ANTAUS

So is this part of Way-Ford V3.0, or like Way-Forward v 3.0XL or did we move into 4.0 already ?

At first glance it does have a Camaro concept face. Doesn't matter what the details are, but they do look similar at first. Also Guigiaro has this obsession with killing car asses.. as in...small rear trunk decklids which I prefer to see some sort of decklid and on this design it shows again.

Speaking off the Orlando car show that I also attended... I myself spoke to someone who really had NO IDEA where the basis of the Zephyr/MKZ came from. But quietly I just let him go on and on and on, just sinking himself. Then I asked, "So where does the Focus platform come from, and the 500" and just let him go on and on. THen I corrected him...tells me that THAT Is what the literature taught him. Told him he needed to do some hardcore research, even Wikepedia if possible...even THEY have the information of where the CD3 platform comes from. Simply horrible. I rather have someone honestly tell me "I dont know" than to just go on and on. BTW noticed a few things... THE Acura MDX armrest is lockable.... with a Pre-80's era doorlock cylinder in the very center. TACKY. And I guess that doorlock cylinder is making a comeback. ON the Pontiac G6 trunk offset on the right... This HUGE SILVER doorlock cylinder. Simply unacceptable considering GM for years have had this small little black cylinders with body colored rings that are 1/4 the side of the prehistory dollar sized...doorlock cylinders.

So when their A/C compressors died at around 70K miles, it was really 65K miles, hmmm interesting. Really throws things off a bit...

Usually the Jag places last, I'm surprised on THEIR picks...

I dont get it... Closest thing is, that in relation...Ford and GM has exited the market, but as to the funny effect of it, hmm don't get it.

A few notes I have witnessed myself. I have a property management firm, and when I'm usually bored, I'll get a bit more involved than I should upon the initial screening/viewing for prospective tenants. And some things I have realized... * Everytime a tenant leaves because they simply can't afford the rental property...while they can't pay their rent, it never fails...they have the BEST cable/satellite networking system I've ever seen and always paid THAT on time. (Priorities) * The ones with the newest cars, I usually raise an eyebrow on (more debt, more show). * Late 20's kids still leaving at home with overly expensive cars, yet, they aren't even working to help Mom/Dad with the rent...Not going to school either. (F.D.A.= Future Delinquents of America) * The more established wealth neighborhoods, usually have 2-5 year old cars. Credit-Card Rich people reside on the newest subdivisions. * In-laws moving in, first sign there's a huge monetary issue within the family. I can't begin to stress how important it is (and I have witnessed this from my own generation and friends), a need for a specific class to be required in high-schools for personal money management (same with Geography). Children are picking up their parents bad spending habits...credit card companies are issueing credit to just about anyone in college in the hopes they'll forefiet and write it off...Interest Only Mortgages are sinking many uneducated homeowners...Universal Default Credit puts the final nail in the coffin for many consumers, etc. And at the end of the day (and I get this with many of the properties I handle for clients)... "Why are my property taxes going up? Can't we complain to the Counties Head Property Appraiser?". And I always tell them to backtrack where the decisions are made... "Go up another step", and look how that decision is impacting americans, and go up another step above that, look as to why that occured, etc.etc. And when you keep going up the ladder to explain as to why the situation is at it is, but most importantly, what can be done, and what can WE DO, so changes occur to favor policy changes that so positive effects can trikle back down to us...because "more of the same", is hurting everyone.

Have they really? I mean, it's been going on prior to the 2005 Model year Camry's, it's already MY2007. And similar transmission failures have been occuring on the Tundra as well.

Not on a 5'-07" fat midget with a hairy back I dont...I gotta have some standard, geesh LOL

And to that I'll add my lil frustration with most Hondas... For some odd reason they seem to forget to place the sunroof button where it should belong...Overhead...Not hidden behind the steering wheel, on the instrument panel, and it's not illuminated either. I loathe having to reach around my friends knees and fondle him, to reach the god damn button. Same with the rearview mirrors...not illuminated and since they are on the dash, I must move myself out of position, to be able to reach them (long legs here). And again, the fact that the majority buttons around the doors and such, are hardly, if any, illuminated. I'll trend that little coin collecting f---ken tray, for some damn illumination. I feel like Helen Keller at night in that car !

OH my bad... I clicked the link thinking it was another Lincoln MK-S concept picture...

I'm not wild about this specific color combination, but certainly anything done to any GM interior is a huge improvement. Luckily they'll continue the trend...

