Well by '06 the Mondeo name will be 13yrs old which is longer than it's Sierra predecessor lasted. Sad to see no more Mondeo but c'est la vie.
As cracking a car as the Mondeo is/was, it really never was regarded as anything other than a repmobile just like the Vectra and Avensis.
Fingers crossed I will be in a WRX for my next car.