Ford has just announced that it will be debuting an "upscale product and ownership experience" at the Frankfurt Motor Show next week with its new sub-brand, Vignale. The car you see here is clearly the Mondeo/Fusion, but in this case it's being called the Vignale Concept. The basic idea here is to offer European buyers more premium versions of the Mondeo, Edge, and the upcoming new S-Max. In other words, Vignale will be above the Titanium trim levels that are already on sale in both the US and Europe.

Vignale-badged models will receive a more plush interior with quilted leather seats and door trim along with leather covering on the instrument panel, steering wheel and center console. There's also a Vignale-badged storage drawer in the trunk and in-car Wi-Fi will be offered. So Ford wants to sell an upscale sub-brand with more premium features. Wasn't that, in a way, Mercury? Still no word if the Vignale treatment will be heading to the US, but we doubt it will because the pricing will put the cars right up there with Lincoln. And aren't Lincolns already more premium re-badged Fords? The mind boggles.