I agree, I would site the innovation for the Altima is it's CVT, among a few other changes, and available hybrid. And the Aura itself is a huge innovation, well for GM...Although weeks ago I mentioned that it would be faulted for using the 3.5L OHV engine as a base offering. Although in Camry's defense, it has/did bring out all variations out at the same time. Surely something Ford can't seem to do. But in retrospect...the Camry has certainly dropped in reliability recently, and the automatic transmissions are failing at an alarming rate. It's amazing the rantings about that I've been reading on other websites.

I was more interested in how Ford AU might bring something to the table in conjunction with the US for a possible replacement for the aging Crown Vic. If anything, that stood out more to me...

Don't tell me....show me. The 300HP 5.4L and 4 speed automatic, isn't really convincing me that they are serious. So till a much larger engine is introduced on the LD and HD F-150's, with a 6 speed, and a diesel...THEN I'll start to believe it...

Instead of showing just the workers, they should show the media, it's harshest critic, and that should help silence them a bit from thinking there's doom and gloom only coming from Ford. They are the ones (as well as analysts) that need that reinforcement...not just the workers...

This was an ironic article. He states all the reasons why he likes the Navi, how it's better than the Escalade, yet ends it with saying that it's all about Bling, and the Escalade is better about that and thats why he would go with the Escalade.

Issue with Ford has been, no dedication to carry an idea through. Everytime they execute a plan to DO something, it's a stillborn idea because for one reason or another someone else takes charge, they don't like those ideas, changes it around, execute their own ideas, then they leave, etc.etc. Then what you are left with is half assed ideas, and products. The products in Lincoln are boatchy, non-cohesive. We have the LS as an example of one idea of taking a product worldwide with great driving dynamics, sitting next to the Town Car which it's engineering/styling harken back to a gone-by era. No family resemblence in styling...they can't make up their minds between egg-grate or waterfall grills. When the public and journalists see this, it's understandable why they say Lincoln is in trouble. Nothing is ever executed to it's full extent.

I agree, Ford's brochures certainly don't educate anyone or anything. Just basic things such as "highest capacity in it's segment"...or "Only SUV with IRS". Hmm ok, but explain what that is to normal folks? Even Volvo's seem to educate people a bit. BMW has great information, step by step as to all their safety systems, what they are good for, even how they work. Simple black words, on a white 2 inch edge on each page... no glitz or glamour...keep the pictures to the rest of the page...

Another photo-op. Nothing will come of it...too little too late, and hope flew out the window along with Pandora's Box...

Supposedly the LS was sustainable at some point if Ford decided to go ahead and build the product. But in true Ford tradition, the sustainability lost itself along the way when they didn't improve much on the product, or give it much of a future. Supposedly other vehicles were to be built, such as Navi-cross using the same underpinning, as well as a possible Continental, and let's not forget the Mark9 concept as well. Back to basics again...if you design other vehicles from a specific platform, it allows for sustainaibility if done correctly. But again, "launch and abandon" killed that plan. Supposedly in 1999-2000 was Lincoln's brightest moment when promises of taking Lincoln to a higher sophisticated level was somewhat realized with the introduction of the LS, and concept cars showed a rejuvinated promise to again capture an audience into realizing that Lincoln was BACK on the map. If we research back, past car reviews of the time, many auto journalists shared a renewed welcoming in seeing Ford taking Lincoln into an aggresively positive move, one which Cadillac later copied (in typical GM fasion). The LS hardly failed in any one specific area, other than the typical Ford fate of abandoning a vehicle. The LS captured a large take-rate of owners that would have otherwise gone to foreign makes. Also posted 35K+ sales in the first few years (before being drowned in the fleet world towards the end)..although some people describe the "LS" as a failure while praising the Zephyr as having great sales it's first year out at just around 20K...Or their beloved Lexus, Acuras who post almost similar number of sales in it's respective segment. Obviously monetary resources are low to again take Lincoln into a more positive trail...and if Ford did, won't people believe them again this time around ?

This wasn't an article which Ford placed it's on it's media site to proclaim "Hey we did something right"...This was straight from the newswires from JDPower who just happened to find the Zephyr's Navi system as having the best satisfaction rate. The one on my LS (Denso) was rated highest a year or 2 ago as well. Getting into a friends new Mazda5 I was very dissapointed with having to use some joystick thingy on her Navi, to run all over the map to select icons...whereas on the LS it's just touch-screen and sssoooo much easier. Also noticed that Lexus uses the same system which is why I was able to program hers as easily as well. Ironically a friend bought his Lexus WITH Navi since he enjoyed using it on mine...go figure.

LINK

LINK-Autoweek.com

LINK-Detnews.com