NickB

Ha ha, nothing a zip-tie can't fix. Incredible!

Yeah, from the looks of it they just stuck the (almost)new grill and bumper on a current fusion. Probably testing engine cooling or something like that. Also, the rendering shows the top blade on the grill stretching out over the headlamps and it looks much better that way. IMO, the mock up looks like crap because the fenders and headlights on the "old" fusion don't allow the complete grill design to be used.

Yeah, those chrome grills and wheels really differentiate them from the Ford models they are based on:)

beautiful car, just beautiful. I think this is what the new Mazda 6 should have looked like.

And they are all pointless deaths, not to mention the number of innocent lives being lost on both sides who have no direct involvement other than being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

No, he just abandoned his fellow POW's, his first wife, and God knows who else. http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2008/01/29/mccain/ Although, in a race between him and Hillary, I'd take the womanizing ladder climbing louse in a heart beat.

If even 25% of those postulations come to fruition in time to ward off our impending economic woes I would be surprised. It's not a question about "if" they will be realized, it's a question of "when".

Let's hope so, but living in California and seeing what it going on here makes me want to side with chicken little. Home prices are still way beyond reach of the average middle class family. When a 2 earner income family purchases a $500,000 dinky condo with a $300/month HOA fee and a 1 hour commute to work each way, I just don't see where they extra $300.00/month for a new car payment fits in. Almost everyone I know is paying more in gas each month than they would on a Mercedes lease payment. They are also starting to sock money away for maintenance in lieu of trading up to a new car, which is exactly what I've been doing. Granted this is all anecdotal, and economists probably have it right, but it's just so hard to ignore what you see with your own eyes every single day. Some how I just don't see this as lasting only one or two quarters.

I thought I saw it mentioned that April would be the month. As for putting stock in what a dealer tells you, just think about the source and you have to wonder about the validity of an August time frame.

So for those who know, does "in-house" equate to a better quality / more reliable transmission than the Aisin units?

Which is probably a good thing:)

Is this a standard quarter then, meaning it should arrive somewhere during Oct - Dec 08 time frame?

Just this past weekend I was told by somone who works for Ford that there is a pretty serious recall on the Hybrid Escapes. If I remember correctly, it had something to do with the batteries, but don't hold me to it. This could be what the "material hold" means.