Ford will launch a sub-120g/km version of the Mondeo in 2011 using the latest version of the Ford-PSA diesel engine, but also believes more drivers will choose automatic transmissions on top models.
The 115bhp TDCi will join the small but growing groups of upper-medium car variants with CO2 emissions below 120g/km.
However, Ford sees a growth opportunity in high-end versions with a stronger take-up of automatic transmission.
While Zetec is has the largest share of Mondeo sales with more than 30%, Ford’s large car product manager Jon Gunn-Smith said the high-specification Titanium series collectively take more than 50%.
PowerShift transmission is the only gearbox offered on the 2.0-litre EcoBoose petrol models, and its modest CO2 penalty compared to a conventional automatic gearbox is expected to boost its share of the model mix.
Gunn-Smith said: “We think more than 20% of Mondeos will be equipped with powershift, which will take us closer to where the premium brands are with their share of automatic transmission.”
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