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Comments
Currently, manufacturer's are wanting to implement a 42Volt system to be able to handle all the computer-ware. So are trying to integrate it with other systems, like "starter/generator" etc. to reduce capacity on the engine, improve fuel milage, etc.
Just someone needs to make the first step....
There's an Explorer being tested with the 42Volt system
http://www.thecarconnection.com/index.asp?article=7623
"Fusion, which blends a sedan with a sport-utility vehicle, is powered by a 1.6-liter gasoline engine and its base model will carry an price of 620,000 rupees ($13,650) in Delhi."
Paul
Someone asked what the point was of the SES Focus? Whats really wacky is if you take SE middle trim lvl and add the convenience group which gives you cruise control and repeat radio controls and add alloy wheels, THE CAR COSTS AS MUCH as the SES but doesn't have the 6 CD or 16 inch wheels or side moldings!!!!
Then look at the Freestar... the base S has no CD Player! Even the bases S Focus gets a CD player. Then there are 5 trim levels and so many options on each trim lvl that a SE can easily cost as much or more then an SES or SEL.
For 05 the Explorers got more confusing as well with some former equipment now optional this was obviously done to absorb some of the cost of standard Advance Trac but its still confusing...and when someone says, "Oh how is this one different than the 02 that my lease is up on?" HMMMM well some of the equipment that was standard on your truck you now get to pay extra for!...
Its my experience though that most people buying a Focus or Fusion would choose a 6 disc changer over side air bags. Most people don't even know of a difference between Disc or Drum brakes.
One point that shouldn't be forgotten is that a well designed brake system with rear drums can be as good as or better than a poorly designed 4 wheel disc system. Kia Sephias have 4 wheel discs but you'll be given your plastic Jesus alot of rubs if you ever have to panic stop in one.
Another example is the new Mustang. From what I've been ready, the live axle rear is so well designed that it compares favorable to other cars with independent rears.
As for the Fusion, I hope they give us a CVT. After driving the Five Hundred and Freestyle. Step geared autos feel so 1990s.
Mark
There are several reasons why Ford (and other companies) sometimes keeps old models around. In the case of the Taurus/Sable, it's because they have separate plants that produce them. Their only options are to close the plants (and make the UAW angry) or keep building the cars. So they decide to keep building the cars primarily as fleet vehicles, to keep the new models out of the fleets for the first couple years.
As for the Crown Vic and Grand Marquis, these stay around because the taxi companies and police departments want them. If Ford had dropped the CV/GM and tried to get those agencies to buy an unproven front-wheel-drive car with a Taurus engine, I think they would have sold about two. Maybe eventually the commercial market will come to trust the Five Hundred/Montego, but not yet.
-Andrew L
There are a number of reasons, let me list a few:
1. I takes time to ramp up production on a new model, if you quit building say all the Crown Vics and supplant it with Five Hundreds, you'll have a huge product drought for several months, maybe a year or more. And that comes after you've gllutted the market with a slew of vehicles built to stock dealer inventories before he changeover, which nowadays tou'd be putting huge incentives on to get them moving.
2. Often the replacement vehicle is in a different sub-segment of the market. An immediate whole scale replacement of the Taurus or the Crown Vic, say by the Five Hundred would result in a huge loss of fleet sales for those cars.
3. The fixed cost of the older vehicles have long been amortized, keeping them in production is relatively cheap. You might think that economies of scale would bring cost of the new vehicles down more, but remember that the Taurus was made in two plants, Atlanta, where they're still building them, and Chicago, now Five Hundred/Montego/Freestyle, and the Crown Vic/Grand Marquis is built in St. Thomas Ontario. Converting all three plants to Five Hundred production would make no sense. The current market won't support that many of any large sedan. This isn't the auto market of 1964.
4. It takes time and money to convert a plant for new product. Most of Ford's, and other US automakers were or are not very flexible, they were designed to produce models on one platform, converting a plant to a whole new vehicle involves suspending production for an extended time. Usually several weeks to several months. Ford is in the process of doing something that Japanese and some European carmakers have been doing for years, moving to flexible production, which will allow a wider mix of vehicles to be assembled on one line, and allow rapid variations in the mix as market demand changes. But this conversion takes time and money, Chicago has been converted, the Atlanta, and Oakville Ontario plants are both slated for conversion over the next couple years, Atlanta will probably get Lincoln derivatives of the Five Hundred (P2/D3) platform, and Oakville will likely get new vans and crossovers based on the Fusion/Mazda 6 (CD3) platform.
5, Sometimes you just need to keep a plant running because of union contracts and agreements with local governments until you have new product ready to be built there, that is the case at a number of Ford plants, including apparently Atlanta.
As I said, this isn't 1964, no one is selling a million plus units of a full sized sedan in North America anymore, there is a lot more competition today, and the market is much more segmented.
Because there's 4 factories producing the F-150. They can't all change from one week to another, to produce a new model. So each one was slowly ramped up, to increase quality and building control. Plus, it would have ment many unfullfilled orders between the change-overs because it's a high selling vehicle. This also gave people the change to buy the older generation, if they didn't like the new design.
"Why does Ford need the 500 and the Crown Vic?"
The Crown Vic is amazingly very profittable and a cash cow. All the engineering has been amortized throughout the years, so whatever they sell, they gain a hefty profit from. Plus, it gives rental/livery/police depts a dependable vehicle which can be tailored to their needs, in a package that is very robust mechanically to handle such punishment.
