The New Ford Sports Car

[joihan777]

A Mini-Mustang may be a great vehicle for Europe.

Check out the style on this Euro-Focus:

Imagine this Focus Coupe-Cabriolet with the ST's 5-Cyl Turbo!

Some styling changes, a little more aggressive presense and Bam! you've got a Mini-Mustang!

The ST already does 0-60 in 6.4secs, better than V6 Mustang.

[Ford Jellymoulds]

Europe is full of ego, if Caddy didn't have a chance and they're %100 exclusive.

 

Lincoln is not ready yet to take on the world. If Egorope (no offense) didn't accept the Continental, how are they going to accept any American luxury car?

 

It's must be very hard to break into a market like Europe with any quality car, Ford should maybe consider giving Lincoln a helping hand along the way, by offering it for sale along side Fords at Ford Dealers but don't keep it in stock it at any dealer, just ship them in on a waiting list from the States or keep a just in time stock at one location in that country to match changing market conditions, Toyota do this with the Lexus so why cant Ford. It might then build up a loyal customer base within Europe. You have got to be in the game to win. You have hit the nail on the head Egorope l like it Lincoln, most upper class Europeans are only interested in BMW or Mercedes, If Toyota have cracked the Egorope market with the Lexus, why can't Ford give them a helping hand to get established. They seem to pump billons of dollars into a lame duck Jaguar money pit, with very little back in return but big losses for Ford, l can't see any logic in any of it.

[Biker16]

as a matter of principle the mustang cannot be ford's only sports car.

 

I would propose:

 

the Sporty car dirived from the reflex concept, based on the B2 archtechture

 

a mid-engineed rwd performance coupe built wiht off-the-shelf C2 componentry,

 

a global Mustang designed with export in mind, based on global RWd archtechture.

[suv_guy_19]

as a matter of principle the mustang cannot be ford's only sports car.

 

why?

[mercurymichael]

A few have suggested a sub-mustang sports car. While that idea is fine, it must NOT be called Thunderbird. Mustang is supposed to be the entry level sports car and Thunderbird the sporty flagship of the Ford line if you look at the history of the two nameplates. I think as trucks and suv and yes crossovers finish their swan song, sporty cars will come back in all sizes, making room for a small, medium (Mustang) and large (Thunderbird) sports/sporty cars.

[Biker16]

why?

because it is not a sports car. it is a muscle car. It cannot be taken seriously as a "sports car". if it were We would be asking why it gets that ass kicked by cars like the 350, elise and, corvette.

 

Plus there are the 95% of the wolrds population that don't live in the US, and that need > 35mpg and park in tight places.

[suv_guy_19]

because it is not a sports car. it is a muscle car. It cannot be taken seriously as a "sports car". if it were We would be asking why it gets that ass kicked by cars like the 350, elise and, corvette.

 

Plus there are the 95% of the wolrds population that don't live in the US, and that need > 35mpg and park in tight places.

 

 

But I don't see why ford needs a sports car..there are better things to spend development money on...

[jpd80]

A Mini-Mustang may be a great vehicle for Europe.

Check out the style on this Euro-Focus:

Imagine this Focus Coupe-Cabriolet with the ST's 5-Cyl Turbo!

Some styling changes, a little more aggressive presense and Bam! you've got a Mini-Mustang!

The ST already does 0-60 in 6.4secs, better than V6 Mustang.

 

Better still, lift the Turbo engine out of the Mazda 3.

Now that's a much more powerful combination and cheap too!

 

But yes, the 5-cyl Turbo is a great combo.

Edited April 26, 2007 by jpd80

[joihan777]

Better still, lift the Turbo engine out of the Mazda 3.

Now that's a much more powerful combination and cheap too!

But yes, the 5-cyl Turbo is a great combo.

Actually, I don't think a small sport-car, the mini-Mustang Reflex? should use a turbo.

The logic is that turbos require expensive high-octane gasoline, thus rendering cost savings,

if compared to a larger vehicle, virtually useless. The Cosworth Focus managed to stuff

a 6-Cyl in the Focus engine bay.... Duratec 30?

Although I can see a turbo in the SVT version....

 

How about if Ford breeds these 2 pretty machines:

++++++++++++++++++PLUS+++++++++++++++++++++

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We'd have a quick, nimble, sexy 2+2 sports car that would slot in under Mustang and eat into Solstice, S2000, Eclipse & Beetle sales.

