The most radical will be a crossover vehicle, combining estate car and SUV styling with people carrier practicality. We've learned that it will be along the lines of the Freestyle, a new model for the US, which made its debut at this month's Detroit Motor Show.



The importance of the topsecret crossover is shown by Ford's determination to put it into showrooms at the end of 2007. That's a full year before more conventional new Mondeos, such as the saloon, estate and hatchback versions, go on sale.



A senior Ford insider said: "This car is extremely important to us financially and strategically. We have learned real ugg boots lessons from the Fusion, which we arrogantly claimed invented a new segment. The crossover will merge a broadshouldered, sportylooking SUV with an estate car, but the interior will win the space race by seating seven people in a classy cabin."



To be launched with frontwheel drive, it's likely that a 4x4 system will feature on the crossover, too. That's because the basic platform will also carry the nextgeneration allwheeldrive Jaguar XType and Volvo S60.



The second new model is an MPV, due in showrooms in early 2006 and designed to replace the cheap ugg boots ageing Galaxy. A concept car previewing the MPV could appear at the Paris Motor Show in September, alongside the new Focus.



Ford and its archrival Vauxhall are desperately seeking new niches as premium brands move into the 'repmobile' market, which was previously dominated by the Mondeo and Vectra.