The Ford Mondeo / Contour / Fusion Story

[@RAF71chingachgook]

I was heavily involved in the Contour and Fusion exterior styling starting in 1987 in Dearborn. I did dozens of proposals. I was at Dunton (Basildon) in 1990 when the team there did the interior - I didn't do any of the interior but I enjoyed watching Paul Campbell and company do it. On the exterior we had some very cab forward designs that sadly ended up back in the clay ovens.

[@WarioSaysSo]

Cool!!!

[@Grulaz]

Do you still have early concepts?

[@smorris12]

From looking at the US versions of cars, it seems the trick to making a world car is to design a nice car in Europe and then make something traumatising happen to it in the container on the way over to America.

[@watershed44]

@smorris12 You are close to the reality. I live in the USA and what I think is happening in these cases is that Dearborn doesn't like that Cologne gets into the US market with their designs, which on the whole are far better than anything Dearborn has designed. So since Dearborn controls the modification aspect for US bound cars they have been sabotaging them with all manner of maladies for decades now. The latest was the last version of the Focus and Fiesta sold here with the disasterous dry "DCT" while Europe already has designed the cars with a trouble free wet clutch DCT. The result was that the dry clutch used in the US cars (most consumers buy automatic trans) were almost all failing within 10000 miles and to this day the problems have never been satisfactory resolved. This lead to the death of Focus and Fiesta here. But again this kind of Dearborn sabotage has been going on with various imported European Fords for many decades now. Sad because the European Ford for the most part was always the better products in almost every way.

[@bigpjohnson]

The US side does a terrible job of marketing and selling the overseas products. The Contour burst onto the market in 1994 here with lots of marketing, and then disappeared from TV and papers. Unless you went to the dealer, you wouldnt know about it. GM did the same with the GTO, G8 and SS, amazing cars, zero marketing. When the SS was killed off, car guys werent even aware it existed! The Contour was also quite advanced and complicated, and a PITA to repair compared to the simpler Tempo and Taurus. The salesguy who sold my dad 4 Fords in the 90s refused to sell him a Contour, as he would lose him as a customer due to the poor reliability.

[@watershed44]

@bigpjohnson The problem was that Dearborn was using parts vendors for the US Contour from Mexico which had significantly lower quality than the vendors used for the Mondeo sold in Europe. Again cost cutting on the US spec cars is what made them less reliable than the nearly identical model sold in Europe. It was no accident either.

[@halohunter5217]

@@watershed44 Do you have a source to back up this wet clutch claim? Pretty sure they are all dry clutch. I bought a manual US Fiesta and the build quality and fit and finish are fantastic for a sub $15k car.

[@watershed44]

@halo hunter Ford Motor Company released a wet-clutch "PowerShift"[2][5] transmission on the 2008 Ford Focus (international)[5][65] and Ford C-MAX. This wet-clutch[5] DCT was designed with gearbox specialist Getrag[5] under the Getrag Ford Transmissions joint venture, founded in 2001,[66][67] and is expected to feature in other Ford and Volvo[65] models.

[@mattevans4377]

It's such a shame saloons and estates have fallen out of fashion. They are just so much more handsome than the lumps that are SUVs/Crossovers.

[@watershed44]

@Matt Evans Actually I believe that they never really fell out of fashion in the USA the thing here is that the car companies like to push the CUV/SUV because of the higher profit margin. Essentially in the USA wagon sales are nonexistent because no one will sell us a wagon here in any great numbers of a volume model

[@chrisbeare9486]

Yes!!! Totally agree.

[@MistahJigglah]

90% of Supposed Utility Vehicles are just Minivans without the utility of sliding doors.

[@vinylrulesok8470]

Yep, I agree

[@chubbyballsack]

yep. fucking tall cars. are they just going to get taller and taller as they take over the market? madness.

[@Frank-sp7vu]

The "Fusion" didn't even fail as a world car, rather Ford has just let go of it instead of redesigning it. Good to see it live on though as the Mondeo. Great job in this whole review!

[@andrewince8824]

Here in the UK the Ford Fusion is a rather bland shitbox hatchback almost always driven by a sour faced old lady going 20 in a 30. It only lasted a decade. By comparison the US "Fusion" or, better to avoid confusion, Mondeo has been hugely successful in Europe with accolades coming from no less than Saint Jeremy of Clarkson, Saint James of May and Saint Richard of Hammond. The three saints of motoring also translated the word of our Lord and saviour, Deus Stig the one true God and it was good, even God loves a Mondeo.

[@FuchsiaShocked]

I'm always happy to see a new Big Car video has been put up. Quality content as always. Keep doing the good thing.

[@bradlemmond]

Big Car is one of the channels I almost always click on as soon as I see a new video in my feed.

[@Cowboy-fn4fc]

I love Big Car as well

[@highlypolishedturd7947]

OMG, your Ford/Mercury rant was brilliant! Back then I worked at a Mercury dealership, separate from a Ford dealer across town... Though we had Ford pickup trucks... The Mercury dealer was routinely trounced by Ford in volume, though neither the Contour or Mystique were big sellers, in this area, or anywhere else in Canada.

