Team Sky replace Jaguar XF with Ford Mondeo for 2016 season

Team Sky just got a little less exotic. After announcing its partnership with Jaguar was to end after the 2015 season it named American car giant Ford as its successor.

Out go the Jaguar XF Sportbrakes and F-Types and in come a host of Ford Mondeos, S-MAXs, Kugas and Transit vans.

While the brand may not scream luxury in the way that Jaguar does, Team Sky will be equipped with high-spec models for the start of the 2016 season, with 2.0 litre diesel engines, bespoke bike racks, radio systems and other flashy audio-visual equipment.

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The team will also have specific cars for the demanding races in Northern Europe, with Ford's PowerShift AWD cars measuring how the car's wheels are gripping on the cobbled or muddy road surface and can adjust torque delivery between the front and rear wheels in under 20 milliseconds...which is good, apparently.

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“Ford is the perfect partner for Team Sky, sharing our core values of combining technology and innovation to meet the specific and often varied demands needed in any high performance environment,” said Sir David Brailsford, team principal at Team Sky.

“As we embark on our racing programme, Ford’s range of vehicles will play a vital role for Team Sky delivering the right car for the right environment as we strive towards even greater success and more race wins in 2016 and beyond.”