Reviewed By Prashanth Padmanabhan ( December 2006 )
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There is a time in everyone’s life when they think too much is not enough. The need for more never tends to stop for the human mind. This holds valid for each and every fellow being irrespective of the walk of life they are engaged in. From the poor to politicians, teachers to train drivers, money lenders to millionaires, the thought is common. The same statement holds firm for the automobile industry and their related products. The following is my ode to what I call the almost perfect automobile, which is a result of the same thought – Too much is not enough.
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| Ford Mondeo |
We all know the Ford Mondeo. It had a sweet 140 bhp 2.0 lt 4 cylinder engine to start with on the Ambiente and the Trend versions. Above the range towards the Ghia version, there was the 175 bhp 2.5 lt V6. These cars were so good that they could go on forever. It was what Tony Blair used to refer to the common man as “The Mondeo Man”. That was the reputation that this automobile had created in the minds of the European and British market. The common models being the Ambiente and Trend, sold by large numbers in the said regions. But that was not the picture in the Middle East. Only people who had the intellect of Mr.Blair would be seen driving in one. And those who did would never regret the great experience of owning one either. The Ghia version gave its buyer a lot more for the money spent. An engine with more torque, leather seating, a CD changer, sunroof, etc…the works I should say. All this was helping Ford sell this car better. This is a good thing. But that was when some petrolhead suffering from mid life crisis somewhere inside the Ford development team thought of a recipe to make an already great car a more exciting one. The recipe follows below.
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| Ford Mondeo |
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| Ford Mondeo |
Filling is done with blood red or jet black leather on all the interiors and seating. The front sports seats help you settle yourself electrically in all directions so that you have a perfect view of everything around. Especially the rear view where you can see the dust that you have just raised.
Garnish it all around with a purposeful body kit, mesh grille covering the radiator and another one on the air dam on the front spoiler. A boot aero lip adds to the last of the cosmetic touches. Add 19 inch multi spoke alloy wheels adorning low profile tyres for improved bite.
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| Ford Mondeo |
This is the recipe for a spicy, performance oriented Ford Mondeo ST220. Yes this is one understated car that I do not understand why Ford failed to commercialize to any extent.
It was time to taste this spicy recipe of excitement. Bashar Halloum, one of the sales advisors of the showroom handed over the keys to the Blue example that was on the driveway. One look at it and I was floored. It looked ready to be devoured. The seats, steering wheel and the drilled aluminum pedals had activated my drive mode to “Race”. Once the engine cranked to life, my right leg started to feel heavy. It wanted to rev this six pot warm. Never expected what followed. As I engaged gear and popped the clutch like I would on any other car, the car stalled. That was it. Now I was getting in tune with this drive train. The next release had me gliding out of the driveway in effortless ease.
The car was in more hurry to move than I was. The short shift box had me pushing the engine RPM to the max. There was only one problem though. This car is so quick that it accelerates as if it had The Bullet train breathing down it neck. By this time the rev limiter indicator would be flashing asking you to shift up. And you can’t take your eyes off the 300 mt long stretch because by then you would have already reached the end of it where you will have to come to a grinding halt at a T – junction. This would explain the clutches that were burnt by the various drivers who did not know how to rev this engine and control the transmission (yours truly included). This run on the 300 mt stretch saw me going up to speeds of 150 kmph in third gear. The second run on the same flat saw me going to 200 kmph and this time I was able to slot it to fourth. The end of the road was a 90degree right turn. No on - coming traffic had me pushing the car through this corner. The AWD and ESC started coming into action. This car gripped. Not even letting the tires squeal. The drive train and chassis are so well matched that the combination would pull the body with minimum body roll at a steady RPM with utmost confidence and finesse. This is a true driver’s car. And if there is any accolade that signifies the quality, this car deserves it.
Comfort? Well that depends on your mode of driving that you have activated in your mind. But I’m sure that your co - passengers couldn’t agree with you better. You wouldn’t need the five CD changer or its six speaker system to pull you out of boredom. Maybe that is best left to the back seat drivers. The throaty roar from the exhaust is sweeter than Dire Straits, Deep Purple, Skid Row, Ozzy Osbourne and Motley Crue all put together. You get a nice sunroof. But that won’t let you peep out. But if you do manage to, you could feel what it is like to have your face inside a wind tunnel. Good thigh and firm shoulder support for the driver and the co – driver thanks to Recaro. Rear legroom is on par with other cars in the league (Mazda 6 and Vauxhall/Opel Vectra). Shoulder room can get a little intimate while seating three adults in the back seat.
All in, this is one apt package. If anyone going through a stage of mid - life crisis, considering going fast as a remedy, should look into getting one of these genuine true blooded sports executive sedans for happiness of themselves and then their family’s. I have driven larger capacity V6s’ and V8s’ from the Ford and other stables. But none has thrilled me so much as the ST220.
But like all good things must come to an end, Ford has stopped the production of this model by mid of 2007. The “common man’s” performance sedan will be sorely missed. But we are talking about Ford Europe here and not Ford U.S of A. This model has given way to the current generation Mondeo that was launched late 2007. And Ford is tight lipped about the ST version of this new steed.
I pray something should brew in the mind of the same petrolhead in the Ford development team to give the world the new ST220 that would show Daniel Craig what the view is like from second place.
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