Sometimes it happens that when a product is launched in the car market, it is not able to perform well and at a later stage, it is discontinued. There might be several reasons that lead to this kind of development, like poor performance, over pricing or bad reviews by critics. However, there is a section of these models that connect with buyers on a personal level and their discontinuation leads to widespread disappointment. Ford, the American auto maker, has had mixed stint in the Indian auto market. Some models from Ford have done really well while others have been unable to claim a stake. The American auto maker had a lot of expectations from Mondeo model when it was launched in India during early 2000s. Sources suggest that Ford launched the third generation model in India, which had a number of technologically advanced features.
It was said at that time, the Indian car market was on a path of growth and there was a lot of scope for new models in the country. The sedan segment, in particular, was on a rise in India as Honda City was going pretty strong. Although Mondeo was much more expensive than City, Ford still expected it to do well in India. However, it was not that famous and the American giant discontinued this model in 2006 after enduring a torrid time in the Indian auto market. Nevertheless, the Mondeo, somehow, managed to find a number of fans in the Indian car market. later, Ford launched the third generation version of Mondeo in India, which was considered to be highly advanced and efficient model in terms of technicalities.
According to sources, Ford Mondeo was launched in India in a petrol version, which was powered by 2.0-litre Duratec engine. This engine had the capacity to deliver a maximum power output of around 143 bhp along with top torque of 165 Nm. People loved Ford Mondeo for its stylish and elegant design that was really attractive. Additionally, this car was equipped with a number of safety and security features that were in tandem with the international standards. Industry experts feel that the biggest reason for Ford Mondeo not being able to rake up numbers was its bad timing. Unlike today's scenario, people were not aware of safety features that were included in the car. Thereby, they were not willing to pay such a high price for something that was not necessary from their point of view. In addition, Ford had not been able to build a reputation in Indian and thereby, there was a sense of doubt in the mind of customers.
However, undoubtedly, Ford Mondeo was a superb vehicle with a great design, amazing power and loads of technologically advanced features. Since its discontinuation, there have not been any substantial talks of the model making a comeback in India. A lot of experts feel that launching Mondeo again in India would make sense as the market has evolved in many ways and new models have a wider scope than before.
