Ranger should be leaner, meaner Dakota - I like that!
"Eliminator" with supercharger (Whipple) - XR7 the luxury cruiser with the Mach 1 type DOHC - standard cougar available with 4.6 and V6. How could they go wrong?
Mercury should get platforms from Jag for upmarket offerings, the Mustang platform (they had a GREAT Cougar Prototype a couple of years ago), using the SHO V8 Volvo is currently using, Volvo Platforms for mid-level AWD offerings. Mercury should have NO FWD vehicles, only AWD and RWD.
Lincoln should be comprised of mainly Jaguar platforms with American v8 engines.
Personally, I think Ranger should stay a small truck, but they do need a mid-sized truck. Especially with the behemoth that is the F-150!!
Call it Falcon!
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
The Ranger platform could easily accomodate a sohc 4.6 - and with pickups (as Chrysler discovered) its easier to sell a "big" small pickup. As for the bloated truck styling craze, I'll choose to stay out of the fray. Peterbilt noses with teeny little swb beds make no sense at all. (Yea, sure, I'm staying out of the fray).
Jag engineering for Lincoln first, Mercury second (volvo for merc a good idea - already doing that with the 500, although poor choices being made).
Don't see anything wrong with a fwd merc, though I find awd more intelligent overall choice - if the price point can be met. Really no reason for mercury to cater to minimal income end of the market - leave that to Ford...
American V8's in jag platforms is pretty much the formula for big Jaguars already. Making small Jags simply refitted Tauruses never made sense, though... Yes, that needs re-thinking altogether.
Falcon would make a nice truck name, but I suspect they're saving that for a new car line. Keep the Ranger name for the small pickup, just add a midsize item - F100 springs to mind, if no more clever name pops up.
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
The Ranger platform could easily accomodate a sohc 4.6 - and with pickups (as Chrysler discovered) its easier to sell a "big" small pickup. As for the bloated truck styling craze, I'll choose to stay out of the fray. Peterbilt noses with teeny little swb beds make no sense at all. (Yea, sure, I'm staying out of the fray).
Jag engineering for Lincoln first, Mercury second (volvo for merc a good idea - already doing that with the 500, although poor choices being made).
Don't see anything wrong with a fwd merc, though I find awd more intelligent overall choice - if the price point can be met. Really no reason for mercury to cater to minimal income end of the market - leave that to Ford...
American V8's in jag platforms is pretty much the formula for big Jaguars already. Making small Jags simply refitted Tauruses never made sense, though... Yes, that needs re-thinking altogether.
Falcon would make a nice truck name, but I suspect they're saving that for a new car line. Keep the Ranger name for the small pickup, just add a midsize item - F100 springs to mind, if no more clever name pops up.
Yeah, the Ranger could take a 4.6L, but I think it and the Mazda currently are the only small pickup left! Small business, delivery vehicles, etc, still need small trucks, and Ford has the market cornered.
Where it's getting killed is by the Dakota/Colorado/Frontier/Tacoma mid-sized truck, that used to be the F-150. My old 1977 F-150 looks like a Ranger when parked next to the new F-150!!
F-100 sounds good, and has a lot of history, but doesn't have the sizzle to back up the steak . . . the competitors have names, even if they're nonsensical (Why are the cars going to numeric designations, while the trucks are being named? Something to think about . .. )
Merc needs a separate identity, and one that is 1 level above Ford's. The only feasible way of doing it is to leave 2WD cheaper vehicles to Ford, and go AWD. I think Ford should NOT have an AWD offering, save the replacement for the Crown Vic, which should have a rear-based/biased AWD to make it attractive vis-a-vis the Charger.
Lincoln should go completely RWD.
Re: Jag engines, I thought they were developed in England? They don't sound much like an American engine (but that has a lot to do with the mufflers, I suppose .. . )
Re: American Market engines, they really should push the development a new pushrod engine. They're cheaper to manufacture, and easier to package, and weigh so much less. Not to go as far as they did in the 60's. with 6-7 different engines and 3-4 different families, but an OHV smallblock would make a good mid-level engine for both mid-sized and smaller trucks as well as for the Mustang.
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
Toyota is the #1 selling small truck, with no end in sight of that. Nissan Frontier is still a small truck, compared to some at least. Future of small trucks and even a new, dual-purpose micro-van a la the Scion could be bright.
F100 is old line ford name, but lack luster, no doubt about it. Old chevies had cool names (Apache). Have to dig in the data base for other options...
