Ford Motor Company’s flagship delivers premium design, cutting-edge tech and a surprising 1.0-litre EcoBoost engine.

The refined new version of the Ford flagship will be available as a five-door and wagon – uniquely developed for Europe – as well as a four-door that will also be offered as segment-first petrol Hybrid Electric Vehicle (HEV).

It will be the first car in its segment equipped with a 1.0-litre powertrain, the 2012 “International Engine of the Year” 1.0-litre EcoBoost petrol engine, to deliver expected best-in-class fuel economy.

“This is the most premium Mondeo we’ve ever built and the most premium vehicle Ford’s loyal European customers have ever been offered,” said Barb Samardzich, Vice President, Product Development, Ford of Europe. “It raises the bar in its segment in terms of style, technology and quality.”

Ford’s new global design language informs the all-new Mondeo’s refined, elegant, sporty and highly expressive exterior. The low roofline enhances the sports coupe profile while retaining a spacious and practical interior, and incorporates a retractable panoramic glass roof for the wagon body style.

The lean side-profile is sculpted to convey “visual lightness”, while the sophisticated and technical front end design features Ford’s new, more prominent trapezoidal grille, a power-dome bonnet and segment-first adaptive, full LED headlamps.

The all-new four-door Mondeo HEV is Ford’s first hybrid passenger car for Europe, and combines a specially-developed 2.0-litre petrol engine with a 35kW lithium-ion battery to provide  high fuel economy and low CO2 emissions. For the first time on Mondeo, a diesel all-wheel drive variant will be offered, delivering superior traction, performance and handling.

Mondeo will also offer segment-first SYNC with MyFord Touch a voice-activated in-car connectivity system that delivers an eight-inch colour touchscreen and the ability to act as a WiFi hotspot for up to five devices.

SYNC with MyFord Touch will enable drivers to keep their hands on the wheel and eyes on the road while controlling phone and media player functions from connected devices, as well as the vehicle’s climate control, radio and CD-player, and navigation system, using voice commands.

All new Mondeo also delivers the European debut of Ford’s rear inflatable seatbelts. These are designed to reduce head, neck and chest injuries for rear-seat passengers. In the event of an accident the belt rapidly expands to disperse crash forces across a body area five times greater than that achieved by a conventional seatbelt.