[@halohunter5217]

Mercurys were sold at Lincoln dealerships, hence the Lincoln/Mercury name on them...

[@RoonMian]

13:00 My father still has the TDCI (turbo diesel commonrail injection) as an estate, ECU tuned to 189 horsepowers. Still going strong with 500,000km on the clock, only had an issue once with the camshaft sensor. But we're expecting the end of its life coming soon-ish. It's still a great car though.

[@zevilaga]

That elegant Gentleman meltdown at 8:00 - What a legend! :D

[@Spookieham]

In Australia the 3rd generation Mondeo XR5 had the Volvo T5 5 cyl 20 valve 2.5l turbo, NOT the V6 engine. I've got one sitting on my drive...I've only kept it because of that lovely engine.

[@TheMentalblockrock]

Engine would be even more lovely if in a Volvo.

[@obelic71]

The sound of that 5cil engine is unique. And the 5 cil Volvo engine has become an iconic engine. Ford , Mazda, Jaguar and Landrover also used that engine.

[@pokest225]

@@TheMentalblockrock is technically a Volvo. It uses a ford volvo platform.

[@pokest225]

@@obelic71 mazda jaguar and land rover never used volvo t5 engines. Only volvo itself, and ford.

[@obelic71]

@@pokest225 In those days als those brands where owned by ford. the mondeo and jaguar x class (mondeo base) used that engine also. The land rover discovery petrol version had the 5 cil engine. But 95% of all landrovers for Europe where deliverd with diesel engines

[@laverda668]

With a Mk4.5 Titanium and a Mk5 Titanium hatch under my belt, this was a useful and informative guide to my cars history. I must say the latest ergonomics are wonderful for my mk5 being used as a taxi and it fixed all the issues I had with the mk5.5. Love that diesel power, economy and torque curve and my cab gets massive positive feedback from riders for style and comfort. Hard to beat the sound system too. Shame there's a few hiccups with Sync3 and Android Auto but nothing I can't sort whole on the move.

[@2many2say]

Well put together Big Car guy! I:m amazed how your getting all that styling & development materials from........

[@stuartroberts9545]

Visit aronline.co.uk All of the info in these videos are on there under "the cars" section.

[@BigCar2]

Some of it, yes. I can't recommend aronline highly enough - it's an excellent website.

[@benday1218]

Thanks, a really nice overview. I own an early 1993 Mk1 Mondeo, I love it, and it is still pretty usable in 2019.

[@davidmichaels8934]

Ben Day, so do I, built in Germany, r/h drive, 1st registered March 1993,2 litre DOHC, had it since November 2000,nice to drive, 45mpg.

[@killerdinamo08]

Keep driving ❤.

[@DanRyzESPUK]

Same here, my father owns one bought new in 1997 and still rides.

[@robertmcghintheorca49]

Doesn't sound bad for a car that's 26 years old.

[@benday1218]

@@robertmcghintheorca49 28 years now!

[@Atlantean1980]

I own a 2016 Fusion/Mondeo Titanium which I bought from new with the 2.0 Ecoboost. It just ticked over 110K and hasn't had a single thing break or fail, just routing oil changes, tires and brakes. Best car I've ever owned and it still drives like new.

[@jimpie231]

In 1998 I rented a Ford Mondeo station wagon in Dresden and had it for 2 weeks in Poland. It was a great car. Was a 5 speed with air, cruise, etc. My mother-in-law never drove in an airconditioned car and enjoyed the cross country trip like never before. The 1.8L 4 cylinder engine was peppy and the car was amazing. The unique locking key system was great because of the high theft rate in Poland at the time and I had no problems. I currently was driving Honda’s in Chicago, but would have bought this car if this wagon model was offered. I was looking for a car when I returned to the US. Thanks…Jim

[@cloudyrepublic]

I'm so happy you've done the Mondeo! My first car was a MK2 Mondeo. Nobody in Australia bought one, so I felt pretty unique. Slow as hell, but it taught me to appreciate a well handling and enjoyable driver's car in ways the cars I had borrowed previously hadn't. Bought a mk4 a few years back and was happy to see the investment into driving feel was still apparent. I sold it last year and miss it dearly, but you couldn't get a diesel manual in Australia so I moved on.

[@sergiofreitas9368]

8:12 will be my new alarm, no more oversleeping!

[@scottvodrey1255]

Thank you for nearly making me choke on my dinner at 8:00! Your humour is getting better and better!

[@bradlemmond]

i noe rite? Ford probably should have axed Mercury in the 80's if they weren't going to give them any unique cars (or sometimes 1 at a time that didn't sell well anyway).

[@jacklfirth]

18:03

[@reidboggs4344]

Mercury was a bit of a relic from an earlier era of car buying when trim levels were a bit more affluence affected.