AWD as a marketing staple for Mercs? Could work. Might be hard for a full size car, but all the rest, sure...
Don't really consider the Charger competition of the Crown Vic. Size is so disparate. Problem is that the Ford 500 should be the competition, and can't be. Platform design and powertrain commitments are all against it. Hence my knock on the 500.
Lincold all RWD (maybe AWD option for the top line small LS and future MK IX) sounds good.
When Ford first bought jag, I told a friend of mine (XJ owner) I'd bet him a good sum that the big Jags would all be boasting V8's in no time - he didn't agree, but he didn't bite on the bet, either.
Did the same with a Volvo owner when Ford bought them!
Ford loves V8's.
As for resurrecting the old pushrods, they missed the boat there. Could have kept one of the engine plants open to keep making the 5.0's, but no, shut them right down. Another management snafu. Probably far too costly to pursue such an option now, particularly in their shrinking resource-base.
tripleblack
Quote:
Originally Posted by kscoyote
Yeah, the Ranger could take a 4.6L, but I think it and the Mazda currently are the only small pickup left! Small business, delivery vehicles, etc, still need small trucks, and Ford has the market cornered.
Where it's getting killed is by the Dakota/Colorado/Frontier/Tacoma mid-sized truck, that used to be the F-150. My old 1977 F-150 looks like a Ranger when parked next to the new F-150!!
F-100 sounds good, and has a lot of history, but doesn't have the sizzle to back up the steak . . . the competitors have names, even if they're nonsensical (Why are the cars going to numeric designations, while the trucks are being named? Something to think about . .. )
Merc needs a separate identity, and one that is 1 level above Ford's. The only feasible way of doing it is to leave 2WD cheaper vehicles to Ford, and go AWD. I think Ford should NOT have an AWD offering, save the replacement for the Crown Vic, which should have a rear-based/biased AWD to make it attractive vis-a-vis the Charger.
Lincoln should go completely RWD.
Re: Jag engines, I thought they were developed in England? They don't sound much like an American engine (but that has a lot to do with the mufflers, I suppose .. . )
Re: American Market engines, they really should push the development a new pushrod engine. They're cheaper to manufacture, and easier to package, and weigh so much less. Not to go as far as they did in the 60's. with 6-7 different engines and 3-4 different families, but an OHV smallblock would make a good mid-level engine for both mid-sized and smaller trucks as well as for the Mustang.
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Toyota is the #1 selling small truck, with no end in sight of that. Nissan Frontier is still a small truck, compared to some at least. Future of small trucks and even a new, dual-purpose micro-van a la the Scion could be bright.
F100 is old line ford name, but lack luster, no doubt about it. Old chevies had cool names (Apache). Have to dig in the data base for other options...
AWD as a marketing staple for Mercs? Could work. Might be hard for a full size car, but all the rest, sure...
Don't really consider the Charger competition of the Crown Vic. Size is so disparate. Problem is that the Ford 500 should be the competition, and can't be. Platform design and powertrain commitments are all against it. Hence my knock on the 500.
Lincold all RWD (maybe AWD option for the top line small LS and future MK IX) sounds good.
When Ford first bought jag, I told a friend of mine (XJ owner) I'd bet him a good sum that the big Jags would all be boasting V8's in no time - he didn't agree, but he didn't bite on the bet, either.
Did the same with a Volvo owner when Ford bought them!
Ford loves V8's.
As for resurrecting the old pushrods, they missed the boat there. Could have kept one of the engine plants open to keep making the 5.0's, but no, shut them right down. Another management snafu. Probably far too costly to pursue such an option now, particularly in their shrinking resource-base.
Until this year Ranger had the best sales numbers. It seems Colorado is killing everyone.
Top Five Best-Selling Small Pickups
Model
2004 2003 Chng.
Ford Ranger
156,322 209,117 -25.2%
Toyota Tacoma
152,933 154,154 -0.8
Chevy Colorado
117,475 3,535 999.9%*
Dodge Dakota
105,614 111,273 -5.1%
Nissan Frontier
70,703 65,161 8.5%
Source: AutoData
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
I have sources that say they're developing one, supposedly an evolution of the Cleveland.
The HEMI and Chevy LS is killing 'em in cost to manufacture, and in terms of "heritage" marketing
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
You're right about Toyota. My thoughts were on trucks without back seats and with 4 cyl engines (my idea of a small truck - Ranger with full size back seat or 4 doors sort of defeats the purpose in my mind). Not quibbling - I was mistaken.
