Car and Driver: Ford Unveils New Edge, S-Max, and Mondeo Five-Door in Upscale Vignale Trim, Kuga Vignale Concept

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Ford is moving to expand its upscale Vignale trim in Europe—it isn’t offered in the U.S.—from more or less a single offering built around the Mondeo sedan and wagon (sold as the Fusion here), to an entire sub-brand with multiple offerings. Joining the Mondeo Vignale on the automaker’s Geneva auto show stand are Vignale iterations based off of the Edge crossover, S-Max people mover, and the Mondeo five-door hatchback (as distinct from the already revealed wagon), as well as a concept Kuga (Escape) Vignale.
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The new Vignale models follow closely in the the original Mondeo Vignale sedan and station wagons’ footsteps, with additional chrome brightwork sprinkled over their bodies, polished aluminum wheels, and hexagonal dark-finished grilles. Inside, the three new Vignales all feature hexagon-quilted Windsor leather seats, Ford’s Sync 3 infotainment system, active noise control digital noise mitigation, and special aluminum trim. The Edge Vignales on display in Geneva wore attractive Ametista Scura (brown) and White Platinum paint colors, while the S-Max also rocked the white paint, as well as Vignale Milano Grigio gray paint. Engine choices for the range include a turbocharged 2.0-liter four-cylinder or a turbodiesel four.

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It is clear based on the Kuga Vignale concept that Ford is thinking about adding a Vignale to the Kuga lineup soon. Ford says that nearly 80 percent of Kugas sold in Europe last year were of the range-topping Titanium variety, indicating room to expand with a pricier offering. That said, the Kuga Vignale concept packs a few touches that aren’t likely to see production, namely a leather cargo floor and leather covering for the inside of the tailgate. Figure on the concept’s special leather interior, dark-finished grille, and special wheels making the cut for a production model.

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So would any of the attractive, seemingly posh Vignale models work in the U.S.? In all likelihood yes, but as we’ve pointed out before, that would only be the case if Ford’s Lincoln luxury brand didn’t exist. Lincolns aren’t sold in Europe, leaving Ford the freedom to offer nicer Fords.

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