[@janetfishwick8887]

My first Mondeo was an "M " reg, Tourmaline green, bought in 1997. I kept it for 20 years and it never failed me. I spent a lot of money getting it through MOT's but it was always worth it. Due to family pressure, I purchased a beautiful Mark 4 in Chill Silver, in 2017. Absolutely huge beast of a car with a boot like a skip. Spacious and comfortable. Always kept in a garage. Cleaned , polished and regularly maintained with a personal registered plate for perfection.

[@mafiousbj]

The Mondeo was aspirational here in Argentina...truly the most luxurious car the brand had here. Funny thing is my dad owned a 96 Honda Accord but always wanted a Mondeo. I didn't know they decided to base the Mondeo specifically focusing on the Accord capabilities!

[@1ute]

gives me some cultural perspective for sure!

[@davesharp7315]

I had six of them over a 16 year period (2000-2016) from my GhiaX 2.0 automatic MKII to my last MK5 1.6 Zetec Ecoboost... Loved them. I was always amazed I could fit my entire mobile DJ setup into the back of a hatchback...

[@AddictedtoProjects]

I can't believe you don't have 500k subscribers (yet!) !! The quality of the production is incredibly good, and every video gets more and more polished. Love all of them! :D

[@BigCar2]

You just need to tell 475,000 of your closest friends to subscribe. We can do it!

[@-nigelidisi4568]

All your videos that I have watched are just Great!, informative, unbiased,detailed, thorough, but never too long to be boring. Well done and please keep it up.

[@rafflesnh]

Interesting that you actually worked on improving the My Ford Touch 'disaster', BC. Also intriguing to know that the Duratec engines were ex Mazda. I remember the massive marketing push by Ford when the first Mondeo was launched whereby they sent a VHS videotape cassette to almost every household in the country, featuring Jackie Stewart. Good stuff as always BC. Thanks. ps. At 3:04, when you talk about the Cologne design team winning out on the initial design, it reminded me very much of a Mitsubishi Galant! Dead spit I reckon. 8-)

[@Saabinseptime]

I love my 2018 Mondeo Vignale. It's a pure beauty. My first Ford and I'm in love. I hate the design of the 9O's including the first Mondeo but now it's another story and the design is at its top.

[@rakido7388]

10:02 "The Mondeo was designed to take a V8" WAIT WHAT WHO NOW? Please tell me at least one functioning example exists!

[@halohunter5217]

The platform's floorpan and structure were designed to handle V8 power. I doubt stuffing one in a Mondeo would be a simple task.

[@yanuchiuchihaanimegamesand3907]

@@halohunter5217 Sure it is *stuff an LS in there*

[@Nemoticon]

@@yanuchiuchihaanimegamesand3907 No

[@sauberboisaubarboi5652]

And that’s how NASCAR works

[@alfiewhittaker3763]

just get a MG ZT260

[@Emppu_T.]

8:10 you really startled me right there! Holy moly

[@WilbertvandenBosch]

Yea, let's not do that again... mkay ?

[@ecurb10]

14:22 actually here in Aus the XR-5 Turbo used the 5 cylinder Volvo engine. I have one (2009 MB) and it's awesome!

[@DaveWestMedia]

They produced a version of the MK4 with the Volvo 5 banger here in the UK. Great engine but the MK4's porky kerb weight and slightly boaty handling meant it was a bit of a handful in corners. We've got a 2.0 diesel MK4.5 facelift - lovely car fair play. XR5 Turbo is a great name, shame they didn't use it here

[@ecurb10]

@@DaveWestMedia Cheers. Yea...they called it that I think to match our Falcon XR6

[@aclmotorsport4420]

Had an MA XR5 till recently, loved that thing, chanced across it with new owner at Supercheap last week, I almost cried lol!

[@wetlettuce4768]

@@DaveWestMedia My brother had one for a short while it was an absolute lemon I've never seen something so new yet so rusty underneath, he learnt a valuable lesson why you never buy a car that spent its life in Scotland.

[@gmf62v84]

The fourth generation Ford Mondeo also has a 2.0 Liter Ecoboost Petrol Engine which produces 240 HorsePower

[@emeyer6963]

Loved my 1997 Contour Sport V6 with a 5 speed manual.Other than a couple of alternators I never put a dime into it in the 120000 miles I owned it.

[@BOABModels]

My grandparents had a Ford Focus Ghia from 2005 and now my parents (now grandparents themselves) have a Focus Vignale!

[@RoadCone411]

Great video - I was looking forward to this and you didn't disappoint! I almost bought a brand new Ford Contour V6 in 1996 (I was set to go with the 5-speed manual and six cylinder combo, a rare breed in the USA) but I couldn't get past the small interior and some lesser quality details. The Mondeo was definitely a more highly thought of car in Britain than the Contour/Mystique was in the US! I ended up with a 2-year old Volvo 850 GLT - also a 5-speed manual - for about the same money...turned out that was one of my favorite cars! Mercurys have always been badge-engineered versions of Fords, and the Mystique was obviously no exception. Yes, you could think of Mercury as a slightly higher trim level, slotting between Ford and Lincoln in the FoMoCo hierarchy, but you have to remember that brands such as Mercury, Oldsmobile and Pontiac had a generational appeal. Ford buyers were not Mercury buyers, and there was probably not a lot of cross shopping going on. Mercury buyers may have been modestly older, appreciating the more traditional styling elements and slightly higher image of Mercurys, as well as improved service from Lincoln-Mercury dealers versus the more pedestrian Ford dealerships. Time marches on, the distinctions between the brands became less clear and Ford needed to rationalize their brands and reign in their costs. Like Olds, Pontiac and Plymouth, Ford could not justify the expense of the separate Mercury brand, which by the 2000s was mostly cannibalizing sales from mainstream Fords anyway.

