After almost three decades, the last produced Ford Mondeo, for the European market, came off the production line in Valencia, Spain on April 4, and the photos were published online.

It all started in 1992 when Ford produced its first Mondeo, as one of the key global models. However, its market share has declined due to the growth of popular SUVs. Last year, only 2,400 cars were sold in the UK, which is a big drop if we take into account that, two decades ago, that number was almost 90,000.

A Ford spokesman said the main reason for ending Mondeo production was “a change in customer preferences and a revolution in Ford passenger cars in Europe to meet the changing needs of customers as the world moves towards a fully electric future”.

Ford plans to offer all models as a plug-in hybrid in the next four years. Also, the company will continue to produce a 2.5-liter hybrid petrol engine for the Kuga, Galaxy and S Max models from the end of this year.

Ford has announced an investment of € 5.2 million to increase battery production capacity in Valencia, in addition to the € 24 million investment announced last year. The reason given is the need for additional capacity to meet current and future requirements for the production of electrified vehicles.

The fifth generation Ford Mondeo has been introduced, but will be manufactured and sold exclusively in China, as demand for sedans in the world’s largest car market remains high.

Source: Autocar