Ford Five Hundred/Mercury Montego
porknbeans
Member Posts: 465
What do you think?
Porknbeans
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
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http://auto.com/industry/ford28_20020328.htm
and another with a pic:
http://thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=4765
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
http://www.autonews.com/news.cms?newsId=1857
I just realized that the designer for this car used to be the lead designer at VW/Audi. That helps to clarify the similar style lines. 6-speed auto with cvt sounds nice but I have to wonder about the performance of the 3.0litre v-6. How long do you think before they stuff the v-8 from the Mustang in this thing and turn it into a true competitor. IMO Ford is either going to have to increase the output of the 3.0 or increase the engine size.
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Still 2 years away. Maximum Bob, take notice.
As far as shoehorning a v-8 under the hood VW was able to do it with the Passat I would doubt that Ford would come to the table without having that ability in their hip pocket. After all they were able to get a v-8 into the SHO (granted it was anemic) and the 4.6 that is currently in the Mustang isn't all that big (size wise).
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
BTW, the SHO had a special 60 dgree V8 made by Yamaha (more compact than a "normal" 90 degree V8), and the Passat has VW's W8 which is very compact. I still doubt the 4.6L V8 could be crammed in there. Maybe the SOHC version but not the DOHC version.
Did he create the "new edge" look, i.e. the Mercury Cougar, Ford Focus, etc.. look? If so, then I'll give him credit for some originality.
Not as fast as it should have been, maybe. That crticism is fair. 0-60 in 7.4 is not anemic for a 3.4 litre engine in a 3600 pound car.
The best published time i saw on the original v6 with a 5 speed was 6.7 seconds.
The best time I think I saw on a GTP was 6.8. The lauded 300M was around 7.7 seconds.
The promise of 8 cylinders was let down by a typical slow shifting Ford automatic.
Still, it was a faster v8 than the Olds Aurora.
So no, not anemic.
So with this new Ford 500, it seems to me that this absolute brilliantly compact, beautiful to look at jewel 60 degree Duratec/Yamaha v8 would be a perfect powerplant for this new car. Maybe as an option to the 3.0. It would fit the upscale image well. Pump up the HP to about 250 and mate it to the 6 speed auto and the engine would have no problem getting the car in the 6.5 second range for 0-60 which is quite good still in sedan land.
I mean....most sedans tested today you see above 8 seconds and even most automatic sports sedans are still above 7.5. So a 0-60 in 7.4 is hardly anemic.
That v8 would be so perfect for the upscale image Ford wants with the A6, errr... I mean 500. Hey Bill Ford.....build it please.
Have another personal reason. If I parked this car in my garage next to my 1967 Ford Galaxie 500 XL convertible, the old gal may just refuse to start after seeing it's progeny reduced to being just another copycat of Audi.
Here is a link to a real Ford "500", alas 35 years old.
http://www.fordregistry.com/images/PG%20XL%202DC/RN_01125_7W59H208521_02.jpg
For Ford to stay competitive, especially in light of their declining sales, I think they MUST build it.
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
I thought that some of you might get a kick out of this.
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
considering j.mayes background, it's easy to see where the styling overtones have come from.
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
I have a few questions:
1. Has anybody seen or have pictures from this video?
2. It looks like the competition is the Avalon and Max. Still think it doesn't need more power and more refinement than the Taurus?
3. Personally, I think that raising the front seat is a bad idea. What do you think?
Grand High Poobah
The Fraternal Order of Procrastinators
Hopefully someone really tall could adjust the seat down accordingly.
From autoextremist.com today's "issue" about the Ford 500.
If this was an Asian car, there would be no moans of "it looks like a.." and "its not original".
When it's radical its too "wacky" and if its conservative its a "copy".
I had two blow out sidewalls on my '73 Mercury Montego...a lot of fun!
I would suggest anyone interested in the story behind the 96 Taurus, read a book called "Car" Its a behind the scenes look at the entire development process, and why they designed it like they did.
Obviously, when you go for a design that is not conservative, you run a risk. It could be a big hit or a big dud.
I think the lesson here is that you don't do the risky crazy designs on mass market family vehicles, but rather on niche vehicles or youth oriented products. Notice the very evolutionary changes in the new Explorer and Expedition. They weren't about to make the same mistake.
The Taurus as a copy of the Aurora? Ooops... something went wrong there!
The Five Hundred appears to be naught but an impersonation of the Passat.
BTW there is a comparo test in the last Motor Trend where Taurus was the dead last after Impala, Altima, Accord and Camry. I agree that Camry is the best of the bunch, though if Ford would copy Camry, I would rather buy Camry.
Of all the bunch Camry and Taurus have a lot of similarities according to the test, up to the point that Toyota has implemented New Edge design better than Taurus (though starting with ovaloid extremist car it is almost impossible to make a car complying to the New Edge philosophy without full redesign). If Accord, Altima and Impala has one contingent of buyers who like more sporty cars, Camry and Taurus have the different contingent who like more comfortable, smooth and refined ride.
What Ford could do, to make a more conservative Taurus and more avantguard Mercury, so everybody would be happy. And it has to match quality of ride, braking and steering of Camry. And get rid of exposed screw heads, low quality and bad looking door seals, front bench seat philosophy, that makes sacrifices in ergonomics. Gauge cluster though is well made and easy to read, lacks the modern look with mechnical odometer and doesn't even have transmission mode indication !
what Ford was trying to copy off the Aurora was the rounded look, grilleless front and dropping tail. Also the fender flaring, except Ford tied the fender flaring together across the entire length of the car with a rounded character shape that goes through the door handles.
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