FORD has officially started production on one of its most significant new cars for some time, the all-new Ford Mondeo Hybrid. The car is the first hybrid electric car built and sold by Ford in Europe.

The Mondeo Hybrid combines a specially-developed 2.0-litre petrol engine with an electric motor and a lithium-ion battery. It is claimed to deliver 67.3 mpg (combined), reaching 100.9 mpg for urban driving and with 99 g/km CO2 emissions.

The enthusiasm Ford has for the car suggests how important it is for the company’s overall EV and hybrid market strategy.

“The Ford Mondeo Hybrid offers consumers the best of both worlds: the enhanced efficiency and reduced emissions of electric power, and the range and performance of a traditional powertrain,” said Roelant de Waard, vice president, Marketing, Sales & Service, Ford of Europe.

“With a range of Ford vehicles that also includes the Focus Electric, as well as fuel-efficient ECOnetic diesel and EcoBoost models, our customers will soon have more options than ever to optimise running costs.”

First launched in 1993 as the replacement for the Sierra, the Mondeo has found homes with more than 1.4m customers across the UK. The all-new model is produced at Ford’s state-of-the-art plant in Valencia.

The widest-ever range of powertrains for the Mondeo includes Ford’s new 1.5 litre EcoBoost petrol and enhanced 2.0-litre TDCi diesel. The Mondeo Hybrid is said to offer pricing competitive with its diesel powertrain variants; something Ford hopes will enable it to deliver on a promise to give fuel-efficiency-minded customers a broader choice.

In the US Ford is the second largest manufacturer of hybrids, having already produced in excess of 400,000 vehicles.

The all-new Ford Mondeo Hybrid is available in the UK from December, with the four-door saloon starting at £24,995 – the same as its 2.0-litre diesel Mondeo Titanium Powershift five-door equivalent.

The new Mondeo is also one of the safest cars on the road, having secured the maximum five-star safety rating by independent crash test authority Euro NCAP.

The new car is also the first Ford worldwide to offer Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection. This technology is designed to detect people in the road ahead – or that could cross the vehicle’s path – and automatically apply the brakes if the driver does not respond to warnings.

Also introduced for the first time in Europe is Ford’s Inflatable Rear Seatbelt technology – a segment-first for Mondeo. In the event of an accident, the seatbelt can expand to disperse crash forces across a body area five times greater than that achieved by a conventional seatbelt.

“This is the most technologically advanced Ford ever introduced in Europe. Through features like Pre-Collision Assist with Pedestrian Detection, and Inflatable Rear Seatbelt, we’ve delivered safety features that provide exceptional protection for drivers, passengers and pedestrians alike,” said Ulrich Koesters, vehicle line director, Ford of Europe.

Technologies offered by the all-new Mondeo also include:

•    Dynamic LED headlights, which offer the daylight-mimicking light clarity of full-LED headlamps combined with Ford’s Adaptive Front Lighting System
•    Ford MyKey, which enables owners to programme a key – usually for younger drivers – that can prevent incoming phone calls, set a maximum audio volume and restrict the top speed
•    Active City Stop, to help drivers avoid low speed collisions
•    SYNC 2 with Emergency Assistance, a voice-activated interface that enables drivers to keep their eyes on the road and their hands on the wheel, and can directly connect vehicle occupants to local emergency services operators after an accident

“Euro NCAP’s five-star standard is getting higher and higher and cars now have to combine outstanding occupant crash protection with sophisticated driver assistance systems in order to make the grade. The Mondeo delivers on both counts and is amongst the first to offer pedestrian detection technology,” added Michiel van Ratingen, Euro NCAP general secretary.

Additionally, the car’s body structure features 61% high strength steel, and uses an industry-first application of hydro-formed high strength steel for the forward window pillars and the roof rails – reducing side impact intrusion.

Further structural developments include an anti-roll bar uniquely designed to limit transmission travel in a frontal impact – minimising steering rack movement, and sill rocker panels made of martensitic boron steel for improved side impact protection.

Available as a five-door hatch, estate plus the new four-door hybrid, the new Mondeo is priced from £20,795, with first customer deliveries from December onwards.

Vauxhall takes the wraps off new Viva

EARLIER this year Vauxhall released a teaser image to mark the return of a British motoring icon, the Viva.

Now the company has unveiled the new car in all its glory, although it bears little resemblance to the popular family run-around which was such a familiar sight on the driveways of new housing estates during the Sixties and Seventies.