[@Finglesham]

I still have a 2005 Mk 3 estate with a 2 litre petrol engine. Great car been very reliable and pretty easy to mend - not often. The Road Tax is high now at £300 as the government want me to use a rubber band driven car. Sod off. Good video.

[@free_spirit1]

3:41 I can almost smell the steering wheel. It had a very distinct smell. Like a mix between rubber and tanned leather, only sweeter.

[@michaelhawthorne8696]

I have a 2.0 TDi Titanium X 2013 plated business edition. I absolutely love it... It has Cruise and speed limiter controls, heated and vented seats...Front and rear parking sensors....electric windows, mirrors, Touch button start....Stereo fully controllable from the steering wheel. Heated front and rear windows....SAT NAV....and more.....soooo many toys....80000 miles on the clock......

[@philipsparrow7377]

I loved my 2.0L 2001 "Zetec" lift-back in NZ, low on power but handled so well on the back roads.

[@DaveWestMedia]

Our MK4.5 2.0 TDCi is seven years old now and still runs like a watch, same clutch and gearbox from new and never had a days trouble. Heavy and certainly not fast with 140bhp, but has enough usable and flexible power when needed. Also like a cavern inside, quite shocked at the amount of room for a Ford! Great video, nice job fella 👍

[@needleonthevinyl]

18:13 I wouldn't call it "badass" but in the US there was briefly a 2.7L twin turbo option with 325 hp and AWD. Nobody really seemed to notice and it was quietly discontinued after a couple years.

[@AdalbertoDidou]

Here in Brazil Mondeo was sold from 1995 to 2006. In 2006 Ford replace Mondeo with Ford Fusion. Ford Fusion was sold here until 2020.

[@yanuchiuchihaanimegamesand3907]

All it needed was Adidas stripes... and it would have been a hit in Eastern Europe

[@bandvitromaniaios1307]

Lol

[@DolleHengst]

True. Was in Russia and several Eastern European countries around 2004, and Adidas is almost like a religion to them. Also funny how huge Samsung already was in those countries.

[@malifeblike1376]

Saxo 106 honda beAt .fiesta?

[@yanuchiuchihaanimegamesand3907]

@@DolleHengst I can confirms this, to Slavic Europe Adidas is more important than air.

[@alfiewhittaker3763]

and hardbass

[@gabrielesala6336]

My uncle had a 2005 Mondeo Sedan, which here in Italy was pretty rare, silver with beige interior, Ghia spec, a super cool car...

[@ryanmansfield7262]

The ST diesel was actually a 2.2 not a 2 litre

[@blingking501]

Second that. 2.2 churning out 155 sooty bhp.

[@jamesburge4611]

Wa not as reliable as the 2.0 115/130ps unit and the pcm upgrades down at 25k caused significant running issues

[@bolacapoeira]

I have that car model :D

[@bolacapoeira]

@@jamesburge4611 I have that 2.2l /155hp and it has zero running issues. Taking out of course the normal wearer parts

[@Rentta]

@@jamesburge4611 Ours chucked along until 600k km's and it was chipped at 200k mark.

[@CascadeFreak]

I don't know if I have typed this comment before on this video, but I met a man who had a Mondeo ST-220...before Mondeos were being made into ST-220's. Essentially the lad had an ambulance engine (complete with turbo) swapped in place of the standard engine. He allowed me to sit in the passenger seat and drove me around the block in this ambulance-engined Mondeo, and it was pretty bloody fast. Looked the part to a factory-spec ST-220, so I wouldn't have been able to guess anywho. It's been months since i've seen the lad, and I remember he sold it to a lucky person, as he was unable to keep it. I'll remember that pre-ST-220 Mondeo, thanks to that ride.

[@kendal5210]

Ford missed out by not doing a mondeo rs or st with the 5l mustang v8, what a c63 and m4 rival that would have been :(

[@ervin7178]

Yeah I’m SURE a front wheel drive v8 ford would have been a real competitor, I’m remember when the Taurus SHO V8 really scared the Germans, that transverse v8 understeering boat was a real e39 competitor, it was basically a 4 door Bugatti Chiron. BMW and Mercedes would have gone out of buisness if ford ever started making transverse engine front drive v8 cars.

[@rudranshu65sengupta14]

kendal There was a ST estate version I think

[@andisadler2897]

Ford did make Mondeo ST220 which was 0-60 in 6.6 and 223bhp and 210lb ft. I think this was the top of range.

