Auto Express May 20, 2015

FAIR play to Ford for giving it a go. You can understand why it’s decided to give its new, upmarket Vignale models the green light – it was selling so many Titanium X models, it’d be rude not to offer buyers a bit more in the way of luxury kit. But did it need to go as far as to pretend that Vignale could be a standalone brand sold in its own unique way? I say pretend, because you’ll still be buying your Vignale from a Ford dealer. Only a select bunch will sell the cars with specially trained advisors in plush new surroundings, but they’re still Ford dealers. And in our latest Driver Power dealer survey, Ford owners ranked their dealers 27th out of 32. Not a great place…

Essentials Ford Mondeo Vignale Price: £31,295Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl bi-turboPower: 207bhpTransmission: Six-speed automatic,front-wheel drive0-62mph: 7.9 secondsTop speed: 140mphEconomy: 58.8mpgCO2: 124g/km ON SALE Now • We get behind the wheel of posh saloon with 2.0 bi-turbo diesel • £31,000-plus price buys lots of kit, and bespoke dealer service WE may only be five months into 2015, but it’s already shaping up to be one of the most memorable years of late for the car industry. Aston Martin has confirmed it will build an SUV, while BMW has launched a car with seven seats and front-wheel drive. However, Ford is looking to be odds-on favourite to take home the award for 2015’s biggest automotive shock thanks to this: the £31,295 Mondeo Vignale. If the influx of crossovers from the likes of Nissan and…

CUSTOMER relations managers, smart sofas, expensive coffee in dealers... sound familiar? Renault experimented with special dealerships giving customers a premium buying and ownership experience with its Vel Satis and Avantime models in 2002; two years later, the cars were gone and the fancy trimmings were ripped out of the showrooms. The leftfield models were mostly to blame, but the upmarket dealers didn’t wash, either – buyers of mainstream models questioned why they weren’t being treated quite so well. The rewards for a volume brand pushing up into the premium sector are potentially huge – look at Citroen with DS and Toyota with Lexus – but it’s hard to get right. One thing’s for sure: Ford will have to give it time and not hope to get an immediate return on…

EXCLUSIVE IMAGES • Supermini to take cues from big brother • Set to battle Fiesta with more fun drive SEAT may have only just launched the facelifted Ibiza, but work is already well underway on the all-new fifth-generation model – and our exclusive images show how it could look. Due in 2017, the supermini will follow the company’s successful Leon recipe, combining sharp styling with class-leading driving dynamics. A jacked-up crossover version is in the works, too. SEAT chairman Jürgen Stackmann told Auto Express: “The need for revolutions at SEAT is over. We’ve found our path and we know where we’re going. Our design DNA is clearly laid out and the recipe for any future car [including the Ibiza] will follow a formula – what we call ‘Leon-ising’ the brand.”…

• Toyota reveals new family cars • New styling, engines and tech TWO of Toyota’s most important models have had a dramatic makeover inside and out to keep pace with rivals, and Auto Express was granted privileged access to the British-built Avensis and Auris to get the full story ahead of their summer launch. Both cars are the result of a £150million investment, £20m of which has gone into upgrading Toyota’s Burnaston factory in Derbyshire. The Avensis benefits from a comprehensive styling overhaul, plus a new interior and engines. “I’m incredibly proud of this car,” says Ahmet Karaman, Toyota’s director for European projects. “It’s been the result of three years’ hard work, and it’s far, far more than just a facelift.” As with the Aygo and revised Yaris, the Avensis…

MAZDA and Toyota have agreed a “mutually beneficial long-term partnership” that’ll see engines, alternative fuel tech and advanced systems cross platforms in the near future. It’ll eventually lead to both companies collaborating to produce new vehicles, too. Mazda’s set to benefit first from Toyota’s hi-tech hydrogen fuel cell powertrain, currently seen in the £63,000 Mirai FCV. Mazda is said to be planning a hydrogen car in 2020, using the same system, and is hoping to make more of an impact with alternative-fuel vehicles. Meanwhile, Toyota is all set to use Mazda’s award-winning SkyActiv petrol and diesel engines. The latest units use innovative combustion tech to significantly improve the performance and efficiency balance. This could see anything from the Yaris supermini to the next-generation GT86 sports car powered by Mazda-derived units.…