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Ford Freestyle - Taurus X

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Comments

  • luck11luck11 Member Posts: 425
    According to Edmunds recent (Nov) wagons newsletter, Ford is putting on a big splash at the Jan Detroit autoshow and will be featuring the Freestyle.

    "January's Detroit auto show is shaping up to be a colossal event for North American manufacturers. Ford is preparing to unleash a new range of wagons and freshened SUVs to cap its displays, which will also include the first brand-new Mustang since 1979. But in the wagon spotlight for Ford will be the Freestyle, a new crossover wagon built off Volvo's front-drive platform and sporting a V6 engine coupled to a continuously variable transmission. The Freestyle will also be offered with all-wheel drive."

    I like the AWD part. After having AWD on my current wagon, I'll never go back to 2WD.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    2005 is "Year of the Car" for Ford, so you will see a bunch of new vehicles from Ford, at the next wave on auto shows starting the 2nd of January.
  • nextmoonnextmoon Member Posts: 386
    Many online automotive news sources cite Ford will be debuting the Freestyle in the Detroit Auto Show. Hope someone attending will shoot some good pictures and post them here.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    Yes, it'll be shown on this new round of the auto show....I'll make sure to post some :-)
  • tomcat630tomcat630 Member Posts: 854
    I am sure Edmunds will have pics too, they usually have good photos from then Auto Shows.
  • theo2709theo2709 Member Posts: 476
    Beat me to it. ;)
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    are pretty good looking. Now, if the interior was as good as the concept, then the Freestyle will do better in sales than the cross-town rival, Pacifica.
  • theo2709theo2709 Member Posts: 476
    It's overpriced. The target will be $30k, and the Duratec is underpowered. Not a very good way to steal Highlander sales.
  • nextmoonnextmoon Member Posts: 386
    I think the first year models will carry over the current 3.0L duratecs in the Tauruses (Tauri?). Second model year will have the new 3.5L duratec but not sure if it'll be the base or upgrade engine.
  • tomcat630tomcat630 Member Posts: 854
    They will not get the Taurus 3.0L, that is a lame duck motor. The Freestyles get the 220HP (for now) V6 from the Mazda 6. 3.5L is coming.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    is there pricing info? I think Ford can charge no more than $33K for a version fully loaded up, competing with the Pilot for price leader in the cross-over segment. Chrysler's Pacifica failed with a loaded price of $41K but the Murano is selling pretty well with sticker prices into the $37-$38K for loaded SE AWD models.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    I like it! I'm surprised how attractive it is.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    I like it too. Looks great in darker colors, I'll guess. The maroon makes it look great. I like dark blue, so maybe that'll be even better!
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    The Freestyle won't be priced quite as high as a Pacifica which can hit high $30K's loaded.

    Initially it'll be offered with a 3.0L tuned to make more than the Taurus/Escapes basic 200HP. Look for 220+ in Duratec 30.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    Not as high as the Pacifica? That's good news. At least it'll be easier to afford for many families. Plus it'll be getting the Duratec 35 in a year.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    what happened to them? Were they from a competing message board, or what?
  • tidestertidester Member Posts: 10,059
    Yes.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    does anybody have photos that are NOT from a competing message board?
  • rcf8000rcf8000 Member Posts: 619
    Can anyone tell us the dimensions of the Freestyle?
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    are there any pictures that are NOT from a competing message board that we can see?
  • jms9jms9 Member Posts: 17
    Does anyone else see how much the Freestyle resembles the Acura MDX? The tail lamps are a little "fatter" than the ones on the pre-2004 MDX, but the overall shape is very reminiscent of that vehicle. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but some may think it's a little too derivative. I could see someone like my 44 year old mom buying it, which is right around the targeted age for this vehicle.
  • bretaabretaa Member Posts: 130
    I don't think it looks like an MDX at all. All the vehicles in this class, maybe save the Murano, all have the same "big wagon" profile, from the Pilot to the Highlander to the Freestyle.

