The new Ford Mondeo saloon debuts in the new James Bond movie, Casino Royale, due in cinemas next month.
Ford has decided to let cinemagoers be the first to see the new car in action. Although an Aston Martin remains Bond's car of choice, the new Mondeo is the first car to appear in the film as Bond uses it to drive to a hotel after arriving in the Bahamas on the trail of a terrorist cell.
The model is a specially-built five-door example of the new Mondeo, fitted with a sports bodykit. It is finished in striking Tonic blue.
"The new Mondeo was essentially still on the drawing board when we were asked to supply the vehicle for filming in February 2006," said Martin Smith, executive director for designat Ford Europe. "As volume production for the car doesn't start until the second quarter of 2007, we had to create a one-off, operational model based around a design studio property!
"On the big screen, the new Mondeo looks impressive and eye-catching, and we're convinced this appearance, although brief, will stimulate early customer interest in the new model," says Stephen Odell, Ford's vice president of Marketing, Sales and Services in Europe.
In addition to its cameo role in the new film, the special Bond Mondeo will also feature in a specially made pan-European Ford television commercial inviting viewers to "discover the secret world of 007" and showing footage of the car in action in the Bahamas.
Earlier this month Ford revealed a "near production" estate version of the new Mondeo at the Paris Motor Show.
Along with the extensive changes to the exterior in comparison to the current model, the interior of the new Mondeo will feature a significant revamp with a slim instrument panel that allows for a wider footwell for front seat occupants.
A flow-through centre console allows the gear shift to be located higher than on the current model and within easy reach of the driver. Rear-seat headroom and legroom has also been increased.
Ford has also opted for new generation infotainment systems and the new car will feature the same steering-wheel toggle switches seen on new Galaxy and S-MAX, but introduces a large central LCD screen with full colour graphics situated between the main analogue instruments in front of the driver.