Top Gear’s restored Ford Mondeo ST200 disappoints in a speed test

Remember when we reported about Top Gear anchors Jeremy Clarkson, Richard Hammond and James May restoring an elderly Ford Mondeo ST200 to perfection? Well, here is what it turned out to be capable of.

Twenty-one years ago, Ford claimed the ST200-spec Mondeo could hit 232 km/h (144 miles per hour). Once the restoration work was finished, the trio decided to test that claim on a runway in the UK.

The first attempt went rather poorly, culminating in the sedan barely touching 187 km/h (116 mph) – the same speed as the latest Dacia Logan packing a tame 1,0-liter three-cylinder turbo.

Things livened up a bit on the second try, netting the tuners a new record of 198 km/h (123 mph). However, the claimed top speed was never achieved.

What could be the culprit? First, the transmission, which has an excessively long fourth gear. Second, the runway length, which could be insufficient for a car of this type to reach its full potential.

And what do you think?