Sometimes I ask myself why I even bother posting about sweet, sweet family-compatible cars that I will never be able to buy here. [*cough* Mercedes B-Class, *cough cough*]
But then I realize how small my problems are in the grand scheme of things. I mean, thre real question is why would companies like Ford create an awesome-looking midsized sport wagon like this Mondeo concept car they're debuting at the Paris auto show next week and yet never bring the damn thing to the United States even when their Lincoln Meganavigator business is tanking?
More Mondeo: Ford's Prototype Midsize Wagon Revealed [jalopnik]
It's pretty slick. I'd buy one.
While after the Contour fiasco I doubt we'll see another Mondeo here, there may be good news on the B-class front:
http://www.leftlanenews.com/2006/09/07/spied-mercedes-b-class-us-launch-nearing/
The Ford minivan/MPV that they sell over there ("Galaxy") looks pretty nice, too. Seems to be another branch of the Mondeo tree. And the least efficient version gets 34mpg combined and the diesel versions get 50mpg on the highway. The specs make ita little smaller than a US Freestar, but not as small as a Mazda MPV.
http://www.ford.co.uk/ns7/galaxy/-/-/-/-/-/-
" I mean, thre real question is why would companies like Ford create an awesome-looking midsized sport wagon like this Mondeo concept car they're debuting at the Paris auto show next week and yet never bring the damn thing to the United States even when their Lincoln Meganavigator business is tanking?"
Because they are woefully out of touch with their market?
I saw that photo too... it looks great. I'm waiting to see what the next-gen Mitsubishi Lancer Sportback looks like though -- if it's anything like the concept car I might take the plunge. (On the other hand, if it ends up looking like its sister cars, the Dodge Caliber and Jeep Compass... YIKES! Deal's off.)
I suppose if the Lancer turns out to be a dud I can just get a B-Class to bug Greg that he can't... :)
Well, they currently sell the Jaguar X Type wagon in the USA, and it has Ford Mondeo heritage (Ford owns Jaguar).
I don't think it has been a best seller. Or a good seller.
If it makes you feel any better, we looked at the B class (we live in Calgary) and passed. It's a lot of money for lotsa bling and little function. Went with the Land Rover LR3 instead. Of course, with a 21-month old and twins coming in 4 weeks, we may be a specialty market.
OK, Andrea, I am willing to forgo my obligitory "SUVs are for silly people who really need a minvan but think they will look cool in an SUV" speech- but for only 2 reasons: 1) you live near the artic circle and polar bears roam freely through your neighborhood in search of garbage cans and Starbucks and 2) even though you will soon have three kids, they are so close together that you need to be able to strap them all into their car seats, the third row won't work for the oldest. We have one 5 year old and 2 1/2 yr old twins, and our van's wayback seat is the perfect refuge for the oldest kid.
Keep your eyes peeled for a deal on a AWD Toyota Sienna in aboout 18 months, because no SUV has this magic device: dual power sliding doors. If you have twins, it's the bomb.