Cork, 27 June, 2008 – With the arrival of the new Mondeo ECOnetic in Ireland, Ford offers its customers a version of the 2008 Semperit Irish Car of the Year that is ideally suited to the new CO₂-based taxation system.

 

The new Mondeo ECOnetic uses a combination of the latest common-rail diesel powertrain together with other carefully-selected features engineered to reduce CO₂ emissions to the absolute minimum. The car boasts a 139 g/km CO₂ rating making the Mondeo ECOnetic a ‘best in class’ performer.

 

Thanks to the car’s ultra low CO₂ emissions figure, the Mondeo ECOnetic has a VRT rate of just 16% which results in a retail price of €29,715* (more than €3,600 below the pre-July price) and falls into Band B for road tax, meaning a yearly bill of just €150.

 

"The price of two thirds of Ford cars has come down thanks to the new tax change. That is validation of the moves we have been making in the last few years aimed at making our cars more environmentally-friendly”, said Eddie Murphy, Chairman and Managing Director of Ford Ireland.

 

“This new Mondeo ECOnetic really raises the bar and provides a clear alternative for those customers looking to both reduce carbon emissions and capitalise on the changes brought about by the new tax regime”.

 

The company chose the ECOnetic name because it links ecologically friendly technology to Ford’s kinetic Design 'energy in motion' philosophy for both driving quality and styling.

 

The new Mondeo ECOnetic is equipped with a 1.8-litre Duratorq TDCi engine, delivering 125 PS with a five-speed manual transmission. The car achieves its excellent CO₂ emissions figure through a number of measures including; an engine re-calibration, lowered suspension, low rolling resistance tyres, and aerodynamic improvement through grille blanking inserts. In addition, changed ratios of the transmission and the new low viscosity transmission oil contribute to this vehicle emitting less than 140 g/km CO₂.