getting away from the fact it is a Ford Mondeo at the end of the day. Ford and in particular Mondeo fans will no doubt welcome this new product however is the promise of the Vignale lifestyle enough to woo new customers from the big German brands (for which the price range is comparable)? Well that shall be the big test over the coming months.
Share your thoughts on the Vignale over on twitter with the hashtag #FordVignale