FORD has paid a reported £14million for its sleek new Mondeo to be used in Casino Royale.

Some may sniff at its usage in the Bahamas by our most famous super-spy. But as found, like 007 himself, this motor is hardly without its sense of style and charm.

When I first saw the latest Ford Mondeo, I was struck with an intense feeling of déjà vu. The reason was quite simple. I’d driven to work that day in a Ford S-MAX MPV and the Mondeo’s interior, its detailing, its exterior proportioning and most of its mechanicals are shared with this vehicle.

Anybody who’s driven an S-MAX will attest to the fact that this is no bad thing although final judgement will need to be reserved for a full test drive on typically arduous British roads.

There’s a big degree of carry-over of engines with the entry-level powerplant being the 1.6-litre petrol Duratec engine and the range-topper being the 2.5-litre turbocharged 222bhp unit that’s seen in vehicles like the S-MAX and the Focus ST.

Diesel engine provision is decent as well, with the 1.8-litre Duratorq TDCi unit marking the first point of entry with the well-proven 2.0-litre Duratorq also set to mop up a big percentage of Mondeo sales.

The latest Mondeo has been styled through a process Ford calls ‘Kinetic design’ and it’s something the company thinks will shape most of its future models.

The design language consists of dynamic lines and a three-plane plan front-end view, full surfaces, strong shoulders, bold wheel lips, a rising belt line and a distinctive kick-up of the window line at the C-pillar.

Spy shots of more standard looking saloon cars undergoing testing show a more conservative look that’s nevertheless very neat. My only concern is how well this look will age.

Kinetic design themes are carried through to the interior, which features high quality materials and finishes. Here, dynamic lines and full surfaces are again evident, and the low profile instrument panel provides generous cabin space for front seat occupants.

The flow-through centre console allows the gear shifter to be located high and within easy ergonomic reach of the driver.

The design team has also paid great attention to interior detailing, and examples of this include new generation infotainment systems, plus the next generation of Ford’s Human Machine Interface.

This easy-to-use system features the same steering-wheel toggle switches seen on new Galaxy and S-MAX, but introduces the availability of a large central LCD screen with full colour graphics situated between the main analogue instruments in front of the driver.

Rear seat headroom and legroom have also come in for scrutiny by the Mondeo development team, and these have been maximized for occupant comfort and safety.

"New Mondeo will deliver premium levels of comfort in a class-leading package," said Ford’s Vehicle Line Director for Large Cars.

"You can also expect innovative and top-of-the-range new technology features, particularly those aimed at assisting and pampering the driver."

The Mondeo has a very tough target to aim at, with all manner of different vehicles now nipping in to grab a mouthful of the medium range pie. Rather than design something outlandish, Ford has instead stuck to a the formula, albeit with a bold flourish.

The early signs look promising but the acid test comes when we put the Mondeo up against its rivals head to head. That should be interesting.

FACTFILE:

Ford Mondeo range

PRICES: £16,250-£27,000 [est] - on the road

INSURANCE GROUPS: 8-16 [est]

CO2 EMISSIONS: 156-245g/km [est]

PERFORMANCE: [TDCi130] 0-60mph 9.8s / Max Speed 129mph [est]

FUEL CONSUMPTION: [TDCi130] (urban) 34mpg / (extra urban) 55mpg / (combined) 46mpg [est]

STANDARD SAFETY FEATURES: Twin front & side airbags, twin airbag curtains, ABS [est]