I was going to make the argument for number 2 with Vignale but I think Ford pulled the plug on that.  I don't see any current models that have the Vignale trim available anymore (going on ford.co.uk).  I thought Vignale was a soft and safe way for Ford to enter the luxury market in Europe without trying to launch Lincoln and losing a ton of money.  Guess that didn't pan out either. 

To be fair, most of Tesla's "recalls" are just OTA software updates. They really need to start differentiating or not classifying certain things as recalls.

That's the problem in a nutshell.   Explorer was supposed to be the Focus replacement but someone (maybe Farley?) saw that it wouldn't make money at the price VW is selling its ID.3 and Renault is selling its Megane, so Ford Europe is pricing it to make sure it covers its costs. Consumers aren't stupid... these are not compelling products at those price points.    The slow sales of the Explorer/Capri twin is direct result of the pricing strategy. It's almost as if someone wanted them to fail... If Ford can sell a larger EV imported from Mexico for lower price then a locally made EV, then what is the point of keeping the local manufacturing footprint?    

Ford Europe is the passenger car business and it is indeed bleak.    Ford Pro is the just marketing... the van business in Europe is under Ford Otosan.    Farley already placed its eggs in the Otosan basket with Puma (the best selling vehicle under Ford Europe) now made by Ford Otosan.   Ford Pro in Europe is just a natural evolution of the point #2 I made in my post... van buyers are not as price sensitive as retail B-segment hatchback buyers. And there are fewer competitors (e.g. Toyota and Hyundai are bit players in European van market) so Ford's pivot to Pro business is just a survival instinct... go where the margins are high and competition less fierce. There are only 4 credible van sellers in Europe: Ford, Mercedes, VW, and Stellantis. Renault is now struggling because it lost Opel to Stellantis so I think they will eventually exit the business. Compare this to the passenger car business with a dozen credible player plus the emerging threat from Chinese OEM... it's obvious why Ford doesn't want to sell Fiesta but is all-in on Transit.   The van business also less capital intensive because model cycles are long... 10-15 years between major update is pretty standard. In passenger car business, 5-6 year model cycle with 3 year midcycle update is standard. You can see why Farley loves the van business in Europe.    If I'm Farley, I would approach Renault and buy its van business. Combine that business with Ford Otosan will be transformative for Ford in Europe. 

Not really.  It was meant to be the European equivalent of the Mustang.  It was imported to the U.S as a captive import and sold through Lincoln-Mercury dealers.   Three buddies of mine taken in 1973.  The Capri was pretty popular back then.  

Hope everyone had a great Christmas!

That's what I thought as well. The original Capri was always meant to be the smaller and cheaper alternative to the mustang. 

i don't understand the pricing there - aren't Explorer and Capri smaller than Mach E?

Well, it's something I guess.   Also, not all recalls are the same - I had one for my Bronco where they put a plastic piece on the seatbelt to keep the latch up higher, which is far different than a recall for exploding engines, so just using a broad tally of 4.3M vehicles doesn't necessarily paint the whole picture.

'02 Taurus here at 111k miles, and I have what I'm interpreting to be either a failing blower motor or a loose electrical connection at the motor. For the past week or so when I turn the climate control mode selection dial to any selection, no air comes from the vents. When the mode knob is turned, everything else seems to be happening...flap doors are heard moving inside the dash, and the compressor clutch engages if the A/C is selected, but no air movement. After 3-4 days of this the blower suddenly works again and stays working for as long as the engine remains on, turning climate control on and off when needed. But the next time the car is driven the blower doesn't work. The blower motor itself seems fine in that it doesn't sound like it has a problem starting up with a slow whir or anything. It sounds completely normal when running. This is why I think it might just be a loose electrical connection at the motor, but I really have no idea, or not much experience dealing with this particular issue. Any advice on what I should check or test? I'm all ears, thanks! And a very Merry Christmas to everyone!