Ford's latest experiment with the "World Car" concept is in its second year now,
after receiving mixed reviews and selling at a lower pace than Ford might have wished
during its first season. Called Mondeo throughout much of the world, the compact sedan
carries either Mercury Mystique or Ford Contour badges here.
How different is Ford's World Car from, for example, a Japanese-designed Toyota
Camry that's built in the U.S out of Japanese and American-sourced parts? In concept,
not very; Mystique and Contour are mainstream cars for their class, and are assembled
in the U.S. (and Mexico) with components sourced from around the world.
Much the same can be said for other players on this field, from Honda's Accord to
Nissan's Altima to the Chevrolet Cavalier and Pontiac Sunfire. The Chrysler compacts,
Cirrus and Dodge Stratus, have more local design and hardware content than the others,
and are assembled only in the U.S.
But there are significant distinctions in execution. The biggest differences
between the Ford compacts and their competitors are best described in the subjective
area of "feel" Mystique and Contour have the road manners and performance of European
cars, which, essentially, is what they are.
Mystique and Contour are also Ford products, which means they are assembled and
finished to a standard that matches--or exceeds--that of any of their competitors. The
Blue Oval company has made great strides in this area over the past few years, and the
hard work shows to advantage here. next page