[@thegearknob7161]

@@ervin7178 Except there is no need for it to be FWD. The platform already has AWD. They sold a fusion in the US with like 370hp and AWD, but didn't offer it in europe for some reason. We're apparently not worth bothering with.

[@andisadler2897]

@@thegearknob7161 lol.its cause.our.petrol.prices are.too high and engines are too big and.will drink fuel. Thats why its not sold in Europe nor.or.any 5.0 litres etc unless the owner is rich. My car is 2.0 litre turbo 230bhp.and.only does 28mpg. Thats enough for me lol

[@GeeEm1313]

The 95-97 Contours had lights in the interior door handle wells. My parents rented one once and i thought it was the coolest thing ever.

[@tonyeff4447]

I had a mondeo St24. Technically the grandad of the St logo. I was only 22 and my insurance was hideous but I loved it

[@TheIndulged1]

My dad had one as a company car, his was metallic dark green, we called it Kermit, it wasn't a bad car but the central locking had problems, many a time we were locked in and the alarm would go off, I got to meet a lot of police and security due to that!.

[@tonyeff4447]

@@TheIndulged1 funny story 👍🏻 I think the metallic green was the nicest colour for them. Mine was dark metallic blue hatchback version. I wanted the saloon version. I only kept it for a year because the insurance wasn't viable for me. Plus petrol prices in England are a joke. So I traded it in for a silver Peugeot 206 1.0L which of course felt like a massive down grade lol

[@TheIndulged1]

@@tonyeff4447 well I learned to drive shortly after and brought a Peugeot 106 rallie I didn't mind it to be honest it was like a road going go kart, still not as fun as my brother's 92 mini cooper but I liked it, I now drive a Skoda Octavia VRS 2017 but I live in Norway now so insurance and fuel isn't to bad, I know you Brit's pay a stupid amount, we just pay heavily for food and alcohol etc.

[@tonyeff4447]

@@TheIndulged1 lol my first car was 106, not a rallie though. I too had a 2003 octavia vrs. The lovely 1.8 turbo 20v in black. Probably still the fastest car I've owned yet. But unfortunately the synchronisation mesh went in my gear box. Sold it as spairs or repairs😢

[@tonyeff4447]

Wow good English too if your from Norway

[@craigsmith9843]

Ive had 6 mondeos in the past,mk1 and a mk2.realy liked them.went on to others cars since and after having nothing but problems have gone back to a mondeo,,a mk1.nice n simple no limp mode.

[@asfhyujtg324]

I would love to have a MKII (MK1 facelift) one day, I really love older Fords, mainly because my dad has had 3.

[@MehdiS-music]

Having owned two of them i can recommend them if you find one without rust!

[@damirkvajo]

I've had 1994, 2.0L Estate that ran on LPG, and with Ghia equipment. Now I own a 1998. 1.8TD Estate with Recaro seats from ST200 model. I rebuilt the engine and bunch of other stuff, it has 270k km and I plan on driving it untill they ban diesels alltogether in Europe.

[@EvertAlink]

I see this in my list and think how can you talk for over 20 minutes about a Ford Mondeo and keep it interesting, but our Big Car Guy can! Well done!

[@BigCar2]

Thanks Evert!

[@pr1t561]

I have a 2011 Mk4.5 Mondeo and ive had mondeos ever since the mk2. Amazing cars.

[@95blahblahhaha]

BigCar guy, it's really nice that you usually always take the time to like or reply to your comments it means a lot to your viewers. Hope you don't forget us when u hit 5million subscribers lol

[@BigCar2]

Why thank you! 5M - hah! I'd be very happy if I ever got to 100k.

[@georgestewart1325]

I was known as the Mondeo man as i owned 5 in a row from new..

[@davekp6773]

I can sort of see the thinking behind that there ha ha. I was Cavalier man as our family were into GMs

[@dannystanley918]

Cracking video as always. I’ve owned two mk3 mondeos a basic 1.8 petrol lx and the other one a facelift 1.8 petrol SCi Ghia X and loved them both, especially the ghia. Love fords.

[@ricmahurin7535]

The all ford fusion of 2012 on is an amazing design that i love. I would like to see more cars with cross-Atlantic appeal. thanks for covering the Contour. Car And Driver was flummoxed by the silly rear leg room. I can concur... it is sub par to the Tempo it replaced. The restyle headlights that made the hood cutline a semicircle on the plat plane was genius.

[@zbillster]

7:36 If Ford had their way in the 1950s, it could have been a lot worse. Ford Contour, Mercury Mystique AND Edsel Eggplant!

[@matthewbrooker]

Great content. Had a 1998 V6 Mondeo in red and years later a 2015 3.0 V6 Diesel, dark grey. Best road cars I ever had.

[@briansteffmagnussen9078]

I love the Gen I Mondeo for being just a great car and the Batmobile style front.

[@Yoni-G]

I always love your videos. At 3:00 minutes, the different body design teams are evoked, the Cologne team winning the day. The Cologne design team was also by far the best in the Mk3 Cortina / Taunus design in 1970 (the first almost pan European Ford). The Mk3 Cortina looked like a downsized US car, whereas the equivalent Taunus had the European elegance of a classy family car. And it seems to me that the interior finish of the "L" version was better in the Taunus (In the early 70s my Grandfather had a Taunus 1300L, and my Father had a company Cortina 1600L, so I can compare).