Don't completely understand your numbers (thanks for going to all the trouble - in case anyone doesn't know, I wrote this thing off the cuff - I read a lot, but I can certainly get discrete facts turned around). If Colorado is doing so well, isn't it still ranked well below Ford and Toyota? Or do you mean its doing so much better than the S10 it replaced (which I believe must be true - the S10 had not aged very well).
Also, key item to keep in mind is how very few models sell more than 150,000 units - the F150 is famous for its 900,000+ number one rating - yet the majority of cars and trucks are sold from model bases under 50,000 units - meaning that the old wisdom that held that you had to make 120,000 of something to earn a profit no longer holds!
Saw a Detroit talk show on Speed that mentioned this - that the future will be won by the manufacturer that can adapt to low volume, heavily modified from standard production, and cater to the customized individual buyer market where the ability to earn a profit on sales of 5 - 10,000 (sounds like the new GT500 Shelby) will mean the difference between survival and not.
Dang. I think this discussion might be near the cutting, bleeding edge. How about a Mustang line with about 20 different sub-models, ranging from the Shelby (coupe and convt.) to the base V6 coupe, with stops in between at SVT Cobra, Mach 1, and Boss 281, Cougar Eliminators, etc.
Get the dealers involved - give every customer 10 different wheel and tire choices for close to msrp money.
I have sources that say they're developing one, supposedly an evolution of the Cleveland.
The HEMI and Chevy LS is killing 'em in cost to manufacture, and in terms of "heritage" marketing
Until about 2 years ago, they still had a pushrod line open, making 5.0 crate motors and matching parts. Shut it down just in time for the inherent goodness of more engine choice to become apparent to the universe. Major duh moment for Ford. FRPP is already constricting the availability of lots of 5.0 and earlier performance goodies, with the dealers following suit. As Ford works through its warehoused inventories of pushrod parts, look for availability to become less diverse and more heavily dependent on the vagaries of the aftermarket.
Tooling up a major engine plant is no small feat - especially from zero (much easier to modify an existing engine line - perhaps this is their intention). Its particulalry hard for a company that has to pay Jimmy Carter stagflation-era interest for loan money due to their junk bond status and poor credit worthiness. Unfortnately I expect them to follow the path of least resistance and do the opposite - listen to the dark vision of the universe that says that the buying public, herded by high fuel costs, will soon be demanding gas-sipping economy cars, hybrids, and electrics instead of good old pushrod V8's. (I suspect the future holds all of the above, and they could make hay on the pushrods, but maybe I'm just being cynical - can't hurt to hope they wake up, can it?)
tripleblack
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Until about 2 years ago, they still had a pushrod line open, making 5.0 crate motors and matching parts. Shut it down just in time for the inherent goodness of more engine choice to become apparent to the universe. Major duh moment for Ford. FRPP is already constricting the availability of lots of 5.0 and earlier performance goodies, with the dealers following suit. As Ford works through its warehoused inventories of pushrod parts, look for availability to become less diverse and more heavily dependent on the vagaries of the aftermarket.
Tooling up a major engine plant is no small feat - especially from zero (much easier to modify an existing engine line - perhaps this is their intention). Its particulalry hard for a company that has to pay Jimmy Carter stagflation-era interest for loan money due to their junk bond status and poor credit worthiness. Unfortnately I expect them to follow the path of least resistance and do the opposite - listen to the dark vision of the universe that says that the buying public, herded by high fuel costs, will soon be demanding gas-sipping economy cars, hybrids, and electrics instead of good old pushrod V8's. (I suspect the future holds all of the above, and they could make hay on the pushrods, but maybe I'm just being cynical - can't hurt to hope they wake up, can it?)
tripleblack
eh, if the 302 & windsor could survive 2 gas crunches in the 70's and 80's, a modern v8 could survive anything in the near future, even if it's running on E85, and has a couple of electrics inline prior to a DeDion rear transaxle.
Oh!
The numbers show a near 1% drop for toyota, a 25% drop for Ranger, and a 1,000% increase for Colorado over the S-10
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
Totally agree. The demand for the motors survived - the factories didn't. There are 2 common ways to kill a product - lack of demand, and lack of management. Demand was there (potential demand, too, and that requires management to exploit), but management deluded themselves into believing they could "lead" consumers into buying what they wanted to sell (96-98 4.6 debacle - took a decade to overcome the initial mistake, with the upshot being that they still killed the pushrod engine lines just when they were showing clear signs of marketable life).
