Yep. So as someone who's toured Art Center in Pasadena looking into going there, that's arguably the central school for car design in the US. The culture isn't great.    Students are essentially taught to be different and weird above all else. I understand the importance of having students develop and strenghten their creative muscles. But the issue is it leads to a lot of designers who just wanna be different for the sake of being different. Rather than being different, but striving to be different in a way that's better.    Pair that with the mental disconnect from reality. Art center is super expensive, as in you're well into the six figures for 8 semesters of tuition alone. Factor in all your expenses, and you're probably gonna be on the hook for well over 200k or even 300k by the time it's all said and done. That was one of the main reasons I didn't go there.    Taking on 300k in student loan debt for a career with a starting salary that was around 60-70 grand at the time, it felt like the kinda loan you'd never get out from under. But because it's so expensive, that means most of the students who attend are daddies money trust fund types.    The kind of people who've never known struggle, and who frankly can't relate to the tastes, needs, or desires of common buyers very well because they haven't lived it, and can't understand it.    So the people who are creating your cars are a bunch of elites who can't relate to you who are taught to be weird and funky above all else. With that sort of education, it starts to make all these weird and strange car designs and features make no sense and seem to lack appeal and use to most of the people buying them. 

Yes, I’ve been reading all about it. I just need @jpd80to design/engineer/deliver an F-100 hybrid for me first. JP, I not getting any younger. 

@DeluxeStang Has some comments about that with Art Schools and what they are "teaching"   But yes this blocky/simplification of styling is just atrocious-its permeated itself into other things like luxury watches etc.   

Kinda. Lol The J7 is quite impressive in the metal. At 177.2-inches, it's like a right sized compact SUV and I can see why it's popular in Europe, especially the UK.   

Affordable (IMO) is a nebulous term anyways-given the fact that average transaction price for a new vehicle is $50K these days. But that is whole another topic.    Just looked at the pricing structure of Ford's current lineup: Maverick: 28K Ranger: 33K F-150: 37K Super Duty: 46K   Future lineup: Maverick:~30K CE1 EV:~30K F-100: ~35K F-100 SD: ~38K F-150: ~$42k Super Duty:~$48   So what I'm thinking is the F-100 will aline better with US customer tastes-it will remove pricing pressure on the F-150 at the lower end and not be as "crippled" by perception that current Ranger may have with the customer base. I'd also venture to guess that it would fit better for fleet usage-the F-150 is a bit too big for some roles and the Maverick/CE1 wouldn't be able to handle say off road usage as well (think park vehicles for example) and more body styles.   The SD Ranger/F-100 SD would create a whole new market 

Looks like it is available now?   https://shopgenerlink.com/products/generlink-transfer-switch-ford-bundle   HRG

I assume it will also share a lot with the TTP truck.

Yes, I think North America is likely getting a Ranger (or F-100) Powerboost. It will meet my wants/needs very well. I wish I knew how long I have to wait to order the new GenerLink/Ford transfer switch so I can have whole house backup via Pro Power Onboard.

That doesn't jive with how I interpreted this post:   https://blueovalforums.com/forums/index.php?/topic/79045-mach-e-wont-transition-to-the-skunkworks-platform/&do=findComment&comment=1255774   but my exuberance for a future F-100 could have caused me to read more into our Aussie friend's post than was intended. If F-100 is Ranger Super Duty only, then it leaves customers like me looking elsewhere. I don't need/want a Ranger SD or the off road chops of a Bronco pickup. Plus, F-100 SD only goes against the Ford mantra of an affordable truck from TTP.  

I’m wondering if the 3.0 EB PHEV is worth another try as an apex product or whether that ultimately hurts Navigator Sales…interesting interplay there