Misfires: It seemed like a good idea at the time

[PREMiERdrum]

For every home run, there's thousands of strikes. For every Friends, there's a Coupling. For every Big Mac, there's a Mc DLT.

 

The same is true of the automotive world. Each year, there are new vehicles that never quite live up to their hype, with many ultimately being used as a "bad" example for years to come.

 

So, here's our list of the top 5 automotive flops of the modern age. Don't take the news to hard, manufacturers. We're sure it seemed like a good idea at the time. On paper. Or something like that.

 

Continued at LINK

[Pioneer]

Without reading the article, I'm guessing it's the Blackwood.

[Pioneer]

double post

 

 

Edited April 26, 2011 by Pioneer

[PREMiERdrum]

Without reading the article, I'm guessing it's the Blackwood.

 

Although I'd love it if you'd read the article :reading: , you are correct.

 

And I admittedly have liked Blackwood from day 1. It's hard to imagine that just 10 years ago Lincoln had the balls to build something like that. If you could manage to combine that confidence with some decent product planning, they could do well.

[BORG]

There is no bigger flop in Ford history than the Lincoln Blackwood, fortunately nobody really noticed and the impact was inconsequential.

[PREMiERdrum]

There is no bigger flop in Ford history than the Lincoln Blackwood, fortunately nobody really noticed and the impact was inconsequential.

 

I (obviously) agree that it was Ford's biggest modern flop, but...

 

Edsel? Merkur?

 

The Blackwood was a an early success. It just wasn't sustainable product, and this issue was compounded by several delays after customers were lined up to buy. From a financial standpoint, though, it was fairly low risk. Compared to Edsel and Merkur, especially.

[FordBuyer]

There is no bigger flop in Ford history than the Lincoln Blackwood, fortunately nobody really noticed and the impact was inconsequential.

 

Really?...ever hear of the Edsel? The Edsel was a new division to compete with GM. In fact, the guy who was instrumental in getting the Edsel made later committed suicide after his days at Ford ended. If also besmirched the legacy of Edsel Bryant Ford. Now the name "Edsel" means failure of the highest order.

[FordBuyer]

I (obviously) agree that it was Ford's biggest modern flop, but...

 

Edsel? Merkur?

 

The Blackwood was a an early success. It just wasn't sustainable product, and this issue was compounded by several delays after customers were lined up to buy. From a financial standpoint, though, it was fairly low risk. Compared to Edsel and Merkur, especially.

 

Actually, Ford brought over more than a few Euro Ford's over to the states in late 60's and 70's with the Merkur being one of them. The Cortina and Capri which I owned and drove. Both didn't last with the Cortina not lasting long here at all. And the Scorpio which didn't last long either. Btw, I loved my Cortina and '72 and '75 V6 Capris. All three were fun to drive, and although I never owned a Merkur, I liked it. Euro Ford's just never caught on here in states during that era. GM's Opel Kadett didn't last a long time either during those years.

[LarryQW]

..And the Scorpio which didn't last long either. Btw, I loved my Cortina and '72 and '75 V6 Capris. All three were fun to drive, and although I never owned a Merkur, I liked it. Euro Ford's just never caught on here in states during that era. GM's Opel Kadett didn't last a long time either during those years.

 

I owned a Merkur Scorpio for 15 years. Drove it to the grave since I couldn't get another. It was a fabulous handling family car, with lots of versatility as a hatchback.

 

My feeling is that Lincoln was the wrong place to sell a Euro-car. Not what their customers were looking for. Ford also made a lot of engineering mistakes in the American conversion. Like they forgot to put an Off button on the A/C, even though it came with a sun roof. But the Ford shop did two days of retrofits under warranty and got it right, a year or so later.

[papilgee4evaeva]

Blackwood was an easy one to predict.

 

Oddly enough, there's one driving around here that I see from time to time.

[BrewfanGRB]

I know this comment will be considered grammar Nazi, but I do mean it as well-intentioned advice (every award-winning columnist has an editor). You might want to do another proofread of the post. Otherwise, a good read.

 

I would dispute the Ridgeline. Not because I don't think it was a bad idea--it was. It's atrocious. But it's still on the market, so either Honda is simply too stubborn to admit failure or it actually is selling enough to justify it's existence.

[PREMiERdrum]

I know this comment will be considered grammar Nazi, but I do mean it as well-intentioned advice (every award-winning columnist has an editor). You might want to do another proofread of the post. Otherwise, a good read.

 

Noted, and appreciated. Apparently, I copied my unedited draft into the Blogger template. Damn Tornado warnings kept popping up last night (while I was covering BOTH the WBNS and ONN assignment desks), interrupting my work flow.

 

I would dispute the Ridgeline. Not because I don't think it was a bad idea--it was. It's atrocious. But it's still on the market, so either Honda is simply too stubborn to admit failure or it actually is selling enough to justify it's existence.

 

I debated the Ridgeline's place on the list, but ultimately included it due to the disparity between pre-launch hype and sales results. Had the Ridgeline not appeared here, you may have seen the Durango/Aspen Hybrids or Envoy XUV in its place.

[old_fairmont_wagon]

I don't know where they are selling them because a new honda ridgeline is only more common around here than one other vehicle, the Lincoln MkT.

[NickF1011]

Actually, Ford brought over more than a few Euro Ford's over to the states in late 60's and 70's with the Merkur being one of them. The Cortina and Capri which I owned and drove. Both didn't last with the Cortina not lasting long here at all. And the Scorpio which didn't last long either. Btw, I loved my Cortina and '72 and '75 V6 Capris. All three were fun to drive, and although I never owned a Merkur, I liked it. Euro Ford's just never caught on here in states during that era. GM's Opel Kadett didn't last a long time either during those years.

