FORD will cast off its conservative approach for the next Mondeo range and will instead tempt user-choosers with a more radical design, based on its iosis concept to be revealed at Frankfurt next week.

With the Mondeo’s upper-medium sector facing attack on all sides from niche and premium models, Ford believes that its 2007 core fleet car replacement needs to be more radical.

Although iosis is a concept heralding the new ‘Kinetic’ design direction, features such as its sleek nose are likely to make it into production. Executives at Ford have decided that the current models, placing practicality above design, are too cautious and that drivers should choose a Ford for its attractiveness as well as for running cost reasons.