    And like all upcoming Fords, it has a clean and substantial look that, unfortunately, is utterly forgettable and without much style. Ford will still probably sell a ton of them. Just my $0.02. For my money, the Pacifica is infinitely more attractive, but costs much more.

    Bret
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    I agree the Pacifica looks better, but the Freestyle will probably sell in higher numbers due to the lower price.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Don't know how the freestyle will compare inside, but I was very excited about the Pacifica, until I sat inside. The interior was a big letdown.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    I also prefer the Pacifica's looks... although I'm not saying the Freestyle is unattractive, it's just nice. But then again, "nice" looking vehicle usually sell better than one's that push the envelope a bit (in certain segments). I think it's better safe than sorry. Ford wouldn't want an [non-permissible content removed]-tek fiasco either.

    The rear definately pics up styling cues from Ford's SUV's, notice the pillars, their design and slants, as well as the hatchback and those are definately Ford cues. As for the front, it's very Audi like, which will be more prominant on it's cousin the Ford Five-Hundred debuting around the same time.
  • theo2709theo2709 Member Posts: 476
    The thing is though, playing it "safe" got Ford (esp. Mercury and Lincoln) into the position they are today.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    played it too safe. Especially with the Taurus.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    chan, is that the design isn't so bad - but the vitality and uniqueness of today's Taurus has lost the magic of the original.

    When the 86 Taurus came out, I had my Niece leave me one to babysit for a week. I was driving a T-bird at the time, and really happy with it. But after a week in the Taurus, this one was an LX, loaded all the way, I was way in love! Bought an 87, 88, two 89's and a 90 for my business. Bought an 87 Sable for me personally.

    When the 96 came out with the overdone oval look, I was turned off completely. The redesign looks better to me now, but so much decontenting has been done, the seats are no longer world class, they are pretty ordinary cars today. No fun there anymore.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    The Taurus, in the process of "Jac The Knife" got so much cost cutting done to it that all the originality was lost. Same thing happened to the Escort. Bought a single Escort in 1988, went car shopping in 1997, shopped the Accord, Escort, Corolla, Taurus and Contour. Bought an Accord- the Corolla was too small, the Taurus too radical and the Contour just couldn't compete with the Accord in every aspect. The Escort lost all the originality, low price and hatchback design that attracted me in 1988.
  • bretaabretaa Member Posts: 130
    Regarding the Freestyle:
    I agree with all posts. Clean and modern, but utterly forgettable. It'll be a solid "double" and sell respectably.

    Regarding the Pacifica interior:
    I actually happen to think it is quite high quality, although I'm not thrilled with the actual design. I wonder when automakers will realize we look at the center console multiple times a day and you can't "cheap out" that part of the interior. I'm surprised they didn't learn from their LH sedan experience here.

    Regarding the original Taurus:
    I actually had a second gen Taurus SHO (the V6 auto version of the refined first gen) and have to say that was a great car. It felt like it all came together. Handling, packaging, mechanics, quality, etc... As one business magazine put it, how badly must Ford be managed to mess up a car that was a best seller so badly that it is now dropping it?

    Regarding the Contour:
    I'm actually selling my SVT Contour and let me say that this might have been the best car Ford made in the last 15 years. It feels only a hair less capable, comfortable, and put together than my BMW 330I. It was one of the best performance bargains! Ford, of course, never replaced it here in the U.S... Now I own a 330I... Thanks Ford... If Ford had brought the Mondeo ST220 here, I definitely would have bought that instead.

    Bret
  • rctennis3811rctennis3811 Member Posts: 1,031
    i agree..the Mondeo is solidly built and quite stylish
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    is quite stylish. A Passat like car with better reliability and possibly even lower prices.
  • bretaabretaa Member Posts: 130
    Note the February '04 Automobile that hit the stands today has a small photo of the Freestyle (along with the Mustang and 500) in the first couple of pages. My opinion remains unchanged: it's clean, balanced, quite dull, and will likely sell tons.