This is where the "insular" management mindset I refer to is best demonstrated. They sit around talking to either subordinants who "yes" them or to each other, thus affirming themselves with a series of mirrors instead of reality. Sort of like the mass media seeking to create news by interviewing each other, rather than seeking out the true story. Anytime you see a headline and the proof of the premise is the opinion of 3 or 4 other media operatives, you're looking at nothing more substative than ego preening before a relative mirror.
tripleblack
Quote:
Originally Posted by kscoyote
eh, if the 302 & windsor could survive 2 gas crunches in the 70's and 80's, a modern v8 could survive anything in the near future, even if it's running on E85, and has a couple of electrics inline prior to a DeDion rear transaxle.
Oh!
The numbers show a near 1% drop for toyota, a 25% drop for Ranger, and a 1,000% increase for Colorado over the S-10
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Totally agree. The demand for the motors survived - the factories didn't. There are 2 common ways to kill a product - lack of demand, and lack of management. Demand was there (potential demand, too, and that requires management to exploit), but management deluded themselves into believing they could "lead" consumers into buying what they wanted to sell (96-98 4.6 debacle - took a decade to overcome the initial mistake, with the upshot being that they still killed the pushrod engine lines just when they were showing clear signs of marketable life).
This is where the "insular" management mindset I refer to is best demonstrated. They sit around talking to either subordinants who "yes" them or to each other, thus affirming themselves with a series of mirrors instead of reality. Sort of like the mass media seeking to create news by interviewing each other, rather than seeking out the true story. Anytime you see a headline and the proof of the premise is the opinion of 3 or 4 other media operatives, you're looking at nothing more substative than ego preening before a relative mirror.
tripleblack
heh-heh! Nothing like profit-driven news! Natalie Hallowell, 24/7! MJ 24/7 . . .. lowest common denominator . .. When the news is self-interest instead of public interest, the end of times is near . . . Reminiscient of Nero fiddling while Rome burns
Anyway, What I'd really like to see is a Mercury Comet, using the C1 Focus/S40/Mazda 3, AWD coupe and sedan.
The basic architecture is about the size and shape of the old Comet/Falcon, and I think using the SVT engine, and Mercury's superior design labs, a good things would come of it!
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
Thats the name I was searching for. Buddy is just finishing a build on a 69 Comet - sweet little car.
Good concept - could really fulfill the low spot on the Merc lineup (make it more like a Mazda 3 than a Focus, to suit me).
As for profit driven news, there's nothing wrong with a media company making a profit - but just like other portions of our society (medicine and the practice of law spring to mind) there's SUPPOSSED to be a higher goal and set of standards at work. Creating news that is not news to earn a profit or fulfill a private political agenda (left, right or center, doesn't matter) is wrong, and ample reason for the disdain that the media is now held in.
Come to think of it, all 3 of the groups I listed (media, law, medicine) are finding their historical high regard degrading at a swift pace.
Well-earned problem. But certainly a problem for our society, all the same.
tripleblack
Quote:
Originally Posted by kscoyote
heh-heh! Nothing like profit-driven news! Natalie Hallowell, 24/7! MJ 24/7 . . .. lowest common denominator . .. When the news is self-interest instead of public interest, the end of times is near . . . Reminiscient of Nero fiddling while Rome burns
Anyway, What I'd really like to see is a Mercury Comet, using the C1 Focus/S40/Mazda 3, AWD coupe and sedan.
The basic architecture is about the size and shape of the old Comet/Falcon, and I think using the SVT engine, and Mercury's superior design labs, a good things would come of it!
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
Thats the name I was searching for. Buddy is just finishing a build on a 69 Comet - sweet little car.
Good concept - could really fulfill the low spot on the Merc lineup (make it more like a Mazda 3 than a Focus, to suit me).
As for profit driven news, there's nothing wrong with a media company making a profit - but just like other portions of our society (medicine and the practice of law spring to mind) there's SUPPOSSED to be a higher goal and set of standards at work. Creating news that is not news to earn a profit or fulfill a private political agenda (left, right or center, doesn't matter) is wrong, and ample reason for the disdain that the media is now held in.
Come to think of it, all 3 of the groups I listed (media, law, medicine) are finding their historical high regard degrading at a swift pace.
Well-earned problem. But certainly a problem for our society, all the same.
tripleblack
News used to be considered a public service that networks provided as payback to the public for use of it's airwaves. Similar to children's programming.