Using either a shortened Focus or lengthened Miata platform as a basis would keep R&D costs low. Basically, the majority of the modifications

would be the styling & safety systems. A 4 or 5-banger base engine with a 6-cyl GT & SVT turbo version mated to a 6-speed man. or 5-speed

auto would constitute the powertrain. The styling would be modern with a nod to its big brother the Mustang. I see it being a hit stateside

as well as in more crowded countries in Europe, Australia & Asia. Globalization and cost-sharing would further Ford with this little world car.

Edited April 26, 2007 by joihan777

[F250]

Rear wheel drive 2-seater convertable (with optional removable hard top) using the new 3.5L V6 but it's got to look great like the Pontiac Solstice. It cannot look like an aftermarket chop-job on a regular production econo-box (Focus).

 

Something like the old Cobra concept but do not name it "Cobra" instead of the V10 use the 3.5L...oh never mind everyone would just complain that Ford underpowered it and wasted the opportunity to build a modern Cobra instead of an affordable 2-seat fuel efficent sports car.

[Ford Jellymoulds]

All these convertibles would be not much use in Europe we always get wet summers in the UK, and they are all a bit to girlie for my taste. You can’t beat a good old back end out sideways RWD Ford drivers car like the Mustang for the best fun on four wheels. Ford did used to produce a smaller coupe in Europe in the late 60's it was a big hit in Europe, and was recently voted Britain 4th most favourite car of all time in the most comprehensive poll ever carried out. 1st Porsche 911, 2nd Mini, 3rd Jaguar e-type. Brits chose 3 sports car in the top 4 out of 100 named cars so we like them but don't buy them in such big numbers. We probably don’t buy them anymore because nobody builds the cars we like anymore.

 

Edited April 26, 2007 by Ford Jellymoulds

[LincolnFan]

The Mustang from what I heard isn't really built for cornering...

 

Sport cars are currently dead at Ford, just like SVT.

[NickF1011]

Sport cars are currently dead at Ford, just like SVT.

 

Once again, the GT500 and GT500KR are both SVT products.

[LincolnFan]

Can the GT500 corner? Exactly.

[suv_guy_19]

Can the GT500 corner? Exactly.

 

thats not the point of a mustang...and from what i've heard it does just fine.

[Deanh]

All these convertibles would be not much use in Europe we always get wet summers in the UK, and they are all a bit to girlie for my taste. You can’t beat a good old back end out sideways RWD Ford drivers car like the Mustang for the best fun on four wheels. Ford did used to produce a smaller coupe in Europe in the late 60's it was a big hit in Europe, and was recently voted Britain 4th most favourite car of all time in the most comprehensive poll ever carried out. 1st Porsche 911, 2nd Mini, 3rd Jaguar e-type. Brits chose 3 sports car in the top 4 out of 100 named cars so we like them but don't buy them in such big numbers. We probably don’t buy them anymore because nobody builds the cars we like anymore.

 

choosing is different than buying....otherwise we would all be driving our dream cars wouldn't we? 430 drop top please.........

[Deanh]

Can the GT500 corner? Exactly.

yes it does...quicker than most as well...i hope that comment was sarcasm.....

[Biker16]

But I don't see why ford needs a sports car..there are better things to spend development money on...

that is not waht this thread is about. Sports are like any other niche vehicle. they allow ford to appeal to more people, we can't sell 400,000 units of any car anymore so we must make up that lost volume with niche vehicles.

[suv_guy_19]

that is not waht this thread is about. Sports are like any other niche vehicle. they allow ford to appeal to more people, we can't sell 400,000 units of any car anymore so we must make up that lost volume with niche vehicles.

 

 

I realize that, I just don't see it as an important niche..there are many others that ford needs to do good in...they don't need another to worry about.

[joihan777]

Gentlemen,

I offer some youtubes for a bit of history regarding Ford's work with sub-Mustang sports cars: (you will enjoy these, I promise)

 

Ford Escort Cosworth vs Suburu Impreza R with Jeremy Clarkson

 

Ford Escort Cosworth vs Toyota Celica with Jeremy Clarkson

 

 

Hopefully, these little tidbits of burning rubber would offer a glimpse through the mists of wonders into to the nebulous uncertainty

that is the [here pondered upon]New Ford Sports Car (the little one.)

Edited April 27, 2007 by joihan777

[Ford Jellymoulds]

It's not what you got, but the way that you do it, thats what brings results to a new small sub-mustang sports car

 

Edited April 27, 2007 by Ford Jellymoulds