Ford's new European-market Mondeo would fit neatly into Mercury's U.S. lineup. It has more interior space and has given up the jellybean look of the previous Mondeo, which was sold here as the Ford Contour and Mercury {{{Mystique}}} until the better-packaged Focus squeezed it out of the market. Ford's "large" cars have been floundering in Europe, but the new front-drive Mondeo has won accolades. Its stainless-steel interior trim and neatly creased exterior sheetmetal seem well suited for a lineup that includes the new Mountaineer and the edgy Cougar.
The four-door sedan and four-door wagon (but not the four-door hatch) could become the next Sable when Ford replaces the Taurus in '04 or '05. It would compete with Accord, Camry, and Passat, while the next Taurus, built on a variation of the Volvo S60/S80 platform will remain at the upper end of that size category. It's contingent on whether Mercury can keep from following Oldsmobile to that great showroom in the sky. Importing the Mondeo would go a long way toward proving that rumors of Mercury's demise are greatly exaggerated.