[@optimalkfrt]

We still have out '99 2.5 v6 in the garage my father bought as new, great car - shame I don't get to drive it too often! BTW the EU Mondeo recieved the 2017 update much later due to being earlier in the lifecycle.

[@Bzons]

The Mercury Mystique was essentially a "I don't want a Ford because it's too bare bones, but I can't afford a Lincoln level of luxury, so I have to go with a Mercury." kind of car.

[@marcelprinsen5741]

4:03 Like the Honda s2000 shot! Furthermore a well informative video as ever.

[@jerrywood4508]

I saw the Mondeo in Paris before the Contour was available in the US. I test drove a Contour when it came out, ready to buy. But I found the interior cheap-looking and passed on it. Ten years later I bought a Fusion, and liked it very much. I didn't even realize they were related cars.

[@neil_st6073]

Really interesting thanks. Please do a Ford Focus version next (From a MK2 Focus ST owner)

[@BigCar2]

I'll do the Escort and Focus at some point. Not sure when.

[@normanmunns4743]

Hi Andy Your in depth car knowledge astounds me Keep these blogs coming

[@insertnamehere5146]

love the ST24 adore the ST200

[@benconway9010]

Yeah cant believe you showed a vid of the cav GSI 4x my car i loved my GSI but it was so expensive got stolen twice broken in to god knows how many times unfortunately had to get rid of it couldn't afford it anymore best car i ever had

[@joshbacon8241]

At the 1999 Geneva Motor Show, Ford also unveiled the Mondeo ST250 Eco concept car, with a 245bhp supercharged 3.0L V6 which could run on LPG, but the concept never went into production. Which begs the question: why didn’t the ST250 Eco concept go into production?

[@yanuchiuchihaanimegamesand3907]

Bevause it's Ford, a company that at the time only cared about big V8's for the Mustang

[@Wilson84KS]

@Yanuchi No, maybe it was like that in the USA but not in Europe, Ford was back then already on the Eco-Trip, they didn't even brought the 2005 Mustang to Europe, which was one of their biggest mistakes, but Ford Europe didn't want to have big engines anymore and developed EcoBoost in the background in the Formula Ford, they just have a different concept, they build cars for the masses in the highest possible quality for the lowest price, there is no room for such image-games, like VAG is doing it, losing millions on every sold Bugatti, Lambo etc. which the Golf, Passat and Transporter drivers pay while think they pay for higher quality because VW also builds Bugatti 'n shit, very disgusting marketing but it works, Ford Europe doesn't do such games, they save in commercials, there was even never any commercial for the ST and RS models.

[@anthonybrunotheodd]

Mercury was the premium brand. They mainly competed with Buick and Oldsmobile. They had the same cars as Ford but they were slightly nicer with leather seats and wood trim and were a little more expensive. Fords were seen as common man cars and Lincoln’s were rich man cars. Mercury was for the people who were on their way up that a Ford seemed downmarket but couldn’t afford a Lincoln. My Grandma owned a Mercury Sable essentially a rebadged Tarus but it had a slightly different exterior and interior design to make it more upmarket.

[@rubensilvarocha]

The Mondeo could still be the most sold car in Europe but because of the badge snobbery people prefer to pay more for a badge and have an equal or worse car. Really, the 3 series is way worse quality than the actual Mondeo. The Mondeo is bigger as a 5 series, priced as a Renault and has equal or better confort than a VW. Really, people buy the premium badge as now used BMW and Mercs are cheap, but then when they have to fix them...

[@Anonymouseys]

Great as always. Nice to see more of your personality in this one.

[@TheHelado36]

The Sierra was beautiful ! Can’t understand why it was polarizing !

[@shebbs1]

It was a better blob-shape (oops, "jelly mould") than Ford's other efforts, the Taurus in the mid-90's and the AU Falcon in Australia from 1998.

[@elda7153]

@@shebbs1 AU falcon is perfect

[@phildouglas9086]

You're just so interesting in person. Not that I ever met you. Just seen much of your work. And over the years you are as good as anyone out there producing such work. AND I can actually fall asleep in the middle...lol :)

[@BigCar2]

You may have met me. It's a small world. Weren't you in Tuscon, AZ on November 16th 2016 at the downtown Wendy's? I could have sworn it was you Phil! 😜😁

[@phildouglas9086]

@@BigCar2 Are you talking about the Wendy's with dirt floors and Tequila on the menu?

[@BigCar2]

@@phildouglas9086 That one's the best!

