RedHoncho01

Hi folks. Ford Motor Company has been a major contributor to my wellbeing for most of my life. My father is a Ford retiree from Kansas City Assembly Plant. He worked there 33.5 years. I began my career in the automotive coatings industry as a supplier representative at KCAP for 3 years and moved to Louisville to LAP for 20 years. I'm now with a different customer but I still love Ford products. My first car was a '66 Mustang. I bought it when I was 15 and it mostly sat in the drive until I was old enough to get my license. I drove that car for 4 years. Unfortunately, she was totalled as I was struck in the rear end by a 1978 Ford LTD land yacht!). I then got a Mercury Comet and eventually a Ford Futura. Once I started in my current job, I got a Ford Taurus to drive. I went through several of those in my career. I had a Mercury Mountaineer for several years and nearly 200,000 miles before I traded it for a new Ford Edge. I loved that vehicle and wish I had kept it longer but with having a company vehicle it sat in the drive more than it got driven. My current company vehicle is a 2019 Ford Escape SEL. It's a nice ride and I like the Active X seating as well as the host of safety features. Now, I've got retirement plans and am looking seriously at getting a Lincoln Nautilus. I've looked at other brands but I keep coming back to Ford products because of their quality, SYNC and the advanced safety features that It hink are superior to the other automakers systems.

Anyone know if both the Bronco and the Bronco Sport will be built at Michican Assembly? I read once where the Baby Bronco would be produced at Louisville Assembly and ride on the new Escape Platform.

Automotive News reported this over the weekend: https://www.autonews.com/dealers/ford-plans-bronco-reveal-march-dealers-learn-details The Bronco will be revealed in March 2020 with sales to begin in early 2021. Bronco Sport (Baby Bronco) will be revealed in April 2020 with sales to begin this fall.

I worked at Louisville Assembly where the Sport Trac was made. It was a vehicla that almost wasn't going to happen. However, several production managers and engineers devised a way to get it done and Ford HQ gave it a green light. It wasn't that the vehicle was a poor seller. There was a legitimate manufacturing constraint. At the time, Explorer and Mountaineer were selling like hotcakes We couldn't build them fast enough. Add in the Sport Trac and you could imagine the production nightmares. The cab and box sides would go through paint, then the cab and box sides were pulled into a mini-assembly area at the end of the paint shop where Sport Trac specific trim pieces, back windshield and box were assembled. Then it was sent to the trim department for final assembly. LAP built as many Sport Tracs as the facility could produce. When Explorer moved to the unibody chassis, that was the demise of the Sport Trac. I think Ford could legitimately bring back the Sport Trac on the new Bronco paltform and have an immediate following and again sell as many as they could produce.

Deafsoundguy I am considering the Reserve with AWD and 2.7L engine and the 202A package. I can't justify another $3000 - $4000 for upgraded leather, 4 oil changes and a premium exterior color for the BL. I like the Pristine White but don't like the $695 it costs. However, when I was doing research on a used Nautilus I noticed that any with the White Platinum or Pristine White were being priced about $2000 more than similarly equipped Nautilus with a different body color. I am also trying to decide on an interior color. I dislike the Cappucino and that's out altogether. The Slate looks interesting but I'm leaning toward Ebony/Terracotta. I worry about the lighter colors showing soil more than the dark colors. I would be interested in hearing if anyone who chose the Ultra-comfort seats think they are worth the extra $1500.

I'm retiring next year and am considering a Nautilus, my first ever Lincoln. I'm currently driving a 2019 Escape SEL. It is a nice vehicle but smallish on the inside for me and lacking in cargo capacity. I stopped by my local Lincoln dealer last week and looked at the Corsair. I have to say I love the interior design. It is a huge upgrade for Lincoln and is quite attractive. The chrome on the center stack didn't bother me. But I found the vehicle sits too low and is still lacking in cargo capacity. I like the exterior styling of the Nautilus. The interior is luxurious but the center stack looks aged compared to the Corsair and the Aviator. I usually purchase my vehicles but I'm actually considering a lease so I can jump into the redesigned Nautilus when it comes out. Does anyone know the timeframe on that? The dealer told me it would be next fall but Automotive News reports it won't be until 2022 (2023 model year?).