Ford has drawn on the latest European design trends with its new luxury concept car, tempting the driver with a quilted cream-coloured Nappa leather interior to complement its chrome and mocha-hued bodywork.
The Vignale, which makes its first public appearance at the Frankfurt auto show next week and launches in Europe early in 2015, is the latest attempt by a mass-market carmaker to woo affluent customers more interested in a lifestyle than a bargain.
Looks can be deceptive, though. While suggestive of an expensive Italian marque, the Vignale is little more than a pimped-up version of the four-cylinder Ford Mondeo still favoured by many a mid-level manager or sales rep.
Ford is targeting the market for mid-size aspirational models such as the BMW 3 series, Audi A4 and Mercedes C-Class.
“This prevents defection of Ford customers who believe they need to go somewhere else as they progress in their careers and make more money,” Ford’s European sales chief Roelant de Waard says of the new premium line.
The concept, which does not sport the Mondeo badge anywhere on the car, is due to be rolled out across multiple vehicles as a new sub-brand akin to Ford’s sporty ST nameplate.