TONY Blair is Prime Minister no more and his infamous Mondeo Man has gone with him. Ford's classy new model has such appeal that it will no longer be possible to pigeonhole its driver - they will surely be of all ages and all genders.

The all-new Mondeo has acquired a lot more purpose and a heap more sophistication and plenty of other stuff.

The launch of the new car comes at a very important time for Ford. The company globally is under some pressure and the Mondeo can be seen as a European barometer for the future.

Fortunately, the car is a resounding success. In fact, it's a near-marvel.

The Mondeo has been a top-10 seller since its launch in 1993 and total sales are now approaching 1.2 million.

It's been leading its segment (which includes heavy hitters like the Vectra and Passat) since 2000, and was the UK's best-selling diesel car from 2003-2005.

The last incarnation was a fine car: well-built, good value and reliable, if a little bland in terms of comfort and quality. It didn't really stand out from segment rivals.

The new model has leapt ahead in terms of sophistication and refinement.

It looks solid and feels well bolted together, it's bigger and considerably more roomy, has a cosseting and safe feel and handles and drives superbly.

In short, Ford has once again hit the jackpot and I'd be surprised if the Mondeo's sales figures were not about to take off again.

The new model is built on the same platform as the S-Max and Galaxy and has a chunky and solid air about it, with a muscular front end and a long profile.

The proportions are good and I'd imagine few drivers would not be happy to be seen aboard.

The two cars I drove were the Ghia diesel version and the 2.5T petrol in the top-spec Titanium format (Ghia is now regarded as mid-range). The lower orders are the base Edge and then the Zetec.

The car is a welcoming environment to climb into, you quickly feel at home - Ford is very good at this - and most drivers will soon find their optimum driving set-up in terms of seat and wheel position.

Pedals are well positioned for the sportier types and controls fall easily to hand.

The seats are comfortable and supportive and the interior has a premium car feel with plenty of soft-touch surfaces and quality materials.

Even the base models come equipped with ESP, air-conditioning, cruise control, heated windscreen, trip computer, MP3 socket, Thatcham cat 1 alarm, remote central locking, heated mirrors and Ford's unique capless refuelling system which prevents misfuelling.

There is a wide range of engines with four diesels and five petrols, ranging from 110 to 220ps.

The latter is the five-pot Volvo turbo unit as seen in the Focus ST and it gives the already eminently driveable Mondeo considerable extra sparkle.

Ford has looked carefully at the driving experience and has succeeded admirably in blending a rewarding performer on A and B roads with a competent motorway mile-muncher; the latter is obviously important for 70 per cent of the sales which will be to fleets.

The Cotswolds provided an excellent launch setting to demonstrate the car's abilities, both on fast A roads and challenging, twisty Bs.

The car was a genuine pleasure to drive, with both the diesel and the petrol providing quiet refinement and ample power. Overtaking was a breeze, whether utilising the diesel's ample low down torque or the turbo's revvy high-end power and the six-speed gearbox was accurate and fast.

Driving the car quickly inspired confidence and I had the feeling it was secretly longing to pick up its skirts for a decent thrash - I can envisage very high performance variants before too long.

Chucking the Mondeo into bends soon became the norm, with the electronic safety systems invisibly taking care of any little "indiscretions". Powerful brakes enabled more "point and squirt" driving than would normally be expected of such a large car and at the end of the day I was left wanting more. That is certainly not always the case on car launches.

Whether sales of the new Mondeo will reach the dizzy heights of the early Nineties remains to be seen. The rise of MPVs, 4x4s and other forms of "family" car have dented sales of large saloons in the last decade, but if anything can win them back this car can.

Prices range from £14,995 for the Edge 1.6, 110ps five-door to £24,195 for the Titanium X 2.5, 220ps estate, but there is a lot of choice in between: despite Ford claiming that choosing a new Mondeo is simpler, I counted 78 versions on the price list - and that's before adding option packs or extras!