wescoent

The MKX and what?

Is it not not going to not suck?

Eh. I've driven a 5 liter Mustang, and a 5 liter XF on the same day... no difference in refinement. Almost to a fault with the Mustang. Too smooth.

Honestly, the worst part of Ron Paul's foreign policy position is trying to get the media to reasonably explain it. He won't get elected president, but I'm sure we'll see a major de-emphasis on foreign policy and social issues from 2012-2016. Mitt's true passion lies in the economy, and he will have his hands full at home in getting things under control, and moreover, keeping a wild-eyed Republican Congress and Senate at bay.

The entire thing boils down to demographics. We've promised too much to old people who don't have enough young people to support them. Everything else is just partisan noise. The government has some things it is definitely bested suited to handle, and we need to prioritize what those things are, and how much money they need to meet our expectations as a country. The American people and government need to severely roll back their war-focused mindset. When I say war, I don't mean with guns and killing. I mean, the idea that if we focus a massive amount of resources on a problem, it will go away. We need to work on getting the basic services right first, before we embark on grandiose adventures in fighting drugs, environmental issues, and so on. Let people fight wars on their own time, on their own dimes.

Government, in my view, suffers from diminishing returns as they relate to resources allocated in many cases. Obviously, we need environmental laws. However, if we double the EPA's budget, will it result in twice as clean air and water? If we double our education spending, will our kids end up twice as smart?

Ok. BMW and Mercedes, by all measures, are successful luxury brands. They also field RWD cars with dedicated platforms. Are they successful luxury brands BECAUSE they have RWD cars with dedicated platforms? Or are there other more relevant reasons? I'm glad Ford is trying to think outside the box with this one. What does 'taking on the Germans' even mean? You will never meet a Truer Believer in German cars than me, but I don't want to see Lincoln building an S-Class clone. Or a 3-Series clone. Why not try something different? Or are we at the point in history where there are just no more new good ideas?

I'm pleased to see they're having the right conversations.

Interesting. To me, this says we'll be seeing a renewed effort in the holistic marketing of the brand, which is one of the three essential aspects of Lincoln's success in the future. Great product is one, ownership experience is the other.

I was about to say... I just about laughed out loud when I read that. There's a reason Phil doesn't work there any longer. Actually, if I remember the story correctly, it was his brilliant idea to cut development for midsized sedans, and instead have a RWD competitor to the Camry and Accord, ala Ford 427.

Eh... they're relatively tame over there, compared to the sort of maniacs I deal with on a daily basis in real life. I find the attempts to justify Cadillac as being a more 'legitimate' luxury brand than Lincoln has reached the upper limit of absurdity for me. The XTS and the new MKS are the same freakin' car, yet there are those INSISTING that the XTS is simply a class above, or that it's okay, because a magical Cadillac super sedan will come to be in the next 5-8 years. It's my genuine hope that this new MKZ will bring about a new level of attention to detail for Lincoln. Sweating the small stuff, in other words.

Haha, thanks. Since GMI's atrocious redesign, I can barely stomach trying to navigate that morass, so I think I'm going to try and participate more in this neck of woods.

Check out Slide #9 for a much better view. The Grey Lady doesn't seem to like me posting her images here.

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/02/business/ford-seeks-to-glamorize-lincoln-vehicles.html?_r=3&hp=&adxnnl=1&adxnnlx=1322800312-GSNxz5G7sd8O7DSUKSm5ug&pagewanted=all

I'll probably start posting here more once Ford actually makes some decisions I don't whole-heartedly agree with. Compared to GM... as a longtime scholar of strategic management... it's just comedy over there. It's just difficult to point that out as often as I'd like, without getting needlessly incendiary. America123 is one of my favorite posters on GMI. It's actually a good deal of fun trying to decipher what the heck he's trying to communicate in his cryptic posts, and to have a foil who believe that my profession is the embodiment of true evil.