Daryll40

I also just saw a HEARSE version that Car and Driver panned, but I thought it looked great and "next generation" of Hearses. http://www.caranddriver.com/news/spied/10q4/2012_lincoln_mkt_hearse-future_cars/gallery

I saw a black with black MKT at the local auto show...it was not specifically the limo model...but I think this is gonna be a limo home run. I wondered if Ford would cede the livery market with the demise of the Panther Town Car, but I really think the MKT is going to work well.

I agree that the tech was cutting edge. And I admit that I was shocked at the Grand Cherokee asking prices too. But even your $42,600 "bargain" was about $10,000 more than I paid for my 2003 Mountaineer Premier in an 8 year period when car prices have actually DECLINED. Hey, if Ford can get those kind of numbers, more power to them. But I just wonder how many people won't even consider the vehicle after seeing them priced at 50 grand at the auto show. Even the XLT was 40. As I said, repeat buyers like me are gonna be shocked at the 10/33% grand price increase

I agree that people will have to pay what the market will bear....but I can't believe the market is this pricey for this vehicle.

I went to look at the new Explorer yesterday at our auto show and had two shocks. The first was what a GREAT vehicle it is and how well done. I had figured it would be a warmed over Taurus-X/Freestyle. It's not, even if it's built on that base. The fuel economy was good too for a vehicle that size and certainly 16MPG city is a huge jump over the 13 that the old vehicle got (with AWD) ...23%. But the price!!!! A loaded one was OVER $50,000!!!!!! Am I crazy or is the buying public REALLY gonna line up to spend 50 grand for a loaded Explorer. And in the mid 40s for a well equipped but not loaded one? And the people around me at the auto show were freaking out/laughing about the price too. What am I missing here?

If the purpose of killing the PANTHERs is because of gas mileage, I don't get it. The MKT doesn't get much better, if any mileage. What am I missing?

All that's interesting but it didn't answer my question: Why did Ford spend a $B to move TC to STAP just to shut it down in a few years? Was TC that profitable that it justified that much just to keep it going these few years?

Question: I am not an Ford insider but until recently we always had at least 1 in the family. Didn't Ford spent a billion to move Town Car production to the Ontario plant just a few years ago? Why did they do that if they are gonna quit now? Did they make enough in just those few years to recoup that, or was it just necessary to keep the TC rolling until they came up with a replacement (which appears to be the MKT...which might work..or not)?

I take that as a YES

I keep seeing photos of the soon-to-be-released 2011 Explorer. Is this REALLY a new vehicle or is it just a reworked Freestyle? I mean this question with all honesty and sincerity.

My teenage son has me almost convinced to get the Fiesta instead of the $202 lease (36 months, $600 upfront money) on a Honda Civic. Two questions: 1. Why no Ford leasing? 2. What's with the drum brakes. I was, frankly, shocked to see them. Didn't they go out with Ricardo Maltalban's "Crushed Corinthian Leather"? Are they safe? Some insight here would be helpful. The good magazine ratings and 29MPG city is very enticing.

I saw my first 2010 Taurus today at the dealer. Let me remind you that I was the one who said the Flex would flop. Apparently it has. That being said, I think the 2010 Taurus has the potential to lead the auto industry out of the recession. The car is a winner! They got it totally right. With competitive lease/financing the factory should be working overtime.

OK, it's about a year later. I rarely see any Flexes on the road or on dealer lots.

If I recall, NOVA was the first name used for the GM version of the NUMMImobile around 1986 or so.

It was another wheel bearing. All fixed and sounds better now.