The high-performance Mustang coupe and convertible and the Edge premium SUV were unveiled at a joint gathering of European dealers and media in Barcelona just before Christmas.

‘Both have proved incredibly popular and the response has met and exceeded all our expectations – and not just from the general public,’ said Ford of Europe chief operating office Barb Samardzich. ‘We have been getting e-mails from our own employees, who are often our biggest critics.’

The Mustang has had a predictably good response in Germany, said Ms Samardzich, according to news agency Headlineauto, but has also been well received in the UK. ‘Britain has been very strong, so our decision to produce it with right-hand drive for the first time was huge. The Edge is more premium and geographically dependent on the size of the market. Again, Germany and the UK have produced a very strong response.’

With the exception of a few regionally specific models like the new F-150 pick-up, which is the centrepiece of the company's stand at the Detroit Show, Ford now looks at every new model as a potentially global product, says Samardzich.

‘As part of our cycle planning process we meet twice a year to decide what new products we are going to add where,’ she added. ‘The EcoSport is an excellent example. We could see what was happening in Europe, with the greatest growth in the SUV segment at the value end, and we knew we had a product that could meet it pretty well.

‘In less than 18 months we can make a decision. It's the power of our One Ford strategy.’

Ford's major newcomer this year will be the delayed replacement for the Mondeo, which will appear in the autumn, but there will also be the introduction of the Vignale luxury sub-brand.

‘Mondeo manufacturing is going well and you will get answers to more of your questions in the fourth quarter. We're not ready to say much more about Vignale at this stage, but it's not going to be just a one-shot [for the Mondeo],’ said Mrs Samardzich.