ZanatWork

Wow...an "I'm pissed and leaving forever" thread that just won't quit. Why in God's name is this thread still going? :blink:

NEWS FLASH: The Mustang is a 4 pasxsenger vehicle, the Corvette only has 2 seats...and only needs the bodywork and chassis to house 2 seats. Is this weight issue getting any clearer?

Golly...a thread with Borg and Pioneer being negative nancies! :o Shocking! :o

I have trouble believing you actually got into the car. I measure at either 6'4" or 6'5", and I've tested a couple of Fusions. I had ample leg room in both front seats, loved the flat cornering (only an SHO Taurus is close, IMO), and everything about the car had better assembly and quality than I've experienced in any Taurus/Sable...and there have been many of those around me between friends, families, rentals, etc. I'm sorry, but try again.

A few considerations: 1. The Zephyr/MKZ has been positioned to go after the Acura TL/Lexus ES330 market, and will have the tools to compete...but the instrument panel needs re-thinking. "Class" does not have to mean "old". 2. The Mark LT is actually selling decently, so the business case for a more distinct model may be getting attention. 3. The MKS could be a huge hit, but they need to smooth out the C-pillar and make sure the driving dynamics are better than anyone expects. Lincoln could be on the verge of a much better time than they've known recently...but the incredible concepts have to make it into production.

Even the media ITSELF has reported on this, and there was a thread here before citing examples...it's been proven to be true and mentioned in passing by reporters forever. To claim otherwise is fanatical denial at best, but there's a lot of that going around.

There was a big thread about this in the "School of Free Thought" section.

Retooling for various C1 derivatives is so logical that somebody in Dearborn will notice...hopefully before the C1 is not longer competitive.

The motor is likely dead. The LS and the T-Bird tanked, and the engine is only popular in some Jags.

Okay, yours was a problem. It still was designed when an anti-quality and anti-car goon had the reins. That was then. If you're "gone forever", get gone. This feels like a 12-year-old's threat to run away from home, resulting in his hiding over at a friend's house for 2-3 hours. You're leaving, or you're not. Pick one, and do it. Your beefs are laid out.

*yawn* Wow, aimless negativity is SO original...especially online! Let's look at this... In the last 5 years, Ford's quality is raising due to solid launches of the 500 and Fusion...has the hottest coupe in the market...still has the #1 truck...still a huge force in a shrinking SUV market. Boy, what slackers compared to 5 years back with ignored car lines, outdated Panther/Mustang/Taurus, and a Focus setting recall records. Oh, yeah, much better. (Psssst...that was sarcasm. Some can't figure that out.) Of course, I'm certain many people cross-shop the rwd, ancient car platform, rwd Town Car with the smaller, far less expensive, and modern crossover platformed Escape hybrid! Wow, those vehicles are practically twins in the market! (Sarcasm again...is it obvious enough?) As for the Zephyr...well, it could be excluded from Lincoln's new naming system-that'd make sense! Golly, it's such a huge marketing risk to take a vehicle with barely 4 months on the market and give it a mechanical, styling, and name freshening! It'd do much better, sticking out like a sore thumb in 2008 when most or all of Lincoln will be renamed per the new approach! (...you get the idea.)

The real problem with the LS? I'll get flamed for posting this, but... ...it wasn't good enough. It's not enough to show up for the game with average skills relative to those involved. The LS was the new kid, made the cover of the car mags, and was a mid-pack car in that territory. Why should that deserve fanfare? I agree wholeheartedly that the car had the potential to get better, and that it was probably among the best values in its segment...but it had issues (just like any Nasser-era car) and wasted its tiny moment in the spotlight by not being anything but an average car for its class.

It'd look less frightening with word of any Mercury concepts at Chicago.

Okay, I'm not amused. For the last year, Mercury actually has reappeared in TV ads and had some decent months. This momentum should be followed up by some hints at the future lineup... ...unless "nothing" is the hint. :angry:

I really hope Mercury didn't just get "stiffed" for Chicago...all that ad money, all that momentum behind the MAriner and Milan over the last year, and no follow-up?

Some think the severe "corner-cutting" will occur in the future when Ford really has to tighten their belt. I have a feeling you (and many others) will be joining me somewhere down the reliability road.......... So much for "gone forever". Some people need to realize the difference between "leaving" and "drama queen". As quality has RISEN (the Five Hundred and Fusions have had much better launches than their forbears, and better than the Avalon and the Civic, for example), and the quality surveys are mattering more, the entire industry has the choice of getting better or dying. Could Ford do better? Sure. They're trying. But they've learned (after the Nasser Nightmare) that "good enough to compete" isn't impressing anyone anymore. But hey, that doesn't matter...you're getting a Honda "truck"! Funny, the Ridgeline is lambasted for being the ugliest vehicle on the road and has had a less-than-glorious debut year (ask about the road test where all four struts blew, or the slow sales!). Honda also has been having serious and constant issues with their automatics...which are mandatory in Ridgelines. The Odyssey has had a dozen recalls. But hey, quality issues only happen to Ford, right? Sure. Besides, you're "gone forever"...you won't even get to read this! :D :D

"Is horsepower really a factor with lost sales?" With a difference that big, it sure could be. The people babbling endlessly that power doesn't matter really sound like a skipping CD :D. It isn't wrong to want competitive power for a vehicle in a given segment, especially when power is need to move almost 3 tons. Maybe the math just escapes some. It isn't about 320 vs. 300 hp this time, the difference is over 100 hp. Think of the customers-7 grand buying another 100 ponies will make sense. Even Ford must agree, as the Cleveland engine plant is bidding for the contract on a new 6.2 liter V8...but that won't be in time to help the Nav at this fall's launch.

Well, so long, sorry you won't be around to enjoy the post-Nasser era (your car was the result of his corner-cutting b.s.). You did say forever, so I don't expect to see you back.

HP is selling cars right now, so your sickness isn't going away...but people DO care when they make buying decisions. HEMI is practically its own division at DCX, BMW and Mercedes have crossed the 500 hp theshold in both coupes and sedans, the Caliber was a 300 hp SRT version coming out, and Subaru went from geek car to lust objuect by stuffing Imprezas full of motor. Welcome to the 21st century. Why should a buyer want the 5.4-hardly a fuel miser-when they can have more power and possibly better gas mileage (via cylinder deactivation) for similar money? The grille is maybe much better in person, I don't know, but offering less content on a huge luxury vehicle is suicidal marketing.

I can deal with the grille in lighter colors...I don't like it on the black one. However...good luck selling it with 103 less available hp than its arch-nemesis. It isn't about how much power people need, it's about high-dollar shoppers wanting a stuffed spec sheet for their money. The Navi comes up short.

I've stated before that if the Fusion ST is what it's rumored to be (270 hp, manual trans, awd), I'm buying one within its first two model years. I figure that'll outrun my T-Bird SC, so I won't be missing my beast much when I trade it.

Anyone with a hairdryer and $9.99 for a MKZ liftgate badge? Apparently, that's a bit much for Bluecon. We could pass the hat....

Ford's still profitable globally, and is putting the right pieces into play to fix the North American situation. I don't see them playing "follow-the-leader-into-recievership", regardless what the analysts babble. I'm not real impressed with their ratio of correct predictions.

9999 sold in the US last month...can we maybe skip 10 grand and go straight to 11 or 12 for February?

That last one's basically a Tacoma.