While the Crown Vic offers RWD, the 500 offers FWD and AWD. This too targets another buying public that might not like RWD drivetrains specially on the snowbelt.
"Why the Fusion and the Taurus?"
The Taurus is going to rental fleets, therefore the Fusion doesn't get hit with major depreciation figures. This is another vehicle which it's engineering has been amortized and is already paid for. Which is why they are able to sell it so cheaply to rental fleets.
"Also, if all the full-size sales were in one model instead of two, Ford would have more sales on that one model"
At one time yes, but because the market is much more fragmented, and will be even further...having an additional vehicle offering helps. The days of 400K+ vehicles sales per unit are being counted. Apprx 3-5 models will be able to attain that, but with numerous entries, and people wanting to own vehicle they don't see at every stop light, you will see variations- Mercury.
If they have already decided electronic as least offer driver adjustability. I realize must SUV drivers don't understand the AWD they have, all they seem think they can go anywhere regardless the tires they use. The Ohio Highway patrol told me (seriously), they know when to call for the salt trucks, the SUV's start collecting in the median.
Paul
Currently the Haldex AWD system in use in the 500/Montego, and Volvo models are regarded as one of the best for passenger car applications. This year the Haldex system was upgraded on a few models (debuting on the XC90) to act much quicker and you will see them on a few other Ford/L/M models in the near future.
The benefit of the Haldex system is that it allows for the system to kick in automatically without driver input and aide the driver from a sticky situation. Since it only kick in when needed, it doesn't require a fuel nor weight penalty like most AWD systems.
Nov 16: Ford is setting pace
Now the next thing is how affordable the AWD will be? Per the article good news about residual value, glad to see Ford paying so much attention.
Haven't found the AWD technical info yet, it's got to be out there somewhere.
Paul
AWD might be grouped in specific packages that would allow someone to upgrade to a higher trim, rather than just offering as a stand alone option. I'm guessing no more than $1K for a safe number, although nothing is being set in stone just yet....
http://www.autoweek.com/news.cms?newsId=101385
Source: Autoweek
EDIT - I looked some more at the pics and I REALLY like it! I would love to own one of these from what I see. I had a Contour and now drive a Focus ( also owned a SHO before the Contour - LOVED that car until I got hit head on ) and the Focus is now too small. This looks like the right size. Way to go Ford! Sooo much better than the 500 IMO.
This was "leaked" to gauge some reaction...
* Will AWD be available?
* Will it have more power than the Five Hundred does?
* Will side air bags and curtains be available?
* Will there be a hatch and wagon like the Mazda6, or just a sedan?
* When are we talking about? September/October?
* I presume this car will be made in Mexico, right?
* Will the Milan come out the same time as the Fusion?
Or is it too early to know any of that stuff?
To be competitive with other automakers, I wish Ford would replace the 3.0 Duratec with the 3.5 across the board.
There will be a crossover derivative in 2007 that will be sold by Ford and Lincoln (as the next Aviator). I have read on other message boards that the crossover will be the size of the Honda Pilot. Others say it will be similar to the Nissan Murano.
What surprises will people receive if I share that much
Yes Hermosillo, Mexico.
Yes, Side A/B available.
Milan debuts shortly after.
Most powerful version will be a 270HP "ST" variant, debuting later.
Quicker than the 500 even if it uses same V6.
The engine is also available in various tunings from @ 135HP up to @ 276HP in Turbocharged form.
Mazda's 1.3L Rotary also awarded (10 Best Engine).
Notably, the Toyota 2.4L in the Camry is not harsh/thrashy in the upper ranges of its powerband, nor does it have any discernable shake at low RPM/idle speed (which the Accord actually does).
The Ford 2.3L is an excellent engine, especially in the segment leading Mazda 3s, and it may be as refined as the Honda motor, but it is NOT MORE refined than either.
I will say though, that the 2.3L in the Ford is better than the 2.5L in my Sentra or the same engine in the Altima.
~alpha
Apparely Ford went with less threads on the plug and the head.
Anyone know if this was corrected/changed for the new 3V head?
Mark
So, will the Fusion have manual transmissions available?
The car was probably on the streets for a photoshoot for advertisements.
-Andrew L
You should see the trunk... Baby Got Back...
ANT, following up on my last post, what does the opinion seem to be about J May's work from Ford employees? Despite having taken lots of criticism from outside the company (and seeming somewhat into himself) he seems to have the confidence of Bill Ford, among others. I'm just wondering how the troops feel about him. I actually like the guy (what I know of him) and think he's very talented, but I've yet to see the big, signature Ford design from him. I actually like the retro stuff (T-Bird, Mustang) and think that the F-150 styling was right on, but Mays seems to be due for a real head turner, and one that will actually make it to the street. That GR-1 concept looks like it could be the one...
Many people are happy with the design of the 500 mainly because of what the vehicle is, and who it should appeal to. The theme was always "understated elegance" which is why much of the styling is influenced from luxury vehicles.
And as the vehicle ages, it'll adopt the new tri-bar grille that the Fusion has, which will occur in it's next refreshening.
You should see the trunk... Baby Got Back...
Fold flat front passenger seat too? It is such a useful feature I can't imagine owning a sedan without it.
So is that ST 270 going to be the Duratec 3.5 or the same 4 cylinder turbo setup that Mazda is using?
I think I want one.