The new car is a five-door entry-level model, set to arrive in the UK next spring. It will form an important addition to Vauxhall’s small car range, joining the fashionable ADAM and the popular Corsa supermini.

Announcing the new mode, Vauxhall said the car was intended to pay homage to the original Viva, which was produced from 1963 to 1979.

“The all-new Viva shares the original’s philosophy of clean lines, durability and practicality.  It is designed for modern, everyday life and at 3.68m long is practical and spacious providing more than enough room for up to five people,” it said.

Vauxhall said the Viva was also the latest model in its range to display its  sculptured, precise design philosophy. Three strong feature lines swoop down the sides with the signature ‘blade’, seen previously on Insignia, slicing through the doors. The two others run through the front and rear door handles. The grille features a distinctive winged chrome bar with the Griffin in the centre.

The new car will be available in 10 exterior paint colours with a variety of 14- to 16-inch wheels.

It will feature the new 1.0-litre three-cylinder ECOTEC engine also used in the ADAM ROCKS AIR and subsequently the new Corsa.

Like its stablemates ADAM and Corsa, the Viva is also fully-connected to the IntelliLink infotainment system, which is intended to integrate with Apple iOS and Android devices.

The car is also equipped with ESP featuring traction control, ABS with Electronic Brake-Force Distribution and Hill Start Assist, which prevents the car from rolling back when starting on a slope.  Further safety options can be selected including Lane Departure Warning.

Another feature that VIVA shares with ADAM and Corsa is City mode which reduces steering effort at the push of a button. Park Assist alerts the driver to obstacles whilst parking plus there’s optional cruise control, sunroof, fog lights, heated front seats and heated steering wheel.

Tim Tozer, Vauxhall’s Chairman and Managing Director, said: “On sale next year at an extremely attractive price point, Viva joins new Corsa and ADAM in a compelling small car portfolio, giving Vauxhall an unrivalled position in the small car market.”

If it’s half as popular as the original model (left) then Vauxhall will be delighted because latest figures show the brand is close to surrendering its second-placed market share to Volkswagen.

However, the small car sector is now much more keenly contested than when the original model was launched. Then it was a straight choice between the Viva and the Escort (if you’re unsure about this, ask your dad).

Porsche outlines its festive offerings

STUCK for what to treat the motoring enthusiast in your life to this Christmas, Porsche has come up with festive offerings.

Starting out from the Porsche Experience Centre at Silverstone is the Taste of Porsche, which for £150 allows you to indulge in 20 minutes’ driving the latest 911 Carrera, 20 minutes’ driving the new Cayman GTS, an off-road demonstration in the new Cayenne, an exhilarating passenger ride in the latest Panamera and lunch for two in the Porsche Restaurant. As well as the three-course lunch your guest will be able to join the action in both the Cayenne and Panamera activities.

In addition, Porsche Driver’s Selection has added a range of new products to its collection, with everything from watches and jackets to children’s toys and lifestyle accessories all vying for a place on Santa’s sleigh.

At the pinnacle of the range is the Steve McQueen collection, with the Porsche Driver’s Selection showing a range of new lines for both men and women. There are classic jackets, t-shirts and rugby shirts. The women’s Steve McQueen 100% nappa lambskin jacket is available in brown at £540, with the men’s Steve McQueen Rugby shirt available in dark grey/light grey a snip at £75.

The Porsche Factory Team Jackets, which begin at £230, are intended to hark back to the golden era of Le Mans 1969 and 1972 and have been according to Porsche “painstakingly recreated in a bid to echo the fashions worn by the drivers, mechanics and teams”. They are, it adds, “a collection as laid-back as the celebratory party in the winner’s pits”.

Since 1954, Porsche calendars have been a part of any Porsche enthusiast’s collection. Winning a number of international design awards over the years, this year’s theme is ‘Monochrome Purity’. Each image depicts a new world – inspired by the unique design of Porsche sportscars, the calendar (£40) also comes complete with an exclusive collector’s medal.

There’s also the 911 Turbo Classic wristwatch (£470). The watch is a reminder that 2014 was the 911 Turbo’s 40th anniversary.

However, my favourite has to be the 911 Carrera 4S children’s buggy, which comes in red or turquoise for £107 – just the thing for that first Porsche driving experience!

Drive safely.