1995 Ford Contour SE

As the lackluster Ford Tempo/Mercury Topaz platform was nearing the end of its production cycle, Ford had to decide whether to retire the aging platform or evolve it into a more exciting new-generation product. Entering the '90s, Ford cars being developed for North America and Europe were becoming more similar in concept, responding to common needs and increasingly homogenized consumer tastes. In an effort to reduce overall development costs and strengthen its worldwide empire, Ford made the strategic decision to develop a compact sedan that could be sold in key markets on both sides of the ocean. Thus, the code-named CDW-27 global-car program was born.

Led by Ford of Europe, because of its expertise with midsize sedans, the various engineering teams worked together to develop a common platform for the Euro-bound Ford Mondeo, and the North American-destined Ford Contour/Mercury Mystique, which would share powertrain, suspension, steering, brakes, climate-control system, and body structure. Mondeo production began at the Genk plant in Belgium 18 months before Contours and Mystiques began to roll off the Kansas City, Kansas, assembly line for the '95 model year. A third plant in Cuautitln, Mexico, later began to build the world cars for North American consumption.

Despite their commonality, each model is tailored to the tastes of its respective market, and the majority of the components are sourced locally. While this innovative approach theoretically limited the overall expenditure, bringing these cars to market reportedly topped $6 billion, which included the development of numerous technologies and procedures that also will be used for a variety of future FoMoCo models.

We secured a Contour SE for long-term evaluation as soon as one was available. With a base price of $15,695, our Contour SE had a long list of standards including a 2.5-liter V-6 engine, four-wheel disc brakes, power mirrors, interval windshield wipers, sport bucket seats, 60/40-split folding rear seat, and AM/FM/cassette stereo. From this strong starting point, we added Preferred Equipment Package 239A for $1850, gaining air conditioning, rear window defroster, power windows/doors, electronic speed control, and a light group. Although we knew from previous tests that the Contour was a spirited performer with a five-speed transmission, we opted for the $815 four-speed automatic for easier around-town driving. Another $800 brought anti-lock brakes and traction control. For comfort and convenience, we chose a power driver's seat ($290), remote keyless entry ($160), and a premium sound system ($130). With destination and delivery fees, our Contour crested $20K before discounts and totaled $19,830 when the dust settled.

As staff members began cycling through the Contour, ride quality and handling prowess quickly surfaced as standout features. The European influence is most evident in the suspension, which uses an independent MacPherson strut setup in front and a multilink configuration at the rear. The SE features a sport-tuned suspension with unique damper settings, stiffer springs, and a thicker anti-roll bar than the GL and LX trim levels. But beyond this bolstering, it's the rear Quadralink system that gives the Contour its distinct corner-carving character, by creating passive rear-wheel steering. Also benefiting the SE are wider 15x6.0-inch alloy wheels shod with lower-profile Firestone Firehawk GTA 205/60TR15 tires. More than 95 percent of our surveyed Contour owners rated handling as above average, and they ranked it as the most liked attribute. A woman from New York wrote, "It handles very well on hills and holds the road really well in sharp turns." Another owner commented, "The rack-and-pinion steering is wonderful. It gives a great feel of the road."