Ford Double At 2011 Diesel Car Awards

BRENTWOOD, UNITED KINGDOM – May 11, 2011: The all-new Ford Focus and refined Mondeo have earned Ford a pair of top awards from Diesel Car magazine.

The new Ford Focus, on sale since March, was crowned best diesel medium-sized car on the market. Diesel Car evaluated the 1.6 and 2.0-litre Ford Focus TDCi models – each available in two power outputs.

Ian Robertson, Diesel Car editor, said: “The Ford Focus is quite simply the best handling, most dynamically accomplished car in its class – the one the others have to match. A new benchmark has been set for this size of car, because the bar has been raised by new Focus.”

The Ford Mondeo added a fuel efficient 65.6mpg diesel version to its range this year – producing only 114g CO2/km which ranks among the best in the medium car segment. This 1.6-litre Ford Mondeo TDCi features Auto-Start-Stop as standard and is available in both five-door and estate bodystyles.

Ian Robertson said about all diesel Mondeo models: “The Mondeo delivers driving dynamics that are second-to-none. There’s a magic about the way this car handles. It is superbly nimble and poised, with great handling and excellent steering feel that crisply communications what’s happening down there at the road surface.”

Jon Wellsman, Ford Britain sales director, said: "This is a sizeable market for Ford, with 45 per cent of Focus cars bought being diesels and 86 per cent of Mondeos. To receive independent endorsement of these cars from Diesel Car is recognition of the UK-based Ford engineers and manufacturing specialists producing these engines."