 

Ford Jellymoulds? Is that you? :poke:

[atvman]

The Blackwood wouldn't have been such a flop if Ford didn't insist on installing such a useless bed on it.

[NickF1011]

The Blackwood wouldn't have been such a flop if Ford didn't insist on installing such a useless bed on it.

 

Eh, I think the later Mark LT showed that the market for a Lincoln pickup, even with a useable bed, just isn't there. Ford is better off simply selling Platinum and King Ranch F-150's.

[grbeck]

I would dispute the Ridgeline. Not because I don't think it was a bad idea--it was. It's atrocious. But it's still on the market, so either Honda is simply too stubborn to admit failure or it actually is selling enough to justify it's existence.

 

Supposedly the Ridgeline is going away after 2012, according to Honda insiders.

 

I disagree, however, that the Ridgeline was, in and of itself, a bad idea. Tooling for a body-on-frame pickup, with a V-8 engine, would have been a tremendous expense for Honda. We think that Honda is a large company because it sells well here, but, on a worldwide scale, it's not that big. Toyota built an entirely new factory for the enlarged Tundra, and Nissan made a tremendous investment for the Titan, and the former has had tepid sales, and the latter has made virtually no impact on the full-size truck market. They certainly haven't hurt Ford or GM, or even Dodge, for that matter.

 

In retrospect, the mistake was in making the Ridgeline as big as it is. A smaller "personal use," unibody pickup, sized more along the lines of the Ranger, would have made more sense. That would have better fit the Honda image, while still offering a real alternative to the current entries. Honda had the right idea, but sized the final product too big - much like the 1966 Oldsmobile Toronado and 1971 "boattail" Riviera, both of which were originally proposed as smaller, intermediate-size cars and were blown up to the full-size class at the insistence of top management.

 

Regarding the Lincoln Blackwood, the short bed didn't help, but I would note that the deluxe versions of the F-150 make it difficult to really differentiate a Lincoln pickup from a Ford entry based on a more luxurious interior or better trim. A top-of-the-line F-150 is a very nice veihcle.

 

It's also worth noting that the Cadillac Escalade EXT has never set the world on fire with its sales. But because it's grouped under the "Escalade" banner, we tend not to notice.

Edited April 26, 2011 by grbeck

[NLPRacing]

The Blackwood wouldn't have been such a flop if Ford didn't insist on installing such a useless bed on it.

 

I agree. With it's rack & pinion steering, 32V 5.4L and Navigator styling & interior it should of done better, but with a "trunk" instead of a bed on a pick up had fail written all over it. But was it really a "flop"? But after thinking about, I know it didn't sell in big numbers, but at the price they were getting for them with what must of been pretty low development cost, would it be safe to say that they made money on them? The sticker on it was $52,500. It's hard to sticker a 2wd Platinum or King Ranch that high even today. Even selling these at a discount, it had to have been profitable considering loaded Lariat 4x4's were stickered in the mid 30's at that time.

 

Eh, I think the later Mark LT showed that the market for a Lincoln pickup, even with a useable bed, just isn't there. Ford is better off simply selling Platinum and King Ranch F-150's.

 

The Mark LT was nothing more than a re-grilled, re-badged F150. Literally, there was nothing unique to the LT. But even with that, I'm sure each one sold at a profit. The only thing really unique to the Blackwood was the goofy trunk thing. Ford has yet to do a real Lincoln pickup. There's rumors they might try again, so I guess we might see if it will do any better.

[NickF1011]

But was it really a "flop"? But after thinking about, I know it didn't sell in big numbers, but at the price they were getting for them with what must of been pretty low development cost, would it be safe to say that they made money on them?

 

It was definitely a flop. From what I understand, the dealer stock moved so slowly that Ford's production for its first model year ended up being enough for its entire production run, which from what I recall was only two model years.

 

Ford has yet to do a real Lincoln pickup. There's rumors they might try again, so I guess we might see if it will do any better.

 

I hope they just leave it be. Fullsize trucks and luxury just don't seem to mingle well. Sure, there are the Platinum and King Ranch F-series that I mentioned already, but those aren't really "luxury" vehicles. They are just really, really nice Fords.

[NLPRacing]

...Fullsize trucks and luxury just don't seem to mingle well....

 

Come to Texas, we love our decked out pick ups & SUV's.

[630land]

The Lincoln LS was a bigger flop than the Blackwood.

 

With F-150 tooling and high prices, I'm sure BW made some money. LS's were dicounted and fleeted out.

[NickF1011]

Come to Texas, we love our decked out pick ups & SUV's.

 

Decked out does not equal luxury in my opinion.

[NickF1011]

The Lincoln LS was a bigger flop than the Blackwood.

 

With F-150 tooling and high prices, I'm sure BW made some money. LS's were dicounted and fleeted out.

 

I'm assuming the DEW platform has more than made up its initial development costs by now. Remember, Jaguar is still using a variant of it. I doubt the Blackwood made a dime, even with its very limited development costs.

[akirby]

The Lincoln LS was a bigger flop than the Blackwood.

 

With F-150 tooling and high prices, I'm sure BW made some money. LS's were dicounted and fleeted out.

 

Wrong. Lincoln sold 100K LSes total the first 2 years and they were sold closer to MSRP than invoice. They were NEVER "fleeted out" - who would have bought them?

 

Only 3356 Blackwoods were ever made - period. In the end they were giving away free Cougars with purchase of a Blackwood.

[630land]

LS was a long term flop, where is it now? Cadillac CTS blew it off the market.