[@DavidFraser007]

I loved my MK2 Mondeo estate. Best version ever

[@BobGeogeo]

Some notes on the US first gen: Our cars had bigger bumpers for the US reg's - about 2" longer at each end. US launch held back to 1995 to have V6 for better match for the auto trans demanded by US buyers. Suspension reworked in 1998 with the restyle (headlights) for less stiction on small bumps Mercury versions had more sound insulation and slightly different suspension tuning than Ford ones. Ford's SVT (roughly the ST elsewhere) used the 1mm smaller rear sway bar from Mercury to get less understeer. (Plus stiffer struts and other things). I had a regular 1998 V6 manual trans Ford Contour from new for 10+ years. The steering was great but it always felt nose-heavy. Swapping in SVT struts helped. US cars were very prone to warping brake disks, at least the V6s.

[@richardcrossley5581]

19:57 "Which totally can't be better than the system I worked on" - LOL

[@fabricatedego]

My wife has a Ford Fusion 2018 and you are right about the interface. Sometimes the maps don't load and just spin and sometimes it takes several times to turn on the radio, and the Bluetooth will randomly cut out.

[@nickpierpoint4116]

Had 2 mondeos and now a v50, still contains the same ford/psa parts so I cant escape them

[@wetlettuce4768]

You've got a posh Ford Focus now, fell in love with a V50 when I used to work at a used car lot we had a V50 T5 manual with the Polestar tuning done to it this thing would have smoked a Focus RS. I regret not buying that car.

[@revee1000]

Back in the day I had a couple contours I loved them and the 3 transmissions I went through

[@nkt1]

Another great video. I hate to be that guy, but the car at 10:16 is not a facelifted model; it's a Mk1 with a chrome grille.

[@alancobbin1310]

Fantastic,thank you for bringing back them happy memories,I was an apprentice at Fords when the mark 1 mondeo was launched,great cars ,reps loved them and we sold loads ,I must of PDI’d a few hundred at least ,I’d love to find a mint mark 1 Ghia v6 ,thanks again u made my day 😊👍

[@artfulbodger9539]

At 13.00 mins, you mention the ST TCDI ad having a 2.0 engine.. It didn't.. it had a 2.2..

[@SockyNoob]

Man, the Mondeo ST220 looks sexy. Imagine if we got that in the US. The second gen Fusion was a massively underrated car here, people barely bought them unfortunately. They didn't have all the issues the Fiesta and Focus had with their transmissions.

[@TheLyonCrest]

Listening to this via bluetooth in my Mondeo STTDCI 🤣

[@dyingbreed7740]

Owned a 96 base model. It went 250k miles before I sold it on. Regular maintenance and they were dead reliable indefinitely

[@colinwhite5355]

Watching the ‘progress’ from Cortina through to Mondeo then, finally, the current crop of bland lookalikes is to view the journey from real innovation to today’s mind-numbing blandness. Can’t imagine a classic car scene in 2050 which will include an X-Max. F’ God’s sake.

[@johnford9948]

brillant' story! i currently own 5 mondeos, at the moment! 2 1994 mk1 mondeos saloon 1.6 lx, which got car of the year back in 1994! i also own a 1998 mk2 1.6zetec-e hatchback, with an rs body kit! and 2 2000spec mk2s! one is 1.8TD and the other is 1.6zetec blacktop ;)) all brilliant cars, that i plan to restore in the future! very rare now, as scrappage schemes took most of them! :(

[@travisbackpacker]

Great video again. Would love to see a video on the brand of Daewoo (I learnt to drive in a Matiz) and also I've always been curious as to why Smart cars have lasted as long as they have

[@BigCar2]

Smart would be an interesting marque to do. They had that association with Mercedes in the early days, and Swatch?!? I may be wrong.

[@travisbackpacker]

@@BigCar2 yeah now you mention it, I vaguely remember the Swatch connection

[@jimtaylor294]

Ah yes Daewoo... the make Top Gear summed up as 'Forgettably shocking'.

[@syxepop]

Bog Roast, Daewoo... Teased by GM to build cars and (their auto division) finally bought at "fire sale" prices (U$450 Mln) by GM. "What comes around goes around"....

[@travisbackpacker]

@@jimtaylor294 haha that would make an interesting video then

[@bandvitromaniaios1307]

My dad has an a 2004 Ford Mondeo and its awesome!

[@Aprill264]

This is so darn interesting, I genuinely want you to make a video of every car ever but that would be hard to do and it would take a lot of time

[@maxant4285]

Oh, we have time.

[@BigCar2]

I might die first. But I'll give it a good go...

[@darkbassi5911]

In 1999 my dad brought a year old 1998 White Mk2 Mondeo ST24, it came with factory 17"chrome alloys. Was such a nice car. The 2.5 v6 engine just sounded fantastic, the engine died in the end, and I sold it to a breaker for £600. It was a very special car in its day, and the equivalent BMW or Mercs in that day just didn't compare. They were good Ford days.

[@RidinDirtyRollinBurnouts]

It's a Contour and a Fusion. Might as well call it the ConFusion.

[@robertmcghintheorca49]

Puns.

[@jimurrata6785]

@@robertmcghintheorca49 Portmanteau.

[@anthonyhunt701]

Dedicated watcher in the Colonies my friend! Wonderful video (wry humor as well....)