    Bret
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Right on the mark, Bret. Dittos.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    Agreed, bretaa.
  • theo2709theo2709 Member Posts: 476
    http://www.car-data.com/xpage.preview/pre.template.asp?mfg=ford&a- mp;model=freestyle

    The interior looks good. Enjoy!
  • rctennis3811rctennis3811 Member Posts: 1,031
    Sure the exterior may be bland, but it'll last out longer than more audacious designs..it was designed to meet a broad range of buyers' expectations. The interior shows what the "new Ford" has been up to and it looks great! Wow! What a nice interior...really! Hopefully, it looks better in person - inside and out. :)
  • theo2709theo2709 Member Posts: 476
    You can find pics and info for the Montego and Five Hundred by replacing "freestyle" with "fivehundred" or "montego" in the URL I posted above.
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    are great!!! Ford may have a hit on its hands. The interior looks especially good.
  • nvbankernvbanker Member Posts: 7,239
    Thanks Theo. Great site :)
  • odie6lodie6l Member Posts: 1,173
    I might just have to upgrade from my '01 Escape XLT v6 (just got to talk the wife into it :>) It looks like it might just fall right into the same size if not just a bit bigger that the escape. I couldn't tell from the pics if it will have a trailer hitch or not. Plus hopefully Ford doesn't price gouge it like chrysler did with the pacifica.

    Odie
    My Homepage
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    A lot of info!!! I went and printed the Montego, Five Hundred and Freestyle and I printed about 45 pages worth of info!!!!!! The Montego reminds me of a Lincoln Town Car from the back, the Five Hundred reminds me of a Passat from the side. And that's not a bad thing.
  • ANT14ANT14 Member Posts: 2,687
    Here's Ford's Media Kit on the Freestyle, inside you'll find specifications and details.

    http://media.ford.com/products/model.cfm?vehicle_id=1054

    Source: Ford Media
  • jchan2jchan2 Member Posts: 4,956
    thanks for the interesting preview.
  • wsag26wsag26 Member Posts: 124
    but, if it was the only thing to buy, I would. Ford has to get a jolt, something that was found on the Focus that made it so popular. The Five Hundred, and Freestyle were kind of bland, but the interior shows up nice. Like it, overall.

    wsag26
  • rcf8000rcf8000 Member Posts: 619
    The press kit suggests that the Freestyle provides the cargo hauling capacity of a minivan. If the numbers are as stated in thecarconnection.com piece, the cargo capacity is nowhere near as great as that of a minivan. How about HALF as much behind the second row. I like what I am reading about the Freestyle, for the most part. And for those grumbling about the styling, it looks just like an Explorer, and those sell well enough.
  • regfootballregfootball Member Posts: 2,166
    500-dull
    freestar-dull
    freestyle-superdull

    and I'm a ford fan (3 fords in a row)

    time for ford to get a clue and start making stylish cars again.
  • biggie2biggie2 Member Posts: 45
    Spend money on a subjectively "stylish" exterior, or a nice interior? It is easier to make an aethstetically pleasing interior with high quality materials than an exterior. While style inside or out will always be somewhat subjective, quality materials can only go one way, interior.

    Fords sales are astronamical compared to any other single brand, and once you get that big you are forced to go conservative. Conservatism is the only way to gain sales when you already have an extremely high amount of sales. Just look at Toyota, any of their products scream style?

    Ford took a chance on its first 80's model Taurus and they hit it big. They got lucky. Instead of going conservative the second time around they went and took another chance, that time they lost.

    I applaud ford for making some class leading interiors because when it comes down to it, i live in my car, not outside of it.
  • immovableimmovable Member Posts: 14
    darn. no fx roof. i had a little hope they'd make it an option. anyone hear anything about it being an option or a future option?
  • luck11luck11 Member Posts: 425
    As nice as the interior might be, the Freestyle exterior is most definitely bland and there is too much competition out there that offers the whole package including exterior good looks and functional interiors.

    The freestyle will not make it on my short list (will be trading in my Outback at end of '04/early '05), but I will keep an eye out for a Freestyle FX (the one that was displayed as concept at last years show).
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