Cable networks were exempted, since they didn't use airwaves.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996(?) eliminated this provision to "put networks on an equal footing" with cable networks.
As a result, all news became "infotainment," and the only place to find real news is the GAO, public broadcasting, and international networks such as the BBC. Heck, to find out what's going on in Afghanistan, you have to look at Aussie & India coverage.
Simply amazing!
__________________
Woe to him who builds his palace by unrighteousness,his upper rooms by injustice,making his countrymen work for nothing...Does it make you a king to have more and more cedar?Did not your father have food and drink?He did what was right and just,so all went well with him. He defended the cause of the poor and needy,and so all went well...But your eyes and your heart are set only on dishonest gain,on shedding innocent blood and on oppression and extortion. Jer 22:13, 15-17
I know some people differentiate between "video" media and "print" media, but I don't. Journalistic standards are descended from the special Constitutional privilages enjoyed by the fifth estate - beyond even those rights granted all US citizens by the first amendment.
A heavy responsibility to the public to exercise these powers and privileges in an appropriate manner comes with those selfsame powers and privileges. Specific matters of debate (such as the licensing of bandwidth versus the use of massive amounts of public roadway to string your cables) should be subordinated to the more important Constitutional concerns. Both parties share responsiblity IF they are to also share the benefits of special consideration under the Constitution.
Having said all this, it is important to seperate "editorial comment" and "news reporting". Its my opinion that adults of average intelligence should be able to clearly differentiate between the two. If the media outlet starts mixing them (as has become a common practice in both print and broadcast media), this becomes a problem deserving of public ridicule and redress. So long as the editorializing is clearly that, and not announced with breathless credibility as breaking news, I have no quarrel whatsoever with the presentation of opinion, regardless of ideology or point of view.
The fact that it is often difficult to divorce personal opinion from presentation of the unvarnished reporting of events does not negate the necessity of all steps being taken to pursue the goal of news reporting as free from bias as possible.
We're talking another slippery slope, here, and one where many of the largest media sources in the world are skidding merrily along. My experience has been that the problem is of epidemic proportions, contaminating national, international and cultural media sources worldwide. Like an intellectual aids virus, the habit of bending every news story to serve an editorial end - and crafting every editorial to emulate a recital of factual news - is destroying a mighty pillar of civilization.
Barbarism awaits.
tripleblack
Quote:
Originally Posted by kscoyote
News used to be considered a public service that networks provided as payback to the public for use of it's airwaves. Similar to children's programming.
Cable networks were exempted, since they didn't use airwaves.
The Telecommunications Act of 1996(?) eliminated this provision to "put networks on an equal footing" with cable networks.
As a result, all news became "infotainment," and the only place to find real news is the GAO, public broadcasting, and international networks such as the BBC. Heck, to find out what's going on in Afghanistan, you have to look at Aussie & India coverage.
Simply amazing!
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
A few predictions from a fascinated Ford watcher...
It appears that Ford is upping the ante with the GT500 Shelby. Response has been so strong, and their financial situation is so dire, they will be offering it as the top slot of a 3 or 4 strong "boutique" Mustang lineup.
The 2006 GT and V6 will soldier on, essentially unchanged.
Next will come a new Mach 1, with styling cues from the originals, and probably the same dohc Mach 1 motor from 2004. Price will be around $32-35000. 320-325hp or so. May be offered as a convertible.
Penciled in atop the Mach 1 is a new "Boss" Mustang. This car may have the 5.4 motor in naturally aspirated form, or the 4.6 with a blower. Price will be about $40,000 or a bit more if they add the supercharger. Power will fall in the 375-400hp range. Also may be offered as a convertible.
Finally the Shelby GT500, with the initial price estimate h-i-s-t-o-r-y. Expect to pay around $50,000 if you can find a dealer willing to take msrp. 450hp, unless they quit messing arond and tune it to the 500hp it can make. Will be offered as a convertible, eventually.
Just like the ads say, "actual prices may vary".
Anyone who hasn't noticed the absence of an SVT Cobra here, raise their hands. It hasn't taken a marketing genius at Ford to recognize that they've struck gold with the Shelby renaissance. Having both a SVT and a Shelby "Cobra" offered at the same time was never their intentions, hence the vanishment of Colleti and Theodore. For marketing reasons alone, this simply won't happen.
All cars can be made on the AAI line.
SVT will soldier on as a division of Product Development, but without their prior direct production control and seperate design independence.
__________________
tripleblack
"You can never be free until you let yourself go."
