ESP08

Escape is a cut and dried compact SUV. Escape is to Edge what the RAV4 is to Highlander over at Toyota... or Focus was to Fusion a few years ago at Ford. Killing Edge leaves a pretty glaring hole in Ford's lineup. A shortened 2-row version of the RWD would Explorer be a great replacement. Edge's biggest problem right now is that it is too close in price to Explorer.

It's a distant secondary consideration for the typical half-ton buyer, IMO. Given the typical usage cycle of half-tons I'm sure the vast majority of buyers would prefer better unloaded MPG than better towing MPG. Towing MPG will be a much greater consideration for the 3/4 and 1 ton buyer.

Towing mileage doesn't factor into EPA so rating so that's pretty irrelevant for half tons.

While this car has some cheesy details I think it's decent indicator where the C8 proportions can be taken in future iterations. FAR from horrible:

I don't think cheesing it up with vents is the way to go. But a more aggressive (larger/wider) wheel & tire combo, lower stance, better implemented front/rear fascias and hood can help it immensely if done correctly. Some of the all time best looking cars are mid-engined -- the C8 isn't one of them but MY point is there is clearly a LOT of room for improvement over the base C8.

The 5.0 isn't going anywhere. Ford just invested in DoD for the Gen IV 5.0 and the same UNIFOR press release that mentioned the 6.8 said 5.0 is staying in production at Essex for the foreseeable future.

Yeah I mean I read the UNIFOR press release when it dropped a year ago just like everyone else and it was extremely light on 6.8 details. That was also a year ago under different CAFE projections. I'm just wondering about Stray Kat's statement about Windsor getting ready for 6.8 production. If the 6.8 is really just short-deck 7.3 like many speculate, and IF the AL blocks are coming from Nemak down the road...I'm just wondering what Windsor has to get ready for? IF the 6.8 still sees the light of day I'm hoping Stray Kat's statement is implying that the 6.8 is more than just a short deck AL block 7.3.

Would that even involve Windsor Engine Plant? I thought Ford was getting their AL castings for Windsor/Essex Engine from the Nemak Essex Aluminum plant?

Except a GT500 has a lot of road presence and a base V6 Mustang has almost none.

If it's just a short deck 7.3 what is there to set up?

No, but ride height, wheel/tire package, front and rear bumper design will. A lot dictates road presence beyond chassis hard points. It's like saying a the V6 Mustang can't be made into a GT500.

I honestly don't think the 6.8 will see the light of day. Maybe if Trump stayed in office...

Chrysler is the only manufacturer I'm aware of that uses twin screw superchargers in a production capacity (today). The fact that twin screws have one rotor that must spin much faster than the other reduces the durability, service life and blower speed capability of the TS. The TVS design is inherently superior and only hindered by Eaton's limited rotor size selection.

I agree, but I suspect the upcoming Z-versions will address that. The basic C8 proportions aren't bad but these base models definitely seem underbaked and a little dainty (or cheap) somehow.

Nobody buys that overpriced junk, the sloppy mechanics crowd only buys $500 Gen IV 5.3s from the junkyard.