I should have been thinking about the latest 2.2-litre TDCi engine or the ST element in this sportiest diesel Mondeo, but what struck me first of all was how roomy the passenger cabin is. We've been used to saying how spacious most of the latest designs in this class are, but the Mondeo has been there for a while, not least in the generous rear-seat accommodation.The lowered suspension, flared front wheel arches and striking 18" Ronal 16-spoke alloys which come with the ST specification certainly give this model a stand-out appearance, some items of which are carried over from the ST V6.Other individual features are the front foglamps with their silver-finish rims, the discreet rear spoiler and, inside, the part-leather upholstery, the heated front seats and the metal-effect trim on the console, steering wheel spokes and front doors.Like other current Mondeos, this one has a neatly presented fascia with a stylish oval clock, and a console-mounted cupholder which looks from the size of its hideaway panel to be far too small for the job. Press this, though, and something large and aggressive springs out of hiding. You should advise nervous passengers of this.Cruise control is standard, and so are rain sensor wipers and light sensitive headlamps. ABS and brake assist are included too, and so is a switchable electronic stability programme. In other words, the ST is a well equipped and businesslike car, coming at the same price in either four-door saloon or five-door hatchback style.How sporty is it on the road? Well, I'm not sure that in ordinary running the lowered suspension makes all that much difference to the handling. For my money it's the powertrain that really counts, and Ford is on a winner here.As always with a diesel, it's the torque rather than the power output which really matters, and the latest TDCi engine has plenty of it on tap. In normal circumstances you get 265lb/ft in a quite narrow band from 1800 to 2250rpm, and that's pretty good. But this is one of those "overboost" jobs, and when you really floor the throttle the maximum rises to a short-term 294lb/ft. No wonder overtaking can be a very swift in-and-out job indeed.Most of the best turbo diesels these days are attached to six-speed gearboxes, and that's the case here, with well-stacked and progressive ratios, culminating in a top gear which gives relaxed motorway running and contributes to an extra urban fuel consumption figure of just over 57mpg. CO2 emissions are also low, although this engine is still in Euro III trim.One Ford staffer told me about a journalist he accompanied on a drive somewhere, who insisted on revving the engine towards the red line in every gear - a completely pointless exercise. Remember where the meaty part of the torque curve comes, bear in mind that there are six gears to choose from, time the upward changes so that in the next ratio the revs will still be in the "business" area, and the ST will really cover the ground without ever approaching the engine speed where the revs fade out.In quite different circumstances it will lope easily along a motorway, but even then the torque is ready to be tapped into for a spot of instant response.On more sporting roads, I wouldn't say that the ST is at the top of its class for a combination of handling and ride, but it can still be hustled through a sequence of bends. A gear for just about every situation helps, especially when it comes to accelerating out of corners or tackling a sudden climb.The ST TDCi is being built only for the UK, and isn't available in left-hand drive form on other European markets. It should be well worth Ford's effort in producing it, considering that more than half of all UK Mondeo sales last year were of the turbo diesels, and that the Mondeo was number two in the all-makes diesel charts, beaten only by the Focus. Making a higher-performance version available does seem to make sense. And the ST certainly looks the part.
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