[@sarjim4381]

Mercury was an aspirational brand for buyers who didn't want to join the millions of other Ford owners but also didn't have the income to afford a Lincoln. It was the performance line in the 60's and 70's and was marketed primarily to upper middle income 25-40 year old performance minded men rather than families, like the Ford, or the grey haired buyers of the Lincoln. The Mercury "Super Marauder" engine of 1968 was the first production engine that could be ordered in a 400 hp version. Ford looked at Mercury as the brand that would transition buyers to the Lincoln lineup as they aged and became more affluent and became more interested in comfort rather than hot rodding. With the muscle car craze of the 70's and 80's, Mercury lost a lot of its reason for existing as a separate brand. They were also very late and getting into the minivan and SUV market, and the Merkur disaster didn't help. With almost all sales now being minivans and SUVs, there was no reason for Mercury to exist except for the Grand Marquis. This was the upscale version of the Ford Crown Victoria, and it was the biggest selling model for Mercury from about 1995 onwards. It attracted the same kind of buyers as the Lincoln, and having the Grand Marquis, which could have almost every option that was available on a Lincoln, was just cannibalizing more profitable Lincoln sales. Since all the Mercury models were now just rebadged Fords, and with Ford announcing discontinuance of the big rear wheel drive sedans like the Grand Marquis, the rationale for Mercury continuing to exist vanished. With Ford still trying to recover from the 2008-09 depression, and looking to cut costs everywhere, closure the Mercury division came about in 2010, thus ending the 81 year history of the brand.

[@BigCar2]

My perspective comes from someone who came to the USA in the mid 90's. By that stage Mercury as a brand just didn't make sense. I understand it must have made sense in the past (or it wouldn't have existed). Thanks for the background - very interesting!

[@sarjim4381]

@@BigCar2 You're welcome. By the mid-90's, the only real reason to buy a Mercury was because you wanted a big powerful RWD sedan, but wanted a trim level that was different enough from a Ford Crown Vic that it didn't look like you were driving an unmarked police car. The extended wheelbase Grand Marquis was especially popular with the increasingly elderly Mercury buyer. All the other models were not only Fords, but Ford only changed the badges and a few strips of chrome to differentiate a Mercury from a Ford. There was no reason to pay any sort of premium for a Mercury, so the brand was already sliding into obscurity by the mid-90's.

[@BigCar2]

​@@sarjim4381 When I arrived I found it amusing that Oldsmobiles were old driven by old people. I understand it was named after Mr. Olds now, but then it seemed like they were trying to make the brand seem out of touch.

[@catjudo1]

Weren't the MK 1 and MK 2 Ford Capris sold as Mercurys here in America? My favorite (domestic) Mercury is the '67 Cougar. Longer wheelbase, better styling and interior, and could be fitted with small and big block V8 engines. Paint it in a darker shade of blue and it was a piece of automotive perfection.

[@BigCar2]

@@catjudo1 Yes - see the Ford Capri Story I made!

[@ChristopherCerta]

The 1998-2000 Ford Contour’s had a Special Vehicle Team (SVT) upgrade available, Contour SVT groups gather a passionate following. I had owned, and worked on 3 Ford Contours: 1996 Contour Sport 2.0L V-tech / 5-speed gearbox; 1998 2.5L Duratech 5-speed; and a 1999 Contour SVT (2.5L 5-speed). I loved the cars, and the main problems I had with them here were the sils rusting out, and all of my vehicles needed front-end work, but that is too be expected in vehicles of this age. I have also heard that the American Contour/Mystique were based on the Mazda 6 platform. I have no idea if that is true.

[@quietcorner293]

I was in the UK from 93 to 96 with the US Air force. I remember seeing Moneos and liked how they looked. I thought, they should sell these in the States. Then Ford released the Contour and I thought the back end was hideous. It didn't look anywhere as nice as it European sibling.

[@jamesappleyard7459]

My mum and dad bought a 2013 mondeo titanium X 2.0 diesel estate at the start of last year. So far it’s been a great car because it’s comfy, practical, relatively cheap to run and loaded with all the extras. It’s a cool car to be in🙂👍

[@MBME46]

As an idea how about the 3 series?

[@adamwampler2135]

Oh, and once again, very great content. Please keep em coming.

[@patrickmartin3322]

Well it’s 2021 and the Fusion is still around. Edit: they killed it off just recently now

[@RichieRouge206]

I had a mk3 Mondeo and loved it. Trust the gormless general public to drive 3-series and A3s. Badge fodder for finance gits. Reached a point where they litter the roads and are common as muck. It’s nice to see a Mondeo for a change. So really BMW etc are now the Ghia on the roads Great video

[@parks-n-places]

Oh you worked on My Ford Touch. Great, now I know who to blame every time the damn system crashes or somehow loses contact with usb and nav cards. The system is trash and sync 3 is vastly superior

[@BigCar2]

Nope - now you know who to thank now it doesn't crash as often as it did when it was first released. I came in to fix it. I wasn't responsible for the initial disaster.

[@ninaakari5181]

I really like how the Mondeo looks, one of the best looking cars of its class